Ever the Same (8 page)

“I did it!” Grainger grinned, the wiggly tooth in the front almost out, dark eyes lit up with happiness.

“You did.”

“I like that song,” Randi said, mouth full of gingersnap.

Grainger beamed, looking like he was going to bust open.

Lord, those two were thick as thieves. “Miss Randi did real well today. So did Sara.”

“Did you have fun, Bumblebee?”

“Uh-huh. Mr. Audie said Sarge could be just mine to ride.”

“Really?” Dixon’s brows drew down. “That means you have to take care of him too. Right, Audie?”

“Well, I’ll see to his day-to-day for now, but yeah. I’ll expect you to groom and bathe and all, kiddo. Clean his tack.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Oh, Bumblebee. I don’t know if we can promise that right now.”

“Daddy! Daddy, no. Don’t say that!”

“Why don’t you guys all go help Grace in the kitchen, huh?” He wanted to make sure Dixon knew he wasn’t asking for anything, money or commitment or whatever.

They all scrambled, gathering dishes with a clatter.

He chuckled when they fled. “They think we’re fixing to argue.”

“Are we? That sounds like a lot of work.”

“I think so too.” Audie leaned his elbows on his knees. “Sarge is an old boy, man. He’s great for her to ride another couple of years, and she can care for him whenever she can come. Make her feel important. I don’t need anything else from her, really.”

“You sure? Because there’s a limit to my mobility, you know? Mom and Dad do their best, but…. Well, you know.”

“No, I get it.” He reached out to touch Dixon’s leg. “Hey, do you want to go to lunch tomorrow. Or supper? I don’t want to be weird, but it’s your birthday.”

“Oh.” Dixon grinned. “I’m having lunch with the folks, then they’re heading off for square dancing. I can have Dalton order a pizza.”

“That would be cool. Hell, he could drop Randi off over here. Grace would love to have Sara occupied for a couple of hours.” How tickled was he that Dixon said yes? Silly, to get so het up over a friendly birthday supper.

“If you don’t think she’d mind, sure. Sure, I’d love it.”

“Daddy!” Randi came bouncing out. “Can me and Sara spent the night tomorrow? Please?”

Dixon chuckled. “If Sara’s momma says so. Audie and I are going to have supper.”

“With me? I like supper.” Grainger looked so hopeful.

“No, kiddo. But maybe Gracie will get y’all pizza.”

“I like pizza, but we could all go out, just us boys….”

“Sorry, bud.” Audie glanced at Dixon, hoping the man wouldn’t object. “Next time, okay?”

“Next time the girls have a night, I swear, we’ll have a guys’ night.” Dixon smiled, reaching out to touch Grainger’s shoulder and doing pretty good.

“Oh cool! Can we have shrimps? I love shrimps.”

“We’ll go to Red Lobster, huh?” Grainger thought that was the fanciest place ever.

“Oooh!”

Dixon was barely holding his shit together, cheeks bright red.

“Hey, why did you start wearing the dark glasses?” Thank God Grace asked so he didn’t have to.

“The sun makes them strain and that gives me vicious headaches.”

“Well, good on you, then.” Grace winked at Audie. “We’ll definitely do pizza, Grainger. Breadsticks too.”

“Okay. Can we watch cartoons now?”

“Sure, bud.” Audie grinned when the kids ran inside.

“God, they’re exhausting.” Grace plopped down in a chair. “Don’t worry, Dixon. Duke is watching them. That dog will herd them right back to the TV.”

“I really appreciate y’all. You’ve made a huge difference for my girl.”

“Grainger is so much better too. And Sara thinks Randi hung the moon.” Grace put her feet up.

“It’s a good deal.” Audie liked the whole arrangement. “You okay with watching them all tomorrow night?”

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s cool. When my guy comes home, I’ll make you pay me back.”

“You know it. I’ll make sure you get a date night.” Wait. Did he just say that? He hoped it didn’t freak Dixon out.

“I’ll hold you to that. Dixon, you want some more tea?”

“Thank you, please.”

“Me too.” He gave Gracie a wide-eyed look. If he was saying stupid shit now, how would he make it through tomorrow night?

Gracie didn’t help at all. She just waggled her eyebrows at him.

“Stop making faces at each other.”

Him and Gracie both stared at Dixon. “How did you know?” he asked.

“I can hear you holding your breath, and you’re siblings.”

“We are that.” Grace chuckled. “We’re pretty close.”

“I am to my brother, Dan. He’s in the Air Force, deployed.”

“Yeah? I know Dalton is a hoot. What’s Dan like?” Audie wanted to know everything.

Dixon’s head tilted. “He’s completely different from me. Stronger, less emotional, but I think he’s probably kinder. I get frustrated.”

“There’s one more, right?”

“Damon. He’s at UT fucking every woman he sees and living the Frat boy life.” Dixon’s eyes went wide, eyebrows lifting up above the little round glasses. “Oh shit. I’m sorry, that was crass.”

Grace hooted. “It’s honest. Hell, we’ve got a sister he should meet.”

“How old is he?” Audie grinned, hoping that was delicate enough to figure out how old Dixon was.

“Damon is twenty, Dalton is seventeen. I’m thirty-three, Dan is thirty-one.”

“Dude, you’re old,” Audie teased. “I’m the baby. Twenty-five.”

“You have no idea.” For a second Dixon looked almost unbearably lost, in pain, but then the expression faded. “You’re just a baby.”

“Hey, it’s not the age, it’s the mileage,” Gracie said. “Audie has more than his share of that.”

“Hey!” Audie popped her. “I haven’t been that bad!”

“I didn’t say that, Bro. I said you’ve had some moments.”

Audie glanced at Dixon, who smiled, looking a little bemused. Yeah, not as many moments as Dixon, he’d bet.

“I have nothing to say to that, man. I got all my living done.” Dixon sounded so sure about that, bittersweet.

Mouth dropping open, Audie shook his head. “Don’t say that, man. You have a lot to do left.”

Dixon chuckled softly. “I’m the current king of relying on the kindness of strangers.”

“You’ll get there.” Audie knew there were all kinds of ways for blind folks to learn to cope. He’d googled it. Problem was, Dixon would have to go to Dallas, at the closest, to get to those resources. Hell, he wanted to know why Dixon didn’t have a goddamn dog. Weren’t blind folks supposed to have dogs?

“So, where are y’all going to supper tomorrow?” Gracie asked.

“It’s Dixon’s birthday.”

“Finger foods are easiest. No pizza. I’m so sick of pizza.”

“How about that Zanata place? They have pizza, but they do all sorts of Mediterranean finger food. Or Gloria’s is Salvadorian.” Audie wracked his brain, trying to remember places in Rockwall that weren’t El Chico’s or Culpepper’s. The Oar House, maybe?

“Salvadorian? Let’s try Zanata’s. I love a good feta cheese. Salty, squeaks in your teeth.” It was easy to forget that Dixon was worldly, had experienced a ton. Audie had never been out of Northeast Texas, really, though he’d ventured farther than a lot of folks in this town.

“Did you grow up in Austin?” Grace asked.

“Outside of it. Wimberley. I went to UT, met Ron, we lived all over the place for his job, then we came back to Austin.”

“Tell me all the places you went.” Gracie had gotten the short end of the military wife stick. She hadn’t gotten to see any of the neat places in the States, let alone overseas.

“We were in London for a couple of years, Tokyo for six months. Then we stayed in Boston and Toronto. That’s where we were married. Toronto.”

“Wow.” Audie thought London would be cool to see. “I’ve been to Dallas, you know? Gracie here went to DC once.”

“Ron loved to travel, but I could work in Austin, and we decided it was time to start our family. He was ten years older than me, so….”

“So, ancient,” Gracie said, deadpan as anything, but Audie knew better. He cracked up.

“I know, right? My own personal sugar daddy.” Oh, Dixon could tease right along.

Gracie hooted. “We should all be so lucky.”

Audie snorted. “Not likely around here, man.”

“I’m too old for that now, anyway. Ten years ago? Twelve? I was a catch.”

Audie bit his lip against telling Dixon he still was. That would just be pushing stupid on stupid.

Dalton’s Pontiac pulled up, and the kid popped out. “Official limo service here.”

“Be nice, asshat. I pay your gas.”

“Totally. Where’s the rugrat?” It was something, those guys looked nothing alike. Nothing.

“She’s watching cartoons. Right up your alley, Dal.”

“Dude,
Ben 10
? I can hear it. Rock on.”

“You’re bizarre and inappropriate.” Dixon was grinning, though.

“I’ll get Randi,” Gracie said, rising and heading inside.

“Do you want me to pick you up, or will Dalton bring you and Randi over tomorrow?”

“Dude. Friday night. You totally know the rules.” Ah, to be a teenager again.

Dixon rolled his eyes. “Do you mind picking me up?”

“Not at all. I can drop Randi off here, and we can go, huh?” He couldn’t bitch at Dalton. Friday night rules were probably the reason they were doing lunch with the family instead of supper, and Dixon was free.

“Cool.”

“Thanks, man. I got a date with Joanne, and she…. I am totally into her.”

“Of course you are.” Dixon grinned. “She’s a nice girl, Dalton.”

“Dude. Don’t. ‘Nice girl’ from the queer big brother? Totally kiss of death.”

Audie snorted. “Hey, I thought Gracie’s husband was a good guy, and even told her. Of course, I was the younger brother.”

“Yeah, but what does a queer guy know about girls?” Dalton could roll those eyes.

“Good point.”

“Uncle Dalton!” Randi came running, her little boots pounding. She was so proud of those cute pink beauties. “I have a horse now of my own!”

“No shit?”

“Dal!”

“I mean, really?”

“Yep. Mr. Audie says so. Daddy, Mr. Audie, can I show Dalton Sarge?”

Dixon looked panicked, but Dalton looked pretty at ease.

“Sure honey. You need me to come whistle him up?”

“Please!” Randi danced. “Daddy, come too!”

Dixon stood, and Audie put the man’s hand on his arm. They were getting good at navigating the steps, and he’d taken Dixon all over the property.

“Wow, look at your daddy go. He’s motivating.” Dalton sounded surprised.

Randi cackled like a miniature bird. “Audie is good for him.”

Audie’s cheeks burned. Oh. Oh damn, man. Dalton could no doubt see his hot face, unlike his brother.

Thank God, Dalton didn’t say a word, which he appreciated. They headed out to the pasture, Randi climbing up on the fence. “Sarge! Sargie-Pargie!”

Audie waited to see if Sarge would come for her, having just been let loose half an hour ago. Damned if the big old gelding didn’t come trotting right up to the fence, letting Randi breathe into his nose.

“Oh, Uncle Dal. See? See, this is my goodest boy.”

“Dude, he’s huge.”

“He knows who’s boss, though. He adores her.” Audie felt like Dixon needed to know that.

“Daddy, give me your hand.”

Dixon reached for her.

“Now, you have to pet careful. He likes it when you stroke his nose.” She moved Dixon’s hand so gently, and Sarge took it like a champ, half-dozing.

“He’s the prettiest and best boy ever, and he’s so sweet.”

“He has a great nose,” Dixon agreed.

“Granny is going to shit a pink twinkie at the size of him, Randi.” Dalton wasn’t helping.

“She doesn’t have to see him.” Randi got mutiny face. “He’s gonna live here still.”

“Don’t tease, Dal. It’s not nice.” Oh, Dixon had Big Brother voice.

“Yeah, yeah.” Dalton moved carefully, sliding up to Sarge to hold out his finger. “Hey, big guy. You are so not a llama.”

“Nope. He’s a horse, silly.”

“Well, he’s neat. You guys ready to go, Dix?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure Mom wants us for dinner.”

“You know it. Thanks for showing me the horse, Randi. Thanks to Audie too.”

He had to say, Dalton was polite.

“I get to spend the night here tomorrow too. Did you know?”

“I might have heard.” Dalton took Dixon’s hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “Come on, Bro.”

“Holler about tomorrow,” Dixon called.

It was surprisingly weird, not being the one to lead Dixon. Audie had the urge to tell Dalton to watch the holes right where the yard started, but Dixon must have said something, because they managed it well, Randi skipping along on her daddy’s other side.

Sarge nipped his pocket, and he grinned. “Sorry, boy. I forgot to give you your treat.”

He fed Sarge his carrot bit, scratched an ear.

“You’re getting pretty hot for him, huh?” Gracie wandered down, waving a hand when he frowned. “Sara and Grainger are sound asleep in front of the TV.”

“I am. It’s completely stupid, isn’t it?”

“Nope. I mean, maybe a little fast, considering. But not stupid. I like him.”

“I do too. He’s… I don’t know. There’s something about him.”

She nodded, then hugged him quickly. “It’s good to see you take an interest in someone, Audie.”

“Yeah? You rock, Sister. I just… man. He’s something else.”

She chuckled. “Just step carefully, huh? He’s a little broken.”

“You think? A blind gay widower who lives with his folks?”

“Smartass.” She whapped his arm.

“Better than being a dumbass.”

They laughed together, looping arms and heading for the house.

Audie was already looking forward to supper tomorrow. Way too much to be safe.

Chapter 8