Page 73 of Love It or List It
Ordinarily the table would’ve needed two sets of mounting hardware—one to attach the tabletop to the legs at the head of the table, and one for the foot.But in this case, the foot of the table was getting a double layer to make up for the bow in the garage floor that Austin had forgotten to account for.Rookie mistake.
Alex adjusted their safety goggles.“Cool.So do we weld them both at once, or…?”
Austin glued them first, then flipped down his face shield and welded the sides.Then he handed off the shield and coached Alex through attaching the plates to the leg.They had steady hands and much better patience than Austin had when he learned, and when they stepped back to let Austin inspect, he couldn’t even find anything he wanted to touch up.
“Nice job.”He paused.“You want to do the other one too?”
Alex grinned brightly and situated themself before pulling the shield back down and lighting the torch.
Before they knew it, the legs were done, and Austin and Alex carried them into the house.The things were as heavy as the tabletop, and assembling it anywhere but on-site would be nonsensical, so they set the enormous hunk of metal in the kitchen to await assembly.But it looked a bit sad without its other half.Not that Austin could fix that, since he didn’t know the status of it.So for now, Austin’s legs were without their top.Heh.
Alex agreed to stay for dinner—some of Joe’s leftovers—and accepted a cup of cocoa while they waited for Joe to get home.
They were sitting together at the dining room table, drinking their cocoa with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.Alex wasn’t exactly a talkative kid, but they were quieter than usual as they sipped their drink and fiddled with a spoon.They opened their mouth as if to say something, then sighed and took a sip of cocoa.Austin was starting to wonder if they were building up to something when the front door opened and Pepa and Walker bolted from the kitchen.
“Looks like Joe’s home.”
Alex nodded.“Can’t sneak in, can he?”
“Nope.Walker’s a stalker,” Austin agreed and stood up to pull the leftover enchiladas out of the fridge.
Alex had to run after dinner—they realized they’d forgotten about an assignment that was due the next day—so it was just Joe and Austin cleaning up the kitchen.
“Good day?”Joe asked.He waggled one of the empty cocoa mugs with the dregs of candy cane.
“Treat after Alex helped me finish the legs for the table.Well deserved.They’re a natural with a welder.”
“Yeah?”Joe asked, voice full of dad pride.
“Yup.Was able to finish the legs up faster than expected.They’re all ready to go.Just need the top.”
Joe waggled his eyebrows, and Austin snapped him with a towel.
“Well, lucky for your bottom, the top’s ready to go.I polished up the wood last night.”
Austin groaned and definitely did not think about Joe getting well oiled wood into his bottom.“So we could assemble it tonight?”
“If you wish,” Joe said amiably.
Forty minutes later, they stood admiring their new kitchen island.
Joe gave the surface one last polish, not that it needed it, and stepped back next to Austin.“Not bad.”
“If you do say so yourself,” Austin teased.
Joe knocked their shoulders together and grinned.“We make a good team.”
The table’s mix of their skills—of wood and metal, natural and man-made—was impressive.It worked in a sort of seamless way that felt counterintuitive.Looking at the table set Austin’s heart thumping with a rush of affection.Without thinking, he turned, wrapped his arms around Joe’s neck, and kissed him.
Joe groaned into the kiss and snaked his own arms around Austin’s torso to pull him closer.
“Furniture-making get you going?”he gasped.
Austin huffed.“Nah, just your wood.”
Joe laughed and pulled him in for another kiss.“Keep making jokes like that and it’ll get you laid,” he warned.
“Mm,” Austin hummed and tilted his head back to give Joe access.“What about heavy petting on the couch?”
