Chartreuse (21 page)

     In
the short two months that Rowan had been in Chartreuse, he found himself losing
his heart to a younger man with beautiful blue eyes and a contagious laugh.  He
had no control over the situation, and it terrified him.  Everything else that
was happening only seemed to fuel the fire he felt in his soul for Kasen, and
that in itself was saying something.

     He
was more than aware of the words he’d uttered to the sleeping male a few days
before, and he knew that the statement fell upon deaf ears.  Kasen hadn’t
mentioned anything about it and he had no way of knowing how he felt in
return.  Sure, he knew Kasen liked him back, but God….it was unnerving.  How
had he allowed himself to fall for someone so quickly and recklessly?  Not to
mention how dangerous the situation was for both of them.  A missing dog,
damaged property, and faceless enemies –save for the two idiots he’d roughed
up- still wanted to hurt them; how were they to overcome it?

    
The
fire chief said they would support us,
He thought as he closed yet another
folder and pushed it aside.  He wouldn’t have any more patients today.  He
could leave early if he wanted to, but he knew that as soon as he walked out
that door he’d want to head to Kasen’s. 

    
I
can’t do that,
He frowned. 
Kasen needs some space and I have to respect
that. 
It’s what he’d wanted in the first place, wasn’t it?  To take a
break so people wouldn’t grow more suspicious.  Hell, it’s exactly what he’d
asked for!  But now that he had it, he didn’t want it anymore.  He wanted
Kasen.

Chapter
Twenty Two

     “Are
you sure you’re okay with me staying here?” Jessica asked as she dropped her
backpack onto the couch and stared at him.

    
Kasen turned his head to look at her from the kitchen, grinning, “Well duh.  I
wouldn’t have invited you if I wasn’t okay with it.  Make yourself at home,
Jess.  My house is your house.”

     She
laughed gently, hugging her arms around herself as she entered the kitchen,
“Aren’t you supposed to say that in Spanish?”

    
“Yep,” He pulled down two of the small plates that had survived the burglary,
placing them on the counter.  “But I suck at Spanish, so you just got the Kasen
version of it.”

     “Well,
I like the Kasen version,” She smiled warmly before dropping her gaze.

    
“Are you hungry?” He asked, moving to the fridge to rummage through it.  He
caught sight of Houston’s food he always stored away and the sadness returned
tenfold. 

   
“Hey,” Jessica’s hand was suddenly on his shoulder and he turned to glance at
her.  “We’ll find him, okay?”

    
“Yeah,” He nodded, though he wasn’t sure he could hold onto that hope for much
longer.  If someone had stolen his dog, the chances of them letting him come
home were slim to none.  Perhaps he needed to start accepting the fact Houston
was gone for good.

     They
ultimately decided to bake one of the many frozen pizzas Kasen kept in stock,
laughing over their meal as they reminisced over their high school days.  Diana
was sprawled out on the living room carpet nearest to the kitchen, snoring
softly.

     “Do
you remember the time Brent Miller stole the remote control to the TV in the
cafeteria?” Jessica asked with another laugh.

     “Oh
yeah,” He nodded, putting down the crust of his pizza so he could get a quick
drink.  “He kept turning it to MTV and the lunch ladies couldn’t figure out
what was happening.”

     “So
funny,” Jessica giggled, leaning back in her chair as she patted her tummy. 
“Shew gosh, I think I’m full.  That was really wonderful, Kasey.  And it was
weird not having to cook for a change.”

    “No
problemo,” He finished off his drink before standing from the table, collecting
their plates and taking them to the sink.  “I know it’s not my place to really
ask, but is Toby the type that likes four course meals every time he comes
home?”

   
“Something like that,” Jessica shrugged.  “I didn’t mind so much at first….but
lately it’s been real hard to do everything a loving wife is supposed to do for
her husband.”

    
Kasen was back after a few minutes, settling in his chair once again as he
picked up his pack of cigarettes.  He eyed her curiously as he lit one up.

    
“He’s been um,” She cleared her throat.  “Having an affair with the widow down
the road,” She said meekly. 

    “No
shit,” Kasen’s jaw almost hit the floor.  “Mrs. Carmichael?  She’s like,
fifty!”

     “I 
know!” Jessica groaned, rubbing at her temples.  “I couldn’t figure it out for
the longest time.  I mean, she’s old, Kasey, and I’m…” She glanced down at
herself.  “..not.  But then it finally started making sense.  She’s loaded and
she basically buys him for…
that
,” She wrinkled her nose.  “But I didn’t
know what to do about it.”

    
“Uh, you leave his ass,” Kasen moved his fingers through his hair, staring at
her with a look that said ‘DUH’.  “You deserve better than that, Jess.”

     “I
know, I know,” She wrinkled her nose, reaching across the table to grab for his
cigarettes.  “Do you mind?” She asked, taking one out and waiting for his nod. 
Once she received it, she lit the tip and inhaled deeply, only to cough a few
seconds later.  “It’s hard to leave somebody when everything’s in their name. 
He would take everything, Kase.  I wouldn’t have anything.”

     “But
you’re
really
smart, Jess.  You could practically have any job you
wanted.  You don’t have to depend on
him
.  I could help you get a job
and you could start saving up.  Crash here for a while until things get better
financially. You
need
to get some divorce papers filed.”

    
“Yeah,” She sighed, resting her cheek against her knuckles as she gazed at him
from across the table.  “I know what you’re saying is the right thing,
Kasen…it’s just hard to work up the courage to do it.”

    
“I’ll make a deal with you,” Kasen said softly as he reached his hand out to
rest against her elbow.  “You file for divorce from that peckerneck and I’ll
ask Rowan to be my boyfriend.  Officially.”

---------------------

     When
the clock finally struck five, Rowan was out the door without another thought. 
Napoleon waited impatiently beside the car while Rowan locked up, and then they
were getting inside with the heat on full blast.

   
“Just sit tight, Buddy,” Rowan said as he pulled out his cellphone and dialed
Kasen’s number.  He honestly couldn’t wait to see him again.  He
needed
to see him.  The eagerness growing within was almost too much, and he felt like
he’d die if he didn’t have the boy in his arms within the next half hour.

     A
sudden knock against his window made him jump, and Rowan’s head whipped in the
direction of the noise as he gripped his cellphone tightly.  He hadn’t even
thought to look around before getting into his car.  He had to be more careful.

     An
older male was standing just outside his car, staring down at him with a stern
gaze. 
Shit.

    
Rowan carefully rolled down his
window, only a crack, and cleared his throat, “Can I help you?”

    
“You the vet?” The man asked.

    
“Yes,” Rowan replied hesitantly.  What if this was another attack?  What if
he’d just unknowingly made himself vulnerable to the men who had tormented
Kasen over the weekend?  What if this was the guy who vandalized the clinic?

     “I
got something for ya,” The man continued, and Rowan’s entire body tensed up as
he watched him bend down. 
Shit, shit, shit!

    
It wasn’t what Rowan was thinking
at all.  There in his arms was a wiggling, hyperactive Weimeraner.

    
“Houston!” Rowan nearly shouted as he pushed open the car door and got out. 
“You’re okay!”  He reached out to scratch between the dogs’ ears, listening to
Houston’s excited bark as the old man stared at him.

     “I
found this one going through my garbage about an hour ago.  I remembered seeing
one of those missing posters up at the post office and since I couldn’t
remember the phone number, I thought the next best thing to do was bring him to
you.  You know this noisy fella?”

    
“Yeah, I know him,” Rowan grinned, taking Houston into his arms and holding him
tightly.  “He gave his owner a bad scare.”

    
“Well, he gave me a bad scare, too,” The old man huffed.  “I thought there were
some damn ‘coons getting into my garbage and I almost shot ‘im.  He’s lucky my
aim ain’t as good as it used to be.”

    
“Yeah…he’s lucky,” Rowan wanted to glare at him, but he couldn’t.  He was
grateful the old man had brought him to the clinic instead of letting him roam
off again.  “Thank you so much for bringing him in, Mister…”

    
“Mister Perkins,” The old man replied as he shoved his hands into the pockets
of his oversized coat.  “I just live off DeLaney Avenue.  I ain’t looking for
no reward or anything.”

     “I
understand,” Rowan was smiling from ear to ear as Houston licked his cheek.  He
seemed healthy.  A little dirty, but he was all right.  “I appreciate your
help, Mister Perkins.  Thank you for bringing him here.  I can assure you his
owner is going to be grateful.”

    
“Well, good,” The man nodded.  “You have a good night now.”

     And
then he was gone.

    
With two hyper dogs excitedly bounding back and forth in the backseat, Rowan
put the car into reverse and backed out onto the road.  As he started forward,
he couldn’t help but to believe things really were going to get better.  It was
only a matter of time.

-----------------------

     “This
is the best part of the movie,” Kasen said softly as he leaned forward on the
couch.  His eyes were glued to the screen as he watched one of his favorite
heroes brave through sweltering heat to do what had to be done in order to save
the world.  His eyes widened, as they always did during this particular scene,
and he nearly fell off the couch as he became lost in the moment.

     “I
don’t get it,” Jessica commented as she stretched her arms over her head and
yawned.  “How is he the hero of this story when Sam clearly did all the dirty
work?”

    
Kasen whipped his head in her direction, staring at her as if she’d just said
the worst thing in the world, “Frodo is always the hero!” He replied.  “Don’t
diss the Baggins.”

    
“I’m not dissing anyone!” She laughed, turning her head to focus on Kasen as
she rubbed at her eyes.  “I’m just saying, he wouldn’t even be there had it not
been for Sam.”

    
Kasen scowled as he got up from the couch, moving into the kitchen to retrieve
two more beers.  He only had them because Rowan had bought them; otherwise, he
would still be drinking root beer and orange soda during his movie sessions.

     “I
have to educate you,” He declared as he return with two chilled bottles in
hand.  “We can’t be friends if you’re going to be acting this way, Jess,” He
teased.

    
“Ah, thanks,” She accepted the beer from him, unscrewing the lid and tossing it
onto the coffee table before taking a swig.  “My god, I forgot how awesome
single life was.  You’ve got it made.”

    
“You would think so,” Kasen shrugged, getting comfortable on the couch once
again as he rested his feet atop the coffee table.  “But I mean….I’ll be giving
up the single life soon, you know.  It’s part of the deal, remember?”

    
“How could I forget?  I promise that I’ll go first thing in the morning to have
the divorce papers drawn up.”

    
“And you’re going to file charges against him for that, too, aren’t you?” He
asked, eyeing the bruise on her face.

    
“Mm, I am,” She said in a quieter voice.  “He’s going to be really angry.”

    
“Sucks for him,” Kasen snickered.  “The prick has it coming, Jess.  He’s got to
learn that it’s not nice to hit ladies and besides…” He took a drink of his
beer and sighed.  “If he was involved with what happened last weekend, maybe
he’ll squeal on his friends.”

    
“The bastards have to pay,” Jessica agreed as she leaned forward and lifted her
beer bottle into the air, “To justice.”

    
Kasen grinned, allowing his bottle to hit against hers, “To freedom.”

     “We
sound like superheroes,” She laughed, taking a swig from her bottle when a
knock sounded on the door.  Her smile immediately fell, fear flashing in her eyes
as she looked to Kasen. 

     He
knew exactly what she was thinking as he eased his bottle onto the table and
stood.  Could it be that Toby had discovered her hideout already?

    
“Stay here,” He said softly, moving towards the closet near the front door.  He
eased it open, reaching inside to grab the aluminum baseball bat he’d stashed
in there forever ago.  He gripped it firmly as Diana barked from the hallway.

    
Another bark sounded from outside and Kasen felt his stomach twist into anxious
knots.

    
“Houston?” He whispered, quickly forgetting the possible danger of whoever was
on the other side.  He unlocked the door and jerked it open hastily.