Cherry Pop (Mercury Rising Book 3) (18 page)

“Really?” Ben said. “So the fact that he looks just like I did when I was younger escaped your notice?”

“Well, someone has a high opinion of himself,” Roland said flirtatiously. “Yes, all right. You know I have a type, and you’re it. K.C. was just a foolish attempt to regain what we had lost. You have to admit you’d stopped paying me as much attention. You spent all your time at that awful job and talked endlessly about Curland. What else was I suppose to do to get your attention?”

“I don’t know,” Ben said sarcastically. “Show some interest in my life, my career? Give me equal time in the relationship? I’m pretty sure there was some middle ground between supposedly loving me one day and kicking me out the next.”

He spied the exit for Highway 17 and put on his blinker. Traffic was heavy as he maneuvered into position to exit. He saw a sign for the Battleship North Carolina, now a museum permanently anchored at the seaport of Wilmington. Like Ben, it had found a home here.

“I told you I wasn’t thinking straight,” Roland snapped. “Remember?”

“Must have been male menopause,” Ben said, not bothering to muzzle his sarcasm like he’d done all those years with Roland.

“Don’t be cruel, darling,” Roland whined. “You know I’m not that old.”

Ben let that tall tale slide by. “What do you want, Roland?”

“K.C. is there, isn’t he?” Roland said accusingly. “It’s like a convention of my old lovers.” Ben could tell he loved the idea of that, a dejected gathering of his discards.

“Hardly,” Ben said. “Yes, he’s here. I just left him with Trey Barlow.”

“Trey Barlow?” Roland said in a flat, hard voice.

“Yep.” Ben didn’t bother hiding his glee. “Trey’s down here in Wilmington, you know. He spends a lot of time here now that Brian’s moved.”

“Passing along my leftovers, are you?” Roland said smoothly, any conciliatory tones long gone.

“Don’t be crude, Roland. It doesn’t become an aging lothario.”

“What is going on, Ben?” Roland demanded. “What happened to ‘I’ll love you forever, Roland’, hmm? I thought you couldn’t live without me.”

“Turns out I can. Who knew? I’m actually doing pretty well, thanks.”

“Fine,” Roland said with a sigh. “I admit I was wrong to go about things the way I did. There, happy?”

“My happiness doesn’t depend on you anymore, Roland,” Ben said, suddenly tired of the conversation. “What you do or say has no effect on me. If you’re happy you finally apologized for being an absolute shit, then that’s fine. As for me, I don’t care one way or another.”

A huge weight was lifting off his chest the longer he talked to Roland. What was it people said about closure being good for you? Damn if they weren’t right on the money. “You know, Roland,” he said, “I’m actually glad you called.” He turned onto Highway 87.

“Of course you are,” Roland said, relief evident in his tone. “Now that I’ve come to my senses, you can come to yours. We’ll forget this nasty little separation ever happened.”

“Like I said, you are unbelievable.” Ben shook his head as he travelled the now familiar road back to Mercury. “I was going to say that talking to you today has been an important closure for me. I’m in a new relationship and I was having trouble committing because the ghost of our past was still haunting me.”

“You mean you’re not over me,” Roland rushed to say. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. You don’t have to get over me.”

“Still not getting it, Roland,” Ben said. “I
am
over you. This conversation just proved it to me. But more than that, it showed me that what happened between us wasn’t my fault. Well, maybe a little bit. I should have left you sooner.”

“What?” Roland said, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I was over you before you kicked me out.”

It felt so good to admit that. On some level Ben had known it. The guilt he’d been feeling for the last year wasn’t over the way the relationship ended, it was over his own complicity in continuing to live the lie for so long.

“I’m sorry, Roland,” he said honestly. “You probably deserved better. I know I did. Do. Anyway, K.C. is fine, not that you asked. What did you do with his things?”

“His things?” Roland asked, sounding confused. “Didn’t he take them?”

Ben shook his head over Roland’s complete self-absorption. “I’ll call Rosario and ask.”

“Does this mean we’re not getting back together?” Roland asked, disbelief in his voice. “When we had our little disagreement, it was with the understanding that I’d forgive you and take you back.”

“Forgive me?” Ben asked. Then he thought better of it. “Never mind. Doesn’t matter. I forgive
you
, Roland. How about that?”

“I already apologized,” Roland snapped. “How many times are you going to make me say it?”

“Goodbye, Roland.” And there it was. The words Ben hadn’t gotten to say a year ago. Saying them freed him in a way he hadn’t expected.

“This isn’t goodbye,” Roland insisted. “I’ll give you time to reflect. I know you’ll see what a mistake you’re making.” He sounded utterly confident. Ben had to admit he probably had reason to. In the past Ben had always come around to Roland’s way of thinking. Usually just to shut him up.

“No, I won’t,” Ben told him, even though he knew Roland wouldn’t listen. “So don’t hold your breath.”

He clicked the end button before Roland could respond. If only he’d had a little button to click years ago on their relationship.

Suddenly getting home to Tripp became even more urgent. He needed Tripp to cleanse the bad taste of that conversation out of his mouth. And he needed to tell Tripp he was staying. That should probably be priority number one.

He smiled as he watched the sun set in front of him, his car eating the miles between him and Tripp.

“
H
ey
, Melanie, it’s Tripp Lanier. Is Ben around?”

He’d just dropped his dad off at home on his way back from Elizabethtown. He hadn’t heard from Ben all day, not even a text, which didn’t bode well. Even though he still had to drop the permits off at the construction site and get some paperwork rolling on the sub-division plans, he was ready to make time to stop and see Ben and clear things up. He knew the longer he let Ben stew the harder it would be to get this thing between them back on track.

Obviously he couldn’t push Ben again. Tripp would have to learn to be patient. It was going to be a hard lesson when it came to Ben, but he’d come to realize that part of their problems stemmed from his rush to jump into a relationship too soon. He’d have to let Ben work through his issues on his own until he was ready to accept Tripp’s love. Hopefully it wouldn’t take Ben twenty years and a heart attack like it had Tripp’s dad.

“Oh, hey Tripp,” Melanie said. There was an awkward pause. “Um, someone that Ben knew from L.A. stopped by and he and Ben left together a few hours ago. I haven’t heard from him since.”

“From L.A.?” Tripp said stupidly. “Who?”

“A guy named Casey Mills. Do you know him?” Melanie asked. “He said he was here on personal business, that’s all I know.” Tripp had been expecting to hear the name of Ben’s ex-lover, so he was surprised.

“When you speak to him, let him know I called,” Tripp asked.

“Sure thing, Tripp,” she said. “Want me to tell him to call you?”

“No,” Tripp said. “That’s all right. Thanks.”

“Bye,” Melanie said. Tripp let Melanie end the call as he just sat there in his truck. He’d texted and he’d called. Ben knew Tripp was waiting to hear from him. The ball was in his court.

When Tripp got to the construction site, the first person he saw was Luke. Luke was putting caution tape around the stakes outlining the location of the foundation for the new Turnstiles education center. He had his phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear as he talked to someone and wrapped yellow tape around the stakes. Tripp called out to him and Luke straightened and waved and then turned his back, speaking quietly into the phone. Tripp frowned. Luke was being awful secretive about something. It wasn’t like him not to just walk right over and say hey no matter who he was talking to. Tripp gave him his privacy, waiting for him by his truck.

Finally Luke ended the call and walked over. “Hey, buddy,” he said with false cheer. “How’s it going?”

Tripp was immediately suspicious. “Fine,” he said, narrowing in his eyes and staring hard at Luke. Luke squirmed under that look, like he always did. “How’s it going with you?”

“Fine, fine,” Luke said, smiling nervously. “Just fine.”

“That was two fines too many,” Tripp said. “You ain’t never been that fine in your life. Might as well tell me now.”

“Tell you what?” Luke said belligerently. He looked down as he began rolling up the loose caution tape. “I ain’t got nothing to tell you.”

“You’re the worst liar in creation,” Tripp said, irritated before he even knew what Luke was hiding. “What have you done now?”

“You know, you’re always blaming me for shit that ain’t no fault of mine,” Luke said, going on the defensive. “Something goes wrong, find Luke,” he continued, gaining steam. “You know I’ve been a hard worker all these years, busting my ass to put money in your pocket, saving your ass more times than I can count, and here you go. Blaming me for nothing. You got something to say?” He crossed his arms and glared at Tripp.

“Yeah,” Tripp said. “Tell me now or I’ll beat it out of you.” He took off his hard hat and set it on top of the file of permits on the hood of his truck. “Let’s go.”

“You damn fool,” Luke said impatiently. “I ain’t gonna whip your ass out here in front of God and everybody. How would that look? No one on the site would respect you anymore, and then how’re you supposed to become the big man?” He shook his head. “Always jumping in without thinking. Now, I’m a thinking man, and I know going a round here would be a bad idea.”

Tripp sighed and rolled his eyes. “That’s the sorriest excuse for not getting an ass whipping I ever heard. As if anyone around here would believe you were a thinking man.” He picked up his hat and put it back on. “Seriously, go ahead and tell me. You know I won’t get mad at you.”

“Well, that’s the thing,” Luke said, tipping his hard hat up and scratching his head. “It isn’t me you’re gonna be mad at.” He made a face and ran his hand down his beard. “I just don’t want to be the one that breaks your new gay heart.”

That got Tripp’s attention. “And how would you do that?” he asked carefully.

“By telling you what Kari just told me,” he said, looking over Tripp’s shoulder, not meeting his eyes.

“And what did Kari just tell you?” he asked, ready to take a swing at Luke for making Tripp pull the news out of him piece by piece.

“She heard that Ben left town today with some guy who came in from L.A.,” Luke said quickly. “I’m sorry, man.”

“I knew that,” Tripp said, picking up the file, avoiding Luke’s gaze. “I called his office and Melanie told me.”

“You ain’t upset?” Luke asked in surprise. “I thought you’d be all depressed and shit.”

“It’s just some guy from L.A.,” Tripp said. “Why would I be upset?”

“He left town with him, Tripp,” Luke said slowly. “He’s leaving. Leaving you, leaving Mercury. Probably with his old boyfriend.”

“No, it wasn’t him,” Tripp said, trying not to panic. “I didn’t recognize the name. I know his old boyfriend’s name.”

“Then another boyfriend, I guess,” Luke said, shrugging. “I guess maybe he’s had more than one.”

Tripp thought hard. Had Ben ever mentioned anyone else? He’d said there’d only been the one, but what if he was lying? People did it all the time. How would Tripp know? Maybe Luke was right.

“I don’t…I don’t know,” he said, confused. “Melanie didn’t know him either.”

“Yeah, well, did she work for Ben in L.A.?” Luke asked.

“No,” Tripp said. “She came from Wilmington.” He sat down on the running board of his truck, suddenly lightheaded. “I guess that would explain everything, wouldn’t it?”

Luke came over to stand in front of him. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I know you had your heart set on him. But you’ll find someone else, right? At least now you know why he didn’t want you and why he kept insisting on going back to L.A. Really, he was pretty upfront with you. And he didn’t sleep with you, so there’s that.”

“I had to chase him to ground just to get him to fool around,” Tripp said, wincing. “I practically forced him to do it. Jesus, what a basket case I am.” He was having trouble breathing, his heart thudding hard in his chest. “Don’t it figure I finally fall in love and it not only turns out to be a guy, but one who’s already taken. I’m the other man. Shit. I am my mama.”

“Now, don’t go beating yourself up,” Luke said, squatting to meet Tripp’s gaze. “You couldn’t know. Hell, I don’t even think Brian Curland or any of them know either. Ben keeps his shit to himself, don’t he?” He shook his head. “I’m having a hard time believing it too. Thought he was on the up and up.”

“He left everything back in L.A. in his condo,” Tripp said, staring straight ahead but seeing nothing except a mental image of Ben’s sparsely decorated living room in his cheap rental. “Probably because someone else was living there too.”

Why hadn’t he seen it? It was so obvious now. Why else would Ben insist on going back to L.A., when his job was here, his friends were here? He lived like he was on a temporary assignment.

“God, what an idiot I am. He told me. Kept telling me, but I wouldn’t listen.”

“You’re new at this gay thing,” Luke said. “Maybe they all do this sort of thing, you know? Maybe they don’t think nothing of fooling around with somebody. As long as they don’t screw, they ain’t cheating.”

“I don’t think John and Connor are like that,” Tripp said. He looked across the parking lot, where Connor Meecham was directing a crew that was planting some flowers and trees around the big, new Turnstiles sign by the road. He practically ran Thomas Landscaping now. “I ain’t never seen either one of them with anyone else.”

“I guess not all gays are the same,” Luke said, shrugging.

As if he felt their eyes on him, Connor turned and saw them. He started walking over, and Tripp stood up.

“Hey, Tripp,” Connor said, reaching out to shake his hand. “I was hoping you or your dad would show up. I talked with Cornelius today about a timetable on the education center building and he said he hadn’t gotten one from you yet. I’m putting my schedule together too, so if you could shoot me a copy of that when you’ve got it ready, that would be great.”

“Sure,” Tripp said. “By the end of the week. Connor, you hear about Ben?”

“What about Ben?” Connor asked slowly, looking back and forth between Tripp and Luke.

“He left town with some guy from L.A.,” Tripp said. “He didn’t say anything to anybody.”

“You ask Brian about it?” Connor asked. “I don’t really know Ben that well. He’s John’s friend, really. I mean, we talk and stuff, but he doesn’t tell me about his personal life.” He looked uncomfortable.

“His assistant told me he left and no one’s heard from him,” Tripp said. His shoulders slumped. “I don’t get it. I mean, why would he leave Mercury?”

“Yeah,” Luke said, clearly puzzled. “You’re gay. Maybe you can tell us.”

Connor gave him a disgusted look. “I’m not the be all and end all of gay, you know,” he snapped. “Maybe his leaving had nothing to do with being gay. Maybe he had other issues. Seems to me all these guys coming out here from California have issues of some kind. They’re running away from something, or chasing something else. I get that more than anybody. But not everyone’s going to find what they need in Mercury.”

“I think Ben had somebody back in L.A.,” Tripp said quietly. “And he just didn’t tell anyone about it.”

“Could be,” Connor said with a shrug. “John didn’t tell me anything, but then I don’t think he would, anyway. I’m not much for gossip. Listen, not everyone who comes here is going to want to stay. That’s just how it is. Mercury is a hell of a lot different than L.A. Everybody here is up in your business. There are people who don’t like that.”

“Ben hates that,” Tripp said. God, why hadn’t he seen how much it bothered him? And Tripp had been talking with the whole damn town about him this morning. No wonder he left.

“That’s just folks trying to help you out,” Luke protested. “You got problems, your people are here to help you. That’s the way it should be.”

“That’s not how everyone sees it,” Connor said with one of his rare grins. “I know you boys don’t get it. Mercury born and bred. I had to come back here to find my people again.”

“That’s right,” Luke agreed. “These L.A. folk ain’t got no people.” He shook his head sadly.

“All I can tell you is some people aren’t made for Mercury,” Connor agreed, nodding sagely.

Luke looked out over the construction site. “This is going to change things, anyway,” he said glumly. “All kinds of folks we don’t know, living among us and being strangers. I’m not real happy about it.”

“Mercury had to change or die,” Connor said. “I don’t like it either, but there it is. Mercury may change, but we’ve got to be sure we don’t let it change us, right?” He turned with a wave. “I’ve got to go,” he said. “I’ll look for that schedule by the end of the week, Tripp.” He stopped and looked back. “Hey, I’m sorry about Ben. You want me to ask John about it?”

“No.” Tripp shook his head. “No, I’ll figure it out myself, thanks.”

“Suit yourself,” Connor said. “See you two.”

“See you,” Luke said. He stood there, scuffing the dirt with his work boot. “What you gonna do?” he asked Tripp after a moment or two of silence in the wake of Connor leaving.

“Go on with my life,” Tripp said, a catch in his throat. “Maybe try calling him again, to say goodbye and all.” His eyes burned and he turned away. “I’ve got to drop these permits off at the office and then I’m heading home.”

“You want me to take you out to get stinking drunk?” Luke asked helpfully. “It’s what I always do after a girl dumps me. I can even call Carver to come with us.”

Tripp shook his head. “No, I’m good, thanks. I can handle it on my own.”