Chapter Ten
“We’re stopping for breakfast,” Lane says, startling me awake. “Are you hungry?”
“Huh?” I mutter as I try to get my brain to comprehend his first comment.
“Come on,” he says.
I stretch and stuff my feet back into my shoes as I wipe the drool off my cheek.
When I push the door open, I notice Lane is standing outside of the car as Mick waits for us.
He’s staring at Lane, clearly uncertain on what to do with him.
I think he wants to help him but doesn’t know what to say or do about it.
As I walk up, I notice that Lane’s shirt is pushed up in the back and can see just the edge of his underwear peeking out from his pants. I grab it and tug up, making him yelp as he tries to push me away. I laugh as I watch him try to dig it out of his butt crack.
“Your underwear is showing, Lane,” I say.
“I have realized that. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” I say while trying not to laugh. I reach out and grab his wrist. “Where’d you get those clothes?” Unlike my bright pink, bejeweled sweat outfit, he is wearing a pair of jeans and a plain gray T-shirt.
“They’re Reed’s,” he says.
I look over at Mick. “You don’t have anything else in that car, do you?”
“Sorry,” Mick says as he grimaces at my clothes.
“Feels like I’m wearing a thong now, thanks to you,” Lane growls as he tries to pull his underwear out of his ass crack.
I grin and tug him after me. “Ooh, sexy,” I say as Mick laughs. He holds the door open, and I direct Lane through to where a hostess is waiting for us.
“How many?” the hostess asks.
“Three,” Mick says.
“Right this way,” she says as she leads us after her.
I haven’t taken Lane out to a restaurant before because he absolutely refused to go anywhere other than fast food.
I can tell this is Mick’s suggestion and Lane went along with it because he didn’t want to refuse.
I pull Lane behind me so, as we are walking between the thin aisles, we aren’t bumping into people.
When the hostess eventually stops at a booth, I push him in first before sitting next to him.
“Your waitress will be right with you,” she says with a smile before leaving.
A moment later the waitress comes and sets the menus down in front of us. Lane touches the edge of his absently but doesn’t open it.
“What drink can I get you started off with?” she asks as she stares at us.
I’m sure we are quite the sight. My face is the color of violets, daisies, and a black hole. I’m wearing clothes supplied to me by a sweatpants-wearing hooker. Lane’s clothes are so tight they appear to have been spray painted on. And Mick just smiles at her.
“Do you want chocolate milk?” I ask.
“Coffee.”
“I hate the smell of coffee,” I say. “So, you’ll have chocolate milk or water.”
“Is that a rule now? Has the coffee machine at home really not been broken this entire time?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie. “He’ll have chocolate milk.”
“No, I’ll take a coffee.”
I glare at him before turning to the woman. “Chocolate milk,” I say.
She glances at me before turning to Mick. “Alright, and you?”
“I’ll take milk as well,” Mick says.
“I’ll get your drinks and take your orders when you’re ready,” she says with a smile before leaving.
“Alright…menu. What do you want?” I ask Lane as I flip my menu open.
“I’m not hungry,” he says.
“Seriously? This will be the first edible food you’ve had since I moved in,” I say. “Omelet? Sausage? Biscuits? Toast?”
“I’m fine,” he says, and I realize that Lane has to be the most stubborn human being that was ever conceived.
He thinks he looks like an idiot or something.
Or doesn’t want people to pity him or some stupid shit.
It just makes me want to smack some sense into him.
The only thing I pity about him is how he can’t see how amazing I look right now in my belly shirt.
The waitress returns with our drinks and sets them down. “Alright, are you ready to order?”
“Yeah, I’ll have eggs, bacon, and home fries, and he’ll have the same,” I say and since he doesn’t complain I decide that it must be up to his standards.
When we have finished ordering, she leaves, and Mick turns his attention to me. “So how has it been going living with Lane?”
“He’s like a sweet, innocent child. Just so much fun to be around,” I say. “But sometimes I feel like I’m living in God’s sacred house. It’s hard keeping all my thoughts and actions as innocent as Lane’s.”
Mick is grinning as he stares at me while Lane laughs.
“If you hear of a job opening, Felix is looking for something,” Lane says.
“Why is that? I like him,” Mick says.
Lane snorts. “The thing is everyone says that, and I don’t get it. It’s because all of you aren’t living with him that you like him.”
“It’s my charming personality,” I say. “Oh, and this awesome belly shirt I’m wearing.”
“You’re wearing a belly shirt?” he asks as he reaches over to touch me.
“Yes, the officer dealing with me loved me and gave it to me,” I say.
Lane laughs and shakes his head. “Nice.”
When we are finished eating, we get back in the car but drive only another fifteen minutes before Mick pulls up to a two-story house in the suburbs of Chicago.
“Are you sure we aren’t bothering you, Reed?” Lane asks as Mick parks the car in the two-car garage. There’s another car next to it, but it’s hidden under a cover.
Mick shakes his head as he turns the car off. “No, not at all. I only have one guest bed though.”
“I can sleep on the couch,” I say as I push the door open before grabbing for Lane’s door. Lane pushes it open and slams the door into my bruised side.
“Ow!” I snap.
“What happened?” Lane asks as he gets out.
“You just hit me as hard as you could with your car door!”
“I thought I felt some resistance,” he says. “I didn’t think you’d be standing next to my door. You alright?”
“I’m fine,” I grumble as I grab his hand and pull him over to where Mick is fumbling with the house door.
There’s a keypad on the door that Mick punches a few numbers into before pulling the door open.
Just inside, a dog is patiently waiting for us.
He’s wiggling in excitement as we come through the door, and I nearly melt as I’m overcome with the desire to pet it.
The dog looks like a German Shepherd with long, silky black hair and large, brown eyes.
“Oh my God, your dog!” I say as I reach for him just as Mick bumps into me. I suppose he didn’t expect me to dive in front of him to get to his dog.
Mick lifts his hand quickly to steady himself on the wall, but I see the dog duck and scamper back. Quickly, my eyes flicker over to Mick who is lowering his hand from where he had it placed on the wall. I watch him for a moment before stepping back to give him room to pass.
“Sorry,” I say as I glance at the dog hovering in the background. His tail is down and tucked as he watches Mick closely. “I have a weakness for cute dogs.”
“That’s Copper. He’s a bit shy, but he’ll warm up to you,” he says. “He used to be a police dog, but he never learned how to enjoy the fun life.”
“Oh, I see,” I say. “Can I pet him?”
“Sure,” he says as I walk over to the dog and kneel down.
“Hey Copper,” I coo as I hold my hand out. He walks up to me and sniffs my hand, so I reach out a bit farther and pet his head. “Oh…Lane, I want a dog!”
“Go get one. I’ll buy it for you, then maybe you won’t bug me to do so much with you. I mean, if you force me to go any more places with you, I’m going to be standing in the bathroom next to you while you take a piss,” he says.
“Funny,” I say as I stroke the silky black hair.
The dog slowly starts to wag his tail, but I notice Lane is hovering around, unsure of where to go. I give the dog one more pat before standing up and taking Lane’s wrist.
“Kick your shoes off to the right,” I say as I do the same.
“I’m assuming you guys are exhausted, so I’ll get your beds made and then I’m going to head to work for a few,” he says, clearly not realizing that I have slept for close to twenty-four hours straight at this point. With a little bit of being held at gunpoint and arrested by the cops in between.
“Alright,” Lane says since he hasn’t slept as much as I have.
Holding Lane’s hand, I lead him into the kitchen as Mick shows me the way.
Everything is simple but nice. He clearly didn’t put much time into decorating, but everything out is neat and orderly.
He cuts through the living room and waves to the left.
“The bathroom is here; towels and stuff are in this cupboard. Feel free to use whatever you need. Same with the kitchen, help yourself,” he says before reaching the stairs.
He leads us up them and down a hallway before pushing open a closed door.
“Here’s the guest room. Are you alright with this, Lane? ”
“Yeah, it’s fine,” he says.
“There’s a bathroom right off of it,” Mick says as he shows us. “Just…don’t forget about the stairs. Want me to put something in front of them?”
“No, I’m fine,” Lane says.
“Alright, I’ll go get some blankets for Felix. If you need anything, let me know,” Mick says before leaving the room.
I take Lane into the bathroom and show him where everything is, before doing the same in the bedroom. “And if you need anything, just holler, I’ll hear you if I feel like it.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” he says. “Makes me feel special the few times you listen.”
I grin. “Good. I like to leave you wanting more. Well, good night, even though it’s not night.”
Lane grabs my wrist, making me look back at him. “Are you alright?” he asks as he reaches out with his other hand. I set my other hand into his and he holds them together.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say.
“Are you hurting?” he asks.
“I have a headache and am a little sore, but I’m fine,” I say.
“Okay…” he says as he drops my hands. “You’re not lying, right?”
“Nope, I promise,” I say.