Best Laid Plans

by Tinnean

  Josh knew it wouldn’t be easy—loving a straight boy never was. He’d seen for himself how rough the going had been for Tom, who had loved Jack Jackson for most of his adult life. Not that that meant Tom hadn’t had relationships. They just hadn’t lasted, because none of the men were Jackson.

  But Josh had never seen Tom happier than he’d been these past nine years. He worried his lower lip. Was he willing to take the chance himself?

  Josh jumped when he felt a soft touch to his thigh. “I’d like to woo you, Josh. If that’s all right with you?”

  “Why?”

  “I never had the chance to woo anyone.”

  Josh wasn’t going to bring up Miss January.

  “Please let me.”

  How could he say no?

  He’d had plenty of time to consider it, and the fact of the matter was he couldn’t. “All—” The truck began to make hiccupping sounds. The fuel gauge registered a little more than a quarter of a tank, more than enough to get them into DC, so that wasn’t the problem. Josh steered it to the exit. He nursed the truck toward a rest stop parking lot and let it roll to a stop. “Dammit.”

  But maybe it was just as well he’d been interrupted.

  “It shouldn’t have done that. This is Mr. Jackson’s newest—Oh my God, do you think those men got to it?”

  “I doubt it. How could they know which vehicle we were going to take or even if we were?”

  “No, but—”

  Josh knew what had Mopp worried.

  They’d just entered the I-95 onramp when Josh’s cell phone rang, waking Mopp. He’d yawned and rubbed his scalp.

  “Get that, would you?” Josh asked him. He refused to answer his phone when he was driving, but he knew from the ringtone that it was Tom. Mopp put it on speaker.

  “Josh,” Tom said. “Deputy Kilroy just left here. He was looking for Miz Babe and Denny.”

  It was the same deputy who’d turned up in the hospital ER, asking questions about a kid who no one else knew had been on the scene.

  “I told him to come in and look,” Tom said, “which he did. I think he expected us to give him a hard time and was ready to throw his weight around.”

  “And you didn’t give him the opportunity. I bet that burned his butt.”

  “You’d win that bet. He wasn’t happy when he couldn’t find anything, not a sock or a kid’s sneaker. Miz Babe did a good job packing.”

  “It’s a good thing we got out when we did.”

  “Yeah. Where are you?”

  Josh told him.

  “You’re making good time.”

  “Yeah. Once we get to DC, we’ll catch a few hours’ sleep and then start the return trip. It’ll be a more direct route, so we should be back in plenty of time for the funeral.”

  “Okay, buddy. Just please drive carefully. I lost Jack. I don’t want to lose you too.” For a second it seemed Tom was going to say something else, but he didn’t.

  “We’ll see you later.”

  Mopp closed the phone and handed it back to Josh. Josh was a little surprised when he dozed off again, but he figured all the events of the past few days would tend to make a body tired.

  Josh switched off the ignition and released the hood’s latch. As soon as he opened the door, the system began to ding, because he’d left the keys in the ignition. He turned it to Accessory, and the annoying sound stopped.

  “Wassup?” Dix mumbled from the back seat.

  “You can tell sleeping beauty.” Josh left Mopp to it and went to the front of the truck. He raised the hood and peered at the engine. It ticked, and he reached out to touch a cylinder, then yanked his hand back and swore. He’d burned his fingers. What the fuck are you doing, Cooper? And he didn’t necessarily mean about the truck. In spite of the decision he’d come to earlier, now he found himself wondering if he’d made the right choice.

  “What’s wrong?” Mopp was suddenly beside him.

  Aside from the fact I’m in love with a straight boy? “I’ll be damned if I know.” Frankly, Josh wasn’t much of a mechanic, and all he saw were wires and those damned cylinders. “It’s a good thing we were able to make it to this rest stop.”

  “Yeah.” Mopp’s shoulder was warm against his. Josh knew he should put some space between them, but he couldn’t. Not yet.

  Mopp leaned forward to study the engine.

  “What do you make of it?” Josh asked him.

  “I’ll be damned if I know.”

  Josh couldn’t help laughing as he lowered the hood. “Scamp.” He took out his cell phone and called for roadside assistance. He gave his location, and the woman on the other end of the line told him she’d have someone there in about an hour. “Well, there’s no sense in us standing here looking ignorant. Let’s see if Miz Babe and Denny want to get something to eat or drink.”

  “Okay, but… Josh, why did you leave me in the truck?”

  “I… uh… thought you might want to stay with Dix.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s closer to your age.”

  “Dammit, Josh. It’s you I want. It’s you I love!”

  Josh felt as if he’d been hit with a sledge hammer. Tommy had said he loved him, but Josh knew it was as a friend. Lucas had never said the words, and Josh wasn’t certain he’d have believed him if he had. As for his family, once they’d learned he was gay, any expressions of love—not that there had been many—stopped immediately. They couldn’t throw him out of the house fast enough.

  He swallowed a couple of times before finally getting the words out. “You love me?”

  “Yes. I know this isn’t the most romantic place to tell you—in a rest stop parking lot next to a broken down truck, but I do.”

  “Mopp, I’m twice your age. Are you certain?”

  “I am. I’m going to woo you, remember?”

  “Listen to me. Tom never worried that Jack would leave him for another man.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “We talked about it once, Tom and I. He said if it came down to it, he was more concerned Jack would leave him for a woman.”

  “And you’re afraid I’ll do that to you?”

  “You’re straight. You’re on the rebound. I want to believe you, because I love you too, but…”

  “Well, you’ll just have to give me time to prove I won’t do that.”

  “How much time?” Josh bit his lip. That sounded so needy. Lucas would have knocked him on his ass for saying something like that. He waited tensely to see what Mopp would do. Not that he expected Mopp to lay a finger on him, but would he curl his lip and turn away from him in disdain?

  “Oh, fifty or sixty years?”

  “What?” Had Josh heard him correctly?

  “Maybe more?” Mopp looked so hopeful Josh would have fallen in love with him right then, if he wasn’t already in love with him.

  “I’m a witness,” Dix said, sticking his head out of the window. “If he tries to back out, you can sue him for breach of promise!”

  “Us, too!” Denny ducked his head under Dix’s arm and grinned at them.

  “Does he even know what that means?” Mopp asked.

  “Probably. Denny is a very smart boy.”

  “I like you,” the very smart boy continued, “and I’m glad you’re boyfriends now.”

  Josh looked from the boy to Mopp, worried—no, more than worried, terrified might be the best word to describe his emotions just then—that having it put out there so bluntly might be what it took to make Mopp realize what a big mistake he was making.

  “So am I.” Mopp went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “If the tow truck isn’t going to be here for an hour, why don’t we go get something to eat?”

  Josh squeezed his shoulder. “Sounds like a good idea. Miz Babe?”

  She moved Dix out of the way and poked
her head out as well. “I think it’s safe enough.”

  “Hey, don’t I get asked?” Dix complained.

  “Could you do with a bite to eat?”

  “You bet. I’m starved!”

  “All right then, let’s get a move on. Time’s a-wasting.”

  “Gotcha.” Dix closed the window and opened the door, and everyone hopped down and went to stand beside Mopp. Miz Babe kept looking around.

  Well, he’d better step on it. Josh went to the driver’s side and reached in to turn off the headlights and remove the key from the ignition.

  The five of them hurried across the lot to the restaurant.

  The bell above the door jingled as they let themselves in, and the woman behind the counter smiled at them. “Morning, folks.”

  “Morning, ma’am.”

  “We’re not too crowded right now.” She chuckled. It was three in the morning, and only a handful of customers—mostly truckers, Josh assumed—were scattered around the restaurant. “Why don’t you pick out a table, and I’ll get you some menus.”

  “Thank you.” Josh lowered his voice and asked, “Where do you feel comfortable sitting, Miz Babe?”

  “In the back? If we have to, Denny and I can duck out through the kitchen.”

  How sad that she always had to consider the logistics of her surroundings. And why was that? What was there about her little boy that had sent her on the run? She had never spoken about it, but they’d thought it might be an abusive ex. Until this had happened with Jackson.

  “Ma, I have to use the restroom.”

  “I’ll take him,” Mopp offered.

  “Thank you. Denny?”

  He handed her his teddy bear. “I’ll be careful.”

  “I hate this.” She looked after them. “He’s not even eight yet, and he has to be so cautious.”

  “You’re doing the best you can for him, Babe.” Dix reached across the table and patted her hand.

  Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.

  The woman who’d greeted them—her nametag said her name was Florrie—brought them four adult menus and child’s, and placed glasses of water in front of each of them. “Can I get you started on some coffee or juice?”

  Josh ordered coffee regular for him and Mopp, and Miz Babe and Dix ordered the same. She also asked for chocolate milk for her little boy.

  “I’ll get right on that.” She went to the coffee maker behind the counter and began filling the white mugs.

  “I’ve got an idea,” Dix said. “We’re not that far from home now. Suppose I call Charles and ask him to send someone to get us?”

  For a moment Miz Babe looked hopeful, but then her shoulders sagged. “The last time he had to borrow the car from Sweetcheeks.”

  “Shoot, that’s right. And Sweetcheeks is out of town right now. Well, I’ll call Charles anyway and let him know we’re almost home.” He looked expectantly at Josh, then blew out a breath when Josh just stared back at him. “I need to borrow your cell phone.”

  “Oh. Sure.” Josh felt like an idiot. All those hours of driving—plus the lack of sleep the past couple of nights due to Mopp having been shot—were getting to him. He handed Dix his phone.

  Dix opened it, dialed, and waited. When he began to speak, it became obvious he was talking to an answering machine. “Charles, it’s Dix. I’m just south of the DC/Virginia border, but my transportation crapped out and we’re waiting on the repair. I’ll be bringing you a couple of presents, so give some thought as to what you want to do with them. If you need to contact me, call this number.” He turned to Josh, who was more on the ball this time and rattled off the number. “I’ll see you later.” He closed the phone and handed it back to Josh. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  Florrie returned with their coffees and Denny’s chocolate milk just as Mopp and the boy came back from the restroom. Miz Babe gave the little boy his bear back.

  “Do you need more time to decide what you’d like?”

  “My boy and I will have cinnamon toast and bacon, please,” Miz Babe said.

  Josh grabbed up the menu and scanned it quickly. “Uh… the manly man breakfast.” It consisted of three eggs, bacon, sausage patties, ham slices, hash browns or breakfast potatoes, pancakes, and toast.

  “How would you like your eggs?”

  “Over easy.”

  “Toast?”

  “Uh… sourdough?”

  “Potatoes?”

  “Hash browns.”

  “Okay. And for you, honey?”

  “I’ll have the same thing.” Mopp grinned at Josh.

  “You’re gonna be able to eat all that?”

  “Yeah.” Mopp leaned over and whispered, “I’ll need to keep up my strength.”

  Josh turned scarlet, but he liked the way his sweet boy thought.

  “I hate you all,” Dix said with a sigh. “Let me have the egg white omelet, whole wheat toast without butter, and the fruit plate, please.” He gave Florrie a charming smile, and she blushed but smiled back at him before turning to put in their order.

  “You could always have what Mopp and Mr. Cooper are having,” Miz Babe said. “Charles would never know.”

  “Want to bet? He’d either smell bacon on my breath or know I’d put on weight in the past twenty-four hours just by looking at me.”

  “Why do you stay with him?”

  “His boys make good money.”

  “So do Sweetcheeks’s.”

  “Charles is going to be Le Roi.”

  Mopp leaned toward Josh again. “Do you know what he’s talking about?”

  “Not a clue.”

  But Miz Babe apparently knew. She looked surprised. “He’s running this year?”

  “Yeah, and being in his… uh… group will be a cachet.”

  The bell over the door jingled, and Miz Babe tensed up.

  Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea, Josh thought. Every time someone entered the restaurant, the bell jingled and Miz Babe looked ready to up and run.

  Florrie smiled at the man who walked in, though. “Hi, Shane, honey. I wasn’t expecting to see you come through so early in the week.”

  “I know. I’m aiming to log in as much travel time as I can before I quit trucking.”

  “You’re gonna go looking for that kid?”

  “He’d hardly be a kid, Florrie.”

  “How long has it been?”

  “Twelve years.”

  “And you’re still looking for him?”

  “Yeah. Dumb, I know, but he was such a babe in the woods.”

  Miz Babe jumped and knocked over her glass of water. “I’m sorry. I… Excuse me. I need to use the ladies room.”

  Josh and Mopp exchanged glances. Dix shrugged. Denny didn’t say a word.

  Florrie hurried over with a handful of paper towels and wiped up the spilled water. “It’s okay. Your breakfasts will be out shortly.”

  ***

  BY THE TIME Florrie brought out their food, Miz Babe had returned to the table. Her eyes were red, but otherwise she seemed to be in control once more. Josh guessed she was grieving for her friend. He hoped this wasn’t going to be one of those years where nothing but bad things happened.

  “Sorry,” she said again. Denny reached over to touch her hand.

  “Are you okay, Ma?”

  She smiled and nodded, but Josh had a strong feeling she wasn’t telling the truth.

  Chapter 26

  THE SUN HAD risen by the time the truck was fixed—the mechanic said something about a clogged fuel pump—and they all piled in again. Mopp settled himself beside Josh.

  “Everyone ready?” Josh asked. “Everyone buckled up?”

  “Yes, and… yes,” Dix said. The snick of seat belts being fastened sounded along with the mus
ic coming out of the radio. This time it was Garth Brooks singing about friends in low places. Dix leaned forward and rested his hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Can I borrow your phone again, big guy? I want to try to reach Charles.”

  Josh took it from his jacket pocket, flipped it open single-handedly—Mopp found that so hot!—and handed it over his shoulder without saying a word.

  Dix kept the conversation muffled, then hung up and held out the phone to return it. Mopp grabbed it so Josh wouldn’t be distracted.

  Dix turned to Miz Babe. “Everything’s set up,” he told her. “You won’t have to worry.”

  “Thank you, Dix.” She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Denny snuggled against her side and clung to his teddy bear.

  Mopp dismissed their passengers and turned his attention back to Josh. He watched as the big man drove the pickup truck, one hand on the steering wheel while he leaned his elbow on the open window. Soon now, maybe even before they returned home, he’d feel those large, competent hands on his body. And he’d get to run his own hands all over Josh. He couldn’t help shivering in anticipation.

  He’d felt that with Jan, of course, but not to this degree. As for other pretty girls, while he’d enjoyed looking at them, he’d always been too shy to do more than offer a hesitant smile. He had known they were out of his league.

  Then he thought about all the men he knew. He had no problem admitting most of them were good-looking, including Dix in the backseat, but he felt no desire to touch any of them in a sexual way.

  “Okay. Where to now, Dix?” Josh asked, and Mopp realized while he’d been woolgathering, they had arrived in DC.

  He looked around with interest. He’d never been there.

  “That’s the Pentagon.” Josh pointed out the building. “And that’s the Washington Monument.”

  They took Mopp’s breath away. Maybe another time Josh would come back with him, and they could do the tourist thing.

  Dix leaned forward again and told him when to turn left, when to turn right, or when to keep going straight. Dix snickered when he said that, but Josh just kept following Dix’s directions.

  Finally, they reached their destination, a pale blue row house in what Dix assured them was a nice section of the capital.