the net is lying beside the pool. bob wouldn’t think about disturbing them, but he’s going to the store and he needs to know if they need more salt.
“eric?” he calls. he glances down at his watch.
there’s a noise behind the shed. “coming!”
eric emerges between the bushes, his hair disturbed, his lips pink. he looks like someone kicked his puppy, and bob chastises himself for it.
“I’m sorry, sir, I’m sorry,” eric says, picking up the net again. branches crack behind the shed, and eric glances back at the water. “jack wanted to show me something.”
bob quirks an eyebrow. “behind the shed?”
he should leave the poor boys alone. god, he remembers when he was that young, too horny to be a functioning member of society.
eric’s face flushes red, as he starts picking up the leaves from the pool again. “yes. we were counting the salt bags.”
something that shouldn’t have taken fifteen minutes, since bob knows very well they had five left yesterday. “I didn’t want to disturb you eric, we really appreciate your work around here,” he says. he’s a good kid, and bob knows he needs the money. it’s not like he’s going to fire him for canoodling with his son, unlike what eric seems to think. “I just wanted to know if I should get more salt bags.”
“that would be a good idea, sir.”
“good, I’ll leave you to it, then. I think it’s going to take me most of the afternoon,” he adds, even if it’s not a little bit subtle. “I need to pick up some stuff for the barbecue.”
eric nods, still mortified.
bob’s never seen jack act with anyone like that before, and it– it quietens his worries, sometimes, as a father. whatever happens behind that shed is a lot more bearable than those looks jack was giving eric the first month of this summer while eric tended the pool. honestly. as if bob nor alicia had noticed.
bob smiles. “you’re invited too, by the way.”
“oh.” eric betrays himself by glancing at the shed once more, before he looks down again, cheeks red. “thank you, sir, but I don’t want to impose.”
“not at all. you’re welcome, kid.”
“thank you. that would be lovely.”
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