13. Hudson
Chapter 13
I like to think of myself as pretty reliable in a tense situation.
Quick thinker.
A spring into action type guy.
But my dad stood in the doorway to my bedroom, and I stared at him as if trying to solve the world’s most difficult puzzle.
Luckily, Dad seemed to be having just as much difficulty comprehending the scene before him.
He blinked.
Opened his mouth.
Blinked again.
“Dad,” I started as if his best friend wasn’t plastered to me with sweat and cum.
“Case,” Lance croaked.
“Get your asses out of bed and someone better be ready to tell me what the fuck is goin’ on,” Dad said, his face flushed, and words laced with a fiery anger. “I’ll be on the porch.”
“Shit.” Lance pressed his forehead to my shoulder.
“Well, there goes the idea of easing him into it,” I muttered.
We rolled from bed and took the world’s fastest shower.
By the time we made our way to the kitchen, Dad had started a pot of coffee, and I could see him pacing on the front porch. Lance and I poured ourselves fortifying mugs of coffee and headed out the door.
Years of knowing each other was likely the only thing that kept Dad’s blow to Lance’s face from landing right on his nose. Instead, just as the punch flew through the air, Lance jerked to the side.
He cursed when Dad’s fist glanced his cheek.
The coffee mug shattered on the porch, steaming black liquid splattering everywhere.
“Dad!” I stepped in front of him and put a hand on his chest. “Knock it off. We need to talk.”
“What the hell you doin’, Lance? Takin’ advantage of my son? What the fuck?” Dad roared.
“Case—”
The second swing missed completely, and Dad stumbled.
“Dad, stop.” I muscled him toward the porch swing. “Sit down.”
“I trusted you.” Dad’s breaths heaved from his chest and his hand shook as he pointed a finger at Lance. “Trusted you to take care of my boys and this is what you do?”
“Case—” Lance started.
“No,” I interrupted. “Dad, stop now. This has nothing to do with trust. You and I both know damn well Lance never hurt Henry and me. I’m a grown-ass man and I can make my own decisions.”
Dad scoffed, rubbing his knuckles where he’d made decent contact with the side of Lance’s face. “So now you’re just fuckin’ around? Scratchin’ an itch? Fuck, didn’t even know you were gay,” he added almost as an afterthought.
“It’s not just fuckin’ around,” Lance said. “And I didn’t know I was gay until I left here, and things got worse with Kim.” He moved closer to me.
“Well, you’re in for shit,” Dad muttered. “Hudson doesn’t do anything but fuckin’ around. She fuckin’ screwed my boys up just as much as she fucked me over.”
Lance stiffened beside me, and I knew without a doubt he was fixin’ to defend my honor. I took his hand and a deep breath. “She did fuck me up,” I said, letting Lance pull me closer as we faced Dad. “But I’ve been figuring some shit out lately. We’re not just fuckin’ around. This is real. We planned to tell you in a better way than this, but that’s water under the bridge now.”
“He’s my kid,” Dad roared, fiery eyes glaring at Lance.
“I know,” Lance answered softly. “Didn’t come here lookin’ to fall in love with him.” He turned soft eyes my way. “But I don’t regret it. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Dad stood, opened his mouth, shut it, and balled his hands into fists. “Thought I knew you. Trusted you. Should’ve known everyone’s gonna fuck me over in the end.” He made his way down the porch steps.
“Dad,” I called out, unsure if I wanted him to come back or keep walking.
He waved a hand in the air, never turning back.
“Fuck,” Lance grumbled.
“Well, that could have gone better.”
We spent the rest of the day working through chores and to-do lists at the Dairy Palace, the Juicy Peach, and around the orchard. Things got done, but I could honestly say neither of us was focused on the work.
We chatted throughout the day, mostly about Dad, and had come to the conclusion that we’d give him a day or so to cool off, and then go talk to him. I wasn’t willing to lose my dad over this.
And Lance wasn’t going to let his best friend go without a fight.
Hopefully, he just needed time.
“You wanna get food or cook something at the house?” I asked. Maybe assuming he’d spend the night with me again was crossing a line, but after the morning with Dad, I couldn’t help feeling needier than usual.
“Kinda don’t want Henry’s scrutiny and told-you-so’s tonight,” Lance said. “Pizza?”
“That sounds perfect,” I answered as we walked through the back door into the kitchen.
“You wanna shower and I’ll put in the order?” Lance asked as he thumbed his phone screen.
“Thanks.” I pressed a kiss to his lips. Despite Dad catching us together, I refused to feel like a teen who’d gotten in trouble. I wasn’t going to feel guilty for what Lance and I had, even if Dad couldn’t wrap his head around it.
Stripping my shirt over my head as I headed toward the bathroom, Lance’s phone chimed and I heard him curse. Right before I turned on the water, his rich voice filled the air as he answered the call.
Just as I’d unbuttoned my jeans, Lance appeared in the bathroom doorway. “Get dressed. We need to go.”
“Huh?”
“Casey Joe. Henry said he thinks he’s having a heart attack. Henry’s got him almost to the hospital, couldn’t wait on the ambulance.”
The bottom dropped out of my world.
I froze.
Lance kicked into action. Buttoning my jeans, scooping my shirt off the floor, and pulling it over my head. He cupped my cheek, kissed me softly, and pulled me into a quick hug. “Come on, we need to go. We need to be there for him.”
Silently, I followed Lance to his truck.
We’d been driving a few minutes when the dam broke and tears stung my eyes. “Fuck, what if that fight is the last memory we have of him.”
“Shhh,” Lance said, taking my hand and bringing my knuckles to his lips for a kiss. “We’ll get there.”
“This is my fault,” I started.
“No. We’re not playing that game.”
“He had a heart attack the day he found us in bed together,” I rushed out in exasperation.
“He had a heart attack because he’s been on the brink of something happening ever since Billy died and probably before.” Lance squeezed my hand. “And we don’t even know if it’s a heart attack.”
My mind rushed with memories of my dad and how much I’d miss him if he was gone. He wouldn’t be winning any Parent of the Year awards, but he’d done the best he could with what he had. I wasn’t ready to see him go. Hell, we still needed to have it out over Lance and me.
“Fuck,” I muttered. “This is so much shit.” Rubbing my eyes, I tried not to imagine a doctor coming out to tell Henry and me that our dad didn’t make it.
Fuck.
He had to make it.
Lance held my hand all the way to the hospital. “You go on in. I’ll park.” He pulled up to the Emergency Department doors.
My brain knew I needed to get out of the damn truck, but I was frozen. What if I walked in there and Henry told me Dad was dead?
What if a nurse looked at me with sympathy and shook her head sadly?
Was he in there right now with monitors beeping and alarms buzzing as his heart failed?
Was he dying? Already dead?
Lance leaned in and gripped my neck. “Hudson. Go see your dad. I’ll be in as soon as I park. You need to be in there—you and Henry, you’ve got this, and I’ll be right there.” His kiss filled me with courage and hope. “I love you. No matter what happens, we’ll get through this.”
Swallowing a lump in my throat, I nodded and gave his hand a squeeze. “Love you,” I managed to croak out.
Then I slid from the truck and made my way toward the sliding doors.