Page 62 of Leading the Blind
“Yeah. We’re at the front door.” Jason stepped forward and they counted. This was easy. They’d done it in a hundred hotelrooms, at Gramps’, AJ’s. Jason was quick, absorbing all the information.
He just had to make sure he matched his steps to Jason’s natural ones. The first few times, he’d waltzed Jason about, and Mini had run into things. ‘Easy does it’ was better. Jason trusted him to get it right.
“Okay, so reach out now and you have the kitchen island at arm’s length.”
“Are we going to put chairs here? To sit at?” Jason walked around the island, searching it with his hands. “Are there counters all around us?”
“To your left, there’s a pantry cabinet that’s pretty big, then a little counter, then the stove as you start around the U. The sink is in the middle, directly across from the inside of the island.” He watched Jason feel his way. “Then you get more counter and cabinets, and the fridge will be at the other end of the U, where you come back past the island.”
“Cool. I like it. It feels good—not crappy, not fancy.”
No, it was right in between. Just perfect for them. “There’s a nuker above the stove and the dishwasher’s…yeah, right there.”
“Oh, cool. I can do that without having to move too much. Not like Momma’s where they stuck it in next to the fridge on the same water line as the ice maker.”
“Right?” Bax took a second to look around, letting himself take it all in. His house. This was somewhere he belonged, something he owned, something permanent and real. He was damn proud, and Jason couldn’t stop grinning, which made it even better.
He could see them, a year or two from now—all their shit around them, dogs and more animals to care for, sitting and listening to the water.
Bax sucked in a breath and held it a second, fighting a rush of shit that he didn’t know how to feel. He sure wouldn’t be able to explain it to anybody.
Jason came around to him, hunting him with outstretched hands, then hugging him close. Lord, it was like Mini felt vibrations from him or something.
Still, he’d take it. He held on tight, breathing with his man. “We got us a house, Mini.”
“Yessir, we did.” Jason sounded about as wigged as he felt.
“There’s not even a place to sit. We should have got us some camp stools.”
“We can sit on the floor. God knows we do it enough at work.” Jason chuckled. “After the couch and all comes, we’ll run to the Walmart and get some food and outside chairs and sunscreen.”
“Sounds like a plan.” That way they could figure out where everything was from their place, see how long it took to run errands. Bax liked a plan.
“We need a big TV with speakers too. And something to play music everywhere. Baby gates. Whoa.”
“I’ll start a list.” They just sat right on the floor where they were, and Bax pulled out his phone to make notes.
“We’ll have to bring the fifth wheel down too and park it here. That’ll be nice, to have room for it.” Jason chuckled softly. “You going to decorate with antlers and horseshoes, man?”
“Hell, we’ll be lucky if there’s anything on the walls two years from now.”
Mini snorted. “Dillon and Emmy will provide art if we don’t. Keep that in mind.”
“Oh God.”
“Right? Momma will help. Then you’ll have sunflowers and horseshoes and a lot of wood signs and shit.” That would be better than a bunch of naked dudes cavorting and tons of heavy glass vases on posts.
“I need the AJ decorating school,” Bax said. “Comfy couches, warm blankets and a few good Western paintings.”
“Amen. I mean, it ain’t like I’ll notice.”
“You will if it’s itchy or smelly.” He leaned on Jason, thinking how tonight they would sit on their couch and watch a movie, then go to their bed.
“We have to buy a comforter and some pillows.” Jason grinned. “A soft one.”
Thank God the washer and dryer had come with the house. They would have a lot of towels, too. Momma had said she was bringing old ones for the beach. “I’ll shore up the parking situation soon, and Jack can help me put in an outdoor shower.”
“Good deal. So…can folks see us on our balcony?”
