Chapter Seventeen
Bas had to admit, his conversation with Dane had kept him preoccupied most of the following morning while waiting for everyone to wake up. Adam dragged a barely awake Ru out the door to meet his dad for a run at the Community Center before 7:00 a.m.
Tommy left a note that he’d gone home but would drop off Dane’s meds if he decided to stay or take him back to rehab if he needed to go. Paige was still asleep, flung across the bed in a far too revealing pink nightie that must have been Marissa’s. Bas had passed her open door only to throw a blanket over her and mostly shut the door.
Dane seemed to sleep okay. Bas hadn’t heard him moving around much, but he did check on him twice because his brain was just wired that way. The past two years of watching over his gran had left him a light sleeper.
He showered and headed to the kitchen to assess his grocery needs and possible breakfast options. At least Adam and Ru would get breakfast, and probably lunch, with Mr. Corbin. Two less mouths to feed.
Bas had a credit card that went to a trust fund his grandmother left him that he had not yet used. Even the new paint and repairs for the house he’d paid out of his own savings from summer jobs, tutoring, and the occasional babysitting.
If his house continued to have visitors, he’d be dipping into the trust fund sooner rather than later. He glanced through the fridge for the fifth time, not seeing anything. His brain stuck on Dane’s words from last night. What would Bas do if Dane did like him that way? Dane was right to ask if Bas were ready, because Bas was sure neither of them was. He didn’t want to be someone convenient. If Dane liked him just because he was supportive, that was fine. They could be friends but nothing more. Bas had had enough of one-sided relationships to last a lifetime. And he certainly didn’t want to be anyone’s experiment.
If he couldn’t get his brain focused, they’d all starve. He took a deep breath and went through the fridge shelf by shelf, then the pantry. Okay, he needed a major haul of groceries. The boys had nearly eaten him out of house and home. Bas put aside the last of the fruit for Dane, hot cereal for Paige, and took the last crumbs of the sugar cereal Tommy had been gnawing on last week for himself. No milk. He growled. It was unjust that the gay boy had to do all the shopping. Sure, helikedshopping, just not for groceries. He’d rather buy a new pair of tweed pants or a nice button-down. Not milk and bread.
Bas glared into the fridge one last time before slamming the door shut, only to find Dane staring at him from a few feet away. He put his hand to his heart, glad he hadn’t screamed like a girl.
“Don’t sneak up on a boy like that. You scared me.” He sighed, then said, “If you’re expecting sparkles and rainbows for breakfast, you’ve got the wrong guy. Morning person, I am not.” He sat down with his bowl of sugar crumb dry cereal and dug in. “Fruits and veggies in the drawer are for you.”
Dane ran his hands through his hair, making it stand up at crazy angles, as he opened the fridge himself and took out the stuff Bas had left for him. He even grabbed the container of peanut butter.
“What was that pale brown stuff you gave me yesterday? That was good.”
“Hummus?” Bas jotted the ingredients needed to make it on his paper. “I’ll get some supplies so I can make more. You finished it off last night.”
“Sorry,” Dane said, and he truly sounded sorry. He glared at the fruit like maybe he shouldn’t eat it.
“Eat. I left that stuff for you. I need to get groceries today. Having a half dozen growing boys running about the house may be most gay boys’ wet dream, but it’s also the quickest way to blast through groceries. I’m thinking I need a trip to the warehouse to stock up. I wonder if I can borrow one of the Corbins’ SUVs.”
“Warehouse?” Dane wondered.
“You’ve never been to Costco?”
Dane mouthed the word as if it were foreign to him.
“Think of it as a giant grocery store.” Bas scratched his head. If he stocked the pantry, filled the freezer and shelves that were tucked away in the basement, and refilled the fridge, he wouldn’t have to worry about food for a while. He’d just have to get more of the basics—fruits, veggies, milk, and bread—every week.
Gran had lived through the depression, and she’d stocked up like it still went on today. Bas had thrown out bags of food that were years past their expiration date, donated others that they’d never eat now that she was gone. He’d never been a fan of pickled anything.
“I’ll show you how to make hummus and that peanut butter you love so much.”
“There’s a warehouse for food? That sounds…magical and terrifying all at once.” Dane plowed through the fruit and finished off the peanut butter with a spoon. Bas added peanuts to his list so he could make some more like the Corbins did. It couldn’t be that hard. He had all the major appliances they did, and a fancy new kitchen.
He picked up his phone and dialed the Corbins’ house phone. He knew Mrs. C would be awake and home. She picked up on the second ring.
“Morning, Sebastian.”
Bas put it on speaker.
“Hey, Mrs. C. I’m in dire need of groceries and wondering if I can borrow your SUV to go to the warehouse. I have had a rash of hungry young men storming my house.”
“I can take you. With the guys gone, I don’t have much else going on, and I need some basics like peanuts and tomatoes. Is anyone else coming with? I can fold down the back seats for more room.”
Bas looked at Dane, who stared back at him. Dane sat close to him at the counter, not across the room at the table. He was wearing pajama pants and a basic T-shirt and looked good. Bas groaned to himself as memories of the previous night invaded his thoughts again. Did Dane like him? Could they be something? And why did he want so bad to at least try? He wasn’t the kind of person who needed to be with someone at all times.
“I have to get my friend Paige up. She’s going to the mall with Marissa today. And Dane is here with me. So we’ll either have to take him with or bring him back to rehab before we go.” Dane was shaking his head. Bas didn’t know why, but he’d question him soon enough.
“Okay. Give me a half an hour.”
