Page 62 of Love It or List It
THEY’D CARPOOLEDfrom the house, so Austin took them all back there.Alex tried to make a run for it, jumping out and stomping to Gavin’s car, but Joe moved faster.He grabbed Gavin and hauled him into the house for cookies.Will followed behind without prompting.
Scowling, Alex tried the passenger door and glared harder when it didn’t magically unlock.Gavin had the keys.They weren’t going to be able to hide in his car.
“Hey, kid,” Austin opened with.Maybe he’d luck out and Alex would open up without more prompting.
Alex glared.“Not a kid.”
Or not.
“Okay, noted.No calling you a kid.”He eyed them up and with a shrug said, “Okay, since you’re not a kid, why don’t you come in for a beer and talk about it.”
Alex narrowed their eyes, clearly trying to figure out the trap.
“No trap.Just beer and an ear.”
“Fine.”
Alex followed Austin into the house through the back door, and he left them in the breezeway with Pepa and the kittens.
“Take her out for a pee,” Austin suggested, then proceeded to find Joe and the boys in the kitchen.Gavin had a glass of milk and was eating a chocolate chip cookie with a dedication that spoke of emotional snacking.
“Gavin, can you take Will home?”he asked.
“What about Alex?”Gavin frowned.
Austin shrugged.“Sticking around for a bit.We’ll make sure they get home okay.”
Gavin clearly didn’t want to leave, but Joe smiled comfortingly and said, “It’s okay, Gav.”
He managed to get both boys out the door with a bribe of more homemade cookies and promises they could return tomorrow if they wanted.
Once the boys were on the road, Austin pointed Joe toward the shower.Joe shook his head and muttered, “Your funeral,” and disappeared into the bathroom with a change of clothes.
Figuring conversation might come more easily if Alex came to him, he poured himself his own glass of milk and sat down to munch on a cookie.
Austin considered what his plans to make this cohabitation permanent and living with Joe’s cooking might have on his waistline.Maybe they could put an elliptical machine in the breezeway.
“Where is everyone?”Alex stood in the doorway, Ozzy cradled in their arms like a baby and Pepa, Walker, and Dallas waiting at their heels.
“Joe’s in the shower.Gavin’s taking Will home.”
“Oh.”
Austin pushed the cookies in Alex’s direction.Alex and Ozzy sat down.Pepa placed her head on Austin’s thigh, Dallas asked to be picked up, and Walker wandered off to stalk Joe until he emerged from the bathroom.
And now it was time for Austin to put his money where his mouth was and see if his instincts about Alex’s attitude had merit.“So,” he said after Alex had nibbled their way through half a cookie, “as one poor kid to another….”
Alex stopped chewing and gave him a look.
“You’re looking at a former foster kid.”
“Oh.”
“Though I never lucked out enough to find a Joe.”
Alex resumed chewing.Then, “Didn’t you offer beer?”
Austin snorted, grabbed a bottle, and placed it on the table.
