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“You’re really going to do it?” My attention is drawn to Jameson as he talks to his younger brother who looks an awful lot like him. Weird. Never had a thing for the older Bates, but the younger one really does it for me.
“Do what?” Adam’s voice is firm and deep as they look out over the land.
“Stay in Kensley. Stay here and build a house. Be a farmer.”
I sense Adam’s tension even from the few feet away. This is where they’re different. Very different. Jameson never wanted this. Not at all. This is all Adam has ever wanted, and it wasn’t out of a sense of having to. It was always what he wanted.
“Yes,” he says through gritted teeth, and Garrison and I share a look. We both know how these two can get.
“Easy,” Jameson says, raising his hands in front of him and facing his brother. “I think it’s great. I just can’t believe it.”
“Not all of us want to get out,” Adam says with an edge still to his tone.
“Yeah. I guess not. I’m proud of you, little brother.” He slings his arm around Adam’s neck and pulls him close. “Show me your place.”
“What? No.” Adam shoves him off, but it’s playful. “It’s covered in snow and basically just cement at the moment.”
“Oh, I can see some of the structure from here,” J says as he looks out over where Adam’s home is being built. I know it hasn’t come along nearly as much as he’d like. Winter hit early, but he doesn’t need to be ashamed.
He should be damn proud. How many people build their own houses from the ground up these days?
“Come on, Adam. Let’s show them.” I say, hoping he doesn’t get mad, but I’m proud as hell of him, and I want to show off his work too.
He only looks at me with affection as he nods and leads us all toward the soon-to-be home. Which yes, is currently covered in snow. But I’ve seen the plans for the house, and looking at it now, I can picture it.
Dixon lets out a sharp whistle. “This is nice.”
Jameson elbows his man. “It is nice. It’s going to be great.” His eyes lock on Adam’s, and even Adam can’t be too surly toward his brother when he’s trying so damn hard.
We walk around the structure, and then Jameson rubs his chin with his gloved hand like he’s thinking something over.
“It’s going to be spring before we know it.”
Adam shrugs. “If Kansas decided to have an early spring. Or it’ll snow in April. Who the fuck knows?”
That makes Jameson smirk as he stares at the concrete with some wooden beams in place. “I’m just saying Garrison and I will help. But you should also hit up Oakley. The guy is practically salivating.”
“Oakley does landscaping,” Adam says as he stares at his home.
“You need to pay attention. He also builds porches and firepits. The dude is loud but handy.”
Garrison smiles at the mention of his best friend. “He even has his own crew now. I’m sure they’d come out and help. We could get this done before summer.”
Adam looks confused and maybe a little anxious at the thought. “Oakley?”
Jameson grins and wraps his arm around his brother again. “Yes, Oakley. He and Trav have hired on quite a lot of workers. I’m sure they could use the experience and have been bored as fuck this winter already.”
Adam frowns, but his eyes meet mine like he’s thinking it over. I mean, having the house done by summer would be incredible, but I know how important this house is to Adam. He wants it done his way.
“Oakley will come in like a wrecking ball and take over.”
“Hey, as much as I love that song too,”—Dixon starts with a bigass grin—“Oakley has grown up a lot. And it helps that Travis holds onto his balls most of the time. Keeps ’em in his pocket.”
I cringe, but surprisingly, Adam laughs. “I still can’t believe Oakley and Travis are together.”
“Happy as fuck too,” Jameson says with a big grin. “Let us help.”
I eye Adam, silently conveying his own sentiment back to him when he told me to let people help. He reads my mind because he frowns and then sighs with a nod. “Okay. Thank you. Only if they have the time and want to.”
