Jason stands, smiling as he wraps his arms around Misty in a hug. "You better, since I'm staying the night."
Bending down, he gives her lips a long, tender kiss before pulling back. "Goodnight. Sleep well."
It would feel strange tonight, knowing he'd be off security duty tomorrow. It was only right though, and it did seem the threat of the Agency had passed. Whether he agreed with how Carson had handled things or not, he did agree that the note was a sign things would be quiet for a while.
Settling in the chair for the night, Jason kept his ears open just in case. His mind was pretty far away though. It circled him and Misty. Carson. What the future held. And he just didn't know...
Alec gained little sleep through the night, and even less rest. He'd
often wondered at people who claimed to have heartache. He'd always
thought they were silly and just needed to buck up. But now...now he
could relate. And it wasn't fun. And he didn't know how to buck up.
As the morning came though, he knew he couldn't sit around all
day. He needed to clear his mind. Think about something else. So rising
early, he made sure not to startle Jason, then left a note for Misty,
letting her know he'd be out job hunting, then back at the house later
to work in the shed. And this time he did take his phone with him. He
knew he was free and that Misty didn't mind whatever he chose to do with
his time... but he did feel badly for worrying her yesterday and he
didn't want to do it again...
...It was a few hours later after some mindless driving around
town and stopping by a few places for some job applications. As Alec
heads down a familiar street though, he had the same thought he'd had
the night before. He wasn't a hundred percent sure what his point was,
but since the notion was still with him today, well... he might as well
follow through. It would probably do nothing good, but it couldn't make things worse, and at this point he had very little to lose anyway. Approaching the door of Mom and Pop's, he was quite prepared to be thrown out. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before.
It was early yet, but finding the front door open,
Alec enters cautiously, letting the bell ring above his head. He didn't
want to startle his brother though. "Carson? You here?"
Hearing
the bell then a familiar voice, Carson bristles. What on earth was Alec
doing here? The restaurant had only been open for half an hour and it
wasn't lunchtime yet. Sighing, he emerges from the kitchen, hands on
hips. "What do you want, Alec?"
Alec bites his lip and
stops before reaching the counter. He'd rehearsed his words over and
over in his mind, but it wasn't the same as actually speaking them. It
wasn't even something he'd usually say but... this time was
just...different.
"I just, um.... well, I guess I just
wanted to say how sorry I am about how things have worked out for you."
He shrugs. "I can't imagine what it feels like... or how you're
managing... but I sorta got a taste yesterday of having my heart ripped
in two 'cause the one I love doesn't want anything to do with me
anymore. So... I guess it sorta gave me a new perspective on what you're
going through and... I just wanted to say I'm sorry that there hasn't
been anything I could do to help."
Carson blinks. His
ire was quickly diminishing, from the sheer shock of Alec's sincere
tone. Did he really mean what he said? Was he just putting on an act?
For some reason, Carson didn't think so. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen
Alec so sincere. And... his words were... surprising. "You came all the
way over here just to say that?"
Alec shrugs again.
"Yeah. I mean I was riding around looking for work, but yeah, that's all
I wanted." He cocks his head, studying Carson for a moment. He'd lost
weight... his eyes were dark... he had the look about him like that of a
lost man. Alec knew - he saw that same look every time he looked in a
mirror. "You doin' okay?"
Carson scoffs and moves
forward to lean an elbow on the counter. "I'm surviving. Be a whole lot
better if I had my wife back, but apparently that's my fault." He
pauses, unsure where this whole thing was going. Was Alec to be trusted?
Did he even want to start this dialogue? His heart won out. "How's
Misty?"
"Fine." Alec nods. "Doing well. She misses you."
Carson's eyebrows rise. "She coulda fooled me."
"Yeah,
well, it's the principle of the thing. You done her wrong. Just 'cause
she misses you doesn't mean she's gonna give in. She's doing alright
though."
"And she and Jason?"
Alec purses his lips. "What do you want me to say?"
"I
dunno." Carson shrugs before sighing. "That they're not that close.
That it's just a surface relationship so she's got somebody to lean on.
That they're more friends than anything." He sees Alec's eyes and shakes
his head. "But I know it's not the truth. So I guess I don't want you
to say anything."
Alec nods slowly. "Yeah... well... she's being taken care of so that you don't have to worry about."
"Good."
Alec shifts his weight awkwardly a moment before backing up a step. "I guess I'll go. I'll probably see you around sometime."
"Yeah, okay." Carson watches as Alec heads for the door, when something unexpected happens in his heart. "Alec?"
Alec stops and looks over his shoulder. "Huh?"
"Three nights a week. Nine to midnight. Dishes and floors - that sort of thing. It's not much but... I'll pay you for it."
Alec
can feel himself tense from simple shock. He'd been turned down flat
once before when he'd been looking for work. "I... really?"
"I only offer once."
"Well yes... sure... I mean of course. It's better than what I got now and that's nothing."
"Good. See you tomorrow night then."
A small smile spreads across Alec's lips. "Okay. Thanks."
Clint cocks his head, watching Chad and Rosalyn interact and processing the man's words. He did seem sincere...and either a total flirt, or in love. Maybe both. But Clint had to admit that he liked him. He wasn't sure why... maybe it was the way he held Rosalyn like she was really worth something - not just a prize he was after. And he had come quite a ways just to see her. No matter what Jim thought, Clint considered it to be a neat gesture to say the least. And his sister seemed so happy with him. How could he give her a bad time?
Taking another swig of coffee, he grins. "Getting your head chopped off is just one way to lose it. Careful with that girl you got there... she's pretty capable of making you lose your head too."
Rosalyn scoffs, but can't help the little smile. Slipping her arm around Chad's waist, she leans her head on his chest and sticks her tongue out at her brother. "Shush, you."
"Hey now. gotta give a man a fighting chance. We stick together, ya know. If I didn't give him a little help at least, I'd feel bad."
"Sure you would."
"Mm-hmm." Clint nods before another sip of coffee, after which he shakes his head vigorously. "Wowza... I think I'm already awake. Which means I need to get back to working on that stupid tractor." His eyes move back to Chad. "If she gets to be too much today, come on over to the shop. No women allowed there, and I do offer shelter to those in need."
Entering the dining hall a little cautiously, Dylan's eyes sweep the tables. He didn't usually come in here in the mornings, unless he wanted some coffee, so it was a little odd to see him there. But today he had a task to do before he forgot.
Spotting Stacy over at one of the tables, he heads in her direction, figuring he had a few minutes before Eric would show up. It seemed the two were together more often than not lately.
