Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jason could see the map of Texas in his mind’s eye. Momma was northwest of Dallas. AJ’s spread was down near San Antone. That was damn near eight hours in a truck.
With Coke singing.
Loud.
He figured they had to be near Waco by now.
Had to be.
Coke’d gone through George Strait, two Alan Jacksons, a Bellamy Brothers and this weird-as-fuck mix CD that Dillon must have given them. That boy was weird.
“Andy, AJ’s wanting to stop, walk around a bit. You cool with that?”
Hell, he’d pay to get them out of Bax’s truck and just let him sit in the quiet.
“Sure. Sure. You need to take a piss, man, or just stop at a picnic area?” Bax was sounding a wee bit strained, too.
Coke started muttering to AJ on the phone again and Jason turned to look back into the back seat where Bax was, damn near screaming when it didn’t work.
“He’s wanting some food, man, and to walk around. He says there’s a Jack in the Box dealie right up the road.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Bax patted him on the shoulder, letting Jason know Andy understood.
“‘kay.” He could hear the sounds of the road changing, hear as things slowed down. When they fucking stopped, the silence was just huge.
Bax cleared his throat. “I think I may be stuck in this position permanently.”
“I’ll just wait in here while y’all do your thing. Coke, man, can you dislodge Bax from the back seat?” There was no way he was leaving the fucking truck.
“Jase, you got to piss. I know you do.” Coke was a stubborn cuss, patting his leg, clomp, clomp.
“I’m okay.” What if the place was a one-holer? What if someone saw him? What if it was noisy?
“I’ll go with Jase to the pot, you and AJ get us some food to bring back out here, huh?” Bax’s voice sounded as determined as ever.
“No. No, I’m fine.” He didn’t have to. He wasn’t going to be in a position to have Bax hold his dick so he could pee. Jesus fucking Christ, what was he thinking? Momma’d been right. He was a Goddamn fool.
“Go on, Coke. We’ll be along.”
The sound of the driver door opening and closing was loud as hell, the solid whomp reminding him of when Bax had won the option on that truck.
“Jason, you got to at some point. This is as good a time as any. Place is dead.”
“This is fucked up, man. I didn’t think about all the shit that I’d have to deal with. I didn’t get it.”
“Well, I figure if we thought on all of it at once, we woulda hid, huh?” The back door opened and closed, too, the big king cab echoing. Then Bax was opening his door, hand sliding under his elbow.
His body followed, just like it had a mind of its own, which Jason figured it sort of did but…
Yeah. He’d been following Bax for years—why would he stop now?
Bax got him going, nice and easy, murmuring to him.
Hell, it was like Bax settling him on a bull.
‘A little to the left’. ‘Step up’. ‘You got your sunglasses on…’ He kept his head down, focused on Bax and that thud-slide, thud-slide of the cast on the floor. Three more weeks and it’d be gone, too.
“Okay, we’re at the door.” Bax stopped him, the feel of the air from inside rushing out at him, the smells of burgers and fries strong.
He could hear his heart slamming in his chest, the sounds of beeping and talking disorienting. Okay. Okay. He could do this. He could.
Damn it.
Bax kept on murmuring, the low sound of that familiar voice overriding everything. “Almost there, buddy. Here. Turn left.”
“Okay. Left.” He nodded, kept his head down, trusting in Bax’s voice.
“Here we go.” It was like suddenly being in a bubble again, the sounds out in the restaurant cut off when they stepped into the bathroom.
“Dude. Stinky.” He tried to grin, tried not to look as if he was fucking freaking out.
“It’s a men’s room. Hell, AJ’s guest room bath will probably smell worse. You know that’s where he keeps his porn.”
“Oh. Oh, man. Gross.” He chuckled, stepped forward. “Okay, where’s the urinal? Help me.”
“You know it.” Bax shifted him right where he needed to be, helping him so he didn’t have to touch anything nasty.
“Okay. Okay.” He took a deep breath. Jesus, this was hard. Harder than he’d ever imagined.
“Just pee, man. It’s all good.” Bax was trying to sound so reasonable, but he could feel the hand on his hip shaking.
He managed it, and the relief pissed him off—which, damn. That was funny.
“There.” Helping him tuck and wash up, Bax sighed, leaning on him a minute.
“Thanks.” He hated this. He fucking hated it.
“Shit, Mini. I’m just glad you came in. I got to do my thing now, okay?”
“Yeah. Sink’s to the right?”
“Yep. It’s one of them motion sensor ones.” Bax moved away, the air just barely shifting. Sure. So all he had to do was wave, instead of fumble.
“Hell, you can’t get them to work, and you can see.”
“No shit. You know I hate them things.” Bax could damned near jump up and down in front of them and those sinks wouldn’t come on.
That whole memory made him chuckle and he got cleaned up, feeling ten thousand times closer to human.
“Better, man?” Bax bumped him out of the way a few seconds later, the sink still running so Bax could wash his hands.
“Yeah. Yeah, I might live.” They headed out, right back through the front door and into the fucking truck, this time with him in the back with Bax. It was tighter quarters, but better, Bax’s good leg against him.
Bax patted his leg, got him settled good, humming along a little with the radio. “We got food?”
“Smells like it.”
Coke’s laugh echoed back. “I got them chicken finger dealies and fries and burgers, all.”
“You’re a gentleman and a scholar, Coke,” Bax said, and Jason felt Andy lean over to get their stuff. Bax wrapped his hands around a drink cup.
“Thanks, man.” He took a deep drink, then searched for the drink holder, getting the cup in pretty easily.
Okay. Cool. Round one to the blind cowboy.
“Burger or nuggets first?” Everything smelled a little overwhelming, like grease and meat and grilled bread.
“Nuggets.” He held out his hands, stuck his fingers in the gravy. “With gravy.”
“There you go.” Bax sounded like he was choking to death, trying not to laugh. Asshole.
“Butthead.” He didn’t try not to laugh—hell, he just busted out with it. Two broke and one bent cowboys in a Ford.
It could be a fucking country song.
“Hey, I could lick you off, but that would embarrass Coke,” Bax said softly, fingers brushing against his.
Oh. His cock jerked, eyes going wide as he tried not to moan, sticking his fingers in his own mouth.
“Now, y’all know better than to get busy in my truck, right?” Coke asked, reasonable as you please.
“Ain’t this Bax’s truck, Coke, my friend?” He was not blushing. Not.
“Yeah, well… I’m driving.” He could hear the smile in Coke’s voice, could feel Bax’s laughter against him.
They all got to laughing but good, and things seemed just fine, just like it ought to be.
Maybe they could do this thing. Hell, at least he figured out where the gravy was now.