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“Sure. I can cook.”
“Just tell me what you need me to get, and I’ll make sure it’s there.”
“I can do that.”
“These are really good, Nixon.” Quinn was devouring a pastry.
“You enjoy watching your first pumpkin rolling?” Luke asked.
“It was okay.”
“Okay?” Quinn asked the boy. “It’s tradition, and now you’re part of this town, you need to understand that next year you will be competing. I’ll even come back and be your partner.”
“For real?” Nixon smiled, and it changed the way he looked. It was almost boyish.
“For real. How’s life with the Trainers?”
Nixon’s eyes went to him, then away.
“Good.”
“Good awesome, or good okay?” Quinn asked. “Because I can’t imagine living with Luke is easy. I heard he’s a slob.”
“The hell you say!” Luke gave her a mock glare.
Nixon looked at him. “Good awesome.”
The sudden burning sensation behind his eyes had Luke looking down at the pastry in his hand. He took a large bite. Only when he’d swallowed and regained the use of his voice did he talk.
“You’re happy with us?”
Nixon nodded.
“Good to know.”
“Here’s your hot chocolate, Nixon.” Albert placed the mug before him. He then winked at Quinn and Luke before leaving.
Luke needed to give that man a hug and a huge thank-you.
“Talking heals, Nixon. Keeping stuff to yourself makes it fester,” Quinn said. “I told you the Trainers are good people. But you must have seen that for yourself? You can trust them.”
Nixon looked uncomfortable.
“I know that’s hard when you haven’t known us long. But we’re not going away, Nixon.” Luke spoke now. “I’ve been where you were. Know what it’s like to be hungry and cold. Trusting doesn’t come easy. I get that too. But you have to at some stage, and everything changes then. We’re your brothers; we love you.”
“You can’t.”
“Why can’t they love you?” Quinn asked softly.
“They haven’t known me long enough.” The words were low and thick with emotion.
Quinn reached out a hand and rested it on the one Nixon had fisted on the table.
“I get that. Get that it’s hard to let people in, Nixon. It’s hard to realize that you are loveable when for so long you felt like you weren’t,” Luke said.
His brother locked eyes with him again. Luke saw the hope.
“But we’re blood. This is your life now, here with us. All of it. The noise and laughter. The food and warm beds. Yes, the fussing by Aunt Jess and some of the others will drive you crazy. Then there’s Gracie and the others—”
