Arthur, on Theo’s other side, said, “I agree with that.”
“Okay.” Theo made a note on his iPad. “Keep the fixtures for now.” He glanced at Arthur. “I’ll get that broken mirror-wall fixed before you take over. Part of maintenance.”
I was pretty sure you weren’t obliged to do maintenance on a building you were donating, but I figured that was Theo being generous again. Yeah, dude had all the money he needed, but I still appreciated his giving side, as much as it made me itchy.
Theo showed Arthur the customer bathrooms, more spaces than a shelter needed, but more cost to remodel than to leave them be. He led us through into the side hallway along the stairs. “Let’s go on up. I have some ideas for the second floor.”
Mimsy trotted ahead of him, her feet silent on the familiar treads. Arthur followed Theo and I brought up the rear, trying to remember what crap I’d left sitting out in the rooms above. Theo had run me by to pick up my bedroll and pack, when we decided Foxy and I would stay at his place, but I’d been in and out fast, not worrying about cleaning up. The city had taken a fucking week to turn the power back on, so this was my first time seeing the building with the lights lit. There was an odd unfamiliarity to the brightly lit downstairs, and the stairs were less shadowed, but the upstairs, bathed in sunshine, hadn’t changed.
I was surprised to see the big room I’d used looking tidy.Theo must’ve picked up after me at some point.I was pleased Arthur wouldn’t see my pathetic food hoard, but a little pissed as well.I hope Theo didn’t just throw away perfectly good food.
Arthur walked to the back windows to look out across the empty lot. “How much property comes with the building?”
“About six acres counting the lot the building’s on,” Theo told him. “I guess when my grandparents bought the place, the development on the other side of the street in front wasn’t built yet, and land out here was cheaper.”
“It’s valuable now.” Arthur turned to him. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep some of it?”
“Not one fucking blade of grass.” Theo grinned crookedly. “Anyhow, maybe one day, you’ll want to rescue horses or goats or pigs, and the space will be useful. Or you might sell off some of it, if you get into a budget crunch.”
Arthur shook his head slowly. “This still feels like a dream.”
To me too.I bent and picked up a scrap of edging from a bag of jerky and slipped it into my pocket.I sat here eating my emergency rations and thinking how my life had changed for the better. I had no fucking idea. This new life living off Theo still doesn’t feel real, though. What comes next?
“This could be made into an apartment,” Theo told Arthur. “You have three big rooms and a bathroom. Remodel to include a shower, open out two of the rooms to an eat-in kitchen and living space, and you’d have a decent one-bedroom. A caretaker could live up here comfortably and keep an eye on the shelter.”
“Me!” The word burst from my lips. I immediately regretted speaking up, but not the idea. “You wouldn’t have to pay me much, or really anything if you’re offering free housing. Maybe a bit of groceries. And I’d take good care of the place. I’d need some tips for dog care and stuff, but I know cats and I could take the daily stuff off your hands.”
“You live with Theo,” Arthur said.
“Well, yeah, but not permanently.”
Theo grunted like someone punched him and I glanced over. The muscles in his jaw quivered and his eyes looked bleak, but he’d known that was true. Surely, he had. He’d promised to let me chip in my share of the rent, but I’d seen what he was paying. Half as much was still more than I’d ever made in one month in my entire life. “Even when I find a job, I’m never going to get one that would cover rent on Theo’s house. This, I could do.”
Theo said, “You told me you’d stay.”
“In Gaynor Beach, yeah. With you, but not in that house, not forever. I have to stand on my own two feet to be with you.”
Theo shook his head but didn’t speak.
Please, Theo, you’ve got to understand how important that is.
Arthur looked from me to Theo and back again. “If you wanted to live here, Shane, I definitely would like having someone on-site. I was thinking I might have to do it myself.”
“Oh, of course.” I deflated. “You could save a bunch of money. Never mind.”
“No, wait.” Arthur turned to me. “I can’t just up and sell my house and move in. Not with all the critters I have now, and my work. Definitely not before the shelter’s up and running. I’d need a place to put all my fosters. We could start with you living up here while we get the project underway, which will take months. Revisit the idea then?”
“Yeah.” My breath came easier. “That works. Hell, I don’t usually stay anywhere more than a year, so by the time you want the space, I might be ready to move again.”
I regretted that comment, too, when Theo pinched his lips together, but I was trying, right? A leopard doesn’t change his spots overnight. I liked being with Theo. I fucking loved how we were together, so easy it felt like we’d always known each other and so hot it felt brand new. But my brain didn’t understand forever. That had never been me. And I wasn’t there yet, no matter how much I tried to stretch outside the man I’d been for the last decade. “Time,” I added. “To see what works.”
Arthur nodded to Theo. “Add the cost of living quarters into the remodeling. It’ll probably be cheaper in the long run than paying for round-the-clock staffing.”
Theo made another note on his iPad and glanced at me. “Which room do you think should be the bedroom?”
“Next to the bathroom, I guess. This would make a good living room, bright and warm.” Mimsy leaped to the windowsill and meowed, and I reached automatically to crack it open for her, then remembered we’d be heading back to Theo’s shortly. “Sorry, kitten, no wandering right now.” I eased her into my arms and added to Theo, “You don’t have to remodel for me, though. A real bed and a dresser, and it’ll be better than anywhere I’ve lived in years.”
“We’ll work it out.” He turned back toward the stairs.
