“Huh.” TJ blinked, then yawned, which made him chuckle. “Yeah. It’s been a long few weeks with Taylor out.”
“Get a shower and by the time you get back down, it’ll be ready. Beer with your beef? You don’t have any red wine, which would be better.”
“Are you okay with alcohol around?”
“I’ve been sober for three years. I can handle it. I didn’t drink because I liked it, TJ. I drank to escape.”
Nodding, TJ murmured, “Something else we need to discuss.”
“In time. Shower, then eat.” Cody turned back to the stove, giving the distinct impression the conversation had ended. TJ stumbled up the stairs, grunting when he hit his knee on one. “Are you okay?” Cody shouted up.
“I’m fine. I’ll be down in a few minutes.” Managing to make it up the stairs without tripping over another one, TJ stripped in his bedroom and a minute later stood in the shower, leaning against the wall as warm water rained over him.
“Shit,” he muttered, as a wave of tiredness washed over him. Food, then bed, and the talk with Cody would have to wait until tomorrow. He didn’t think his brain would engage in a heavy conversation. And he knew a conversation with Cody would be heavy. He’d been gone for four long years. TJ had spent the first few months searching everywhere and everything. You name it, TJ had called, emailed, messaged it and nothing had ever come up.
Scrubbing his skin, TJ rinsed, then got out and dried. Once he’d dressed, he staggered downstairs and collapsed in one ofthe chairs at the table, wiping his face with his hands. Cody placed a bowl in front of him and some fresh chunky bread that looked amazing. Moaning, TJ ate, barely saying a word other than to tell Cody how good the food tasted and to ask for more.
When he’d finished his second bowl, he sat back and patted his stomach and watched Cody clean the kitchen. “I should do that,” he mumbled. Cody had cooked. It was only right he cleaned.
“You’re tired. You’ve worked hard while I did some shopping.”
“And made an appointment?”
“Darcy Mahon is Siobhan’s older sister. I went to school with Siobhan. I was a little uncertain, but she made me feel comfortable. I have an appointment for next week and the shopping was fine. Still the same little store from before I left. Made me happy to see some things have remained the same.” Cody sat and passed a beer to TJ. “I’ve decided I’ll do the cooking now I’m living here.”
“You’ll be going home soon. Best not get used to this.”
Cody straightened. “I said I came back for you. There is no other reason for me to return here.”
TJ sipped his beer, licked his lip. “I’m older than you and we’re family. You were a child when you left—”
“Do I look like a child to you? Let me give you some information so you can get over my age. I have fucked more men than you. I have sucked off more men than you. I have had more men fuck me than you. I stopped being a child a long time ago. Three years ago, to be exact. When I told you I came back for you, those weren’t empty words I was throwing around. I meant every one of them. I mean every one of them, TJ. I came back here to Robinson for you.” Cody smiled. “I’ll be living here with you, so I’ll cook the food from now on. When I go to college, I think we should use a slow cooker. It’ll make life easier for us.”
“Cody.” TJ shook his head in disbelief at the conversation. “You can’t just come back after being lost for four years andmake these demands like you expect us to have a relationship. You left. I searched for months. Every fucking database, every hospital, every mortuary. I had nightmares about getting that call to tell me you were dead. Telling your parents, your sister… You have no idea what it was like for us so don’t come waltzing back in like everything is okay and we’re going to have some relationship when we barely had one before. You kissed me once, and I asked you not to, then you ran away. We thought you were dead!” By the time TJ finished, he was screaming at Cody, who didn’t flinch.
“I’m sorry I put you through that. When I tell you what happened while I was away, you’ll understand better.” Cody stood and stared down at TJ. “You need to forget the child I was because he died three years ago. I’m not him now. I’m a man, TJ, not some scrawny fifteen-year-old with a crush. Where you are concerned, nothing has changed. I wanted you then and I want you now.” Cody walked over to the stairs. “You need to get some sleep. You’ve been working too hard. When you’re rested, we can talk about everything. Goodnight.”
TJ stared at the empty space Cody had occupied and shook his head, unsure if he’d had the conversation. Cody had harbored a crush for that long? Sure, Cody had grown into a gorgeous man… Still not going there. Running a hand over his face, TJ yawned, then stood. One thing Cody had gotten right was how tired he was.
With a last check through the house, TJ switched the lights off and went upstairs. He could go over everything that had happened in the morning when he was fully functional, because right then, nothing made sense.
***
By the time TJ woke the next morning and made his way downstairs, Cody had left. Not packed his things and left, but had gone out. He’d had a fleeting shot of fear rush through him, but when he noticed Cody’s boots by the back door, he’d relaxed, the tension easing.
Checking the time, the tension returned. He’d agreed to pop over to Toni and Carter’s, and with Cody back, not saying anything would be difficult. Cody was Carter’s nephew. “Shit.” He would stay an hour, then leave for work, which helped, but an hour of knowing Cody had returned and keeping his mouth shut about it would be hard. He didn’t like lying to them and knowing what they had gone through when Cody had run away…
Arriving at Toni and Carter’s house, TJ knocked on the back door and walked inside. No sooner had he stepped in then Macy screamed her name for him and ran over to him, jumping at him with her arms held up. “How’s my Macy girl?” he asked as he picked her up.
Macy kissed him and cuddled him, then leaned back in his arms. “Momma poorly.”
“I’m not as bad as I have been.” Toni walked in, or more like waddled. At five months pregnant, she’d been having a rough time and now had water retention. Sitting carefully, she sighed heavily, then waved at the fridge. “Grab whatever you want.”
“Is Carter around?” TJ came and placed Macy on her chair, then kissed Toni’s cheek. “Drink?”
“There’s some peach tea in there. Can you pour me a glass?”
“Choccy milk!”
