Earth and Sky

expression on her face was a strange mix of disgust and worry.

    “I fell in love with him weeks ago, but I wasn’t sure. This weekend, I saw the kind of man he is, and that cemented it for me. I couldn’t stop loving him if I tried.”

    For a moment he thought she was mellowing, but then she shook her head. “I’d still prefer it if you slept in the guestroom, Hunter.”

    Hunter knew he wouldn’t win this battle, so he didn’t say anything. He simply pulled her into his arms again and squeezed her tight. Eventually she struggled free of Hunter’s strong grip, wiped her face, and proceeded to finish dinner. She took two plates out of the cupboard and filled them with a bit of everything.

    “Take these upstairs and eat with Grant. And when you’re up there, tell Bernie and Danny to come out of hiding. I’m sure Izzie knows where Hugh is.”

    Hunter nodded. “Hugh’s upstairs with Danny. I’ll ask all of them to come downstairs.”

    She nodded, straightening her back and raising her head. The pride was back.

    “I’ll check on you in the guestroom.”

    Hunter smiled as he picked up the plates. “Oh no, you won’t! I’m not sixteen anymore, Mom. I’m a grown man.”

    He didn’t wait for her answer and walked out, feeling the tension leave him as soon as the door shut behind his back. He walked straight into Izzie, who was smooching with Hugh between the table and the cupboard. Danny was on the couch, enthralled by a game he was playing on his Nintendo.

    “Heard you were banished to the guestroom too?” Hunter told Hugh.

    Hugh turned around, smiling shyly. “You too?”

    “Yup,” Hunter answered. “Better be careful, you two. She’s on the warpath, and deadly afraid you’ll shock Danny.”

    Izzie looked over at Danny and shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll live.” She looked at the plates Hunter was holding, grabbed two sets of cutlery, and stuck them underneath Hunter’s arm. “Better go feed your man.”

    Hunter almost blushed. He wasn’t used to being accepted yet, and Hugh’s wink only added to that feeling, so he just nodded and walked upstairs. After some careful balancing of everything he was holding, he quietly slipped into his room and put the plates and flatware on the bedside table. Grant was still asleep, and Hunter watched him for a few long moments. Part of him wanted to quietly sit there and take in Grant’s gorgeous shoulders and veined arms, which never ceased to turn him on. Then again, his mother was a supreme cook, and letting the food get cold would be a mortal sin, especially because he was dead hungry and he knew Grant was as well.

    “Hey, Stud Muffin,” he whispered as he ran his hands over Grant’s hair.

    “That my nickname now, Cowboy?” Grant asked without opening his eyes.

    “It fits,” Hunter chuckled. “I brought food.”

    “Mmm,” Grant moaned appreciatively, taking a carefully measured breath before attempting to raise his torso off the bed. Hunter was quick to offer help, but Grant swatted him away.

    “Sorry, didn’t mean to….” Grant groaned. “It’s just easier if I do it myself.”

    Hunter was too worried to take it badly. “Maybe I should call the doctor to come and take a look at you again?”

    “Maybe you should call the vet and have me put down.”

    Hunter gave him a dismissing look.

    “You’d do it for you favorite dog or your horse.”

    “If my horse kicked my dog and it couldn’t walk, I’d take care of it until it healed,” Hunter said calmly, although his patience was running thin. He loved Grant, but there was a lot of self-pity in what Grant was saying, and it was so far removed from the man he thought Grant was that he felt he needed to counteract it. “Now let’s eat, and after that, you can take more medication and I’ll help you fall asleep again.” He carefully pulled the bedside table in front of Grant and moved the chair so he could sit opposite it.

    “Sorry,” Grant apologized. “I just hate feeling like an invalid.”

    “Let’s look at it this way. Now I know what a grumpy bastard you can be when you don’t feel well. I suppose it gives me a good indication of what you’ll be like when you’re old.” Hunter cut his meat, and although he didn’t look directly at Grant’s face, he saw how Grant was holding his still-splinted arm in front of him. “Need me to cut that for you?”

    “I’m not old yet,” Grant replied grouchily.

    “No, but you’re in pain and more than