Chapter 6 Kris
“Come with me to the cafe. My boss won’t mind.” I’m getting ready to go to work and Jer is slumped on my couch. He showed up on my doorstep last night when I was coming home from work. I’m no mother hen, but I’m fucking worried about him.
“I’m good,” he says.
“C’mon. I want to play you this demo my guys just sent. Plus, that place is as boring as shit and everyone’s a narc. I need someone cool there to keep me from going crazy.”
He laughs.
“Country boy Kris never wants to be alone.”
“Shut it, Jer,” I say, but smile to myself. I’ve got him hooked. If he comes with me to the cafe, I’ll be able to keep my eye on him and slip him some food.
“Why don’t you take a shower, then we’ll go together?” I suggest, as I tie my hair into a messy ponytail.
“Ooh sounds like a date,” he jokes.
“You’re not my type, Jer. But I like your company. Go get ready. I’ll dig up some clothes for you to wear.”
He grumbles but heads for the showers. I head for my bedroom and find and old band shirt and cargo shorts that should fit him. I wonder what Dave will say about Jer. He probably won’t mind that he’s there. I bet he’ll read the situation quickly and understand why I brought him. Dave’s good at reading situations. At reading me.
I can’t help smiling. Dave always pays such close attention to me. Whether I’m making a latte or eating a burrito, he’s watching. But it’s not creepy. Maybe because I’m watching him right back. It’s like we’re in constant orbit of each other. And we keep pulling closer and closer.
We had a moment the other day when I thought sure he would kiss me, but we got interrupted. Seeing that look on his face was priceless: uptight Dave looking ready to pounce. As fun as it is to see him wavering, I really want him to give in and grab me. Go on, get dirty, Dave. I mean, I could grab him first, but where’s the fun in that?
Jer emerges from the shower looking a little better. I make a note to buy him his own razor and toothbrush in case he stays longer this time and motion for him to follow me to the door.
When we arrive at the cafe, the front door’s unlocked, which means Dave’s already here. The two of us are the morning guys. I’ve only briefly glimpsed Shar and Emilio who work the evening shifts.
“Hey Kris, you’re late–” Dave says as soon as I open the door. He stops when he spots Jer behind me. Dave’s wiping the counters even though Emilo probably did it already before he left last night.
“Sorry, boss,” I say. “This is my friend, Jer.”
“Yo,” Jer says from behind me.
“I invited him,” I say quickly before Dave can say anything else. I can tell he’s watching us, assessing the situation. “He’s just going to hang out while I work. That won’t be a problem, will it?” I say it as nicely as I can, so that it’s clear I know I’m asking a favor–something I’d never ordinarily do.
I spot Gramps seated by the front door and wave.
“Sure, that sounds fine,” Dave says, looking at me questioningly. “Can I get you anything, Jer?”
“Uhhhh.” Jer’s face clouds. He’s standing in the middle of the floor, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.
“Get anything you want,” I tell him, “Dave will put it on my account. Since I'm an employee, I can have as much as I want.
Dave raises his eyebrows at me. There is no all-you-can-eat policy here, so he knows I’m lying.
“No shit, Skipper? Alright.” Jer squints towards the display case. “Can I get a coffee and a couple donuts?”
“Sure,” Dave says and starts readying the order, and hits me with another look.
“This is Gramps.” I motion to the front. “His grandson manages this place. You guys could probably swap stories about LA back in the day.”
Jer immediately brightens and makes his way to Gramps’ table.
“Have I got stories for you. I’m Jer, by the way.”
“The young people call me Gramps, but you can call me Joe.” Gramps smiles at Jer.
“Rock on, Joe”.
Relieved that Jer has someone friendly to talk to, I hustle my way behind the counter. I step in close beside Dave and he watches me with raised brows. He already smells like a mixture of coffee beans and vanilla. I lean in so my lips almost brush his ear.
“Thanks boss. I promise Jer won’t be a problem.”
“Sure. You do understand you’ll have to pay for everything he buys, right?” He pauses. “And we’re going to talk about the name Skipper later.”
“Of course.”
I feel this weird impulse to hug Dave or punch him in the arm. I knew he would understand. He may be an uptight pretty boy, but he’s a decent guy underneath it all. And maybe he wants to tease me as much as I love to tease him. I can’t wait to see him try. But not now. Now we’ve got to work.
We easily fall into our normal routine. We don’t talk much as we work, but it doesn’t feel lonely. It feels comfortable. Jer seems happy, sipping his coffee and chatting with Gramps. Dave takes the orders. I make the drinks. We have a perfect moment of peace. Of course, it shatters before I know it. That’s my luck for you.
It starts when I notice Dave looking at something through the glass windows. He’s wiping tables at the front of the cafe near Gramps and Jer. Immediately my eyes snag on a couple guys ripping down the pride flag by the door. They look like typical frat guys, high-fiving and being assholes. I don’t like it, but flags are replaceable. Dave looks at me, concerned.
“Don’t worry,” I tell him, even though I don’t have a plan. But the next moment, I see one of them reach for a rock. Dave is standing right behind the glass window they’re aiming for. Without another thought, I vault over the counter and run to the front. I whoosh past Dave, nearly clipping Gramps and Jer’s table. If the window breaks, all three of them might get hurt.
“You better get the fuck out of here before there’s a problem.” I bust through the door with my teeth bared.
“You fags are the problem here.”
“Wrong answer.” I push him hard. Punching him would be more satisfying, but not worth the risk of injury. I was a bouncer at one point, so I know. This shithead doesn’t realize he’s in trouble. He steps forward and swings at me. Fucking amateur. I dodge easily and push him again.
“Wrong again.” I snarl.
“C’mon Caleb, let’s get out of here,” his friend says, backing away.
“What are they going to do, call the police? The police don’t care about he/him libtards like them,” Caleb replies.
“When I get through with you, you’re going to wish I called the police.” I grab the front of his shirt and twist it in my grip.
“Hey gentlemen, do we have a problem here?”
I catch sight of Ari, Dave, and Jer standing behind me. Ari’s the one talking, but Dave and Jer look ready to rip Caleb in half.
“Caleb and his friend were just leaving,” I bite out. I turn back to Caleb.
His face is red, and he looks mad enough to spit. I twist his collar tighter.
“C’mon Caleb,” his friend calls from the sidewalk.
“You were just leaving.” I let all the violence I feel show in my expression. Caleb flinches.
Ari, Dave and Jer are right behind me now, a solid row of menace. I can see the moment Caleb gives up.
“Fine. We were just leaving.”
I release him and push him away. He stumbles once and then stalks away towards the university. A sweet swell of victory sings through me and my eyes turn to Dave. But he’s already heading back towards the door. If it wasn’t for the tightness of his shoulders or the pink of his ears, I would think he wasn’t affected at all.
I wonder what he’s thinking. Probably that I’m a redneck with anger management issues. He wouldn’t be the first. But when I glimpsed him behind me earlier, it felt like he was supporting me. That we were on the same team. A little part of me hopes he was actually impressed, even though that’s not why I came out here.
Somehow, this cafe feels like my turf, and the thought of someone attacking it flipped a switch in me. Don’t mess with me or mine. Dave was standing too close to that glass window when Caleb grabbed that rock, and there was no way I could stand by and let that happen.