Miller had met Casey when he went to see a lawyer to find out what he could do to keep his grandmother's house when his aunt and uncle threatened to contest her will. Casey was there for a job interview, and they started talking and then went to lunch together.
Afterward they struck up a friendship. Miller told her about his plan to maybe rent out rooms in the house or maybe get a roommate or two. He hadn't actually decided to rent out rooms, but Casey already had two potential roommates for him, her cousin and his baby.
Her text said that her cousin, Austin Clark, was a good guy, that he was financially responsible, but he had taken on a lot of his mother's bills before she died.
Miller had to admit that made a good impression on him, but he didn't know if he could really share his space with a stranger. Having a little extra money would mean that he could fix up a few things in the old house though.
Once he met this Austin, Miller would have a better idea if he was someone he could live with. He wasn't sure he could ever live with anyone. He didn't find it easy to trust even the people he knew, and lately that mistrust had gotten in the way of any relationships he might have had.
A few promising dates went nowhere when he refused to go to the other men's places or to bring them home. That's why it seemed almost impossible that he could live with Casey's cousin either.
If it wasn't for her reassurances, he wouldn't even consider it. But if he did manage a living arrangement like this, it might mean that he could take a relationship past a first date or two.
That gave him an extra reason to make this work. One was money. Once his aunt and uncle gave up on trying to take the house away from him, he needed money to get it in shape. The other reason was training himself to let people in, share his home with someone, so next time he had a chance with a great guy, he wouldn't make excuses and then go home alone.
Casey had texted only a little while ago and Miller was already waiting at Coffler's Coffee, fiddling with a sugar packet though he liked his coffee with only a little cream. There was no denying that he was nervous and that made him worry that he would make a bad impression and blow this.
Before he knew it, he saw Casey entering the coffee shop in the company of a hunk who had a carrier with a baby in it. The hunk was well muscled with dirty blond hair and a beard. When he went over to meet them and got close, Miller could see that he had gray eyes, and he had to tell himself not to stare and make it obvious how attractive he found this man.
Casey introduced them. "This is a friend of mine, Miller Knowles. My cousin, Austin Clark, and the sleeping baby is Jeremiah."
"Jeremiah? Such a big name for a little baby," Miller said keeping his voice down so he wouldn't wake the baby.
"You have two last names, Miller," Casey told him pointedly.
"I wasn't criticizing," Miller said and looked at Austin to see if he offended him.
But it turned out that Austin agreed with him. "It is a big name."
"You don't call him Jerry?" Miller asked.
Austin just made a face and shook his head. He then looked down at the sleeping baby and said, "He doesn't look anything like a Jerry."
Casey leaned over like she was double-checking if the baby was a Jerry or not, but Miller was trying not to stare at Austin. It wasn't only because he was incredibly hot. Miller was trying to figure him out.
With the beard and muscles, Austin was the kind of guy that should have intimidated him. But Miller actually found that Austin had a comforting presence. Maybe it was because of the sleeping baby and the giraffe themed diaper bag Austin carried over his shoulder.
They took a booth and Austin set the bag and the baby carrier next to him. They ordered coffee and Austin had two bagels.
"I didn't have lunch," he said as he ate like he was starving.
"That's because he was busy taking care of the baby," Casey said. "Austin is super hard working. Tell him about the furniture." But Austin was busy eating so she told him herself.
Hearing about how Austin was carrying all this furniture by himself, Miller couldn't help picturing his feats of strength, his muscles straining under the load, sweat glistening. He needed to stop that and focus on the real Austin in front of him, but that was a pretty sweet sight too.
The whole time, Austin kept one hand on the carrier and glanced at the baby constantly, the picture of a protective, new father. When the baby woke up, Austin picked him up right away.
Feeling cranky, the baby made unhappy noises though Austin made soothing sounds to him in his deep voice. Miller couldn't imagine why Jeremiah didn't stop fussing.
Austin stood up with him giving Miller another good look at his impressive physique.
"What's wrong with him?" Miller asked. Hearing the baby cry, he had this urge to do whatever it took to calm him.
"He just woke up. He probably needs a shot of caffeine," Casey said. "I get like that before my first cup."
"He does wake up cranky a lot," Austin said. "I bet he doesn't like all the changes, the unfamiliar faces."
From what Casey told him, Miller knew that the baby's mother, Austin's ex, had left Jeremiah with him only recently. That meant Austin was new to taking care of a baby, but Miller wouldn't have known it. Maybe he was a natural. Miller would be a disaster if he tried to take care of anyone but himself.
"So do you think you can put up with this kind of thing?" Austin asked him while he rocked with the baby in his arms.
"I think so. I admit I wasn't expecting a baby roommate, but I don't mind," Miller told him.
"Wait until he keeps you up half the night with his crying," Austin said but the baby had quieted and he sat back down.
"Sounds like you want to talk me out of this," Miller said and wondered if Austin didn't want to live in his house. He was straight from what Casey told him. Austin might have a problem with living with a gay guy.
"No, just warning you," Austin said. "My current roommate has a major problem with Jeremiah, and he's my cousin."
"Even if the baby cries, I don't think it will bother me too much. The house is pretty big."
"How big are we talking?" Austin wanted to know.
Casey cut in. "You don't need to hear about it. You can go and see it. It's just down the street." She pointed the way to the house.
"We can go and you can have a look," Miller told him.
Finishing their coffees, they walked down Gilder Street and reached the house quicker than Austin expected. "So it's right there?"
"As you see, it's the last house in the residential area before the commercial area starts," Miller said as Austin eyed the brick wall separating the side yard from TnT Mattress Emporium next door. Across the street was a house that had been gutted, but it didn't look like anyone was currently doing any work remodeling it. At least Miller hadn't seen any. "Is this kind of neighborhood going to be a problem for you?"
Austin shook his head. "I don't think so. There are stores and places to eat right there. That's convenient."
They went from the sidewalk up the cracked walkway to the front door and then Miller let them into the foyer. Casey got a phone call and she stayed outside to talk.
"The house is old and everything in it is old," Miller said. He hadn't changed much in it, and he was worried it wouldn't make a good impression.
"It's nice and big. This is like a mansion," Austin said as his eyes traveled up the staircase to the second floor.
"It was a mansion once, now it's just an old house," Miller said.
"It's kind of cool. Check out those cool windows," Austin said as he pointed out the dark wood window casings to the baby.
"You like it here?" Miller asked the baby. The baby made a smacking sound and Austin smiled.
"I'd say that means yes."
"Or maybe he's hungry?" Miller asked.
"Could be. It is amazing how often he needs to eat."
"If you want to feed him, you could make yourself comfortable in the living room." Miller pointed out the first room to the right of the entrance. At least the furniture in there was comfortable even if it wasn't new.
"I think I will," Austin said and he sat down on the sofa. He had trouble getting the baby's bottle while holding the baby.
"Can I help?" Miller offered.
"Thanks. I'm not exactly a pro at this."
To get the bottle, Miller had to lean close to Austin, and he was afraid to breathe the whole time. If Austin decided to live there, Miller would have to be comfortable being around him. That wasn't easy when Austin was so attractive and physically imposing. His tenderness toward the baby made him seem more approachable though.
The little guy ate pretty fast and then Austin walked him around a little bit and looked around at the same time.
"If you moved in, you would be able to use the downstairs rooms and two rooms upstairs," Miller told him.
"I only need one," Austin said.
"So you want to keep the baby with you. OK." Miller looked at the baby as he leaned his little face on Austin's shoulder and blinked, his tiny hand opening and closing around nothing. "Must be nice being a dad, and Jeremiah is such a cute baby."
Austin had a funny reaction to that and he didn't say anything. He couldn't be disagreeing about the baby being cute.
"It's kind of complicated. I'm not sure I am his dad," Austin said. "I'm waiting for the DNA test results."
"Oh. OK. Sorry," Miller said and he looked from Austin to the baby. The baby was so small, it was hard to tell if he looked like anybody. He had blue eyes not gray like Austin's but his hair was a similar darker blond.
Then Miller had to wonder about what Austin was doing. "So you're taking care of this baby without knowing if you're the father?"
"Even if he isn't mine, he is my friend's kid," Austin said.
"That's your ex, right?" Miller said though he felt like he was prying.
"I guess I thought we were friends. But anyway, I can't do anything but take care of him even if I don't know if he's mine."
"That's really good of you." Miller was thinking how this baby would be lucky if Austin turned out to be his dad. He didn't say it though because he wasn't sure if Austin wanted that for himself.