by C. W. Gray
Justin’s Journey
Hobson Hills Shorts
By C.W. Gray
© 2019 C.W. Gray
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:
[email protected]
Cover created on Canva
Chapter One
“I’d like a slice of the steak and ale pie and an order of the loaded pub fries.”
Justin wrote down Dr. Grover’s order then smiled. “I’ll get that order in. Would you like a pint of Abel’s stout with that? They go well together.”
“Sure thing,” Grover said with a grin and leaned forward on the bar. “Anything Abel brews is good, and that cook of yours is the best.”
Justin tapped the top of the bar. “You’re not lying, Doc. Are you having dinner with your ladies tonight?”
“I am,” Grover said. “They’ll make me eat a salad, so I need to get the good stuff now, while I can.”
Justin grinned. Grover was in a relationship with two widows, and they did their best to take good care of him. That didn’t stop him from eating lunch at the pub twice a week.
“Say, you want a guinea pig? He’s a cutie.”
Justin arched a brow. “I can say no to you, Doc Trickster. Pawn the piggie off on Carter or Hannah.”
“You’re so heartless.”
“Fine. If you come across a unicorn, I’ll adopt it.”
“You play a mean game, Justin Ames.”
He typed the order into the computer, then quickly pulled a pint of the stout and set it in front of Grover. “You know it, Doc.”
The pub was packed which was usual for lunch time on a Saturday, but it seemed to have stayed packed for the past three weeks. It wasn’t even their busy season. The spring was supposed to be their slowest time.
His servers weaved in between the tables inside, and the patio was full of customers and their pets. Unfortunately his new bartender was missing.
Justin refilled drinks and checked on the customers at the bar, then worked on the drink orders the servers gave him. He looked around the room again. No sign of Eddie.
“Justin, Chelsea isn’t on the floor.” Nell picked up her drinks and gave him a worried look. “She said she needed to go to the bathroom, but it’s been twenty minutes, and Laura and I have been taking care of her tables.”
“I’ll go find her. Eddie is missing too.”
“Oh.” Nell wrinkled her nose. “I bet they’re in the storage room. Chelsea took something on her break and you know how she is when she does that.”
Justin cursed. “Nell, please keep an eye on the front, if you can. I’ll be right back. You and Laura will need to split Chelsea’s section.”
“Damn. Are you finally firing her?”
“Not much choice. We’re desperate right now, but not this fucking desperate.” Justin checked on each of the customers at the bar one more time, then headed through the kitchen.
The day cook looked up from his grill. Reuben was African-American and a giant of a man, huge and muscular, and seldom spoke. Justin and Abel tried their best to get the man to open up and join the community, but Reuben could easily have been a hermit.
They didn’t know too much about his history. He came to work and went home; that was it. The quiet alpha even had his groceries delivered. Despite his solitary nature, Justin and Abel both adored the man.
He had moved to Hobson Hills a year ago and completely revamped the pub’s menu, almost doubling their profits. He was the best hire Justin had ever made.
Reuben gave him a questioning look.
“Are they in the storage room?”
The alpha nodded, looking disgusted.
“I so don’t want to do this.”
Justin’s phone pinged and he looked at Tanner’s text and sent a quick reply.
Tanner: Can’t come to dinner at the pub tonight. Picked up 3rd shift. I’m an idiot.
Justin: np. luv u. be careful.
That sucked big time. For the past month, Tanner had picked up more and more shifts on top of his normal schedule and his volunteer hours with the fire department. Justin didn’t know why he needed the extra money. Tanner was definitely not a big spender.
Justin sighed. His favorite part of the day was when he saw Tanner, and he needed some good today, damn it.
He took a deep breath. “Okay.” He filled a pitcher with water and stomped across the room, pausing outside the door. He could hear their moans from there.
He wrinkled his nose and closed his eyes, then opened the door, startling the couple.
“Hey,” Eddie said. “Give us a minute, man.”
Chelsea giggled, then moaned again.
Justin didn’t open his eyes. He tossed the water toward their voices, smiling when he heard them screech.
“You’re both fired. Get your shit and get out. I’ll mail your final checks.” Justin turned and walked back through the kitchen, leaving the pitcher on one of the counters.
Reuben smiled softly and gave him a gentle pat on the back.
“What am I going to do? We only have one other bartender, and the summer tourists will be here before we know it.”
Summer time in Hobson Hills was tourist season and the Irish Rose had proven to be a favored destination last year. With the extra traffic they pulled in due to the yummy food, they would be overwhelmed quickly.
Justin rubbed his eyes. He was so tired and he knew it would get worse before it got better.
“Got a friend,” Reuben said, voice deep and husky. “I’ll call him.”
“Really? Reuben that would be so helpful.”
“I can’t believe you’re firing us.” Chelsea stomped out of the storage room, clothes askew. Her pupils were dilated and her hands shook. He recognized the signs all too well.
Justin saw Eddie slip out the back door and shook his head. “This is the second time you’ve been high at work, and you just got caught having sex on the premises while you’re on the clock. Is it really that surprising?”
“You think you’re so much better than us.” Chelsea snarled and grabbed her purse from her work cubby. “You look at us like we’re trash, but you’re just like us. You should have seen your mom last night at Wally’s party.”
She smirked. “She was so fucking messed up. Yeah, you’re just like the rest of us, Justin Ames. You can pretend all you want. One day, that deputy of yours is going to realize the piece of shit he’s been fucking.”
Justin’s face turned ashen.
“Get out.” Reuben’s voice was rough and he took a step in her direction.
Chelsea’s eyes widened and she ran for the door. It slammed shut behind her.
“Justin?”
“She’s right,” Justin said quietly. “Mom got arrested last year, and Tanner had to bring her in. I was so embarrassed. I’m used to it all now, but Tanner is third generation law enforcement.”
Reuben gave him a questioning look.
“Tanner just rolled it off, like it was nothing.” Justin bit his lip. “It can’t have been easy on him, and one day he’ll realize he won’t get far hooked to me.”
Reuben glared at him and snorted. “Stupid.”
Justin took a deep breath and let it out. He didn’t have time for introspection. “You’ll see, Reuben. I need to get back up front.”
He pushed through the door and checked on his customers. The regulars were kind enough not to comment on his pale complexion or the tears in his eyes.
***
Closing
time finally arrived. Damn, but they made a lot of money today. If business stayed this good year-round, Justin knew he would have his portion of the business paid off within a couple of years. Then, he would pull in more money each year.
Justin wiped the bar down for the night and checked their inventory one last time. Abel was on vacation in the Caribbean, so he had brewed extra barrels of beer just in case they ran out while he was gone. So far, so good.
“Hey, boss,” Wiley said, grabbing his attention. Justin turned around and leaned back against the bar. The older beta was Justin’s evening bartender.
“I just wanted to let you know I can help out during the day if you need me to.” Wiley waved a hand toward Justin. “You look really worn out. That can’t be healthy.”
“You’ll burn out fast if you work fifteen-hour days,” Justin said.
“That goes for you too, boss. Let me help you, so you don’t have to work fifteen-hour days. I could use the extra money. Maybe we can alternate until we find someone else.”
“I can help out too,” North, one of the evening servers, said. “Plus, Laura told me she wouldn’t mind working a few long days. It’s worth it to have Chelsea gone.”
Justin sighed. He really didn’t have much choice. “If you all are sure, I could use the help.”
“I’ll take tomorrow,” Wiley said with a wink. “North can work a double too.”
North nodded and smiled sympathetically. “Go on to bed, boss. We’ll finish closing.”
“You guys are the best.” Justin handed Wiley the rag then went to the kitchen.
Albie, the night cook, had closed the kitchen down a few hours ago. Everything was spotless and a list of what they were low on awaited Reuben for the morning.
Justin unlocked the door leading upstairs and slowly made his way to his apartment. His home was spacious, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. A large, covered balcony ran along the back and overlooked the thick forest surrounding the pub. The stairs from the kitchen led to the balcony and he took a minute to look out at the dark, wet night. Rain pelted the roof, soothing Justin’s nerves.
So, his mom was taking pills again. She had been clean for two full months, but he had known it was just a matter of time before she was back on them again. He rubbed his face with his hands and tried to force the feeling of helplessness away. He knew nothing would change with her.
Unlocking the front door and entering, he stood in the entryway of his apartment. “Butter Bunny. Are you awake, baby?”
His large, blond Angora rabbit hopped quickly toward the door from the laundry room.
Justin knelt and held the rabbit to his chest, pressing his face against her soft hair. A little over two years ago, his best friend, Grey, gave Justin a baby rabbit for Christmas. At the time, Justin had no idea that Butter Bunny would be his favorite thing in the world. Well, his second favorite thing in the world. Tanner was pretty damn amazing.
The apartment was quiet, and Justin thought again about how much happier he would be if Tanner moved in. Justin’s alpha wanted to move in, but Justin kept putting him off.
Justin was afraid to let Tanner in because Justin was a piece of shit – garbage with a pill addicted mom. Chelsea was right. One day, Tanner would realize he was better off without Justin.
Giving up, he finally let go of the pain and worry he had held in all day. Justin sobbed into Butter Bunny’s hair and rocked himself back and forth. He could tell himself that he was a businessman with a bright future all he wanted, but he was still the boy from the trailer park with the dirty and torn clothes.
The boy whose dad ran off and broke his mom’s heart. The boy whose mom didn’t care enough about him to buy groceries. The boy whose mom traded their food stamps for pills, leaving him to go hungry. To look for food in places he didn’t want to think about.
Butter Bunny stayed with him, a warm comfort while he cried. Time passed and his tears slowed. He wiped his eyes and set his rabbit down.
“I’m sorry, Butter Bunny. I needed that.”
He went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, washing the long day away. As he brushed his teeth, he looked at the plastic stick still sitting on the counter from this morning. Two thick, clear pink lines showed in the little box.
He spit in the sink and knocked the stick into the trash can. He didn’t want to think about it.
Chapter Two
Tanner Jones sat in the hallway outside the morgue at the local hospital. At five in the morning, the hospital was almost empty. There was no one else here in the basement.
He leaned his head back against the cold concrete wall and closed his eyes. Pain throbbed at his temples and exhaustion made his shoulders droop.
It had been a long, horrible night, but the worst part was still left to do.
Travis sat beside him and handed Tanner a cup of hot coffee. “I can do it if you want me to. I should probably be there anyway. That way you can focus on him.”
“Maybe that would be best.” Tears pricked Tanner’s eyes.
This was going to devastate Justin. It fucking tore Tanner’s heart in two.
Three hours ago, Tanner had gotten a call about a single car accident on Main. The streets had been empty when he arrived, barely beating the ambulance. He’d recognized Rhonda Ames’ car right away. Justin had given it to her for Christmas.
“No one wanted this for her,” Travis said. “She was a sweet lady, even during an arrest. Damn it. This really sucks, man.”
“I just...,” Tanner started to say, then stopped.
“What is it?”
“This is going to fuck with his head.”
“His mom is dead. I think that would mess with anyone’s head.”
“I love Justin. I want to be with him for the rest of our lives.”
“I know, man,” Travis patted his back. “You bought that big ole expensive ring.”
“We’ve been together for over two years, and he won’t let me move in. He keeps his emotional distance. You know what I mean? Now, I have to tell him that, after being clean for months, his mom died in a car accident while under the influence of oxycodone. I’m a selfish bastard, but all I can think about is how he’s going to push me away.”
“The way that man looks at you?” Travis shook his head. “He loves you too, and he will need you. Maybe you’re over-thinking things.”
Tanner scrubbed his face with his hands. “What the fuck do I know? Justin is good at keeping his feelings a secret.”
He stood up, drained the rest of his coffee and then threw it away. “I need to think of Justin now, not myself. I got this, Travis. He doesn’t like to get upset in front of other people, so I really should do this alone.”
Travis stood. “Okay. I’ll finish up the paperwork. You know Hobson Hills. This will be all over town by noon, especially considering the damage her car did to that streetlight.”
Tanner nodded and hurried out of the hospital. He drove quickly and parked at the back of the pub. He ran through the rain and jogged up the stairs to Justin’s apartment.
The two garden gnomes Justin’s mom had gotten him for Christmas were perched beside an empty flower pot. Tanner felt tears fill his eyes again and fought them back.
He unlocked the door and slipped inside the silent apartment. It was way too early for Justin to be awake considering what time he finished up last night, so Tanner went straight to the bedroom.
Butter Bunny slept in a small cat bed next to the bed, and Justin was curled into a ball under the quilt Grammy Wilson had given him last Christmas. His soft blond hair poked out of the top of the blankets. He looked so peaceful, and it tore Tanner apart. He knew he was going to break his man’s heart when he woke him. He stared at Justin for a moment, wishing he did not have to do this.
“Justin. Wake up, honey.” Tanner sat at the edge of the bed and gently shook Justin’s shoulder.
“Hmm.” Justin’s eyes fluttered open, and Tanner mentally cursed.
His omega was as exhausted as he was.
“Tanner? Did you come to sleep with me? I could use a snuggle.”
Tanner slid in beside his omega and wrapped him in his arms. “I have to give you some bad news, love. Something happened.”
Justin blinked, becoming more awake every second. “What’s wrong?”
“You mom was in an accident early this morning.”
“Is she hurt? Is she in jail? Did she hurt someone else?” Horror filled Justin’s eyes.
“She’s dead, Justin.” He hugged his man tight. “I’m so sorry.”
Justin didn’t speak. He lay there in shock for a while, then he cried – long, deep sobs. Tanner held him close and murmured soft, nonsensical words, offering what comfort he could.
A couple of hours passed, and Tanner thought of the woman he had spent so much time with. Rhonda Ames had loved her son, but she had also had an addiction problem. Like many addicts, that addiction always came first, but despite that, Tanner knew she had loved Justin.
Justin loved her too, but he hated the drugs. Tanner knew this loss would hit him hard. There would be no closure between them.
“What happened?” Justin’s voice was broken and rough.
“She was driving impaired on Main Street. It rained some last night, so the roads were a little slick.” Tanner swallowed hard. “From what we can tell, she swerved and hit a streetlight. The coroner said it was fast.”
“Was... was anyone else hurt?”
“No. She was alone.”
“Good.” Justin buried his face against Tanner’s shoulder, then jerked away. “That stupid, stupid fucking woman. How could she be so selfish?”
Tanner smoothed a hand over Justin’s head. “Honey, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Chelsea said mom was at one of Wally’s parties last night, so I know she started using again.” He was quiet a moment. “I really hoped she had gotten better. I really had hoped.”
He started crying again, and Tanner joined him.
“She tried. I know you don’t think it, but she loved you so much, Justin.”
