“Chad?”
He tore himself from his thoughts and glanced at Jeff. “Sorry. I was…daydreaming, I guess.”
“I asked if you needed to drop off any prescriptions.”
Chad blinked. “Oh, yeah.” He reached into his plastic bag and pulled out two scripts. “I’m not sure where to go, though. I should check with the station to see where our insurance recommends.”
Jeff laughed. “There are only two drug stores in Apple Grove and both work with pretty much every insurance around. CVS is closer to your house. Want to go there?”
“Sounds good.”
They rode in relative silence as Chad wrestled with his growing attraction to Jeff. Any other time, he would have made a move on him and had him in his bed that day. But things were topsy-turvy this time. He didn’t feel in control of the situation and one thing Chad always liked was to be in control. He was always the one that asked the guy out. Always the one to make the moves. Jeff made him feel…unsettled. He shook his head at himself. Aside from some light flirtation in the hospital, and the momentary look of annoyance when he’d thought Lydia and Chad might be a couple, Jeff hadn’t made an actual move to show Chad he was truly interested. The fact that he was helping now was likely because he felt guilty about the accident.
They dropped off the prescriptions at the drive-thru and Jeff said he would be back to pick them up in anhour. Chad didn’t argue since he had no other way to get them. He couldn’t drive yet. Hell, even walking was hard.
Soon, Jeff pulled into his drive and Chad smiled. He couldn’t help it. He loved his home. Someday it would be completed, and he could already picture barbecues with friends, movie nights with a special guy, maybe even a family of his own.
Whoa, where had that come from? Maybe I did hit my head yesterday.
The passenger door opened, surprising Chad. He hadn’t even noticed Jeff climb out of the truck.
“Why don’t you give me your keys first and then let me help you out,” Jeff said.
Chad instinctively leaned toward him and breathed in deeply. God, he wanted to eat the man up. “Vanilla?”
“What?”
Chad jerked back, embarrassed. What the hell? “Nothing,” he mumbled as he dug his keys out of the plastic bag and handed them to Jeff. He couldn’t quite meet the man’s eyes as Jeff took them, his fingers brushing against Chad’s for a millisecond. It was enough to shoot jolts of electricity throughhis body, and he nearly moaned out loud.
“You slide out and grab onto me if you need, if that works for you,” Jeff said.
“Sure. Can you take this bag?”
Jeff grabbed it, then stood still, waiting. Chad swiveled in his seat and slid out his right leg until his foot hit pavement. Then the dizziness kicked in, and he wobbled a second before Jeff’s arm went around his waist and braced him.
“Sorry,” he muttered as he slid out his second leg and leaned against the truck.
“Hey, that’s what I’m here for. To help.”
“Why?”
Jeff blinked as Chad stared into his eyes. “Why what?”
“Why are you helping me?” Chad asked, watching Jeff’s face for any telltale reaction. “Do you feel guilty? Because you shouldn’t. It could have happened to anyone.”
“Well, yes. I felt guilty and worried when it happened, and I still feel bad about it. But also, I…I want to get to know you.” He gave a small shrug.
Chad narrowed his eyes, not quite sure what to think about that. He wasn’t even sure why he was irritated at the guy. He’d been nothing but nice to Chad. “Never mind. I’m just…I don’t know. Frustrated?” he added with a wave of his casted arm.
“I get that. And I know you’re new in town. It’s my fault you’re in this position and it’s only right I help.”
“I’m not some charity case,” Chad answered with a huff. “I can take care of myself.”
“I know. I just…well, haven’t you ever had someone help you just to be nice?”
Coming from a sprawling urban city filled with chaos, he could honestly say “no” to that. “Where I grew up, everyone was out for themselves.”
“Well, that’s just sad.”
Chad shrugged. It was sad, if he took the time to think about it. But he was here now. Maybe Jeff was telling the truth. From everything he had seen so far in Apple Grove, the people really were nice. It was one of the things he loved about the place.
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure why I’m so distrustful right now. I feel—”
“Surly?” Jeff interrupted. “Grouchy? Temperamental? Am I getting close?”
A chuckle rolled through his chest. “Yeah. All of those and more. I don’t even know why, really.”
“Because you feel like crap, you’re off work for a while—which I am sure you hate—and you’re in pain, whether you want to admit it or not.”
Chad stared at him, his jaw dropping. How did this guy know so much about him?
Jeff laughed and tilted his head toward the house. “Ready to go in?”
“Yeah.”
They made their way slowly up the walk to the porch. Chad was worried about the steps, but was surprised that he was able to navigate them so well. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard.