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“I can’t caution you to not worry. I think someone should worry about Mr. Archie. He would cut off his arm for all of you. He would go to war with his parents for you. His grandfather is different.”
Different? Before I could ask what he meant though, Archie appeared through the front door with a duffle bag and his backpack. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Jeremy.”
“Very good, Mr. Archie. You two get some rest and look after Miss Frankie.” Though he didn’t say anything more, the look he gave me spoke volumes.
“I’ll look after Archie,” I promised him. “He’s gonna be a pro at the laundry thing in no time. I taught Ian to make food. How hard could it be?”
Considering Ian did burn some food, maybe I’d make sure Archie had no whites to wash.
That might be safer.
Jeremy almost smiled.
Score a point for me.
In the car, I sent a text to the guys that we were on our way back, and they lit the phones up with requests.
Jake:Want us to order food? Or can you guys pick some stuff up?
Coop:You’re out of milk. Sorry. I’ll grab some tomorrow. Pizza?
Ian:Brought over some of my mom’s brownies. Wanna grab coffee and do a movie marathon tonight? We’re all free tomorrow morning.
We hadn’t even madeit to the end of the drive. Archie leaned over to read the messages and snorted. “Still time to go back to my room, sleep here, have semi-wild sex, and get spoiled by Jeremy in the morning.”
“Tempting—wait, semi-wild?”
“Well…” Archie hedged, even if he was smiling. “I get that you’ve been a little more active but…”
A little more active. I was definitely active with Coop and Jake. I stole a look at him, eyes narrowed. Had they told him?
“I don’t want to push for anything.”
They hadn’t.
“You wouldn’t be pushing, Archie.” Sobering, I put the phone down and gripped his arm. “I mean it. I know I’ve been a mess. But I’m not afraid of you guys. I thought you were all…afraid of me.”
Coop had proved that wrong. So had Jake.
“We don’t talk about it,” Archie said quietly. “You don’t bring it up, and I feel like an ass if I try to ask you.”
“I don’t remember much.” At all.
“I know. And I know it bothers you.”
I nodded.
“I asked Rachel to take me to a counseling appointment next week,” I blurted it out, and he frowned.
“You made an appointment?”
Was he mad about it? “Coop and I went through the names and numbers Denitra gave me. I called a couple of them…the ones that looked like they might be a good fit.” I didn’t look at him. “One has an opening on Wednesday at lunch time.”
“And you asked Rachel to take you.”
“You guys haven’t really been letting me take my car and…” I held up my right arm.
“Babe, I get that, but I have no problem taking you anywhere you want to go.”
