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“I swear I won’t hurt him.”
Everything about Win relaxed, even the air around him. “I know, Max. I trust you. I guess I just had to make you say it.”
I nodded, totally understanding where he was coming from. And that brought back my earlier anxiety. “So, ah, about it…”
Win exhaled, a sincere gleam entering his hazel stare that lay steadily on me. When I told Wes I didn’t care what anyone thought about us being together, about us being “out,” I meant it. Truly. But on a deep, personal level, I still worried maybe I was doing something terribly wrong. Something Mom and Dad would be horrified by. Maybe the abuse I suffered so young twisted something inside me, and now I was dragging Wes into some kind of debauched relationship.
The ghost of my own voice still haunted me, telling me I was wrong to want Wes even though my heart literally beat for him.
And though we’d already gotten Win’s approval and support, I guess I also needed reassurance. Reassurance I’d never ask for from Wes because I’d never put that on him.
“Is it a little weird? Yeah, maybe the circumstances.”
I made a sound.
Win half smiled. “But not in the way you’re thinking. We did kinda parent Wes. And you had the document to prove it. But we didn’t have a choice. It was us or strangers who would take him away. He needed us to do it. And honestly, if Mom and Dad had lived, we wouldn’t have been in that position at all. Sure, we would have continued as brothers and watched over Wes, but it wouldn’t have been the same.”
I grunted. “I’m not sure.”
Win laughed. “That’s your heart speaking. The part of you that has feelings for Wes that are not brotherly. They probably would have evolved a lot more naturally and feel less… wrong if our parents were still here.”
“You really think that?”
“Yeah, bro, I do. I’ve had a lot of time to think about this. You two weren’t the only ones pretending not to see what was going on.” He shifted, taking a step closer.
We were in the middle of a giant car dealership, in a wide-open parking lot, and I was basically baring my deepest worries to him. Probably not the best time or place for this. Yet with us sandwiched between the two big Jeeps and Wes inside with Ryan and Jamie, it seemed like the perfect time.
“You did right by him. Even when it was hard. Even when it hurt. Even when you felt like a dirty motherfucker.” I laughed, and he grinned. “That’s how I know the love you have for my brother is genuine. It’s not twisted and incestual. You don’t have daddy issues because your biologic is a twat waffle asshole.”
I snorted.
“At eighteen, you stepped up to take legal responsibility for a kid who was not your blood relative. Not only that, but he came out as gay not long after.”
“We always kinda knew,” I whispered.
“Yeah, we did. But him officially telling us was still a big deal.”
I nodded because he was right. I couldn’t imagine what that took. Our parents were gone, all he had left was us, and he probably worried we would shun him.
“Not to mention everything after his assault.”
I held up my hand, stopping that particular conversation.
Win nodded. “All I’m saying is you could have bailed. You could have taken advantage of the fact he was totally horny for you. But you didn’t. You were there for him. Hell, you even waited an entire year after he became legal and your guardianship was over.”
“Yeah.” I agreed, voice a little hoarse.
“You aren’t his parent. You never were. And though we are family, you aren’t his brother. You just loved him. Nothing about that is weird, Max. In fact, it’s actually kinda impressive.”
“I really needed to hear that.”
He scoffed. “I know. Everyone thinks you’re such an asshole, but I know better.” My eyes flashed up, and he smirked. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell.”
“You know I love you, right?” I said.
His chestnut hair blew around when he came forward, yanking me into a hug. “Love you too, brother.”
“What are you guys doing out here?” Wes called, coming around the hood of the blue Wrangler.
