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As they went, Braden’s dad stepped up beside him. “Told you it was more than just friends.”

He didn’t reply. Braden didn’t move from where he stood, just watched Wes disappear with Jessie. For the first time in his life, he felt left out of something he really wanted to be a part of.

***

“B
ut Santa’s not going to find me!” Jessie cried for the millionth time. Wes sat with her in the bed, Jessie on his lap as he rocked her back and forth.

“Yes he will, kiddo. I promise.” Damn it. He’s screwed up. He thought it might not be a good idea to pull her away from her home and her family the first Christmas she spent without her mom, but he’d thought she would be okay with him and Braden. “You have to go to bed, though. Santa can’t come if you don’t go to bed.”

“I want Braden,” she cried. And Wes’s heart broke... It meant so much to him that she loved Braden, but he was her uncle. When she needed someone, he wanted it to be him.

“Braden’s with his parents right now, Jess. I’m here, though.”

There were more tears. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. “I want Braden. Santa won’t come cuz I can’t sleep. I want you and Braden.”

Wes exhaled a deep breath. She wanted him, too. She wanted them both. Red flags flew up. Wes would always be there for her, but Braden didn’t have to be.

“I miss Mommy...” she whispered. The words were a knife through his chest. He got it now. She didn’t want to be alone. She wanted to keep people she loved close to her. She wanted him and Braden. To her, they were her family. They were who she had.

“I miss her, too, kiddo.” Wes grabbed his cell off the nightstand. He didn’t let himself think about what this meant for him. The step he was taking, or the fact that this made it more real. All he knew was Jessie needed them, and he’d do anything to give her what she needed.

And he knew Braden would, too.

Jessie needs you,
he texted. A minute later, there was a knock at the bedroom door.

“That’s Braden,” he told her. “I’m going to set you down and let him in.” He knew it was a precaution he didn’t need to take, that Braden wouldn’t think twice to give them what they needed.
Her. Give her what she needs, I mean.

He opened the door and peeked his head out. “She’s having a hard time. She misses her mom. She wants...”

“Let me in, Wesley. You know I won’t walk away.”

Wes opened the door and Jessie ran to him. Braden picked her up and held her. “Santa won’t find me.”

“He knows you’re here, Squirt. I already talked to him. He wanted to come, but I told him you were still awake. He said he’ll be back in about an hour, but we have to be sleeping by then.”

“Can you sleep with us, too, Uncle Braden?” Wes and Braden both froze at her words—at the name she called him. Braden’s eyes sought his, a pleading that Wes had never seen from him. He gave the man a single nod.

“Yeah. Of course.” He laid Jessie on the bed. Wes had already gotten her into her pajamas, and he was in sweats and a T-shirt. Braden kicked out of his shoes as Wes covered Jessie with the blanket.

“Do you want to go change first?” Wes asked him, but Braden just shook his head. No hesitation, he climbed into the queen-sized bed in his jeans and shirt, next to Jessie. Wes inhaled a deep breath, and lay on the other side of her. She was the only one under the blankets. He knew they’d get cold, but it didn’t matter. Reaching over, Wes clicked the light on the table. The room went dark except for a light shining through the window from outside. A porch light, maybe, but it was enough that he could make out both their facial features.

“Does Mommy get presents where she is?” Jessie asked.

“Yeah, she does,” Wes replied, his heart pulling from his chest. He rolled to his left side, looking at her. Braden laid on his right side, facing the middle of the bed, too.

“Night, Uncle Wes. I love you.”

He kissed her forehead. “Good night, baby girl. I love you, too.”

“Night, Uncle Braden. I love you.”

Wes held his breath at Jessie’s words, but not Braden. True to who he was, the man who didn’t hesitate, who gave anything he could to help someone, who was maybe the best man he’d ever known, opened his mouth and said, “Night, Squirt. I love you, too.”

Jessie’s eyes closed and she fell right to sleep. But not Wes. As he and Braden looked at each other over Jessie’s sleeping body, he realized he’d lied when he texted Braden. It wasn’t just Jessie who’d needed him. Wes needed him, too.

––––––––

B
raden awoke to the sound of whispering.

“Shh. We should let him sleep, Jess.”

“I don’t wanna let him sleep. It’s Christmas! Santa came.”

“It’s early, kiddo. Just because you’re an early bird,” Wes told her playfully. Braden tried not to smile. “The rest of the house might not be awake yet.”

“But I wanna play with him. Don’t you wanna play with Uncle Braden?”

Wes was silent for a second before replying, “We can play with him later. He’s still sleeping.”

Braden pretended to snore loudly.

“Shh!” Jessie giggled.

“You fake.” Wes pushed Braden’s arm and he let his eyes pop open.

“Who can sleep with you two around?” he teased as he sat up in the bed.

Wes and Jessie did the same. Wes scratched the back of his neck, looking over at Braden through the bend in his arm. Christ, the man was sexy as hell. More than that, he made Braden’s pulse speed up, made him want to smile bigger, because he could get used to waking up like this.

Braden jumped out of the bed. “Are you guys always in bed so late on Christmas? Let’s go open gifts, even if we have to wake up the whole house to do it.”

“Yay!” Jessie started jumping on the bed, jumped right off the edge and ran for the door. She was out it before Wes even stood.

“Hey.” Wes grabbed his arm as Braden tried to walk past him. “Thanks for last night. It means a lot to me.”

“Anytime. Anything. Come on.” Braden slid his hand behind Wes’s neck, pulling him close. “You gotta know that by now, don’t you?” He wasn’t sure he could deny Wes anything he needed. Wasn’t sure he wanted to.

Wes didn’t speak. He didn’t pull away, either. His lips pressed to Braden’s in a brief kiss.

“You’re welcome.” Braden gave him another kiss. “Plus, she’s a great kid. I’m honored as hell to be ‘Uncle Braden’ to her.”

Wes pulled away and gave him a small nod. “Come on. We better get out there before she opens everyone’s gifts.”

Excitement skittered through Braden. Crazy as it was, he’d always loved Christmas. He felt like a kid himself. And he couldn’t wait for Wes and Jessie to see what he’d gotten them.

He heard voices as they took the stairs. Apparently everyone had made it down to the tree before he and Wes. His sister Lizzy was playing Santa. They rotated, each of them being the one to pass out gifts each year.

Jessie sat in the middle of the floor with the rest of his nieces and nephews.

“About time you got down here!” Lizzy teased. “I wasn’t sure how long I could hold them off.”

“Dig in,” Braden chuckled as he watched Wes sit down next to Jessie. She was already ripping into a gift before his ass hit the ground. His parents got her a doll. Wes got her a gift card for the pet store back home, where they would go pick out their own puppy. Santa brought a sled, and Braden got her a life-sized brown lab stuffed animal.

He and his siblings didn’t exchange gifts, focusing on the children instead, so he was surprised when he got another gift after opening the one from his parents.

“What’d you get me, Wesley?” he winked at the man, who couldn’t reply before Jessie did.

“I picked it out!”

“Oh, it’s from you? Thanks, Squirt.” He playfully tugged on one of her curls.

Braden ripped at the paper and smiled when he pulled out a large toy fire truck. He caught Wes’s eye and the man shrugged, obviously a little embarrassed about the gift.

“Do you like it?” Jessie asked.

“Are you kidding me? I love it. Come here.” She fell into his lap and he gave her a hug. He really did love the gift. It didn’t matter to him that it was a toy.

She scrambled away from him as fast as she’d come, looking at the toys with the other kids. He’d hidden Wes’s gift behind the tree, not sure how Wes would feel if he gave it to him in front of everyone or not. Since they gave him something, he was going for it, though.

Braden grabbed the gift. The kids were all laughing and playing still. He knew his parents were watching him, and probably his sisters, too. Shit like that didn’t bother him though. Braden kneeled next to Wes. “Thanks for the truck, Wesley.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Sorry. She wouldn’t go for anything else.”

“I don’t want anything else either.” He sat down and handed Wes the gift before leaning back, his hands flat on the floor behind him.

Wes paused, looking at the package and then Braden. He had to figure what was inside, and this could be one of those moments were Braden opened mouth and inserted foot, but he didn’t think so. At least he hoped not.

***

W
es’s fingers begged to rip into the package. A passion he’d long since thought he buried flared to life inside him again. The urge to paint, that he hadn’t felt in so long, made him buzz with energy. At the same time, this felt deeply personal. This was showing a part of who he really was, who he used to be to Braden and his family.

But then, Braden had known. Braden knew more about him than anyone had in a very long time.

“You opening them or what, Wesley?” Braden teased.

“Shut up,” he found himself saying as he tore the paper on the first package. Inside were a few blank canvases. He wasn’t sure why but he flipped through them, as though each blank canvas would be different. They weren’t, of course, until...He couldn’t stop the grin on his face.

“You know what they say about assuming, don’t you?” he directed at Braden.

“That you get your way?” Braden replied.

“Great. What’d he do this time?” Braden’s dad, Bill, joked.

Wes looked at the corner of the last canvas, where it said, “For Braden.”

“I’m forcing him to paint something for me,” Braden replied for him. “Open the rest.”

He opened the other package, a bag filled with oil paints and brushes. His chest swelled the whole time. He wanted this. How had he not realized he wanted to do this again?

“I hope that’s all the right stuff. I didn’t know what all you needed. I’m pretty sure the lady at the art store thought I was an idiot.”

“Yeah, it’s right.” Wes set everything back in the bag. He looked over, holding Braden’s eyes. This meant a lot to him. Christ, it meant more to him than he realized it would. No one else would have pushed it like this. He didn’t know he would want someone to, but Braden knew.

“Thank you.”

Braden shook his head. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Yes it is.” The room was loud with laughter and chatter, but he just kept staring at Braden, kept trying to show him what this meant to him.

“You’re welcome,” Braden finally said with a nod.

“Who’s ready for breakfast?” Emmy asked, to which everyone started talking at the same time and getting up to head for the kitchen. He stood first and held out his hand to help Braden up. As they headed toward the kitchen with everyone else, Wes kept their hands latched together.

––––––––

W
hen Jessie had asked to go outside and play with her sled a little while before, Braden told Wes he had to help his mom with a few things, which he usually did on the holidays. But he didn’t have to. Still, he’d thought it a good idea to give Jessie and Wes some time alone—Wes especially. Though Jessie seemed to be doing okay today, the day couldn’t be easy on either one of them. He wouldn’t let himself push.

“Did your father show you the deathtrap on two wheels he has sitting in the shop?” his mom asked as Braden put the milk in the fridge.

“It’s not a deathtrap, woman. It’s a badass machine. Isn’t it, Braden?” his father replied, before getting a swat on the arm from his mom.

“It should be illegal to say ‘badass’ after the age of sixty,” she told him. “And don’t call me ‘woman.’”

Braden laughed at them both as he moved toward the dish drain to help put dishes away. He loved his parents. Knew he was damn lucky to have them.

“I have to agree with Dad on this one, Ma. It’s a Harley.”

“I’m not speaking to you anymore.” She stirred something on the stove.

His dad laughed, plucked a glass out of Braden’s hand, and said, “Wes is a good man. I like him.” Then he filled his glass with water and left the kitchen.

“It really does worry me, Brady.” She crossed her arms, using the nickname only his mom sometimes used. Braden nodded at her to come to him, and she did.

“He’ll be okay. I don’t even know if he really wants to ride it. I think he just likes saying he has it. And if he does, you know he’ll be careful.” Braden nudged her. “Plus, you have a few months before you have to worry about it much, anyway. I could always take it off his hands if you want.”

She rolled her eyes. “What am I going to do with you Roth boys?”

Braden turned back toward the sink, packing the glasses from the drain into the cabinet next to it. As he worked he saw Wes and Jessie through the window. Wes would carry both Jess and the sled up the hill before riding back down with them again. He got this heaviness in his chest. Nothing uncomfortable, but a good kind of ache.

“You’re in love with him.” His mom stood beside him, their arms touching.

“Maybe.”
Probably.
“How do I know?”

“Your mama tells you.”

He let out a deep breath, but smiled, too.

“Sorry. Ask silly questions and you’ll get a silly answer. You do, and you know you do. I see it in the way you look at him. But I think you’ve known for a while.”

Braden stood there, still watching them. “I respect the hell out of him. He puts everyone before himself. He loves that little girl with everything he has. He makes me feel good. Making him smile makes me feel good, because he does it more with me than anyone else. I feel settled with them. Not sure I’ve ever felt settled in my whole life.”