Chapter 8
Though Bailey had been teaching Joey to swim, he found out about swimming classes at the local swim club from Louise's parents. It seemed like something Joey would like so Bailey signed him up.
After he dropped off Joey at the Laurel Beach Swim Club, Bailey went to pick up Matt so they could go shopping for a grill, some folding chairs and a few other things.
Bailey wanted to replace all the mattresses, but he also thought he might buy a new bed for Joey and maybe a few other things to make his room more cheerful.
Bailey already had a plan for where they would go, but as soon as Matt climbed in the car, he told Bailey, "I found the perfect grill for you. Not too big or expensive but good reviews. It's easy to use too."
"Then we'll let Joey do the grilling," Bailey said. "You seem excited about it. Is barbecuing something you like to do?"
"Oh, sure. Though..." Matt frowned and went quiet.
"Sorry, I..." Bailey wasn't sure what he was apologizing for, he could just tell that Matt was upset. He had pulled back in the passenger seat and he was frowning. Bailey didn't think he'd say anything more, but then he did.
"No. I... I just remembered something from when I was a kid.
My dad was at the grill and I went over to watch him flipping burgers.
He pushed me. I fell to the ground. Someone asked him why he did that.
Maybe one of the guests. He said, 'I don't want the little shit to burn himself and start howling.
'" Matt said it like it was all coming back to him right now.
Then he shook himself out of it and sat up straighter.
"Sorry. He was like that. I don't like remembering too many things about him, but sometimes stuff just rushes back at me. "
"Do you want to skip getting the grill?" Bailey asked him since he could just order one.
"Oh, no. If I do some grilling with you guys, I'll have something good to remember to chase away the bad," Matt said.
"If you're sure," Bailey said. He was happy to help Matt build some good memories with him and Joey. "Joey was excited about the grill. He had hotdogs first on his list then some chicken legs."
"Sounds good," Matt said and he already seemed more cheerful.
But now Bailey was wondering if his bad memories were what made Gwen uneasy about Matt being their manny, that taking care of Joey might uncover his hidden pain. It was already happening, but Bailey didn't think spending time with Joey could possibly be bad for Matt.
When they got the grill and the folding chairs and table, Matt wanted to put them all in the back of the SUV. "I don't think they'll fit. I'm going to have them delivered."
"I think I can fit them. I'm kind of a pro at that," Matt said, reminding him that he worked for a moving company.
"I'm not doubting you, but we have more stuff to get. We can take two folding chairs with us," Bailey decided.
"Right. What's next?" Matt asked and looked ready for anything.
"I saw a pretzel cart. Pretzels and cold drinks are next," Bailey told him. "Now I'm wishing Joey was with us. He would love a pretzel."
There was a line in front of the pretzel cart that seemed to form just as they headed for it. It was close to a bunch of stores there so it was no surprise.
"I'm sure Joey is having more fun at the swim club than he'd have at any store," Matt said.
"You know the place where they have the swimming classes?" Bailey asked.
"My high school swim team practiced there. I joined for a little bit, but then I decided I wanted to go to college, and I couldn't spend my free time on something that didn't pay." Matt then looked at Bailey. "Sorry, am I talking too much?"
"No. I asked. And you're Joey's manny now, I want to know you better," Bailey told him though that wasn't the only reason. "Did you try for a scholarship?"
"My grades weren't any good. It took me too long to realize I didn't want a dead end job, always at someone's mercy." Matt stopped and looked over at Bailey and smiled. "Never mind that. It's our turn." He obviously had some negative memories and wanted to put them behind him.
Getting to the front of the line at the pretzel cart, they ordered and then walked around and ate. There was a shaded path and then some benches. When they were about to sit, Matt noticed an older woman coming over along with a younger woman pushing a stroller.
"Better let them have the bench, right?" he said.
"Sure," Bailey told him. He liked that Matt was so thoughtful. "You're going to be a good role model for Joey."
"Me?" Matt said like that genuinely surprised him.
"Of course. You're considerate and hard working." Bailey stopped himself because other compliments were coming to his mind and they had nothing to do with Matt as Joey's manny.
At the furniture store, Matt helped him find a bed for Joey. Bailey would have missed it because it looked kind of plain, but then Matt told him, "Check it out. This bed has a blackboard for a headboard."
"So Joey will stay up all night drawing on it?
" Bailey said but he was taking a closer look at it.
"This might be good. It will let him get creative and he won't outgrow it as fast as his current spaceship bed.
We can take it with us when we leave." That reminded Bailey that Matt would only be with them for the summer.
Their time with him was sure to go fast. To Bailey, it already didn't seem like enough.
When they moved on past the kids' stuff, Bailey told Matt. "Pick a bed for you too." He only planned for a new mattress but now he wanted to get him a whole new bed before he moved in tomorrow.
"What's already there is fine for me," Matt told him.
Bailey picked one for him anyway and now Matt was telling him, "You should get a bed too. You can fit a bigger bed in there."
"The bed is big enough. It's just for me," Bailey said but he couldn't help thinking how two men might fit in it, Matt and him, for example. But only if they were pressed together tight, or on top of each other.
Matt was thinking about more than just Bailey in his bed too. He leaned in to say, "You need to plan ahead."
For now, Bailey couldn't imagine that he needed to worry that a big, muscular guy like Matt might end up in his bed.
Done with shopping, they went together to pick up Joey from swimming class. As soon as he stepped out, he peered into the car to see what they bought. "Did you buy me a race car bed?"
"No," Bailey told him. "A regular bed." Of course it wasn't really a regular bed, but he wanted that to be a surprise.
Matt went along with it without having to be told, and Joey looked a little disappointed. But he was excited about swim class and chattered to them about it as they went to have lunch.
Bailey saw a place that looked interesting. It was called Seagull Bistro. "Do you know it?" he asked Matt.
"It's kind of out of my league," Matt said.
"I'm sure their lunch menu isn't too pricey," Bailey said and he was right.
They ate at one of the outdoor tables with an umbrella to give them shade. They almost had a beach view. They could only glimpse the ocean between two buildings, but the sea breeze did reach them. Joey had veggies with a cheese dip. "This cheese is making the veggies so good," Joey was saying.
Matt liked his food too. He had ordered a sandwich with a crab bisque and he called it, "The best soup and sandwich combo I ever had."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Bailey said.
"I do like seafood, but I would be OK with anything, even canned soup," Matt said.
"I think we have some of those," Bailey told him.
"Just so you know you don't have to spoil me," Matt said.
"I'm spoiling all of us then. Most days I would be too busy to do this," Bailey told him.
"That's why I need you." Saying that, Bailey felt like he was trying to convince himself that he hired Matt for practical reasons, not because he liked spending time with him.
But as they were all sitting there together, he was noticing Matt's tanned and muscular arms. Then he looked up from them, and all he could see was how blue his eyes were.