Page 33 of Stirring Up Trouble
When it came time to shut things down, we all rode back quietly. Elton, who had been running around all day, fell asleep on Bobby Allen, who seemed content simply to hold his partner.
Robin sat up front with me. The only difference from the other days was him holding my hand. Our fingers were laced together sitting on the center console.
It was a connection I didn't realize I would enjoy so much. The small touch sent tingles through me. And it wasn't that I wanted to fuck him. Even though that still held true. It was justhim.
The closeness was everything I didn't know I wanted. Everything I didn’t realize I’d been missing out on.
At the ranch, Bobby Allen lifted Elton, who was still knocked out cold, from the back of the truck. “I'm going to take him on up to bed. I think it's best he sleeps in. I'll come back down and grab some plates in case he's hungry later. But otherwise, this is me telling y'all good night.”
Robin smiled. “Sounds like a good idea. I can see he needs the rest. And I think you deserve it too.”
I agreed. “Y'all do whatever you need to. I appreciate all your help. I know this isn't what you're used to.”
Bobby Allen shook his head. “No need to thank us again, Blaze. We're happy to help. Besides, I think that us being here was one of those meant to be situations.”
His eyes cut over to Robin, who blushed before nodding his head.
We watched them go inside from where we stood at the bottom of the porch stairs. It was quiet out, the night having moved in and the animals already headed to bed.
I took a deep breath, then reached my hand out for my boy to take. He looked at it, not moving right away.
“Why does it look like this is a big deal to you?” he asked as he wove his fingers with mine again.
I started us up the stairs to move inside as I admitted, “It is a big deal. Ms. Connie is like a mother to me. She's taken care of this family for years, and she's going to lose it over the two of us. She won't be upset about anything other than the fact that we didn't tell her right away.”
Sure enough, when we got into the kitchen, Ms. Connie saw us holding hands and dropped the bowl of cornbread muffins she'd been holding. She covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes.
In the next second, she was moving across the room and wrapping us in a hug. I laughed at her excitement only to be smacked on the arm when she pulled away.
“Don't you go making fun of me, boy. I'm so happy for you. And you,” she said, turning to Robin, her hands moving to his cheeks. “You are so precious. Just a blessing. I'm glad you made it here to our ranch.”
Robin smiled, pulling her into his own hug. I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace over the entire moment. Ms. Connie was pretty much the only family I had left. Her being supportive of this was exactly what I needed.
There would be obstacles in our way, distance being the main one, but I knew we could face it. I knew we had it in us.
With Ms. Connie's support, it was looking like a reality because if there was one thing she could make happen, it was getting her way. She wanted me to be happy. Had wanted that for a long time. Which meant she’d help me troubleshoot anything stopping me and Robin from being together.
To see me being openly affectionate with someone was all she needed to keep her motivated into finding a solution.
When the pair pulled apart, I wrapped my arm around Robin's waist and moved us over to the island. “It's just going to be us tonight, Ms. Connie. No need to do a fancy table setting. We can eat right here.”
She frowned, looking around as if to spot Bobby Allen and Elton. "What about the other boys?"
“They called it an early night,” Robin told her. “Elton was exhausted from all the work today.”
She hummed as she went about grabbing the empty plates she had put on the table. She then loaded them down with food and set them before us. "Well, if they're exhausted, I can make a plate to take up to them."
I shook my head. “No need. Bobby Allen said he'd be down after he got Elton settled."
“And here I am," the man said as he turned the corner into the kitchen.
Ms. Connie pulled him into a hug. "It's good to see you."
Bobby Allen smiled and then gave us a look. "Is she okay?"
She pulled back, laughing. "I'm fine, just extra happy."
I swallowed the bite of food I'd taken and told him, “The woman's excited that I found someone. She's been on my case about settling down for years. Now that Robin here has caught my eye, she is beside herself.”
