Page 6 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part One

“Hey, brother,” J chimes after the second ring, cheery and wide awake.

“Hey, man. What are you up to?” I pull my sweats up and slip my feet into some black-and-white Vans.

“Not shit,” he says, feigning indifference, like he doesn’t recognize my tone. No matter how hard I try to hide it, he always figures it out. He is one of the few good things in my life. “You want to chill?”

I’m a prick for interrupting his Saturday with my crap, but I appreciate him not bothering to ask me anymore how I’m feeling. He knows this is my way of reaching out and “talking” about things. He’s been in therapy since he witnessed his mom’s death when he was little. Sharing feelings is a regular thing for him. There isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t remind me I can talk to him.

“Yeah. Do you think you could take me by the shop first? We can fuck off and do whatever afterward. I don’t have to work until tomorrow.”

“Word, I’ll be there in ten. Make sure you’ve showered, asshole. I don’t need you scaring off any of the pussy with your stench.”

“Fuck you,” I laugh and hang the phone up. I don’t stink, but I should probably use the next ten minutes wisely. When Jensen talks about pussy, I’m in for a wild night that I’m not sure where we’ll end up.

I lather up and run the razor over my chin, then rinse off in the shower, washing my hair. I’m wrapped in a black towel when I hear the front door open and J’s heavy footsteps trail over to the couch where Gramma is.

“Hey, Gramma,” he purrs in his best voice because he knows it makes her blush. I drop my towel and slip into a pair of stone-washed jeans and a black t-shirt that hugs my arms, the Killswitch Engage print having worn off. I shake my hair out, expelling the excess drops for now and spray on some cologne.Decent enough. I shrug as I glance at myself in the mirror. If anything, I’ll end up inside Layla by the end of the night. Hopefully, that will help relieve some of my anxiousness.

“Is that you, Jensen?”

He chuckles softly, and as I round the corner, I see him wrapping his giant arms around Gramma. She reaches up and rests her head on his shoulder briefly. I can tell she’s tired and merely doing that takes a lot out of her. “You’re battin’ those women off like flies, aren’t you, dear?”

“More like they’rerunningfrom him, Gramma. Jensen can’t seem to get enough Bleudale pu—” J’s eyes cut to mine, his lips flat, but I can see the smile he is fighting. “Pussy,” I whisper, knowing Gramma can’t hear it. Jensen flips me the bird.

“I’m going to take this asshole off your hands for the afternoon so you can rest, Gramma. How does that sound?” Jensen jabs his fist into my ribs and I grunt.

“As long as you stay with me.” She winks at him and pats the cushion beside her. A smile creeps across his lips as I shake my head. Her response shouldn’t surprise me. She never shies away from joking, no matter how raunchy it gets.

“Are you flirting with him, Gramma?” A genuine laugh erupts from Jensen, and he clutches his stomach, his shoulders shaking.

“I may be old, Riggsy, but I’m not dead.”Yet.I shoot a wide eyed look at J, trying to hold back the sadness that her words provoke. The fact that I need to get out of the apartment and will spend time away from her when she has so little to spare has a knot twisting in my gut. I’m still going to go because I know she doesn’t want me sitting in my room when I could be out ‘making memories’. She has made that abundantly clear, time and time again.

“Call me forty-five minutes before you’re ready to eat, okay? I’ll call in whatever you want and have it delivered.” Not that we really have the money, but she’ll end up talking to the delivery person for a while and that will give her some company. I haven’t told her about my bike being fucked up and in the shop. She doesn’t need the stress. I will figure it out without concerning her.

I bend down and kiss her cheek. She pats mine and rubs it. “You smell good, Riggsy. Those girls will crawl all over you as well.” She laughs, but it comes out dry and raspy and throws her into a coughing fit.

“If I have my way, there will be an orgy in the downstairs bathroom.” Jensen smirks, trying to lighten the mood that he knows her coughing fits bring on.

Gramma knocks her palm against her chest then points a crooked finger at my blonde haired friend. “Now, what did I tell you? A lady deserves a bed. You young’uns and these bathroom shenanigans. Nothing good ever comes out of screwin’ in a bathroom, son.” Jensen smirks his pretty boy smirk before he takes his turn to kiss her cheek.

“I’ll keep him safe, don’t worry. Dinner’s on me tonight, okay?” I hear him whisper, and before I can protest, a sly grin pulls at the leathery wrinkles around her lips.

“Looks like I’m havin’ steak tonight, boys.” She winks again at Jensen despite wheezing, and I shake my head.

“You can have whatever you like, Gramma,” Jensen reassures her before he slips out the door to avoid my fist.

* * *

“Willyou knock it the fuck off?” I gripe, my tone low and full of irritation. I slam the car door shut after I tuck my feet in. J’s Lexus is so damn small it’s a wonder he can even fit in it. He has a good forty pounds of solid muscle on me, and evenIstruggle to fit in this damn car.

“Knock what off, bro?” he asks, truly offended, slumping in defeat.

“Offering to pay for everything all the time when you know I’m going to turn you down. I don’t need your help, and I don’t need people thinking I do.”

Jensen scoffs, shaking his head. I can tell he’s trying his best not to get pissed at me. “Why do you have to be such a stubborn asshole? Why can’t you take the help when I offer it?”

“Because you’d be paying for everything all the fucking time.”

“You mean like it’s supposed to be?” he mumbles and jams the key into the ignition. I growl, not interested in the stroll down memory lane that he’s so passive-aggressively trying to offer. Once upon a time, his father tried to take me in, but I wouldn’t leave Gramma, not after everything we’d been through. He even tried to push his money around and force my hand in it like all the other rich assholes looking for publicity, but eventually, Jensen convinced him I wouldn’t be happy. Plus, I don’t want to have to owe a billionaire tech mogul like his father. He is a nice enough man, but I’m sure in order to be that rich, anything goes.Sorry, not interested.

---