Spending the night

Mick laughs, allowing himself to relax. "What were you going to do? Hogtie me and throw me in the back of your truck or what?"

"Hey, there you are." Austin walks into the barn, looking for Rosetta, not realizing he's interrupting anything. "I just got a call from Carter. He said Jason and Katie are safe. Wouldn't tell me who found them, where they were or what they were doing, but..." He throws up his arms in surrender. "I guess we'll just have to trust that they're fine."


"No, I'm not okay!" Clint struggles underneath the chair, taking it in both hands and wrestling it off of himself. "I've been assaulted by a chair! It's a conspiracy, I tell you!" He kicks the chair away, bounces to his feet and assumes a karate-type stance, glaring at his inanimate adversary. "Ha! Take that!"

Jeff shakes his head, joining in the laughter. He tosses his cards to the middle of the table, giving up on the hand.


A grin plays at the corner of Jason's mouth as he pays the waiter for the meal. "If you want to sleep on the floor, that's fine, but there are more comfortable options. Come on."
He leads the way out of the restaurant, though lets Katie help him with the doors again. Settled in the car, they drive down the lighted streets. Jason steers through several side streets, ending up on the far side of town in a sleepy little housing development.
Turning down a curved street, they finally pull into the driveway of a small one-story tan house. A link fence runs around the well-kept yard, bushes line the house, and there is evidence of flowers along the walk.
Jason turns off the car and gets out, nodding for Katie to follow him to the darkened house. Making his way to the porch, he fishes for a key in his pocket and lets himself in, making sure Katie is behind him. Entering, he automatically reaches for a light switch to illuminate an entryway that leads to a kitchen on the left and a living room on the right.
"Follow me." Jason doesn't explain, but leads Katie through the living room into the hallway, maneuvering with his crutches around the furniture. Coming to a bedroom, he reaches around the corner and turns on the light to reveal a feminine-looking room, tastefully decorated in blues and tans. "Mom won't mind if you take up residence in here tonight." He grins at Katie. "Though if you really have the desire to sleep on the floor, be my guest."
He points into the room. "There's a private bathroom there, and if I know Mom, there should be fresh towels on the counter. Feel free." He thumbs back out into the hall. "My room's two doors down. If you need anything, that's where I'll be."