Page 57 of Slow Ride

He had to pretend that something from the construction debris got in his eyes then as he blinked away the moisture in them.Damn, these people packed a punch.

Everywhere he looked, there were couples, or more, smiling, joking, and sweating as they built something together for the benefit of one of their own.They inspired him, and made him consider dreams more outlandish than being a star.Maybe there was something worth giving his fame up for.

This.

For several hours, he immersed himself in whatever tasks Devra or Mike assigned to him.Even Kyra and Van—somewhat reluctantly—seemed to be having a blast teaming up with Ollie to make a three-man assembly line for about a hundred chairs and twenty tables.Tom and Ms.Brown were keeping the mix of Powertools and Hot Rides kids entertained by letting them draw a “mural” on the alley wall with chalk.

It was incredible what one day and a bunch of people who rooted for each other could do.

By the time they were invited to the pavilion at Hot Rods for an end-of-the-day barbeque, Kason’s perspective had shifted drastically.

Van leaned his hip on the picnic table next to Kason as he sucked down a bottle of water.“I have to say, you have pretty good taste.These are quality people.I can see why you’d want to be a part of their family.”

Kyra wandered over with Ollie in tow.She said, “Are we talking about how Kason needs to make up with Wren and Jordan, yet?”

He widened his eyes dramatically at her in a universal sign for “Shhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Ollie chuckled.“If you think I haven’t heard Wren and Jordan whining about how much they’ve missed you pretty much every day for the past week, you’re crazy.Would you please put them out of their misery?”

Okay so…keeping anything private around here was going to be impossible.It was a tradeoff Kason was willing to make.Because suddenly he wanted to fight.Even if he didn’t yet know how he could win.

“When I went through that rough patch the past couple of years, you two were always there trying to get me out of it.But now…you’re saying…you thinkthisindulgence is good for me?Smart?”He couldn’t believe they were being so cool about the possibility of him hooking up with not one but two people, one of whom was a man.It was their jobs on the line, too.“Really?”

“I mean, it’s only sex with a couple you care deeply about.”Kyra shrugged.“What could be wrong with that?”

Ollie perked up at that.“You mean you’d theoretically be into a threesome?”

Van chugged the rest of his water.

“If I found two guys I wanted and they were into it, too?Hell yeah.”Kyra flung her arm out.“Look at these people.They’re the happiest bunch of motherfuckers I’ve ever seen.They must be doing something right.”

“I agree.”Van nodded solemnly.

“You do?”Kason rubbed his ear in case he was hearing things funny.“Mr.By-the-Book?”

“Sometimes you need to do a little re-writing.”Van looked at his watch.“Not to be the party pooper here, but we’ve got to hit the road soon if we’re going to rejoin the bus before they move on to the next city tonight.You’ve only got a few minutes.Why don’t you spend them trying to make things right with the people you really came here to see today?”

Kason listened, really listened, to what his best friends were telling him.

He nodded.Then jogged over to the tire swing where Jordan was pushing Wren gently back and forth.

“Hey,” he said lamely as he approached.“I’m going to have to hit the road soon, but I thought…maybe…if it’s not too late, could I start calling you two after my shows again?”

Wren hopped off the swing and crushed him in a hug.“Yes.Please.That would be… Yes.”

She surreptitiously swiped her knuckle over the corner of her eyes.

Jordan put an arm around her and nodded.“You might as well join in.We’ve been spending hours every night learning who we are these days and how we might fit together.”

“In the biblical sense?”Kason couldn’t wait to watch them fucking in his very own private live sex show.

“Uh…” Wren’s porcelain skin blushed bright red.“Actually, no.”

Jordan winced.“We haven’t had sex.Haven’t done more than kiss since you hung up on us.”

“What?” Kason said it loud enough that a handful of people turned to look and Buster McHightops, Bryce’s dog, barked excitedly.“Sorry.But…are you joking?”

“Nope.”Wren groaned.“Though I’m not sure how much longer we can hold out.It seemed like a good idea at the time and we really have gotten to know each other so much better than before.We thought it would be best if we didn’t seem like a couple for someone else to tack onto.That’s not what we want.We want an even partner.Someone who’s joining us for the ride, not coming in after the fact.”

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