James was nearly twenty-one years old. He paid all the bills for him and Scott. Made sure Scott had everything he needed for school. James took on all the worries so Scott could use his brilliant brain to figure out how to save the oceans or whatever shit that his twin was constantly droning on about.
“Guy is an asshole,” James commented quietly. He might not like Jacob but James wasn’t a rude person. Add in the fact that Jacob was the most attractive man that James had ever seen just made the professor’s assholeness even worse.
“He’s a millionaire who spends his time teaching college students. He can’t be that bad,” Jackson replied.
James grunted. “You don’t live in his backyard.” While James loved the view, Jacob was that hot, James also went out the way to avoid Jacob. It was just safer that way.
“That’s true.” Jackson rocked back on his heels. “He does call Michael weekly with an update.”
Just hearing the words pissed him off. James took a deep breath, knowing that it wouldn’t do him any good to complain. This was his life now. The only solution was if they found another place to live. James had stopped looking after the first few months of having to live next to the professor. The rental prices in this town were crazy. Forget actually owning something in town. James could work five jobs and wouldn’t have enough money saved for a house of his own.
Surf City catered to the university students and the surfing community. It was a gorgeous city with lots of open space but very few rental properties or apartments. The only options were the beach houses on the coastline. The very expensive beach houses.
“So what are you going to do with two weeks alone?” Jackson asked with a nudge to James’s arm, drawing James’s attention once again.
“Work,” James replied. That was what he spent most of his time doing anyway.
“All work and no play makes James a dull boy,” Jackson teased.
“Dude,” James groaned. “Really?”
“I’ve noticed the hot eye candy walking around,” Jackson said. “Not a bad view. Surely there’s been someone who’s caught your eye.”
Very deliberately James did not glance back toward the professor. There was no way that Jackson could know aboutthe dirty thoughts James had about Jacob Lambert. “Does my brother know that you look at other men?” James asked. He would never complain about the half-naked men that ran around in the summer. Nothing wrong with looking. He’d never seen Jacob even dress casually and never dressed for the beach. The professor probably never even enjoyed the beach. That would be fun and Jacob probably didn’t know the meaning of that word.
“Who do you think was with me and pointed out the hottest ones?” Jackson replied with a grin.
That was not something James ever wanted to think about. It was close to knowing that your parents had sex. Yuck!
“Go pull my brother away and get him in the vehicle,” James ordered. He pushed Jackson where Finn had joined Jacob, Michael, and Scott looking over the professor’s garden. Like why did five grown men need to look that intently at plants?
James followed slowly, dragging his feet but stopped to pick up the trash bag that Jacob had left on the ground. He carried the bag toward the trash bins that were stashed under the stairs up to the apartment. James was the one that took the bins to the curb to be emptied every Monday and Thursday.
James dropped the professor’s trash inside and replaced the lid of the bin as Michael squeaked.
He turned in time to see Jackson running to the SUV with Michael thrown over his shoulder.
James laughed as Michael squirmed in Jackson’s hold. Scott was running behind them as Finn and Jacob brought up the rear.
“We’re never get on the road if you don’t stop giving the professor tips on gardening,” Jackson was saying. “I was promised those cinnamon rolls from the diner by the interstate.”
“Cinnamon rolls!” Scott did a little dance all the way to the back driver door.
James was just glad to see that his family was finally headed toward the vehicle.
“Wait! I need one more hug!” Michael was kicking his feet.
Jackson turned to face James.
James rushed forward and grabbed Michael’s upside-down face and kissed his forehead. “Seriously, I will see you in a few weeks when you bring Scott back.”
Michael gave a lopsided grin. “Don’t miss us too much.”
“Just for being a brat, I’m letting Jackson borrow the bike when you come back,” James threatened.
“No! You promised,” Michael yelled.
Jackson cackled and slapped Michael’s ass.
