Page 17 of Leading the Blind
“Yep.” Emmy had a great laugh, kinda throaty and deep. “Okay, we’ll mobilize after tacos. Save me two chicken.”
“Bawk, bawk.” Dillon was a dork.
“Oh, I’ll show you clucking.” The sound of a scuffle started up, ending abruptly when he heard Cotton shout, “Hey, that’s my wife!”
And didn’t the little redhead sound tickled as fuck about that fact, still?
“Lord, what a ship of fools,” AJ said. Man, he sure was down.
“What’s up, Aje? It cain’t just be all this with me.” Jason knew AJ too well.
“I’m just tired, man. Tired of the game, and Benji’s not…well, he’s not getting any better, and I got the new babies at home. It ain’t fun no more. I have somewhere else to be.”
“So, retire. God knows you got enough work on the ranch.” AJ’s people had a ton of land.
“Yeah. I’m… I’m in for you, buddy. Then I’m gone.”
“Oh, Aje.” He reached out with one hand, and AJ grabbed it, just squeezing. “Thank you.”
“You guys know I would never let you down.”
Bax snorted. “Unless you cook.”
“Fuck you, Andy.”
“That’s Jason’s job.” There was a second of silence at Dillon’s words, then the wild laughter rang out.
He could only imagine the stares and smiles that would draw. The laughter, not the other. There were always fans sitting around watching.
“Come on, y’all. We’ll go have a cup of coffee at the Denny’s. It’s across the parking lot.” Coke stood and stretched, the soft moan pained.
“Sure. You okay, Gramps?” He kept his voice low, but that groan worried him a bit.
“Fine as frog hair.”
“He pulled a groin in Decatur.”
Dillon was always willing to tell on Coke.
“Then he’ll have to be careful here,” Bax said. Jason could imagine the stern stare.
“Y’all don’t worry on this old man. I’m on it.”
“You always are, Hoss. Where are y’all headed?” Nate’s voice hit him at the same moment as the smell of tacos. “I brought the food.”
“You’re early, bud,” Coke shot back. “We were heading to get coffee.”
“They got that Starbucks thing in the lobby,” Nate said. “Dillweed?”
“Right. Coffee for all. Lay it on me.” Dillon could rattle off a coffee order a mile long without blinking.
Emmy squealed. “Venti light mocha Frappuccino with two extra shots and no whip!”
“Done. Drip coffee for Coke, Nattie and AJ. Jason?”
“I want one of the vanilla milkshake deals, please.”
“Big or small? Andy?”
