Earth and Sky

people who are important to me. Which is why I’m asking you to be honest with me now, so I can be honest with them.”

    “So you just want to tell your mom and your sisters?”

    Hunter nodded. “I think that will be plenty for one night.”

    “Okay.”

    “Izzie knows, so she’ll be on our side. Bernie’ll be fine. She likes you. Lisa and Mom probably won’t say much with you there, but I think they’ll be okay as soon as they have some time to think about it.”

    “They want you to be happy.”

    “And they’ll see I’m happy with you. Izzie says it’s hard to miss that, and Christy agrees.”

    Hunter squeezed Grant’s hand again and then leaned forward to kiss him. Although Grant savored the kiss, his apprehension about what was going to happen when they reached the house prevented him from actually kissing Hunter back. Grant could see the disappointment in Hunter’s eyes when he sat back against the truck bench and stared out at the road outside.

    “Maybe you should just talk to your mom alone.”

    Hunter shook his head. “I want you there. I want her to see I mean business. If you’re not there, she’ll just be able to deny everything. It won’t be real. But if you’re there….” He looked at Grant. “She won’t be able to….” He shrugged as if he didn’t need to find the right words.

    Grant smiled. He understood. “Okay, I’ll be there.” He didn’t think it was necessary to tell Hunter just how scared he was. He was going to have to get through seeing Hunter’s mother eye him with the knowledge that he’d had sex with her son.

    With a firm, supportive squeeze of Grant’s hand, Hunter let go and put the truck in drive, turning it onto the road and toward his ranch.

Chapter 30

    Hunter was shaking like a leaf after parking the truck by the side of the house. He shook his hands and dried them on his jeans before walking around the truck to help Grant get out. He knew if he kept busy he’d be all right. Just act casually , he told himself. Pretend it’s business as usual and no big deal at all that you’re taking a man up to your room and getting him settled in there. Oh yes, and on the way up, in case you encounter your mother, you’re going to have to come out of the closet. Tell your mother that her only son isn’t going to bring home a daughter-in-law. Explain to her that you love Grant and you’re going to take care of him until he’s all healed up. And you’re not going to take any grief from her. Or let her throw Grant out once he’s on his feet again.

    Hunter took the small bag of Grant’s things out of the truck and realized that, before the confrontation, he’d better take a shower and change his clothes. He’d left without packing anything five days ago, and although he’d had a shower somewhere along the way, he knew his clothes smelled rank. He looked at his watch and figured he’d have time to clean up before dinner.

    Deep in thought, making sure a very sore-looking Grant got out of the truck without injuring himself any further, he was too busy to notice the unfamiliar car in the driveway. They were on their way to the front door when Lisa stormed out, carrying a suitcase, closely followed by a guy carrying another large bag. It took Hunter a few moments to recognize Jack, Hugh’s middle brother and star of Saturday nights at the bar, where he performed for the locals. He didn’t think he’d ever seen the guy around the ranch for anything else than horse dentistry, so he was a little surprised to see him running after his oldest sister.

    “Jack? What the…? Lisa? What’s going on?” Hunter was thoroughly confused. Neither Lisa nor Jack answered him, though. They simply loaded their baggage in the car and drove off.

    Hunter looked at Grant, who shrugged before walking up the porch to the front door. Once inside, they bumped into Izzie and Danny.

    “I’m gone for a few days, and when I come back, it’s pandemonium?” Hunter asked her in amusement. “What’s gotten into Lisa? She looked like she was moving out.”

    Izzie pulled Danny into the hallway, and Hunter could see the kid had been crying.

    “Danny boy, what’s wrong?”

    “Uncle Hunter!” the boy shouted before flinging himself into Hunter’s arm so forcibly, Hunter had to let go of Grant, who luckily had the wall for support. Hunter hugged Danny tightly, then threw a questioning look at Izzie.

    “Bernie?” Izzie shouted upstairs. “Come get Danny and