After the Scrum (13 page)

"He's sleeping on the floor tonight." Caddock sounded highly amused by this. "And you, cub, are sleeping in my bed."

Their quiet interlude under that cloudy night sky was interrupted by an ever so slightly subdued Rupert and Graham. Joanne appeared a moment later to abscond with Caddock into the house. It left Francis to stare uneasily at the two men.

"We're sorry." Graham gestured to his brother,
accidentally
smacking him on the chest. "For being, and I quote, 'childish idiots who don't have the sense God gave a mule.' Though, in our defence, mules aren't the dumbest of creatures."

"We are also, 'emotionally deprived buffoons who wouldn't grasp sensitivity without being bludgeoned by an anvil.' Did I get it right, love?" Rupert glanced over his shoulder at the still-glowering Joanne. He gave Francis a wink when he turned back around. "We forget, because it didn't happen to us, and I'm truly sorry for it."

Graham took a step forward, taking Francis by the shoulder. "I missed my best mate. I'm a blithering idiot, as your gran would say. Joanne had a right to rip us up for it."

"Apology accepted." He didn't see a point to not doing so. They'd likely grovel on the ground if he didn't.

Rupert's normally permanently cheerful smile disappeared. He moved up and rested a hand on Francis's other shoulder. "Accepted, but not forgotten? That's a good Cornwall lad. Your granddad would be proud of your obstinacy. He'd also have booted us in the arse. We've always thought of you as a younger brother."

Francis allowed them to squash him between them in a hug—a very manly one complete with slapping each other on the backs. "You're going to leave bruises if you don't ease up.
Idiots.
"

Once Rupert left to convince Joanne things were back to normal, Graham took a seat on the garden bench and pulled out a cigarette. Francis declined the one offered to him. His old friend tilted his head to stare up at the obscured sky, pausing every once in a while to take a puff.

"I ran into Trevor in London last year." Graham flicked ash on the ground carelessly, though Joanne would likely murder him in his sleep for it later. "He's still a moody shit of a man. He asked about you so I broke his jaw."

"
Graham.
"

"He deserved it."

"You cannot go around breaking people's jaws." Francis rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it all. "Did he cry?"

"Sobbed like a wee child." Graham transferred his cigarette to his other hand then reached into his pocket to pull out a pocket watch. He held it up to Francis, who immediately recognized it as a Christmas gift from their second year of university. It hadn't had the indention on the front case though. "Saved my life."

"Good. Except you've ruined an antique." Francis frowned at the dented watch. "Honestly, can't you take care of anything? It's like year one at uni all over again."

"And you still nag like your gran." He clapped Francis on the thigh and grinned up at him. "I missed you."

"Then don't act like a prat again."

Chapter Twenty

Caddock

Despite his well-earned moniker of Brute, Caddock tended to be easy-going off the rugby pitch. His temper rarely, if ever, rose beyond being mildly annoyed. He'd always found life to be too short to allow anyone to get such a rise out of him. More often than not, his emotions stayed on an even keel.

Yet a single envelope from his mother had brought on a monumental amount of rage. It seemed his father had decided to speak with the family lawyer. He wanted to file for sole custody of Devlin.

The bastard wanted to take his Devil away from him. Caddock breathed out hard, clenching his fists and trying desperately to reel his anger back. It wouldn't do any good to punch walls or scream at the wind.

Be calm.

He would need a clear head to deal with all of this. No way would anyone take Devlin from him without a fight. Being named in the will as sole guardian would certainly help his cause.

The letter from his mother had also included some advice, which he was loath to actually take. She wanted him to allow them to have Devlin for a week. For two reasons: one, because it might help de-escalate things with his father, and two, the little Devil might be able, in his special way, to talk some sense into his granddad.

No, I won't… can't lose him.

"Uncle Boo?" Devlin tugged on his sleeve, his blue teddy bear dangling from his other hand. "Can we go see Lock and Fwannie?"

"Not right now." Caddock lifted the boy up into his arms, holding him on his hip. "How would you like to go see your grandmother and grandfather again?"

"But… how come? Gwandad was a meanie. Wanna stay here." Devlin's eyes filled with tears. "Don't wanna go."

Steeling himself for the onslaught of pouting, Caddock begin preparing the lad for a week away. He could see the wisdom in his mother's advice. It would leave him free to head to London to speak in person with his solicitor. Everything had to be carefully lined up to fight this.

Many, many tears were shed while Devlin tried to convince him not to take him to his grandparents' house. Caddock wondered briefly if the lad could sense his own inner turmoil. He tried to keep it from him, but it wouldn't be difficult to tell how upset he was even if his nephew didn't know why exactly.

The quiet cottage hadn't seemed so devoid of life since they'd moved in to the place. Caddock sat at the table, letter in hand, staring at it dumbfounded. His brother would've been truly saddened by the demands his father wanted to make.

Haddy had been incredibly open to everyone. He wanted the same open-mindedness to be something his son learned. It had been part of his reasoning for granting Caddock custody, as opposed to their parents.

Sending a quick email to his attorney, Caddock made plans for a trip to London. It might be a wise idea to call in a few character references, just in case. He would have to speak with Francis before leaving though.

What a complete mess.

Nothing in life was more important to him than his nephew.
Nothing.
Every aspect of his life revolved around ensuring the lad's life was as perfect as possible without his own father. The trauma of a custody hearing could have far-reaching consequences for everyone. This had to be stopped before it progressed beyond a level they could control.

"Caddock?" Francis stood by his open driver side window, looking at him with concern evident in his eyes. "You've been out here for twenty minutes. Ruth called me to tell me she was worried you'd had a heart attack or something. What's wrong?"

He handed over the letter from his mother and got out of the Rover while Francis read it. "My father has gone completely nutters. If it wouldn't hurt my cause, I might go beat some sense into him."

"Would you really?" Francis didn't look up from his reading.

"No, but I'd think about it." Caddock might be furious with the man, but he was still his father. "I might take a piss in his garden."

"You are
not
taking a piss in anyone's garden, let alone your parents'." Francis finished his perusal of the letter while they got back in the vehicle to start on their way. "Where you going then?"

"London."

"I'm coming with."

"
Francis.
"

Francis crossed his arms and glared stubbornly at him. "I
am
going with you."

"Stubborn arse."

Francis remained strangely quiet for the first fifteen minutes of their drive. He fidgeted constantly as if struggling with himself. "Perhaps we should stop seeing—"

"
No."

"Caddock."

"I said fucking no." He would not sacrifice his best chance at a lifetime of happiness in a relationship. "We're not throwing the start of something brilliant for an ignorant arse like my father."

"But it might help you with custody. Devlin—"

"Devlin deserves an uncle at his best. I would
not
be at my best without you." Caddock yanked the wheel to the right and guided his vehicle to the side of the road. He twisted in his seat to make it easier to lean across until his lips were inches from Francis's, keeping one hand firmly gripping him by the shoulder. "Not giving you up when we've only touched the surface of how bloody amazing this could be."

Francis seemed momentarily flustered then shot forward to close the distance between their mouths for a kiss. He pulled back a little breathless moments later. "Well, if you're certain."

"I am."

As a rule, Caddock had spent a lifetime being the one others depended on for things. He had broad enough shoulders for it. No lovers had ever been so adamant about having his back in a tough situation. Most of the people in his life assumed he had a handle on everything.

The hand holding his while they drove into London meant the world to him. The freely given support had the surprising effect of choking him up.
Bloody emotions.
Now was not the time for it.

Three stops. Six coffees. Two trips to the loo.

Caddock hadn't been so wired on caffeine since his promotion to the national team. Mainlining coffee would be worth it if Devlin returned to him without too much of a fight. It would be a win if they could gather their small family back together instead of ripping it even further apart.

Damn Father.

Damn him.

His fingers flexed around his sixth cup of coffee. They currently sat in the swanky outer office of his solicitor—waiting. The limits of his patience were being tested in the extreme.

"Devlin isn't going anywhere. Try to stay calm." Francis rubbed calming circles on Caddock's thigh with one hand while gently taking the cup from his hand before he crushed it. "Have faith."

"Faith in what?" He wouldn't put it past his father to pursue this as high as required to receive full custody.

Nodding absently at the comfort offered to him, Caddock returned his attention to his mobile. Texts had been sent out to one of his former managers, one who happened to be knighted, who had readily agreed to provide a reference to the courts if necessary. One of his mates had spoken with his parents, a duke and duchess, not bad people to have on his side.

"Caddock?" Francis tapped his hand several times. "You're about to break the chair."

He blinked then slowly unclenched his fingers from around the arm of the chair.
Shit.
"Sorry."

Francis waved off his apology. "Your Devil has been threatened. I wouldn't expect you to do anything other than fight for him."

Caddock gave the man at his side a half-hearted smile. "I'd fight for you as well."

A laugh and a roll of the eyes were the only responses Francis gave him to the declaration. It might've been ridiculous, but he meant the words. There weren't many men in the world like the one sitting beside him. Who wouldn't fight to keep him?

When called into the office, they found the solicitor had already put together quite an arsenal of defence. Caddock calmed slightly when he explained the difficulties anyone would face trying to disregard a legal last will and testament. Parental wishes tended to supersede these sorts of conflicts.

They'd fight it.

And they'd win.

Chapter Twenty-One

Francis

London had been a bore. Three days of meetings, mostly, had been worth it if only to thwart the plans to remove Devlin. Looe had been a welcome sight. Francis found the larger city only served to make him feel uneasy.

The downside to yet another multiple-day absence from Looe with Caddock had been the number of tongues wagging about them. Local gossips were worse than anything a tabloid could print. Everyone had opinions on the matter. It was exhausting to deal with.

Caddock had returned home to his empty cottage. Francis had disappeared into his office. The rumours could and likely would continue to swirl around the village.

"It'll all work out, love."

Those had been Gran's great pearls of wisdom. Utterly unhelpful. She trusted too much in the good in people. Francis had learned the hard way
not
to depend on it. Lowering expectations lessened the chance for undue pain.

He glanced down at the floor plan spread out on his work table. One of Rupert's new clients wanted their bedroom redone. For several hours, he'd sat trying to make progress. His inability to focus had begun to truly frustrate him.

Francis must've picked up and set down his mobile ten times in the last thirty minutes. The urge to check in on Caddock was almost compulsive. They could survive without seeing each other for a few days.

Lovesick fool.

He quickly shook the thought away. Not allowing himself to drift off into useless daydreams, Francis returned to the blueprints.
Honestly.
An eighteenth-century-inspired bedroom shouldn't be so difficult. His fingers flipped absently through wallpaper samples. He wanted it to have the right feel of underdone luxury.

Happy clients meant more business. Plus, one of the paintings he'd picked up at fair needed a home. It would fit in perfectly with the bedroom set he'd seen and flagged on a furniture list for a London auction house.

He tossed aside sample after sample, hunting for one to go with the particular shade of blue in the landscape watercolour. The shades were all beginning to blur in his mind. Decisions would never be made at this rate.

"Oh, this is beyond ridiculous." Francis tiredly scrubbed his face with his fingers. He huffed out short breaths, trying to wake himself up a bit. "You are completely capable of thinking about things other than a man for more than ten seconds. Pull yourself together."

It had been like this for days. Caddock had been busy—understandably so. And Francis had apparently turned into a swoony teenager in a romance novel.

Idiotic. And ludicrous. Beyond it.