Chartreuse (13 page)

Chapter
Fourteen

     The
weeks seemed to fly by in the tiny town of Chartreuse.  Kasen continued DJing
while Rowan’s clinic became unbelievably popular.  They spent nearly every
spare moment together.   Rowan continued taking Kasen to different places. 
They travelled at every possible chance, finding themselves attending
Renaissance Fairs, music concerts, and the occasional bar when they were in the
mood for it.

    
Rowan was happy again, and though they weren’t anything official, they were
inseparable.  They may not have been aware of it, but the townspeople took notice
to it.  No one said anything, not to their faces at least.  But the word was
spreading around their small town of the two men who were always seen together.

    
Rowan had noticed that Mrs. Birmingham no longer attempted to make weekly
visits to the clinic. He wondered if she had finally gotten the hint that he
wasn’t interested due to the fact he never acknowledged her advances.  It was
all he could assume, since he was so convinced that his personal preferences
were still in the dark.

     It
was the least of his worries though, because he was entirely enthralled with
spending every possible moment with ‘Cool Kasey’.   The young man who had so
easily wormed his way into Rowan’s life and Rowan wasn’t afraid of it.  He
liked that they could spend time together.  He liked that Kasen was open to the
spontaneity of sudden trips to Florida for a weekend, or random visits to the
Waffle House in Enterprise, where they would always get Nikki as their
waitress.

    
Rowan just liked anything in general that had to do with Kasen.  If it was
‘like’ anymore.  Rowan knew that what he was beginning to feel for the younger
male was intense.  It was something that made him nervous, but he was willing
to risk it.  He wanted more with Kasen.

     As
the week of Thanksgiving arrived, Rowan was closing up the clinic when he got
another spontaneous urge.  Kasen had been stressed for the last few days over
some tension between himself and his mother.  Rowan understood it all too well,
seeing as he’d experienced that same tension with his mother in his teenage
years.  He wanted to take Kasen out for a good time, and there was a particular
joint that came to mind that may have been perfect to let out some of that
stress.

     As
they were en route to their destination, Kasen was gazing out the window at the
passing scenery the night time had to offer.  He was tired and his thoughts
were plagued by insults his mother flung at him constantly.  She was upset with
him…..again.  But when did he ever do anything right?  He exhaled loudly and
that’s when he felt the warmth of Rowan’s hand resting against his thigh.

    
“You okay?”  Rowan asked, his eyes remaining on the road.

    
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Kasen replied in a quieter voice.  “I just don’t understand
why my mother has made it her life mission to make mine miserable.”

    
Rowan smiled gently to himself, giving Kasen’s thigh a gentle squeeze, “Well,
mothers have to do something after their children move out, I guess.”

    
“Well, couldn’t mine have taken up knitting?”  Kasen asked.

    
Rowan chuckled, glancing at Kasen for a moment before his eyes moved back to
the road.  They were coming up on their destination and he put on his turn
signal, getting into the right lane so he could exit.

    
Kasen’s eyes moved to the sign then and he lifted a brow.  “Dothan?”  He
asked.  He knew about Dothan.  He had read about Dothan before.  It was the
town that Bobby Goldsboro had grown up in.  Kasen often did research on artists
he had never heard of once someone requested a song by them.  Mr. Goldsboro had
a song called “Honey”.  It was a country song, but Kasen always played what his
listeners wanted to hear.  If he wasn’t mistaken, it was Mrs. Murdock who had
called in that song.  God rest her soul.

    
“Mhm,” Rowan nodded, slowing down as they neared the end of the exit ramp. 
“You’ll see,” He said in a teasing manner, because he knew that Kasen would ask
where they were going. 

    
Kasen was silent as they drove through the town.  It wasn’t asleep yet, at
least.  But he was discovering that not all towns shut down at six like
Chartreuse.

    
When they pulled into a rather large parking lot, Kasen perked up a bit.  It
was a big building with large neon signs.  He could already hear the loud bass
of music from inside the building, and he grinned a little.

     Rowan
caught that grin, and it made him smile.  He liked that he could turn a bad day
into a better one for Kasen; because Kasen did that for him every single day.

   
“Let’s go in,” Rowan said, shutting off the car and getting out.  He waited for
Kasen to get out before he locked the car up and then he rounded the front,
offering his hand to the other.

    
Kasen glanced down at Rowan’s hand, biting his lip.  They hadn’t really been
affectionate in public.  Mostly from Kasen’s fear.  He wasn’t ashamed-he was
afraid.  Rowan had been very understanding about it.  So he didn’t really
understand why Rowan wanted to hold his hand now.

    
“Don’t worry,” Rowan said, reaching out and taking Kasen’s hand into his own as
he pulled him close.  “This is a gay club on the weekends.  No one is going to
attack you, I promise,” His lips brushed against Kasen’s temple and then Kasen
nodded. 

    They
entered hand in hand, being welcomed by an environment that Kasen had never
experienced before.  The music was energetic and up-beat, the lights were dim
with bright strobes of red and blue, pink and green darting and zigzagging in
every direction.  The dance floor was crowded and there were nothing but
smiling faces in any direction that Kasen looked.

    
Kasen felt as if he had somehow fallen down a rabbit hole that took him into
his very own brain.  It was possibly the happiest place on Earth-happier than
Disneyland itself.   He allowed Rowan to lead him straight to the dance floor,
where Rowan proved to Kasen he could cut a rug.

    
They shared laughs, embracing from time to time as Rowan kept his hands on
Kasen in one form or another.  He kept him close as they danced to every single
song that played, including the likes of Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj, and the Black Eyed
Peas.  Every remix was another one that Kasen was adding to his mental
playlist.

     It
was really weird how he didn’t mind being surrounded by so many people.  Just
the thought of entering Walmart often sent him into a shrill of panic…but this
was different.  Maybe it only felt different because he knew he wasn’t being
judged here.  Maybe that had been his problem all along. 

     The
night continued on as they made their way to the bar, ordering two large Long
Island Iced Teas.  Kasen wasn’t sure how Rowan managed to score him a drink,
too, seeing as he was underage…but the bartender really didn’t seem to care.  They
settled upon bar stools, sharing smiles and flirtation as they watched the
people around them being so happy; so free.  They were being themselves and
Kasen felt at home.

     “Are
you having a good time?”  Rowan shouted over the volume of the music.

    
“Yeah!”  Kasen shouted back happily as he smiled.  “This place is great.  I’m
glad we came.”

    
“Me, too,” Rowan nodded as he took another drink of his LIT.  “I need to use
the restroom.  I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

   
“Okay,” Kasen nodded in understanding.  “I’ll wait right here for you.”

     As
Rowan made his way through the swarm of people to get to the bathrooms on the
other side, Kasen turned his attention back to the drink in front of him.  He
was still smiling.  He smiled so much these days that his face often hurt from
the muscles that hadn’t been used in years.  But he liked it; he liked Rowan;
he liked spending time with him.  He felt that they had a real connection and
he would be lying if he said it was just a crush anymore.  It was more. 
Way
more.

    
“Hello there, Cutie,” Kasen turned his head to see a man who was sitting beside
of him.  He was an older male, probably in his mid-forties.  He had light blond
hair and he was wearing a business suit. It didn’t seem a man like him belonged
in a place like this, but who was Kasen to judge?  Maybe he had just gotten off
work.

    
“H-Hi,” Kasen said, giving a smile as he lifted his drink to his lips again.

    
“Are you new here?  I haven’t seen you before,” The man said his voice loud so
Kasen could hear him over the music.

     “I
am,” Kasen nodded.  “First time here.”

     “I
see,” The man gave him a toothy smile as he glanced at Kasen’s drink and then
back at him again.  “Are you here with your boyfriend?”

    
Kasen had to think on that for a moment.  Rowan wasn’t his boyfriend.  At
least, he had never asked him to be.  They were friends.  Friends who kissed, but
friends none the less.

    “Uh,
no,” Kasen replied, shaking his head.  “Just here with a friend,” What else was
he supposed to say?  Rowan would get upset if he found out Kasen was going
around calling him his boyfriend.  It wasn’t a good habit to keep; lying.

    
“Ah, well would your friend mind if I bought you a drink?”  The man asked,
still smiling at him.

    
Kasen shrugged.  “I don’t reckon he would.  But I’ve got a drink, so thanks,”
He held up the glass that contained a good amount of alcohol before he smiled. 
“I appreciate the offer, Sir.”

     He
glanced towards the bathroom, noticing that Rowan had yet to emerge.  Maybe he
needed to do more than just take a leak, which Kasen understood.  He set his
glass down, turning his back to it as he watched the crowd of people, waiting
for Rowan to return. 

     Any
minute now.

     It
was unfortunate that he was naïve to how places like this could be. It didn’t
matter how many good people were there; there would always be bad ones, too. 
The man who had seemed so friendly had subtly dropped a pill into Kasen’s
drink, and by the time he turned around it had dissolved entirely.

     As
Kasen took another drink, he jumped slightly from someone’s hand on his
shoulder.

    
“I’ve got a call from Tasha.  Apparently someone’s dog is in labor and one of
the pups is stuck.  I’ve got to walk her through it,” Rowan shouted into his
ear.  “I’ll be right back in, okay?”

    
Kasen nodded, smiling up at him, “Okay.  You go do what you have to do.  I’ll
be right here when you’re done.”

    
Rowan pressed a kiss against Kasen’s lips before he make his way towards the
exit.  Kasen smiled and returned his attention to his drink again.  He wasn’t
paying any attention to the fact the man beside of him was watching as he guzzled
half of what remained of his drink.

     At
least ten minutes had passed by as Kasen set there, hands resting against the
counter as he gazed at his glass.  He had had alcohol before, but it had never
affected him like this.  He’d never truly been drunk, but he was certain he
hadn’t had enough that it would make him feel so disoriented as it did right
now.

     As
the room began to spin, he slowly slid off the stool and rested his hand
against the one that Rowan had previously occupied.  He blinked a few times,
trying to get his vision to focus as he took a step forward.  He nearly toppled
over when a strong hand gripped his arm.

    
“Easy there,” The man in the business suit mumbled gently into his ear.  “Seems
you’ve had a bit too much to drink, huh, Buddy?”

    
Kasen shook his head, “No, I’ve not had that much.  Just the one glass.  I
guess I’m a light weight,” He chuckled a little, but that smile on his face
began to disappear as he felt himself falling backwards.

    
“Easy, young fella,” The man said, his arms around Kasen now, giving him no
choice but to lean against the man.  “Let’s get you somewhere safer, huh?”

     “I
need to find Rowan,” Kasen shouted over the volume of the current tune playing.

    
“I’ll take you to him,” The man promised.  It was terribly unlucky that Kasen
didn’t realize he was lying.

    
Rowan reentered the club some fifteen minutes later, his phone being placed
back into his pocket as he made his way to the bar.  He frowned when he
realized that Kasen was no longer there.  His eyes scanned the dance floor, but
there was no head of brown hair to be found.  None that belonged to Kasen, at
least.

     Maybe
he was in the bathroom.  There was no need to get worried.  Kasen was a grown
man and could handle himself, couldn’t he? 

     As
he settled back onto his stool and reached for his glass, he felt a light peck
on his shoulder.  He turned in hopes of seeing Kasen, but much to his surprise,
it was Nikki from the Waffle House in Enterprise.

    
“Hey,” She said over the music.  “Are you looking for your boyfriend?”

    
Rowan was taken aback by her question, and then he chuckled a little, “He’s not
my boyfriend, but yes, I am looking for him.”