Dane grinned, and it did seem like he’d let go of his earlier questions. “Well, if Grey can share a bathroom with Baer for a while, I’ll focus on finishing up the family room.” He pointed at Clay. “I’m taking you up on your earlier offer. You and Baer can strip the wallpaper out of the room and paint it while I start on Grey’s bed and bath.”
“That sounds fair to me.” Clay welcomed the work. Both he and Baer were going stir-crazy in the house, with nothing to do.
“Great,” Dane grabbed his coffee and held the mug up to Clay. “Thanks for the coffee. See you later.” He left out the door he’d come in, heading toward his apartment.
Clay sighed, letting his shoulders slump. The cheery, bright kitchen felt cooler and so very empty without Dane there.
Did he get what he wanted?
Sure. He and Dane were friends. The awkwardness was gone. And the man had said he was going to stop asking about their weirdness.
Then why the hell did he feel like shit?Chapter 12It was late afternoon when Grey wandered downstairs. His hair was damp from the shower, but he was stuck in the same clothes he’d worn to the club the night before. Baer had come down earlier and raided the fridge to see what Clay had gotten at the grocery. They could make a run for Grey’s things later. Clay was more concerned with the man’s mental state after what he’d already suffered.
The color was back in Grey’s cheeks, and he looked less strung out after several hours of sleep. Whatever he’d gone through to get his powers, it had largely rolled off his shoulders. At least, that was the appearance.
“Hey,” Clay said when Grey strolled into the living room. “Want something to eat?”
“No, I’m good for now. Thank you,” Grey murmured.
Baer slid to the edge of the love seat so that he was practically balanced on the balls of his feet. “You want to try out your powers?”
Grey’s eyes widened, and a surprised smile spread on his lips. “Yes,” he said with a hiss.
“Do you even know what your powers are?” Clay asked. He struggled to not chuckle at Grey and Baer’s enthusiasm.
“Not really. But I’ve got some guesses.”
At least he was being honest.
“Fine, but we don’t practice here.” Clay pushed to his feet slowly, while Baer jumped up with the eagerness of a puppy with the promise of a walk.
“Are we protecting the house?” Grey’s smile twisted into something wry and a bit mocking. “Or are we protecting the handyman?”
“Little of column A and a little of column B,” Baer said before Clay could answer. He led the way over to one of the doors and stepped out onto the rear porch.
Clay frowned at Grey. “He doesn’t need to be weighed down with this shit.”
“I’m not sure you have the right to make that decision for Dane.”
Clay bristled at Grey’s words. He was protecting Dane. “Do you think he would believe any of this?”
“We could let Baer turn into a peacock again.”
“Hey!” Baer shouted. “Fuck you! I can be a peacock.”
“Just not while loaded on whiskey,” Grey reminded him.
Baer’s bearded face broke into a grin. “True. So very true.”
Clay closed the door and trailed behind the two men as they walked deeper into the land that surrounded the house. Within a few minutes, tall live oaks crowded around them, blocking them from the view of the house. There was only the sound of birds and the buzz of insects in the fading light. More orange was creeping into the sky, painting the fluffy clouds that floated by.
“So…what do you think?” Clay asked.
Grey turned around to face Clay. He stopped walking, waiting for Clay to catch up to him. “You mean about the epic battle where we’re faced with the pestilents and how we’re humanity’s only hope for survival?”
Clay snorted at Grey’s wry smirk. “Yeah, that’d be it.”
Grey shook his head. “I’ve written some crazy stories in my life, but I don’t think I could have come up with something as crazy as this.” When Clay had reached Grey, the other man started walking again, but his steps were slow and careful. It was like he didn’t spend a lot of time out in nature. He wasn’t at ease the same way Baer was. But it could have also been the nice jeans and wrinkled button-down shirt he was wearing. Clothes better suited for a night out than a walk through the woods.
“You’re a writer?”
Grey grunted. “Published author. At least, it’s how I paid the bills. Let me travel while I figured out this feeling.” He tapped his chest with his index finger and Clay got it. They all had that same feeling.
“You think we should tell Dane this crazy story?”
Grey was silent, but he did give a shrug. “Not my call.”