Even though his nose didn’t lie, seeing the spaghetti when he opened one of the containers still made his chest squeeze tight. They could have easily picked up fast food, but he refused to read more into it than Vincent choosing decent food over a burger joint.
He dropped into a chair and dug in, all but inhaling the noodles and garlic bread, plus the extra piece Vincent dropped into his container at some point. When he’d finished eating, he wasn’t quite as ready to bite the head off the next person who texted him. “Thanks,” he said softly, “but it wasn’t as good as yours.”
Vincent slanted him an amused look, and Jasper managed a cheeky grin even if it only lasted a few seconds. Once Vincent was done, Jasper gathered everything up to toss in the trash, then let Vincent tug him to the sofa, where he started a movie Jasper had added to their watch list.
Ten minutes in and Jasper slumped against Vincent’s side, blinking hard to stay awake. He didn’t remember losing the fight, but he woke up to Vincent nudging him.
“I can’t carry you up the stairs, pet.”
He grumbled in protest but stumbled up the stairs after Vincent, barely managing to get his pants off before face-planting on the bed.
Chapter 16
VINCENT SLEPTlater than usual. Seven was still too early, but when the fiery nightmares occasionally woke him only a few hours after closing his eyes, he’d take what he could get.
Jasper was still out cold, so Vincent lazed a bit longer, mentally preparing himself for the day, or more likely days, to come. If Jasper’s father was really in as bad shape as Amber said, they might not make it back to the cabin. Or even if they did, they’d still have to cut their vacation short. That would be disappointing, but he breathed through the irritation of having his plans interrupted.
Nothing he could do would change the situation. He’d done what he could to ensure Jasper was able to come back and hoped he got whatever answers or closure he needed. The only thing Vincent could do now was support Jasper, since it seemed his family was unable or unwilling to do that.
He’d suspected before that Jasper’s living arrangements weren’t ideal, merely the best he had available. Vincent could easily fix that, had already resisted the urge to do so a few times. But he worried a few months was far too soon to suggest living together. Or to provide Jasper with living accommodations, even if that thought made him feel like a pimp. He could give Jasper that if he needed it, though.
Minutes ticked into an hour, and then into two, and Vincent drifted back to sleep before Jasper stirred. He cracked an eye open when Jasper rolled over to octopus on to him.
“Do we have to get up?”
“Eventually.” Vincent slipped his hand under Jasper’s shirt and spread his fingers against his sleep-warm back. “Are you hungry?”
“Not really.”
“What can you stomach eating?”
“Spaghetti.”
Vincent snorted and lightly swatted Jasper’s ass. “Anything else?”
Jasper sighed as if he’d been told he had an essay due tomorrow. “I guess I could eat some toast.”
“Toast it is.” He would have gotten up then, but Jasper tightened his grip and refused to budge. “Changing your mind?” he asked after a long moment.
“No… I didn’t come all the way back for nothing.”
Vincent held his tongue against offering Jasper the choice to return to the cabin. If Jasper’s guilt had brought him this far, it’d be better for it to play out. He wasn’t willing to risk leaving in case that guilt got the better of him again. Instead he rolled to his side and pulled Jasper flush against himself. “Do you want to set a time to leave for today or wait and see after the visit?”
Jasper didn’t answer for long enough that Vincent suspected he’d fallen back asleep, but then he said, “Can you decide?”
“I can,” he replied slowly. He didn’t mind making whatever decisions Jasper needed, especially if he was overwhelmed. “In that case you go shower while I start breakfast.”
Jasper squeezed his arms even tighter and took a few deep breaths before letting go and crawling out of bed.
Vincent scrubbed a hand over his face, got ready for the day, and headed to the kitchen. The last of the bread had molded in the short time they’d been gone, so he tossed it and checked the fridge. There were a few eggs left that were still good, and the waffle mix would hopefully be an acceptable substitute for toast.
Jasper took longer than usual in the shower, and his hair was still dripping when he finally sat at the table. He poked at his food, but he dutifully took a few bites here and there.
They ate in silence, and Vincent waited for him to decide he didn’t actually want to go, but when no protest was forthcoming, he got them on the road. It was a short drive to the hospital, where Vincent led them up to the room number Amber had texted him.
He wasn’t quite prepared for the uncomfortable dread crawling along his nerves at being inside a hospital again, but he ignored it as best he could.
When they found the room, he knocked twice and cracked the door open, spotting Amber in a chair on the far side before stepping back to let Jasper in.
