Aftermath by Bailey Bradford (most important books of all time txt) 📗

nerves like Lee had held him when Darren had broken down. He doubted Lee would go for that, though. “Okay, we can sleep on it and deal with it tomorrow.” Darren would have to tell Lee about Severo and hope Lee didn’t think they were all nuts. He had a feeling Severo, and maybe Laine, were the only ones who would believe them. If Lee didn’t believe him then Darren didn’t know what he’d do.

Lee’s hand rubbing at the small of his back drained some of the anxiety from Darren, the possessive gesture chasing off the last of the chill that had lingered in him after the weirdness in the motel. He led the way into the house. Lee tucked his fingers into Darren’s waistband and tugged. “Let me lock this.”

Darren was going to but it felt nice to have Lee taking charge. He waited while Lee locked the screen door first then closed and locked the heavy wooden door. Not that Darren thought the locks would do any good against whatever had come after them earlier. The deep frown turning down Lee’s mouth at the edges probably meant he was thinking the same thing.

The frown turned into a strained smile as Lee faced him. “Done.” He looked past Darren into the living room. Darren turned and looked as well. Over the past couple of months he’d gotten used to the crocheted throws that covered the couch and chair and the numerous porcelain knick-knacks that were set on just about every flat surface. The dark wood paneling would have made the place gloomy if there hadn’t been so many lamps.

“Did all this come with the place?”

Darren laughed as he waved a hand at the décor he privately thought of as old lady chic. “Yeah. I didn’t have anything other than the clothes on my back when Virginia picked me up on 97 and brought me to McKinton.”

Lee’s mouth tipped down again at the corners as he rubbed at his forehead as if it ached. “I wish I had found you sooner. I tried. I got out of the military and went back to Jackson and you were gone. Mom and Dad were already in the process of moving up to Idaho to be near her family. No one knew where you were or what happened to you.” Lee stopped rubbing and gently cupped Darren’s cheek. “What happened to you, Darren? Where were you these last two years?”

Darren was already rung out and the questions only made him feel more emotionally vulnerable than he already did. All he really wanted to do was shower and sleep—eating could wait, but Lee deserved answers since he’d been trying to find Darren for so long.

“Come into the kitchen. We’ll fix some sandwiches and I’ll tell you everything.” Lee was probably hungry, and Darren would eat, too. It wouldn’t take him long to tell his tale.

“All right, I appreciate it. You don’t seem eager to talk about it, but I’d like to hear anything you’re willing to tell me.”

Darren took Lee’s hand, hoping it was okay to do so. Lee linked his fingers through Darren’s and smiled, and Darren lit up inside like he had his own personal sun. “It’s just that there’s not much to tell. It’s kind of pathetic, really,” Darren said as he walked beside Lee until they came to the kitchen. He started to pull his hand free—they wouldn’t fit through the doorway, not with Lee’s broad shoulders.

Lee shook his head and kept Darren’s hand in his, swinging them just a little. “I like this.”

Darren did too, but— “It’ll be hard to fix dinner like this. Dangerous too, if there’s any knives involved.”

“You have a couple of good points.” Lee let go of his hand and Darren preceded him into the kitchen.

Darren gestured to the battered wooden chairs at the table. “Have a seat and I’ll get the stuff out.”

“If you’re sure you don’t want me to help.”

“I am.” Darren went to the cabinets first and took out two clean plates. He set them on the table then strode to the refrigerator. “All I’ve done the past two years until settling here in McKinton was scrape by. I’ve been homeless, hungry and a bunch of other unpleasant things, but I came out okay. I left Jackson right after Stefan’s funeral—literally. Mom was gone, Stefan, and I couldn’t face running into your folks since I’d let Stefan down so badly.”

“You didn’t, Dar, I told you he was busy with someone else. He wasn’t sitting at home thinking you abandoned him.” Lee’s voice had a sharp edge to it that put Darren on the defensive, although he really liked it when Lee called him ‘Dar’, almost as much as he liked it when Lee called him ‘baby’.

“I did, especially if Stefan was hanging around someone else,” Darren said firmly as he opened the refrigerator and started pulling out condiments. “I should have known who it was, and made sure they weren’t going to hurt Stefan.” Lee would eventually realize Darren was at fault no matter what had happened to Stefan. Darren was supposed to take care of his friend. He hadn’t. That was what would drive Lee away from him.

“Darren, I told you—”

“I know what you told me,” Darren said, adding lunchmeat and cheese to the items already gathered. “And I’m too tired to argue about it.”

“Then don’t.”

“Jesus!” Darren yelped, bobbling everything he was holding. He hadn’t heard Lee walk up behind him, and the man had probably scared a decade off Darren’s life. “Don’t do that! Especially after a night when sheets attack!”

“It’s a habit,” Lee muttered as he reached around Darren to grab some of the load. “Now stop changing the subject.”

Darren spun around and glared at Lee. “I’m not changing the subject. You snuck up on me and scared the crap out of me.”

Lee’s lips twitched and he shook his head. “It just occurred to me that I haven’t heard you cuss, not even once. You don’t, do you?”

“Mom didn’t