“You’re a good friend to have,” Garrick said gruffly.
“Anytime.” Rain’s voice was all happy now. Garrick liked how he didn’t hide his emotions—it was generally easy to tell what he was thinking, and that was refreshing. Maybe it was the communal upbringing, but he didn’t have the same reserved nature as most of the people Garrick had grown up with. Despite all the tourist dollars flowing into the region, this was still a rural community with good, solid country folk who didn’t talk about things like validation and grief over having to take a job he’d rather not. But Rain did. And that was nice.
Dangerous too, how much Garrick was coming to like him. Crushing on a much younger person who wasn’t sticking around when Garrick had no idea what he could bring to the table romantically was a bad idea. And yet when Rain and Cookie jogged ahead of him, he still totally tried to guess what Rain had on under his shorts. Yep. He was screwed.
* * *
“We’ve got a problem.” Rain had walked over to Garrick’s rather than text him because he was agitated enough to not want to type and needed to move. The late Friday afternoon air had a chill to it, like spring had fallen down on the job.
“Oh?” Garrick rubbed his face, and Rain realized belatedly that he might have been napping. His shirt was rumpled and he was leaning heavily on his crutches. Crap. Rain should have texted after all. Garrick was probably worn out with another PT appointment that day after his morning exercise with Rain. The guy really did work hard, and he did not need the headache Rain was about to dump on him.
“I hate to bother you, but the shelter in Bend called me. I gave them my number when I sent in the new pics. Anyway, apparently they’ve got a family from east of Bend who says they lost a rottie two weeks ago near here. They say, and I quote, ‘She looks too dainty and girlie, but maybe...’ Whatever. They want to see her in person.”
“Where are they going to meet her?” Garrick looked rather grim at the news. Not angry or even sad, more just resigned. Which Rain hated. He didn’t like being the bearer of more disappointment in a season filled with far too many of them for Garrick. It meant something that he’d come to Rain on Tuesday to talk out the job offer. Being needed like that, truly needed, was the best kind of compliment, and one he could get used to.
“Yeah. The shelter asked if I could take her into Bend today—they don’t like sending strangers to private addresses for liability reasons, and apparently the family is dealing with some car trouble as well. That’s why they were stopped near Painter’s Ridge anyway. I was hoping I could talk you into coming along? I figure if there’s a chance I’m going to be sad on the drive back, at least I could have some company for my misery.”
Garrick gave a slow smile and nod. “At least you know what you need. I admire that in a person. Directness and self-awareness. And you’re an extrovert like me. When I was younger, if I got in a brooding mood, I’d head to the sports bar so at least I would be around other people.”
“Sub coffeehouse for bar, and that’s totally me. And so you’ll come?”
“Yeah.” Garrick looked off into the mountains before turning to go into the house, leaving Rain to follow him.
“I don’t want to bring her things.” Rain was being stubborn. And petty.
“Rain...” Garrick’s tone had more sympathy than censure. He transferred to the wheelchair before collecting his wallet and phone from the table. “If they’re her family, she’s going to have to go back.”
“And if they’re not?”
Drawing a long breath, Garrick took a moment before answering. “I’m not sure.”
“We’re not leaving her at the shelter!”
“No, we’re not.” His tone was calming now, the same one he used with Cookie, and Rain tried to let go of his rattled nerves. “We’ve established that I’ll foster her, but isn’t this what we want? Her to have a permanent family?”
The way Rain saw it, Cookie already had a forever home. Garrick simply hadn’t woken up to that fact yet. “Come on. Admit it. You’ll miss her.”
Dark clouds crossed Garrick’s eyes, and for a second, Rain thought he’d pushed too far, especially as Garrick studied the gloves he was putting on, not Rain.
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll miss her. Maybe a lot. But sometimes doing the right thing sucks.”
“Isn’t that the truth. I hate being an adult sometimes.”
“Well, I have a lot more practice at it than you, and I can tell you that it doesn’t get any easier. However, you do what you gotta do, even when it hurts.” That sounded a lot like a motto for Garrick’s whole life, and Rain wanted to follow up on it, but Garrick rolled toward the door. “Let’s go.”
They loaded up Cookie and her things—which Garrick insisted on bringing, damn adulting again—and Garrick’s wheelchair in near silence. The quiet continued on the drive. They made sparse conversation about Garrick’s job application and Rain’s continued job hunt, but otherwise they each brooded alone in their thoughts. And it was kind of nice, not needing to fill the air with a lot of chatter. Garrick seemed to understand that Rain didn’t want to be alone, and he didn’t need Rain to entertain him the way a lot of Rain’s friends did. There was no extra tax on hanging out with him—he didn’t have to be the funny, flirtatious one all the time to earn Garrick’s company. He’d discovered that this weekend and liked it a lot.
“Should we take her collar off?” Garrick asked as they pulled into the shelter parking lot. “If that was throwing the family...”
“Cookie likes her pink. She doesn’t need to put it away simply so they see past it. Either she’s their dog or not.” Tone strident, he was talking about a hell of a lot more than the dog’s fashion sense.
And somehow Garrick knew because after Rain parked, he patted Rain’s leg, a rare physical contact from him. “I know. I get it, okay? Collar stays.”
They unloaded, and Rain was glad to see the building was one level without steps, something he hadn’t thought about before making the drive and probably should have. The shelter employee working the reception desk greeted them, gave Cookie a biscuit, and led them to a little visitation room with a few chairs and tile floor.
“The family should be here shortly. They were looking at some of our other animals.”
Rain sat and petted Cookie and hoped they found either their missing pet or another animal they couldn’t live without. Finally, the door opened, and in came an average-looking mom, dad, and school-age kid. Country, with plaid shirts and jeans, all three, but not disreputable in the slightest. Not the totally unsuitable owners Rain had built up in his head, and his stomach sank further. This was it, and he was going to have to be nice and gracious and then start from scratch on getting Garrick a forever furry friend.
“Ursula?” The woman tilted her head, studying Cookie, who made no move to leave Rain, her usual reserve in full display as she stayed between him and Garrick.
“It’s not her!” the boy wailed. “My Ursula always knows me.”
“She’s his best friend.” The mom sighed. “No way would she not greet us.”
“Oh.” Garrick exhaled hard, a big whoosh, and Rain tried to memorize the relief in his eyes because it was potent stuff. That was what true love was—he’d been willing to give Cookie up because it was the right thing to do, but he sure as hell hadn’t wanted to, that much was evident.
“I’m so sorry,” Rain said to the family and meant it. “I hope you find Ursula soon.”
“We’re getting her a friend. For in case she comes back, right?” The boy turned to his mother, who reluctantly nodded.
“Someone fell in love with a poodle mix out in the shelter’s kennel.” The woman gave a tight smile. “We’ll be okay. You going to keep this one if you don’t find an owner? She’s so shy. I’d worry about her in a big kennel with lots of dogs.”
“She just takes a while to warm up.” Garrick scratched Cookie�
�s head. “Don’t you?”
Cookie’s answer was a canine grin as she leaned into Garrick’s head.
“She’s not going to the shelter.” Rain gave Garrick an expectant look.
“No, she’s not. And yeah, she’s got a place with me. As long as she needs it.” It was as decisive as Garrick had been thus far about keeping Cookie, and Rain grinned so wide his face started to hurt.
After goodbyes and good wishes had been exchanged, they headed back out to the car. Rain was carrying some new toys for Cookie in a little bag because they’d passed the shelter’s gift shop, and he hadn’t been able to resist letting her pick out something fun.
“We should celebrate,” he said to Garrick.
“The stuffed llama isn’t celebration enough?” Garrick laughed and stretched. “Seriously though, not cooking sounds awesome, but I don’t want to leave her in the car, and it’s too chilly tonight to sit on a patio someplace that might not care if she’s with us.”
“So we celebrate at your place.” Rain kept his tone light, flirty but not pushy. “I have some ideas.”
“Oh, I’m sure you do.” Garrick groaned as he stood and slid into the passenger seat. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“Don’t be afraid. There’s no biting involved. Unless you ask very nicely.” Finished settling Cookie in the back seat, he stowed the wheelchair and headed to the driver’s side.
“And see, that’s what I’m afraid of right there.”
“That I make you want to ask?” Rain waggled his eyebrows at Garrick before backing out of the parking space.
“You make me crazy is what you do,” Garrick muttered.
“Come on. Tell me your ideal Friday night.” Rain tried another tactic, deciding that less was maybe more in getting what he wanted from Garrick, which was more time together. And very possibly more flirting. Both because it was fun and because he couldn’t seem to stop. “Grandma’s out with some fabric artist friends in Sisters. Don’t make me hunt down fun on my own.”
“You might have to. Right now, my ideal night is pizza and wings and my hot tub, but none of that’s happening. Honestly, I’ll probably just reheat something and work on my plan for your workouts next week.”
“Why isn’t it happening?” Seemed like a perfectly reasonable request to him. “Tub not operational?”
“No, it works. And Dad has helped me use it a couple of times now, but it’s a big hassle. I can’t do it on my own, that’s for damn sure.”
“Well, luckily I’m here. And I think I’ve already established that I’m stronger than I look. I hammered out the push-ups you assigned me this morning. I can help. And the pizza?”
“It’s hardly the most vegan-friendly food. And the place I really like in town doesn’t do delivery. I’ve asked them to get on one of those apps, but they haven’t yet.”
“So? Call it in. I’ll pick it up. These are minor inconveniences.”
“I feel like I’m making you do a lot of extra work just to hang out with me.” Garrick groaned. “Sorry. I’m not usually such a drag. Stephanie worked me extra hard in PT. I’m more sore than usual, and that’s making me cranky.”
“And then I dragged you into Bend. I’m sorry. I didn’t think to ask if you were up for it.”
“Because I wanted to be. Kinda like I’d like to be up for going out, but instead, even staying in like I want means needing a hand.”
“Which I am happy to give. Seriously. I won’t have to eat alone, and there’s a hot tub involved. Win. Also, I’ll get to see whatever this pizza place can do with crust and vegetables, and we just won’t tell my mom about the cheese.”
“Okay, okay. We are celebrating after all. Bring on the cheese. They do a nice vegetarian one with spinach and artichokes. I’ll eat that so we don’t have to make them split it down the middle. I don’t need meat if I’m getting the wings too.”
“Call it in,” Rain ordered in his best impression of Garrick’s take-charge tone, which got him laughing as intended.
They laughed their way back to Painter’s Ridge, Garrick giving him directions to the little hole-in-the-wall pizza joint, which also seemed to function as a pool hall and biker bar.
“This is the best pizza in the area?”
“You’ll love it. Come on, you Portland people will eat anything that falls off the back of a food truck if they call it a cute enough name. And it’s not as scary inside as it looks. Want me to come in with you?”
“Nah.” Rain waved away Garrick’s offer of two twenties as well. “My treat for the celebration. You rest up for the hot tub adventure.”
Garrick’s look that fell somewhere between apprehensive and speculative had exactly enough heat to have Rain whistling as he made fast work of collecting the food from a burly guy in a too-tight tie-dyed T-shirt that looked like one of Grandma’s early designs. Rain needed to find a job and fast, but he couldn’t let Garrick pay for everything. He’d been feeding him most mornings too.
Besides, he really was celebrating. Cookie got to stay and he was about to get into a hot tub with a super attractive, super nice guy. And he was already dreaming up ways to get Garrick to skinny-dip. Bring on the adventure, indeed.
Chapter Six
Garrick had had people interested in getting him undressed before, and hell, he’d be lying if he didn’t admit he’d installed the hot tub in part because it made the road to consensual naked happy times that much more fun and easy. But few, if any, of those persons had been so downright gleeful as Rain at the prospect.
“I vote skinny-dipping. After we eat.” Rain toted the food into the house, almost bouncing at his idea, which he presented in the same tone Garrick’s younger self might have mentioned hot fudge sundaes.
“Laundry day or...” Garrick didn’t think Rain was out to get laid, nor did he imagine curiosity about his scars was driving Rain either.
“Nah. More like I don’t want to rummage through a pile of suitcases for swim trunks I hate anyway.”
“You still haven’t unpacked?” Garrick followed him to the dining area, Cookie fast behind them both.
“Not a high priority. Rotating stuff into drawers as I do laundry,” Rain said dismissively.
“Fair enough.” And that was also a good reminder that Rain wasn’t about putting down roots. “And I’ve said before, you wear what makes you happy. Not something that you hate.”
“So that’s a yes to my idea or more of a keep-your-underwear-on compromise?” Rain set out the pizza and plates with the same efficiency as his tone, easy as if he ate here all the time and not like they’d only known each other a week. He slid into the chair to Garrick’s left and started dishing out the food.
“How about the compromise?” Garrick tried to sound like that was practical and not like he had any interest in seeing Rain’s underthings. And honestly, he wasn’t sure whether he was more concerned his dick would misbehave while skinny-dipping or that it wouldn’t.
“Oh man. This is good.” Rain dug into the pizza with an almost orgasmic intensity, nostrils flared, eyes wide, mouth lush, and suddenly Garrick’s worries about his dick being offline were unfounded because damn. He wanted more of that look and he wanted to be the cause of it.
“Yeah, it is,” he said gruffly as he helped himself. The pizza was exactly as he remembered—chewy crust that wasn’t too thin, like some local places’, creamy pesto-laced sauce, briny artichokes, and fresh spinach. “This is what I was craving. Thanks.”
“I’ll brave the big, scary biker dudes to get you more of this anytime.”
“They’re not so bad.” Garrick laughed, then sobered as he remembered that Rain wasn’t him, wasn’t from around here, and was wearing a lavender sweatshirt with a delicate pattern and slim fit. “Did someone hassle you? Maybe I should have gone—”
“Chill. No one gave me a hard time. And I could handle myself if they
did.”
“Okay.” Garrick had picked up on what Rain had been trying to say in the car—he wasn’t changing for anyone, and his style was a part of him, something essential, not a costume he put on for kicks. And Garrick could be worried for him in certain situations, but he wasn’t going to lecture and potentially make Rain uncomfortable. That was the last thing he wanted.
“I’m regretting getting you the wings.” Rain’s voice was mischievous, not particularly grossed out, but Garrick still set aside the one he was eating.
“Vegetarian thing or...”
“Or. My feelings about the source are...mitigated, you could say, by you licking sauce off your fingers.”
“Is this like the me-giving-orders thing?” Garrick’s abs tightened at the thought of unintentionally turning Rain on again.
“Oh yeah.” Rain’s grin was an easy, friendly thing, not especially seductive, more like he was having great fun flirting and enjoying being around Garrick, which was more than a little infectious.
“I’m not sure whether I should put them aside for later or eat even slower and torture you more.”
“Torture. Always choose torture.” Eyes sparkling, Rain grabbed another piece of pizza.
Self-conscious now in a way he wasn’t used to being, Garrick took more pizza himself. Unlike Rain, who could make eating something he enjoyed sound like a low-key orgy, he didn’t really know how to be seductive while eating outside of the unintentional. And he still wasn’t entirely sure whether turning Rain on was a good idea.
Leading them both on seemed like a recipe for disaster, yet he couldn’t deny how good the flirting and banter felt, especially when he gave in and did eat another wing, and Rain did an exaggerated swoony sigh simply to make him laugh. It was a lightness he hadn’t had in months.
“Now tell me how to help make your hot tub dreams come true.” Rain managed to sound all fairy godmother-y as they packed the leftovers away. Garrick enjoyed how he managed to make the offer sound fun but not cheesy and how he always did it like that, deferring to Garrick to know what it was he needed or how he wanted things done.
High Heat (Hotshots) Page 7
