“Mmm. That was just what I needed. Dig your bedroom.” Caleb lay flat on the bed and looked around.
Hawk knew his bedroom looked immaculate right now. Normally it would be a little less neat and organized, but he’d had his housekeeper come in and make sure everything had been cleaned and the sheets changed and that sort of thing before he and Caleb arrived.
The room had a massive king-size bed, natural wood dressers, and warm rugs and curtains that looked homey and easy on the eyes in pops of Southwest-y colors.
And easy on the butt if not on the knees.
Caleb curled up on his side, head on Hawk’s shoulder. “Thanks for bringing me here. I think it’s going to be a perfect place to rest for a few weeks.”
“So do I.” He stroked the hair on the back of Caleb’s neck and if he wished for more than a few weeks then he would keep that to himself for now. They could work the rest of that out later.
Twenty-Two
Caleb loved the place called Beau Jo’s as soon as he walked through the door.
Well, he clumped into the door because it was easier to get in there on crutches than it was on the knee scooter, but it was really decent of Hawk to haul all of his options around in the SUV.
“Oh my God it smells good in here.” He nudged Hawk with his elbow, trying not to overbalance on his crutches. “Look at this place.”
He loved local places like this that had creaky old wood and tons of signs advertising beer and pizza and snowboarding contests and hot springs. There was a wagon full of salad. Post-COVID salad bars were, like, impossible to find and this place had a saladwagon.
Hawk chuckled, hand on the small of his back. “Yeah, I love it here. It’s weird and quirky and it’s also totally environmentally sound.”
“Oh? Tell me about that.”
“There’s solar panels, and they do all sorts of things with water initiatives and recycling.”
“Hawk, dude.” One of the local ski patrol guys he knew came over and clapped Hawk on the back on the way by. “Good to see you here, Puck. We’re at the bar if you want to come join us.”
“No. I mean…” Hawk closed his eyes, and Caleb winced for him. There was that social awkwardness popping up again for the first time in a long time, he thought. “Thanks, Beck, but I’m here with Caleb. We’re going to have some lunch.”
“Yo, you’re Caleb Lancaster. Dude, you shredded on that last halfpipe. Sucks that you got hurt though. Alan Beckett. Nice to meet you.”
He tilted his head, staring at the guy who looked familiar. “I remember you. You won the downhill in Chamonix, like a couple years ago, huh?”
Alan shrugged, his hands out to his sides “Among other things, but then I blew out my hip. Now I’m a bum here. It’s good; it’s a good life.”
“So I understand.” Caleb leaned in closer, like he was sharing a deep secret. “This place has a salad wagon.”
Alan hooted. “I know. It’s awesome, huh? Anyway, you guys have fun. Puck, if you want to hang, let me know. We’ll do a beer one night with Caleb.”
“Sure absolutely. Totally.”
Hawk was officially babbling, and Caleb didn’t think it was because people were seeing them together. He didn’t hide who he was, and he knew Hawk didn’t either, so it was weird.
“Hi! Three?” The server who was manning the host stand finally came back and she grabbed menus.
“Just two,” Hawk spat out.
“I’m headed back to the bar.” Alan waved and walked off, laughing in a merry sort of way. He didn’t seem put out at all.
“Sorry about that.” Hawk said as they followed the host to a table.
Caleb glanced at him sideways. “You are straight-upfreaked out, babe. It’s because you don’t want them to know we’re together?”
“No. God, no, that’s not it. I’m just not willing to share you yet.” His gray eyes cut to him, looking a little stormy. “I feel kind of possessive. Is that weird?”
Caleb felt his cheeks stretch into a great big grin. “No, I don’t think that’s weird at all. In fact it’s kind of awesome. Uh, why does he call you Puck?” He sat down, trying not to thump because the last couple of inches were always a bitch without both legs.