“Yeah, that would be cool. The address is one eighty two, Parker Hill Road. Just come around to the back and come inside. That door’s never locked. I appreciate the offer, I really do. Money’s tight until payday again.”
“It’s no problem, Kasey. I’d be happy to do it. I’ll uh, I’ll see you soon?”
“Yeah, apparently so,” Kasey chuckled. “But I have more requests to take now. So I’ll see you in a bit. Bye.”
“Bye,” Rowan said. And then he hung up. He stared at the receiver for a long time. What the hell had he just done? What in the hell had he been thinking? He put the phone back on the base, wiping his palm down the length of his face as he sighed. Sweet God, he was an idiot.
But, he had some cooking to do. Right when his song came on, he got down to business.
-----------------------
What the hell had he just done? As he stared at the playlist before him, Kasen shook his head. Sure, he’d ordered pizzas from time to time, but that was different. He hadn’t invited a complete stranger to bring him food. He chewed his bottom lip. This was absolutely reckless. How in the hell had he gotten in this mess? And what exactly was he thinking?
Only earlier that evening, he had been fantasizing over Rowan, the guy from the dog park. And now, here he was, eagerly awaiting the arrival of food from ‘Pasta Salad’. Christ, he was horrible!
He tapped his fingers against the table as he sighed, closing his eyes. It was going to be the longest hour of his life now. Because, really, what was he supposed to do if this Pasta Salad guy turned out to be a serial killer? Perfect. He would die at work. He would die without ever having a first kiss. He would die without ever being in love. That was just freaking fantastic. Then again, he was never surprised by the stupid choices he made in life.
So while he was mentally counting down the minutes until his death, he continued playing one track after another. His listeners may have been confused by the random inclusion of Oasis, but Kasen had his reasons.
He glanced up at the clock, finally, and realized that it had nearly been an hour. He felt his stomach knotting up. It was mostly from his nerves. He gulped, reaching down for his pack of cigarettes; another perk of working at the radio station. He lit the tip and inhaled deeply, glancing out the window to see that there was a silver vehicle parked in the parking lot.
“Shit,” He said, eyes widening slightly as he jumped up from his seat. And right then, there was a knock against the glass window and he turned around to see Pasta Salad; his potential killer.
He was taken by surprise when he realized he recognized the man.
It was Rowan.
------------------------
Rowan had honestly been cursing at himself the entire drive over. Why in the hell was he doing this? He had done many random, stupid things in his day; but nothing could possibly compare to this. Even before he actually got out of his vehicle, he set there for a few moments weighing out his options.
The pros were that he could possibly make a new friend; and perhaps something a little more. But his cons were that it would be someone who would take the food and slam the door in his face. Not only would he be insulted; but he’d never work up the gumption to trust anybody in this town. It was too late now. There was no turning back. So he picked up the hot plate covered in aluminum foil before he exited his car.
He was a jumble of nerves as he entered the backdoor, and then he wandered down the hallway until he saw the studio. Cool Kasey was there. Only a simple piece of glass separated them. Kasey had his back to him, so all Rowan could see was a head full of brown hair with headphones atop; though he could see the smoke rising into the air from an obvious cigarette.
He let out a low breath, trying to calm himself as he lifted his free hand, knuckles hitting against the glass twice. This was it. Either he was going to make it or break it. But he hoped that all would go well, even if he was interpreting things wrong and Cool Kasey hadn’t actually been flirting with him.
But when the other turned around, he was very surprised to see a familiar, yet handsome face. His lips parted slightly, but then they broke out into a broad smile as he gave him a small wave. It was Kasen. Kasen from the dog part, owner of Houston. So that’s who Cool Kasey was. It made sense. Kasen, Kasey. Kasey, Kasen. How had he overlooked that possibility in the first place?
He watched as Kasen hurried over to open the door, allowing him to enter as he offered the plate to him.
“Wow. I honestly had no idea,” Rowan admitted as he glanced at Kasen.
“You and me both,” Kasen nodded with a smile. He took the plate and then bit his bottom lip, eyes slowly lifting up to Rowan’s again.
Rowan saw those blue hues gazing into his own, and he quickly cleared his throat. “Well, I hope you enjoy the food. I’m glad that I could help you out. I know how rough it can be to work alone with no option for lunch,” He watched as Kasen nodded sheepishly as he peeled back the aluminum foil to see the mashed potatoes and gravy, with a piece of grilled chicken on the side. He nodded in approval. “This smells fantastic, Rowan. Thank you so much.”
“Not a problem,” Rowan said with a nod. “I just like to cook.”
Kasen moved back over to sit down in his little work area, plate of food in front of him as he began to shovel it into his mouth. Man, he really was hungry.
“Sho good,” Kasen nodded.
Rowan bit his lip, grinning a little towards him, “Well, I’m glad you think so,” He glanced towards the window. “I uh, guess I should let you get back to work, huh? Maybe I’ll see you at the dog park tomorrow?”
Kasen turned around suddenly, glancing up at Rowan. Rowan was certain he saw the hint of a blush on his cheeks, “You can stay if you want to.”
----------------------
There was no way this was entirely coincidental. There had to be that one moment in life where the stars aligned perfectly and destiny was put in to motion. Kasen was positive that this was the moment. He was trying his very best to keep his cool, but that was proving difficult as he took another bite of the mashed potatoes and realized that Rowan had made this especially for him. But wait. Rowan hadn’t known he was Cool Kasey. What if he was disappointed? He swallowed the food before his blue hues moved back up to see that Rowan’s brown eyes were already staring at him.
“Sure. I could stay. I’ve always wondered what the inside of a radio studio was like anyway,” Rowan said as he leaned against the table across from Kasen.
Dear God. He was going to stay. Kasen tried to focus on the delicious food that had been provided for him, but he was finding it incredibly hard not to glance over at Rowan.
You idiot. He thought to himself. Just because he brought you food doesn’t mean anything. That was true. It didn’t. But what if it did? He swallowed the last bite of the mashed potatoes before he began to dig into the chicken. It was probably the best chicken he’d ever tasted.
He could remember his mother’s cooking. There had never been a time when she’d made something decent. Always burnt or not done enough.
Then again, there were also nights where he didn’t eat at all. He didn’t like to think about that though; how negligent his mother had been towards him….not to mention how he’d grown up wondering if he was even loved. That probably wasn’t a healthy life style for any kid.
“So how long have you worked here?” Rowan’s voice pulled him from his own thoughts. He blinked, looking up at him.
“A little over eight months now,” Kasen replied as he took another bite of the chicken before reaching over for his bottle of cherry cola. He took a large gulp, swallowing it down before he licked his lips.
“And you like it a lot?” Rowan continued.
“Yeah,” Kasen nodded. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I enjoy it very much. It’s better than flipping burgers on a grill somewhere.”
Rowan nodded before he gave that same warm smile that Kasen was discovering he liked, very much. “I think everyone should do what t
hey enjoy. We don’t live long enough to do sucky jobs,” He gazed at Kasen, still leaning against the table as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “That’s why I’m doing what I love, too.”
“What do you do?” Kasen asked, finding that he very much wanted to know more about Rowan. Anything he’d tell him, really.
“I’m a vet,” Rowan replied, his brown eyes moving back to Kasen’s blue. “I love animals. I find that animals are more pleasant to be around than humans most of the time.”
Kasen couldn’t help but grin. He understood that entirely. That’s why he liked being a radio DJ so much. He didn’t have to be face to face with people. If need be, he had the option to hang up on them. So it seemed they had that in common.
It was quiet for a few moments while Kasen did another announcement before putting his next playlist into queue. Rowan waited patiently as he pulled out his pack of cigarettes, contemplating lighting one up although he wasn’t sure it was all right to do so. It was only when he noticed Kasen pulling out his own pack and lighting one up, that Rowan cautiously did the same.
The radio studio was almost exactly as he had imagined it. It was a bit bigger than most studios, glass walls keeping the noises from outside away from Kasen’s music collection. There were various posters around including Led Zeppelin, Guns-N-Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, and Journey. Rowan wasn’t sure if those were from Kasen’s own collection, or if they’d been there for years. They all looked fairly old.
“I can’t believe you’re Pasta Salad,” Kasen said, a bit of amusement in his tone. Rowan looked away from the posters to see a small grin on Kasen’s lips. This made him smile in return.
“Is that so hard to believe?” Rowan asked, curiously, quirking a thick brow.
“I guess not,” Kasen replied with a shrug, before he took another drag of his cigarette. “I just…you seem like such a proper kind of guy, I guess. I wouldn’t have pegged you for the type to listen to my station.”
“Why’s that?” Rowan inquired. “You play some really good music. You don’t seem to stick with just one genre, either. It’s like you play whatever’s on your mind for the day.”
“I do,” Kasen nodded, “It depends on my mood really.”
“I think I’ve noticed that,” Rowan replied, exhaling from his nostrils before moving closer to Kasen to flick his ashes into the ashtray. He glanced down at him, noticing how Kasen suddenly seemed nervous, so he backed off as quickly as he could. “Is that why you were playing so much Journey the night before last?”
Kasen chuckled a little, giving a shrug, “Between them and REO Speedwagon, I thought I did a pretty great job.”
“Oh, you did. Don’t worry. I enjoy both groups,” Rowan licked his lips, taking another drag as his gaze stayed focused on Kasen. He was a good looking guy. Though Rowan wouldn’t voice those opinions because he still wasn’t entirely sure about him. What if he was straight and just had a thing for staring at people?
He watched as Kasen’s eyes shifted back down to his cigarette. It was like the cigarette had suddenly become so interesting. Rowan didn’t say anything about that, though. He settled for leaning against the table and finishing his own cigarette in silence.
“So…” Kasen finally said, and the silence was broken. “You said you’re from Boston, right?”
“That’s right,” Rowan replied with a small smile.
“What’s it like there?”
Rowan was thoughtful for a moment, trying to figure out how to word it properly. He had lived there his entire life. All he’d really known was Boston. But he needed a fresh start. He had to make his own reset button. “It’s got a city feel to it,” He started, “But it’s not like New York. It’s real old. There’s history everywhere, whether you’re interested in it or not, you can’t help but to notice it,” He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling fondly as he envisioned his hometown. There would never be another place like Boston, he knew that. But he also knew that he couldn’t live there again. Not now at least. Perhaps, never again.
"Boston is nice, I guess. I mean, I went to Tufts for vet school, and spent most of my time there in a lab rather than exploring Somerville. Lots of students around, which was pretty fun. Tufts was a blast, the undergrads did lots of crazy stuff. There's even a Naked Quad Run which is...well, exactly what it sounds like.
"The weather is pretty wild. I grew up with it, and I was used to it, I guess. Six inches of snow in October, sixty degrees the next day. The April fool’s Day storm was truly epic.
"As to what to do, well, I spent a lot of time in small breweries, heh heh. Boston's got some pretty fantastic restaurants, even ones that poor veterinary students can afford. I did a lot of partying in undergrad, but I preferred to just have quiet drinks with other students or friends in Vet school. I had to get up too early for hangovers.
“Last year was my first year out of school. Despite two years of clinical, I didn't feel quite comfortable in my skills yet...and living at home with my folks to pay down some student loans was too tempting. So I became the Rat Lord,” He chuckled at his own joke, but then continued on.
“All schools that test on animals have to have to have a certified vet on hand, so I worked at MIT treating the big-headed genius’s pet rats. Most of what happens to cats and dogs happen to rats too...just on a much smaller scale."
Rowan looked down to see that Kasen was staring at him in pure wonderment. He blinked a few times and then cleared his throat, looking down as he chuckled.
“Sorry. I’m sure that was more information than you cared to hear.”
“No, no, no,” Kasen replied quickly as he shook his head. “That was great. It seems you’ve had a lot more excitement than I have. Alabama sucks. At least Chartreuse does. I cannot say I’ve been much further than this city,” He wrinkled up his nose, which Rowan found to be cute.
Christ. Stop thinking things about him are cute. You’re only going to end up in trouble. So Rowan quickly pushed those thoughts away as he chewed at his bottom lip.
“I’ve been here my whole life,” Kasen continued. “And I’ve never really made big plans to leave. I wish I could, of course, but I don’t see it happening any time soon.”
“Where would you go if you could?” Rowan asked curiously.
He watched as Kasen stroked his cheek in thought. “Honestly? Anywhere. I think it would be fun to go to Florida. See the ocean for once. Or maybe even going to Kentucky to see the Cumberland Falls. I’ve heard that on nights of a full moon, you can see a moon bow. It’s supposed to be quite a sight to see.”
“Is that so?” Rowan smiled. For an instance, he could see himself traveling to Kentucky just for that. He’d read about the Cumberland Falls online before. It was supposed to be an incredible landmark or something. Maybe one day he’d venture there. And perhaps, if he and Kasen became good friends, he’d take him along.
“I can’t believe it’s already eleven,” Kasen said, pulling Rowan out of his thoughts.
“Is it really?” Rowan asked. He glanced down at his own watch. “Hm. So it is,” He nodded.
“I understand if you need to go. Though, it’s been really great having someone to chat with. I’m normally used to just hearing voices on the other end of the line, not face to face,” Kasen smiled, and it was a gentle smile that could’ve been taken in several different ways.
He’s just being friendly. Rowan told himself. But he returned his smile, “I don’t have to go. I mean, unless you just want me to. I don’t have to work tomorrow. That’s the best part about the weekends. I’m only on call.”
He saw another smile playing at Kasen’s lips as he pulled out another computer chair, guiding it to be beside of him before patting it. “Why don’t you sit down? You can be my guest DJ for the night.”
Rowan’s eyes lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning, “I don’t mind if I do.”
Chapter Seven
Kasen was surprised that Rowan stayed until it was time for him to leave. Maybe he didn’t
have anything better to do, or maybe he actually enjoyed Kasen’s company. Either way, Kasen was not complaining. As he locked up the studio he glanced down at his watch. Caroline would be coming in for her shift around five thirty, so he knew things would be safe until then.
He glanced back to see that Rowan was unlocking his car to get in, so he nodded to him. “Was nice to chat with you. Thank you for the food and for the company,” He smiled at him.
“You’re welcome. I enjoyed it a lot,” Rowan replied with a nod. Then he noticed that Rowan was looking around before their eyes met again. “Where’s your car?”
Kasen could feel his ears burning as he chewed at his bottom lip. “I uh, don’t have one,” He replied. He’d never really been able to save up enough money for a car yet. He was doing good enough to manage his bills and his rent.
“Oh,” Rowan nodded in understanding, one leg in the car, one leg out of it as he glanced at him again. “Can I offer you a ride?”
Kasen smiled stupidly as he gave a small nod.
“Yeah, sure. Thanks,” He shoved his hands into his denim jacket pockets as he moved over to the passenger side and then opened the door. He smiled at Rowan over the roof of the car, and then Rowan returned that smile. As they both got in and buckled up, Kasen felt his heart going a little crazy.
He’d never been in anyone’s car aside from his mother’s. And that never ended well. She was always yelling at him or someone else, and she never watched the road like she should have. He had feared for his life more than once.
But as Rowan backed up and then turned, heading back down the hill, Kasen didn’t feel nearly as threatened. Rowan seemed like a semi-cautious driver, and for that; Kasen was grateful. He relaxed in his seat, glancing around. It was totally different from his mother’s car. Clean, well-kept, and the smell wasn’t so bad either. Actually, it smelled nice. He was confident he could smell Rowan’s cologne, and it tantalized his senses for a moment, making him feel a little dizzy.
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