Bells and Whistles

by Liza Kay

  Ben got up and retrieved the milk from the fridge. He searched for the glasses, but like most of the cupboard contents, they were prisoners of the full dishwasher. “Who wouldn’t like Delilah? She’s the most beautiful and well-behaved pet cow in Kansas.” Shrugging in defeat, Ben grabbed two tumblers that he only ever used when his best friend came around to get sloshed. He got the milk from the fridge, returned to the table, and filled the tumblers.

  Charlie beamed. “She’s my best friend. After you, of course.” She took a big gulp of her milk. “When will the nanny be here? Will she drive me to school? Maybe she can take me to the music store. You never have time, and I want that new CD.”

  “She’ll be here soon, and yes, she’ll take you to school as soon as I know I can trust her behind the wheel. Hey, why do you need the CD? I downloaded the album for you, squirt.”

  Charlie rolled her eyes. “That’s not the same. I need Aretha on my shelf. All the Aretha.” She licked mustard off her fingers. “You wouldn’t understand, because your taste in music sucks.”

  She was such an old soul. Ben shot her an indulgent look. “Country music is perfectly legit.”

  “Go on and lie to yourself.” Charlie emptied her glass and reached for the milk carton. “Ben?”

  “Hm?”

  “I think it’s about time you got married.”

  Ben coughed and choked on his sandwich. When some of the lettuce threatened to vanish down his windpipe, he let the remains of his lunch fall on the table and slapped his chest. “Dammit...” He struggled to drag air into his lungs. His eyes watered.

  Charlie kneeled on the chair, leaned over, and slapped his back. “Drama queen.”

  Too bad it was hard to glare at someone while trying not to die. “Where... What?”

  She shrugged, as though she hadn’t tried to kill her uncle and sole caretaker. “I thought you’d get a male nanny and fall in love with him. That’s how it happens in the books and movies. The dad always falls in love with the nanny. But we need a boy for you.” Charlie slid from the stool and snatched her hat from the table.

  “Cupcake...” Ben sighed and rubbed his still teary eyes. “That’s very sweet of you. But that’s not how real life works. I can’t hire someone to fall in love with me.” Hell, he’d specifically asked for female assistance so he wouldn’t fulfil the cliché of falling in love with the nanny.

  Charlie crossed her arms over her chest. “I know. That’s where the romance and magic come in. It’s close to Christmas.” With a wide grin, she pulled her hat over her hair. “With a little holiday magic, even you might find love.” She turned swiftly and shuffled to the door.

  “Even me? What’s that supposed to mean?” Ben sputtered. “Since when are you an expert for dating and love? You’re twelve. Hey, stack your dirty dishes in the dishwasher.”

  She shot him an exasperated look over her shoulder. “It’s full. Don’t forget to turn it on this time.” She ran out of the door and down the porch stairs before Ben was even out of his chair.

  Chapter Three

  Jamie clutched his backpack against his chest and tried not to freak out completely. After almost fourteen hours on the bus, he felt pretty ripe and was glad to finally be close to his destination. He’d hop off in Junction City, and hopefully Ben would pick him up as he’d promised.

  Jamie blinked and rubbed eyes that felt as though he had sand in them. He’d left Maria’s apartment shortly after one AM to catch the bus. Now it was close to three in the afternoon. He’d tried to nap several times, but first he’d been too anxious, and then the guy who’d sat next to him gave him weird, lingering looks. As a result, Jamie was bone tired on top of scared as hell that Ben would see right through his charade.

  Jamie thought he at least deserved an A for effort. Maria had been a lifesaver, allowing him to raid her wardrobe on the hunt for appropriate clothes and shoes. Although Jamie felt comfortable in women’s clothes and enjoyed dressing up—hell, it had gotten him homeless in the first place—he’d never worn them in public. He nervously fingered the cute buttons on the front of his cream-colored blouse. He rubbed his shoulder blades against the seat, trying to get rid of the itch caused by the bra straps.

  Jamie noticed his seatmate staring at the side of his face and burrowed deeper into his seat. He adjusted his tiny headphones, concentrating on the series episode playing on his cell. Thank God the bus company offered free Wi-Fi. Never before had Jamie contemplated what women went through on a daily basis. During his journey guys had constantly stared and leered at him. Some had whistled when he’d entered a rest stop. When he’d returned from the rest room, a trucker had asked him if he was looking for a good time and had grabbed his crotch.

  Jamie shuddered. Being gay and effeminate enough to be recognized as such right away, he’d dealt with his fair share of straight assholes. He’d mostly shrugged it off as a case of insecure guy doesn’t know how to handle a gay man. Now Jamie had found out first-hand that some straight men weren’t just mean to gays, but to women as well. If he ever had a son...

  A message popped up on his screen. It was from Ben, telling him that he’d arrived at the bus station. Thank God. Please, let him be a nice guy.

  Smiling faintly, Jamie sent a quick answer in form of a thumbs up and an emoji. Like a teenager or something. Jamie clutched his cell tighter, his gaze falling on his red nail polish. It matched his thin scarf and the headband keeping his long hair out of his face. He’d made use of Maria’s curling iron to add some waves to his usually straight hair, but after traveling all night he probably resembled a stray cat. The scarf was both warm and conveniently hid his Adam’s apple.

  He checked the time again. Taking a deep breath and placing one hand on his chest, he tried to calm his racing heart. He sounded so nice on the phone. And he paid for the trip. He can’t be a total asshole.

  Actually, Ben had sounded more than nice. Jamie had called him again yesterday evening to inform him about his estimated arrival in Junction City, and the deep timbre of Ben’s voice had sent a little shiver down his back. It was a dangerous direction for his thoughts. Lusting after Ben would only cause him trouble with his most likely straight boss who had no idea that Janie had a cock and balls that tingled pleasantly whenever Ben said his name on the phone.

  Maybe Dad is right and I need help.

  Jamie pulled the headphones from his ears and curled them around his phone. He stuffed both into a hidden compartment of his backpack, then he fiddled with his scarf. Jamie had a little mirror tucked away in his make-up bag, and he barely resisted the urge to pull it out and check himself. During the last stop he’d added a little gloss to his lips and mascara to his already long lashes. He’d clipped on tiny shell-shaped ear clips and wore a matching silver bracelet.

  “Getting off in Junction City, too?”

  Jamie tensed and turned his head. The man beside him wasn’t bad looking. Jamie guessed he was in his late thirties, with thinning hair and a smoothly shaved jaw. His clothes were nice—khakis and a blue polo shirt under a sports coat. It was the hungry gleam in his brown eyes that Jamie found daunting.

  “Maybe we could go for a drink?”

  Jamie opened and closed his mouth, not sure how to reply. He cleared his throat, averting his seatmate’s gaze. “I’m sorry, but I have an appointment.” Hoping his friendly answer got rid of the guy, Jamie brushed a hand through his hair and tried to see himself in the window.

  “Ah. Got a hot date? You look gorgeous. My name’s Fred, by the way.”

  Jamie startled when the guy suddenly touched his arm. “Um... thank you?” He felt damn awkward sitting so close to Fred and with nowhere to go because he had the window seat.

  “Maybe if your guy doesn’t turn up, you’d like to go out with me?” Fred grinned, giving Jamie a slow once-over.

  The bus heaved and groaned when the driver slowed down. The driver’s voice calling out Junction City over the speaker came as a relief. Jamie shot Fred a fo
rced smile and got up. “I’m really sorry, but I can’t. I have an important job interview.” He pushed against Fred’s legs, not so accidentally stepping on the guy’s shoe.

  Fred hissed and winced but didn’t complain. He got up and stepped out of the bench seat to let Jamie through. When Jamie reached up to the luggage rack, Fred beat him to it and grabbed Maria’s large black handbag that had the eerie ability to contain everything from a penny up to a small tent. “Yours?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Jamie took the bag from Fred and held onto the seat beside him when the bus finally came to a stop. “Have a nice day.” Holding both the handbag and his backpack close, Jamie turned and walked down the aisle to the exit. He heard someone close behind him and reckoned it had to be Fred. Jamie bet the guy was staring at his ass, too.

  “I know a great Italian restaurant in town. And my hotel is not far from the bus station.”

  Jamie pressed his lips into a thin line, determined to ignore Fred. He liked men who were straightforward. What he didn’t like was the lack of understanding for the word no. “Please, leave me alone.” In his haste to reach the exit, Jamie stumbled over his own feet. He cursed the pumps he’d chosen from Maria’s collection. The black leather shoes weren’t that high with their two-inch heels, but high enough to unbalance him while on the run from a creeper.

  Jamie almost fell out of the bus as he hurried down the steps. He pushed his long hair back over his shoulder, briefly touched his hair band to check its position, and ran a hand down his pencil skirt. Maybe he should’ve gone for the suit trousers, but he’d thought the skirt would make it more obvious to the public that he was a woman. When he saw the bus driver opening the luggage compartment, he tottered over and kept an eye out for his suitcase. Well, it was Maria’s outrageous pink suitcase that she’d gotten from her mother and had banished all the way to the back of her wardrobe.

  As soon as the driver rolled it beside the bus, Jamie lifted the handle and dragged the monstrosity away from the bus and hopefully far away from Fred. Thank God he’d packed flat sneakers as well, because these shoes would kill him sooner or later. They’d looked so pretty on the shoe rack and even prettier on his feet, but he didn’t want to walk around in them all day. Especially not on a farm.

  Huffing and puffing, Jamie stopped by a wooden bench and dumped his bags on it. He opened his backpack and pulled out a light gray winter coat. The thing was tapered, so as soon as Jamie slid it on and closed the buttons, the coat accentuated his slim waist and long legs. Great. That was what he needed—a way to make himself even more enticing.

  Shivering in the chilly December air, Jamie slung his arms around himself and looked around. He should’ve asked Ben for a picture or something. Or sent Ben a pic of himself, but he’d been too afraid Ben would know what was up right away. Instead he’d described his hair, his clothes, and of course the pink suitcase. Jamie didn’t see anyone around with equally ugly luggage.

  Jamie groaned and briefly looked up into the sky when he noticed Fred sauntering his way. The man was walking beside his four-wheeled suitcase and had a wide grin on his face. Why wouldn’t he get the hint? Jamie tried to ignore him, but Fred stepped close anyway.

  “Cold today, huh? I can wait with you until your driver is here. Can’t let a nice lady like you wait here all alone, right?” He smoothed the tip of his finger over his right eyebrow. “Across the street is a little café. We could wait where it’s warm and continue our chat.”

  Jamie had about enough. Placing his hands on his hips, he squared his shoulders and faced Fred. “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not interested? I don’t want coffee or Italian food. I don’t want to chat and get to know you. And I sure as hell don’t want to follow you to your hotel. Leave me alone, because this lady—” he pointed at his chest “—is not interested in anything you have to offer.” Taking a deep breath, Jamie took a step back in case the guy became angry.

  Fred’s cheeks reddened, and his eyes turned to slits. “What, you too good for me? Or are you one of those lesbians? You know—”

  “That’s quite enough,” a deep voice drawled beside Jamie. “Leave her alone. Now.”

  Jamie shivered. He knew that voice. Turning quickly on his heels, he looked way up into a set of blue eyes that were as clear as the winter sky. Ben Franklin topped Jamie by about six inches, more if he hadn’t been wearing heels. Ben was broad, his chest wide and his arms muscled, probably from lifting hay bales all day or whatever farmy stuff he did. He was all rugged handsomeness, with blond stubble and wind-blown blond hair. And he’d come to Jamie’s rescue like a knight in... worn blue jeans and a flannel shirt under a thick leather jacket. He was a living, breathing, gentleman cowboy stereotype. Suddenly, farm life didn’t seem at all boring to Jamie.

  Jamie’s whole body heated and threatened to melt into a puddle despite the biting December weather. He had the urgent need to curl up in Ben’s strong arms and take a nap in front of a roaring fire.

  Fred’s chilly words yanked Jamie out of his daydream. “And who are you? The driver?”

  Ben replied with a rude snort. “Come on, Janie. My truck is not far.” He took Jamie’s huge backpack and grabbed the handle of his suitcase with the same hand. He placed his free hand behind Jamie’s back but didn’t touch him. “Don’t forget your handbag, sweets. And you...” He pinned Fred with a dark glare. “You better leave before I forget my good manners in front of a lady.”

  If Jamie had had ovaries, they would’ve chosen that exact moment to explode. Honestly. Ben’s protectiveness and charm were almost unreal after the crap he’d gone through during the journey. “Thank you, Mr. Franklin,” he whispered and quickly snatched his handbag from the bench.

  Ben steered him away from a fuming Fred, his presence huge and comforting beside Jamie. “Ben, please. Mr. Franklin was my father. Welcome to Kansas. I’d ask about your journey but... was that guy on the bus as well?”

  “My delightful seatmate. Got on in St. Louis.” Jamie had to hurry beside Ben until the man noticed and slowed his steps. Jamie shot him a smile. “He saw it as a personal attack that I didn’t want to go to his hotel.”

  Ben grunted. “Asshole.” He stopped at a dark green pickup and effortlessly hoisted Jamie’s suitcase into the bed, where he secured it with a bungee cord. Then he walked to the passenger side door, opened it, and placed the backpack inside. “Ready to go?” He held out his hand.

  A bit dumbfounded, Jamie placed his palm in Ben’s and allowed the man to help him up into the car. Smiling, Ben closed the door, jogged around the front, and got in as well. Jamie secured his seat belt and gave the interior a once-over—mostly so he wouldn’t stare at the hunk of country boy beside him. Not that Ben really was a boy. He had to be somewhere in his thirties, with laugh lines crinkling the tanned skin around his eyes.

  Ben chuckled. “Sorry for the mess. Lately I don’t have time for anything.” He grabbed a couple of empty water bottles and tossed them onto the back seat. “Need to clean this thing.”

  “No problem, really.” Jamie waved his hands. “That’s why you’re looking for help.” He took a deep breath. Cleaning wouldn’t be a problem for him. He was a neat guy and had cleaned his own room for years. Laundry? Not a big fan, but it had become a necessity once he hit puberty and the wet dreams started.

  Ben nodded as he navigated the truck from the parking lot. “Charlie’s looking forward to meeting you. I had trouble convincing her that a new nanny is not a good enough reason to skip school.”

  “She’s twelve, right?” Jamie checked his cell before he returned it to his bag. “When will she be home?” He slid his damp hands over his skirt.

  “Last day of school. A friend is picking her up today. There’s no school bus, so you’ll have to play taxi for her. Don’t worry, you can use my mother’s old car.”

  Jamie swallowed. “Oh. Sure.”

  Ben shot him a soft smile. “We’ll do it together after the holidays, but believe
me, you’ll get the hang of it pretty soon. Bloomington is a small town. Not a lot of opportunities to get lost. And Charlie knows the area inside out. She’s an old soul caught in a kid’s body. She’ll help you.”

  “If she likes me.” Jamie laughed, but even to him it sounded a little strained.

  “Are you kidding me? She’ll love you. One warning... no dolls, no princesses, and no dresses for her.” Ben gave him a quick once-over and smirked.

  Jamie frowned. “Okay.” He fingered his skirt as he thought about the pink monster in the truck bed and the many dresses he’d packed. Jamie had brought his own clothes as well. Just in case Ben tossed him out for his lies, he didn’t want to be on the run in pumps and a pencil skirt.

  “Doesn’t mean you need to change your own style, though,” Ben said hurriedly.

  “I... to be honest, I know nothing about farm life.” He watched Ben for a reaction. “You said it’s a dairy farm, so you have cows, right?”

  Ben shot him a heart-stopping, sexy grin. “Yeah. Don’t worry, the farm has running water, electricity, and Wi-Fi.” He winked.

  Jamie’s face warmed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply...”

  “It’s fine.” Ben laughed. “And I’m sorry, too. Didn’t mean to make fun of you. The farm is my life. It’s keeping the chaos at the house at bay and raising Charlie that I’m struggling with. Until two months ago my mother lived with us, but she re-married and moved to Florida. And I was promoted from the cool uncle to Charlie’s sole caretaker. I love her to pieces and would do everything for her. But it’s all a bit... overwhelming.”

  “I understand.” God, the guy was cute when he rambled. “The cows are a full-time job, so your house is a war scene, right?”

  Ben let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through thick blond hair that looked due for a cut and curled slightly around his ears. “Exactly. I’m so glad you called. If I have to live off sandwiches any longer, I’ll break down and cry.”