A Little Bit of Sugar (Snowed In & Snuggled Up #1) Read online

  It took her a moment. “Because he’s in the closet?” she asked carefully.

  “In the closet, behind the clothes, wearing a mask.”

  “And . . . .”

  “He wants me to join him there.”

  She opened her mouth, paused, then closed it again. “You mean he wants to see you but pretend he’s not?”

  “Jackpot, sweetie.”

  “Oh, Chris, I’m so sorry.”

  “I’ve been half in love with him for years, Mads.”

  “I kinda knew that.”

  “Yeah, I’m not built for secrets. Not my own or anyone else’s. That’s why I like it here so much. No one can hide anything. But Cody . . . he’s been doing a pretty good job of it for a very long time. But from the first time I met him, I suspected. He had my gaydar going off right from the start. You know?”

  She nodded.

  “Back in high school? I was still a freshman and it was right before he graduated . . . I thought something might happen.”

  “I never knew that.”

  “I never told. I wasn’t quite sure if I hadn’t dreamed it up because I wanted it so bad.”

  “What happened?”

  “Nothing, really. Just a look. A lot can be said in a look.”

  “Yeah,” she said, thinking of the way JT had looked at her last night . . . this morning.

  “Then he got Kelly pregs and . . . well, I wrote it off. Didn’t matter anyway. I’m not a home wrecker.”

  Madison moved to his side and hugged him.

  “But since the divorce?” she prodded, pulling up the other stool and sitting down beside him. Moof came over and set his snout on Chris’s leg, offering a sympathetic lick of his hand.

  “There’ve been other looks. Moments. Nothing sure, but my radar . . . .”

  He took a deep breath.

  “Then last night, I went to Codiacs, hoping I’d catch him without too many customers around.”

  “And you succeeded.”

  “Yeah. I asked him point blank.”

  Her eyes widened. “What did you say?”

  “I told him if he wanted me, he better tell me. Otherwise, I wasn’t coming back.”

  “No. Go, Chris!”

  He gave her a weak smile. “It took him awhile to get it out, but he said he wanted me . . . but only if I’d be his dirty little secret.” He shook his head. “I fought too hard to walk proud, Mads. You know that. My parents . . . my family. I lost friends.”

  “Not me, Chris. Never me.”

  “I know. And I love you for that. But I can’t be a lie. I can’t live that way, not after all I’ve done. I told him that—that’s about the time you got there.”

  “And? So what happens now?”

  “The ball’s in his court. He’s worried about his kids. His ex . . . he’s worried about everyone but himself. And me. It’ll take him years to work it out. I’ve seen it before.”

  “What will you do?”

  Chris shook his head, tears in his eyes. “I don’t know, Maddie. I’m in love with the guy. I can’t pretend I’m not.”

  “I know exactly how you feel,” she said, hugging him again.

  Chris gave her a watery smile. “How did you—”

  The front door flew open without warning and Cody McDonald stormed in with a flurry of snowflakes and a gust of cold.

  He looked around, his eyes wild, his face red beneath his hat.

  “Cody,” Chris said, standing.

  Cody strode across the shop, a big bear of a man who might have backed a lesser man up without any effort. Chris held his ground.

  “What do you want?” Chris asked.

  Cody’s gaze shifted to Madison, then back to Chris. “I’ll just—” Madison began, hooking her thumb at the back room.

  “You can stay,” Chris said.

  “But—”

  “You heard him,” Cody said. “Sit down.”

  Madison did as she was told.

  Cody turned back to Chris, staring him in the eye. Chris kept his chin up, staring right back.

  “You want me out?” Cody demanded. “Okay. I’m fucking out.”

  Madison’s jaw dropped, but no one was looking at her.

  “I want you to want out, Cody,” Chris said with quiet dignity. “I don’t want the words because you think you have to say them to me.”

  “Christ, you’re worse than a woman.”

  Madison frowned, but Chris only smiled. “I know.”

  Cody let out a low laugh and shook his head. “I’m out, Chris. I told Kelly. I told my kids.”

  Chris actually took a step back, obviously stunned. “What did they say?”

  He laughed again. “Kelly was relieved, if you can believe that shit. I will never understand women. My kids . . . Debbie said she already knew and Jesse asked if you know how to play Jenga Pirate Pig Attack.”

  “I don’t even know what that is.”

  Cody smiled. “Welcome to my world. I guess I’m not the only one who has something to learn.”

  Chris gave a tentative smile. “I guess you’re not.”

  Cody shifted his gaze to Madison, his brows lowering and worry filling his eyes. “You going to tell everyone?” he demanded.

  “Me? That’s not my place. But if you don’t mind my saying so, you made a good choice. Chris is one of the best men I’ve ever known.”

  “What about JT?” he barked.

  “Yes, he’s a wonderful man, too,” she answered quickly.

  “No, I mean are you going to tell him?”

  “If you want me to. If you want to tell him yourself, I’ll keep my mouth shut. But if you’re worried how he’ll take it, Cody, don’t be. JT loves you like a brother. He could care less who you’re sleeping with.”

  Cody made a sound of disbelief. “Don’t bullshit me.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  His shoulders sagged and he covered his face. Tentatively, Chris stepped around the counter and pulled Cody into an embrace. Cody’s arms came around him and a soft sob broke from the big man’s lips.

  “Don’t expect me to start wearing a fucking dress or anything,” he grumbled against Chris’s neck.

  “Only in private, Tinkerbelle,” Chris teased.

  Madison had tears in her eyes as she stood, inched around the two men, and locked the front door. She flipped the Open sign over and grabbed her purse. Lane’s business could wait. She had other things to deal with today.

  To Chris, she said, “Go home. Work things out . . . and congratulations to you both. I think you’ll be happy.”

  Cody laughed, face still pressed in the hollow between Chris’s shoulder and neck, hiding his tears.

  “Where are you going?” Chris asked, rubbing Cody’s back.

  “To Win Creek Cabin.”

  Chris gave her a surprised look. “Why do you look like you’re ready for a fight?”

  “Because I am. I’m going to be as brave as Cody. I’m going to go get what I want.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The snow was coming down hard now and the hairpin turns of Avalanche Road were more harrowing than usual, but JT didn’t even think of turning around. He was fueled by rage and hurt and a sense of betrayal that ran so deep he didn’t know how to contain it. His knuckles hurt where he’d punched Henry in the face. He’d felt like an ass as soon as he’d done it—doubly so when his mother told him that Henry was a changed man now . . . and that the two of them were engaged. Engaged!

  Well, hell. Welcome to the family, Henry.

  He skidded down the drive of Win Creek Cabin, the backend of his SUV swerving on the ice, and came to a stop in front of the cabin. He was out from behind the wheel and up the stairs in seconds.

  “Hamilton!” he bellowed when he walked through the door. The echo of his own voice and layered silence were the only things that answered. “Hamilton!” he tried again.

  “He’s outside,” a woman said.

  Surprised, he turned to see a vastly pregnant Gaby Venti stan
ding in the hall. He hadn’t seen her in years, but he’d just cleaned her father’s clock and the family resemblance couldn’t be missed. His gaze narrowed on her swollen belly and he wondered if Hamilton was responsible for that, too. Her eyes were swollen, her nose red.

  “I think he’s out working on the snowmobiles,” she said.

  “Okay, thanks.” He paused. “Are you all right?”

  She gave him one of those bright smiles women offered when everything was shit but they didn’t want to talk about it.

  “Fine. Thanks.”

  Not trusting himself to have a civil conversation with anyone right now, anyway, he turned abruptly and stormed out of the cabin. Someone had been busy shoveling snow out of walkways, but it was coming down hard enough that it seemed a pointless effort. He tromped through the piles of it, uncaring that his boots were wet and his pant legs soaked by the time he reached the shed.

  He yanked open the door and stepped inside. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the lighting, then he saw Hamilton hunched over a snowmobile, tinkering with the engine.

  “Hey, JT,” he said, his easy smile fading as he took in JT’s expression. “What’s going on?”

  “You tell me. I just got some news that I really don’t want to be true.”

  A wary look came over Hamilton’s face. Slowly, he stood and wiped his hands. “You heard about dad?”

  “That would be a yes. What I haven’t heard is why you would even consider such a thing.”

  “Look, JT. I know you and dad have some bad blood—”

  “That’s all we have, Hamilton. Bad blood.”

  “Well, maybe it’s because that’s all you’re willing to have. Dad isn’t the bad guy you’ve always made him out to be. He’s smart and he wants to reconnect.”

  JT was pretty sure he was going to have a stroke. Right here. Right now. “Dad abandoned us, Hamilton.”

  “Twenty years ago.”

  “There’s no statute of limitations on something like that! He ditched his family and never looked back. I know you were little and don’t remember much of him, but by the time he left, I was ready to pack his bags for him. He was the meanest son of bitch you’d ever meet. The way he talked to Mom . . . the way he talked to us. You don’t remember any of that?”

  Hamilton shook his head. “I remember hearing about it. Mostly from you.”

  “He left her without a dime.”

  “He knew Gramps would step in.”

  “We weren’t Gramps’ responsibility! We were his and he threw us away. Now, you want to let him back in. For money?”

  “Not just that and you know it. But let’s be real. This isn’t chump change they’re offering us for the cabin. It’s two million dollars, JT.”

  “I know how much it is. But I’m not selling. I was against it to start with. The only good memories I have of growing up happened here. I can’t put a price tag on that. If it means hocking everything I own to buy you and Scout out, then I’ll do it. But I’m not selling.”

  Hamilton said nothing. His brows pulled low and his eyes filled with concern. “It’s not healthy to hate your own father so much, JT.”

  JT looked at the ceiling, shaking his head. “Dad is a parasite, Hamilton. I’m sorry if you don’t feel that way about him, but it’s the truth. When I made my first sale? Dad was the first one to call me. Not to say congratulations. To ask for money. When I told him to go screw himself, he started a smear campaign, leaked to the media that I’d plagiarized another author. It wasn’t true and the publicity and exoneration probably boosted my sales, but he did that to his own son.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I kept it to myself. I knew how you felt about him. But he did the same thing to Mom when she got her show. He tried to file a spousal compensation suit. Said if he hadn’t supported her for all those years, she’d never have learned to make her preserves.”

  Hamilton paled. “Why didn’t anyone ever tell me that?”

  “Go ask Scout what happened when he started getting endorsements after he went pro.”

  “I think I can guess.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to think about what you said. I want to talk to dad, too.”

  “Are you serious? You have to think about it?”

  “It’s what I do, JT. I don’t make snap decision without weighing all the factors.”

  JT hadn’t wanted to tell Hamilton about the rest of Dad’s seedy history, but now he had no choice. While his brother stared at him in dismay, JT laid it all out, things he and Scout knew, but had always kept from Hamilton to protect him. All the little pieces that had come together to make their father the man he was. One JT could never trust or welcome into his life.

  In the end, JT said, “I’m sorry I’m the one who had to tell you all this. I know you have to do what you what you believe is the right thing, Hamilton. But I’m not selling.”

  And with a heavy heart, JT left his brother alone.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The wind had kicked up, pelting JT with hard, icy snowflakes. Obviously, the storm mom had warned him about was on its way in. JT tucked his head, not even looking where he was going as he tromped through the snow to the house, until Scout called out and caught him halfway.

  “Yo, bro. I’m not shoveling for my health, you know?”

  JT stopped and looked down. He was up to his knees in snow. Not four feet to his right was the path his brother had so conveniently cleared. Just great. Could this day get any worse?

  Changing course, JT trudge through the snow until he intersected the walkway and drew even with his brother.

  “What are you shoveling for? A big storm is coming and it’s going to dump a ton of snow.”

  “I like to shovel.”

  JT felt like he must have stumbled into an alternate universe. There was no other explanation for it.

  “What’s going on?” Scout asked.

  “What’s going on?” JT repeated hotly. “Well, Jesus, where do I start? Madison has tipped the scales into crazy and I don’t know what the hell to do about it. I’ve been home two days and she wants a commitment. Two days. She says we know who we are. Can you believe it?”

  “I’m not sure—”

  “She says we know each other’s cores.”

  “Um . . . .”

  “Right? What the hell is a core?”

  “If I had to guess, I’d say your heart.”

  JT gaped at him. That was a good guess. Still . . . .

  “But a commitment? Don’t you think it’s too soon for shit like that?”

  Scout brought his shoulders up, shovel still in hand. “Well, if you think about it, you’ve known her since she was what, seventeen? If you haven’t figured out who she is by now, you never will.”

  Not the words he wanted to hear, regardless of the ring of truth they held.

  “I’ve been back two days,” he repeated.

  “Yeah, so? Have you slept with her?”

  JT shut his mouth. He wasn’t going to talk about that.

  “You have,” Scout said, grinning. “See, now that’s why you’re in this predicament. She’s probably thinking, if it wasn’t too soon for sex, it’s not too soon to talk about what happens after sex.”

  He definitely didn’t want to hear that. He needed to change the subject. With a deep breath, he blurted. “Well, that’s not all that’s going on. Mom is running around in sexy lingerie with Henry Venti—who I caught creeping in our house in his fucking underwear.”

  “No shit? What did you say?”

  “I punched him in the nose.”

  “You what?”

  JT sighed. “Okay, not one of my finer moments, but he already two-timed his first wife and I didn’t even know they were dating, let alone engaged.”

  “Yeah, I just found out the other night. They seem pretty happy together.”

  Scout smiled and JT felt like an ass.

  “Did you know his daughter is here? Preg
nant?”

  JT allowed Scout a chance to nod, but no more than that.

  “And Gramps is hanging out in the cabin drinking Maker’s Mark and smoking his pipe, talking my damn ears off when no one else is around.”

  Now, Scout’s brows went up, but he didn’t say anything. Did he think JT was making it up?

  “Yeah,” JT shouted, waving his arms. “Gramps. Sat right next to me on the couch and helped me write my book on Sunday. Madison says they see him in town all the time. They think he’s their guardian angel.”

  “Maybe he is,” Scout said in a calm, even pensive voice.

  JT paused, confused by his agreement, but still too wound up to really take it in. “And Hamilton,” he said. “This will blow your wheels off. Three guesses who’s brokering the deal for the damn cabin?”

  Scout opened his mouth again.

  “Dad,” JT bellowed before Scout could make a sound.

  “Oh, hell, no,” Scout insisted. “Hamilton never said a word about that.”

  JT told him what else he knew—not a whole lot, but they both agreed that the cabin meant too much to sell to anyone, especially not their father.

  The snow kept falling and Scout said, “I’ve got to clean this goddamn pathway again, or one of the ladies is going to go slipping and sliding.”

  “Wouldn’t be the first time, but I know you prefer skates for that.”

  “For sure.”

  “We could use more wood, too.”

  “Next on my list.”

  “Need help with that?”

  Scout gave him an incredulous look. “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “You know it.”

  JT said, finally smiling. He felt a little better having talked to his brother.

  JT started to the cabin, again. Before he got too far, Scout called out, “Hey, JT.”

  For a moment, he thought Scout was going to say something important. Then he shook his head. “Good talking to you, man.”

  “Yeah. You, too.”

  The sound of an engine revving down the drive made them both look. A surge of happiness filled JT’s chest at the same time fear gripped him.

  Madison’s truck came to a skidding stop next to his SUV—close enough to make him think she planned to ram it. Madison and Moof jumped out of the cab. She reached back in to grab a box of something—one of her fancy, hand designed gift boxes, he noted—and raced to the house without even glancing their way.