by Darien Cox
Brett shook his head but said nothing.
“Then tell me this,” Elliot said. “Ogden had Nolan install that extra lock. On the inside of the basement door. For Tyler. He’s got himself locked in down there. What does he think, that me and Nolan are gonna creep down there in the middle of the night and molest him?”
“Of course not. It’s his business, Elliot,” Brett said. “Just leave Tyler alone.”
“Brett.” Elliot’s brows rose. “He couldn’t be any more alone.”
“He’s here to do a job and he’s doing it, that’s all that matters. I’m not going to discuss Tyler’s personal life with you,” Brett said. “And that’s final.”
Elliot smirked. “Final-final, or final until I badger you for an hour and feed you another martini?”
“Final-final. So zip it.”
“Fine.” Elliot leaned back in his chair. “I’ll head over to Baz’s cabin and leave a lantern first thing in the morning. Patterson, you want to be in on the meeting with Baz, right?”
“Ah...” No. Fuck no. I’d rather gouge my own eyes out.
“Of course Tim’s going to be there,” Brett said. “This directly affects him. Tim, someone will call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.” Tim stood. “I really need to go, it’s been a long day.”
“Yeah, I’ll walk you out,” Elliot said.
“Night, Brett.”
“Drive carefully, Tim.”
Tim grabbed his jacket from the kitchen then Elliot walked him to the front door. To his surprise, Elliot stepped outside and strolled over to his truck with him. “I knew it,” Tim said. “All this time you’ve been pining for another shot with me and now you want me to take you home.”
Grinning, Elliot leaned against the truck, crossing his arms over his chest. “In your dreams, Patterson. I just wanted to have a quick word. About you and Tyler.”
Tim tensed, but forced a casual shrug. “What about us?”
“You guys had a thing the night of my wedding, right?”
“What...what thing? What are you talking about? What did you hear?”
“Just that you guys kissed in the pub. Tammy saw you in the kitchen.”
“Oh.” Relieved, Tim let out a breath and ordered his nerves to stop jumping. For a minute there he thought maybe Tyler had told the entire village about his breakdown. “Yeah, we kissed. So?”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No!” he lied. “Nothing like that. It was just a drunken, sloppy kiss. It was no big deal, so if you’re worried I can’t work with him or be professional—”
“Patterson, relax! I’m not worried about that. Half the people on this team are fucking or have fucked. I just sensed tonight that you’re maybe...into him. In a way that goes beyond some drunk kiss from the past.”
“How? I mean...why? All we did was look at that creepy footage.”
“Yeah. Except when I tickled Tyler you gave me a look. I mean, I’ve been on the receiving end of your dirty looks before. But they’ve always been more or less ‘Oh, there’s annoying Elliot.’ This was more an ‘I want to break all Elliot’s fingers and watch him writhe in pain’ look.”
“Oh.” Tim’s face heated.
“For the record, I think of Tyler as a little brother. He’s so uptight I feel compelled to try and relax him, so I tease him a lot. But don’t lie to me. You got jealous.”
“Was it that obvious?”
Sighing, Elliot glanced toward the house, then back at Tim. “Look, I just want to give you a heads-up about a couple things. Between friends.”
“When have we ever been friends?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Tim. I thought maybe since I talked you down on the mountain after you found Baz injured and were having a rough time. Then stood up for you and stepped in when Tyler wanted to handcuff you and toss you in a cell.”
“Tyler wanted to...wait, really?”
Chuckling, Elliot nodded. “Tyler is very by-the-book. Once you’d seen Baz, and it became obvious you were putting two-and-two together, his first instinct was to isolate you until your trustworthiness could be assessed. In case there was a chance you’d go running through the village ringing a bell and screaming ‘the aliens are coming!’ or something.”
“I see.” Well, that didn’t feel good. And it resurrected his initial suspicions that Tyler only had sex with him as a containment measure. “But you and Nolan were gentle and supportive when you brought me in to get briefed. Did you not view me as the public-safety hazard Tyler did?”
“I’ve known you a lot longer than Tyler has, so I knew you were strong enough to handle it once the shock wore off. Look, Tim, you can stand there and claim we’re not friends, and maybe we’re not, by definition. But we’ve both lived in this small town together for years, and we know each other. I know you, Tim. You’ve always been a happy, carefree guy and you enjoy life and its simple pleasures. I happen to like that about you, and I don’t want to see that light you have inside snuffed out. Do you know what I’m saying?”
“Not really, but thank you for that kind assessment of me, even if it makes me sound a little like Lennie from Of Mice and Men. What’s this got to do with Tyler? I get he’s eccentric, but snuffing out my light? That’s a bit harsh.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I like Tyler. We’ve been in situations together in the past that bonds us in a powerful way. He’s like that odd relative you only see a few times a year and everyone whispers about, but he is family. So please don’t take this as me tearing him down. But I have more insight into what his life entails than you do.”
“You’re saying I should squash my crush on Tyler because he’s the big bad alien hunter and I’m just this good ole boy, apple-pie-eating forest ranger who’s too dumb to play.”
“You should consider staying on your side of the fence is all. I don’t think you’re too dumb to play in his yard. But I’m not sure you realize how different his yard is. It’s not the same deal as with me and Nolan and the rest. Tyler doesn’t let it go and put his feet up with a beer and some Netflix at the end of the day. The job is his whole life.”
“Okay, gonna stop you right there. Believe it or not, Tyler does talk to me. I got the whole ‘I am my work’ speech already tonight. But he’s not as dark as you think. He has feelings.”
Elliot looked skeptical. “And he shared these...feelings. With you.”
“Yes. In his own way. He’s guarded, sure, but he gets wounded by things like everyone else. And he happens to care what you and the other guys think of him, so maybe consider that before you brand him an emotionless monster.”
“I’m not saying he’s a monster. I’ve worked with the guy and he’s a fucking hero. He helped save my husband’s life. I’m saying when it comes to romantic feelings, I’m not sure he can return them the way you want. Not sure he’s capable.”
“But he had romantic feelings for you,” Tim said. “In the past.”
Elliot looked surprised. “He told you about that?”
“Like I said, he talks to me.”
“I see. Did he also tell you he waited a year before letting me in on these so-called feelings he had? A whole year, while I was single, and actively flirting with him? And that the big moment he chose to tell me came after he saw me together with Nolan?”
“And?”
“And, he only told me he had a crush on me once he knew I was unavailable. Knew there was no risk of me taking him up on it. Did he have actual feelings for me? Who knows. What I do know is he didn’t act on them until he knew for certain it was too late. I’m not sure Tyler actually knows how to connect with someone in a way that you and I would call normal.”
“Fine, I get he’s different. But I don’t believe he’s the robot you think he is. Maybe this is naïve, but I’m feeling a vibe with Tyler, and I don’t believe it’s all one-sided. I’m a big boy, Elliot. I can handle rejection and hurt feelings, if that’s what comes.”
“I know you can,” Elliot said. “But y
ou’re not the only one involved. Just keep in mind that Tyler’s not like other boys; he’s tough as nails but also delicate in his own way.”
“Oh, I see, he has no feelings but now you’re saying he’s delicate. Make up your mind.”
Elliot growled in frustration. “It’s complicated! That’s what I’m trying to get through to you. Tyler is complicated. He’s been Ogden’s minion since he was barely more than a child, and when he’s outside that world he doesn’t exactly blend. He sometimes scrutinizes humanity like we’re just another alien species. Be careful, all right? Don’t go playing rough with something that’s already got cracks in it.”
Tim sighed, feeling disappointed, because no matter how much he argued, Elliot knew Tyler better, and some of what he was saying rang true. Tim had already sensed something fragile in Tyler tonight when they spoke in the driveway, before their kiss. “I hear you, and my eyes are open, Elliot, I promise.”
“Okay, fair enough. Take it easy, Patterson.” Elliot gave him a quick shoulder slap and chest bump...almost a hug but not quite. “You’ll hear from one of us tomorrow.”
“Great. Good night.”
Minutes later, Tim was driving back to the village, looking forward to his bed. Hoping he didn’t have nightmares about those sounds he’d heard on the surveillance recording. But as chilling and scary as the night was, his only emotion now was a deep, unfamiliar sadness. Was there something really wrong with Tyler? Elliot seemed to think so. And while Brett wouldn’t say much beyond scolding Elliot for talking about it, he didn’t exactly disagree with him.
He thought about Tyler’s stated inability to find common ground. At least with regular people. The idea that Tyler might have odd quirks wasn’t exactly shocking. But thinking of Tyler as someone with any pain was unsettling. Despite Elliot’s warnings, part of Tim still wanted to peel those mysterious layers away and bite into whatever was inside. But he had to admit, the idea of getting closer made him a little wary now.
Just how different was Tyler? Different enough that Tim should stay away? Probably. But would he stay away? Probably not. That buzz when Tyler was around him...he doubted that would wear off any time soon. Tyler’s stony demeanor gave the impression of a still pond, but it was becoming obvious that those waters ran very dark and very deep.
And though that dark pond beckoned with a near hypnotic, seductive voice, Tim simply wasn’t sure how much he’d be risking by diving in.
Chapter Seven
Karma’s a bitch.
This was Tim’s thought as he woke up and saw the avalanche of text messages waiting on his phone. He’d been bitching to the group the past few months about always being left in the dark and excluded. Well, he sure wasn’t being excluded today.
Myles: Are you up yet? Brett wants you to cancel your normal work duties for a few days. Can Kip cover for you?
Brett: Hi Tim, please cancel your work for today. We heard from Baz and he’s agreed to meet this afternoon.
Elliot: Hey, Patterscum. Make plans to come over here today. Nolan’s working on cleaning up the footage and he might have found something.
Myles: Hey, don’t be mad, but Brett had me get in touch with Kip for you. He’s going to cover your duties this week. I know it’s invasive, but that’s how these guys work, sorry. They’re not very patient.
JT: Patterson, we need your ranger jacket. Don’t wash it or have it cleaned. Thanks.
Tyler: Are you up? I’m in the doghouse. JT’s mad I didn’t think to keep your jacket so they can test it for residue. Stupid error on my part. So we’ll need it today.
Christian: Did Myles tell you to cancel work?
Tyler: Baz is coming over later and they definitely want you here. Will you be okay with that?
Holy crap, these assholes were up early. Even Brett and Elliot, who’d been drinking martinis late last night. Well, he could certainly never call them lazy. They were up, and they were on it. Way fucking on it.
Tim sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his face and scowling at his phone. He focused on Tyler’s final text about Baz. ‘Will you be okay with that?’
The truth was, Tim wasn’t sure. He’d never actually conversed with the hybrid and based on his bad reaction last time he saw him, he was more than a little nervous. Tyler obviously anticipated this, which was actually really sweet.
It would probably be fine, seeing Baz again. He’d had time to get used to the idea now, and he wasn’t in that vulnerable place anymore. This time, he had advanced warning, some leeway to prepare himself. If anything, he was more nervous about acting nervous and embarrassing himself in front of the others. Having lost control of himself once, he feared it.
He felt okay at the moment, but what if it happened again? What if he took one look at the alien and started hyperventilating or something equally humiliating? Every terrible and extreme scenario flashed through his mind, from passing out on Elliot’s floor to involuntarily shitting his pants. It sounded like everyone and their mother was involved with this today. They’d all be there to witness if Tim fell apart again, not just Tyler this time.
“Jesus Christ, take a breath,” he muttered. He’d faced down an angry bear and not shit himself, he’d be damned if he’d soil his pants for some hipster martini-drinking alien. He texted Tyler back. ‘I’m up. Barely. As for Baz, I admit I’m nervous, but guess I’ll have to handle it. Sorry you’re in the doghouse. I’ll bring my jacket. What time?’
Stumbling into the kitchen, he dropped a tea bag in a mug. Dragging himself to the bathroom, he showered, shaved, then shuffled back to his bedroom to get dressed, checking his phone first. Tyler hadn’t responded to his text.
Since he’d been given no choice about skipping work today, he didn’t bother with the uniform, instead dressing in jeans and a tee shirt with a gray hooded sweatshirt thrown over. After pulling socks and boots on, he returned to the kitchen and made his tea, then sat down at the table, giving himself a pep-talk about today’s activities. I can handle seeing Baz. I can handle it. I’m a strong person.
Someone knocked on the front door, four hard raps.
Tim got up and left the kitchen. As soon as he stepped into the living room he saw Tyler through the window, standing on his porch with his head down. That damn flutter took up residence in Tim’s chest again. Tyler, with his hard-ass posture and his gorgeous olive skin, dressed in his camouflage jacket and looking all...Tyler. Affection bloomed in Tim, along with that excited buzz he’d experienced last night when Tyler showed up at the station. Fuck. I guess I really do like this weirdo.
When Tim opened the door, Tyler looked up. No smile, but his pretty eyes gave Tim’s body a once over before landing on his face again. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Tim said. “I didn’t know you were coming to retrieve me personally.”
“I need to get—”
“Hey, Patterson!”
Looking past Tyler, Tim saw Elliot sitting in his car on the street out front.
“Bring me your ranger jacket!” Elliot shouted through the open window.
Tim gave Elliot a wave. “Oh. You’re here with Elliot,” he said, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.
“If you go get the jacket, I’ll run it out to him,” Tyler said.
“Sure.” Tim went back inside, snatching his jacket from the closet and feeling grumpy. He’d thought Tyler was there for him, not his stupid jacket.
And seeing that Tyler was driving around with Elliot made him feel strangely inadequate. Because Elliot was more closely aligned with Tyler’s job. They had more in common. But mostly, Tim felt inadequate because Elliot made Tyler laugh last night. Granted, he’d been tickling him when it happened, but still. It was a real laugh, not the restrained chuckle Tim managed to pry from him now and then.
“Here you go.” He handed Tyler the jacket. “What’s going on today? What time do they want me over there?”
“Hang on,” Tyler said. “I’ll be right back.”
Tim watched, confused, as Tyler
ran over to the car. After sliding Tim’s jacket through the window and a brief exchange, Elliot drove off. Without Tyler. Tyler returned to Tim’s front porch, expression blank.
“You’re still here,” Tim said. “Is he coming back for you?”
“No, figured we can ride over in your truck if that’s okay. I wanted to spend a little time with you first, help get you prepped for today. Can I come in?”
“Oh. Okay, sure, but be warned. I’m single and sloppy. It’s kind of a mess.” Tim stepped back and waved Tyler inside.
Tyler walked into his living room and did a slow stroll around the space, hands in his pockets. Eventually he closed in on the bookshelf, picking up a photo. “Is this you on the left?”
“Yeah, I’m about ten years old in that picture. Is it that obvious it’s me?”
Tyler glanced over with a grin. “Yeah. Same hair and smile. Guess you were always this ugly.”
“Ha. You’re definitely staying with Elliot. You’re starting to sound like him. That’s Myles standing next to me in the picture.”
Tyler’s eyes darted back to the photo. “This scrawny little kid is Sheriff Murphy?”
“I know, can you believe he grew up to be hot? Myles used to come up every summer, we attended Camp Singing Bear together. I’ve known him forever. I’m the one who talked him into moving from New Hampshire and taking the job here in the village.”
Setting the photo down, Tyler said, “Bet he’s thrilled about that now.”
“Yeah. When I talked him into moving here I didn’t know about the whole alien base thing, or I would have warned him to stay away. But then he wouldn’t have met Christian, so I guess maybe it balances out for him.”
Grunting, Tyler rolled his eyes. “If you consider living with Boucher a plus I guess. I like Christian a lot but he’s got way too much energy. I’d kill him in his sleep.”
“Me too. But Myles is addicted to that ass.”
Nodding, Tyler met Tim’s eyes. “Never expected Christian would go for someone in law enforcement. Heard he had quite the criminal past before he was assigned to the village.”