Page 83 of A Case of You
“He’s not going to come to Florida. He’s fucking drunk off his ass. Tomorrow he probably won’t even remember he called me.”
“We didn’t seriously think he was going to cause trouble at the wedding, either.” Brandon’s gaze met his. “Tomorrow, we’re getting you a new phone.”
“I blocked his number. Besides, I get a new phone, I’m going to give the number to my parents and others, any of them might give it to Jake. At least this way, he’s blocked. Look, he’s fucking drunk. Shelly left him—best thing for her, finally—and he’s just being an asshole. I’m not worried about this. Seriously.”
Brandon stared out the windshield for a moment as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “I guess you’re right. Still, save that message. Please? At least for now.”
“Okay.” He gave Brandon a kiss before getting out and walking over to Jeff’s truck.
It felt…weird to be driving it. Especially without Jeff being there.
Weird in a way he didn’t want to think about, because it pushed him too close to the small, dark corner of his soul that he wanted to keep relegated to some distant future he hoped he’d never have to face.
One he’d been forced to glimpse while sitting in the hospital and awaiting word on his dad’s condition.
Once they returned home and did a car shuffle to park Jeff’s truck closest to the garage, they headed inside and helped Jeff to bed.
“I’m sorry,” he softly said as he lay there, in the middle, Stuart and Brandon cuddling him on both sides.
“Please stop apologizing,” Brandon said. “Show us you love us by letting us take care of you.”
He squeezed their hands and the pain in his voice nearly broke Stuart’s heart. “I love you two so fucking much. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Any of you, the girls, or even Tracey.”
“That’s why you’re going to stop fighting us,” Stuart said. He nuzzled Jeff’s shoulder, pressing a kiss there. “Because we love you.”
Stuart had asked Brandon not to say anything to Jeff or the girls about Jake’s call. It didn’t matter, and it would only upset all of them, especially Jeff.
Right now, he wanted Jeff’s mind focused on climbing out of this flare and feeling better. Relatively speaking.
What Stuartrefusedto do was waste any more time or brain cells on his stupid older brother. Hell, if his own mother had discounted Jake’s feelings on the matter, who was he to give Jake’s opinion any weight whatsoever?
He’d gotten out of there, made a life for himself, and had struck a peaceful balance with his parents and with Eileen and Robert. The siblings were active on Facebook, chatting nearly every day now.
He called his parents at least once a week to chat. They’d even asked about the four of them—Stuart, Brandon, Jeff, and Emma—maybe coming up for Christmas that year.
His mother assured him Jake would not be invited, and had told Stuart they did want to meet Jeff and Emma.
She also raved about John’s sisters, including positive things said about Miri and her wife.
His mom still referred to Brandon and Jeff as Stuart’s “friends,” but he’d take the win. They’d made far more progress than he’d ever dreamed imaginable, and it felt damned good.
Stuart closed his eyes and settled in, relieved that, at least in this way, their lives were swinging back into an easy, peaceful rhythm. Maybe tomorrow night, if Jeff felt a little better, they could sneak in some hot tub time. Snuggling or sex, it didn’t matter. He wanted to spend time cuddling with his guy instead of Jeff collapsing, exhausted and in pain at the end of the day.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Monday morning, Jeff lay in bed while Brandon and Stuart got ready for work. Stuart brought Jeff coffee and water and his morning meds.
Including a Xanax.
Jeff didn’t even fight him when Stuart helped him sit up and handed him the water and medicine.
“Grace and Emma will be home after school to take you to your appointment for blood work.”
“I know,” Jeff muttered. He hated that even the girls now had to help with his medical care.
“Hey, you promised,” Stuart said, a slight tinge of hurt in his tone.
“I know. I did, and I will.”
