Page 7 of A Case of You
“That’s true. I think he was trying to prove he could go back to work.”
Jeff had been pushing the envelope lately. Brandon suspected the crash Jeff had wasn’t so much due to one particular day as it was him stressing himself repeatedly over the past couple of weeks, with housework, yard work, and more. Jeff had also off-handedly mentioned maybe going back to work about a month earlier, and Stuart and Brandon had immediately shut down that talk. After reminding Jeff that he wasn’t in any shape to return to work, it seemed like Jeff had done his level best to try to prove he was.
Which had now backfired on him.
“He’snotgoing back to work,” Brandon said. “I mean, short of physically restraining him, I can’t force him to not go back to work if he decides to disobey me, but I hope he won’t do that.”
“Me, too, Master.”
* * * *
At some point in the night, Jeff awoke and realized he was alone in bed. After lifting his head to check the time on the cable box, he saw it was nearly two in the morning.
Even moving that little bit hurt, both the good kind of pain from Nate’s cupping session, and the bad kind of pain from the Lyme disease.
Fuck.
He hated his body. Loathed it. He wasn’t even forty yet and felt like an old man.
This is ridiculous.
Not being able to work was killing him from the inside out. Not only because he felt like a mooch—regardless of what arguments Brandon and Stuart made to the contrary—but because he wasn’t used to being home all day and not being able to…dothings. Vanilla things.
He couldn’t even go to the club with them on the weekends and do kinky things, at this point.
He got that Brandon and Stuart loved him—and yes, he was in this for life with them—except their love and assurances weren’t enough to overcome how hefeltregardless of what logic told him. His entire adult life, he’d had a job. He’d worked first for his dad and the family drywall business, then he’d gone to school to become an auto repair technician.
Ihaveto get a job.
Could he work on cars? Probably not. It was physically taxing and he fully realized he couldn’t stand on his feet all day in a service bay without air conditioning and not feel dead every night. He was going to start by calling the dealership he used to work for and see if they had any other openings. Not in sales, though. Parts counter or service writer, anything. Even if it was just part-time.
If they didn’t have any openings, he’d ask around and apply to other dealerships and auto parts stores.
Something so he could feel…human again.
Like hereallycontributed to their household.
He dreaded the doctor visit tomorrow. He suspected they were going to want to put in another PICC line.
Thathad been misery the last time. A necessary misery to help his health improve, but misery nonetheless.
Not only the line, and the restrictions it brought to his life, but the medications. Half the time he felt nauseous or crappier than if he just sucked it up and dealt with the symptoms of the Lyme disease.
The only thing that had helped short-term were Nate’s treatments, and using some essential oils Nate had recommended, taking them internally to help knock back the nausea so he could at least eat.
He’d already dropped nearly fifteen pounds from being sick.
It took him a moment, but he finally dragged himself out of bed and to the master bathroom. When he returned, he stopped by the bed and debated whether or not to go wake up Brandon and Stuart to come to bed with him, then decided not to.
They were probably asleep. Why ruin their night?
Moving carefully, he climbed into bed and wrapped himself around the pillow Brandon usually used, trying not to cry over how miserable and alone he felt.
Chapter Three
The smell of coffee brewing awakened Jeff Wednesday morning. Most likely Emma and Grace who’d started it, since they were always up before anyone else on the mornings Emma had swimming.
That meant it wouldn’t be too long before Brandon and Stuart were awake and moving. They’d have to get their showers and get dressed. They usually all showered in the master bathroom in the mornings.
