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with his hand for Matty and Ruben to follow him.
Matty could feel Ruben right on his heels as he followed Quaid up
the stairs. He knew his brother was as mystified by the Blaecleah
family as he was. They were virtual strangers, and they had just
opened their home for Matty and Ruben.
Even their house was welcoming. The white walls with wood trim
were common enough, but the homey pictures and colorful quilts
everywhere, not to mention the family pictures that graced almost
ever flat surface, told of a well-loved family.
One pictures intrigued Matty enough for him to pause at the top of
the stairs and stare. He felt his brother brush past him and walked
down the hallway, but he couldn t look away. It was of two men
dressed in their finest outfits, gazing deeply into each other s eyes.
Matty could almost feel the love between the two of them.
That s my brother, Lachlan, and his husband, Asa, on the day of
their wedding.
Matty glanced over at Quaid in confusion, and a whole lot of
curiosity. Your brother is really married to another man?
Yep.
And your parents don t mind?
Nope, in fact it was Da who put the idea of marriage into Asa s
head in the first place. And Ma helped plan the wedding. She s
already chomping at the bit to plan Rourke and Billy s wedding.
Cowboy Way 41
Do you have any idea how rare that is? Matty whispered as he
turned to gaze at the picture again. He felt a small ache in his heart
that he might never feel what Lachlan and Asa felt for each other.
Not here, it s not, Quaid said softly as he stepped over to stand
closer to Matty. Ma and Da have always accepted whatever choices
we made as long as we were healthy and safe. And, of course, as long
as we re not breaking the law. Ma would have our hides if we did.
Matty chuckled and snuck a look at Quaid through the fall of his
bangs. They truly don t mind that you re gay?
Nope. Oh, I m sure that there is a part of them that wishes we
were straight but only because they know what we will go through out
in the world. It has nothing to do with the sex of who we fall in love
with, though.
We? Did Quaid have a partner, too?
There are five Blaecleah brothers and every damn one of them is
gay. Quaid chuckled and tapped the glass covering the picture. Ma
didn t just get one colorful flower. She got the whole blooming
bouquet.
You re all gay? Matty gasped. He knew his father had been
given the shaft when he figured out that he and Ruben were both gay,
but five sons? What about grandchildren or carrying on the family
name? Doesn t that bother them?
Quaid frowned. Why should it? If we want kids, then I imagine
one of us will have them. As for carrying on the Blaecleah name, Ma
and Da seem to adopt enough of strays that there will always be a
Blaecleah on this land.
They adopted someone?
In a manner of speaking. Asa took the Blaecleah name when he
married Lachlan. I suspect that Billy will do the same. Neither of
them had happy home lives. They don t want much to do with their
birth families.
Matty nodded, suddenly understanding perfectly. I can see that. I
wish I didn t belong to my birth family anymore.
42 Stormy Glenn
So don t.
Matty s mouth fell open as he turned to stare at Quaid. I don t
think it s quite that easy. Your Ma and Da just met me tonight. I don t
think they are ready to adopt me quite yet.
Matty inhaled sharply when the back of Quaid s hand brushed the
side of his face. The man s skin was hot, the slight touch intense.
Matty couldn t begin to decipher the strange look in Quaid s green
eyes, and he was almost afraid to try.
There are other ways to become a Blaecleah.
Wha-what other ways? Matty whispered.
You could marry me.
Matty opened his mouth to say something but realized he didn t
know what to say. He wasn t sure he could have strung two words
together anyway. He was just too stunned.
Does the idea seem so strange to you?
You don t even know me, Matty answered quickly over his
choking, beating heart. You know nothing about me.
I d like to get to know you, Matthew.
Why?
You intrigued me, Quaid said in a silky voice.
That s not a good reason to get married, Matty scoffed.
What is?
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