Chapter 15
Hank
I ate seared tuna steak, the meat practically melting in my mouth, but I couldn’t enjoy it.
Not with my mother picking at the remains of her salad, a frown creasing her forehead, and my father practically straining a muscle to keep the conversation moving.
The Silver Spoon was the fanciest restaurant in Riverton. We ate off white china carefully placed on white linen—everything perfect in a way our family wasn’t.
As good as the tuna was, I’d rather be grabbing a burger at Jerkers. Rather be comfortable and at ease than sitting in the stuffy, uptight establishment that would cost my parents far too much.
They always invited Corey and me here, though. Mom didn’t care for cooking and this was their idea of spoiling us.
“It’s too bad your brother had to miss lunch,” Mom repeated for what had to be the third time. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen him, it’s starting to feel like he’s avoiding us.”
She gave a brittle laugh, and Dad patted her arm.
“Mom, he had to work,” I said. “I’m sure he’ll come next time.”
“That’s what we heard the last time,” she murmured. “But he always has a better offer.”
My brother had missed Dad’s birthday party to go on vacation with Rachel’s family. My mother hadn’t forgotten. Might possibly never forget that slight.
“He just got the job at The Diner,” I said. “He couldn’t ask for time off already.”
“I suppose.”
“It’s a good thing, Mom. He needs to uphold his responsibilities.”
She met my gaze. “Tell me, Hank. If Rachel wanted him at lunch with her family, would he be responsible?”
I winced and shot a desperate look at my father.
He cleared his throat. “Well, my steak was just about perfect. This lunch has been lovely. It seems like you’re settling in over there, hey?”
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “I’m helping organize a festival.”
“Honey, you work too much—”
“And I’ve made a new friend,” I reminded her. “We’ve been hanging out.”
Mostly, I’d invited myself to hang out, but Mom didn’t need to know that.
“Hey, guys!” Fox approached the table, looking out of place in ripped jeans and a black hoodie with a big Ink Anarchy logo. “How’s it going?”
My mom brightened. She’d always had a soft spot for my cousin. “Hello, Franklin! Do you want to join us?”
Fox grimaced at the birth name he’d never liked. “Nah, this place is too fancy for me.”
“Nonsense! Sit and we’ll get you some dessert.”
Fox cut a look at me, and I shook my head. I needed an exit, not a reason to linger.
“Nah, I thought I’d take my boy over to the pool hall. Grab a beer. Catch up, just us guys.”
“Oh. Well, all right…”
“It was great to see you.” Fox swooped in to kiss her cheek, then slapped my dad on the shoulder. “You better hold on to this one, Uncle Davis. Someone might steal this beauty away.”
Dad chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”
“Oh, don’t be silly,” Mom said, but she was smiling and patting her hair. Fox could be a charmer when he wanted. I envied him a little. I usually only operated that smoothly when I had a few beers in me. One more reason I was good at hooking up, but terrible at dating.
I pushed back my chair and bent to kiss Mom goodbye. “I’ll tell Corey to call you.”
“Okay, hon. Have fun.”
I followed Fox outside, breathing a sigh of relief. “Thanks for getting me out of there.”
I’d sent him a 911 text fifteen minutes ago when lunch started to feel like a torture session.
“No prob.” He punched my arm hard enough it hurt a bit. “Probably the only way I’d ever get you to hang out with me.”
“Not true. It’s just not as convenient as it used to be.”
“Yeah, yeah. Well, you owe me a beer now. Meet me over at Ball Busters.”
Fox hopped on his bike, and I followed him over to the pool hall next door to his tattoo parlor. We’d met up here a few times before, but it was more Fox’s scene than mine. I’d tended to frequent the sports bar when I lived in town.
I followed him inside, and we went to the bar to order a couple of beers.
Fox nodded to a couple of guys sitting at a high-top near the pool tables.
One had long, blond hair tugged back in a messy bun, and the other had shorter, brown hair.
He narrowed his eyes at Fox, not looking too pleased to see him.
Fox chuckled under his breath. “Sheriff doesn’t like me.”
I did a double-take. “That’s the new sheriff?”
“Yep. Don’t you know Dalton Harvey? He’s pretty famous around here.”
I shrugged. “I never get into trouble with the law.”
“Such a good boy.” Fox rolled his eyes. “Your mother must be so proud.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “So, let me guess, the sheriff doesn’t like you because you’re a pain in the ass?”
Fox laughed. “If that were the problem, he wouldn’t be with Axel. That guy puts me to shame.”
“Axel is…”
Fox nodded toward the blond. “His gorgeous boyfriend, who I sorta offered a happy ending at the tattoo salon.”
“Fox!” I exclaimed, shocked.
He slid onto a barstool. “Relax. I didn’t know he was shacked up with Sheriff Harvey.” He paused. “Well, that’s not true. It’s just that Axel got around, you know? I didn’t expect Harvey to be the one to lock him down.”
“Well, he does have handcuffs,” I said.
Fox laughed. “Right? I guess that’s the secret.” He slapped the bar as the bartender approached. “Hey, Leo, get me a couple of beers of that new IPA you’ve got in.”
“Oh, so you get all fancy when I’m paying,” I said dryly, but I didn’t really mind. “I see how it is.”
Fox shrugged as Leo pulled our beers. “Wild Outlaw is good shit.”
“That’s what it’s called?” I chuckled. “Well, that’s fitting for you. Let’s hope the sheriff doesn’t have to arrest us.”
Leo glowered. “He better not. My bar has been torn up enough. I only let Axel back in because he swore on Harvey’s badge that he’d behave.”
Fox raised his hands. “We’re not here for trouble. Besides, my cuz will keep me in line. He’s a stick in the mud.”
“Thanks a lot,” I said. “I wonder why I don’t come hang out more often?”
Fox chuckled. “Just kidding, man.” He picked up his beer and took a swallow. “Tell me what’s new. Do you really like it in Grannyville?”
I snorted. Grannyville was kind of an appropriate nickname. Iola was just one of several older ladies who ran around town getting into everyone’s business.
“It’s a great place to be in the dog business,” I said. “Lots of grooming work.”
“Yeah? That’s good, I guess.”
I nodded. “I’ve been organizing Dogtober Days, too.” Fox raised his eyebrows, so I clarified. “It’s a dog festival.”
“Jesus Christ, you’ve turned into one of those loons, haven’t you?”
I took a swig of my beer. It wasn’t bad. Maybe a little watered-down. At least I’d have no trouble driving home soon. “What if I have? It’s a cute town with nice people. Riverton could learn a thing or two from Granville.”
“Oh, them’s fighting words. You better be careful saying shit like that around here.”
I laughed. “Whatever. Like you give a shit about the rivalry between towns.”
He shrugged. “Nah, I guess not. I get a few customers from over there. They seem nice enough. Maybe too nice.”
“Yeah, it’s weird, but a good weird,” I said.
“What about Corey? He happy there?”
“He’s happy wherever Rachel goes.”
Fox nodded. “Boy’s whipped. I’m not one of those sexists who thinks it’s a bad thing to be devoted to someone, but your brother takes it to another level.”
“Yeah, I know, but he just gets mad when I point out it’s not healthy to make her his whole life.”
“First love, man. It can be consuming. I remember my first girl.” He sighed. “She got me hard so fast. I’d have jumped off a bridge for a blow job back then.”
I choked on my beer. “That’s intense.”
He cracked a grin. “Well, that was before I had one from a guy.”
“Was it…” I hesitated, unsure if he’d be offended by my question, but suddenly curious.
“What?”
I lowered my voice. “Was it better with the guy? Or just different? I mean, I know you’re bi.”
“Pan, actually.” He shrugged. “It was better, yeah. But I don’t think it was because it was a guy.
Felipe was my first, and he was just so damn into it.
Way more than my first girlfriend, anyway.
More experienced too.” He took another drink.
“I like people. I like sex with lots of people. I don’t think any one gender is better than another.
It’s all about how you click with someone, you know? The chemistry.”
I nodded along. In theory, I got it. Like everyone else, I’d had great sex partners and mediocre ones. Sometimes the magic just wasn’t there.
Fox tipped his beer up, gulping down the dregs, then set it on the bar and motioned Leo for another.
“What made you ask that question?”
“Oh, no reason,” I said quickly. “Just your comment about the blow jobs.”
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t sound convinced. He stared at me a long minute, then snorted with amusement. “You’re too straight to ever understand.”
“Maybe,” I said.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “What were you telling your mom when I showed up? Something about a new friend?”
I picked up my beer and finished it off. Rolled my eyes. “Yeah, so remember that date I had?” He nodded. “There was a little mix-up…”
I told Fox the story of matchmaking gone wrong, and by the end he was laughing so hard he was crying.
He’d also forgotten all about my weird question about blow jobs from men. Just as well. I wasn’t sure why I’d even asked in the first place.