Foreign

Hunter laughs and nods. "Yeah, I never minded the smell of horses. Can't stand cows, but horses don't bother me a bit." He quirks an eyebrow. "Good thing too, for as much as my uncle made me muck out stalls." 

Invited to lunch, he shrugs. "I think I could use a bite to eat." In truth, he hadn't eaten much the last few days. He'd been drinking his meals, which, he knew was foolish. "I'd love to meet your dad, too." From the way Katie had talked about him, Jeff seemed like he would be a nice guy. And maybe Hunter was curious to see how they got along. Having a good relationship with one's dad was rather foreign to him. 

Inside the dining room, Jeff eases down at a table in the corner. Taking off his hat and hanging it on the back of his chair, he mops his brow with a bandana. Sparky had said he didn't need to clean stalls, but who else was going to do it? He hadn't wanted to just sit around all morning. Although... it was a little warmer out than he'd thought... 

Taking a couple deep breaths, he tries to slow his heart rate. After lunch he'd be fine. After something to drink and something to eat, he'd be ready to go back out to the barn, he was sure.

Rosetta's gentle rebuke makes Jay feel guilty and he wishes he would have handled things with Jeff differently. He hadn't meant to hurt his brother's feelings. 

As the conversation shifts though, he sighs. "We're, um... we're doing alright. I keep telling Jessica we need to come down and see you guys. It's just finding the right time now. Seems like every day gets busier, ya know?" Would his sister recognize he was fishing for excuses? He hoped not. It had nothing to do with her or any of the rest of the family. He loved them all and missed everyone just as much. He was just... scared. 

A shriek down the hall diverts his attention and he straightens from the kitchen counter. "Sounds like somebody found a spider in the bathroom. I gotta go. Listen... I'm sorry about Jeff. If you get a chance, tell him to call me sometime, okay?" 

Taking Misty's cue, Alec comes to the table and sits, though isn't very relaxed yet. He still felt awkward... being here at all, let alone with Jason in the mix. But he was too hungry to decline. 

Settling in too, Jason enjoys the food but still studying Alec and how different he was. Yet he wasn't so sure he could trust him yet. 

Being thanked for the yard work, Alec just shrugs it off and concentrates on his chicken wing. "It was nothin'." Glancing up at Misty, he can feel he might get smacked if he was within range. "But you're welcome anyway."

There was that humble look again that Jason had seen a few minutes ago. Had Alec really changed? Or was it a ruse? "Misty tells me you're gonna stick around for a while." 

Alec nods and finally looks Jason in the eye. "Yeah... I think so. Til I figure out what I'm gonna do, I guess." 

"I heard Reese let you go but I wasn't sure what all was happening with that."

"Nothing much more than that." Alec takes a slice of pizza. "You're looking at the loser of the month... or year." 

Jason isn't sure how to respond to that, so he doesn't. Again, was that just a comment to make people feel sorry for him, or was it that Alec was genuinely down on himself? Jason couldn't tell. "Still got your bike?" 

"Mmhmm... no money for gas though. It's still at the apartment. Figured I'd walk it here and store it in the garage til I can afford gas again." 

"Ah." Jason shrugs. "If we can get it in the back of my truck, I'll bring it here for you." 

Alec lifts his eyebrows. Really? Jason was offering to help? That was a... surprise. "Um... okay. Yeah, sure. Thanks." 

"Alright." Jason's mind suddenly ping-pongs to another subject and he elbows Misty. "Hey, tomorrow at lunch, Dalton and Dani and... I think Sapphire and Scott are gonna do lunch somewhere. Maybe Gunner too. Or was it Pete? Anyway, they don't care who comes along... You wanna join 'em?"