“Do I gotta sit in the back?” Jayden asked.
“Yeah, you gotta.” Justin dragged Jayden to the back. “Come on!”
Gray and Darius exchanged a grin.
It was amazing to witness Justin’s progress. Brick by brick, his shyness and anxiety had fallen away to let Gray and Darius in. Mom was probably next. Justin whispered to her sometimes. And he had formed an interesting little friendship with Willow, where they’d communicate solely in sign language.
Life was good.
Sometimes, a little too good.
Having all your dreams come true meant you had everything to lose, and Gray was still balls deep in his recovery. In between therapy, staying in touch with the other guys going through their own personal hell, nightmares, anxiety, family, work… Let’s just say he was glad he had Darius and the boys.
After saying goodbye to Adeline and the staff, and promising to visit soon, they drove toward Westslope and their mountains across the river.
“Can we go swimming this weekend?” Jayden asked pleadingly.
“Absolutely. Weather’s supposed to be nice,” Darius replied, making a turn past the Ponderosa schools.
Gray hoped Jayden would fit in here. He’d been cleared to start second grade after going through homeschooling and an evaluation at the shelter this past spring, so he was only one year behind. But he’d be enrolled in a private academy where he would have the chance to catch up.
“You wanna hit up a lake or go in the stream?” Darius asked in the rearview.
“Stream!” both boys hollered.
That was settled. The stream at home had seemed scary at first, and to grown-ups, it wasn’t much to write home about, but to children…? The current was strong enough and the water was shallow, yet deep enough, that they got a fun ride that lasted about ten seconds before the stream widened into calmer waters.
Jayden would let the current take him when he felt extra brave, though both preferred to ride in the inflatable toys Gray had bought.
Leaving civilization behind, he relaxed in his seat and rolled down the window.
Darius did the same and cranked up the CD playing on the stereo.
It always felt so harmonious to drive here, even more so now in the summer. Gray filled his lungs with clean, fresh air and let the outside world disappear in the rearview.
“You look content, baby,” Darius murmured.
“I’m so fucking happy up here,” Gray laughed softly. “I always pictured myself getting a place in the Valley or maybe in Downtown, but…” This was where he belonged. “Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“Good.” Darius rested his arm along the back of their seats and rubbed Gray’s neck. “Maybe we should move in together soon.”
Gray cracked up and side-eyed his smug little smirk. “Freaking comedian.”
“I’m known to be funny at times.” He scratched Gray’s neck lightly. “Love you.”
Gray reached across the seats and kissed his cheek. “Love you more.”
Their little moment came to a stop a minute or so later when the paved road ended and the tires crunched on gravel. Jayden knew what that meant. No more neighbors. They’d taken the last turn, passed the last mailbox, and the dirt road was better than an amusement park. Because Darius had introduced Jayden to steering the car…
“Darius, can I drive, please? Pleeeease?” he begged.
Darius grinned and slowed down the car. “Sure, buddy. Climb over.”
Gray kept his mouth shut, ’cause he knew he worried for nothing, and he didn’t wanna be the fretting parent. Not when Darius crawled forward at five miles an hour. It was safe. It was safe. Dammit.
Lately, they followed the law like freaking angels, all because it looked good to the boys’ caseworker. And, as Adeline had advised, that included making sure the kids rode in the back seat, not the front.
This part was just their little secret, and Jayden wasted no time. He threw himself over the back of the seat and almost did a nosedive down onto the cushion.
“Jesus, kid!” Gray stifled his mirth and righted him, to which Jayden merely grinned goofily and scrambled up on Darius’s lap.
“Away, away.” Jayden batted away Darius’s hands from the wheel and gripped it tightly himself. He was instantly in heaven. “Look at me, Gray! I’m driving the car! Beep, beep!”
Gray chuckled and turned his attention to Justin, who clearly wanted to sit in the front too.
“Come here, sweetheart. Do you need help with the—nope, you don’t.” Gray smirked. The belt was off in a second, and Justin left his booster seat and hurled himself into Gray’s arms.
“You’ve got this covered, kiddo,” Darius said. “You mind if I take a nap?”
“Uh…” Jayden huffed. “You probably shouldn’t sleep, man. I’m only eight and a half.”
Gray and Darius laughed.
“He’s a clown,” Justin giggled.
And that was what got Jayden going. He wiggled his butt and bobbed his head to the country song, anything to make Justin happy.
Darius sped up ever so slightly.