Alex rises and puts his arm around Cade. “Hey, how about we take a break? Get a cold drink. Graci isn’t going to let him run away.”
Cade lets Alex lead him away. Graci’s gaze follows them long enough for me to see the longing in her gaze. For Alex? Or Cade? She returns her focus to Blake before I can decide.
I don’t know the whole story, but the tension that filled this huge space releases. Alex has his head close to Cade’s. What could he possibly be telling the man who is clearly distraught by Blake’s situation? More than Pierce. Even more than Eliot who stands beside him, but has his hands in his pockets, a relaxed stance, taking in the work happening. “Graci, you just want to see your show on the big TV we put in Blake’s room.”
“Of course that’s it, Eliot. Not this guy’s super friendly personality.” She sticks her tongue out at Blake and keeps working.
“Heard you had some movement during reflexology.” Stone glares down at Blake.
Blake shifts his gaze away, not answering. From what I’ve seen, he’s the only one who defies Stone.
“I’ve been working his feet everyday. Did a Zoom session with the pros. They’re trying to figure out their schedule to come up in person.”
“Bunch of woo woo bullshit.” Blake directs his spite at Graci who doesn’t react at all.
“Did your foot move or not?” Stone’s a judge demanding the truth.
“Yes.” Blake barely lets the word out, resenting the forced admission.
If I were him, I’d be doing whatever I could to get movement back. Woo woo or not. Graci’s a saint to put up with his grumpy ass. Or well paid.
Amy, Tyler, and Stone shift closer to each other and start a murmured conversation. I back away from what is clearly a family moment. In the hallway, I spy Alex holding a sobbing Cade. He’s rubbing the man’s back and telling his things will get better. Each change so far has been an improvement. That Cade has to be patient with Blake. My heart squeezes at all the love and support Blake and even Cade has. In all the stories There’s no way this can be the Alex my uncle is looking for is there? I escape to the women’s restroom and try to reconcile the image of an abuser with the caring version of Alex.
There is something so compelling about a man who will hold another man, care for him emotionally. Especially when the man is a strapping cowboy who works construction. He’s the poster child for an unenlightened cave man, but he’s deep. And my hormones are lit up with my attraction to this side of him. Like he isn’t attractive enough, he has to show this sensitive side?
I really don’t want him to be Alex Craig, the man who hurt my cousin.
I’m washing my hands when Amy enters the restroom. “There you are.”
I smile into the mirror at her and try to come up with an excuse for making myself scarce.
“It can be a lot. It’s actually easier now that he isn’t confined to the hospital bed hooked to all kinds of wires.”
I shudder at the image. “What happened to him?”
“Short version. Car accident. He nearly didn’t make it.”
“He looks good for having almost died.”
“Getting better every day. But it’s hard on his partners.”
I nod as if I understand. Partners is a loaded word, one Amy used intentionally. One that sort of explains some of the tension between Blake and Cade.
“Anyway, if you’re done, we’re going to book some hotel rooms now that we have a plan. Eliot’s coming to the club, but he’s staying with Cade at the rental house here in town. We need to get a room count.”
I follow Amy out the door to find all the guys in the hallway.
Stone is speaking to Pierce. “If you’re willing to ride share with Eliot back to the house, I can drive everyone else in the van. We need a room for me, one for Amy and Tyler?—”
“I can share,” I say “No big deal if we get a room with two beds.”
Alex crosses his arms. “I’ll pay for two rooms.”
Ouch. Didn’t expect immediate rejection. I said two beds. Does he think I’m going to jump him? Well, that’s not completely out of bounds. The urge to climb him like a tree and talk about what to do with his wood had been riding me since I saw him. But it’s not like I could take advantage of him. Except, he might try something with me if he is who my uncle says he is. No. No way. Not possible.
Stone finishes as if we haven’t spoken. “Four rooms. I’ll check with the hotel we used last time.”
My uncle’s been looking for this Craig dude for ten years. No reason to think he’s found him now.
