“You sure you don’t want any of thesesausages?” Will paused, his fork poised above the plate.
“Nah.”
“They’re turkey.”
“I know.”
Will shook his head over such foolishnessand proceeded to eat all the turkey links before Taylor could wiseup and change his mind.
Taylor smiled inwardly. This was what he’dwanted when he had pushed Will to move in with him. Just this. Justbeing together. Not that they weren’t together most of the timeanyway, but there was something about waking up with Will,puttering around the kitchen as they made coffee, talked — or not —ate breakfast, worked out their plans for the day, that wasdifferent, special, better than how it had been before. It felt soright. For the first time in his life, Taylor felt…content.
Mostly.
There was a knot in his stomach every timehe thought of having to go to Richard for money. Even if Richardhad been his own dad, which he wasn’t, Taylor would not have likedasking for a loan. He almost wished he hadn’t suggested it. Butthey had to have money. They couldn’t go on like this. All that hadto happen was one of them getting injured for real, and they’d befinished. CLOSED FOR BUSINESS. Permanently.
As it was, they were losing their shirts,and half killing themselves for the pleasure. They were exhausted,their nerves were frayed, and they hadn’t had sex — fucked — in twoweeks.
“If we can be on the road by noon, we’ll bein Mist Bend by suppertime tomorrow,” Will said.
Taylor nodded, cut his waffle in quarters,speared one of the quarters.
“I figure we’ll just take our time, enjoythe sights. No rush. No pressure. It’s not like we’ve got anassignment to hurry back for.”
“Right.” Not exactly a positive, but Taylorchose not to point that out. Diplomacy in action.
Will finished off the last turkey link andturned his attention to his waffles. “You’ll like it up there. It’snot that far from the ocean, and it’s quiet and peaceful. There area couple of good restaurants and a movie theater in town.”
When was the last time they’d had a chanceto watch a film in a theater? Taylor couldn’t remember. “Dinner anda movie sounds great.”
“I think so. The fishing is still prettygood in the fall. November is good for Chinook salmon and summersteelhead. In fact, trout, salmon, and steelhead are year round. Wecan fish all we want and sleep late on the mornings we don’t fish.I was thinking we’d stay up there for three or four days. How’sthat sound?”
Well, it sorta sounded like Will was tryingto talk himself into the idea. Trying to convince them both thatthis trip was going to be great.
“Fine by me.” Taylor took a mouthful ofcoffee. He set his mug down and said, “But are you sure youwouldn’t prefer to break the news to your kid brother on yourown?”
Will stared at him. “What news?”
“That you’re pitching for the otherteam.”
Will took a moment before he said, “I’m notsure that Grant doesn’t already know.”
“If you’re not sure, then no, he doesn’tknow.” Not if Grant was anything like Will.
Another silence. Sometimes it was likepanning for gold. At last, Will said, “Grant’s shipping outoverseas. I don’t know when I’m going to see him again. I wouldlike him to know you. At least meet you. So, the answer to yourquestion is no. But it might get awkward for you. I don’t know. Ifit is, we’ll stay in town.”
“No worries. I’ve got a thick hide.”
There was a little sparkle in Will’s eyes ashe said gravely, “You know, I seem to recall you’ve got one ortwo…sensitive spots.”
Taylor’s mouth quirked.
“There’s the back of your knees, the insideof your elbows…”
Taylor noisily slurped his coffee.
“And that thing you like me to do to yournip —”
“Okay, Brandt! Enough.”
Will laughed.
When breakfast was over, they washed up, putthe trash out, packed. It didn’t take them long. They were used totraveling and traveling light, so it was just a matter of throwinga couple of changes of clothing in their bags, dumping theperishables from the fridge, and finding their much neglectedfishing rods.
They stowed their gear in the back of Will’sToyota Land Cruiser, gave Riley — uneasily watching theirpreparations — permission to come aboard, and were on the road byhalf past noon to the accompaniment of Emmylou Harris.
The CD was an old one. Luxury Liner.An album Will had played a lot when they had first been partnered,and Emmylou’s bell-clear voice was familiar and sort of comfortingeven when she was singing about love lost forever.
Making believe that you still love me
It’s leaving me alone and so blue
They didn’t talk much; both of them had alot on their minds, but the quiet was relaxed and easy, and theyknew and were used to each other’s silences.
Taylor took the first stretch of driving. Heknew Will was still stiff and sore from his Starsky andHutch routine the day before. It was a long drive, and it wouldbe even longer for Will.
“What do you plan on saying to Richard?”Will broke the silence of the last one hundred miles.
“I haven’t worked it out yet.”
“But you seem pretty sure he’ll cough up thecash.”
Taylor nodded.
“He seemed like an okay guy, the one time Imet him.” Will sounded thoughtful.
“Yeah. He’ll give us the money, don’tworry.”
“I’m not worried.” He could feel Willwatching him. Will added after a minute, “So long as you’re stillokay with this. Because if you’re not —”
“I’m fine with it, Will.” He knew he shouldexplain, but he hated to talk about this stuff, about anything todo with his dad. Will knew the bare bones, of course. That Taylor’sparents had split up because Taylor’s college professor dad was adrunk and, in Taylor’s mom’s opinion, a complete loser. His mom hadmade sure to marry for success the next time around.
He didn’t blame her for that. And he didn’tblame Richard for being everything his own dad wasn’t — couldn’t —be. But if there was any other way, he wouldn’t be calling Richardfor help. No drama. He just…wouldn’t.
They stopped for gas outside of Stockton.Will jammed the pump nozzle into the Land Cruiser and took Rileyfor a walk while Taylor went inside
