Page 16 of Calling from the Heart
There was a pile of presents, cookies, a duffel bag -- all sorts of odds and ends waiting at the doorway. In thedarkdoorway.
And Jeb bit back his snarl, carefully not pointing out that if Owen would just move in instead of this constant back and forth shit, it would save him a ton of worry and time and gas.
Owen seemed completely oblivious, showing him a little ornament box with a wee crystal apple inside. “The kids brought me all sorts of little odds and ends for Christmas. More apples, of course. Lots of apples. I swear one day I’m gonna have an entire tree, and it’s just going to have apples.”
He tried to smile for Owen, but he couldn’t really find one, so he just grabbed the first group presents and headed downstairs. “You stay there.”
“I can help.”
“Just fucking stay there, please?” It was cold, it was slick, Owen was the size of the broad side of a barn. Jeb didn’t have his gloves, his hands were icy, and he was aggravated. He just needed Owen to be careful.
When he got back up to the condo from packing the first load in the truck, he found all of the things neatly piled up outside the closed front door this time.
He tried not to sigh, because he knew that he was aggravated. He knew that they were going have to work this out together. Jeb just didn’t know how that was going to happen exactly.
When he took the last load, Owen appeared, locking the door behind himself. “I’m sorry that you had to come over. I should have just driven myself. You want me to follow you over? Thatway I can drive myself home and you don’t have to worry about it.”
Oh shit.
“No. No, baby, I don’t want that. I know I’m being a dick, but I’m not mad at you.” He wasn’t. He was just so frustrated. “I just feel like it’s not safe for you here.”
Owen stared at him. “I know, and I’m trying to save, but with the baby, co-pays, and all the stuff I need, you know that I can’t afford to move right now. Everything’s really in flux. Hell, I thought I was gonna...I mean, I’m still partially in boxes from planning to leave. I don’t want to talk about this!”
“Well, I think we have to talk about this,” Jeb said. “You’re not just one person anymore. We’re having a child. We have to figure out what to do. Hell, just come stay at my house. It’s safe. It’s warm, and it’ll save us both a ton of time and a ton of money. I don’t understand why you’re being so stubborn. Don’t you want to live with me?”
Owen stared at him, stomping one booted foot. “I’m not being stubborn. I’m standing up for what I want.”
A flash of hurt shot through him like lightning bolt. “And what’s that? Because it sure doesn’t feel like it’s you want to stay with me.”
Owen’s nostrils flared as he blinked at Jeb. “You know what? I’m going to take a break. I’m going to drive myself to your house.” Owen’s lips tightened, and those pretty eyes were icy cold. “I’m perfectly capable, you know.”
“What are you going to do when the baby comes? There’s no electricity. What the hell are you gonna do then?” Jeb reached out to grab Owen’s hand. He didn’t want to have to have this big argument in the parking lot.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” Owen snarled and yanked away from him, spun around, and then landed on his butt, right in the middle of the parking lot. That’s when the tears started.
“Owen!” Jeb reached down to lift him up. “Are you okay? You didn’t break anything did you?”
“N-n-no…” Owen wrapped his arms around his rather significant midsection. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, love. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout at you.” He held Owen up, brushing snow off his butt. “Let’s get you in the truck where it’s warm.”
“I’m sorry that I live in the shittiest weird condo.”
“Hey. It’s weird, for sure, but all of the condos right on that side of the river have the same power problem. It’s not until you get out by Saul that they don’t.”
Jeb had really screwed up. Now he had a crying omega with a sore butt who was pissed at him because he was an asshole on Christmas Eve. Santa was only going to bring him coal.
“I know.” Owen sniffled. “And if it wasn’t for the stupid power problem and the fact that there’s not enough rooms... I mean, it’s within walking distance to school, the river’s pretty, and when I moved in I wasn’t intending to fall in love with some big asshole, and then get pregnant. So there.”
Maybe two pieces of coal. Santa might beat him in the head with a big bag of coal.
“I’m sorry. I was just really frustrated.”
“Because you have to come get me? I told you I would drive.”
“No, no, it has nothing to do with that. I would come pick you up in Montrose every day just to see you. Hell, I’d drive to Denver.” He paused. “Not every day, because that’s a long, long drive, right? But I would drive to Denver. Every time you asked.”
“Oh.” Owen shot him a glance. “I wouldn’t ask you to drive to Denver every day.”
