Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Jason woke up, fighting the panic when he couldn’t remember which hotel he was in. He had to pee, so he reached for the wall. If he followed it, he would find a bathroom. All hotels worked that way. Bed. Bedside table. Wall.
Oh. Okay. Window. Open window. Door?
He reached for the door handle, curious, and almost immediately, Bax covered his hand.
“No, Mini. I haven’t checked that balcony yet. You hunting the bathroom?”
“Oh. We’re at the house.”
Bax chuckled. “Yes. First night. Every sound is waking my happy ass up.”
Bax led him to the bathroom. “Double sink, then the toilet.”
“Thanks.” Christ. Wild. Seriously.
“Yeah. No problem.” He heard Bax humming, probably wandering around, waiting for him.
He did his business, more awake now and less freaked. He explored a little bit, then headed back to bed. Momma would be bringing his TV for the bedroom and the noise would make it easier.
For Bax too, he would bet. That was how they drowned the noise at hotels, so they were both used to the TV.
When he came out, Bax made sure he was back in bed before taking his turn, then came back to slip under the sheets and cuddle with him.
“You’ll get used to it soon, Mini. Me and Jack will shore up the balcony this weekend, just to be careful.”
“Thanks. I… I don’t want to be useless.” He didn’t want to believe that he’d never see this house.
“You’re not. You’re gonna work with Momma to set up the kitchen and front room so you can get around. Be firm with her.”
Yeah, Momma would try to put things where she thought they went, but Jason had ideas.
“Right. It don’t take me long to reckon things. You know that.” He’d learned more in the last set of months than he’d thought he could. “I got a knack for this getting-around thing. Hell, I even went to the Walmart today.”
That was scarier than getting on the back of a damn bull.
“I know.” Bax rested their foreheads together. “That was something. Man, we can spend some money, huh?”
They’d gone a little wild. A grill. A little kiddie pool like the one at Momma and Jack’s to lounge in. Sheets and towels and food and TP and all the basics to set them up for a week or two.
“Yeah, but it’s a good thing to spend on. I feel like… I feel like this time it’s not throwaway. This is real.” It was stupid, but he didn’t know how else to say it.
“I hear you.” Bax was stroking his back, just random touches with no real rhythm. “I love the grill. Wait until we fire it up and test what it can do.”
“Hamburgers. Beer-can chicken.” Hell, they’d bought the smoker attachment for brisket.
They’d wait until Coke and Dillon came for that. Momma would be kinda insulted if they tried to outsmoke her and Jack. Maybe they’d do a turkey for her.
Bax chuckled. “Mmm. Borracho chicken. Yessir.”
“Hell, hot dogs are best on the grill, right? And we got us some good steaks.” Steaks and baked potatoes were the bomb.
“We even got that good salt.” He could hear the pride in Bax’s voice, and he liked to think it was for him. He was eating steak. That was like a huge hill on the learning curve.
It was crazy, the shit he’d never thought was going to be hard. Then again, some stuff was easier than he’d ever expected.
Staying on a bull. It was the ‘get off’ that was deadly.
“Smoke’s coming out of your ears, Mini.” Bax squeezed him tight. “You ready to get up? It’s still dark outside.”
“No. No, just…can we play some music on the phones? I’m not used to these sounds.” And he was tired. Really, genuinely tired.
“Good idea.” Bax rolled away from him, and soon enough, the Midland radio thing he liked so much on the streaming service was playing.
Then he was held in Bax’s arms, and it was okay. He had a place in the world, and it was right here. Bax was solid when everything made him dizzy, and that was good enough for Jason.
He rested his head on Bax’s chest, listening to Bax’s heartbeat, to the steady breathing as Bax dozed off again.
He could do this. He could. Please God, let me be okay.