Page 16 of Subtracting the Heart

“I dropped the kid off at the shelter to be with Cade. Can I get a beer? We’re only blocking plays tomorrow, so I don’t have to be at the park until noon. Any of those pretty boys around hereknow how to wrap gifts? I’ve got wrapping paper and I’ll pay ’em.” He held up a Target bag.

“You shopped?” Ford was more surprised than anything. They usually didn’t exchange gifts, opting to do something charitable instead and then sneak off for a getaway after the season ended. It was a new Jackson.

“I did, mostly because we have the kid with us and all. Hey, I saw Toby sitting outside the shelter. Any reason?” Jax walked over to the bar and bumped fists with Cleveland who was stocking the coolers.

“Can we get a Michelob Ultra for the Cajun. I’ll have a glass of the new Riesling,” Ford requested.

“Sure thing. Toby’s there, you say? Well, I suspect Cade’s in good hands.” Cleveland winked at Ford, who cocked an eyebrow as he waited for a response.

“He was scheduled to work tonight, so I called him in early and repurposed him. Those choir boys ain’t gonna cause a ruckus, Boss. He’ll be in when Cade heads home.” Cleve nodded for emphasis.

Jax’s gaze snapped up, accompanied by a quizzical raise of his eyebrow, as he looked at Ford. “What’s going on?”

“Before we get into it, where’s the guy who works at the gift wrap desk at the mall?” Ford looked at Cleveland.

“He’s due any minute. Should I send him up?”

“Please do. Come on, love. Let’s go upstairs.”

Jax grabbed his beer and his bags and followed Ford upstairs. Ford wondered why his lover didn’t stop by more often, but he already knew why. They just didn’t function that way without Cade to remind them they were in a great relationship. He and Jax fell into old habits too quickly. It was sad but true.

Chapter Seven

Cade

The day had been a busy one. Benny and Jake had roped the other five boys from the shelter into decorating the place, so Cade sent the older boys to the store with all the cash he had in his pocket to buy more lights. When they returned, the boys proceeded to find some old art supplies in one of the cupboards to make construction-paper garland to decorate around the common room.

There was a radio Cade had found in one of the monitor’s rooms and they had it blaring Christmas music from one of the local stations. It was a festive atmosphere and even Cade’s spirits were light.

He went back to the kitchen after he locked the front door to find Bev singing carols along with the radio while she made more cookies. “Damn, those smell amazing. What are your plans for the holiday, Bev?” The woman had been cooking for the past week to leave frozen meals in the large, upright freezer in the basement to ensure Cade didn’t have to worry about feeding the boys.

“We’re going to see Regina’s sister and her family in Oklahoma, of all places. I asked her if they’d stone us, but she assured me we were safe. Her brother-in-law is a cattle rancher and has a big spread down there with horses and everything. The boys are excited about meeting their cousins and getting to learn to ride horses. I’m anxious to see how they take to helping do chores around the ranch. They’re city boys, so I have to be there to take pictures when they’re shoveling manure from the stalls.” They both had a good laugh at her sons’ expense.

Bev’s warm smile quickly faded into a look of pity. “I know you’reherefor the holidays, but are you doing anything after?”

“I’m looking forward to spending time with the boys. I thought maybe we’d walk to the church down the street for their holiday carol sing-along, and then we’ll play games and eat like pigs. I’ll make breakfast on Christmas morning, and then we’ll be lazyguys and scratch ourselves since no women will be in the house to complain.” He ate a chocolate chip cookie stolen from the cooling rack.

Bev laughed. “I can see they’ll be in good hands. If they get bored during the week, get them to clean out the junk in the basement, and maybe we can get Mr. Shaw to give us a budget for a foosball table or something.”

I nodded, but I doubted Mr. Shaw would be thrilled about giving another penny for things at the house. He came across as generous of spirit, but generous of pocket? Cade doubted he wanted to give one more penny to the house.

“They need someplace to let off steam in the neighborhood, because it’s not good for them to be cooped up in the shelter all the time, Cade. Boys need to work off excess energy, and that shitty playground and basketball court down the street isn’t safe for them. We’re not in the gentrified end of Boystown because people in that neighborhood don’t want to be reminded how things aren’t always so rosy in life.” Bev pecked her fingernail on the counter to emphasize her point.

The woman was right, but Cade wasn’t sure what to do about it. The boys could sign-out during the day, but if someone else came in and needed a bed, they weren’t guaranteed to find their old one open if they didn’t come back before six. That was one of the things he disliked about the way the shelter was organized, but there was limited space with too many young men who had nowhere to go. Cade had no say in the matter.

Before he responded, the front doorbell rang. Cade hurried down the hallway to glance at the CCTV monitor to see it was his brother and Jax. He opened the door, greeted by two smiling faces, which was a huge relief. He wasn’t sure how Ashton would get along with his lovers because Cade barely knew the boy himself. Things seemed to be going well, much to his surprise.

“Hello, you handsome devils. Come on in. How was the day?” He closed the door and slid the dead bolt behind them.

Cade studied Jax, who chuckled. Ashton dramatically rolled his eyes. “He’s a show-off. He can bench press a pickup truck, easy, but they turn him loose with regular size guys who he plows through like a bulldozer. He says he was taking it easy on them because they were his teammates. What does he do to an opposing team?” Ash dramatically shook his head.

Cade smiled. “He’s a steamroller, trust me. You hungry? Bev’s making cookies, and she might give you some if you ask politely.”

“See ya, Cajun.” The boy ran down the hallway.

Cade watched Jax look around before he pulled him into his arms. “How was your day, chére? Your brother’s a good kid. You talk to his momma?” Jax leaned forward and kissed Cade stupid. Tongues tangled, and Kincade wondered if he’d ever get used to the way his boyfriends made him feel.

“He’s legally a runaway, and if I harbor him here, I’m violating the rules of the shelter. I can’t do that to the people who sponsor it, so I’m going to have to call Cheryl and tell her where he is. I’m sure the cops will show up, and then I’ll have to deal with the fact some of the underage kids aren’t in the custody of CPS. Though, I only have two boys who are sixteen and one of them turns seventeen on January second,” Cade explained.

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