Love Means No Boundaries - Andrew Grey

Eli’s
eyes go sad. He knew that look, one he hated in everyone but Eli or Geoff. He knew that look from them was 2
Love Means … NO Boundaries
concern and not pity. He’d had all the pity he could stand. He’d avoided going to town because he just couldn’t take the sad looks on everyone’s
faces and the tsks in their voices.
    “You know they just want to help and that they feel for you.”
“Pity.” Joey spat the word and then felt bad about it. Eli was one of the best people he knew—always caring, never mean, or malicious in any way.
“Maybe a little, but they also care.” Eli turned back to the sink.
“You have a lot of people who care about you and don’t give a”—
    Eli stopped for a second, and Joey saw his jaw go rigid—“rat’s ass about the scars on your face because we don’t see them anymore.” Joey
stared at Eli’s back as he worked. He knew how both Eli and Geoff felt. He just wished he could make himself believe it. But they hadn’t been in the
drugstore last month when a mother had pulled her children out of the store when she saw him walk in. “I know. It’s just hard.” The doctor had said
that the scars would fade over time, and a plastic surgeon had worked on his face, so there was hope. But in the meantime, he just felt ugly.
    Eli didn’t look up as he continued making dinner. “How were the south fields? Did the rain wash away the seed?” He sank into one of the kitchen
chairs, grateful that Eli had let the subject drop. “Nope,” Joey let himself smile as he slipped off his shoes. He still wasn’t used to living in the
farmhouse with Eli and Geoff, and he still felt he needed to be very careful of everything he did. “The seed’s fine and in a few places it’s beginning
to sprout, so it looks like we’re good.”
    “Geoff will be relieved.” Joey could almost hear Eli smile as he worked. “I’m surprised he didn’t go with you to check himself.” So was Joey, but it
meant a lot to him that Geoff had trusted him to check on things, knowing he’d work to repair any damage the torrential downpour had caused. He’d
been working on the farm 3
    Andrew Grey
since he was sixteen. After he returned from college, Geoff had offered him a job as crop manager after Frank Winters had retired.
“I guess it was lucky that Pete and Hank needed help with the fences in the north pasture.” As soon as the words passed his lips, he knew there
was no luck involved. Eli had probably sent him out there to make sure Joey could do his job. He shook his head at Eli’s back.
    The man knew his partner so well.
“How’s your mom doing in Florida?”
    “Getting settled. She already wants me to come down for a visit.” Joey’s mother had raised him single-handedly, and after he graduated from
college, she sold the house and got a new job in Florida. She had said she was tired of the winters, and Joey was happy for her. She’d done her
best and deserved some time to enjoy herself.
“You should. It might do you some good.” Eli turned on the water and began rinsing the vegetables.
    “I don’t think so. Florida in June doesn’t sound particularly appealing. Besides, there’s plenty to help with around here.” Joey took his job very
seriously. He appreciated the responsibility that Geoff and Eli had given him, the faith they had in him, and there was no way he’d let them down.
Ever. “Maybe I’ll go down for a visit after the fall harvest. By then I’ll be ready for some warmth and sun.”
“Why don’t you go get cleaned up? Dinner will be another hour, and you’ve been working since sunup.” Joey didn’t remind Eli that he’d been going
since sunup as well.
Joey got up from the chair and walked to the sink. “Is there something I can do to help?”
“Go on. I’ve got this. Besides, you cook tomorrow night.” Part of the arrangement when Eli and Geoff had offered him their guest room after his
mother sold the house was that he would help with 4
Love Means … NO Boundaries
the cooking and cleaning. He’d readily agreed, and with Eli’s help was starting to become a decent cook.
Joey left the kitchen and walked through the house. Sitting in one of the living room chairs and turning on the television, he began to relax—until the phone rang. Eli’s voice drifted in from the kitchen, “Could you please get that?”
    “Sure.” Joey got up and reached for the phone.
“Geoff?”
He recognized the voice. “It’s Joey, Mari.” It was Geoff’s sister,