Miller didn't ask Austin about his weekend plans. He didn't want Austin to think he was nosy or trying to horn in. On Saturday morning Austin told him on his own.
"I was going to do some work in the garden, if you don't mind watching Remi."
"Watch him outside?" Miller said picturing the unkempt garden and what might be hiding out in those overgrown bushes.
"Oh, sorry. Are you busy? I can..."
"I'm not. I'm just still nervous about taking care of him. Something could happen to him out there." Miller gestured out the window dramatically and Austin laughed at him.
"I know it looks a little wild but it's not a wilderness. We can set up the rocker out there in the shade and see how it goes."
"Set him down outside? No. I'll hold him," Miller said.
Once they got out there, Austin did set up the rocker, but Miller wouldn't even consider setting Remi down. He held him protectively and ignored the funny look Austin was giving him.
Soon Austin was too busy to make fun of him. He got to work cutting away at the tangle of bushes. Next he was trimming the lower branches of the trees that had made them indistinguishable from the bushes.
That meant that now Miller could stand under some of those trees. He looked up into the branches above then realized what Remi had done.
"Ahh, Remi grabbed a leaf."
"My boy wants to help," Austin said as he looked over at them with a smile.
"He wants to eat it. Noooo." Miller tried to pry the leaf out of his tiny, surprisingly strong hand. "He won't let me have it," Miller said but Austin only laughed at him.
Once he managed to get the leaf from Remi, Austin told him, "Knew you could do it."
"You're always laughing at me," Miller complained.
"It's the way you are with Remi. It's cute."
"Cute?" Miller said, surprised at the word.
Austin just blinked at him and looked confused. He probably meant to say something else.
The day really was nice and Austin didn't seem to mind the work, and he looked so good, Miller couldn't stand it. He did have to make sure Austin kept hydrated. When Miller went in to get him a cold drink, he came back out to find that Tanya had stopped by, like she did sometimes when things were slow next door.
Today her hair was blue and green with yellow and black striped eyeglasses, and she was telling Austin about a place called Tacos Rojos.
"They have these Lava Tacos that will melt your brain. You have to try them, " she said to Austin, and Miller thought it sounded like an invitation.
"Tacos that can do that. Can't pass that up," Austin said as he wiped his brow on his t-shirt sleeve and took the cold drink from Miller.
To Miller, what he said sounded like he was accepting her invitation and he panicked.
"Have at it, you guys," Tanya said and waved as she left.
Austin turned to Miller and confessed, "I don't want food to melt my brain." Then he seemed to think about it. "But if you want these Lava Tacos, we can go sometime and I'll look for something safe."
"I think this is more of a Tanya thing," Miller said.
"I'll leave her to it then," Austin said like he wasn't even considering going out with her.
Well, Miller wasn't about to encourage him. Maybe cute with a crazy sense of fashion just wasn't for him.
When Austin was ready to take a break, Miller made lunch. Austin planned to go back outside and do more work and he wouldn't let Miller stop him. But then Austin got a text and announced. "Ben is dropping by. I guess you'll get to meet my cousin. And he's pulling up in front now. That's how he gives notice." Austin shook his head as he opened the front door to his cousin and waved him in.
Ben resembled Austin a little. He was good-looking but skinnier than Austin and he had an affected swagger, nothing like the natural and unassuming way Austin carried himself despite being so gorgeous.
Austin introduced Miller to his cousin, who felt the need to comment on his name. "Were you named after a beer?" Ben asked him.
"Maybe," he said, but Miller was actually his grandmother's maiden name.
"Is beer all you think about?" Austin asked him then he looked down at Remi's diaper. "I need to change my boy. Be right back."
Austin went upstairs and Miller was left with Ben in the foyer.
"I still can't believe the kid is his. I was like ninety percent sure she was just trying to dump the kid on him," Ben said as they heard Austin's heavy footsteps upstairs.
"So did you know Diana well?" Miller asked.
Ben shrugged. "Smoking hot and she only got hotter. But expensive tastes. Oh man." Ben whistled. "That's why she passed off Austin's kid as that other guy's. She got away with it until she wasn't there shoving her tits in his face to distract him. You know how that is." Ben smirked at him then looked him up and down. He obviously knew Miller was gay and was only mocking him.
That's when Austin came back downstairs with the baby. Miller was pretty sure he overheard, and Austin confirmed it, telling Ben, "Cut it out."
"What? You're not defending her again," Ben said.
"Behave yourself," Austin told him.
As Miller was about to leave him to visit with his cousin, Austin stopped him. "You want to take Remi for a little bit?"
"Always," Miller said and took the baby from him. He looked from Austin to Ben. He thought all three of them would be spending time together. Then he remembered that Ben wasn't a big fan of babies.
Before he could get out of earshot, Miller heard him say to Austin, "He sure got chummy with you fast."
"Why did you come over here anyway?" Austin asked him gruffly.
"What? I can't drop by to see your new digs?" Ben said. "So what's the deal with your landlord anyway?"
Miller had just started to close the door to his office to give them privacy, but now he froze just on the other side of it. Despite himself he had to hear Austin's answer.
"The deal? He's nice," Austin said. "He's been helping me with Remi."
"Sure," Ben scoffed. "You watch yourself, cuz. Don't take too many favors from him or you'll end up paying him back the hard way."
Miller held his breath, regretting that he eavesdropped.
Then he heard Austin say, "Thanks for dropping by. Next time you want to visit, you better check that crap at the door."
"Alright, alright," Ben told him like he was giving up. Next Miller heard the front door open and then Ben's voice again. "But you watch yourself with him. Lock your bedroom door at night. That kind of thing."
The front door shut loudly after that and then there was only silence. Miller stepped further into his office and blindly stared out the window while rubbing Remi's back.
"Sorry about him," Austin said as he came in.
"It's no problem," Miller said with a small shrug. His voice was tight though. Would Austin be suspicious of him after this? He was already frowning at Miller as he took Remi from him.
"You should have a problem with Ben disrespecting you in your own house," Austin said and that meant he knew that Miller overheard them. "You not being mad just makes me more pissed off at Ben."
"I don't want that," Miller told him. He didn't want to cause problems between Austin and his cousin.
"I warned him to behave if he ever wants to come back, but he doesn't always listen. If he wasn't family..." Austin shook his head.
Miller smiled at him. "As you know, I've had problems with my family too."
"Don't be too willing to tolerate the likes of him. I sure as hell won't. He better not disrespect you again, or family or not..."
"Stop," Miller implored him. "I won't tolerate any disrespect. I promise."
"Alright. I'll stand down. For now." He nodded toward the window. "The day is still nice. I'm going to get back to work."
"Should I...? I mean..." After what Ben said, Miller wasn't sure if he should offer to go out too.
"You and Remi can come out see what kind of trouble my boy will get into," Austin said with a wry smile.
"No trouble. Remi is a good kid," Miller said and they went out again.
The sun was shining and the garden was already looking more inviting. Austin still had Remi, and the baby was chewing on his little hand and squinting.
"You'll need to put out some lawn chairs over there or something," Austin said pointing at a cobblestone area under the big tree.
"That's what I was thinking except I might put a table and chairs too."
Austin liked that idea. "That would be just the thing, eat out there when the weather is nice. Alright, let's get to work," Austin said and he smiled at Remi, kissed him on the cheek and handed him over to Miller.
Taking the baby in his arms, Miller instantly felt more cheerful. Then he was watching Austin at work, admiring his body and how he moved, and feeling guilty about it. "I should really be helping you."
"But you don't want to set Remi down in this wilderness," Austin teased him. "I like knowing my boy is in good hands. And once I get all this under control, we'll all be able to enjoy it."
Miller was already looking forward to that, but he had to be careful or Ben might turn out to be right about him. Austin did everything for Remi's sake. If it wasn't for the baby, Austin wouldn't even be living there. Miller just had to make sure he didn't take advantage of Austin's kindness and good nature because he liked spending time with him so much.