TAKE ME HOME (13 page)

“So they’ve known this entire time. I was hired to get Kyle.”

“I think so.”

“Do you know what’s in the journal?”

“No. I didn’t know it was a journal. I reported back to the network the book was about to be shipped to Kyle Bennett along with my concerns about paying off people for confidential information. Well, that was my last day.” Her words ended abruptly, and then she said, “Can I give you some career advice?”

Career? He was pretty sure he was about to lose the one shot he’d had in ten years to get his career started. He pressed his forehead to the cool glass of the window in front of him, his reflection disappearing as he tried to focus on the world outside, on anything other than his dream slipping away. “Sure,” he said.

“Don’t mess with them. Give them what they want and take the job.” She paused, then more softly added, “I’m never going to work in this town again.”

“I’m sorry.”

Take Me Home

63

“Forget it. It’s done.”

“I appreciate you telling me the truth.”

“Sure. Good luck. You’ll need it.” She hung up.

Her final words left a chill on his skin, colder than the glass of the window against his forehead.

All of it—his entire future—all a lie. Nothing in his life was real anymore.

No, that wasn’t true. Kyle was real. And Evan wasn’t about to screw him over. Not even for the career he’d been working his ass off to achieve. Some things were more important than success or a single moment of bliss. No matter how good it would be to give in and be together, he was not losing Kyle’s friendship.

The blare of the train’s horn sounded unusually loud as they passed through an intersection. Another small town. How many more until they reached the end of the line?

A woman sitting in the seat next to where he stood smiled up at him.

He tilted his head toward the window to indicate her view. “Am I in your way?”

“Not at all,” she said. “It’s just snow. There’ll always be more.” Was that true? At some point in every person’s life, they’d have a chance to watch their last snowfall. Only, most would never know it was their last at the time. Was this his last chance with his career? With Kyle?

The woman was still watching him. She was around his mom’s age with warm, kind eyes and wild, short hair a shade of red unlike any he’d seen on another person. She held knitting needles, a green ball of yarn resting in her lap along with the folded piece of whatever she’d been knitting. A blanket or a scarf, something thick and warm for the winter season. That reminded him of Kyle’s mom and her endless knitting projects, reminded him of winter in Liberty Falls and his own mom. Maybe Kyle had the right idea. Maybe it was time to move back to Ohio.

The red-haired woman returned to her knitting and said, “If you need to make another call, go right ahead. You’re not bothering me.”

“Thanks.” He did have one more call to make.

He got out the business card from his wallet and dialed. When a woman answered, he said,

“Mr. Hastings, please.”

“He’s in a board meeting and can’t be disturbed. May I take a message?”

“Tell him Evan Walker called.”

“Mr. Walker, I’ve been instructed to put your calls through. One moment.” What the hell was in that journal?

There was more snow coming down, and the wind had picked up. What would it be like when they got higher into the mountains? How bad would it have to get before the train stopped at the next station and stayed there? As much as he loved snow, he didn’t want to head into a blizzard, but he couldn’t stop the inevitable. Like the rest of his life. There was only one track and no crossroads ahead. He had to ride it out.

Hastings came on the line in less than a minute. “Mr. Walker, I’m glad you called.”

“I’m not sure you’ll be glad when you hear what I have to say.”

“I hope you’ll say you have every intention of helping us.” 64

Sloan Parker

“I talked to Kyle, and he is not interested in a deal.”

“That’s disappointing, but frankly this is where we’d hoped you’d do some friendly convincing on behalf of the network.”

“Or what? The job offer is pulled?”

“I believe I was clear on how this game is going to be played. You get us that journal, Mr.

Walker, and your career moves forward. You don’t, and we’ll be reconsidering a number of things.”

“Then I guess you’ll be doing some reconsidering. Good day, Mr. Hastings.” Take Me Home

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Evan ended the call and clenched the phone in his hand. What did he just do?

The big man talking about the snow earlier passed behind him and pushed the button to open the door to the vestibule between cars. The metallic clank of the train along the tracks startled Evan as the rush of colder air slammed into him. It felt good against his heated skin but did nothing to ease the tension in his gut.

The observation car was filling with passengers. Before long, it’d be standing room only to watch the train roll through the storm. He needed space, some air to breathe. He wished he could open the window, get off the train and head into the desolate wilderness, disappear for just a little while.

He focused on the line of snowcapped pine trees rushing by the window.

He wanted to be home.

Where was that? Ohio? The house where he’d lived with Dennis? Kyle’s apartment in West Hollywood?

Where did he belong?

“Are you okay?” the red-haired woman asked.

He tried to answer with a nod, but he wasn’t sure he’d moved his head.

“Have a seat.” She scooted to make room.

“Thanks.” He took a seat on the bench beside her, and she returned to her knitting, which was good. He didn’t have it in him to make small talk. He felt a lump in his back pocket. The script. He yanked it out.

All that work to get to this point. How stupid of him to think his talent had been what they’d wanted.

It didn’t matter.

He’d done the right thing. He’d done what Kyle wanted—what Kyle would’ve done for him.

Hell, Kyle went out of his way for strangers. The young woman and her daughter on the train earlier were just another example. He was a conundrum. Never getting close to anyone—an ass about sex and relationships and love—but he was the best man Evan had ever known.

Someone brushed a hand along the back of his neck. He lifted his head. Kyle stood beside him, his backpack over his shoulder. The observation car had cleared out somewhat, and the red-haired woman beside him was gone.

Kyle took her seat. “Check out that view. Lots of snow. Just like you like.” Evan had already seen the snow. He’d rather focus on Kyle, on how much he wanted to get back to what they’d been doing in the cab earlier. Focus on what it would be like to drop to the floor right there and swallow the man’s cock, to feel his own dick ramming into that firm ass, to 66

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see Kyle sweat-soaked and covered in cum. Anything but the phone call he’d just had. Instead, he said, “They say there’s a blizzard in the mountains.”

“Really? Are we going through it?”

“Supposed to be south of us, but it already looks bad out there.” Kyle nodded. “You hungry? The dining car is open, or I brought my laptop in case you were working on your screenplay.”

“Nah. I’m not working.” Evan stood, folded the pages of his script in half, and shoved them in his back pocket again. “Let’s go.”

They headed to the dining car, where a line had formed, stretching out into the vestibule between cars. Neither spoke as they waited. Evan needed to tell Kyle about the call with Hastings, but he couldn’t break the silence. He wanted a more definite plan in place for his next move with his career before he mentioned it. No way would he let Kyle feel responsible.

Ten minutes later, they were next in line. The dining car was flanked by panoramic windows and booth-style seating with linen tablecloths and full place settings at each seat. The lighting was dimmer than the other locations on the train, and the dark carpeting, faux wood accents, and slightly tinted windows beside each booth gave the car a romantic vibe. The conversation was muted, and low instrumental music played overhead.

“Nice,” Kyle said.

“Yeah.” Evan’s palms were moist. He dried them down the front of his jeans, hoping no one would notice, especially Kyle. Why the hell did this feel like a date? They’d been out to eat together a thousand times before.

A woman approached. “Just the two of you? We like to fill the booths when we can.

Another couple said you can join them.”

Another couple? Maybe they did look like they were on a date.

“Sounds good,” Kyle said.

She led them to a booth with a man and woman seated on the far side. The same red-haired woman who’d talked to Evan in the observation car. She smiled at him as he sat across from her.

Kyle slid his bag into the booth before he joined Evan. With the bag in the way, there’d be no chance they’d brush against each other while they ate. Maybe Kyle had changed his mind about wanting him. Maybe he’d freaked sooner than Evan had imagined. Or maybe he was pretending nothing had happened in the cab earlier and was honoring what he’d said to Evan in the kitchen that morning.

“Hello again,” the woman said. “I’m Penny, and this is my husband Nate.”

“Evan. And my friend Kyle.”

Nate was reading his menu, and Penny smiled wider as she elbowed her husband in the side.

“What?” He snapped his head up and threw his wife an annoyed look. The broad smile on her face and the tilt of her head must have given him a clue. He faced Evan and Kyle. “Oh, hello.

Nice to meet you.”

Nate’s hair was white and thick, with a matching full beard that made him look like a man in his late sixties or older, but a closer inspection revealed a much younger face. Nate shifted slowly in the booth like someone who’d worked hard all his life and whose body was beginning to protest the push past middle age. He was forty pounds overweight, all of it settling in his Take Me Home

67

middle. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled up at the corners in a way that said he’d made that expression a lot in his life.

Like Kyle’s eyes were starting to look. Would he have the same deep lines at Nate’s age?

Evan didn’t want to think about the future. He joined Nate in looking over the menu. There were several entrée selections, as well as an assortment of beer, wine, sides, salads, and desserts including a description for a decadent chocolate cake topped with creamy white frosting. Just what he needed. To be this close to Kyle and, yet again, thinking about frosting and its unrealistic potential as lube.

Kyle nudged Evan’s arm. So much for not touching. “That cake sounds good. You getting it?”

“No!”

Both Penny and Nate peeked at them over the tops of their menus.

Evan felt his face flush. He set his menu down and asked, “Are you two on vacation?”

“We are,” Penny said. “Nate was offered an early retirement package, so we are seeing the countryside.”

Evan glanced at Nate. “You’re not old enough to be retired.”

“I like you, kid.” Nate smiled, then grew serious as he stared at his menu again. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Yes, we should,” Penny said. “He thinks he should be working. Says he could be one of those door greeters at Walmart. I told him he’s too grumpy.” Nate glared at her, and she laughed.

“See? You can’t even be nice to your wife.”

“It’s easier to be nice to strangers.”

“Well, we needed this. It was a good idea.” She tapped the back of his hand, and he gripped hers in his. The unexpected affection surprised Evan. The tenderness in that simple touch between two people who had spent a life together moved him.

“We almost had to cancel,” Penny said. “Our granddaughter’s been real sick.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyle said in a low voice as he set his menu on the table. The compassion in his tone, the sympathy in his expression. It was those little glimpses of the man inside that drew Evan to him. God, there was no denying it. He loved Kyle. He had never really stopped.

“Thank you,” Penny said. “It’s actually been fun watching this little girl on the train. She’s so full of energy and has been giving her mama all sorts of trouble.” Kyle huffed out a laugh. “I’m sure I know exactly which little girl that is.”

“But it makes me sad too.” Penny pursed her lips and shook her head. “Our little one’s been stuck in bed for a while now.”

Nate slammed his menu on the table. The force of it rattled the salt and pepper shakers at the opposite end. “We should be home, not off traveling around like this.”

“No,” she said. “It was right to book the trip. We needed this.” They exchanged another touch of their hands, so brief but full of love and support. There was an ache in Evan’s chest just watching them. A reminder of how different his life goals were from Kyle’s.

How many disappointing blows would he have to take today?

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Their server arrived. Penny gave her order, selecting the only chicken entrée available.

Evan didn’t want to eat, but he ordered the same anyway. Then Nate gave his selection, going for a steak, baked potato, and broccoli.

“That sounds good,” Kyle said. “I’ll have the same. Oh, and I’m definitely going to want some of that cake.”

Great. Maybe he’d suggest they slip out before the dessert arrived, and Kyle would forget all about the cake. Or else Evan would end up with a boner he’d never have a shot of hiding on the trek back to their room. Unless he walked directly behind Kyle. Like that would help. If he had his dick that close to Kyle’s ass, he’d never get rid of the hard-on.

Kyle asked the server, “Can we also get a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for the table?” He’d never ordered wine when they’d dined out before. In spite of the couple sitting across the way, this sure as hell felt like a date.

The server nodded, and before he left, Penny said, “Can my husband switch the broccoli for a salad?” She looked to Nate. “You know how it affects your system. I’m not sleeping there with you all night if you eat broccoli.”

Nate threw her another annoyed expression, his white eyebrows scrunching together to form a single line. He stroked his beard twice, then said, “Guess you better do what the wife says. I’m not sleeping on top of the train.” He handed the server his menu. “One time she actually made me sit outside the RV for two hours in the middle of the night before she’d unlock the door and let me back in.”