Page 104 of Returning Your Love
“No—at least, I don’t think so?”
“You’re cute when you worry,” Chaz said, leaning in with a smile before pressing his mouth to mine. “Honesty will never make me love you less.”
I squeezed his pinkie before sliding my fingers entirely through his and clasping his palm tight. Choosing to believe him, I put the unrest in the back of my mind for later.
Jimmy leaned into Dad’s forearm, but whatever he intended to say got cut short by Dexter’s arrival.
He offered Dad a cold beer, and Dad took the opportunity to sidestep the handsy escort. “Thanks,” Dad said to Dex, ignoring Jimmy attempting to get all in his space.
What the fuck was up with that kid? Well, not a kid. Jimmy was a couple of years older than me but hadn’t ever acted like it.
“So, Jimmy,” Dex said, throwing his arm around Dad’s shoulders. “What brings you back to Pippen Creek?”
“Personal shit.” Jimmy eyed Dexter’s hold on Dad, lips thinning like someone had stolen his lollipop.
Fuck.
I didnotneed that image in my head.
Dad avoided eye contact with Jimmy, taking great interest in scanning the room, but he seemed preoccupied rather than his usual observant self.
What the fuck was going on, and how long before I ended up flattening Jimmy’s nose as a warning to steer clear of a man who didn’t need any more drama in his life?
“Anything Chief, here, needs to worry about?”
“Oh no,” Jimmy purred, his gaze heating with blatant lust.
“When are you going back to Boston?” I blurted the question, needing him to be gone already.
Jimmy tipped his head to the side, once more eyeing me. “How’d you know I’ve been in Boston?”
“Uh…Dex! Dexter told me.”
A coy smile lifted Jimmy’s lips as he glanced between Dex and Dad. “Someone’s keeping tabs on me. I like it.” He sauntered away, swaying that bubble butt of his as though aware we all watched him go.
Four fucking throats cleared, and we glanced around Frenchie’s, an unspoken agreement not to discuss what each and every one of us had been doing.
Couldn’t have been helped though. Any gay man who loved ass wouldn’t be able to miss the backside Jimmy had been blessed with.
“So!” Chaz was the first to speak up. “I have a thing to take care of.”
“Yeah,” I agreed quickly. “That.”
Dex barked out a laugh. “Have fun, boys.” He grasped Dad’s elbow and steered him in the opposite way of where Jimmy had gone.
Fucking hell.
It was my turn to laugh, but there wasn’t anything funny about Jimmy Riley’s return to Pippen Creek. I feared Dad’s life was about to get a lot more interesting.
“They sell shotguns over at The Outdoor Store?” I asked, tucking Chaz against my side while heading toward the exit.
Chaz chuckled. “Yeah.”
“Good. Cuz I’m gonna need to get one and sit on Dad’s porch until that man gets his ass back to Boston,” I muttered.
A few minutes later, we climbed into my SUV at the back of Frenchie’s lot. The key rested in the ignition, but I didn’t turn it to start the engine.
“Get it off your chest,” Chaz said with a smile in his voice.
