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“How about we don’t tell your mom I used real Monterey Jack?” She laughed as she made him a plate. She’d eaten earlier, but she settled herself opposite him with a big mug of herbal tea. “And you’re back earlier than I expected. No dog walking? Or canoodling?”
He had to snort at that. “Garrick’s dad is there. So no.”
“Might be good, an evening on your own.” She nodded sagely. “Do some laundry, watch a movie with me? You can work on those socks I’m not supposed to know about until next month.”
“Yeah. I guess.” Then, realizing he sounded rather petty, he forced himself to swallow back his emo mood. “Sorry. I’m happy to spend time with you. Guess I’ve been wrapped up in Garrick, huh?”
“Not that that’s a bad thing.” She brushed her gray hair off her forehead with dye-stained hands. “But some space...that’s healthy too. Especially since neither of you are exactly the settling-down type. You’re a wanderer with itchy feet and he’s a player with a roving eye. But it’s a cute summer fling, as long as no one gets hurt.”
“Yeah,” he said weakly. Grandma wasn’t wrong. But it still turned his dinner to toxic sludge in his belly, made him push the plate away.
As long as no one gets hurt. Her words kept echoing in his brain as he showered and ran a load of laundry and sat through a comedy about a group of senior citizens running a hotel, churning out more rows of the sock to avoid ruminating too much on that assumption. Did he need to pull back? Should they cool it off after going hot and heavy so fast? Was he asking for a broken heart? And God knew that the last thing he wanted was to dole pain out. Hurting Garrick would suck.
Maybe Grandma was right and space was good. But then as he was getting ready for bed, his phone dinged.
Lying here wondering what you changed into. Sorry for the fast exit. Would have rather eaten with you TBH.
Rain couldn’t help smiling to his empty bedroom. Funny how a single message could relax him so thoroughly, chase those pointless anxieties away.
No sexy panties, sorry. But I am wearing your favorite pony T-shirt. And no problem. I understand. You need time with your dad too.
He used the wait for a reply to put away his laundry in drawers, suitcases now empty and neatly stacked in the corner. Eventually he’d need them again, but until then he wasn’t going to get caught up in worries he was giving too much of himself. Holding back simply wasn’t his style.
Darn. Was hoping for a sexy pic ;) LOL. JK. Hoping you get some rest. Tomorrow is a shorter day for me, so I’m going to make a stuffed pepper recipe and have it ready when you get off work. I’ll make enough in case Shirley wants to come too.
See? That was sweet. And it was impossible to hold back with a guy that sweet who pushed himself to make vegetarian food for Rain, who was nice to his grandma, who made it clear over and over that it wasn’t simply about a sexual connection for him. They were friends. Friends who cared. And hell if Rain could turn that off simply because of a risk of future pain.
* * *
“Damn weather, fucking with all my plans,” Garrick complained to Rain as he got settled in the SUV. Rain’s workday had been cut short as well, skies opening up and hindering all the mop-up efforts his crew had been engaged in. The past few days, they’d had limited time alone together, and Garrick had been looking forward to a nice long outing with Cookie and Rain. Being outside would help with this cooped-up feeling he kept having. Even though the controlled burn had been challenging, it had still meant long hours in one place for him. But now high winds and precipitation meant another long night of trying to find something worth watching. “I’m so bored of being bored.”
“But luckily, you have me.” Rain gave him an indulgent smile, apparently not going to let Garrick’s bad attitude get him down. “And I am full of good ideas.”
“That you are,” Garrick had to admit. And honestly, sex wouldn’t be a terrible plan B for the night either—getting Rain off in some new and creative way could go a long way to jump-starting his mood. “Okay, surprise me.”
But sex didn’t seem to be Rain’s highest priority as he arrived back at Garrick’s after his shower in comfortable sweats, a rain jacket, and toting a big bag. He didn’t look like a person dying to get laid, and indeed, after a fast walk for Cookie while Garrick got the towels ready, he produced a large rectangular box from his bag.
