Page 104 of Peach Tree Family

He was also worried about how Ace was handling things. He was anxious again and had trouble sleeping. It helped that Theo was sharing the room with him, and having Butter to keep him company was good for him too, but he missed Seth.

Seth moving out was another thing Theo couldn't stop thinking about. Going home without him these past few days was miserable.

No matter how many times he told himself it made sense for Seth to move out, he couldn't make peace with it. He wanted Seth with them. He wanted to be able to talk to him late at night or climb into bed with him.

Telling himself to focus on work, he was still so angry, not at Seth really. This was his aunt's fault. But seeing Seth just brought the anger back. Behind the French windows of the tearoom, Seth was taking an order and practicing that pleasant, professional smile that Theo helped him perfect.

Theo dragged his eyes away and stared at the computer screen without seeing what was actually on it. Seth leaving might be the right thing, but it was so wrong too. Theo wanted him to stay, needed him to.

When it was time for school to let out, Theo was ready to text Wyatt to see if everything was OK, but he got a call from him first. He wanted to bring Ace over to the inn. "I think he needs a little brotherly visit. Your aunt approached him at recess. Noreen chased her off, but he's upset."

Wyatt and the boys arrived a little later just as Leo brought the baby from Andy's office. Theo didn't even get to talk to Ace because the boys went straight for Leo and the baby.

Dustin was in awe of the kids as they showed no fear of Leo. "Look at that little blond one. He'll fight anyone."

He meant Ry, who was trying to convince Leo that they should be best friends. "Then I'll have a bigger best friend than DJ," Ry said and he pouted at his brother and Ace.

"Oh, man, you don't need to worry about me being friends with DJ," Ace told him. "You two are brothers. Don't you know brothers are forever?"

Coming over to lean on the front desk, Wyatt had on a sad smile. "Where was this kid when me and my brother needed someone to set us straight? Did you teach him that?" he asked Theo.

"When my aunt kicked me out of the house, Ace was worried that he wouldn't get to see me, so I told him that brothers are forever," Theo said.

"Sorry you guys had to go through that. Noreen said she would keep a close eye on Ace," Wyatt told him.

"Thank you for bringing Ace here," Theo said.

"No problem. I got busy and skipped breakfast and lunch, so I'm going to take the boys to eat in the inn restaurant and get takeout for Sam. I hope Ace can come with us."

"If you let me pick up the tab," Theo said.

Wyatt looked like he wanted to argue, but then he just sighed. "OK, but I'm treating them to dessert in the tearoom."

"That way Ace can visit with Seth. All right. It's a deal."

Ace stopped by the front desk, and Theo told him, "I know Aunt Cindy was at the school. How are you doing?"

"Ms Kurtz made her go away. Theo, it's good to have a scary teacher," Ace said and Theo couldn't help but laugh.

"So you here to visit me or the baby?" Theo teased him.

"You and Seth too."

Theo told him the plan, but Ace poked his head into the tearoom to say hi to Seth before he went off with Wyatt and the boys to eat. Theo wished he could go talk to Seth. Or maybe he just wanted to throw his arms around him and let Seth hold him.

After their lunch, Wyatt went to sit with Andy in the lounge area. The boys went to the tearoom where Seth served them dessert. Theo kept glancing that way to check on them, and it looked like the boys were behaving themselves. He also got to watch Seth and see his real smile.

When the boys were done, Wyatt took them to explore the inn's extensive grounds. They ended up staying until it was time for Theo to go home. Seth wasn't done with his shift, so Theo left him the truck and got a ride from Wyatt.

When he and Ace got home, Theo finally found out more about what happened at school, but didn't get to talk to Seth about it until he called late that night.

"Aunt Cindy stopped by Ace's school at recess. That's why Wyatt brought him by the inn," Theo told him.

"What did she want?"

"She was telling Ace how he'll have to go and live with her if I don't wise up, and that things would get bad for me. She wanted to send a message through Ace."

"She must have scared him bad. Damn her," Seth said, and Theo could hear him gritting his teeth.

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