by Joz Maxel
"Yeah, it's over here." Randall claps Grant on his shoulder and they walk toward the garage. Real fucking subtle.
Dane is still standing there, trying not to stare at his son, and Rourke is looking straight ahead, not sure what to do. I look between the two, and with no signs of moving forward, I decide it's all on me to get this going. "What are those?"
Dane takes a deep breath and puts the magazines in front of Rourke on the table. "Wasn't sure what you were in to, so I bought a few different mags." His focus is now glued on Rourke, who is looking at me for assurance. I give him a small nod and take a swig of my beer.
"Thank you." He grabs the magazine on the top and starts to thumb through it. "This is awesome."
"You like skateboarding?" Dane pulls the chair out that was previously occupied by Randall and sits down. "Corey and I were always skateboarding downtown, getting stopped by the cops."
"Rourke here is a natural. He pretty much slept with his board until he was ten." I smile at the memory of Nova and I trying to break him of that habit. We told him he wasn't allowed to skateboard after school anymore if he continued to sleep with his prized possession. It took a few restless nights, but he managed it.
"Thanks, Cor. I appreciate that." Both Dane and I chuckle as Rourke turns red-faced.
Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
After a few minutes of swapping skating stories, Rourke seems a little more comfortable with Dane, so I excuse myself to go find Nova. Not finding her on the main floor, I go upstairs to find our en suite bathroom light on. "Nova?"
"I'm here." I walk into the bathroom and see she's standing in front of the sink, looking at her reflection in the mirror.
"You okay?" I stand beside her and lean against the counter, facing her.
"Yeah, I just needed a few minutes." She folds the washcloth in half and looks at me. "I'm just trying to process him being here."
"Say the word and he's gone." I circle my hand around her waist, pulling her closer to me.
She blows out a deep breath, blowing her bangs out of her face. "Are you okay with all this?"
"I am if you guys are."
She tips her head away from me and gives me a side look. "You're okay seeing Dane talking to Rourke?"
I take a deep breath to get my thoughts together. "It's weird, I'm not denying that. It's hard to put into words how I feel about this."
"God, what kind of mother am I? I wasn't there for Dane's big entrance."
I lean into her and smile. "No, but I was. He was fine."
"I'm sure he was with you there. You're his everything, you know that?"
"I know." I give her a wink. "You ready to go down, or do you need more time?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
I kiss her on the head, hoping to fuck this works out for everyone.
Dane
Perched on the stairs of the back deck, nursing my second beer of the night, I take in everything that's happened today. I saw how the love of my life moved on to have a better life with my best friend. And how said best friend did a fucking stellar job raising my son; better than I ever could have. The path that I was on, who knows where Rourke, or Nova, would have ended up. No doubt she would have found herself in the arms of Corey one way or another.
"Hey."
I look up to see Rourke standing beside me, holding on to a bowl of chips. "Those Ketchup?"
"Is there any other kind?" He smiles and sits down beside me, putting the bowl between us.
"No, there's not." I take a few chips and pop them into my mouth. "Kid after my own heart."
Rourke pauses midway to putting a chip in his mouth. He lowers his hand and clears his throat. I can see I made him uncomfortable, so I need to think fast to get him back. "So, you're graduating in a few years?"
"Yeah, finally."
"What are you gonna do after school's done?"
He shrugs his shoulders and pops a chip in his mouth. "Take some time off and travel, I guess. I've been working the past couple summers helping Corey out in the shop, learning the ropes a bit."
"Ah, so you wanna follow in his footsteps, do ya?" I give him a friendly nudge with my shoulder.
"Maybe...dunno."
"You gonna travel by yourself? Take a friend?"
I look at him and he gives me the smile. The smile that's only reserved for the one the heart wants. I know it well. It's the same damn smile I had for his mother. "She have a name?"
"Christian."
"Kristen's a nice name. What's she like?"
He turns bashful and starts to fidget with his fingers. "Um...I guess I should tell you." He rubs his hands on his thighs, stands up, and walks down the few remaining stairs.
"Tell me what?"
Standing a few feet away with his back still toward me, he slides his hands in his pockets and lets out an exaggerated breath. "It's not Kristen, it's Christian, as in a boy, Christian." He turns around slowly. "I like boys, men...guys." He's getting flustered, so he starts running his hands through his hair. "This isn't going well."
Before I have a chance to respond to him, I hear the back door close and approaching footsteps. I look over my shoulder to see Corey closing in on us.
"Everything okay out here?"
"Just trying to have a conversation with my boy." The words come out before I even realize the impact of what I said. I stand on the stairs and turn toward Corey. "Look, I just need a few minutes with Rourke."
Corey looks at Rourke, then back at me. "Is that what you want, Rourke?"
"This is so fucked up." Rourke tips his head to the stars, running his hands over his face.
"Corey, we're just talking. Don't need to be a dick—"
"What did you just say to me, asshole?"
I put my hands out to my sides. "What is wrong with you?"
Rourke lets out a frustrated growl and climbs up the few stairs to stand between myself and Corey. He turns to me first. "It's probably best you go."
"This conversation isn't over, okay?"
"Yeah, okay."
I look at Corey and shake my head. "Thanks, bro. Tell Nova I said good night."
"Not likely."
As I make my way to the driveway, I can faintly hear Rourke tell Corey "You can be a real asshole sometimes, you know that!" Then the back door slams closed. Not my victory, but proud of it none the less.
Corey
Since Saturday's barbeque, I've been trying to talk to Rourke, but he's been avoiding me like the plague. It's now Tuesday, and I'm sitting in the arena, watching Christian and Rourke talk while in line for drills. I don't think he knows I'm here, and if he does, he hasn't acknowledged me. It wasn't that long ago that Rourke finally told us he liked Christian, but it wasn't much of a surprise.
During one of the rare nights Nova had off, we were cuddled on the couch, watching some stupid ass show she picked when Rourke came down from his room. He looked a little pale as he stood to the side of the couch. Nova looked up at him and grew a little concerned.
"Hey, honey, you feeling okay? You don't look so good."
"Can I talk to you guys for a second?"
I put the TV on mute to give him my full attention. "Are you in trouble?"
"No, not yet, anyway."
"Sweetie, you're scaring me. What's going on with you?"
He sits down on the coffee table in front of us, running his hands through his hair, and then on the top of his thighs. "I think I'm interested in someone, and that someone is interested in me." He looks at both Nova and I, waiting for the firing of questions his mom would usually pelt him with, but we're just staring at him, waiting for the rest of the story. He clears his throat and continues, though an octave lower than when he started. "It's Christian."
Nova sits up and takes his hands into hers, giving him her megawatt smile. "Does he make you happy?"
"Yes." He starts to tear up. "You're not upset?"
"Oh, baby." She hugs him like he's about to float away. "How can I be upset if y
ou're happy? We've known for a while you liked him. We were just waiting for you to say something." She pulls away and cups his face in her trembling hands. "All I want is for my babies to be happy, and if he makes you happy, then I'm over the moon excited for you."
"Thank you." He gives his mother a kiss on her cheek and hugs her again. When they pull apart, he turns his body slightly to fully face me. He uses the back of his hand to wipe the stray tears, waiting for my response.
I look at Nova, who's waiting for my response, and then at Rourke. "Be responsible about your relationship. He's a good kid, but if he breaks your heart I have no issues giving him a talking to, okay?" He smiles and starts to cry. I place my hand on the back of his neck and pull him closer to me. "I'm proud of the man sitting in front of me." Rourke and I very rarely, if ever, have public displays of affection, but he doesn't hesitate to throw his arms around me, as I do in return.
I'm brought back to the here and now by a tapping on the glass below me, where Rourke is trying to get my attention. I throw my cold cup of coffee in the garbage and walk down to the glass where he's waiting. He takes his helmet off, rubbing the sweat off his hair.
"I don't need a ride, Corey. I brought my truck."
"I know. You haven't been answering my texts, so I thought I'd come in person to ask if you'd meet me at Stoney's Grill after practice."
He looks at the line of guys waiting to get off the ice for the dressing room, then back at me. "Why?"
"I have some things to say to you and I don't wanna do it here."
He takes a few moments to think about it, then nods. "Okay."
Stoney is a Grade A asshole to most people, but because he and Nova's dad used to run the streets here when they were teenagers, he always welcomes us with open arms. He sits us at the best table and gives us the hottest, youngest, perkiest, and most annoying waitress he employs. After she takes our orders, she gives us both a wink and does her best imitation of a model runway walk.
After taking a sip of his Coke, Rourke moves the glass to the side and rests his forearms on the table. "So, what did you want to tell me?"
"I'm sorry for the way I acted Saturday."
"Did Mom put you up to this?"
"She knows, but this was all my idea."
"Dane and I were just talking. I told him—"
"I know what you were telling him. I guess I got a little worked up about it."
"Why? Are you ashamed of me now?"
"No, I'm not ashamed of you, Rourke." I rub my eyebrows to give me time to think of how to go forward. "I honestly don't know or understand what happened, but I will try to rein it in in the future."
"Yeah, well." He starts to play with the straw in his drink. "Not so sure if there will be a future."
"Why do you say that?"
"Just a feeling, I guess."
"Do you want me to talk to him? Smooth things over?"
He looks up with a shocked expression. "No! God, no. I think you've done enough." He smirks and takes a sip of his pop.
"Are we good now?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, then." I take a swig of my beer, relieved this conversation is over. A few minutes later, our food arrives, and we waste no time digging in to our bacon cheeseburgers and basket of fries.
"Hey, Corey, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"How did you know?"
I finish chewing the bite I have in my mouth and wash it down with the rest of my beer. "Know what?"
"About me being gay." He dips a fry in the ketchup glob adorning half his plate and pops it in his mouth.
I wipe my fingers off with the napkin. "Father's intuition, I guess." I look at him and smirk.
He accepts my answer with a nod and keeps eating.
Nova
"Oh my God, this is not happening!" I'm digging around in my purse, then giving myself a pat down, all in search of my damn car keys. Today started off shitty, and the shit just keeps coming.
Lola ate too many oranges this morning, and just as we were leaving the house, she puked all over her new dress, making us later for drop-off. Corey twisted his ankle during his run, and because Rourke already left with Leni for school, I got to be the lucky one to not only pick him up, but set him up on the couch so he could rest his ankle. Then, he had the nerve to ask me to go get his paperwork from the shop, which I'm currently standing in front of, looking for my keys.
In frustration, I hit my driver's side window and notice something silver in the console. Looking closely, I see my keys, taunting me. They must have fallen out of my purse as I was getting out of the vehicle in haste. I look around the street to see if there's anyone around with a coat hanger or something, when I notice Ace's Garage is open down the street. Perfect.
Ace sees me approaching the garage and holds his arms out, waiting for a hug. "Well, my day just got better."
I give him a quick hug and step back. "Mine is not. Ace, I locked my keys in the truck in front of Corey's shop. Can you help me?"
"Have you looked at where we are?" He chuckles. "I'll get my new grunt to help you out, sugar." He turns into the shop and yells," Dane!" A few seconds later, a grease covered Dane comes around the corner, wiping his hands on a well-used rag. He sees me and smiles.
"Our beautiful damsel in distress locked her keys in her Tahoe. Go help her out; you got five minutes. Say hi to your boys for me." He raises his hand in a wave and goes back to work. Dane grabs a toolbox by the door and follows me to my vehicle.
"Thanks, Ace." I look at Dane in wonder. "How long have you worked here?"
"I started Monday. I didn't get a chance to tell you Saturday. I hope that's okay."
"Yeah, sure." I give him a quick smile and just stand there, staring at him.
"Nova?"
"Yeah?"
"The Tahoe?"
"Oh, right. This way." Of all the garages in all the world...
"So, you're working at Ace's. Does that mean you're sticking around?"
"If that's okay with you, I'd like to give it a try. If this makes you uncomfortable, Nova, I can go."
The man I knew fifteen years ago, I knew well enough to know when he was being sincere and when he was trying to pull one over on me. Standing before me is a very sincere man.
"You really are back to your old self?"
He puts the toolbox down and grabs a wedge and a slimjim, and gets to work. "I had fifteen years to work on it."
"And you're serious about being a part of Rourke's life?"
The lock pops and he opens the door, turning to me. "As a heart attack. There's lots I need to say to you, Nova, and I'm not sure how much I can get through with Corey around. Can I meet you somewhere? At the very least, I owe you an explanation."
When I take a step closer to him, his body goes rigid. "I'm working tonight. Come by the hospital anytime after nine and we'll talk." I climb into the driver's seat.
"Dane, what the fuck! I told you five minutes seven minutes ago! Get your ass back here!" Ace shouts from the front of the garage.
"I'll be there."
Nova
Thursday nights in the ER always feel like the calm before the storm. Only a few of the bays are occupied, nothing life or death, so I'm talking with our unit clerk, Jen, and not doing the paperwork I should be filling out. With my back toward the front entrance, I look over to Jen when she stops in the middle of explaining last week's blind date. She's blushing before my eyes, smiling like she's in a beauty pageant and pulling her scrubs top down to show off her cleavage.
"What in the world is wrong with you?"
Without moving her lips, she tells me, "Twelve o'clock, hot as fuck."
"What?" I turn around and see Dane approaching the desk. I look back at Jen, who now looks like she's not breathing properly. "Jen, you're turning purple. Breathe, woman!"
"Hey, how's it going? Can I help you? Do you need my assistance with anything?"
He raises his eyebrows at her and gives her a smile. "Hi."
> "So, are you here to see your girlfriend...or wife?"
"No, just her." He points to me.
Jen turns on me with a shocked expression. "But you're married."
I burst out laughing at my poor, dear Jen. "I'll be in the cafeteria. Page if you need me."
"Whatever." She goes back to pretending she's working, but knowing her, she's checking out his ass as we walk away.
Dane and I are sitting in the back corner of the empty cafeteria. We both have our hands around our to-go cups filled with steaming hot tea and waiting for the other to start talking. Dane lets go of his cup and sits back in his chair.
"There's so much to tell you. I'm not sure where to start."
"Start from the beginning."
He places his hands on the table and spreads his fingers, then curls them into his palms. He does this two more times and begins to talk, looking down as he begins.
"That night, I was a fucking mess. Crash and his fucking mouth wouldn't stop running at me about how you were fucking Corey right in front of me. I heard it so much that I started to believe it. I was so high that night, and you told me how you felt about Corey. I lost my control and..." He curls his fingers into his palms again and leaves them as fists. "I went to a motel after I left you and tried to kill myself. I had no intention of surviving what I did to you. The next thing I knew, I woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed and told I was being charged with attempted murder."
Clearing his throat, he continues. "They put me on suicide watch after I got the divorce papers. I was done with it all, until I saw a picture of Rourke. He was four years old, I think. He was riding his skateboard on the basketball court by the clubhouse. I held on to that picture as a lifeline and vowed if I ever got out, I would do everything in my power to know my son and try and right every wrong I did to you."
Letting go of my bottom lip I had no idea I was nervously pulling at between my teeth, I tell him my truth. "You broke me, Dane."
"I know I did. No words can tell you how sorry I am, but all I have is to tell you from the depths of my soul, I will forever be sorry I hurt you."