“Four cities, four concerts, four hotels. Four different press releases already sent out as well as backstage necessities confirmed. Gas stations have been vetted as safe spaces to fuel up the bus, cleaners in all four cities ready to clean it down, and concert times are all confirmed. I sent the itinerary to Landon and Stone, as well as all the confirmed times and addresses of places we will be. Is there anything I’m missing?”
I looked up and waited for his input, but he stayed silent as his eyes gazing out the window.
“Drake?” I asked. “Did you hear me?”
But all he did was turn his body and walk out of the kitchen.
Was he fucking kidding me? I tried not to grind my teeth as I slammed my laptop shut. Fine, I could take a hint. If he didn’t want to talk about work, then we didn’t have to talk about work. But anything that was out of place or not right when he got into the cities was on him.
I heard his boots pounding up the staircase.
I got up from the kitchen table and walked into the living room. Elsie was still sitting there, in her same position with the same book. Tammy was working on some sort of needlepoint as I came into the room, sitting on the opposite couch as I sighed.
“Don’t worry. He gets easier to work with,” Tammy said.
“Uh huh,” I said, with a huff.
“Doesn’t seem like it now, but he warms up to you.”
“Not what I’m concerned about,” I said.
I could see Elsie eyeing me carefully from her book and noticed her body beginning to tense up. I didn’t know much about adults on the spectrum, but I knew when I was making someone uncomfortable. I averted my gaze and cleared my throat, trying to loosen up my body, so I didn’t make Elsie feel stressed.
We had a good first encounter, and I didn’t want to ruin anything.
“So, Tammy. Are you a live-in caretaker?” I asked.
“I am, but Elsie and I don’t live here. Elsie’s got her own place, courtesy of her part-time job and some money set aside from her parents,” Tammy said.
“Is it far from here?”
“Just a couple of miles. It’s routine for Elsie to be here in the mornings during the week, so we come over and stay until lunch. Once in a while, we spend the night here.”
“I work on the weekends,” Elsie said.
“Do you enjoy it?” I asked.
“I do. I work in the back at a bookstore. It’s quiet, and I don’t have to deal with people.”
“That sounds like a very nice job.”
I don’t know how you’re surviving my brother,” she said, suddenly.
I bit back a giggle as a grin crossed my cheeks.
“I read these books because of him,” Elsie said.
“Oh really?” I asked. “Why is that?”
“Drake works hard. But he’s not like most people I’ve encountered. I want to understand why.”
I nodded and cast my gaze into my lap as Tammy studied my reaction.
“Tammy, do you enjoy the ranch?” I asked.
“I do. Though I haven’t let Drake rope me into doing anything around here. I’ve got my hands full with Elsie.”
“I like letting the horses out,” Elsie said.