Page 24 of Against the Odds
“Roofs don’t fall in.”
“Well, they can and do. Thump, crash.” I pulled up a news shot of my unfortunate building and passed Jos my phone.
Zeke flicked me a frown like he wasn’t happy I was scaring the kid, but Jos just said, “Ooh, yikes. Were people in there?” sounding more fascinated than afraid.
“No, luckily. But you see that window?” I pointed at the screen. “That was my apartment.”
“Is that why you’re around all the time now?”
“Yeah. I decided to move back home. I’d rather pay my grandpa rent than pay for a smooshed apartment.” I took back the phone and pocketed it. “So what do you say? You and me and Grandpa and Zeke? Can we figure out something that social services won’t freak out about?”
“I don’t care if you want to come around sometimes.” He shrugged. “I guess. My friend Madison would be jealous. She likes ginger guys.”
“Hey, whoa, no!” I held up my hands. “I’m not a guy. I mean, I am, but as far as you and your friends are concerned, I’m as ancient as Grandpa, right? Your totally boring and responsible neighbour.”
Jos tilted his head. “Except you’re a hockey player.”
“Hockey players can be boring and responsible.”
“Mom said you’re a bad influence on the ice,” he chirped, then suddenly he squeezed his eyes shut. Whirling, he ran out of the kitchen and fled up the stairs.
Zeke bit his lip, staring after him. “I think that’s the first time he’s mentioned his mom casually like that since the funeral.”
“Fuck. Bet that hurt.”
“I don’t know what to do for him.”
“Just what you are doing,” I suggested. “Be here. Be cool. Don’t let him make you mad but don’t take too much shit either. Is he back in school?”
“Yeah, he wanted to.”
“Probably the best thing. It’s weird when you lose a parent. Like, you want the world to stay exactly the way it was, but you also want everything to be terrible and on fire, like you feel on the inside.” I shook myself out of that particular memory lane. “Grandpa would be good for him, I think. I already planned to work more hours in the store, when I can, so he’ll be home more.”
“You’re a good guy.”
“Hah.” He had no idea who I really was. “Just trying to pay back a tiny bit of what Grandpa put up with from me all those years. But I do promise, I’m not some kind of creepy weirdo or pedo, and you can trust me with your kid brother. I get riled up kind of easy, but I’d never take it out on a kid.”
“I believe you.” Zeke folded his arms, then flinched. “Ouch. Forgot how those hurt right after.” He slid his sweatshirt off carefully and eyed the wrap on his arm where the tattoo still looked pretty good, if a bit oozy. “Thanks for recommending River and coming along. And for the Timbits. You were right about my blood sugar.” He glanced around the kitchen. “I shouldmake something for dinner soon. I wonder if Jos already ate. Or will he bite my head off if I ask?”
“Give him half an hour,” I suggested. “I need to head back to Grandpa’s. But I’ll link you our team schedule so you can see what days we’re on the road. Then you and me and Grandpa can figure things out.”
We eyed each other and our gazes locked. Heat slowly built between us, the same attraction that’d hit me around Zeke off and on since we were teens, ten times stronger now with the man he’d become. I’d already kissed him once, as ridiculous as that choice had been, and I wanted to do it again. But he had a grieving kid upstairs and a dinner to make, and this wasn’t the time.
I said, “See ya,” and turned for the door, but I felt his gaze on my back as I let myself out into the damp, chilly February evening.
When I headed into our house, I was surprised to find Grandpa already home. Sure, he’d worked a ten-hour day as it was, but I knew he’d been doing fourteens. A big part of the reason I was moving back home and living with the fucking forty-minute commute was to be able to take on some of those hours. “Hey, you made it back early,” I said. “Should I start some dinner?”
He looked up from the papers he was reading on the couch. “That would be great.”
“You feeling okay?” I headed to the kitchen.
“Just giving my feet a break.”
“Bet they deserve it.” I put water on to boil for spaghetti and opened a jar of sauce while I told Grandpa about Zeke’s dilemma.
“Sure. Whatever we can do,” Grandpa agreed. “That poor Josiah. So hard for a boy to be without his parents so young.”
“He’s going by Jos now,” I told him.
