Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“I think Gary deserves the first glass,” Hayden says. Cody passes one to him before filling the others up. We make our way to the living room. I pull Derek onto my lap, Travis doing the same with Gary, while Hayden and Cody sit side by side.
“So…Peter is even more of a dickhead than we thought,” Derek says.
“Yeah, he is,” Hayden replies.
“I still want to fucking kill him,” Travis adds.
“I’ll help,” Cody jumps in.
“I don’t know the whole story, but I’m thinking I like Travis and Cody’s idea.” Derek looks over his shoulder at me and smiles at my response.
“Ooh. I like it when Daddy Jackson gets all tough. Can we use the spare bedroom?”
“No!” Hayden says at the same time as Cody’s, “Sure.”
“If I wasn’t so pissed right now, I would not be leaving you alone about this shit, Derek. Tell me you know it,” Travis says, and by this shit, I’m assuming he means my relationship with Derek. I have a feeling this is a first…Derek having someone here with him. Not being the odd man out.
“You’re just jealous I don’t want to fuck you anymore,” Derek counters and a growl starts deep in my chest.
“Jesus, that’s hot too. I didn’t really want him, Daddy. Just wanted to make him feel good.”
That earns Derek a, “Pfft,” from Travis.
They talk a little more about the new discovery tonight and fill me in on the rest of the story. By the end of it, I’m ready to head out with Cody and Travis and find the motherfucker and kick his ass too.
Every time we’re empty, Cody fills our glasses. There’s a lot of teasing and laughter and friendship.
I like these people, I realize. I like them a lot. I’m glad that Derek has them and for the first time in years, I feel as though I’ve met people who are more like-minded than my friends with Steph. I feel comfortable around them and can feel how much they all care about each other.
My arms tighten around Derek.
“Oh, Cody. Show him the sketch,” Hayden says. I frown, unsure what he’s talking about.
“I’m a little drunk. I don’t know if I can move,” Cody replies, but Hayden nudges him until he gets up and disappears into their room. He comes out a few minutes later with a piece of paper he hands to Derek.
“You have a character now, man. It’s kind of my thing,” Cody says to me, which makes me lean forward and look at the paper with Derek.
I see his character, the one he told me about—Bottom Boy, who looks exactly like Derek, in a Speedo and cape. But as I scan the page, follow Bottom Boy in his little adventure, I see a drawing that looks a whole hell of a lot like me—Bottom Boy calls him Daddy Jackson and then proceeds to wrap his daddy around his finger.
“Ooh. I like this,” Derek says. “You totally want me.”
The tightness in my chest deepens. “Yeah, I do.”
Derek winks at me and then looks at Cody. “Can I keep it?” he asks and the way everyone looks at him, I think they can tell it’s important to him. Like Derek had this need to have his own story.
“Of course,” Cody replies. “And there will be more.”
“I want a copy too,” I add and Cody nods.
“I want to ink you. It’ll be a trade-off.”
“I want you to ink me. I just haven’t totally decided what I want yet.” We launch into a conversation about tattoos and Cody gives me all sorts of ideas. He’s really fucking good and has a true passion for what he does, that much I can tell.
When that conversation ends, Travis asks, “Are you going to their run next weekend? You can head over with Cody and me if you want.”
I frown because I have no idea what they’re talking about. It must be obvious because Travis says, “Oops.”
“What? No. I don’t care if Jackson knows,” Derek replies. “We’re doing a run for Alzheimer’s next weekend.” He looks at me hard, as though he’s trying to tell me something but I’m not sure what it is.
“What made you choose an Alzheimer’s run?” Hayden asks. “I mean, it’s cool and a worthy cause, but why that one? I don’t feel like it’s something most people talk about.”
His words slam into me, telling me exactly what Derek’s look was about. His friends don’t know…they don’t know about Randy. These people who obviously love him and who I know Derek loves, don’t know about this really important aspect of his life.
And I do…
But would I have known if I hadn’t found out by accident?
“Oh…is that for the family member of your client you told me about?” I ask Derek and the tenseness in his body immediately loosens up.
“Yeah. What he said. That and the hot boys jogging. But my glass is empty and it’s really fucking quiet in here. I want to give Daddy a lap dance.”