Colton
Uncle Ted drove like Ms. Daisy. They’d discharged Colton because he could leave. He didn’t need to be babied like a delicate flower.
In his head, he took a step back. He wasn’t mad at his uncle; it was Zach who made him salty. He didn’t expect Zach to pick him up in person, he didn’t know how to drive yet—which was something they needed to fix fast. But he could’ve come to the hospital and ridden home with Colton.
“He’s taking care of some personal stuff with his lawyer,” Uncle Ted had said when Colton asked. Like that couldn’t wait a couple of hours?
And there he went, getting his nose out of joint for no reason. That boy had sat by his bed so much he’d lost weight he couldn’t afford to lose. Nanette and Maddie fussed at him all the time to eat and get some sleep, but for the first five days he’d done little of either.
And weren’t they a pair? Nanette had finally found a genuine friend. Unlike Momma, Nanette took care of everyone. Having Maddie around seemed to lift his auntie’s spirits. Hell, they’d even moved her into the little bunkhouse he’d lived in when life with Momma had gotten to be too much.
Still, Zachcould’vemade an effort to be there when Colton got sprung.
“You’re gonna wear that frown ‘til you die if you don’t lose it fast.” Ted said. “I told you, he had to meet with his attorney. You know how lawyers are; time is money.”
He was right, but it didn’t help. The person he wanted to see was Zach. And that was shitty of him, especially after all his family had done for him. “I’m not fretting about that,” he said.
Ted shot him a look, calling bullshit.
“Okay, fine. I am. He said he’d be there.” And didn’t that sound like he was a three-year-old who didn’t get enough ice cream. Or a love-struck fool. “Don’t mind me, Uncle Ted. I’m just feeling sorry for myself, is all.”
“I’m going to let it slide, but once you’re cleared for duty, no more coddling. You hear?”
Colton chuckled. Uncle Ted didn’t coddle. He might brush something off or even ignore it, but he didn’t do coddling. “Ten-four, Sheriff.”
They rumbled down the last bit of road toward his pretty little house. He didn’t want to see the damage. “Why aren’t we going to Momma’s?”
“I've got some people coming over to fix the damage at your house. You need to okay stuff.”
Shit. He didn’t have the money for repairs. Getting done what he had tapped him out.
There were a pair of trucks outside his house, but they weren’t contractors. They had soil and plants. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“Hush up and listen. Your fella did a lot to make this homecoming special.”
Zach did what? “You gonna talk in English?”
“Nope. Said enough.”
He turned into the driveway, and it almost didn’t look like his house. The windows were fixed, and they had curtains hanging in most of them. Someone marked out the yard, and the men in the trucks were moving and shifting dirt and plants. Fuck-a-doodle, he even had a welcome mat.
He had almost cleared the front of the cruiser when the door opened and Zach burst out, grinning ear-to-ear. Thundering down the steps, he stopped just short of a hug. He leaned in and gave Colton a peck on the lips.
“Welcome home.” He grabbed Colton’s good arm and led him into the house.
Colton jammed to a stop so suddenly, his uncle bumped into him. He let out a grunt.
“Sorry, boy. Should’ve figured you wouldn’t make it far,” Ted said with more amusement in his voice than Colton appreciated.
The inside had rugs, furniture, lamps, and even pictures on the wall. It was like something out of one of those designer magazines.
“Honey, what did you do?”
“Surprise?” Zach crept back like he’d done something wrong. “Do you like it?”
Like it? His brain was still trying to figure out what all of “it” was. “You did this?” He pointed. “All of this?”
“If you hate it, I’ll have it hauled out.”
