After Jeff unlocked the door, they made their way inside. The smell of paint made Chad wrinkle his nose.“Sorry. I was painting the hallway the other night and I must have forgotten to leave the window open.”
“No problem. I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you take a seat? What window do you want me to open?”
Chad moved to the brown leather sofa he’d purchased only a week ago and gently lowered himself into a sitting position. “Open the window over the kitchen sink. That should air out the place pretty quickly.”
Jeff made his way into the kitchen. “Do you want me to get you anything from the fridge while I’m in here?”
A beer sounded great, but it was still morning, and besides that, he was on pain pills. “A cola, if I have any. Grab yourself something, too.”
Jeff came back with a Coke in his hand and handed it to Chad.
“Thanks. You didn’t want anything?”
“Nah. I’m fine.” Jeff made himself comfortable in the recliner next to the sofa. He glanced around and smiled. “I came to the open house they had here a few months back. It looks good. New floor?” he asked, tapping his shoe on the hardwood.
“Yeah. I finished installing it last week. I wanted hardwood throughout the first floor. I’m still looking for a rug. I want something unique. Warm. Not just another run-of-the-mill rug from a big-box store, you know?”
Jeff nodded. “You need to check out Casper’s.”
The name rang a bell, but he couldn’t place it. He raised an eyebrow at Jeff as he took a swig.
“It’s an old store, but he’s been around forever. Over on 47th Street. Next to Apple Grove Antiques. They’ve got one-of-a-kinds and he won’t kill you on the price.”
“Thanks. I’ll check that out.” He took another swig and glanced at Jeff, who looked good sitting in Chad’s house. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
Jeff shrugged. “I’m an open book.”
“Why do they call it Apple Grove? I keep wanting to ask someone, but I don’t want to sound ignorant. I mean, don’t apples grow in orchards?”
Jeff laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. There’s an old rumored story about that, but I’m not really sureif it’s true. See, the founder sent in his request for the town to be called Apple Orchard Township, but the state said they already had a city with the name Orchard in it, so without even asking, they renamed it Apple Grove.”
“Wow. Kind of stupid, huh?”
“Yeah. But it stuck.”
Chad shifted and groaned as his ribs protested the movement.
“You need your pain pills,” Jeff said. “I’ll bet they’ll be ready early. I’m going to head out. Want anything else?”
Chad shook his head. “Will you fish my wallet out of that bag? I think I have enough cash in there.”
Jeff handed him the wallet, and Chad was pleased to see he still had three twenties in it. “Hopefully this should be enough,” he said as he passed the cash to Jeff. “And here’s my insurance card. But maybe you should take my credit card also?”
“Nah. I think this should be plenty, especially with your insurance.”
Jeff turned to leave, and Chad couldn’t help admiring his ass. It looked so tight and sexy in those jeans. God, even feeling like he got hit by a truck, Chad still found himself lusting over this man.
* * * *
A little while later, Chad jolted awake as he heard Jeff coming through the front door. Blurry eyed, he looked around, trying to get his bearings. How long had he been asleep?
“Hey, sorry Chad. It took a little longer than I thought. Looks like you had a little nap, huh?”
Chad focused on Jeff and smiled. God, he was cute.
“What? Do I have something on me?” Jeff asked as he looked at his clothes.
Chad shook his head. “Sorry. Just waking up.”
Jeff pulled out his pill bottles and read the instructions before opening one of them. “You need to take one of these right now and another one tonight before bed.” He handed over the pill.
Chad took a swig and swallowed it. “What about the other?” he asked, gesturing toward the second bottle.
“It says ‘as needed.’ Both the nurse and pharmacist said you should take them for the first couple ofdays whether you think you need them or not, though.”
Chad’s brow furrowed. “Why?”
“They said that, with what happened to you, it will feel like you were in a car accident, and you know how you always hurt the worst on the third day?”
Chad nodded. That was definitely true.