my energy. And you’re right that the whole world is fucked up.”
She smiled. “But not here, not right now, so there’s that.”
“Right. True. Not right now. And yeah, I’ll tag along if I may today.”
“Yeah? Great. You haven’t seen the Aquarium yet anyway, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, no one gives a tour of the Seattle Aquarium like my brother does.”
With that, she took her plate and the three of them sat down on the couch to watch his cartoon show. Ross shoveled in the second helping she made him. Then they put on their shoes and raincoats when the sky began dripping outside. They stomped through the mud puddles as they walked the few blocks down to the stairs at the waterfront, walking northwards to the iconic building on the wharf.
After they paid and entered, JayJay made a beeline for the undersea dome, his favorite part and the place where they always started. It was the largest exhibit, offering a three hundred-and-sixty-degree view of four hundred thousand gallons of sea water. Ross was turning all around on his first time in there. His smile was as huge as JayJay’s. Ross followed JayJay and stood beside him. “So, what is this?”
And that started the long, thorough, detailed tour. No one could possibly know as much as JayJay Lassiter did about the Aquarium. He knew all the staff there including the management and the caretaking crew. Most greeted him with an extra big smile and kind words. Ross saw everything that lived there from the various types of rockfish to the sea urchins and if there was a trivial fact about any of it, JayJay knew what it was.
They stopped midday to eat lunch and recap the morning, as well as planning and getting excited about their afternoon adventure. Jody’s eyes were a bit glazed over but she nodded and did all the right responses on cue. Ross caught her several times trying to conceal her yawns and realized she was exhausted. A long work week and his showing up last night for ceaseless sex seemed to be taking its toll. So much sex that burned late into the night.
Ross wanted to do something special for her. Something nice… but what? How could he relieve her exhaustion? Going home and leaving her alone would probably be the best solution, but no. He didn’t want to go home.
No.
To his surprise, Ross was enjoying the whole damn day. More than almost any other day, even days when he was drumming with Zenith. Of course, this didn’t compare to that. But this day was pretty damn good.
Chapter 8
JODY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT to make of Ross when he was so easy going and natural with JayJay. He socialized and interacted with her brother in ways she never witnessed from him or anyone else. Including all the ways he interacted with her. Watching his genuine sense of comfort and ease with JayJay did weird things to her heart. What could make a person more interesting and compelling than this amazing interaction with her autistic brother? She doubted it was an act. Ross wasn’t the type to pretend to handle something like that. And no one could sustain it for this long. Not so many hours. Jody found it grueling and she adored her brother. But he demanded a lot from her and during hour six, when she saw Ross lean in and listen closer as JayJay listed off the attributes of whatever he was currently discussing, Ross melted Jody’s heart. She usually tuned JayJay out before now.
But Ross? God, he seemed like he’d been part of their life since JayJay was a little kid. Ross was great. Compliant, genuinely intrigued, and overall, just nice. He was not fake or condescending. And as for his patience, who knew? Jody never imagined that of him in her wildest daydreams.
Now what to do with her new image and assessment of Ross? Of all people? Good Lord. You could never tell what was inside someone’s heart.
Her brain was too frazzled right then to figure it out. Dragging her feet, her eyes felt just as heavy as her body. She definitely couldn’t drink tonight. Her bed sounded heavenly.
But JayJay was still excited and full of energy. Feeling especially talkative, he spouted off all kinds of facts. The rapt audience he had in Ross was better than almost anyone else who wasn’t part of the family or raised with JayJay.
All of a sudden, JayJay asked, “Could we go to Ross’s house? Please, Jodeee? He has Shield’s