Leap Year (Reconstruction Book 1) by A.M. Arthur

Author:A.M. Arthur [Arthur, A.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Briggs-King Books
Published: 2024-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Patrick was intimately familiar with doing the walk of shame, but he never imagined doing it leaving Russ’s house. Or that the hour or so they’d spent mauling each other in Russ’s bed would end with such a curt dismissal. Yes, Russ was in pain and knew how best to manage it, and that was obviously alone in the dark.

Still, being told to go clean up had been too much like Lawrence, and Patrick had instantly felt like his twenty-year-old self, after giving his ass to his then-manager, who’d promised him the world and had only given him the clap. So yeah, walk of shame.

Thankfully, he had enough time before Frog got off the bus to take a shower at his place and use his own body wash, ridding his skin of the last traces of Russ’s scent. It couldn’t rid him of the faint ache in his well-used asshole, or the heat of beard burn on various body parts, especially his chin and cheeks, but he applied some lotion and decided to ignore it.

As if.

And because it would make Frog smile, Patrick fetched Bruno from his tank before walking down to the corner to wait for the bus. Bruno clung to his shirt, his round eyes occasionally darting around if something rustled nearby. As soon as Frog stepped off the bus with three other kids who lived on their street, he squealed and ran over. He swapped his backpack for the bearded dragon then raced back to show him off to his new friends.

Patrick grinned at them all, positive Frog had told anyone who’d listen about his best friend, who he could now show off. He was pretty sure he also heard the word “pool” a few times, and hopefully that didn’t lead to too many late-season pool parties. He didn’t want to pile any extra stress on Russ’s shoulders, especially after today.

Not for the first time, Patrick considered Googling Russ’s name to try and suss out the whole neck injury thing. Even if the incident had been too accidental to merit a news article, the man had been a teacher. Maybe he’d been on a board or donated to a charity? Anything to give Patrick a hint? But he didn’t, because it was Russ’s private business, and he wouldn’t violate that to satisfy his own curiosity. Not when Patrick had huge secrets of his own.

Like a four-foot secret with bright green hair showing off his bearded dragon.

Frog’s circle of admirers finally dispersed to their separate homes. Patrick shouldered the backpack and let Frog lead him to the carriage house, prattling on about his new teacher, his old friends, and how everyone was excited to meet Bruno for show-and-tell in a couple of weeks.

“But you have to bring Bruno to school for me,” Frog said. “I can’t take him on the bus, Mr. Spencer said so.”

Patrick did not blame the bus driver for not wanting a big lizard onboard for upwards of thirty minutes each way. “Okay, we’ll talk about what day show-and-tell is, and we’ll hope I don’t have to work.

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