Chapter 21
God, Parker loved the zoo.
Miss Sheila was at a Doggy Daycare, safe and sound, and they were spending the day taking pictures of bears playing in the snow, orangutans swinging like they weighed nothing, and rhinos that didn’t have to do anything but stand there and be amazing.
He was having a ball, and Heath?
Heath was magical.
“In my next life, I’m coming back as an elephant.”
“Ooh…would you do sexy things with your…trunk?” He couldn’t stop his chuckle.
“Dork. I suppose I could. I was thinking more about being so majestic and deliberate. Commanding respect.”
“You’re pretty deliberate, honey.” And he knew folks respected Heath. He had no question.
Heath snorted, grinning. “Okay, maybe. But I’m not majestic. I could come back as a lemur instead. Live the good life.”
“Oh, I like that. I think I’d want to be a bird.” Flying sounded wicked cool.
“And fly? Yeah, that would be neat. You’d be a pretty bird.”
“Unless I got reborn as an emu. Or an albatross…”
“Then you’d be big and ugly. But I’d still love you.” Heath’s head tilted. “Can emus fly?”
“Nope. They can’t. But they do drop their feathers in a wad when they’re scared.”
Heath barked out a laugh loud enough he actually had to apologize to the people standing near them. “That just seems so…not you.”
“Yeah, I’m not likely to drop trou in fear, but…” He started laughing too, tickled shitless.
“Not in fear.” Heath was still giggling. “We’re going to cause a scene.”
“Only if we’re nasty, right? We’re not going to be gross.”
Heath rolled his eyes at him. “No, babe. We are never gross. I’m just playing with you.”
“Me too.” He winked at Heath. “Although, I could so be gross with you.”
“Speaking of gross, are there penguins? I want to see penguins.”
“There have to be penguins. They don’t make penguin-free zoos. Penguins are numerous, and they can’t escape.” Right?
“Cool. Let’s find them.” Heath took a couple of steps, then looked over at him. “So is this a no-holding-hands zone too, or am I allowed a little PDA?”
“I’ve never been here, but Indianapolis is supposed to be a friendly city, huh?” Parker took Heath’s hand.
Heath’s smile grew wide and his shoulders squared up. “Good. This is great.”
Parker examined their map. “Yep. You want to get lunch on the way to the penguins? We’re on the other side of the zoo from them.”
“Can I get a zoo-dog? You know, a foot-long hot dog. And fries.” Heath stroked a thumb over his hand.
“Ooh… Hell, yes. I want a smash burger and fries. Do you want ranch or ketchup on your fries?”
“Ranch is weird, so ketchup.” Heath grinned at him. “I mean, ranch is fine for some people…or uh… ranch is… I mean, to each his own.”
Parker snorted softly. Teasing Heath was more fun than color TV. “Ranch dressing is amazing, and you know I love it. Pizza. Fries. Jalapeno poppers. Onion rings. Yum!”
“See? Weird.” Heath pulled him over to a cafeteria-style food court, and they loaded up a tray with greasy zoo food. “So,” Heath said as they sat down. “I want a garage and a deck off the bedroom. What do you want?”
Parker pursed his lips, tilted his head. “Let’s make a game slash media room. Somewhere we can hang out and have fun together.”
“Finish the basement, or add a room over the garage, maybe. Add a Ping Pong table and some comfy recliners.” Heath nodded. “I like it.”
“Yeah. We need a space that’s just ours, right?”
“The whole place will feel like ours soon I hope.”
“Well, I hope I can help you a lot—in all the ways.”
“So far so good.” Heath took a huge bite of his hot dog. “Oh, so bad it’s good.”
“I love a hot dog, man, especially in the summer on the grill. That and beer can chicken.”
Heath grinned. “Is that when you stand the whole chicken on a beer can and cook it?”
“Yep. You shove a beer can up a chicken’s butt and cook that critter.”
“Sounds great. We’ll do it for Skyler and Beckett this summer. I’m way better on the grill than I am in the kitchen.”
“You and me both, honey. You and me both.” He noshed on his burger, so damn happy.
“I’m going to have to go back to work when we get home. What’s your plan do you think? Job? Sleep all day? Find three more dogs?”
“Oh, I’m going to work. I can do construction, or if there’s someone who needs handyman work. Hell, if there’s a hardware store, I’ll get something there. I’m not proud.” And he had some cushion too.
“You would look hot in a hard hat.” Heath winked at him.
“What about horses? Do you like horses? My neighbor, Jake’s son Tim runs some kind of breeding or training thing on Jake’s land.
Not sure what he does exactly, but Jake is always telling me how busy Tim is. I was going ask if Tim needed anyone…”
“I can totally work horses. I grew up with them and have worked with them my entire career.”
Heath nodded. “I’ll introduce you to Tim.”
Parker smiled at him. He wasn’t too proud. He knew he needed to network.
Heath reached over and stole his pickle, taking a big bite of it with a grin.
“Oh, my poor pickle!” He clasped his hands over his chest, going for totally dramatic.
“Mhm. Murdered. RIP. It was delicious.” Heath pushed over the plate of fries as compensation.
“Thanks, love.” He took a perfectly crispy fry—one of the fries that were almost translucent with the crunch.
“I can’t remember the last time I was at a zoo. I think I was a kid. Like, six or eight. It was in Buffalo. We don’t really have zoos in Vermont. There’s a neat reindeer farm though in Orleans and a few wildlife conservation areas.”
“Oh, can we go? I want to see reindeers. Are they friendly?” He wanted to pet their antlers.
“Oh yeah, we can go. You want to?” Heath’s eyes lit up. “Some of them are friendly, they have feed and stuff. It’s fun.”
“I’d love it. Any time.” He was a goof for that sort of shit.
“Good. We’ll go while it’s still winter. They’re pretty in the snow.” Heath stuffed the last bite of hot dog into his mouth.
He waited until Heath swallowed to drawl, “You eat that sausage awful pretty…”
Heath flushed pink and snorted out a laugh. “You—you don’t say?”
“I do.” He waggled his eyebrows, playing along madly. “I really, really do.”
“Evil. So evil.” Heath picked up his Coke and took a long sip.
“Mmhmm.” Evil, but fun? He was loads of fun, and Heath liked it, he could tell.
“Finish your burger, evil man. I want to go see the smelly penguins.” Heath looked down into his own lap, then back up again and winked. “I think I’m presentable.”
“You are free of traces of ketchup and or mustard. I can be seen with you.”
“I was more concerned about whether I should come out from behind this table…”
“Oh.” He loved that. It genuinely made him feel ten thousand feet tall.
“Oh, you say?” Heath laughed. “You and your evil sausage comment had me all heated up for a minute.”
“Hey. I’m the one who has to watch your gorgeous mouth all the time.” It was a wonder he didn’t have blue balls.
Heath licked his lips and winked. “I’m so sorry for you.”
“I know.” He put his hand on his heart, so dramatic. “I’m so brave.”
“Pfft. Okay. Let’s go, Lancelot.” Heath stood. “Penguins.”
“Penguins, ho!” He laughed—how he could go from miserable to happy to miserable to happy so fast? He had no idea.
The zoo had been a brilliant idea, if Heath did say so himself. So far, Operation Keep Parker Distracted was working like a charm. Once they were home, it wouldn’t take so much thought, but this trip had a shadow over it, and he was determined to lift it and keep it there.
He had another plan hatching too. It involved buying a ring and talking to his mom. And possibly a dog-sitter, if Parker would be okay with that.
But that was still in the early stages, and he couldn’t let himself get distracted right now.
He knew they were close to the penguin enclosure by the smell. He loved those slimy, slippery, waddling creatures, but, man—they smelled like death.
Parker kept beaming at him, eyes on him like Parker couldn’t not look, and it made Heath feel a thousand feet tall.
He kept hold of Parker’s hand because Parker had said it was okay. He didn’t want to let go. He wanted everyone who saw them to know that this gorgeous, kind, sweet gentleman was his.
“There they are!” He tugged Parker along, excited to see his favorite creature in the zoo. Tigers were cool. Elephants were astounding, but penguins were funny as hell and he loved them.
“I love how they look so clumsy on land and so damn stunning in the water. It’s magic.”
“Right? And I’m sure they’re fishing or something, but they always look like they’re playing to me. Just having fun.”
“Did you know they have solid bones?” Parker was reading the plaques on the wall, fascinated.
“Nope. They seem like pretty squishy.” He was watching them dive and swim and climb out of the water. “I love how they just kind of pop up. Doesn’t seem like it should work, you know?”
“Also, they got no teeth. They have sharp ridge-y things to hold the fish.” Parker leaned in, dropped his voice to a bare whisper. “No BJs for them.”
“Aw! So sad to be a penguin.” He laughed. “Have you ever looked in their mouths though? It’s terrifying. Seriously.”
“I hadn’t, no. That’s so wild, man. Nature is amazing.”
He lowered his voice as well. “We can make up for all of their lost BJ opportunities.” They could start as soon as they got back to the trailer.
“Oh, I love how you think, Penguin Man.”
“Yeah, well. Make sure you thank the right head.” He couldn’t stop his laugh.
“I so will.” Parker goosed him, so careful no kids would see it.
“Parker!” he hissed and rolled his eyes. “Not in front of the penguins.”
“Oh, right. We can’t tease. They can’t blow or pinch…”
He tilted his head thoughtfully. “I bet they can spank with their little flippers.” He made a spanking-flipper gesture and cracked himself up.
Parker snorted, the laughter barely held in. “You got to think that mating is…awkward with those guys.”
“At least.” He had no idea how that worked. He could look it up, but he liked the mystery of it. “They’re so loud. They might have you beat.”
“Hey, I spent a lifetime being quiet, you know. You make it impossible.”
“Yeah?” That made him feel like a giant. “Well, keep it up. Shout all you like, I love it.”
“I intend to, and I love you too.” Parker gave him a warm glance.
“Excuse me?” A teenager holding hands with a girl who was obviously his girlfriend walked right up to Parker. “Mr. Stephens? You’re Parker Stephens.”
“I am.” Suddenly Parker seemed to light up, expression turning to something Heath didn’t quite recognize as he held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Good to meet you too, sir. I’m Louis, this is Amy. Wow. At the zoo. So cool.” The kid patted his jeans and came up with a zoo map. “Will you please sign this for me?”
“Of course. You got a pen on you?”
The kid nodded, and Parker scribbled his well-wishes on the map.
Louis squinted at Heath. “Are you famous?”
He blinked for a second, then grinned. “Totally. I am Heath, the Vermont lumberjack.”
“Oh cool. The beard is awesome.” The kid handed him the map to sign.
Parker nodded, playing along like it was nothing. “Isn’t it? I think it’s wild. I’m considering growing one myself.”
He signed the map and handed it back. “I’m really nobody compared to Mr. Stephens, though. Enjoy the zoo.”
Louis nodded, like he was going to leave, but paused and looked at Parker. “See you in the arena?”
Parker smiled, winked at the kid. “Never say never, right? Have a great day.”
“You too, sir. Thank you. Thanks!” The kids hurried off, glancing back over their shoulders.
Parker grinned at him. “My famous lawyer-jack.”
He straightened up. “That’s me!” He took Parker’s hand. “Never say never, huh?”
“I’m going to announce my retirement, but not to a teenager in the zoo.”
“No? You don’t think he’d keep it to himself? What about the penguins? You could start with them. They won’t tell.”
Parker lifted an eyebrow, then dragged him over to the window. “Penguins. Guys. I’m retired from bull riding.”
He shook his head. “See? They give no shits.”
“Do they speak English, do you think?” Parker winked at him.
“Possibly not.” He chuckled. “They were a good test run.”
“Let me tell you, then.” Parker met his eyes. “I’m retiring from bull riding, lover.”
He held that gaze and nodded. “I get you all to myself now.”
“Yep. I hope you don’t regret it. I intend to make sure you don’t.”
“Never. Not possible. Are you kidding? I got a cowboy! That’s the dream, right?”
“You know it. I’m a goddamn archetype.”
“Cowboy and lawyer-jack. We’re a regular Sunday movie.”
“Maybe a regular NC-17 movie on a Saturday night?”
“Oh we are way more regular than just Saturday night.” He chuckled. “What else do you want to see? Or should we go check on our own beast?”
“This is the pinnacle, man—tuxedo birds of non-fellatio joy.”
“Non—” He just cracked up, laughing as he gave Parker a little shove. “I guess we’re done here!”
“Let’s go hit the Walmart for some cards and some tater tots and chicken strips, then we’ll get our girl.”
Sounded perfect. “Can we get beer too? And cheese?”
“Ooh. Sharp cheddar and something weird?”
“Yeah. Exactly that. We are so good.”
Parker met his eyes, took his hand and squeezed. “You know it, honey.”