Chapter Eleven
Bryan made it three weeks before he called in sick and took to his bed. His belly hurt, deep down, a violent ache that simply wouldn’t fade, so he turned off his phone, turned on his headphones and went to sleep. If this was being in love, fuck it.
He woke up to pounding on his front door.
“Go ‘way.” He didn’t feel good.
“Bry? Come on, man. Let me in so I don’t have to use my key.” That was Shae. “I saw your bike in the garage and wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“Go ‘way. Sick.” He didn’t want to give this to anyone. “I’ll be fine.”
He heard the lock open with a loud thunk. Damn it, Shae never could listen.
“I’m coming in!”
“Shae, go ‘way. Seriously, man. I’m sick.”
“I can see that, you look like hell warmed over.”
He looked up to find Shae at the door to his bedroom, Jake behind him.
Jake grunted. “I’m going to call Deke.”
“Deke’s at work. Don’t bother him.” Besides, he’d practically thrown the guy out on his ass and then ignored about five hundred phone calls and texts. The last thing Deke was going to do was drop everything and come running because Bryan wasn’t feeling well. Never mind that Deke was a crazy asshole.
Jake had his phone in his hand, though, and wandered away.
Shae came in. “I’m going to run you a bath and make you something to eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” He was tired, bone deep.
“You have to have protein, though. Tell you what, I’ll make you a shake with some of that protein powder of yours. You can drink it while in the bath.” Shae patted his arm, then went into his en suite, and a moment later he heard the water running.
Pushy asshole. Seriously. Both of them.
God, he hurt. Everything hurt.
Shae and Jake came back into the room at the same time. “Deke says he’ll be here as soon as he can, but it’s going to be tomorrow evening at the earliest.”
“Asshole,” muttered Shae.
“Hey, he can’t just pick up and leave.” Jake crossed his arms.
“Bryan is sick, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“How could I not notice? He looks like the walking dead.”
And he was right here, being talked over like he wasn’t even in the room. “Deke is working.” Deke had dumped him in the most spectacular way possible. “I’m not a child. Go away.”
“Jake, carry him to the bath, love?”
“What?” He looked at Shae with wide eyes.
“You got it, love.” Jake came over and picked him up like he was a baby.
“Naked here!”
“It’s okay, I promise I’m not looking.” Jake carried him to the bathroom and set him down in the big tub.
“Thank you.” Shae gave Jake a kiss on the cheek, then handed Bryan a glass. “Drink this. I swear it will help. I swear.”
Shae had lost his mind, playing nursemaid like this, but Bryan took the drink, sniffed it. Strawberry and banana. Okay.
He took a sip and his stomach cramped. “Oh, I don’t know...”
Shae rubbed his back. “Try small sips. You need the protein and this is easier on your stomach than steak.”
Jake grunted. “Yeah, protein’ll help.”
“Huh? Were you two sick too?”
“Yep.” Jake kissed the top of Shae’s head. “You want me for anything else? It’s kind of weirding me out sitting here watching my brother’s naked lover taking a bath. Not that I’m looking, Bryan. I swear I didn’t see a thing.”
“No, honey. Go on. I’ll make sure he eats and gets back into bed. Can you make sure they have everything they’ll need for the next bit?”
Was Shae even speaking English?
“You got it.” Jake gave Shae another kiss before taking off with a wave at him. “It’ll be all right, man.”
“I just have a bug,” he insisted. Jake and Shae had lost their damn minds.
“I don’t know, honey. I think there might be something else going on here. Deke’ll be here soon. He’ll help.”
Oh, God. He wanted that, more than anything. He hated that he did, after what had happened, but lord help him, he did. “He’s going to think I’m a jackass.”
“I doubt that. Have another sip or two.”
“I miss him.” Wait. He hadn’t meant to say that. It was the truth, despite everything, but he totally hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
“I can imagine you do. It’d make me crazy if Jake had to go away.” Shae shivered.
“Well, we’ll have to get used to it.”
“Or move in together,” Shae mentioned casually, holding the straw to his lips.
Right, like that was going to happen. Deke was a crazy man. Sexy, hot as fuck, completely crazy and God help him, Bryan loved him. Even after their crazy-assed last few moments together.
This sip of the protein shake went down easier.
“Keep up the sips and you’ll have it finished in no time.” Shae sat on the john.
“You’re being a mother hen.”
“Yeah. Given the circumstances I think I can be forgiven.”
“I’m totally getting fired, man.” God, he kept saying things. They popped out of his mouth without thought.
“Because you’re taking a sick day or two?” Shae shrugged. “If that’s their attitude, fuck ‘em.”
That was easy for Shae to say, but he’d been useless for days. Ever since Deke had gone, really. He couldn’t even stand up straight yesterday. They had to think he was both useless and crazy.
“Keep drinking,” Shae insisted.
Pushy worrywart.
Still, each sip settled easier than the one before and soon the glass was empty.
Shae took the glass from him with a smirk. “Told you.”
“Shut up, butthead.”
“Now I know you’re feeling better.” Shae sashayed out.
Bryan rolled his eyes and lay back, groaning as the hot water eased his muscles. “I let myself get down, that’s all.”
“You should come stay at ours tonight. So you don’t have to be alone.”
“I’m fine. I’m going to go to bed and stay there. Sleep. Deke doesn’t have to come look after me.”
Deke. Just saying his name hurt.
“That’s not my call, man.” Shae grinned. “But I bet he comes. In fact I’d bet any amount that he’ll be here.”
“I’ll text him. Tell him I’m okay.” He didn’t need to—why would Deke come after the things he’d said?
“Uh-huh. I’m still making that bet.”
If he wasn’t hurting like he was, he’d have beaten Shae’s ass.
“Relax. I know this is hard to understand right now, but it will all start to make sense soon.”
What the fuck was Shae talking about?
“I’m serious. I’ve been where you are, and I think I was better prepared.”
Maybe he was sicker than he thought because it was like Shae was speaking gibberish. Shae looked totally serious, though, like what he was saying made perfect sense. So it had to be him.
“I’ll be fine.” Right?
“Of course you will. It’ll take some practice, but you’ll get it.”
Right. Okay. “I’m going to head back to bed, man.”
“I can get Jake to carry you again if you want.”
He shook his head and grumped, “I can do it.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll get you tucked in and then swing by in a couple of hours with another protein shake.”
“I’m okay, man, really.”
Shae laughed softly. “I know. But I think we’re family now. Indulge me.”
“Family...” He shook his head. Given the whole “I’m a dragon” routine Deke had pulled before leaving, Bryan doubted they were still together. Anyway, it didn’t matter at the moment. Right now he wanted to sleep.
Shae wrapped a towel around him when he got out of the tub and headed back to bed. He was still exhausted and hurting, but he had to admit, both the soak in the tub and the shake had eased things a little. Not that he was going to tell Shae that. Shae tucked him in like he was a child, and he whimpered. His head was throbbing.
“I’ll be okay, man. I swear.”
“I know. You have to make it ’til tomorrow when Deke gets back.”
“I promise, I’ll survive.” No one died of a sore belly and a little heartache.
“You will.” Shae patted his shoulder. “Give me a shout if you want anything before I come back with that shake.”
“I’m fine. Thank you, though. You’re a good friend.” A weird friend, but a good one.
“I know.” Shae headed off and Bryan would swear he thought he heard a laughing “brothers-in-law” as he drifted back into sleep.