Page 58 of Out of Nowhere

“You bellowed, Carrot Top?”

“Don’t call me that,” Sean grouched. “Help me get rid of the ghosts at the feast.”

“Ah, an allusion to the Bard. Very impressive.”

“I’m surprised you even recognized it. Didn’t you sleep through high school?” Grabbing Colt by the arm, he steered himtoward the intruders, calling out, “Naked swim party at the hotel down the beach! I heard someone’s passing around a bowl of pills.”

Seo-jun stepped back as people dumped their plates and pushed their way toward the darkness beyond the lit yard. Some guy dressed as Beetlejuice and drunk off his ass ran by them and, to Dex’s alarm, goosed Seo-jun’s ass. Before Seo-jun could react, Dex lunged at the guy, yelling, “Hey! Keep your hands to yourself!”

Seo-jun pulled him back and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. “Calm down, tiger.”

Now that the interlopers were gone, the games got underway. Andi oversaw a game of Bob for Sex Toys that produced in several photos of team members with their faces dripping water and a dildo grasped between their teeth. Kris set up a photo area where people could stick their faces in the holes and become Count Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, Chucky, and Michael Myers. There was a corn hole game, a table set up where people were playing drinking games with shots of whiskey dyed green, orange, and purple, and even a game similar to Pictionary on the patio.

Seo-jun was surprised at what a good time he had. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so relaxed in a crowd. He and Dex held hands and hung on each other, and laughed while playing the silly games.

The last of the guests left after midnight, and, after cleaning up, the team settled in loungers around the pool, sharing the last of the beer.

Logan and West shared a chair. Ezra and Jase’s dates had left, and they had sprawled on a double lounger together. Saint had fallen asleep curled up under a pile of extra towels, drunk off his ass. Tara sat in a lounger between Andi’s legs, dressed like a Disney princess—Seo-jun had no idea which one. Andi wasdressed as a biker, which allowed her to show off her tats and piercings.

Dex and Seo-jun settled in the hammock. A chilly wind blew off the ocean, and goosebumps rose on Seo-jun’s bare legs. He heard the sliding glass door behind them open and close, and Kasey appeared and started handing out blankets.

“Thanks,” Seo-jun said, taking one covered in pictures of dogs wearing costumes. As he spread it over him and Dex, he caught Andi and Ez’s conversation nearby.

“Lookit Jase, all curled up in your arms. He’s drunk off his ass,” Andi said. “Say, didn’t you two go to elementary school together or something?”

“Yeah,” Ezra said.

“Wait,” Tara said. “But isn’t Jase a lot younger than you?” Tara asked.

“Long story, but Jase skipped kindergarten and I was held back in the fourth grade. I was a bit of a troublemaker, and we met because I was always staying after for detention and Jase’s mom paid a teacher to watch him in the afternoons until she could pick him up after work. I used to read to him.”

“Aw, that’s cute as fuck,” Andi said, then belched. “Scuze me.”

“Thinking about it now, that time changed something in me. When I moved on to middle school the next year, I stopped getting into trouble. Anyway, the following year, Jase’s mom asked me if I’d like to be paid to watch Jase after school. The middle school let out before the elementary school did, so I would come by and get him and take him to the park and sometimes for ice cream. By the time he was old enough to look after himself, I was headed for the army. But we found each other online years later and became good friends as adults. When Jase started Falcon Security, he asked me to join the team.”

Tara nodded. “That explains why you’re always looking out for him.”

“Don’t ever say that when he can hear you. He hates it,” Ezra said.

Seo-jun looked at Dex, cuddled up to him in the hammock, eyes heavy.

“Why don’t we spend the night here?” Seo-jun suggested.

Dex nodded tiredly, then stretched and called out, “Hey, Colt. Do you have anything we can wear to bed?”

“Why are you asking him and not me?” Sean wanted to know.

“Because you’re a freaking leprechaun,” Colt teased. “You’re pants would hit their knees.”

“I’m not that short, for Christ’s sake.” Sean wadded up his blanket and threw it at Colt. It landed on his head. Pulling it off, Colt got up from his chair and yawned, motioning to Dex and Seo-jun. “Come on, you two. I’ll get you set up with something to wear to bed.”

Colt found them some pajamas, and they went into Dex’s old room to sleep. Outside, lightening lit up the sky followed by a rumble of thunder.

“That was fun,” Dex whispered in the dark after they’d climbed under the covers.

Seo-jun hummed in agreement. “What was that costume Kasey was wearing? I didn’t want to ask.”

“Oh, that was from an anime.Howl’s Moving Castle. She was Calcifer, a fire demon.”

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