Page 48 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

“I don’t know, not really. Maybe I should be, but…. Yeah. I meant what I said, Tom. It was rough, it was scary, but I did my job, and I’m okay with it. I was trained for it. I’ll jump through the department hoops, and I’ll see the shrink when they send me. I’ll sit on my ass for a while until the docs release me for work, but I’m okay.”

“You still look a little freaked out.” It was an offhanded comment as Tommy searched for his shoes, not one he expected a reply to.

Bobby snorted a laugh. “If anything is freaking me out here, it’s you.”

Tommy stopped what he was doing and looked at Bobby. He was trying to figure out if Bobby was joking or not, but the look on his face told him Bobby was being completely honest. “What the hell did I do?”

“You’re just…. I don’t even know what you are. For the last six months I’ve had to fight tooth and nail for every inch with you, and now, ever since last night, you look at me like a puppy with cartoon hearts fluttering over your head. It’s freaking me the hell out.”

Bobby didn’t shout, but the words felt like a slap, and Tommy nettled instantly. “Are you shitting me? You’ve been telling me for months that I should open up, that I should just enjoy what we have, that I should let it be more, and now you’re telling me that it freaks you out when I actually take your goddamned advice?”

Tommy found his shirt on the other side of the bed, and he pulled it on over his head like it was the thing pissing him off.

Bobby met the aggression and stood up. “A little bit, yeah!” He dug a pair of sweatpants out of his dresser drawer and jerked them on before he continued. “I mean, hell, Tom, if I knew from the start all I had to do was take a little bullet to get you to serenade me, I would’ve tried it months ago!”

Tommy had only managed to find one shoe so far. He held it in his hand as he stepped closer to Bobby and said, “Oh yeah? How’s this for a serenade, Bobby? Fuck you!”

“Fuck me? Fuck me? Fuck you, Tommy! You couldn’t act like this a week ago, could you? No. Hell, no. Because God forbid you actually admit to giving a shit about anything until the final hour.”

“Yeah? Well maybe I didn’t wanna think about it until then. Maybe it was enough to scare the shit out of me. Maybe I was hoping it wouldn’t be the final hour, and maybe I thought you oughtta know how I felt in case the next bullet you take isn’t a goddamn flesh wound!”

It looked to Tommy like his words had struck something in Bobby. He froze where he stood and cleared his throat. Tommy went back to looking for his missing shoe.

“Maybe you’re right,” Bobby said softly. He sounded like it hurt to admit it.

Tommy quit his search and glanced at Bobby. “I’m always right,” he said through gritted teeth.

Bobby laughed on a breath. “If by always you mean almost never.”

“Fuck you.” The words might have sounded unkind, but Tommy tempered them with his smile. He stepped closer to Bobby, still holding the single shoe in his hand.

Bobby met him halfway and wrapped his uninjured arm around Tommy’s neck. “No time for that, asshole.”

As Tommy dipped his head to touch his lips to Bobby’s, he whispered, “That’s too bad. I think I’m entitled to an apology blowjob now.”

“You probably are, but I’ll have to owe ya one.”

“I’m gonna remember that later,” Tommy said with a laugh before he brushed Bobby’s mouth in a soft kiss. When he pulled back, he caught Bobby’s eye and held it for a long moment.

“Hey,” Bobby whispered. “I love you too, Tom.”

Bobby decided to go back to the house with Tommy. He said he didn’t want to stay locked up at home because he’d go stir-crazy, but Tommy thought he probably wanted to see the kids. They made it back before Colleen and the others with only minutes to spare.

As they walked up to the front steps, Tommy said, “No screaming, that’s gotta be a good sign, right?”

Bobby laughed and placed a comforting hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “I’m sure they’re just fine, Tom.”

He was right, of course. When they got inside, Judy was sitting on the floor with the twins, who were wide-awake and looking happy. She was singing the “ABC” song to them and using their alphabet puzzle board, showing them each letter as she went. They were captivated. She only nodded to them when they walked in and finished her song before finally looking up with a smile. “You’re supposed to be home resting,” she chided her son as she stood up.

Max got to his feet and stumbled after her with his hands raised, but Zoe made a quick path to Bobby.

“I’m fine, Mom, I promise. I’ll get plenty of rest the next few days.”

Judy looked like she wanted to protest, but changed her mind as she picked up Max and looked at Tommy. “They’ve been changed and I fed them a little snack. They’ve only been up an hour or so.”

“Thanks so much, Mrs.—” When Judy raised her eyebrow at Tommy, he corrected himself. “Judy. Thanks for looking after them.”

She smiled brightly when Tommy said her name. “Anytime, dear.”

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