Chapter 19
“Man, I appreciate you coming up to help me put this stuff together,” Steve said as he opened the front door.
“Hey, you're paying me, remember? Beer and all the pizza I can eat.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Steve laughed and shook his head at his friend's antics. “Jeff's gone for the beer. Told him while he was out, he might as well pick up the pizzas.”
“Just as well. He doesn't know a screwdriver from a wrench.”
“He's not that bad,” Steve protested.
“Dude, you do remember the time he tried to change his own oil?”
“Well, yeah, but this is flatpack furniture, with cartoon instructions.”
“Okay, but when your kid's furniture end up with five extra pieces, not counting a million left over screws, I get to say I told you so.”
“Well, he can always sort the pieces and read out the instructions, right? He offered to help and I couldn't say no.”
Tim laughed. “Yeah, he can do that. Besides, I'm just messin'. Though I have seen Instagrams of flat pack furniture disasters, so it is possible.” He glanced over at the coffee table. “You guys pick the invites out yet?”
“Yeah, Mom cornered me right after we got home from the coffee shop. I picked out two and she got Jared to pick out two when he got off work. One of the two we each had picked turned out to be the same one, so she went for that one. And we decided to go with the little bottle of bubbles there for the tables. You know, to blow after we finish our vows and go back down the aisle.”
“Man, I can't believe how much shit there seem to do. Glad I'm not the Alpha Heir. Too much crap you gotta do.”
“Heh, as one of my betas, you're having to go through it with me.”
Tim groaned. “I know. But hey, at least I just have to do what I'm told and not actually plan any of this. Well, except for security, but your dad's betas are handling most of that.”
“Speaking of security, I spoke to Desmond about those two FBI guys. He says he wasn't at any of the clubs on the nights that anyone he heard of was assaulted, and that he'd let the agents know that.”
Tim glanced at him sharply. “What about Jared?”
“Jared is torn between telling them about his assault and trying to deflect any attention away from himself and the pack.
He's also freaking out in case the guys somehow find out and come find him and maybe hurt him and the baby.
Mom's taken him baby shopping to try to take his mind off things until he's ready to process this new aspect.”
Tim stood in the doorway of the spare room. “More shopping? From the looks of in here, you guys could open your own store.”
“It's for bedding and accessories this time. All this is furniture, some clothes, a stroller and car seat, think there is some kind of swing thingamajig too.”
“Gotcha. The themed stuff.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Look, this bed and dresser are coming out, right?”
“Yeah. We got matching stuff in there. Crib, changing table, dresser, some kind of cupboard thing, you know.”
“Let's start by taking them apart and getting them out of here. Give us more room, plus, we kinda need the space to put them in once put together.”
“Oh, yeah. It's uh, going to the house.”
“To the house?”
“Yeah. When Jared realized most of the rooms back home were empty, he suggested we put the furniture in one of the empty bedrooms there if no one in the pack needed it.
No one did, and the coven didn't have anyone either. The Fae also said no, so I thought, sure, why not. Might get used, and if not, free storage.”
“So what, we are carting it across?”
“No, Jeff is. We're putting it all in his truck, and then tomorrow he's taking it to one of the larger portals outside the city.”
“Gotcha. So he won't be useless after all.”
“No, but if he's as bad with a screwdriver as you say, maybe you better go with and help him put the bed back together.”
“Well, he can't unload it by himself, can he? Gonna need help anyways.”
“Beer isn't so bad, but pizza is hard to come by there.”
“How about some Thai takeaway we pick up and take across?”
“Yeah, okay, that we can do.”
“Deal. Start with the bed?”
“Yeah. We can put the mattress out in the hall for now.”
“Where should we put all of these bags?”
Steve sighed. “Umm...I guess we could just put them all on my bed for now, then move them when we're done.
Gotta wash all the stuff before it can be put away and Jared said he was going to get started on that when we're done in here. So, if we get done today, he can get started on that tomorrow or whatever.”
“Gotcha.”
The two men began the task of taking the bags to Steve's bedroom and depositing them on the bed. They were nearly finished when a knock sounded.
“That'll be Jeff, no doubt.”
“Probably.”
Steve went to go let him in.
“Hey, sight for sore eyes. We've only just got started, but knowing Tim, he's thirsty already.”
“Got plenty of brewskis here. Got sodas too, figured putting baby furniture together while drunk was a bad idea, plus I gotta drive.”
“I thought you were taking it tomorrow?”
“I am, but early and I don't want a hang over when I do it.”
Steve nodded. “Tim, foods here!” he called out.
Tim appeared carrying wadded up bedding. “All right! Want me to put these in the basket in the bathroom or what?”
“Yeah, that should be fine.”
“Cool.” Tim made his way down the hall to deposit his armload, returning moments later. “Eat, have a brew, then take the mattress out,” he announced.
The other two men nodded.
“Sounds like a plan,” Steve agreed.
“I got four larges. You think that's enough?”
“Should be.” Noticing Jeff was still standing there holding the stack of pizza boxes awkwardly, he said, “Just set them down over there on the counter, then we'll all go help you bring in the drinks.”
“Cool. I loaded them all in the elevator then left them in the hall. I couldn't carry them and the pizzas at the same time, especially as the bags started to rip.”
“I hate that. Cheap ass bags.”
“Yeah, I guess should get some of those burlap looking ones.”
“Or maybe a hand truck. You can stack cases of beer and soda on those, just put the pizzas on top and be careful.”
Steve and Jeff both looked at Tim as if he'd lost his mind.
“Dude, just how would that help me get my groceries home. I don't just have beer, soda, and pizza!”
“Oh, yeah. I know! Put your shopping in folding crates. They sell them in three packs at the hardware store.” Tim grinned as he considered himself the winner of that discussion.
Jeff looked at him astounded. “You know, that's not a bad idea. They'd sit okay under a tarp in the bed of my truck too.”
“I'll drink to that,” Tim said.
“As if you need an excuse,” Steve teased.
“Not my fault you work a guy to a thirst.”
Steve rolled his eyes and went to grab one of the cases out in the hall.