Love Means No Boundaries - Andrew Grey

mama’s got everyone watching you like a hawk.” Her expression softened.
“Don’t you worry yourself on my account.” Joey watched her look to the door before shutting it and reaching into her apron and pressing something into Robbie’s hand before opening the door 146
    Love Means … NO Boundaries
again. “Just be quiet tonight.” Once the door closed, Robbie felt in his hands and smiled, holding up two skeleton keys. “What did she mean, dress for dinner?”
“Mama insists that dinners be special, particularly when Papa’s home.”
Joey felt the butterflies again. “I don’t have anything fancy to wear.” He was so out of his element.
“A shirt and tie is fine. You can borrow one of mine if you need to.”
“I’ll be okay.” He’d wear his best, and if that wasn’t good enough, or if they were that snooty, then too bad. He was here to see Robbie, not be all fancified.
     
“I should go change.”
    Joey captured his lips again and then watched as Robbie opened the door, feeling his way across and down the hall. Joey peered out the door, confused at Robbie’s behavior. He’d been so confident at the farm, moving about easily. Easing back inside, he closed the door and opened his suitcase, getting out his good clothes.
Cleaned up and changed, Joey checked himself in the mirror.
     
He had a plain-colored shirt, and he’d changed his jeans in favor of a pair of light dress pants. He hoped he didn’t have to dress like this every night, or he’d be wearing the same pants every time.
    As he looked at himself, he noticed that the scars had indeed begun to fade. Looking at himself wasn’t something he did all that often, and he noticed that many of the once pink lines were now fading to white and in some places beginning to disappear, just like the surgeon said. Shrugging, he tied his plain-colored tie, and after making sure it was straight, opened the door. Robbie’s was closed, and thinking he’d already gone down, Joey walked to the stairs.
    147
Andrew Grey
There was no one in the dining room, but the table had been impressively set. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he followed the sound of tinkling glassware and saw Claudine and a tall, broad man who had to be Robbie’s father.
    “You must be Joey,” the man pronounced as he poured a drink and handed it to Claudine. “Would you like one?” he held up the pitcher. “Thank you.”
He poured the drink and set down the pitcher. “Robert Edward Jameson.” He held out his hand, and Joey shook it firmly. “Joseph Sutherland. Everyone calls me Joey.”
“It’s good to meet you.” He handed Joey the martini glass.
Joey kept looking for some sort of joke or sarcasm, but saw none.
“Where’s Robbie?”
“I thought he’d already come down.” Joey looked surprised.
“His door was closed.” Her reaction seemed puzzling.
“You didn’t bring him down with you?” She seemed concerned. “I’ll call Adelle.” She sounded miffed, and Joey wondered what he’d missed.
“Why does someone need to bring him down?” Joey took a sip of the drink and nearly choked. He must have merely waved the vermouth over the pitcher. Damn that was strong .
    “He’s blind.” She looked at him like he was completely stupid and left the room.
Joey didn’t know how to react, but something wasn’t right.
“When he was at the farm, he got around the house with ease. The barn too,” Joey tried to explain.
“I knew it.” Joey stopped himself from smiling at the accent as Robbie’s father sat down in one of the wing back chairs. “She insists on doing everything for him instead of letting Robbie do things for 148
    Love Means … NO Boundaries
himself.” He sipped his drink and sort of shrugged, looking like it was a fight he’d fought before and didn’t want to get into again. “Do you think I talk funny, boy?”
Joey mustn’t have been as good as he thought at regulating his expression. “No, but I bet you think I do.” Robbie’s father slapped his leg with a burst of laughter.
     
“A sense of humor, I like that.” He took another sip and motioned to a chair. “Sit down.”
     
Joey did as instructed, sitting rigidly in the chair, wondering what he should say and deciding he should say nothing and try to keep from spilling on himself.
     
A few minutes later, Claudine returned with Robbie on her arm. Joey stood and gave his chair to her, sitting on the sofa next to Robbie, while Claudine shot daggers at him. This was going to be a fun