Page 31 of The Barn: Frost and Q
“One, no, ew, and two? Frost would fucking kill you, and we both know it so…”
“Man, how he lets you get away with shit is beyond me.”
Quentin winked at him. “That’s because I’m a stud, and he knows it. And what he and I have is between the two of us. You and me? We’re co-owners of a business.”
“Right on, little man.” Carson plopped the cribbage board down on the end table. “What is it you actually need? Because I know you didn’t call me up here to play cards.”
“I totally want to play cards, though, and I will kick your butt.” Q loved to play with Carson. The man was cutthroat.
“If I win, you have to call me Sir for twenty-four hours.”
“Fair enough. If I win, you have to call me Sir for twenty-four hours.” Q had no problem with either one of those situations.
“Yeah, no, that’s not gonna work for me, and I only have a fifty-fifty shot because, you know, unlike Frost, you pay attention.”
“Yep. So what do I get? It needs to be worth my while.” He waited to see what Carson would offer.
Carson tapped his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Well, I guess that depends on what it is you actually want.”
“I want Frost to be able to sleep up here comfortably. I need your help.” He knew that wasn’t exactly what Carson meant, but it was the truth, and Carson could deal with that.
Carson was exceptional at that.
“Ah. Okay. So, your closet won’t fit a bigger bed. You know that, right?” Carson headed back to his sleeping area.
“I’m not asking you to move time and space. I’m asking for your help thinking of a place to put a bigger bed so that his back doesn’t hurt in case I can’t…you know, in case I need to be here.”
“Fair enough, fair enough. You don’t ever use your dining area at the table?”
He shook his head. There was a big formal dining space, but he didn’t have many guests. When he did, they ate on the sofa.
“Why don’t we just put up a partition here, and use this great big area as a bedroom. We wouldn’t even have to put up a wall.We could just put up a sliding screen. It would be private, it would be big, and you both could be comfortable.”
“I do like the idea of comfortable. I mean, seriously. I can see that; just the two of us making a place.”
Carson shrugged, shot him a look. “Well, you know, he does have quarters…”
“I’m just not quite ready.”
“So don’t go. I don’t care. I think you should go where you’re comfortable. And if he doesn’t like it, we’ll just kick him.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think that he’s… I don’t think he’s disappointed. I think he’s trying to be very patient.”
“I think you’re absolutely right. And I think it’s cool that you recognize that.” Carson gave him a real smile, those devil-dark eyes glinting.
Q wrapped his arms around himself. “I’m trying to recognize things.”
“Yeah,” Carson agreed, “but you need to breathe, man. It’s real important to breathe.”
“I’m trying. So, you’ll help me?”
“I can have it done before he gets back here from wherever it is, whatever it is he’s doing. I’m assuming he’ll tell us when he’s heading back out to the job. Is he going back to work?” Carson paced off the area.
“I don’t know. Soon. I think he needs to. It’s good for him.”
Carson gave him the weirdest glance. “Do you think so?”
“I know so. He needs to go do his job, just like the rest of us.”
