Hunter gives Katie another smile, although on the inside, he was mulling over her words. She was the one who was here because she needed a new start... not him... right? So why was she the one doing the encouraging? It was just another sign that Katie was different. And it was a good different.
Glancing down, Hunter just nods. Why did he get the strange feeling she knew more about him than he'd ever told her? It was a bit uncomfortable yet nice at the same time.
Looking up again, he manages a chuckle. "Yeah, well I'm not too worried. I'm like a chameleon... I blend into my surroundings." Grinning, he turns around to lean his back on the fence and look back over the buildings and where they'd walked. "When I was a kid, I had an uncle who had a horse farm. Nothing like this... much smaller. But I used to go spend a couple weeks during the summer at his place. I rode a bit. Always liked it. This sorta... brings back memories, ya know? The sights... smells."
Jay lifts an eyebrow at Rosetta's question about Jeff. "Huh... really? Naw, he wasn't acting strange or anything while he was here. I mean, he took off early but that was because Trent called him and said Katie was there."
He shrugs and reaches for a cookie on the counter, only to have his hand slapped by Jessica and he sticks his tongue out at her. Stealing the cookie anyway, he gets a whack with her dish towel, but when he grins at her, she rolls her eyes and hides her own smile by turning back to the sink. Jay nibbles on the cookie, trying to get his mind back on task rather than teasing his wife.
"We did have a little go-around," he muses. Maybe that was it. "We were out to eat as a family and he started acting stupid like he usually does. It was embarrassing, and I told him so. I told him it was time he quit acting like a three-year-old."
He pauses to eat a little more of his cookie, replaying the incident in his mind. "We got into it and finally went outside so we didn't cause any more of a scene. He'd been moping around that day, complaining he didn't have a love life and I told him if he kept acting like a toddler, he'd never find a woman. I probably shouldn't have said it, but I did. It ticked him off but we made it through the evening and then the whole thing was forgotten."
Jay thinks for a moment then shrugs again. "He seemed fine when he left though - anxious to see Katie."
Alec pauses on his route to the back door, hearing Misty's last statement. A faint smile creases his lips. He knew he didn't deserve any of this. She was being way too kind to him. But he was in no position to argue. All he could do was try and make up for all of it by helping her out the best he could and not making a jerk of himself. He'd never felt like this before... ever, that he could remember. It didn't exactly feel good - being humiliated and needing help. But... at the same time... there was a little boy deep down inside that had just been waiting for a chance to be cared for... loved... helped. Maybe he'd never even allowed that part of him out with Ryan. And maybe... that was part of the problem. He'd learned how to love, but had never really taken down the walls. And now they had been torn down for him. It was too late for Ryan. Was it too late for his family?
Finding the floodlight, Alec turns it on and goes out with the card table. Retrieving the chairs too, by the time he had it set up and the food was outside as well, he heard someone pull into the driveway.
Jason parks and heads up to the door. Knocking, he lets himself in, knowing Misty was expecting him. "Hello..." Walking to the kitchen, he puts some ice cream in the freezer, then sees that the back door is open. Heading out that way, he finds he'd just made it in time to start eating. "Hey, Misty. Brought some dessert - it's in the freezer."
Alec stands off to the side, suddenly feeling even more awkward. Tucking his hands in his jeans pockets, he gives Jason a little nod.
Staring back at Alec, Jason is almost taken aback. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but looking at Alec now, this was not the same man he'd seen before. Alec didn't have to say anything - it was written all over his face and body language. He looked... broken. And for a strange moment, Jason pitied him. Alec was thin and pale, his eyes dim. There was not an arrogant ounce about him - it was a far cry from the cocky man who'd lived at TJY. What had happened? "Hey... Alec."
Alec swallows hard. "Hi."
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