Page 22 of The Homecoming

“Off duty?” Autumn asked him.

“I’d never drink on duty,” he replied. “What about you?”

“I’m not on duty, either.”

He smirked. “I’ve never seen you drinkin’ alone. Everything alright?”

“Just peachy.” Autumn took a long drink.

“Dan, huh?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just a hunch.”

She looked at Weasel. “I just assumed when we got together a few weeks ago that it’d end when he left, but he wants to stay together. Do you think I need to agree with his job, morally, to be in a relationship with him?”

Weasel took a drink and mulled the question. “Did you ever hear about how I met Ben?”

She shook her head. “Can’t say that I have.”

“Back in fourth grade, I was a bit of a shit. I ran my mouth a bunch and got some guys pissed at me. One day, three of them ganged up on me, but Ben stuck up for me, kept me from getting my ass whooped—even if I did deserve it. We became friends after that; we hung out and played video games. Years later, he ended up going to college in Nashville, and I ended up there at the police academy. We met up one day for drinks, and he said he wanted to tell me something.” He drained his drink and pushed the glass away. “He told me he was gay, and the look on his face was pure fear. It was the fear of my reaction or what I might do.” He paused while the bartender took the empty glass. “I understood why. I was a closed-minded, redneck country boy. Just by the stereotype, I was someone who didn’t like them, the queers. But my friend was sitting there telling me that’s who he was. I knew he was a good man. He just happened to be in love with a man.”

“Okay, so you’re telling me you’re good with gay people now ‘cause of Ben.”

“It’s a matter of perspective.” He paused. “Look, I don’t necessarily have to agree with Ben over it, but it doesn’t make him a bad person. He and Brandon are great guys, and they're my friends.”

“I don’t think it’s really the same thing,” she said.

“Maybe not. But I’m in law enforcement and generally, when I interact with the public, they’re having a bad day. It may be the worst day of their lives, so people aren’t normally well-behaved. I’ve seen the worst bits of humanity within a few towns. Dan has seen the worst of humanity across the globe. Our perspectives may be different because of those experiences. I guess you don’t have to agree on it, but it would help to have some understanding. It’s not easy to watch someone you love have a dangerous job. So, the question is, do you think he’s a good man?”

She looked at the empty glass in front of her, eyelids heavy as she nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good, because he is,” Weasel agreed. “Now, let’s get you home. I’ll drive you and have an officer follow us.” They went outside, where a uniformed officer was waiting.

During the ride home, Weasel sighed. “You know, before you go and do something stupid thinking that this is just a summer fling, know that my boy Dan has it bad for you. He’s had it bad for a long time, if you haven’t figured that out yet.”

“What?”

“He wanted to ask you to our senior prom, but Jason had a problem with it, so...” He shrugged. “You didn’t hear it from me.”

When Weasel parked her car in the drive, she looked at him. “So Dan sent you after me.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that.” Weasel smiled and handed Autumn her keys. “Come on, I have to make sure you’re safely inside before I can leave.”

13.

Dan’s jeep was parked in front of the farmhouse when Autumn arrived. She stepped out of the car and scanned the area. The farm was quiet; there were no sounds of electric construction equipment or voices working. She walked around the farmhouse and looked over the acreage of rolling land that stretched back to the tree line of woods up to Monteagle Mountain, towering over the area. Although it technically was a plateau, not a mountain. Dan must have been inside with Ben and Brandon, so Autumn sat in a chair on the screened-in porch; she didn’t want to see Dan yet. He’d texted her a couple of times overnight, but she hadn’t responded. She was still unsure of what to do about him, all while being exhausted because she hadn’t slept well. Weasel’s comment about how Dan had been in love with her for years had swum around in her head. Did she want him long-term? She was irritated that he’d sent Weasel after her like she was a child.

Brandon stepped out onto the back porch and froze when he spotted her. “Hey,” he said. “What are you doing out here?”

“Sorry, I was just centering myself before coming in.”

Dan stood at the door in well-worn jeans and a t-shirt that hugged those broad shoulders, hanging loosely around his toned middle. He looked downright peeved at her. A sensible person would have been terrified to receive such a look from him. With his jeep out front, there was no way to pretend she didn’t know he was inside, and yet, there she sat on the porch. “Phone off, again,” Dan said.

She shook her head, avoiding his eyes. “So, what are you doing out here?”

“I’m headed out to the woods to find the property lines for the place,” Dan replied.

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