by Diane Adams
JD Construction. Alex had seen the same truck in the parking lot the day he’d talked to Jared. Alex thought about Jared even more than he did about drawing buildings, and wanted to talk to him again. Alex considered crossing the street to look for him, but lacked the nerve without Clark there to egg him on. Instead, he ducked inside his house. He took the stairs two at a time, oblivious to his mother's shout for him to slow down. Alex dropped his book bag on his bed and went to look out his window. It faced the street, giving him a clear view of the work going on across the road.
Alex recognized a couple of the guys digging out part of the yard. He thought maybe Mr Neely had decided to add a room but couldn’t be sure. His insatiable curiosity fully engaged, Alex retrieved his laptop from the nightstand and returned to the window. He balanced it precariously on the windowsill so he could manipulate the keyboard and touch pad. Alex put his somewhat inexpert Google-foo to work, and typed how to build a house into the search bar. He wanted to know what they were doing. The next time he talked to Jared, and there would be a next time, Alex had no desire to sound like a complete idiot.
Alex scrolled through the results of his search and randomly picked a few to open in different tabs. He skimmed the pages before closing the laptop in disgust. He set it on the desk. There was too much information, he could barely make heads or tails out of any of it. From the little he’d gleaned, Alex thought the guys were digging the footing, not that he had the first clue what that meant. Alex frowned, he wasn’t used to things being hard for him. He’d do more research when he had the time to pursue it.
At the moment he had something a lot more interesting on his mind. He could see four guys working outside. Two from the ones he recognized from the library. Two others were measuring and cutting boards. There was no sign of Jared. Alex watched hopefully for a while but the sun shining in the window made it hard to see, the glare threatened to give him a headache. Ready to give up, Alex noticed the front door of the house open. Mr Neely walked onto the front porch, followed closely by Jared. Alex's breath caught and he thought his heart would stop at the sight of the young man.
Alex spied on Jared while he talked to Mr Neely, nodding at whatever the older man said. After what seemed like forever Mr. Neely disappeared inside, and Jared headed down the porch steps. He took them two at a time, clearly headed for his truck. He paused to call one of his men over to him. Alex studied Jared, watching him in a way he’d never allowed himself to look at another man. Jared's shoulders challenged the containment of the white t-shirt he wore tucked into a pair of loose-fit Levi's, his slim waist and hips emphasized by his loaded tool belt. To Alex's young eyes, he seemed perfect. Jared's lean jaw, strong hands, and the quiet confidence in his movements awed the fifteen year old. Alex couldn't imagine ever being that sure of himself.
Finished giving instructions, Jared headed for his truck. He fished a two-way radio off the seat and stuck it in his back pocket. He tucked his hard hat under one arm, and wiped the sweat off his forehead on the sleeve of his shirt, seemingly oblivious to the hair falling in his face. It made him look years younger and the color, caught in the light of the setting sun, blazed like an autumn maple. The sight stole Alex's breath and his fingers itched to touch it.
Unable to believe what he was seeing, he closed his eyes, but when he opened them Jared was still there. He was real and not the figment of an overactive, hormone driven imagination. Jared ran a hand through his gorgeous hair, brushing it away from his face, and tied a bandana around his forehead. He replaced his hard hat and the approachable boy was gone, transformed back into the man. Alex couldn't tear himself away. The revelation that Jared might not be as unattainable as Alex first believed transfixed him.
Rainy Day Opportunity
Jared watched the men pack up the site, hurrying to finish for the day. He didn't like exterior jobs. He preferred inside work because carpentry was his first and best love, and the weather didn't interfere. He glanced up, noting sky looked blacker than ever and the wind had kicked up. It tugged his clothes and sent debris skidding across the ground, giving every indication a huge storm brewed. Normally he didn't stop work unless rain actually fell, but all signs pointed to the bottom falling out. He had no desire for it to land on him and, apparently, no one else wanted to be outside for the action either. Tools were stored in record time. Jared watched carefully. He didn't know all the men working for him on the current project and equipment didn't come cheap. Anytime he had to hire more men, or contract work out, he didn't always know what he was getting. He realized they’d finished loading up, and waved to the men as they piled into Jimmy's truck. The guys carpooled from the office every day. Jared would've enjoyed the camaraderie of the ride, but he drove alone. A twenty year old boss couldn't afford fraternization.
Fat raindrops started to fall as the taillights disappeared around the corner and Jared headed for his truck. He turned up his shirt collar and bowed his head against the wind as he ran. The rain thumped steadily on his hard hat and the chilly drops ran down the back of his shirt. When he reached the truck, Jared nearly plowed head first into a kid blocking the door. He stopped just short of bowling the boy over and annoyance flared.
"Can I talk to you?" The boy's voice was so quiet Jared almost didn't hear him over the beginnings of the storm. A gust of wind lifted the tail of the shirt he'd put on over his tee that morning, a blue plaid he wore unbuttoned and rolled up to just below his elbows. He tried to see the boy, but the kid ducked his head and Jared got an impression of dark eyes and curls. What the hell?
"Get in," he yelled, and the boy took off around the front of the truck, the backpack over his shoulder bouncing against his back. High school kid, Jared noted, before ducking into the truck. He pulled off his hard hat and tossed it, along with his bandanna, on the back bench seat. He had barely settled behind the wheel when the passenger door opened and the slim form of a teenage boy climbed into the seat beside him. Jared took a quick inventory of the invader, Nikes, blue jeans, a striped rugby shirt, and shaggy dark hair that needed a cut and waved a bit unruly over his ears and collar. He didn't see anything familiar about the boy and wondered what he wanted, but then he met the kid's eyes.
Dark eyes, deep enough to drown in, looked back at him. Jared's mouth went dry. The boy from the library. Jared didn't want to remember how many hours he spent not thinking about this kid. He raked his hand through his hair, trying to decide what to do. Sitting in his truck, in the rain, with an underage boy was not a good idea. Sitting here with this boy was insane. Alex attracted Jared in a way the young man rarely found himself tempted, and there was something disturbingly intimate about sharing the inside of a vehicle during a storm. Rain pounded the metal, falling in sheets down the windows, concealing them from the outside world. Alex shook some of the rain out of his hair. Jared watched the puppyish action cautiously, waiting to find out what the boy wanted.
"Hi," Alex said. That was all, just hi. Jared glanced at the windshield, watching the water cascade down. The windows began to fog. The temperature hadn't gone down much with the rain and it was muggy in the cab of the truck. Jared considered starting it so he could turn on the air, but decided comfort might encourage his visitor to stay. He let his hand fall away from the key after sticking it into the ignition. Several uncomfortable minutes passed before Jared relented.
"Hi," he said back, regretting it instantly when the boy turned his smile on him. Jared thought he was ready for that smile and the way it transformed Alex's face from average to incredible, but he was wrong. His stomach turned a slow flip and he forced himself to look away, once again staring at the water pouring down the windshield, listening to it pound the roof of his truck. He contemplated what to say, unsure he trusted himself to open his mouth.
"You don't remember me." Alex sounded disappointed. Jared knew the smartest thing to do would be to pretend it was true and behave as if he'd never seen this kid in his life, but the sheer desperation in Alex's voice made such an act impossible.
Jared was practical, not a liar. He turned to face the younger man.
"I remember." His quiet words filled the cab with more meaning than he intended. He wished he could call them back but it was too late. Alex met his eyes with a look of such naked need that Jared's body reacted immediately, even though he knew Alex's real needs were more emotional than physical. I'm only human. Jared reminded himself, wrestling his lust under control. Alex was only a few years his junior. He was beautiful, brave, and sincere. Jared ached to pull the younger man's slight body into his arms, to bury his face in that dark mass of hair, and just breathe him in.
Jared could reach out and cup that smooth-cheeked face in his hand, to capture those willing lips with his, and taste the flavor of newly born passion. Jared sensed Alex wouldn’t stop him and images of everything he could teach the boy filled his mind despite his efforts to reject them. It would be simple to give in, effortless to give this man-child what he thought he was ready to experience. Easy and wrong. Jared's hands curled into fists as he struggled with his control. He took one deep breath, then another, and forced himself to relax. There was only one thing he had any right to teach a boy this young, and that was self-respect.
"You had a lot of questions," he teased, proving he did remember their first encounter, and allowed his mouth to curl into a smile.
"Yeah." Alex blushed. "I live across the street and I saw you out here the other day. I thought maybe we could hang out, or something." He shrugged weakly.
Jared studied Alex in silence, attempting to discern if Alex was attracted to him or desperate for someone who could relate to what was happening to him. Hanging out with Alex would be about as safe as navigating a field of land mines. Jared had no idea how he would maneuver without losing a piece of himself, but he couldn't refuse the hope burning in the depths of Alex's expressive eyes. Deep hazel. Tinged with green and gold. Where the hell did someone get eyes like that?
"Well, I don't know. You're sorta young. What did you have in mind?" He noticed the rain finally starting to ease and watched over Alex's shoulder as the flood of water turned into a steady drizzle. Jared’s situation had made him constantly aware of his youth and he made it a priority to project an aura of maturity. He assumed that was how Alex saw him. Jared thought he could handle the situation, if he proceeded with care and kept an eye out for the mines. Brushing his hair away from his face, Jared waited for Alex to answer. The boy shrugged.
"What do you like to do? Bowl?" Alex asked, his eyes lighting with mischief. He startled a snort from Jared. He met the youngster's eyes again. He would have to come to grips with this whole stomach thing if he was going to do this. He wondered how long it would take to get used to Alex's smile When he did, things should get easier.
"You bowl?" Jared asked, and Alex laughed.
"No, but it seemed like something an old guy would like to do." This time Jared laughed too. He supposed he asked for that.
"Bowling's okay, we can do that. If you don't know how, I'll teach you. Now, the rain's stopped, and I think you should go home before someone comes looking for you." Alex glanced with surprise at the windows of the truck. He hesitated, and Jared gave in to the urge to muss his hair. It slid like satin through his fingers and he jerked his hand away. Rules, he needed a few. Rule number one: No Touching.
Aloud, he said, "There's a bowling alley down the street from the Dollar K. I'll see you there tomorrow about one. Is that good for you?"
Alex froze under Jared's touch then grinned from ear to ear. "Yes," he said. "I mean, yeah, that's good." His cheeks colored and he ducked away. He opened the pickup door, and slid out quickly. "See ya then." It was still drizzling and he didn't wait for an answer. Jared watched him go.
"Jared Douglas, you are going to regret this," he told himself, but the knowledge didn't stop the grin spreading across his face.
Boundaries
Jared stood in the parking lot staring at the bowling alley sign, wondering what he'd been thinking. Alex was probably already in there, renting shoes. The idea made him shudder. What kind of sport demanded a person wear used shoes? He'd never been bowling in his life. Alex's taunting made it seem like a good idea, now he wasn't so sure. He gathered the rags of his courage, breathed deeply to calm his nerves, and went into the building.
The noise level was explosive, balls rolled on wooden floors and clobbered wooden pins, people talked and laughed. Music played loud enough to be heard over all of it. Jared looked around, trying to get his bearings. Straight ahead was a big round kiosk. There was a register and a gum-popping girl talking to a boy. The pink bubbles were the brightest thing about her. Everything else Jared could see was black, from her badly dyed hair to the jeans hugging her hips. Earrings climbed both ears and studs decorated her brows, nose, and lips. A tattoo of barbed wire wrapped around one wrist.
Jared studied her black lips and fingernails, wondering if it was safe to approach. He walked forward slowly, and she noticed him about the time he reached the counter. She waved the boy away and turned her attention to Jared, her dark eyes speculative. Jared decided he was going to buy a t-shirt that said, "too vanilla for you," and wear it all the time. The thought made him laugh and a pierced brow hiked up her forehead.
"Are you laughing at me?" she demanded, her expression suddenly stormy. Jared swallowed. He was bad at talking to girls, he always screwed it up. He shook his head.
"Not at all, I was laughing at myself." Her expression remained suspicious. Jared sighed. "Honestly, I accepted an invitation to come bowling and I've never done it before. I was wondering why I did."
She cracked a smile. "Bowling is great, you'll love it." Her enthusiasm made Jared smile. He hadn't thought of bowling as a Goth activity, but he supposed they had to do something besides sit around and brood. She appeared to be running out of piercing room. "Come on, we'll get your shoes and have you settled before your girl gets here. She'll never know."
By the time Jared had shoes, a ball, and a crash course in bowling, he decided that his shirt would have to say, "I'm too vanilla for you, I'm gay, and I don't bowl." He might have to gain some weight to get it all on there but it was important stuff. He watched the other bowlers, trying to memorize their movements, then someone plopped into the chair beside him. Startled, he turned to face Alex, who had an odd expression on his face.
"Dirty shoes, and why are they so ugly?" Alex demanded, looking down at the green and red shoes on his feet with something close to amazement on his face. Jared followed Alex's gaze. They were ugly alright.
"Probably so no one steals them." It was the only reason he could think of. Alex looked dubious.
"Steal dirty shoes?" He grimaced and Jared guessed that the fact he had them on at all was a revelation of how much Alex wanted to spend time with him, or maybe it was the other way around. He flexed his toes in the shoes and suppressed a shudder.
"Maybe if we play we'll forget about it?" he suggested impulsively. Alex looked up and grinned.
"Sure, what do we do first?" His question reminded Jared he had no idea at all. The Goth girl had put a score sheet on the table in the middle of a horseshoe of chairs. The section serviced two lanes. Thankfully, the one adjacent to theirs was empty.
"Just roll the ball," he said.
Alex looked at him expectantly, so he stood up, slowly. Confession was good for the soul. He should admit that he'd never set foot in a bowling alley before this. He walked over and picked up the ball he’d decided was about right for him. The lane was long and shiny. He stared at the ball then looked down to where the pins stood, daring him to try. How hard could it be? He tried to remember what the girl had told him. Unfortunately, he underestimated his own strength, and the ball soared almost halfway down the lane before hitting the floor. It hit hard, turning heads. It rolled slowly and nudged over one pin before falling into the gutter. He stood staring, unwilling to turn around and face Alex, who sounded like he might be choking to death. Jared’s face flamed. The ball return coughed up the ball, but he
didn't move to pick it up.
Jared remembered he had another chance. Well, if they gave two chances for each turn maybe it was harder than it looked. He would be careful not to throw the ball this time to avoid the whole flying missile thing.
Reluctantly, Jared picked up the ball, aware more pairs of eyes were on him than just Alex's. He paused to collect his composure. He hated being the center of attention. The only way out was to do it. He managed to keep from throwing the ball, but instead of rolling down the lane, it immediately turned right and straight into the gutter, rattling its way past the pins without so much as a "how are you?" At least it was over. Alex gave up trying not to laugh and howled. Jared turned to glare at him.
"That was interesting," Alex gasped, undaunted by Jared's glower.
Jared sat down in the chair behind the scoring table. He wrote a "1" in the first empty place next to his name and a "0" in the next little box. He looked over at Alex.
"Your turn," he said, cheering considerably when Alex stopped laughing.
Alex didn’t get up, instead he stared at Jared. “Do you have something to tell me?"
Jared failed to suppress his grin. "I can't imagine what, since it's so freaking obvious that I've never done this before in my life." They laughed together and Alex retrieved his ball. He hit the gutter twice, though both his attempts were more elegantly executed than either of Jared's. He threw himself down into his seat in disgust as Jared recorded his zeros.
"Let's play low score wins," Alex suggested hopefully.
Jared stood for his next round of humiliation. He glanced at the score sheet, it seemed like his one might be the only point scored in the game. He picked up his ball.
"No way," he said, taking his turn with grim determination. It turned out that grim determination was not the answer. He recorded another pair of zeros while Alex warily picked up his ball.