Short Order by Pat Henshaw

Author:Pat Henshaw [Henshaw, Pat]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Gay Romance
ISBN: 978-1-63533-114-1
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2017-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

8

I FOLLOWED him down the stairs, marveling that I hadn’t even guessed there was a way to get between our floors without going outside. Why’d he kept this a secret? Was he sneaking into my place while I wasn’t home? I doubted it. What did it matter anyway? What did I have to hide? Did he come up here to look at the tree? The thought made me almost smile.

Ricky had stopped shouting now, but I could hear his sobs. Then he started yelling again. “Help me! Somebody help me!” His voice was softer now, as if it were giving out.

I stood in the doorway of his bedroom and watched as John held him close even though Ricky seemed to be fighting him.

“Shhh. Shhh.” John crooned as he patted Ricky. “It’s okay. Johnny’s got you.”

Ricky was covered in sweat and still didn’t seem to be fully with it. I opened the window a little bit more and then slipped away to John’s bathroom to wet down a washcloth to cool off Ricky’s forehead. When I got back to the room, I handed it to John, who gave me a startled glance and then a nod and a slight smile. He seemed to be acknowledging that we were working together.

As Ricky settled into an uneasy pattern of whimpers and groans, I began to relax and was about to move nearer when someone pounded on the front door.

“If it’s Leo…,” John began. He stopped to tighten his hold on Ricky, who had started fighting him again. As Ricky began sobbing and shouting, the pounding got louder. John turned to me. “Get rid of him. I can’t deal with him now.”

Sheriff Lloyd Campbell stood in the doorway, a grim look on his face. “What’s going on here? I was walking in the park next door and heard the shouting.”

“What? Nothing. We’re fine.” Ricky’s sobs had followed me from the bedroom. “It’s okay. We have it under control.”

“Doesn’t sound like it.” The sheriff pushed past me and strode toward where we could hear John trying to calm Ricky.

I followed Lloyd and nearly bumped into him as he stopped in the bedroom doorway. John looked up, surprise written on his face when his eyes stopped at Lloyd.

“This isn’t a good time, Sheriff.”

Ricky started screaming and fighting John again. “Don’t. Don’t let him touch me. Leave me alone. Help me. Help me!”

The agony in his voice filled the room. The sheriff took off his jacket and tossed it on the chair near the bed. Then he walked slowly up to Ricky. He carefully put his hand down on Ricky’s shoulder.

John stared at me, surprise and a question in his eyes. I had no clue what the sheriff was doing.

“John, why don’t you leave us alone for a minute? I’d like to talk to…?” His words ended in a question.

“His name’s Ricky.” John looked down at his friend. The blond heaved a sigh. His thin shoulders shook as he sobbed. “We have nothing to say, Sheriff.”

At the

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