Page 5 of Tanner

“She knows,” TJ murmured.

Nodding, Cody leaned against the counter. “I know she’ll be fine.”

“But you’re her brother.” Miles smiled. To TJ he asked, “All four kids?” Two, Arthur and Lincoln, were his with his ex-wife Toni and the other two were Macy and Christian who were Toni’s and her husband Carter’s.

Their relationship always amazed Miles. After TJ and Toni had divorced, he’d set her up on a blind date with Carter, who was a good friend of TJ’s, and they’d married. Now when TJ had his boys he took Macy and Christian too. They were one big happy family.

TJ nodded. “It gets a little busy here on the weekends now, but we manage.”

They talked for a few more minutes then Miles yawned. Cody handed him a loaf of cornbread wrapped in foil and told him to go home to bed.

TJ gripped his shoulder. “Text when you’re home.”

Miles nodded. “I will.”

Cody’s voice was quieter. “And if you need company you know where we are.”

Miles held Cody’s gaze for a second. “Yeah.”

When he went outside, Miles noticed the air was cooler than earlier. He carried the containers to his truck and carefully placed them on the passenger seat, started the engine and drove home.

Seeing his house, he turned into the driveway and switched the engine off, sitting there for a few seconds staring at the front door. With a heavy sigh, he got out and went inside. In the kitchen, he placed the containers on the counter and looked around.

“Home,” he murmured.

Miles exhaled, turned on the kitchen light, and put the chili in the fridge then pulled out his phone, and typed a quick text to TJ. Home now.

TJ was quick to respond. Let me know if you need any help tomorrow. I can come around after work.

I will and thanks for today. Miles walked into his bedroom and quickly stripped before having a shower. Once he’d finished, he crawled into bed, closed his eyes and ignored the growing loneliness inside.

He’d moved away from the city because he wanted to be somewhere he could make a difference, and he’d found it in Robinson. He still talked to his family and visited them when he could, but being there had given him the independence he’d needed, and he preferred the slower pace as well.

But the loneliness was there. He’d been single for almost a year after his last relationship had fizzled out. Coming out as bisexual had allowed him to explore that part of himself but nothing worked. Man or woman, he couldn’t find what TJ and Cody had, and he knew both of them tried to coax him into being closer to them, but being around them reminded him of what was missing in his life.

Sighing, he rolled onto his side. Tomorrow and the list of jobs he had to do would come soon enough.

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen