Chapter Twenty-Six
AUSTIN SHEPHERDED Joe to bed shortly after the girl with the superpowers got her eighties makeover. His eyelids were drooping, and Austin wasn’t carrying him in front of the peanut gallery. He didn’t trust Gavin not to wolf-whistle, and that would set Pepa off.
While Joe brushed his teeth and climbed into bed, Austin checked all the water dishes and took Pepa on her nightly yard inspection.
He was looking forward to spring, when he wouldn’t have to freeze his ass off for ten minutes while she decided where to pee.
Maybe after the thaw they could fence part of the yard so she could do this unsupervised.
Now that Austin had fixed his cash flow problem… .
Finally Pepa had watered the bushes to her satisfaction, so Austin let them back inside. The kids had turned the TV off—apparently Stranger Things was a whole-family ordeal and they were only allowed to watch it as a group—and he could hear murmured voices and giggles from the second floor.
The kids should have this. Especially Alex. A night of being a regular teenager would do them some good.
He unbuckled Pepa’s prosthetic and stroked her ears as she got cozy in her basket by the fireplace. Then he brushed his teeth and slid into bed next to Joe, who flopped around with his hand until he found Austin’s shoulder and then leaned over to kiss him, close-mouthed.
Probably for the best. He was still kind of mucusy.
“Mm,” Joe mumbled. “Night.”
Austin closed his eyes.
It had been a busy day. He still couldn’t quite believe he’d done something so impulsive, and done it so quickly at that. But he didn’t have any regrets.
That morning, he’d thought about Bobby’s offer at the dealership.
He’d thought about Joe’s mom’s interest in Austin’s garage, how she’d mentioned property in that area was desirable and that she’d always be able to find a buyer if Austin ever wanted to sell.
Months ago, Austin had pushed it out of his mind.
Back then he had no intention of selling.
But now? Austin’s priorities had changed. He already owned a home. That home and the family inside it kept him plenty busy. He had enough responsibilities. He wanted a job he could get paid for and then go home to what really mattered.
So he called Maria, and she called her buyer, and then Austin called Bobby, and at the end of the day, Austin didn’t own a business anymore.
He thought he might feel sad about it, but he didn’t.
He hadn’t had much time to process it all.
He’d gone out and done what he needed to do, and he was still working through how he felt about it when he came home to find the house clean and Joe on the couch, looking better than he had in weeks.
Will had stuttered out a sincere apology when Austin picked him up from his exam, but they hadn’t had time to really talk before Austin needed to head out again.
They probably still needed to talk.
And he needed to talk to Joe too, but that was going to be a different conversation, harder to navigate.
Joe felt bad enough for the help he’d needed in the past few weeks.
Austin didn’t need to add anything else for him to feel guilty over, especially considering that this particular issue meant an overlap of business-and-home decisions that might lead him into a Paul spiral.
It could wait until Joe was well enough to go back to work.
Austin closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
THE NEXT morning, Austin stirred awake and wondered why he wasn’t still dreaming.
Their bedroom door creaked open, and he realised he’d heard a soft knock. “Austin?”
He lifted his head and squinted. Alex stood in the doorway, looking—Austin didn’t know how to describe the look. Tentative but stubborn, apologetic and happy.
They stepped into the room and continued the confusing body language by pulling their sleeves over their hands and then smiling. “Uh. I got my period.”
It took a second for the importance of that comment to land. “Wait.” Austin jerked up, pushing his head and shoulders off the bed. Behind him, Joe grunted. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Awesome,” he breathed. “Uh, not that I’m not thrilled, but this couldn’t wait until… not 6:02 a.m.?”
“I don’t have any supplies.” They grimaced, embarrassed. “Don’t suppose you have some extra?”
“Uh.” Austin did not. But… well, Joe had hair ties in his car. “Did you check the bathroom cupboards?”
Alex nodded.
Austin was loathe to do it, but he couldn’t leave Alex waiting.
“Joe,” he said softly, and stroked his hair. Joe grunted. “Joe, wake up for me.”
“Ungh. Wha—?”
“Pads or tampons. Do you have any?”
“You bleeding?”
Alex snorted, and Austin smiled. Clearly Joe wasn’t awake yet. “No, but Alex is.”
Joe’s eyes fluttered open and he looked at Austin, then Alex. “What?”
“I got my period. Like, off schedule. So….”
“Oh.” Joe flailed with the duvet and tried to sit up.
Austin put a hand on his chest. It was laughably easy to keep him lying down. “Just tell us where to find them.”
“Right.” He rubbed his eyes and stretched as though that might help him remember. “Uh… bathroom, basket on the shelf over the toilet. And I think the rest of the boxes are in the linen closet.”
“’Kay, thanks. I’ll go look.” Alex slipped away.
Joe turned his increasingly wakeful gaze on Austin. “Why is Alex so happy about getting their period off-schedule after six and a half years?”
“Uh, well.” Shit. Alex had flown the coop, and now Austin had to explain. That didn’t seem fair. “There was some… concern… that they might not get it for a few months.”
“For a few….” Joe inhaled sharply and swung his legs out of bed. “That little—”
Austin scrambled and got an arm around his waist. “Give your brain a minute to catch up before you go wringing Gavin’s neck, okay?”
“Gavin?” Joe whisper-screeched. His sickly pale skin had gone blotchy red. “I was going after Alex for not telling me. Are you saying Gavin—” He took a handful of loud breaths. Austin didn’t think it was the remnants of pneumonia. “I’ve told them about condoms so many times.”
“Yes, and they used them, but condoms are not infallible.” Austin brightened. “Although hey, in this case, they were not defeated, so. Congratulations on your successful sex ed lectures.”
“I’m too young to be a grandfather,” Joe said unhappily, finally relaxing back into his pillow.
Austin patted his shoulder. “Fortunately you’re not going to be one, so you can relax.”
But while the stress and adrenaline might’ve leeched out of him, the unhappiness persisted. “Why didn’t they come to me?”
Austin curled his body toward Joe’s and tugged him closer. “While you were out of town or while you were dying of plague?”
“Yes,” Joe said mulishly.
Austin snorted a small laugh and kissed his forehead. “Your kids love you. They trust you. And they don’t want to disappoint you. But they’re still kids. They’re not ready to be parents. And sometimes that means they’re not ready to talk about the possibility with their parents.”
Joe reached for Austin’s hand, still wrapped around his waist, and brought it to his lips instead. “Neither were you, but you seem to be doing okay.”
Something warm and soft curled in Austin’s chest. “I’m flattered, but I don’t think that’s exactly the same thing. I definitely would’ve run the other way if you were expecting quadruplets.”
Joe scrunched his face. “I’m trying to be upset about that, but I would’ve run if I were expecting quadruplets. I’m pretty sure I’m eligible for Mexican citizenship.”
Austin wasn’t clear on how that would’ve helped. “Which means you can’t blame Alex for not wanting to talk about it, especially before they had the guts to take a test. They didn’t even tell Gavin.”
Joe’s eyes went soft. “But they told you.”
“Yeah, well.” Warmth spread across Austin’s cheeks. “Apparently none of them are afraid of me despite my tough-guy exterior.”
Joe cackled. “Oh no, Will definitely is, but in the ‘scared and horny’ way.”
Awful. Austin was trying to forget about that.
“Anyway.” Joe shook his head. “Did I miss anything else important while I was on my deathbed?”
Austin should tell him, but he didn’t know how.
It would change things if Joe knew how Austin had paid Starling’s bill.
Austin didn’t want Joe’s apology or his pity.
He didn’t even want his money. He just wanted to keep living this small, quiet life in their quilting project of a house, with their pets and their horde of children and the love Austin never dared to even hope for.
“No,” he said. The lie slipped out easily, uncomplicated. “I mean, unless you missed my dick.”
“Of course I missed your dick,” Joe said instantly. Then after a beat, “Well, I did when I was away. I wasn’t really conscious enough to miss your dick while sick.”
The creak of stairs told Austin that Alex was headed back to bed.
“Well… since you missed my dick and we’re both awake at this ungodly hour….”
Joe barked a laugh. “I think I’m well enough to lie back and think of England.”
AUSTIN WOKE up again before eight to the feel of being watched. Pepa wagged her tail once their gazes locked, and he gave in to the inevitable and rolled out of bed with a grunt. Joe slept on, thank goodness.
He’d passed out almost immediately after coming and barely stirred when Austin cleaned him up. Clearly, he still needed extra sleep.
It was almost ten by the time he surfaced, first to use the bathroom, and then to join everyone in the kitchen. By that time, the kids had decimated Austin’s pancakes—the only dish he’d acquired any skill at in months—except those he’d stashed away for Joe, and were giggling over the remains.
Naturally, once Joe was conscious, the marathon continued.
Starling found them on the couch mid-episode, the TV paused so they could argue over which character was the most annoying.
“I’d say this wasn’t how I expected to find you, but… let’s be real.” Starling stood at the end of the couch, having divested herself of boots and coat without anyone noticing her arrival.
“Starling!” Joe said with delight and no move to stand up. Apparently even he knew better than to play good host right now. “You’re just in time for our debate.”
“Sounds like it. What are we arguing about?”
“Maybe,” Austin broke in before the debate could resume, “before we continue to badger Starling for her opinions, we should ask her if she’d like to have a seat?”
“As if you need to ask,” Starling said with a wave of her hand.
“Though I should probably get to the point since I was actually on my way home.” She shrugged and lifted up the reusable bag hung at her side.
“I bring gifts from Linda—homemade muffins from her now more reliable oven.” She winked at Austin.
Naturally, the kids stopped listening after muffins, and Gavin tore into the Tupperware inside the bag and exclaimed, “Chocolate! Ooh, blueberries! Sweet!”
“Stop.” They all looked at Joe. “At least pretend to have manners. It’s almost lunchtime. Can we serve them up properly?”
Gavin pouted, but he replaced the lid and carried his prize into the kitchen, trailing after Meg and Alex, who were already musing over menu options, and denying Will a view into the tin, despite his best efforts.
“You didn’t just stop by to feed my children,” Joe prompted.
“Well, not only. Though Linda really did want to send those over. She also sent a message,” she added with a look in Austin’s direction. He girded himself. “Next time, ask for help, you hapless sad sack.”
“You’ll be surprised to hear that you’re not the first one to tell me that,” Austin said dryly.
Starling snorted and looked at her nails, faux casual. “What about pig-headed martyr? Anyone call you that yet?”
“Starling,” Joe cut in, but Austin waved him off.
“Not in those words exactly, no.”
“Well, they should have.”
“Yes, thank you.” Austin wasn’t unaware of his need to do some self reflecting as to why he didn’t reach out for help or why all his new friends and family thought that was stupid of him.
Starling eyed him and then relaxed, dropping the act. “Good. Because I’m too grateful to actually lecture you.” She sat on the couch next to him and hugged him. “Since you’re also my new favorite person.”
“I am?”
“Of course you are,” she said, jostling his shoulder. “Skye and Brady are safe and sound in Toronto.”
“Wait.” Joe shifted to look around Austin. “What happened while I was down for the count?”
“Your boo, despite his stupid overworked martyr complex, found the time to listen to my woes and pay me for the work on the house.”
“What?” Joe shot Austin a look, but before he could ask how, Starling kept talking.
“Which I needed for Skye and Brady.”
That caught Joe’s attention. “Wait, what’s the update on that? You said your nephew—”
“He’s getting treatment at Sick Kids.” Joe paled. “He’s fine. Well, not fine, but the prognosis is good. The doctors are happy with his initial response and hopeful he’ll be back home in a couple weeks good as new, sort of.”
“But the money?”
“I wanted to help—my sister is living in Toronto for two weeks.”
Joe cringed, obviously having caught on to the issue and Starling’s views on the matter.
He asked more questions about Brady’s health, which Starling answered in detail.
Clearly the issue had been weighing on her.
By the time the kids started bringing food into the living room, Starling was shaking her head at their invitation to join and saying she should get back on the road.
“Thanks again, Austin.” She kissed his cheek and then the top of Joe’s head. “Have fun being cozy sloths on a Saturday, I guess.”
“Thanks for looking after her when I couldn’t,” Joe said quietly during the brief moment when the kids were out of the room, fetching more provisions.
“What are boyfriends for? Besides, it’s not like it wasn’t also my wiring.” He waved a hand about the room.
“I’m not sure the old stuff would’ve been able to handle the load of this many teenagers charging their devices,” Joe said wryly. “Although the real issue would’ve been they each would’ve had to charge them in a separate room.”
“We’d have tripped and died over the extension cord situation, probably,” Austin agreed, relaxing somewhat.
It didn’t seem like Joe was going to pry further—to ask where Austin got the money, or offer to pay him back, or anything else that would leave Austin choosing between lying, deflecting, and the awkward truth.
“Hey, while the kids are distracted—think there’s enough manicotti left for a grown-up’s lunch? ”