I've Got You Read online

  I’ve Got You

  Becca Seymour

  I’ve Got You © 2019 by Becca Seymour

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any written, electronic, recorded, or photocopied format without the express permission from the author or publisher as allowed under the terms and conditions with which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

  I’ve Got You is a work of fiction. All names, characters, events and places found therein are either from the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to persons alive or dead, actual events, locations, or organizations is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  For information, contact the author: [email protected]

  Editing: Hot Tree Editing

  Cover Designer: Booksmith Design

  Formatting: Justine Littleton

  Publisher: Rainbow Tree Publishing

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-925853-65-0

  Paperback ISBN: 978-1-925853-66-7

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Author Note:

  Also by Becca Seymour

  Check Out

  Acknowledgments

  About Becca

  I’ve Got You Desserts

  Blurb

  When a single dad and a newly outed veterinarian meet by chance, it takes red-cheeked conversations, a tentative friendship, and the willingness to put their hearts on the line to show these men they’re made for each other.

  Single dad Davis Jackson is busy balancing his coffee shop and being the best dad he can be. That doesn’t mean he’s not lonely. After a fumbling encounter with a man who looks as gorgeous as he does unhappy, Davis is left wondering who the mystery man is.

  All Davis knows is that he has never felt such an instant attraction to anyone before, but when he discovers the brown-eyed man’s identity, it’s clear the recently out-of-the closet veterinarian is lost and quite possibly broken.

  To Donna, my wifey,

  (I don’t care if Kevin disagrees—I’ll fight him for you)

  Your shit-talk makes me smile… sadistically. You’re totally a bad influence.

  Chapter One

  DAVIS

  I closed the door gently behind me, hoping like hell it wouldn’t make a loud noise and wake Libby. She was cutting two teeth, which made us both miserable. We’d continue to ride it out together, though. Her with lots of gum-numbing ointment and me with brain-numbing beer when she was sleeping peacefully.

  A whoosh of breath hissed out of me when the door closed quietly. Baby monitor in hand, I turned and headed toward downstairs where the party was happening. Tanner, my best friend, and his boyfriend, Carter, were having a housewarming of sorts. I glanced around the space when I hit the foyer. Tanner had done a good job. Not that I was surprised; he was a talented bastard, so it was kinda kickass to see his craftsmanship hadn’t gone to waste here in the hicksville town of Kirkby that we’d only called home for about a year or so.

  “She go down okay?” Tanner asked, handing me a bottle of beer as I made my way into the kitchen.

  I nodded and took the beer gratefully. “Thanks. Yeah, no problem at all.” I took a swig and placed the baby monitor on the charger on the large sideboard.

  During the final stages of refurbs, Carter, whose home it was prior to Tanner and he getting together and Tanner moving in, had set up one of the spare rooms as Libby’s room. I’d been blown away by the gesture when Tanner had told me. While Tanner and I had known each other forever, he hadn’t been with Carter for all that long. So for Carter to create a space for my baby girl in his home told me with absolute certainty, Tanner had got a good one.

  What it also meant was Tanner and Carter supported me and my single-parenting gig even more by having Libby overnight on occasion. They’d had her a couple of nights already, my only nights without my daughter since she was born.

  And what had I done on both nights? The first in almost a year with zero responsibility? Partied? Picked up? Neither. I’d had a few drinks without having to wait for Libby to fall asleep first, watched Netflix, and stared at Libby’s empty room a few times.

  “What are your plans tomorrow?” Tanner stood next to me, both of us glancing around the room filled with a few faces I recognized from my coffee shop, while some were clearly out-of-towners, no doubt Carter’s friends, since I was pretty much all Tanner had beyond a few other tradesmen in the area he’d got to know. There were also some of Carter’s work colleagues, a bunch of vets, nurses, and such.

  I shrugged. “Not much. Katie and Phil are working the morning shift, and Sandy and Craig are taking over so I have the day off.” I took a pull of my beer before continuing. “If it stays sunny, I’ll probably take Libby to the park and duck pond.” I glanced at Carter heading our way, a bright smile on his face and his gaze intent on Tanner. “How about you?”

  Tanner’s shrug brushed against my arm lightly. “Tidy up, I suppose.”

  I snorted just as Carter reached us. Tanner’s arm immediately went around his waist.

  I glanced at Tanner and realized he was looking at me. “What?”

  “What’s the snort for?”

  With a roll of my eyes, I took a large mouthful of beer. After swallowing the cool liquid, I said, “Just wondering when the fuck we got old and Sundays were filled with domestic shit.”

  “Who are you calling old, fucker?”

  Carter laughed. “Well, the two of you are reaching your prime. Ouch.” Carter reached behind himself and rubbed his ass.

  I chuckled. “See, your younger studmuffin knows it.”

  Tanner shook his head. “Studmuffin? For real? Who even uses that term anymore? Hell, did anyone ever?” He glanced over at said studmuffin, and his gaze softened before he turned back to me. “And I think you’ll find it’s you who’s become the king of domestic duties since having that angel of yours. But hey, you know, if you want to go partying and spend the next day nursing a hangover, we can definitely have Libby for you.”

  Damn, he was right. That made me feel ancient, and I was so far from that shit it wasn’t funny.

  Carter nodded. “Absolutely, you know we love having Libby over. Though—” He paused and looked me up and down, his brows pulling together. The hell? “—I’m not sure you could handle it anymore.”

  I threw a look his way, not at all impressed with his truths. Carter smiled and blinked innocently at me. So many blinks so damn close together was not natural, though I supposed he looked kinda cute doing it. Asswipe.

  “For shit’s sake, I’m only thirty-five.”

  Along with a shrug, Carter’s smile turned into a grin. “So in that case, what are you waiting for? Live a little. You know, go and see if you can get a life beyond that sweet girl of yours.”

  “I’ve got a life,” I grumbled. And I did, sort of. Admittedly it involved me juggling owning and running my business, keeping house, and most importantly being the best dad possible. That shit right there took time. Considering there was barely time to shit, sleep, or even jerk off, how in the hell could
I handle more than I already had?

  “I know you do.” Carter reached out and placed his hand on my forearm, squeezing lightly. “You have a pretty amazing life, but you know—”

  “You need to get laid.”

  “Tanner,” Carter admonished at the same time that I groaned. “I was trying to be subtle. You know, go for tact, ease in gently?”

  Tanner grinned, and I rolled my eyes at the pair of them. “Tact was never this dick’s forte; you’ll soon get used to it, Carter. And I’m fine.” I was aiming for neutral, reassured, perhaps even as though I was in control. But fuck me, I did really need to get laid.

  In all seriousness, it had been well before Libby’s birth since the last time I’d got any. I had a serious case of blue balls and a constantly overworked hand.

  When I’d discovered Libby’s mom was pregnant, we hadn’t been together. My beautiful baby girl was actually the product of a hot one-night stand. Tanya had tracked me down when she’d been five months pregnant, and I’d shifted my life to Kirkby, where she’d lived at the time, to support her at the end of her pregnancy before taking sole custody of Libby.

  “You know,” Carter continued, “I could try to set you up.”

  I contemplated it for all of three seconds. A quick fuck was all that was on the cards for me, so being fixed up with someone who Carter knew didn’t sit well. It screamed awkward. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

  He raised his brow and made to speak, no doubt to argue his case. I stopped him with a slight flick of my raised hand. “Listen, Carter, I know you mean well, but honestly, I’m good.”

  From his dipped brows and the twist of his lips, I didn’t think he bought it. But tough. Having my best friend happy with Carter was awesome, but it didn’t mean I needed that or was chasing it.

  Tanner, no doubt hearing the finality of my tone, intervened. “Hey, baby, you wanna help me a minute?”

  With a smile, Carter angled toward Tanner. “Lead the way, handsome.”

  I threw Tanner a relieved smile. “I’m just gonna slip outside for a few. Will you listen out for Libby?”

  Tanner nodded as he handed me an extra beer. “Yep, no worries.” I took it, grateful, and headed outside.

  As soon as I pulled the door closed behind me, the conversation and background music dulled. After a few steps away, heading further into the darkness toward the back of the yard, I was greeted by Rex. “Hey, boy.” I rubbed one of his ears, holding the necks of my two beers with my other hand. Rex groaned and almost pushed me on my ass when he leaned against me. I chuckled. Rex was a Rhodesian Ridgeback and was pretty much pony size. He was also a big softie, though fiercely protective, especially of Libby. I bent and placed a kiss on his huge head. Tanner hadn’t had him all that long, but there was no doubt Rex had found his home with his new family.

  “Come on.” I took more steps into the darkness, heading toward the faint outline of the patio.

  It was pretty sad, I supposed, if I allowed myself to think about it too hard. At thirty-five, I was a single dad, used to spending my downtime with Libby or more usually myself, yet there I was, a rare night with actual adults beyond Carter and Tanner, a night to be social, and I was outside with the dog seeking solitude.

  I snorted, the noise loud in the still night, as I sat, placing the unopened beer to my side before taking a pull of my already open bottle.

  Rex harrumphed when he sat beside me, his head dropping heavily in my lap. I absently stroked his fur, wanting to focus on nothing but the dark starry night and the peace it provided.

  Anything else beyond the here and now seemed too unattainable. I didn’t even know if that was even the right word, but what I was sure about was my sleeping daughter, Rex’s head in my lap, and the beer flowing down my throat as I took another drink. I didn’t even dare to wish on any damn star.

  Chapter Two

  SCOTT

  I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. From the get-go, I was uncomfortable… on edge… sure everyone in the room knew what a dick I was. Not only that, but there were too many people, and not enough space, enough air. I knew enough, could read into my surroundings enough—and the people filling the space—to know that there were many men like me, but not. They laughed, joked, smiled, patted the happy hosts on the shoulders and congratulated them on their newly renovated home. More than that, they were out in the open, whereas I just wanted to scurry back into the dark.

  I eyed the kitchen door and edged toward it. Just four more steps and I’d reach freedom. There was nothing happy about living locked away, pretending to be something, someone I wasn’t, but I’d used my brave card when I’d uttered those two words aloud for the first time. Not only to myself but to Carter, the guy I’d tried to screw over, who was now trying his hardest to be my friend.

  I’m gay.

  It had been a hell of a surprise to the both of us when the words had tumbled out of my mouth. I’d nearly passed out as nausea had swept through me, while Carter had looked like a startled rabbit. His face would have been comical if I hadn’t been trying not to shit myself at the time.

  I was thirty-three years old and still had no clue who I was.

  Just two steps and I’d be able to breathe again.

  One.

  I clutched the handle and yanked the door open. Fresh air greeted me. I stepped into the darkness and pulled the door quietly closed behind me, then looked around the fenced backyard, only seeing the side panels and nothing beyond the darkness. My gaze settled on a couple of chairs. While it wasn’t complete escape, it gave me time to catch my breath and get my head straight.

  Easing into the wooden chair, I leaned back, stretching out my neck and glancing up at the star-filled sky. With no lights on in the yard and just the faint glow filtering out from the busy kitchen, I was able to focus on the tiny specks overhead. I released a heavy exhale, pulling the calmness of the outside into me. I shouldn’t have come. Damn, I should have been at least two thousand miles away by now, away from this tiny town that threatened to split apart my whole world.

  Claws on the wooden deck, a not-so-soft grunt and sigh, and I glanced to my right to see Carter and Tanner’s monster dog, Rex, ambling over to me. The first couple of times I’d met Rex at the veterinary clinic, it was no surprise to Carter or me that the Ridgeback had taken an instant dislike to me. Hell, I didn’t even like myself most of the time. But as he walked toward me, I no longer tensed in fear. This was the third visit I’d made to Carter’s, and it seemed Rex had had a change of heart.

  He huffed as he sat next to me, his large head immediately landing on my thighs. My first real smile of the night spread across my lips, and I reached out both hands and rubbed behind Rex’s ears. “Hey there, mutt.” I rubbed a bit harder, and he moaned happily. I snorted. “You like that, huh?” Rex tilted his head and leaned his right ear into my palm. “You know, bud, I think you’ve got the right idea.” He blew heavily out of his snout, and I laughed, the sound filling the quiet space. “Life’s a hell of a lot easier if you’ve got no balls at all to lead you around and confuse the heck out of you.”

  A snort-laugh from out of the darkness had me tensing. I squinted, looking toward the end of the yard. After a moment, my eyes adjusted and I saw a man looming, his figure moving closer until he stepped into the faint light.

  Damn. So much for alone.

  Rex’s head flipped to the side to look at the guy coming toward me. He grunted again and then thumped his head back down onto my thighs before nudging my hand for me to continue.

  I started to rub, not as invested, nor as relaxed. With my jaw locked, I risked a glance at the guy. Light spilled onto the stranger’s face, highlighting his strong jawline. While I couldn’t see the color of his eyes, I did see the creases surrounding them. It immediately made him seem approachable and friendly. As he moved closer, a small smile lifted his mouth. My gaze landed on the slight curve of his lips before traveling back to his eyes. They were brown, but in the dull light, I couldn’t te
ll the exact shade or depth.

  Friendly, he most definitely was, if his smile and the “Hey” he offered me were anything to go by. But he also looked tired as hell.

  I cleared my throat, suddenly aware I’d stayed quiet for a few seconds too long. “Hey.” My voice was gravelly and sounded unnaturally deep.

  The guy paused in front of me, his hands dipping into his jeans pockets. He was quiet for a beat, seeming to contemplate what to say.

  “You know Rex then?”

  I nodded and then took a glance at the large head resting on my lap. With a small nod, I smiled. “Yeah. He finally likes me, so I’m taking it as a win that we’re friends.”

  The brown-eyed man’s head tilted slightly, his gaze scanning my face a moment before his eyes returned to mine. “So you’re a friend of Carter’s?”

  A humorless snort burst free, not enough to startle Rex, but enough for the guy to raise his brows. I cleared my throat again, not especially liking the fact that it seemed to be closing up and becoming uncomfortably dry in front of this guy. “Well, sort of. We used to work together.”

  “Not anymore?”

  I bit back the bitter retort dancing on my tongue, tempted to ask if that wasn’t what “used to” explicitly meant. There was no need for me to be so defensive or any bigger of an asshole than I already had a reputation for being.

  “Nope. Just trying to figure out my next move.” I clamped my mouth shut, wondering why I’d shared so much. He sat on the lounger beside me, stopping my analysis. “Please, take a seat.” Damn, I really needed to learn to keep my mouth shut and stop being a dickhead. “Sorry.” I threw him a small grimace, noticing both of his perfectly arched brows were lifted, his attention solely on me. There was also a small smile on his lips. I was positive I saw it twitch.