Page 90 of Carry Me Home
Grayson was being passed around the embroidery club now. Ted and I fell silent as we watched them coo over his chubby cheeks and little hands. Janie took Grayson from Hannah and lifted him in the air to tickle his belly with her nose, making him giggle with delight.
My breath caught. My chest ached.
Aw, fuck.
Ted snickered next to me. “One thing at a time, son. One thing at a time.”
“Willyou push me on the tire swing, Jack?” Maya’s hand caught mine as I was about to climb the porch steps.
“Sure. Let me put the food in the fridge and then I’ll be right back, okay?”
We had been the first to leave the party—even beating Chloe and Steven. The second Maya had started showing signs of overstimulation, we had said our goodbyes. Ted had sent us home with a heap of leftovers.
“I can take that in.” Janie reached for the container. “You go ahead. Swinging seems to help Maya’s brain calm down. Love you.” She rolled up on her toes and kissed me before disappearing inside.
I watched her go, feeling lucky, and then turned back to Maya. “Okay, scamp. Let’s swing.”
After Maya went back inside,I stayed on the porch to watch the stars come out. It didn’t take long for Janie to poke her head out to check on me.
“Hey. You want company?”
She asked because sometimes I didn’t, and she was fine with that. Janie was good at letting people be exactly who they were, never trying to mold them into something more palatable. Me, Maya, customers at the Painted Cat, it didn’t matter. I loved that about her.
I loved a lot of things about her.
“I wantyourcompany,” I said and she came all the way onto the porch. She settled next to me on the swing.
“I was thinking,” she began. “About September.”
“I’ve been thinking about that, too.”
“We’ve only been dating for two months. That’s way too soon to move in together, right?”
I tensed. We still had our separate rooms, but I spent most nights in her bed. “I suppose it depends on the couple.”
“Well, obviously we’re talking about you and me.” She didn’t saydoofusbut I heard it in her voice.
I smiled. “Obviously.”
“So you think it’s too soon?” she pressed.
“I think if you ask me to leave so we can follow a proper relationship timeline, I’m going to remind you that technically, our relationship started back in November. But if you insist, of course I’ll go. You should expect an angry phone call from my mother, though.”
Janie rolled her eyes. “You’re such a mama’s boy.” She wrinkled her nose. “In a good way, I guess. If there is such a thing.”
“There is absolutely such a thing.” I threaded our hands together. “Please don’t ask me to go.”
Her breath hitched. “It seems silly for you to move out if you’re going to move back in again someday.”
“Very silly.”
“But you won’t be Maya’s manny September. I won’t be paying you.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her quizzically. “What are you getting at, Ace? Figure out what I’ll owe you for rent and household expenses, and I’ll pay it.”
“That’s not what I meant.” She huffed. “I mean, I think you should move into my room. When you being here is not a financial transaction.”
I snorted a laugh. “So I don’t get confused about what you’re paying me for? Don’t worry, honey. I’ll always let you give me blowjobs for free.”
