Page 100 of Sass in the Grass

“You? I was carrying your ass around the fucking house!”

“Oh! Right. Yeah.”

Cherokee moved so his head was on the pillow and his legs down to the bottom of the bed, moving Jovian with him. “Speaking of that, we need some damn sleep.”

“Yeah. Big day tomorrow,” he whispered, though the things they were talking about were as different as night and day…

Chapter Twenty-Five

Itwasjustafterthree that Jovian went to the little desk in the living room, and after finding the pens and paper, wrote the note that he hated to write.

Cherokee,

I know you’re going to be so mad at me, but I can’t go on the camping trip. Alan has another buddy set up already, but I have something really important to do. I swear, it’s really important. I just can’t tell you about it.

You may never understand this, and if you don’t want me anymore, then I will have to find a way to be okay with that. What I’m doing, though, it's important to you, for you. Know I’m doing it with a lot of love.

I’ll see you tomorrow, hopefully. Until then, please know, I really do love you.

Jovian

After folding it in half, he left it leaning on the French Press.

After texting Alan and Mike, he waited for ten minutes for them to meet him.

“Sorry,” he said when they were out of earshot of the cabin. “After the mountain lion…”

Alan assured “It’s fine, Jovian. We’ll get you to your car and head back to Cabin C. I expect the Coach will call pretty early.”

“Don’t you dare tell him a thing. Say you don’t know, or something.”

“I wish you’d just tell him,” Mike said.

“I can’t, and we’ve gone through this!”

“Fine,” Mike growled. “Just go save the damn camp. We’ll be praying for you.”

“Thanks. I guess God would be okay with all this.”

“Yeah,” Alan teased. “A big party with porn stars in a BDSM club filled with gay people. Yeah, I’m sure he’ll bless us all.”

“Hush,” Jovian said, then laughed.

“We’re saving the place from a church camp,” Mike reminded them.

“We’re screwed for help from upstairs, I guess,” Jovian said, then laughed. “We’ll take our chances without His help.”

After they got to Jovian’s car, Alan pulled out his back from behind the back bumper. “I hid this on the way to get you. It’s got your wallet and makeup. I didn’t think you’d want any of the clothes.”

“No, you’re very right about that. I have much better, not ruined clothes at home. Thanks, both of you. I’ll call you to tell you how it’s going.”

“Call me,” Mike said. “Alan will be in the mountains.”

“With Cherokee,” Jovian said miserably. “God, he’s gonna be so mad at me.”

“Just go before you talk yourself out of it,” Alan said, pushing him into the car once the door was open. “I’ll try to find some service and call you. Good luck, buddy.”

“Thanks.”

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