Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Dillon let the puppies out, then put the coffee on, somehow hoping the smell of it would bring Coke out of the bedroom, where he hadn’t been at all. Dillon had tossed and turned in there, trying to get some sleep so he could get up today and hunt for his bullfighter.
God, he was such an idiot.
He wasn’t sure what the fuck had happened, not exactly, but they had to talk. This whole disappearing bullshit had to stop. Coke, guilt, running… There was a fucking theme.
Dillon went back to the bedroom to grab his phone, laughing when the pups jumped up on the bed, using the footstool he’d put there for leverage.
He had two texts. Shit, maybe he’d slept harder than he’d thought.
One said,
Coke is fine.
The other said,
Check in, Dill.
They were both from Adam Taggart.
“God damn it.” He dialed Adam, while pulling on a pair of jeans. “Answer your fucking phone, Tag.”
“’Lo?” Adam sounded mostly asleep.
“Tag. Dillon. Where is he?”
“Safe. Beau went to stay with him.”
Dillon gritted his teeth. “Not helpful, Taggart. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“No. No, that’s not what I meant, honey. Just that he’s not alone and Beau’s keeping him in one spot.”
“Oh.” He forced himself to take a deep breath. “Sorry, Tag. I’ve just been so freaked out.”
“I wonder why.” Tag’s voice was dry as dirt.
“Right? Where is he, Tag? I can guarantee I’ll bring him home with me.”
“He’s at camp.”
What? What the fuck did that mean? “As in Camp Wannamucka? I thought that happened in summer.” Dillon had been too damned queer for Boy Scouts.
“No, dipshit. Me and Beau and him bought a place down on the bayou together something like ten years ago. You fish, hang out, hide out, whatever. The folks down there, they call it a camp. God damn, you’re such a Yankee.”
“Nope. I would call it a hunting and fishing lodge. I’m way more Western than you, buddy. I need an address and or GPS coordinates.”
“You got it. Like I said, Beau and Sam’s got him, so you don’t have to stress. The cops said he was in a bad way, but I talked to Beau and he says Coke’s eaten a beignet and is sleeping in the sun.”
“Cops?” Oh, fuck. He hoped to God Coke hadn’t tied it up with someone after tying one on.
“He was making some noise and the neighbors called. By the time they got there, he was passed out.”
“Poor Coke. I really messed up, Tag. I didn’t know the whole story, and he thinks it’s all out there for the whole world, I bet.”
“Yeah, well, you just need to go deal with it. Tell him this disappearing thing’s hard on you too, huh? It ain’t right to scare you so.”
“Thanks, Tag.” Dillon would hug the man if he was there. “I owe you a beer. Or six.”
“You totally do. Go get that silly son of a bitch and love on him. I’ll see y’all at the first event.”
“Later.” He loved Tag. He really did. The coordinates came in a few seconds later via text, and Dillon whistled for the puppers. “Y’all want to go find Coke?”
At the sound of Coke’s name, they both started howling like fiends.
“Yeah. That’s what I say, too.” He missed Coke like a lost limb.
His phone rang again and it was Nate this time. Christ.
“Hello?” He hoped Nate didn’t have bad news.
“Hey, I just wanted to make sure Tag got hold of you, see if you needed anything before I took Tracy home.”
“I got this. Tag sent me an address.” Dillon got a little choked up. He was family now.
“Good deal. Text me when you get there, okay? Let me know everything’s cool.”
“I will. Thanks, Nate. I really appreciate you calling.”
“Any time. Gonna take these hooligans home.”
“Get some rest. See you in a few weeks. I have to drive to Louisiana.”
“It’s not a bad drive. The camp’s rustic as fuck. Bring the dogs’ floaties.”
“Got it.” He’d stop and get food, too. If Beau had stocked the groceries, he’d be in heartburn city.
He got the pups and supplies in their truck. He was going to find his bullfighter and…
Talk.
They needed to have a bunch of those hard-to-handle talks.
Coke woke up around three p.m., a note from Beau and Sam on the table saying they’d taken the boat to be repaired.
He sat there for a long bit, then went to love on Boudreaux and grab another beignet before turning his phone on.
He didn’t look at his messages. He knew there were lots. No, that was for later. Right now he wanted to text his cowboy.
m’sorry
It took a long moment for Dillon to answer.
so am I. Had to pull over
Where was Dillon going?
you got the pups?
I do. Just other side of Lafayette from you. Be there in 2 hours
you sure?
He would understand if Dillon didn’t want to ever so much as look at him again.
don’t b stupid, coke
He chuckled softly, shook his head.
Beau and Sammy are here
Good. scared me
He knew Dillon wouldn’t call. No, they’d talk this out in person.
me too.
Because if Dillon didn’t hate him now, Dillon would at the end.
missed u last night when I couldn’t sleep. love you. no matter what you think.
think you. love you. cu soon
yep. back to driving
Damn, he loved that man. Two hours was a long time to think on shit, though.
Too long.
Maybe Beau and Sammy would come back and keep him occupied. Barring that, he might as well get off his sorry ass and clean some more. This place was a wreck.