He peered closely at Jason considering his words didn’t match up with the smile on his friend’s face. “You okay with that?”
Jason shrugged, and his smile widened. “I love the artistic outlet that this business allows, but I don’t want to run it all by myself anymore. Plus, I’ve met someone and am no longer willing to work all the time. I’ve now got something else to live for.”
His brows lifted in surprise, but from the expression on Jason’s face, it wasn’t hard to see that the man was truly happy. He took another swig of water and thought about the changes that had occurred over the past couple of years. He already knew that Zac was married, and from what Jason was saying, he might not be long in following.
Jason leaned forward, leaning his forearms on his knees. “If you’re thinking about hanging around Baytown for a while, are you looking for work?”
He jerked his chin back. “Hell, man, I just got here.” Jason’s question caught him by surprise. He’d only planned on checking in with two old friends. But suddenly, the vision of the long bridge-tunnel over the Chesapeake Bay came to mind. The sunset. The long stretch of road. The tiny town. The friendly pub. He opened his mouth to say that he had no plans on staying but instead blurted, “I know Zac was the Fire Chief and is now the Rescue Captain. I figure I could volunteer when needed since I have some experience from the Navy.”
He blinked, wondering where that idea came from. Before he had a chance to take the words back, Jason nodded.
“He’d be glad to have you, I’m sure.”
The idea of just sitting around waiting to answer a fire call would not be enough. Casting his gaze around the shop again, he said, “I’m going to need to work to keep my sanity. Are you serious about wanting somebody to work here?”
Jason’s grin widened even further. “Hell, yeah! It’s only part-time, but as far as I’m concerned, you can take over most of the tattoos. It won’t take up all your time, so anything you want to do to work part-time in the garage is perfect also.”
Relief moved through him at the idea of not hitting the road immediately again. The thought of staying in Baytown, at least for a little while, held appeal. Damn… I haven’t even seen it in the daylight. But if the Bay at sunset was anything to go by, it’d be a nice place to stop until he figured out his next move.
Jason stood and tossed the empty water bottles into the recycle bin. “Have you got a place to stay?”
“I just fuckin’ decided to stay,” he laughed. Jerking his head toward the street, he said, “I saw a campground a couple miles down the road. I can ask if they have a camper to rent.”
“Well, why don’t you crash at my place? I’ve got an apartment over the shop that needs to be rented.”
Stunned that Jason seemed to have an answer for everything, he asked, “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ll show it to you, and then I’ll head across the street to see Rose.”
He looked across the road and saw an ice cream shop with a sign declaring ‘Sweet Rose’. Grinning, he said, “Rose… pretty name.”
Jason nodded and his face lighted as he nodded with enthusiasm. “Pretty lady.” He flipped off the lights and started walking toward the back of the shop, calling over his shoulder, “Come on up, and I’ll show you around. There are stairs from the back area of the shop. There’s also an entrance from the alley behind, but I rarely use it.”
Following upstairs, he was shocked when he walked into the apartment. The wooden floors had been refinished and the walls were freshly painted. A sofa and two comfortable chairs faced a wide-screened TV mounted on the brick wall. Glancing to the right, he could see a small kitchen with new appliances. “Fuck, man, this is nice.”
Jason grinned and slapped him on the back. “Well, if you decide to call Baytown home and need a place to stay, I’ll rent it to you.”
“I never stay anywhere very long, you know that.”
“Yeah, but eventually, we all have to settle down. And I’m telling you, Baytown is a nice place to settle.”
He grunted his response. Considering he’d never found a place to settle, he doubted Baytown would be any different. But passing some time here while catching up and helping out a couple of old buddies, this apartment made for a nice temporary home. Sure as hell beats a camper.
“I’ll pay rent for the time I’m here, so just let me know what it will be.”
Jason nodded, then pointed out the two bedrooms, both outfitted with queen-size beds and a dresser. The bathroom, like the kitchen, had been completely redone and modernized.
Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys, fiddling until he’d worked two off the key ring. Handing them to Joseph, he said, “One is for the shop and one for the apartment. Make yourself at home. I know there’s no food in the refrigerator, but you passed a grocery store as you came into town. Plus, for breakfast, you can’t do better than Jillian’s Coffeehouse or Stuart’s Pharmacy. Tomorrow, come on down to the garage, I can put you to work, and we’ll find Zac.”
The events of the day had happened so fast, Joseph barely had time for his brain to catch up with everything Jason was offering. He’d come on a lark, arrived unannounced, and already had a place to stay and an offer of work. He reached out his hand, hoping his appreciation came through in the handshake and back slap given and received.
Walking back downstairs after Jason, he waved goodbye and watched his friend jog across the street and go through a door next to the ice cream parlor. Looking up, he could see the lights on in the apartment above and smiled. Heading to his bike, he emptied the saddlebags, checked the locks, and made his way back upstairs.
It only took a few minutes to stow his toiletries into the bathroom and put his few clothes away. Sitting on the side of the bed, he pulled off his heavy boots, the clomp echoing off the wood as they dropped to the floor. He walked back to the living room, sat on the sofa, and flipped through channels. But he felt restless. Not finding any show or sports on TV worth watching, he turned it off, sitting in the quiet, letting his mind wander.
A rolling stone, he’d traveled to many places in the few years since he’d been out of the Navy. He’d find a place, find a job, and work until the urge to move on took over. Texas oil field. Louisiana shrimp boat. Georgia peach orchard. Tennessee whiskey distillery. He’d traveled to many other places, but the ones where he’d stopped and worked were the ones that stayed most in his mind. And now, Baytown. Wonder how long this will last?
The fatigue of the day settled over him and he felt older than his years. Glancing around, he was stunned that he was so quickly ensconced in a large, furnished apartment. Driving into town, he’d considered sleeping under the stars if needed.
He hefted his body from the sofa and flipped off the lights before walking straight into the bathroom. A shower washed off the travel and the scent from the hospital. Stepping out, he wiggled his toes on the thick, plush bathmat and grinned, wondering if Rose had contributed to Jason’s apartment. He found the towel to be equally as plush and dried off quickly. He pulled on clean boxers and crawled into bed, surprised at the soft sheets, comfortable mattress, and fluffy pillow.
Having pulled a book from his pack, he reclined and read until his eyes grew tired. Turning off the lamp on the nightstand, he slid down, still stunned at the turn of events. When he’d driven into town, he figured a small, used camper would be where he laid his head, never imagining that he’d end up being offered a nice place to stay. Already Baytown was offering a respite.