The gears started rolling in my head. I didn’t know how I would do it, or who I could get to help me, but goddammit, we had to get these two out of here. No one deserved to live like this.
“When she works overnight, does she have to leave you alone?” I whispered.
Instead of answering, he looked away.
“I’m not trying to get anybody in trouble, Jax. I just wanna know.”
“She tries not to. But she’s an assistant manager, so if somebody calls in, she hasta cover for them. I either go with her, or we just lock everything up tight.”
“Okay.”
I wondered if any of the locks in this place could withstand even a minor hip check, let alone a boot.
Focus, Rowd.
“So, football,” I said, keeping my voice low. “That’s a direction that we can go in.”
Jaxon gave me a disbelieving look. “That’s way too expensive. There’s no way we could afford the gear.”
“Let’s not totally dismiss it out of hand. I’m sure there’re organizations that help. If I could find sponsorship for the gear, would you be interested?”
He bit his lip. “Maybe.”
The uncertain sliver of hope in his voice made me clench my fists against a world that would have him believe that this sort of existence was all he could expect out of life. Only when the plastic crinkled in my tightening grip did I remember I was holding shopping bags.
“Here,” I said, shoving them into Jaxon’s hands. “Another couple pairs of shoes. They aren’t two-hundred-dollar kicks, but I figured you could probably use a few options.”
Reluctantly, he took the bags and looked inside.
“Just some sport slides, a pair of leather lace ups, and casual tennis shoes so that you don’t have to use the sportier ones when you’re just hanging around.”
“Thanks,” he whispered.
“If they’re not your style...”
“No, they’re nice.”
“How are you doing with clothes?” I asked, even as I noted that the hems on his worn jeans had been let out and still barely grazed his ankles.
He wrinkled his nose. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not worried. I’m asking.”
“Why do you care?” He glanced over at his mom again, then glared at me. “She’s not going to sleep with you.”
I stepped back. “Dude. What makes you think I sleep with women?”
He blinked. “Last time you hosted the youth group, you went on forever and a day about how the B in LGBTQ isn’t silent. I thought that meant...”
“I’m not bi. I’m super, super gay. Guys only.”
Jaxon took one step away from me, then another.
I raised my brows. “Guys only, as inadult menwho enjoy sleeping with othermen. Notchildren.”
Jaxon stiffened, and he looked at his mom again.
That was not good.
