Page 121 of Home: Posy 5

When he joined us, Dad put one arm around Mom and tucked her against his side, then clapped me on the back with his free hand.

"Wyatt, I'm blown away by your talent. I already paid for that pair of classic car tail fins for my office at the Busted Knuckle, and Wayne and Archer are pooling their savings to get that watercolor of Reau on his dirt bike."

"Wait. What?" I shook my head. "You don't have to pay for them."

"Of course we're going to pay for them!" He looked at me like I was crazy. "We'rebuyingthem."

"I meant, I'll just give them to you. I didn't do any of this for the money."

"Good, because there's no money in art," he teased with a grin.

"There's no art in money, either," I shot back with a smirk.

"Whatareyou going to do with your profits, baby?" Mom asked.

"Ah, well, I wasn't going to tell you like this, but I guess it's as good a time as any. I'm putting together a scholarship. Posy got the idea from her brothers, and Mase is helping me sort out the details." I glanced at her, then Dad. "I'm calling it the Shawn Black Legacy."

And Mom's face crumbled again!

"For theloveof themoon!" I grumbled and searched my pockets and - miracle of miracles! - found another hanky. "Gran is right. Preggie Mom is such a crybaby!"

When I went to wipe her face, Nathan took the hanky from me with a small smile.

"I got this one, bud," he said as he mopped Mom up. "A scholarship is a great idea. I'm so proud of you, Wyatt. You've grown into a fine man, a loving mate, and a great alpha. You are so much like your dad, and I can give you no higher praise than that."

"Thanks," I rasped, then cleared my throat.

Being a crybaby must be contagious,I said to Granite, then remembered who I was talking to and groaned.

What cont- congag- congaygus, Wy?

Catching. Like how you catch a sickness from someone else.

Quick! Stop breathing, Wy! Posy say have to be 'fessional tonight!

Professional, wolf. And I can't stop breathing. I'd die. And it was just a joke. You can't catch being a crybaby.

Not funny. He blew a raspberry at me.

"Don't need thanks for saying the truth." Nathan put an end to my pointless conversation with Granite, and I looked over to see him hugging Mom as she ugly-cried all over his chest.

Better him than me!I grimaced in disgust when snot came out of her left nostril in a little bubble.

Nathan wasn't bothered by it or by the saltwater soaking his shirt. He just took one of my hankies from her balled-up fist and wiped it away.

You do same for mate, Granite grinned.

Yeah,I admitted.I'll always comfort and support her, just as she does for me and my brothers.

Even if snot bubbles?Granite snickered.

Even if snot bubbles.

"Nathan?" I waited until his green eyes - mirrors of Cole's - met mine. "Thanks for taking care of my mom and loving her. Thanks for being patient with me while I figured shit out, even though it took years. Thanks for always being there for me and my brothers. I love you."

He stared at me for a second before he began to blink rapidly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and his mouth dropped open, but no words came out. Then I watched in shock as a single tear streamed from the corner of his left eye and disappeared into his beard.

"Not you, too!" I groaned and tossed up my hands in the air. "I ain't got any more hankies!"

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