Chapter 18 #2
“Well, that got depressing,” Dillon said. “What else are you planning besides goats?”
“Hours and hours of home repair,” he said, with a wild grin. “I’m looking forward to fixing all the little things, making this our place, you know?”
“It’s a good feeling,” Coke agreed. “Dillon and I turned both our houses inside out to make them work for each other.”
Dillon hooted. “Hey, I just put in a hot tub. And an outdoor kitchen. And a media room…”
“And I put in a music system in and out, and a doggie door, and added double seats in the media room,” Coke shot back. “Thank God y’all only have one house to redo.”
“We’re talking about getting us a little cabin too,” Jason said. “Just something small in the mountains.”
“Diversify, I say. You need help with that, just holler, since that’s more my neck of the woods.” Dillon chuckled. “I love real estate.”
“Freak,” Bax said fondly.
“Totally. But we have this wild, wonderful network of places. The more the merrier.”
“I want somewhere we can go see snow,” Jason said, which surprised him. Jason was skinny enough that the cold got into him.
“Well, you can come to mine anytime.” Dillon reached over to poke Jason gently. “But a cabin someplace like Colorado would be a great investment, and a neat place to go…when you get your book deal.”
“Right. After the movie deal, huh?” Jason snorted. “We’ll see. First, we got to get me through the season.”
“I got a commercial to make too. Well, three of them.” Bax’s cheeks heated, but he wanted Dillon to look at the contract, make sure he was doing the right thing.
“Well, Andy Baxter. Look at you.” Coke slapped his chair again.
“I know. I’m a star.” He flexed a little, making light.
“That’s it. He’s my sparkling star.” Jason grinned toward him.
“You guys are goofs.” Dillon kicked back, putting his feet up on one of the little stools Momma had insisted on getting them. “Man, this is the life.”
“No shit on that.” Gramps rocked like he was the happiest man alive. “We’ll help do whatever you need, guys. Maybe after a bit of a rest.”
“You look worn, Coke. I ain’t trying to be mean.”
Jason nodded slowly. “I can hear it when you talk.”
“Been a hard season, guys. I ain’t getting younger. I got one more season in me, but that’s it. I’m wore.”
Dillon didn’t look any happier at Coke’s words than he did. “I have two more years on my contract. I can fly out on the weekends, work and come home, Coke. You know that.”
“You work, I oughta work.”
“Stubborn bullfighter.”
Jason snorted. “They come any other way?”
“Nope.” Coke smiled a little. “I’m just so tickled for y’all, though.”
Bax nodded. They were too. They’d done something that, even two years ago, had seemed impossible. They’d become like a family.
Sometimes he felt a little guilty for how happy he was when Jason had lost so much. He’d do a lot to give Jason his sight back, but he wasn’t sure now that he could give this up, this life they were making.
He intended on spending the rest of his life keeping Mini happy. That would make up for any failing he had now and again, Bax figured.
“Who wants snacks?” Dillon asked, not able to sit still for shit. “I’ll bring out some plates.”
“Do you need help?” Coke asked, eyes still closed.
“Sit, Coke. He’s got it.” Bax grinned as Coke didn’t even bother to argue. Lord have mercy, that son of a bitch was…tired.
Bone deep.
Was that where Mini’d been heading? Him? Shit, he didn’t like to think about that, because Mini wasn’t done. Almost, but not yet. Shit. Shit.
“Smells like it’s coming up a cloud, y’all.” Jason’s eyes were on the ocean, damn near like he could see it.
“It does. We’ll set up inside and watch a movie,” Bax said. Coke just needed to hang out, and he could put his feet up too. He’d been moving shit nonstop for days.
“This whole sun room-porch thing is great though.” Dillon danced inside. “We can get the breeze and not get soaked. I like it.”
“Yeah.” Jason got up when Bax tapped his shoulder. “The couch is puffy. It has recliners on each end, Coke.”
“Y’all rock.” Coke stood and they all started carrying in a plate or two. “I think you need a Coke machine out here. You could put beer in it.”
“We could put all sorts of stuff in it,” Bax said. “Dillon, can you keep an eye out?”
“I am the king of eBay and Craigslist.” Dillon saluted. “I’m on it.”
Mini managed to get to the kitchen, nibble then find his chair. The sight made him nod. Better. Jason was beginning to seem like he belonged here. They’d done well setting the place up, and thankfully, he didn’t have to remind Coke and Dillon not to move shit.
Now, they’d have to do a few dry runs before AJ could bring all his kids.
“Are you ready to ride again?” Coke asked, and Jason nodded.
“I know what I got to do, Gramps. I’m going to slam this into the ground.”
“You are. That wrist doing better?”
“It is what it is.” Jason shrugged.
Hell, Jason adapted so well to injuries that Bax tended to forget he had them.
“We need to find us a PCP down here, huh?” Bax made a note on their kitchen scribble pad. “I’ll call Doc.”
“Yeah, and an eye specialist. Things change in the medical field every day.” Dillon was the eternal optimist.
“Probably have to drive for that,” Bax agreed. “But a good doc can call in X-rays and such on the wrist.”
Coke grinned. “Be good to have, as much as you trip over shit, Andy.”
“Right?” He laughed, but there was a weird look on Jason’s face. A distant sort of thing. He didn’t love it.
He wanted to ask, but not in front of the guys, so he just moved to sit next to Jason taking his hand, and Jason held on.
“Our place, huh,” Jase murmured under his breath.
“Ours, babe.”
“Can I get the honors of starting the movie?” Dillon asked.
“Sure, man. Just pick something good. We got streaming and all the DVDs Momma brought.”
Jason nodded and found the remote, tossing it right to Dillon like the clown was a target. Damn, that was cool.
Dillon gave him one of those weird, meaningful looks. Bax never could figure out what they meant, so he just nodded. Sometimes he waggled his eyebrows. By now he was thinking what to feed them all for supper.
Maybe he’d just do burgers. Jase loved that, and he could play with his grill…
Jason squeezed his hand, so he made himself relax. If he was that tense, Mini could feel it, then Coke and Dill would see it.
The television came on, and he let himself get lost in the movie, the company—and the fact that he was home.