Page 4 of Out of Reach

Later, Hawk wound up rethinking that rule.

Jude had just turned twenty, and at Hawk’s urging, he’d applied for federal assistance and started taking classes at the community college. One day he came home from the coffee shop and showered and changed into the nicest clothes he owned.

“Where’re you going?” Hawk asked, looking up from his phone.

“I have a date,” Jude said.

Hawk couldn’t have anticipated the pang in the gut he got when Jude said that. It came out of nowhere, completely blindsiding him. He really wasn’t even sure what it was.

Trying to sound casual, he asked, “Oh? Who with? Someone from school?”

“Yeah.”

Hawk told himself that was good. Jude needed to be hanging out with people his own age. He watched Jude getting all antsy, looking out the window every two seconds before finally announcing, “He’s here! See you later!” and bouncing out the door.

Hawk wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t have a good feeling about the date. He told himself it wasn’t jealousy. He was just looking out for Jude, who didn’t have anyone else to look out for him. Grabbing his jacket, Hawk followed, just catching sight of Jude climbing into a silver Lexus before it pulled away from the curb. He didn’t get a look at the driver. What kid Jude’s age drove a Lexus?

No cabs were around for Hawk to jump into and follow him, so Hawk had no choice but to go back upstairs.

He waited up for Jude that night, and when he came in at almost two in the morning, pounced on him.

“Why are you so late?”

Hand to his heart, Jude stared at Hawk with big brown eyes. “What the fuck, Hawk? Why did you jump out at me like that? You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“Answer my question.”

“Geoff and I were hanging out. I didn’t realize it was so late.”

“Hanging out, or making out?” Hawk asked suspiciously.

Jude laughed.

“What?”

“When exactly did you turn into a 1950s dad?” Jude asked.

“Who is this Geoff person?” Hawk asked.

“I told you I met him at school. I’ll introduce you to him, if you want. We’re going out Friday night.”

Slightly mollified, Hawk agreed. But the uncomfortable feeling in his gut that might have been jealousy but was more likely concern for a friend continued to nag at him.

When Friday rolled around, Hawk offered to cook something for all of them to eat there at the apartment. That way he could get to know Geoff and see if he was good enough for Jude.

As he finished making a salad, he heard Jude open the door and then the two of them talking. The guy had a deep voice. Drying his hands on a towel, he walked into the living room, stopping a few paces in. What was going on? Had Geoff’s father come in his place?

Jude turned to Hawk, smiling. “Hawk, this is Geoff. Geoff, this is my friend, Hawk. He’s my roommate I told you about.”

Geoff seemed shocked, probably that Hawk was closer to thirty than Jude’s age, but he rallied fast and held out his hand to shake.

However, it was taking Hawk a few moments to work things out. “This is Geoff?” he asked Jude. “The Geoff you met at school?”

“Yeah. He’s my history professor. He knows everything about the Vietnam War.”

“I’ll bet he does, seeing as he probably fought in it,” Hawk said, ire rising that thiscollege professorwas putting the moves on a twenty-year-old kid.

“Oh, come on. I’m not that old,” Geoff said.

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