Uncle (12 page)

Travis stepped down the final step and nodded. "That's why I left the choice to you." He eased Evan back into his arms, holding him tight against his chest. "I don't want to rush anything."

"It's not that I don't want —"

"I know that. It's okay. You're right. Waiting is best. I would rather be able to wake with you in my arms, and hold you through the day." Travis ran his fingertip over Evan's lips. "Our time will come."

"Yes it will. Are you going to be okay if I go?"

"I'll be okay. I think it all just hit me tonight. Thank you for being there for me."

"It's where I want to be." Evan stepped back. "I'm going to head home. If I stay longer, I can't promise I will leave."

"Then stay," Travis teased.

"I will, soon." Evan kissed him softly. "Walk me out?"

Travis linked their hands together and walked him outside. The sun had just set and shadows were beginning to cast across the ranch. It was Travis's favorite time of night. Everything seemed to calm from the day and a silence and calm settled over everything.

"Thanks again for dinner." Evan leaned against the front of his car.

"You mean breakfast?"

"It was a nice change to have waffles at night."

"We do it all the time. You're always welcome."

They stared at each other a long moment before Evan reached for the door handle. "I'll call you tomorrow. Not sure I will be able to make it by. I will be with you for court the next day."

"It won't cause you more problems at work?" Travis asked concerned.

"No. I'm there on a personal level now. I don't care what work says."

"Don't get in trouble for me."

"You matter more than some job." Evan kissed him and then sat down in his car, shutting the door.

Travis stepped back as he started the car.

Evan rolled down the window and reached out for Travis's hand. "For the record, you and Jason aren't the only ones falling." He gave Travis's hand a squeeze and pulled away.

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

Travis grabbed his suit coat and tie off the bed and headed downstairs. His stomach was in knots and the coffee he drank at breakfast did nothing to help ease the ache. He'd never been more nervous in his life. His entire life seemed to hang on the case today. Jason was such a huge part of his life, that losing him now would kill him.

He tossed his jacket and tie on the back of one of the kitchen chairs before stepping out the back door, and watching Jake and several other ranch hands work on Jason's tree house. Jason stood at the base of the tree, staring up with a grin. Normally that innocent smile would warm Travis's heart, but today it only added to his pain.

He watched for several minutes, praying silently for God to hear his prayers and allow Jason to stay. The thought of losing him was too painful to even consider. It was like his whole life now rested on Jason being a part of it.

The sound of the doorbell pulled him from his thoughts and he turned back inside and headed to the front door. As he pulled it open, he smiled, seeing Evan dressed in a perfectly pressed navy blue suit. "I'm almost afraid to hug you because you look so good, but I really need one." He pulled Evan in through the doorway and into his arms.

Feeling Evan's arms go around him and hold him tight, he took a deep breath as his body relaxed and for the first time since waking everything seemed okay.

Evan caressed his hand up and down his back. "Rough morning?" He pulled back enough that he could look up at Travis.

"I'm a wreck. I'm so worried I'm going to lose him."

"You won't."

"I might."

"You can't think that way, Trav."

"I have to. If I don't prepare myself…" Travis shook his head and pulled back. "Let me grab my jacket and we can go. Jas is out back helping them with the tree house. I want to tell him goodbye." Travis made his way into the kitchen and grabbed his tie, wrapping it around his neck and working the knot. He struggled twice to get it tied, messing up both times. "Damn it. Forget the tie." He tossed it on the table in frustration and rubbed his hand over his face.

"Hey." Evan reached for his arm. "Easy. Let me help." Evan reached for the tie and slid it around his neck.

"Sorry." Travis stared down at Evan as he tucked the tie under his collar.

"Don't be. I can only imagine how stressful this is for you." Evan worked the tie, pulling it tight and straightening it. "There." He continued to hold the ends of the tie. "You're not alone. You and I are going to see this through. I made a few calls yesterday that I hope might help you. Don't give up hope. You told me once you trusted God. Do you still?"

Travis let out a long breath. "You know I do."

"Then give it over to Him. Let Him work. This is now out of our hands. We have done everything we can do to make sure Jason stays here. All we can do now is pray." Evan dropped the tie and reached up, cupping Travis's face. "We will make it thought this together. Okay?"

Travis forced the emotion back, but his eyes still glistened with unshed tears. "Okay. Thank you. I know this has been hard on you, too. It almost cost you your job, and you've had to deal with me. I haven't forgotten all you have done to help." He rested his forehead against Evan's. "I couldn't do this without you."

"Sure you could, but you don't have to." Evan smiled. "Let's go tell him goodbye and we will be back in time for dinner. We can surprise him and take him out to celebrate wherever he wants."

Travis laughed. "Hope you're in the mood for McDonalds."

"If we keep custody of him, he deserves anything."

Travis stared at him. "I like it when you talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like he is ours. You said we. If we keep custody. I like that we part." Travis kissed him, then pulled back. "I like it a lot."

"Then let's go get custody." Evan took his hand. "He's out back?"

"Yeah. They have been building that play house the last few days. He can't wait to get up there." Travis opened the sliding glass door so they could go out.

"You don't sound happy about that."

Travis glanced over at Evan as they walked. "I don't like heights."

"Really?"

"They scare me to death. My only fear really. Never have liked them."

"Evan, look. Do you see my new tree house?" Jason came running over.

"I do. It looks like it's coming along just great. I can't wait to see it finished." Evan bent down and wrapped an arm around Jason as they both stared up at the pieces of plywood in the tree.

"Me either, but Jake says that it will still be a few more days. I get to paint it after."

"Still want red?" Evan asked.

"Same as the barn so it matches."

Travis stepped forward, running his hand through Jason's hair. "You just want red hands again."

"Can I?" Jason looked up at him hopeful.

Travis stared down into Jason's blue eyes and nodded. "Something tells me it will be unavoidable." He reached up messing with his tie. "Listen, Evan and I need to leave for a while. We have to meet with the judge today."

"Is this about me living with Grandma?"

"Yes. We find out today if you can stay here." Travis knelt down so they were face to face. "Evan and I will be back in a few hours and let you know what happens."

"I won't go." Jason put his hands on his hips. "She can't make me."

Travis wasn't going to argue. He just hoped it wouldn't come down to having to force Jason later. "I know Jas. We are doing all we can to make sure you don't have to."

Jason nodded but didn't look happy. He bit his bottom lip. "I couldn't take the tree house with me, could I?"

"No, but if you have to go there, maybe they will let you have one in their yard." Travis knew it was a lie as he said it. There was no way the Steeles would allow Jason one. "We need to be going. You stay with Jake while we are gone and then we will go out to eat once we get back."

"Evan, too?"

Evan, too." Travis nodded.

"Okay. You sure I won't have to go with Grandma?"

Travis sighed. He wouldn't lie to Jason, but he hated that he couldn't promise. "I don't know yet, Jas. But the sooner Evan and I leave, the sooner you will know."

Jason pulled away from Evan and rushed into Travis's arms. "Tell them I won't go." His voice shook as he spoke and as Travis pulled back he saw the tears in Jason's eyes.

"I will, Cowboy. I will make sure they know you don't want to. Now give Evan a hug while I talk to Jake."

Jason ran back to Evan and Travis turned to his foreman. "Hey, thanks again for watching him."

"Don't mention it. We won't even notice you gone. We'll probably still be working on this by the time you get back." Jake reached over and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Will be praying things go your way."

"Thanks Jake. I will be glad to get this over." He glanced over at Jason. "I don't know how I will tell him if he has to leave."

"Hopefully you won't have to. Now don't go worrying about all this. You don't know what will happen. You and Evan go fight to keep Jason. Everyone knows he belongs here with you." Jake let go of his shoulder and reached for another plank of wood. "You'd be better to worry what we're doing to your poor tree back here."

Travis smiled. "It makes him happy. That's all that matters. Evan and I are going to leave. I have to meet my lawyer in a half hour. Thanks again. I owe ya'."

"You owe me nothing. Go. Get this over with so we can all move forward." Jake glanced at Evan. "I'm glad you're not alone."

Travis smiled. He and Jake had sat in the barn late talking. Travis told him all about Evan and what was going on between them, admitting more of his feelings to Jake than he dared even share with Evan yet. "Me, too. Anyway, I better get. We will see you in a few hours."

Travis moved back over to Jason and Evan, resting a hand on Evan's shoulder. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Evan bent down, giving Jason a huge hug. "See you later tonight."

"Bye." Jason turned to Travis. "I love you, Uncle Travis."

"I love you, too, Cowboy. We will hurry back so we can all go out and eat." He kissed Jason on the cheek. "Keep Jake out of trouble, okay?"

"Okay." He glanced back at Jake, then to Travis sadly. "Remember, tell them I won't go."

"I will tell them." The pleading look broke his heart. He sighed and linked hands with Evan. "Let's go."

The two of them made the way into the house, where Travis grabbed his keys and suit coat. He was still thinking about Jason when Evan grabbed him around the waist and turned him into his arms and kissed him.

When they finally broke the kiss, Travis licked his lips, taking a moment to catch his breath. "What was that for?"

"To help you relax. Just a small taste of what you will get tonight after we celebrate with Jason and are finally alone." Evan brushed his thumb over Travis's lips. "I don't work tomorrow."

Travis didn't need to be told what that meant. He recalled all too well the conversation the night before. "That means I get to cook you breakfast in the morning?"

"I'd rather cook it together." Evan grinned as he took Travis's hand. "Come on. We are going to be late."

They left the house, and drove most the way to town in silence. The gentle caress of Evan's thumb soothed him as they held hands between the seats of the truck. Travis glanced over at Evan. "You mentioned you made a few calls yesterday. What did you mean by that?"

"Well, before I wasn't allowed to try and influence anyone to take one side or another, but with me being taken off the case…" Evan squeezed Travis's hand. "I called a few people, asked them to write letters to the judge in favor of you. I also asked them to show up and support you in person today if they could."

"You did? Who?"

"Pastor Reed and about half the people at church I could get numbers for. I also talked to Jason's Sunday School teacher. She said Jason had discussed it with her and she would be happy to help, and she also asked a few others to write letters. I picked up close to twenty letters from the church yesterday afternoon. All of them in your favor and delivered them to your lawyer. I also had Jake and the others write letters, but that was before I was taken off the case. I mentioned to Jake they might just help your case. He gave them to me awhile back."

Travis stared at Evan in shock, then quickly looked back at the road. "You did all this for me?"

"For you and Jason."

"I don't know how to thank you." Travis gripped his hand tighter. "I had no idea."

"I didn't want to get your hopes up. I don't know if it will make any difference, but I figured it couldn't hurt."

If he hadn't been driving, he would have pulled Evan into his arms and never let go. No one had ever done anything like that for him, and it only increased what Travis was already feeling toward Evan. He'd avoided analyzing it too much the last few weeks, his focus mainly being on Jason, but now, as he drove and thought about how much Evan had come to mean to him, he felt his heart tighten and his pulse race in both fear and excitement. He was in love.

He glanced over at Evan. "Thank you. I can't believe all those people would support me. I only know a few of them from church."

"Anyone who sees you and Jason together knows you belong together."

Travis pulled up to the courthouse and found a parking place. Once he shut off the truck he turned to Evan. "It means a lot to me that you would do that. You might have just saved this for me."

"I had to do something after putting the whole thing at risk."

"You didn't put it at risk. We did. I wouldn't have changed a thing." Travis smiled. "Knowing you and spending the last month with you is something I wouldn't trade for anything. Being with you is not wrong and I won't regret it." He glanced out the window, seeing his lawyer walking by. "There's my lawyer. Guess we better go."

Evan leaned forward, brushing his lips over Travis's. "We are going to win."

Travis nodded, but his stomach twisted and he wished he could be as sure as Evan seemed. "I sure hope so."