Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Y’all get out of there and come eat with us!” Missy’s voice rang out, cutting through the front room. Jason groaned, running his fingers through his too-long hair and turning the TV up.
God, she was stubborn.
Loud.
Evil.
“Come on, Mini. You know she won’t soon shut up.” Bax laughed, the sound low, happy. Fine.
“I ain’t going to deal with eating with all of them.” He just wasn’t. Damn it.
“Oh, yes you are. I cooked, Jason, and the kids want to see you. They don’t care if you can’t see. They love you,” Missy insisted.
He could fucking hear Missy stomp her foot on the floor, the floorboards creaking like mad.
“Didn’t you lock the door, Bax?”
“I thought I did.”
Long fingers touched his thigh.
“Come on, man. I bet Missy made something easy to eat, didn’t you, darlin’?” Bax sounded like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
“Chicken sandwiches and fries, Jason. Ice cream sandwiches for dessert. Come on, Jason. Benji’s been crazy to see you again. You know you’re his favorite guy.”
Oh, Missy wasn’t playing fair with that, not even a bit.
There was something fucked up with Benji—some brain thing—and the boy wasn’t right. Still, he was sweet as could be and somehow Jason’d become the kid’s hero.
“Does he know?”
“Yeah. Yeah, all the other kids explained it to him after that first night. They don’t care. You’re Jason.”
“See, there? Come on.” Bax tugged his arm, pulling him up. “You know how I like a crispy chicken.”
He nodded, stepping forward. “I just don’t…”
“Hey.” Missy grabbed his hand, squeezed. “We’re family, you big dork. I’ve seen you so drunk you peed in the bathroom sink.”
“Missy!”
Bax burst out laughing. “Hell, yes. When you’ve seen a man’s johnson, you’ve seen it all. Come on, Mini.”
“Oh, don’t get all smug, Andy Baxter. I got stories on you, too.”
“Be good, Missy, or we’ll tell AJ you want another baby.”
Missy snorted. “Like you’d have to tell him that to get him wound up. He’s the one wants enough to have a whole rodeo team.”
“Haven’t you heard of overpopulation?”
“Well, someone has to make up for boys like y’all.”
“Well, good lord, Missy.” He stopped, Bax running right into his ass. “How many kids do you think I could have fathered? You have what? Fourteen? Twenty?”
“We’re making up for Coke, too. He’s never gonna settle and make little Cokes. Now, come on.” Missy grabbed his hand and tucked it in the crook of her elbow, and he caught the scent of fried chicken and baby powder.
“Woman, you’re a force of nature.” He could hear the kids laughing, hear Coke and AJ teasing and playing.
“I do try.”
As soon as they were out in the front room Benji was on him, hugging his legs like to bowl him over.
“Whoa, now, son,” Bax said, sorta peeling Benji off. “Let’s let Jason get down.”
“Yeah, Ben. Yeah. I’ll have a sit and you can hang with me.”
“Okay.” Lord, the kid was always so good-natured, even if Benji did try to sit in the very same chair Bax was lowering him to.
He settled then his arms were full, Benji jabbering at him, holding on tight.
Benji was AJ’s first kid and all the guys had tried to make things good for the wee boy.
He could smell the food, hear everyone else like a dull roar in the background, but it was Benji who made him feel like it was all okay.
Ben just cuddled in, clinging to him and he rubbed the skinny back, humming a little.
Sometimes you needed to know you could make it right for someone.
“Y’all ready to have some supper?” Missy asked, the air moving as she set up something next to his chair. “I got you a TV tray, honey.”
“Is Ben sleeping?”
“Yeah, he’s nodded off. Is he too heavy? I’ll get AJ to move him. He’s been buzzing since you showed, and you’ve only seen him the once.”
“I can help out,” Bax said, pulling up something and sitting next to his knee. If he knew Bax it would be a kitchen chair turned backward and straddled.
“Cool.” He thought that he could just let little Benji rest for a while. It eased him, bone deep.
Benji snored a little, making him smile at how the kid just trusted him so easy and good. Next thing he knew, Bax was taking his hand and putting it on the table, talking him through where all the food was.
He could hear the kids, jabbering and laughing, calling Coke ‘Poppy’. Missy was singing low and AJ plopped down close by. “You cool, Jason? I can take him.”
“Naw, man. He’s fine. He’s getting big.”
“Shit, yes. Hell, they all are. Maybe time for another one.”
Bax laughed. “Lord, AJ. Missy might need a break.”
“She’s good at it, man. Real good. I just want a couple more.” AJ sounded love-struck. Weird ass.
“A couple? Damn. You’re going to make her old before her time.” Jason chuckled, shook his head.
“I already am,” Missy said near his right ear. “Here’s some more tea, honey.” The clink of ice in a glass sounded oddly loud.
“Tea? Where’s my beer?”
Missy snorted, the longish hair at his ear blowing. “If y’all want it later, fine. Now, it’s tea or milk.”
“Come on, Mini. Eat your chicken before Ben wakes up again and wants to show you his train.” Bax put his hand on the plate again, insistent. Demanding bastard.
“Smells good, huh?” He got his fingers around it, trying not to feel like the biggest idiot in the world. He fucking hated this, eating in front of people.
“Tastes fine, too.” Of course, Bax knew it. Bax knew everything, and that voice stayed low and steady, one of Bax’s hands keeping him from knocking anything off the plate.
Jason let it ease him, knowing Bax was being his eyes. The chicken was tasty—not too messy, not too hot, but still crispy. The fries were handmade, and Missy could do amazing things with potatoes and salt and pepper.
“Did you say there was ice cream?” Bax asked, when he’d eaten his supper.
“There is. Jimmie, you pull Janie’s hair one more time and I will beat your butt. Austin James Gardner, will you talk to your son?”
Damn, he could almost see Missy’s eyes.
He heard Coke’s deep chuckle. “Austin James. She’s got your number.”
“Shut up.” AJ must have whapped Coke, because he could hear it like a shot.
There was a thump and a squeal, Missy almost landing in his lap, Bax scooting closer. Laughing, Bax helped him move Ben when the kid started muttering. Poor baby. They were getting all rough and shit.
“Shh. You’re good.” He patted Ben’s back. “Y’all be good.”
Somewhere the baby started crying and Missy groaned. “Goddamn cowboys.”
“I’ll get it, baby.” AJ’s big old feet clomped across the floor and Missy went to get the ice cream sandwiches, and all of a sudden it was quiet, just him and Ben and Bax.
“Hey.” Fuck, it was weird. Just weird, knowing that this was AJ’s house and not being able to get up and go make a pot of coffee or head out to feed or something.
“Hey. How you doin’, Mini?” Bax’s hand felt good on his knee, warm and firm, anchoring him.
“I’m okay. Want my eyes to work, right now. I keep thinking this has to let up.”
“I know.” Sighing, Bax squeezed his leg. “I wish it would with all my might, Jase.”
“Yeah. Well… Daddy’d say to cowboy up and quit whining, I reckon. I got more than some.” He reached out, hand finding Bax’s shoulder.
“You know it.”
“Jason! Want to see my train?” Ben piped up, awake again just like turning on a light.
“I.” Well, shit. Fuck. Just fucking hell. “I sure do, Ben. Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Come on!” Benji could focus on shit for hours, so he might as well do it now. Bax got up, helping him to his feet.
“You coming, Candy?” He chuckled at Benji’s nickname for Bax, the boy tugging Jason with enough force that he stumbled forward, slamming right into something hard.
“Benji!” Missy came running, he could hear her feet slapping on the ground. “You have to be careful with your Uncle Jason, remember?”
“‘m okay.” He thought. Fuck.
“M’sorry.” Benji’s voice rose to a shriek, almost, the poor kid freaking out.
“Hush, now. All y’all. Let Jase get his bearings.” Bax didn’t snarl or nothin’, just quietly eased everyone away, and from the sound of it, held Benji off him. “Candy’s got you, kiddo. Now, Jase, that’s a big old footstool. Step two to the left.”
“Hey. Hey!” He dropped to his knees, something scratching all up along his back. “Come here, boy, and chill out.”
Benji wailed, but the minute the kid landed in his arms he quieted, snuffling a little against his neck. “Sorry, sorry, sorry.”
“For what? I got you.” He rocked, feeling just about lost. “I’m good. I’m a bull rider like your daddy. You think a little bump hurt me?”
“No.” Those little hands patted his cheeks, little soft touches that made him chuckle. “Good Jason.”
“That’s right. Candy and Poppy are rotten dudes, but me? I’m good, man.”
“Rotten Poppy!”
Oh, Lord. Now the kid was bouncing and laughing, calling to Coke. “Rotten Poppy!”
He got to laughing, tickled as hell. He heard Missy’s chuckle, heard Coke come rushing to grab Benji up. “I’ll show you rotten, pup.”
Benji squealed, a good sound this time, and Bax helped him up, easing him on. “We’ll look at the train, huh? Then he’ll be ready for Poppy there to read him a story.”
He nodded. “Then I gotta have some space, buddy. We gotta.”
“I hear you. We can escape. You know they won’t mind.” No. No one would make a fuss. A half hour and they’d admired Benji’s train and headed off with their melty ice cream to their little house.
He tried to take a deep breath, the wind almost cool on his face.
“Better, honey?” Bax patted his ass, lingering a little.
“Yeah. Yeah, that was intense, huh?”
“You did good.” Moving in, Bax put both arms around him, holding on. “You did.”
“You know I cain’t be good for much longer, right? I’m going to go wreck something or fight something or scream like a banshee.”
“We might get drunk and drown ourselves in the pool.” Bax hugged him hard. “You know I can do stupid.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it. Fuck, I need a beer.” He kept running all the shit he’d never be able to do again through his head, over and over.