“What the fuck?” he snarled as he jerked his bedroom door open.
“I’ve had enough of this,” she whined at him.
“What?”
“It’s two in the afternoon. All you’ve done all day is mope.” She stabbed his chest with her finger.
He wanted to tell her to fuck off but knew she was right. He looked down at the carpeted floor. “So,” he sounded petulant, even to his own ears.
“Go out there and see him.” She grabbed his face, turning it up to face her. “I mean it. This is bonkers.”
“I can’t. He has company. Brad and others from Princeton.”
“When do they leave?”
“They all should be gone by the weekend, except Brad.”
“So, book a flight for Saturday.”
Tyler sighed deeply. He’d love nothing more than to go surprise his lover, but if the Princeton crew were still there when he showed up, it would be bad. “Let me see what I can do.” How could he get the information he needed without letting Davey know about it?
He dug though his stuff and found Angel’s phone number. If she was dating Stewart like it seemed, she’d know the schedule. Hell, she might know it even if they weren’t dating. He took the chance and tapped her number into his phone. She answered on the third ring. “Angel.”
“Hi, Angel, uh, this is Tyler Whitmore. We met once.”
“Yes, of course. I know who you are.” Her voice was sharp and to the point. He wouldn’t be able to bullshit around to get his answers from her. She’d know it.
He took a breath, ready to just dive right in. “Okay. I have a favor to ask. Just a small one.”
“What?”
“Do you know what Davey’s schedule is?”
The silence on the other end of the phone had him squirming. He was about to call her name, when she spoke up. “Don’t you?” It didn’t sound accusatory, only curious.
“Yes and no. See, uh, I know he has folks from Princeton out there now, but I don’t know for sure when they are leaving and who will be left there.”
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why do you want to know? Look, Tyler, I’m duty bound to protect Davey, and I don’t know enough about you to do that. Stewart told me you were out there at The Ranch, but I don’t know if you broke up or something.”
“Fuu-shhh-damn. No! Don’t even talk like that. I just want to go out there and surprise him. Either this weekend or next week, but I don’t want to screw up and get there when other people, especially Princeton people, are still around.”
“Okay. Okay, Tyler. I get it.” She sounded happy.
“Are you dating Stewart Jessop?” He blurted the words out before he even realized what he’d said. “Sorry, none of my business.”
“Are you dating Davey McAllister?”
“Yes. You know I am.”
“Yes, I do, but it’s nice to hear you admit it. I like Davey. He’s a good kid, and despite being on top of the Supercross world and having a millionaire daddy, he’s had a hard life. A lonely life. I’d like to see him get some happy.”
“Me too.”
“Okay. I’ll give you what you want, if you’ll answer one more question honestly.”
He almost told her to forget it. He didn’t want to play truth or dare with her, but he felt he could trust her, and now that he had decided to go through with it, he desperately wanted Davey’s schedule. She seemed genuinely concerned about Davey, and that went a long way with him. “Fine,” he muttered. “What?”
“Do you love him? Are you in love? Could you see yourself being in love?”
Tyler laughed. Such an easy question. “Yes. I totally love him.”
She squealed, sounding a lot like Janie. “Okay. Don’t go Saturday. They’ll still be heading out, packing gear up and shit. Sunday is okay, but Monday is better. Matter of fact, if you make it a little later on Monday, Brad will be gone, too. He’ll be alone until Thursday. Brad’s back on Thursday. Okay?”
“Got it! And Angel?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, sweet boy!”
He felt a lot better having Angel as an ally. She could have caused trouble, but she seemed to truly care, and he needed that. Davey needed that. He smiled, happy for the first time all day. He flipped open his laptop to book his flights.
The two-hour drive from the tiny airport to The Ranch seemed a lot longer when he drove it alone. He missed Davey beyond reason and he couldn’t wait to see him. He made a mental note to send Angel some flowers for helping them get together and letting him surprise his lover.
The last time he surprised Davey with his tattoo, this time he wanted to give him something nice. It had taken a lot of thought, but it also helped keep him busy, so he didn’t lose his ever loving mind waiting for this day. It felt stupid and sappy, but he liked it and thought Davey would too.
He finally pulled up to the gate and punched in the code, smiling at how much Davey had trusted him with it. He drove up the lane and parked the rental car in front of the house. Parked in front of the garages, a large Suburban sat stoically beside the house. It made Tyler’s stomach go queasy. Could some of the Princeton team still be there? He texted Angel and sent her a photo of the huge truck.
No, it isn’t Princeton or Brad or Stewart. She texted back, quickly.
He didn’t know who it was, but he’d take a chance. He left his bags in the car, just in case and walked up to the big glass archway and rang the bell. He stood there waiting.
He rang again.
He could see someone walking toward the door through the tinted glass. A tall, thin man with broad shoulders, and an almost nonexistent waist opened the door, wrapped in a towel. His dark blond hair dripped water drops down his bare chest between the rings in each nipple. Tyler could tell his hair would be as light as his own once it dried. His lips were full, sexy. “Can I help you?” he asked in a deep sultry voice.
Tyler was stunned. This sexy man, naked but for a towel around his waist, answered Davey’s door.
He shook his head and turned around, practically running back to the rental car, almost tripping over his own two feet. He shoving the key in the ignition without even thinking about it. He couldn’t breathe, slamming the car in reverse and hitting the gas.
Davey’s voice, vaguely echoed in his head, calling his name.
He put the car in drive and took off. Tears flooded his eyes. This could not be happening. It could not.
28
“Tyler!” Davey called out, running out to the driveway. He couldn’t believe his lover was there, or had been there. He turned to look at Jessie. “What did you say to him?”
“Nothing. I just asked if I could help him. Who was that?”
“My boyfriend!”
“Oh? Shit!” He looked down at himself, and then back to Davey. “He may have gotten the wrong idea, Cuz.”
“You think?” His cousin could be a real dumb shit sometimes. Davey ran back into the house and grabbed his phone off the kitchen counter. He tapped his screen to call Tyler, but he didn’t answer, letting the call roll over to voicemail. Davey bounced up and down waiting for the beep. When it finally sounded, he blurted out his message as fast as the words could fall from his mouth. “Come back, Ty. That was my freakin’ cousin, baby. Please.” He hung up and sent a text saying the same thing. He started pacing the house.
“Go after him, Cuz,” Jessie said.
“Fuck! This can’t be happening.”
“Go.” He pointed toward the door.
In a minute, he barreled down the dirt road on his father’s Harley. It was the quickest street legal vehicle he could get his hands on. His heart seized up, remembering how Tyler had talked about letting Davey fuck him on top of that bike. If he got him back, he’d do exactly that.
A few minutes up the road, he spotted the rental car pulled to the side. He parked the bike and went to the door.
Tyler sat in the seat, his h
ead folded down to the steering wheel. Davey tapped on the window. Tyler’s arm moved to let it down, and then he slowly looked up. Davey was crushed. Tears fell down Tyler’s lovey cheeks, making his eyes the color of grass.
“No. Baby. Please. That was my cousin.”
“He was naked, answering your door.”
“He was not! Sheesh! He had swim trunks on. He’d wrapped up so he wouldn’t drip on my floor. Damn, baby. I would never cheat on you. You’re everything.”
Tyler stared out at him with swollen eyes. “I can’t do this.”
“Please come back to the house. Let’s talk.”
Tyler looked away. He picked up a shirt box off the front seat and handed it to him. “Here. I’m going home now. Please leave me alone.”
“Tyler, no. I didn’t do anything.”
“It doesn’t fucking matter. I…I’m just not ready for this. I didn’t trust you. I was afraid that you had people from Princeton still there, and then this hot guy answers your door. Fuck! It’s too much. I can’t, I just can’t. Please.” He cried harder, his words becoming hard to understand through his sobs.
Davey put the box on the top of the car and leaned in the window, trying to get his arms around his lover. “Baby, please. God, don’t cry.” Tyler’s salty tears ripped a whole through Davey’s chest just as sure as if each drop was a knife blade stabbing him.
Tyler pushed him away. “Just leave me alone, Davey. I…I need space.” His voice cracked beneath his sobs.
Davey picked up the box and stepped back away from the car. He watched his lover drive away as his own tears spilled over his cheeks.
Davey rode back to his home, but he didn’t want to be there anymore. Every inch of the place reminded him of Tyler. He sat down on his couch and closed his eyes, only to see visions of Tyler pinned below him, right there across the leather. He had watched as he slid his cock inside of his lover, nice and slow. Tyler’s erection had bobbed up and down with each stroke, bliss splashed across his face. Davey couldn’t stop the tears. His life was shattered. Once he thought Supercross was the only thing that would or could ever matter to him, but he’d found he could open his heart, but now he wished he hadn’t. It hurt.
“Cuz,” Jessie’s voice was soft, and questioning. Davey’s emotions obviously made him uncomfortable and unsure of what he should do.
“Don’t worry about it.” Davey pulled the box into his lap and opened it. He flipped through the scrapbook, overwhelmed at what Tyler had put together for him. When he got to the last few pages, he couldn’t look at it: pictures of Tyler, a photocopy of his graduation certificate and mechanic certifications, a picture of him with his mom, the letter from Cole’s team asking him to join, the sketch of a cam shaft he’d been drawing when they’d met at that hotel. Davey shut the book, hugging it to his chest. He loved Tyler more than Supercross.
He picked up his phone and tapped out a text to Tyler. I would give up everything for you. I would give up racing. I love you. Please, please come back.
There was no answer. He called several times, but all the calls were going to voicemail. He left one blubbering message that made no sense and then gave up. He went to his room where memories of Tyler were strongest and shut the door. Waking up every morning to his lover wrapped warmly around him had been the goddamned highlight of his life.
He reached under his pillow and pulled out the T-shirt Tyler had worn that last day. It didn’t smell like him anymore, but he held it to his face anyway. He missed seeing Tyler in his shirts. It made him feel like they could surely fly together. The soft fabric caught the tears as he sobbed.
Sometime the next day Stewart came. He pounded on Davey’s door, but Davey wasn’t getting up unless Tyler was back.
“You have to eat, man. Or Brad will be here beating both of us half to death.”
“Fuck off.”
Stewart left him alone for a while. How could he not understand?
Jessie had gone home. He lived on the south side of Gallup and had come to The Ranch to keep Davey company. Davey had invited him, knowing that going a week without a full house and no Tyler would be hard. He wasn’t all that close with his cousin, though. He figured Jessie had called Stewart and left once he thought Davey was in good hands, but Davey only wanted to be alone. He stayed in his room the rest of the day, refusing to come out for dinner. He just wanted to lay there where he could remember his lover, wishing he was still there in his arms.
The next morning, Stewart pounded on his door again. “Okay. I’ve had about enough of this, Davey,” Stewart yelled.
“I don’t want to talk about it. Leave me alone.”
“Fuck, Davey. You can’t do this. You can’t stop your training in the fucking middle of Goddamned everything.”
With his voice breaking and holding back tears he had thought he was out of he said, “I can do whatever I want.”
It was quiet for a long time. Davey thought he might have fallen asleep, so he wasn’t sure how long it had been before Stewart was at his door again. “Okay, Davey. I’ve got two plane tickets to Denver. We need to go take care of this issue with Tyler and get back on track.”
“What?” Davey jumped out of the bed and opened the door. A wave of dizziness fell over him. He wasn’t sure if it was euphoria or lack of food.
“First, we eat.” Stewart must have sensed it was the lack of food, or he just wanted to feed himself again. Either way, Davey wasn’t going to question it; he was starving.
Late that night, they pulled up in front of Tyler’s apartment complex, Davey eyeballing the GPS to make sure they had the right place. “This is it,” he said, looking over at Stewart.
“Go. Go on. I’ll wait here. Text me if you’re not coming back, and I’ll go find a hotel.”
“Thanks, Stewart.”
“Don’t thank me yet.”
Davey got out of the car, and leaned in to pick up the roses he had bought on the way over. He seriously wanted to work things out with Tyler. He knocked on the door.
A slim woman opened the door. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. “Janie?” he asked.
Her eyes opened wide. She looked over her shoulder, then opened the door. “Davey, right?” she asked. He nodded. Her eyes checked him out, top to bottom and then lingered on the roses, making him feel unsure if they had been too much or too feminine. She let him step into the apartment but stopped him just inside. “Look. He’s barely come out of his room. He’s miserable. You better be here to fix this.”
He held up the roses.
“Good. Come on.” She steered him by his shoulders through the sparse living room and down a dark hallway. She reached around him, opened the door, and shoved him in.
Tyler looked up from where he sat at his desk, his eyes wide. “Davey?”
He held out the roses, and Tyler took them, staring down at them. He stole a quick glance up at Davey, then stared down at the flowers again.
“Tyler, please, please can we just talk?”
“You came a long way.”
“Yeah.”
Davey leaned against the edge of the desk and held out his hand. Tyler took it reluctantly. He pulled it up to his mouth and kissed Tyler’s knuckles. “Baby, I miss you. I love you. Please don’t end this.”
Tyler slowly stood up. In a second they were in each other’s arms. A girly squeal peeled from the hallway. Tyler leaned over and shut the door. “Privacy, Janie.” He was smiling. “What took you so long?”
“Had to spend a few days bawling like a baby before Stewart kicked my ass. Oh! Can I let him go? He’s waiting in the car.”
“Yep. I think this is going to take a while.”
Davey texted Stewart that he’d stay with Tyler. He quickly added, Thank you! hoping he’d know just how much Davey meant it. Then, he pulled Tyler back into his arms. “I don’t ever want to be without you, Ty. I don’t know how to make this work, but I can’t, won’t live without you.”
Tyler looked up and kissed him, softly. “I d
on’t. I’m sorry. I should have trusted you. It scared the hell out of me.”
“I probably would have freaked out too. Jessie is kind of hot.”
“Your cousin?” Tyler asked, giving him high eyebrows.
“Yeah, my straight cousin. Very straight cousin.”
Tyler put his head against Davey’s shoulder. “Okay. I’m sorry. What now?”
“Now, I make love to you, because I can’t stand not to anymore.”
29
Tyler smiled to himself at how far they had come. After their almost breakup, Tyler joined Davey at The Ranch on a more permanent basis. They spent three sun-splashed days in Clearwater forgetting the rest of the world before Davey went to the camp in Jacksonville. Davey had spoiled him rotten with mimosas for breakfast, playing in the surf, and long walks along the beach at sunset. They even got to hang out at a few local places along the strip. Then Tyler flew back home to pack up the rest of his stuff while Davey had to go to Jacksonville. After the training camp, they met back at The Ranch. He had officially moved in, and Janie’s new boyfriend moved in with her. Everything worked out perfectly.
Tyler loved seeing Davey so excited because the training had helped and he’d managed to cut a full second off his fastest track time. He would be more than ready when the season started.
When Christmas rolled around, they flew into Denver together to go visit Tyler’s family. Davey drove with Tyler navigating from the airport. Tyler couldn’t stop smiling. Davey had gotten a tattoo of a wrench on his right hip as a present for Tyler. He’d also whispered about another surprise for later. The holiday atmosphere excited him, but just being with Davey was more than enough for him.
He didn’t know what to get Davey for Christmas, and still hadn’t bought anything. He planned to go shopping with his mother and Janie after they got settled in at his mother’s house. “You think you’ll be okay hanging with my mom’s boyfriend while I go off with Mom and Janie?”
“Janie?”
“Yeah, uh, her folks live next door. Didn’t I tell you?”
“I guess I forgot.”
Tyler laughed. “I used to have the biggest crush on her big brother. He was all jock, athletic and muscular and oh so hot.”
The Holeshot Page 14
