I sat on the bed, and Collins joined me. “You guys really are different.”
We were. There was no doubt about that, but we also weren’t. Somehow, Brax got me. And he was easy to talk to. I couldn’t imagine sharing the shit about my dad with anyone but him. “He’s cool. You know me, I wouldn’t be spending so much time with him if he wasn’t.”
“Oh shit. Langley’s in love.” All three of them started singing Ty loves Brax. I shook my head but couldn’t help smiling.
“Thanks, guys. I appreciate the support. I gotta go, though. We’re going to see his grandma.”
“Wow. You really are on lockdown. Family visits?” Watty asked.
“She’s badass.” She was.
I finished packing my bag. I was staying at Brax’s tonight. The test we’d been studying for all week was tomorrow, and I knew how important it was for him to do well on it—and not only because he had to keep his grades up for his scholarships so he could afford school.
When I arrived at his place, Brax was already waiting outside for me. “Sorry. The guys bombarded me before I left.”
“It’s all good. You know you don’t have to come…or stay at my place tonight. I’m not that guy who’s going to keep you from your friends.”
“But then you’ll miss me while I’m gone,” I teased, and he surprised me by pressing a quick kiss to my lips.
“Grandma will want to see you, I guess.”
“Of course. And you too, admit it. You like having me around.” He answered by putting the helmet on my head and strapping it. “Also, you like to spoil people.”
He didn’t even try to deny it.
Brax drove us to his grandma’s. Her eyes lit up when he walked in, and then she smiled when she saw me. “You’re back.”
“I am. I taught Brax to play lacrosse so he would bring me. He’s terrible.”
“Braxton Alexander Walker, you be nice to him. Ty can come and see me anytime he wants.” She playfully swatted him.
“Okay, but don’t you see why I didn’t want to get the two of you together again? It becomes the gang-up-on-Braxton hour.”
“Be nice, and we won’t have to,” I replied. Matilda gave me a high five.
“Let’s go outside. I want to show off my boys. Plus, it’s a beautiful day.”
Brax went to her closet and pulled out a sweater. “It’s a little windy, so let’s get this on you first.”
I watched as he helped her in it, my heart doing this foreign thud-thud that sounded suspiciously like Brax-ton. When he went for her wheelchair next, I took Matilda’s arm and guided her to it.
“I can do it myself, but I’ll never turn down a handsome man’s help,” she playfully flirted.
“And I’ll never deny a hand to a beautiful lady.” I gave her my best smile.
“Flirt,” Brax teased.
We headed for the hallway. The first person we saw was a tall Black man in scrubs, and Matilda said, “Hello, Jamal. You’ve met my grandson Braxton. This is his boyfriend, Ty.”
I stiffened, my gaze darting to Brax, who seemed about three seconds away from throwing up. It was one thing for my mom who lived across the country to think we were boyfriends, but something entirely different for his grandma to believe it. I tried to tell him with my gaze that it was okay, and then shook Jamal’s hand. Brax recovered quickly and offered a hello of his own.
Every person we met, Matilda introduced me as Brax’s boyfriend, and every time we went along with it. The three of us settled under a tree outside, and she told me more stories about Brax growing up. When it started to cool off more, we made our way back inside. I ended up organizing a game of Pictionary with the residents, then judged an impromptu dance competition, and damn, did some of them have moves. When one of the women scratched herself, I helped her clean and bandage it before saying, “All better.” I was pretty sure she blushed.
We played board games and cards, and before I knew it, evening arrived and we’d spent damn near the whole day there.
“We should head out,” Brax finally said. “We have a test tomorrow to study for.”
“Do we have to?” I asked in unison with Matilda’s, “Do you have to?” and we both dissolved in a fit of laughter.
“What am I gonna do with the two of you?” Brax asked.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Like the last time we were there, Brax didn’t say much as we drove back to his place. When we arrived got my bag out of my car, and we went inside. “You like pizza? I can order us a pizza. Shit, I didn’t ask if you wanted to go out and grab something.” He appeared uncharacteristically shy, which was cute as fuck.