Over the last couple of weeks, they’d worked on the plane nearly every day. And often, when they worked late, Dustin stayed at Rafael’s.
The first few nights, he’d worked up the nerve to ask, but now it happened naturally, with no pretense, either. When they went to bed, Rafael reached for Dustin and his best friend came willingly. While they’d not crossed any friendship lines, per se, things were moving that way.
Often, he’d wake up to Dustin’s fingers stroking his skin, his head on Rafael’s torso. Once he’d thought he’d felt Dusty place a soft kiss on his chest, but he’d been half-asleep, so he couldn’t be sure.
Dustin would work on his furniture orders in the morning, then they’d head to the airport. Rafael learned more about the 1976 Cessna Skyhawk than he ever thought possible. But Dustin’s enthusiasm proved infectious, and Rafael found himself researching even more about flying.
Sometimes they’d stand outside the hangar and watch the planes take off and land. Dustin would talk about flying, the way it made him feel so free and how he couldn’t wait to take up his own plane.
Rafael had even downloaded the convention app and had found a few workshops that interested him also. It seemed he was catching the flying bug, himself.
One Saturday, right after the Fourth of July, they stood on ladders while replacing a metal wing skin panel using a rivet gun, when Mac showed up. As far as Rafael knew, Mac hadn’t been at the airport in weeks and he and Dustin had wondered what had happened.
“Hey, Mac,” Dustin called. “What’s up?”
“Just wanted to take a look at what you’ve accomplished so far.”
The man was built like a football player, a towering six-four redhead who could probably crush them both with his bulky thighs and muscled arms. A tattoo peeked out from under his right shirt sleeve, but Rafael couldn’t identify it.
He and Dusty climbed down to chat with him. Rafael itched to ask about Daisy, but knew he couldn’t.
But Mac aimed his green eyes at Rafael and he smiled, holding out his hand. “You must be Mr. Patino—Elaine told me you were at the hospital and were also a friend of Dustin’s, who gave you my number. Thank you, guys, for putting the social worker in touch with me.”
Rafael’s breath came out in a whoosh as relief filled him. “Please call me Rafael. Is she…is she okay?” he asked as he shook Mac’s hand.
“Well, she’s getting there. I just can’t believe I didn’t know she even existed. All this time.”
Dusty squeezed his shoulder. “That’s not your fault. It sounds like she was hidden from you.”
The man wiped at his eyes. “Still…the life she’s been living…” He glanced at Rafael again. “She talks about you a lot. Thank you for caring about her. She’s moved in with me, and so far, we’re getting used to each other. I’ve never been a parent, but I feel a connection with her. I mean, she’s my brother’s child. She’s shy, but when we talk, I can tell she’s smart. Probably much smarter than me.” He chuckled.
“She’s exceptionally bright. Her writing is better than most college students.”
“Yeah?” He looked proud.
“Definitely.”
“That’s great to hear. Actually, she’s going to start helping me at RV Aviation. She needs something to keep her busy and I don’t want her home alone. I brought her out here today and she’s hanging with Maria while I check on a few clients. Her mom is in jail—she couldn’t make bail. And the guy…that bastard is in jail, too, for attempted rape. I guess he can’t make bail either. But his wife, his wife of all people, is making noise about the ‘teen girl putting moves on him.’” He made air quotes.
Rafael’s jaw dropped. “That’s…that’s—”
“Disgusting!” Dustin sputtered, his face red with anger. “Who the fuck does that to a kid? What the hell is wrong with these people?”
“I don’t know,” Mac said solemnly. “My brother is probably turning over in his grave. But I’m trying to keep her from knowing about all that crap. I think it’ll be good for her to be out here. I took time off to be with her but I’m ready to get back to work, too. Which is really one of the reasons I came by. We’re ready to take over your plane whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks. We’re winding down on the repairs we can make ourselves. I was assuming another few days. Tuesday, maybe, at the latest? Does that give you enough time to finish the restoration and pass inspection before I head to Oshkosh?”
Mac rubbed his hand over his chin and walked around the plane. “It’s looking good. But, yes, let’s get it towed to our hangars as soon as possible. I’m sure you’ll want to take it for a few spins before going to Oshkosh, right?”
“Absolutely!” Dustin turned to Rafael. “I need to take him for a ride.”
And God, Rafael suddenly felt like a pervert, because the first thing that popped into his mind was, oh, yeah, I’ll give you a ride. Heat flooded his cheeks as Dustin stared quizzically at him, one eyebrow raised.
Mac’s voice jolted them back to the present. “I’ve got to stop by a few other hangars, but Daisy’s been asking to see you, Rafael. Would you mind if we popped in later? Maybe in an hour?”
“That would be great. I’d love to see her.”
Once Mac left, he and Dustin got back to working on the new panel, then replaced old rivets on both wings.
“You have to remove the rivets carefully,” Dustin explained, demonstrating, “or when we put in the new one, we might have to go up a size. The hole can widen and the joints can weaken.”
With tons of rivets, the work proved tedious, but Rafael still enjoyed it. And to think, last month he hadn’t even known what a rivet was.
A while later, Rafael grinned when he saw Daisy, Mac’s hand on her shoulder.
He gave her a wave as he held onto the wing.
“Hi, Mr. Patino.” She sounded stronger than the last time he’d seen her. Her black eye had healed and she looked to be wearing new clothes that fit her. But her smile became the icing on the cake. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen a real smile from her before.
He climbed down the ladder a little hastily and his foot slipped, causing him to drop the open tin of rivets and send them rolling around. Rafael felt foolish, but Daisy’s laughter made him grin. She rushed to help pick them up.
“Thank you, Daisy.” He crouched to sweep some into his hand.
“Thank you, Mr. Patino. My uncle is so nice and he hasn’t said one bad thing to me.”
Rafael choked back his anger at her mother once again. “I’m glad things are working out for you. And I’m excited you’ll be working out here. I’ll be here a lot. This is Dusty’s plane.”
“Is he your boyfriend?” she whispered.
He froze, not sure what to say. He wasn’t in the closet, but her question about Dustin threw him. “No, he’s just a friend.”
She laughed, a light, breezy sound that went straight to his heart. “Whatever, Mr. Patino. I saw how he looked at you when you almost fell a moment ago. And when we first got here, I saw you staring at him all googly.”
He furrowed his brow. “I’m not sure what you mean?”
“He looked scared when you tripped,” she said, speaking slowly as one would speak to a child.
Nervous energy filled him, even as he tried to tell himself anyone would worry if their friend fell off a ladder. “Well, we care about each other. We’ve known each other for a long time.”
She rolled her eyes like a normal, healthy teenage girl and his heart nearly burst with happiness. She would be okay. No matter the hell she’d been through, her future would be okay.
“I’ll keep your secret,” she whispered as she dropped the last rivet in the tin.
His heart thundered. Was he that obvious about his feelings for Dustin? His gaze darted to his best friend and he gave him a wobbly smile.
They all chatted a few more minutes while Rafael worked to get himself under control. If a teenaged girl could see through him, he was screwed. Everyone
would know. His conversation with Caleb came back to him. According to Caleb, most people already knew. God, he’d been wearing his heart on his sleeve for—what?—years?
Once Mac and Daisy left, Dustin cocked his head, watching him cautiously, as if he could read Rafael’s mind.
Rafael cleared his throat and swept his arm toward the plane. “So what’s next?”
Dustin put the rivet gun in the toolbox. “Nothing. We’re done for the day.”
Rafael glanced outside. “Wow, you actually want to leave your plane before the sun goes down?”
Dustin laughed. “I know. Miracle, right? No, I’ve got plans. Do you remember Conner?”
Rafael’s stomach rolled. He knew what was coming and nodded stiffly.
“That family wedding was today and he’s staying with Jack. We’re going to hang out tonight.”
“You’re not invited” wasn’t said, but clearly hung in the air between them and Rafael bit back the hurt. Dustin had said that he and Conner hadn’t hit it off romantically. But, shit, it still felt like a punch to the gut. Yet Rafael also reminded himself that he and Dustin were just friends, not dating. No, he’d been too much of a coward to tell him how he felt.
“Okay. So, you wanna just close up and head home?”
“Yeah. I’m meeting him at Fisher’s and we’re going to decide what to do from there. Maybe a movie. Not sure.”
Rafael kept his emotions in check and helped put everything away so they could leave. They’d driven his truck, leaving Dustin’s vehicle at Rafael’s, as per usual lately. But this time, when Rafael had pulled up to his townhouse, he didn’t pull into the driveway, but waited on the street as Dustin backed out and headed home to get ready to hang with Conner.
It wasn’t fair to be so jealous of a man he’d never met. He knew it wasn’t Conner’s fault. He’d had years—years—to come clean about his feelings. He wandered through his home, looking around for something, anything, to take his mind of Dustin. Nothing piqued his interest. He flopped onto the sofa and threw his arms over his head. He needed to get laid. It had been way too long. All this time with Dustin had him wound up tight with no way to release it.
Dustin staying the nights had been amazing, but it also meant Rafael hadn’t been able to jack off either. And now that he had the house to himself, all he could do was think about Dustin and his “not-a-date,” so it would be a long night.
Chapter 8
Dustin
“So, does Rain Valley have a club?”
Dustin glanced up from his steak and shook his head at Conner, chuckling. “No. It’s kind of 1950s-Main-Street nostalgia here. But there’s a great one about thirty minutes away.”
“Want to hit it? You kind of owe me. Remember our first and last date? I had my hopes up and you already had your eye on someone else.”
“God, you really don’t have a filter, do you? And you said you weren’t interested in me, either.”
“Fine. But let’s go dancing and you can at least help me find a guy. Then we’ll be even. Maybe we can find you one for the night, too, unless that crush has evolved into something else?”
“No.” Although he had to admit something was going on. He and Raf were spending most nights in bed together. Without sex. It was nearly killing him. Going dancing with Conner sounded like fun. Maybe he could find a guy who would help him get over Raf, or at least help him to forget about him for the night, since the man hadn’t made a move. And God, he’d tried everything to get Raf to notice. Shirtless in bed. Kissing his chest. Teasing his skin. But still…nothing. So now, he smiled and agreed to go dancing.
“So you need to get the man out of your system, then?”
Dustin stared at him, gaping. “Are you psychic? I was just thinking the same thing.”
Conner laughed and took a drink of beer. “I’ve been following you on social media. Can’t believe you’re doing so much to the plane on your own. That’s fantastic.”
“Well, it’s not just me. Raf is helping me.”
Conner’s eyebrow raised. “Every day?”
“Pretty much. I think he’s found a new passion in working on the plane. Honestly, he seems as into it as I am and…what?”
“You sure the plane’s not the only thing he’s passionate about? Sounds like you guys are spending a lot of time together. Didn’t you mention staying the night last week?”
Dustin shifted in his seat. “Well, yeah, but we’re together a lot. It’s just that it’s summer and he isn’t teaching right now. So he has a lot of extra time. And, okay, yes, I’ve been spending most nights there—”
“Whoa, most nights?” Conner’s eyes widened. “Are you sleeping on the sofa?”
Heat flooded Dustin’s cheeks. “No, but—”
“Then where are you sleeping?”
Dustin dropped his gaze to his steak. “In his bed.”
“With him?” If Conner’s eyes got any bigger, they’d pop out of his damn head.
“Yes,” he admitted, knowing how pathetic he sounded. He was totally falling for his best friend. Yet even in the same bed, Raf hadn’t made a move.
“Shit. Sounds like you have things wrong, man,” Conner said, grinning.
Dustin’s brows knitted. “What are you talking about?”
Conner let out an exaggerated sigh. “Seriously? What man asks you to stay in his bed if he doesn’t feel attracted to you?”
“That’s not it at all. We’re best friends. He just didn’t want me to crash on his sofa.”
“Then why are you staying there so much?”
Dustin shrugged. “It’s usually late when we get done at the hangar. By the time we get back to his house, we’re tired.”
“Why is he driving you to his house instead of taking you home?”
“What are you getting at?”
Conner stared across the table. “Just answer the question.”
“Usually, my Honda is at his house.”
“So why not drive home? Don’t you live only a few miles away?”
“Well, yeah. But…I just end up there.”
“Does he ask you to stay or do you ask?”
Dustin blanched. “I wouldn’t invite myself to spend the night, no matter how long we’ve known each other. God, I wouldn’t push my way into someone’s bed.”
“So he asks you? And these sleepovers are platonic?”
Shit, he felt like he was being interrogated. “Yes! I mean, but…” They did sleep in each other’s arms.
“But?”
“But nothing. It’s platonic.”
Conner smiled. “Fine, don’t tell me. But it sounds like someone has the hots for someone.”
Dustin rolled his eyes. “Uh, yeah, I’ve already admitted that. Well, at least to you.”
“Oh, my God, are you that clueless? I meant Rafael is into you. He’s spending more time with you, inviting you for sleepovers, and you guys are planning a trip together. For fuck’s sake, he’s probably at home doodling your name in a notebook!”
Dustin stared at his friend, his words circling around in his mind. Was he so caught up in his own attraction to Raf, he’d missed the obvious? Was there a chance Raf felt the same? His heart rate jumped as he considered the possibilities. It was almost too much to hope. He’d known things had changed over the last few weeks, but he’d held his excitement at bay. They might be holding each other a lot, but once again he couldn’t dismiss the fact that Raf hadn’t made a single move.
“So, how is work?”
Thankfully, Conner didn’t call him out on changing the subject so abruptly. Instead, he detailed how the company for which he’d been working had been purchased by another. “After the whole new database installation, now the department, or maybe even the entire company, could be closing. What a waste of time and money. I’m considering moving to Rain Valley, if I end up needing another job. Jack and I have always been close—he’s my favorite cousin. He offered to let me stay with him. Said I could even work at his bar until I found another j
ob. I’m not sure I’d be much help as a bartender, but I could probably work in the kitchen until I find an IT job.”
“You should check with our friend, Lucas Landry. He works for the local radio station, KRVH. It’s a news station, so he might know of businesses looking for someone in IT. Jack knows him.”
“Thanks, I might just have to talk with him. Everything seems so up in the air right now.” He put down his fork. “And if I eat another bite, I’ll explode. Let’s go dance off these calories…and maybe help me find a man,” he added with a wink.
Dustin chuckled. He doubted Conner needed any help finding a man for a hook-up. His platinum blond hair had an electric blue streak on the right side now, making him stand out even more, so Conner would probably be snapped up before they could dance one song.
They decided that Dustin would follow Conner back to Jack’s, then they’d drive together to the club. A short time later, when Conner climbed into Dustin’s Honda, he pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing a sexy, blue mesh tank.
“Matches your hair,” Dustin told him.
Conner grinned, his eyes twinkling. “Let go dance!”
By the time they entered The Rain Garden, Dustin felt ready to push pesky thoughts of Raf out of his mind.
The place was fairly large for a small town nightclub, with booths lining the wall to their right. Some round, taller tables filled the space between the entrance and the booths, and an old, beat-up bar ran the length of the back. Floor-to-ceiling mirrors covered nearly every wall, while multi-colored lights flashed and swirled as the music played. Guys packed the dance floor, and Dustin smiled. Maybe this would help him.
“Why do they call it The Rain Garden?” Conner asked, raising his voice above the music. “We’re not in Rain Valley anymore, right?”
Dustin steered him to an empty booth and they slid in on opposite sides. “No. But the owner is from Rain Valley.” He gestured to the bar. “You want a beer? My treat.”
Conner hopped up. “I don’t want to sit. I want to dance. Come on.”
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