We Don't Need Another Santa: An MM Holiday Hitman Romance with Humor, Pets, and Suspense (A Bent Oak, Texas Novella) by Bix Barrow

Author:Bix Barrow [Barrow, Bix]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-25T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

PHILLIP

Lucas’ eyes welled with tears. “But why are you so sure? You know I’m a screw-up. I’m scared I’m going to ruin Robin and Seth’s lives, and I’m afraid I’m going to do something to push you away.” He gripped my hand tightly. “Not to mention, this is crazy. We haven’t even known each other twenty-four hours. We’ve never kissed, not really, much less been on a date. How can you know we’ll work out?”

My phone chimed twice in a row.

I put my arm around Lucas and tucked him against my side.

“I could be wrong, Lucas. I am not infallible. But I have had to rely on my gut in life-or-death situations over and over again. And my gut is telling me my future is with you.” I took his chin in my free hand, loving the feel of his beard against my fingers. “I get that you need time. But,” I gestured at our phones lying on the bed a few feet away. “I think you are going to have to decide sooner rather than later.”

Lucas’ phone beeped again.

He snorted. “You mean now.” He pressed his face into my chest.

His phone beeped yet again.

Lucas made a face against my skin. “What if I relapse?”

I put my finger under his chin until he looked up at me. “What if you do not? I know it will not be easy, but you were strong enough to check yourself into rehab, and now you have even more motivation to stay sober than you did then. Do you have a sponsor or a therapist? Someone you can call if you get in a bad place mentally?”

“I’ve got a month of outpatient visits with the therapist at the rehab facility, so that will give me time to find a new one.” He grimaced. “I don’t like the twelve-step programs; they’re mostly religion-based.” He shuddered. “My father was a preacher. Church talk is more likely to make me want to drink than help me stop.”

I nodded. “We may be able to find a non-religious support group as well, depending on where you end up choosing to live. There have to be LGBT-friendly ones.”

His head jerked up sharply. “Where I choose to live.... Are you... are you set on staying here in Bent Oak?”

My phone chimed.

“I have a few more weeks of my substitute teaching commitment. But if you have a strong desire to live somewhere else, I could see about finding a replacement.” I glanced around the room. “I will have to decide what to do with the house.”

Lucas swallowed. “I don’t have anywhere in particular I want to live. I’m more concerned about the boys. I need to talk to someone to see if they’d be better off staying here in Bent Oak or starting fresh in a completely different environment.”

I squeezed Lucas’ hands. “That is an important consideration. My other house is in northern California, but it is in a very remote location. I think we would be better off somewhere with more infrastructure for schools and mental health resources.

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