We stepped back and observed Jax while he promised the cow he would get him to the border by sunset.
“I’ve got to get the wedding centerpieces in town, but I probably need to babysit Jax, right?”
I nodded.
“Shit, Daisy’s going to kill me.” He popped a brow. “Unless you’d babysit him for a bit?”
“Me? No way. I think we should just take him to Daisy’s house. She can take care of him.” I didn’t want to monitor an edible-eating Jax.
“No way, she would freak.” Austin shook his head. “He’ll probably just crash, and you can watch TV.”
“So, you’re just picking up stuff and coming right back?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I was supposed to meet a gal pal of mine for a quick drink after. I won’t be that late. Please?” He shoved his hand in his pocket and whipped out a twenty. “I’ll pay ya.”
Sigh, I was poor and needed cash. Babysitting the stoned cowboy, who wanted to drive all the cows to Canada by sunset, sounded just peachy…for the right price. I held out my hand and stroked my empty palm. Austin let out an exaggerated sigh and slapped two twenties on it.
On the way to Jax’s, I sat in the backseat as he babbled on about flu shots, chicken pot pies, and the fact that the freedom of cows should be in the U. S. Constitution.
“So, you’re okay with this?” Austin peeked at me in the rearview mirror. “I haven’t totally ruined your mood by making you babysit?” He flashed me a hopeful smile.
It really depended. Was wanting to shake the marbles out of these men’s heads a mood? Because I was feeling it. “No, it’s fine.”
No sooner than we had arrived at Jax’s, he fell out of the truck and laughed his ass off. Once on his feet, we walked to the front door as Austin drove off. Lucky bastard.
“We should take our shoes off, right? We were walking in the dirt.”I bent down, pulled my shoes off, and turned back around to see Jax with his pants in his hands.
He held them out to me. “What should I do with these?
“Uh, you should put them back on.” He was standing in blue boxers, just staring at me.
“I don’t wanna. Why don’t you take your pants off?” he asked in the same tone I would ask someone to pass the salt.
“Well, no, thank you to that. Why don’t we just go inside instead, okay?”
I pushed open the unlocked door as Jax tossed his pants in the air and walked past me. This was going to be interesting.
I looked around the house, and it was just the kind of home I’d expected Jax to have. Masculine and woodsy, if that was a thing.
My eyes scanned the room for signs of a girlfriend. I mean, I didn’t expect to find a hot pink thong dangling from the ceiling fan or anything, but I’d be able to tell, right?
Jax led the way to the kitchen.
“I like your house.”
He snatched a can of Pringles from the counter and shoved a few in his mouth, completely ignoring my compliment. “I need a snack.”
Shocking.
After he grabbed a box of Fruit Loops, six saltine crackers, and eleven grapes—indeed, he carefully counted each item—I followed him into the living room and plopped on the couch.
He put his snacks on the coffee table, and I was a bit surprised when he walked to the coat closet, rummaged through for a moment, and returned to the couch carrying a clarinet. I didn’t think I’d seen a clarinet in person since I was in Mr. Keiser’s band class in the seventh grade at La Vista Junior High, but there it was.
He stood in front of me wearing a blank look. “I want to play for you.”
With a perfunctory bow, he put the clarinet to his lips and began playing the theme song to “Star Wars.” He was pretty good if I had to rank an adult playing a clarinet in his boxer briefs while stoned out of his mind. Overall, I enjoyed the performance.It was too bad I didn’t have a little survey card or something.
He completed the song, took a deep bow, which of course, made me stand and applaud. What else would I do, right?
