Page 6 of Believe in Caloosa Springs (Caloosa Springs #3)

Porter

It was cooler than I had expected it to be once the sun set, and I was tempted to run to the cabin and grab my jacket. I was glad I hadn’t bothered once Tyler and Jake had gotten a fire going in the pit.

I leaned back in my chair and stared up at the black expanse of the Colorado sky. Stars so clear you could reach out and grab one. We had great nighttime views back in Utah as well, but this was something else. Despite there being no moon in the sky, things somehow seemed brighter. The heavens were more intense. I couldn’t wait to see my first full moon out here in the middle of nowhere. Maybe I’d buy a telescope.

“Porter?”

I looked over to see a can of beer in Jake’s outstretched hand.

“No, thanks, man. Appreciate it, though.”

“You don’t drink?”

“Not really,” I shrugged, trying to remain casual and hope that he wouldn't prod further. LDS didn’t drink. My parents certainly had never touched a drop. Myself, I wasn’t particularly hung up on that particular tenet of faith. Jesus drank wine, after all. On the other hand, I’d seen people act like complete fools when they’d had too much. And beer smelled like piss. I’d never tasted it, but from the smell alone, I wasn’t very much tempted to try.

Jake snickered. “Whatever, man.”

I tried to always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but there was just something about the dude that rubbed me the wrong way. The last thing I wanted was to cause any problems, but I’d heard a few of the comments he’d made to Aaron during supper. And then Henry had told me that he was talking about Tian being a defective freak. I didn’t like that, either.

As hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over at the closed door of the cabin Tian was sleeping in. It had been nearly four hours since the doctor walked out and told Tyler and Pops that he was going to be just fine. The fainting itself wasn’t concerning, but he did seem a little dehydrated and should definitely rest for a while. Not that I was standing behind Tyler, eavesdropping, or anything.

I was glad to hear that it was nothing major. The doctor had also checked the cut on his arm. It was surface-level and wouldn’t need anymore than some antiseptic and to keep it covered while it healed. I felt terrible about the whole thing. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’d flinched away from the handle when his long fingers brushed against mine. It had felt like a jolt of electricity, and my immediate reaction was to pull away. Stupid.

Everything about him sent alarm bells throughout my nervous system. He was covered in tattoos. I hated tattoos. He had metal rings in his lip and nose. I hated the way piercings looked on most people. And his clothes were, objectively, weird. They weren’t, like, normal clothes, they were closer to… Halloween clothes. Gothic? They didn’t make clothing like that in Salt Lake City. Or, if they did, I had been too sheltered to ever encounter it.

His skin was really soft; surprisingly so. His frame was lithe and lanky. It had taken minimal effort to steady him as he wavered on his feet, and then to carry him to the couch. His face had gone white as a sheet, and he had been pale to begin with. He’d looked up into my eyes just before he’d lost consciousness, his pupils blown and pushing the emerald of his iris to a sliver.

I shook my head before I allowed my thoughts to wonder what else might blow his pupils. He was certainly not anything at all like any of the boys I had ever fantasized about. My preferred partners looked a bit less… intimidating. Not that I thought my parents were ever going to forgive me for lying to them and abandoning my mission, or for being gay, but there wasn’t a snowflake's chance in Hell of them ever accepting someone who looked like Tian. I could already hear my mother sobbing and praying aloud for my salvation.

“What’s got you all twisted up?”

“Huh?”

“You look like you’re contemplating the mysteries of the universe over here,” Henry said as he took the empty seat next to me, stretching his hands towards the open flames to warm them.

I shrugged, leaning over and grabbing the half-empty water bottle I’d placed under my chair. “Meh. Just been a long day, I guess.”

Henry was quiet for a moment as he glanced over at the cabin where I’d taken Tian. “Has the scary guy come out yet?”

“Don’t call him that.” It came out snappier than I had intended.

Henry raised his eyebrow as he turned back to face me. “What’s with you?”

“Nothin’. I just don’t think that’s a nice thing to call someone we just met. Besides, he got a little cut on his arm and passed out cold in my arms… real scary. The boy’s a total monster.”

Henry stared at me for a long moment, and I did my best to just face forward. I was suddenly in a foul mood, and Henry wasn’t making it any better. Deciding I’d had enough human interaction for one day, I got to my feet. “I think I’m going to head to be-”

I stopped mid-sentence as Tian’s door opened slowly and he appeared in the doorway. He looked nervous.

I took off in his direction, faintly aware of Henry calling my name from behind.

At first, he didn’t notice me making my way over. Then, he just stood there, watching as I made my way up to him.

“How are you feeling,” I asked, my voice low as I stopped six feet or so from the doorway he’d framed himself in.

I watched him bite his lower lip as he glanced up at me through thick eyelashes and blushed a miserable scarlet.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, his voice low as he stared at the ground.

We stood like that for a moment, him looking down and me looking at him, until a breeze kicked up, giving him a shiver. He raised his hands to rub the sides of his arms.

“Do you know what time it is? My phone’s dead.”

I shook my head. I’d left mine in my cabin. If I had to guess, I’d say about eight. Maybe eight-thirty.

“Is Mandy still here?”

I shook my head again, remembering her saying goodnight to everyone about an hour or so prior.

“Fuck,” he cursed. “So she just abandoned me out here?” His bottom lip protruded, and he crossed his arms over his chest.

Oh, wow. He was pouting . I wondered if he was aware. He looked very intimidating at first glance, but, seeing him now, with a deep frown on his face, the way his eyes were darting around behind me in the darkness? He looked like a scared little fox. Maybe a cat. Something that hissed when it felt threatened, but really only wanted ear scratches.

“I could drive you home,” I said before I could stop myself.

“Really?”

I nodded. I had no clue where anything in this town was, but as long as he knew how to get us to his house, I was pretty sure I could manage to find my way back.

“I should just call and make Mandy’s traitorous ass come down here and get me,” he muttered.

“Whichever you prefer.”

He glanced at me again. “You really don’t mind?”

“I have to run over and grab my wallet. I’ll bring the car over and grab you in just a few.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.”

It wasn’t freezing by any means, but I was happy the heater in the car worked. I had to give Henry credit. He’d done a great job preparing things for our departure. The car was the part I had worried about the most. Henry wasn’t exactly known for his decision-making, especially under pressure, but he’d ultimately done well. I would have liked for him to have spent a little less of our savings, but that would be replenished soon enough. There was a large part of me that still couldn’t believe we’d done it. I was proud of Henry. I was proud of myself. That’s what I was thinking as I drove Tian through the darkened streets of Caloosa. Definitely not about how close he was in the passenger seat, or how our arms almost brushed on the console.

“I think the turn is just up ahead,” he said, sitting up straighter to give himself a better view. “It’s so dark out here, it’s weird.”

“It doesn’t get dark where you’re from?”

Of course it gets dark where he comes from, you fool… “I mean…”

He looked at me and huffed out a little laugh.

“Yes and no,” he began. “I’ve been in Las Vegas for years. While the sun does go down, it doesn’t really get dark. Between the thousands of cars and their headlights, the streetlights, and all the neon signs, you can pretty much see everything all the time.”

“That seems a little intense.”

“You get used to it. I actually prefer it over the small town thing.”

Salt Lake City wasn’t a small town by any means, but nothing like Las Vegas. Or so I had always imagined. I’d never been there, myself. Anything that had a nickname that involved the word ‘sin’ was pretty much a no-go for the Beckett household.

We fell into silence once more, and I sat there racking my brain for something to say to keep the conversation going.

“You don’t really say much, do you?” he asked.

Oh, great. You waited too long. Stupid. Stupid!

“I- ugh, sorry.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize for being who you are,” he said casually, turning his head away.

You don’t have to apologize for being who you are . I repeated his words in my head. Wow, that felt like a slap in the face. I’d only known this kid for several hours, and he’d already shown me more respect than most of my family had in my entire life. Huh…

I pulled to the curb where he’d instructed and put the car in park.

“Thanks for the ride,” he said softly, but didn’t immediately move to get out of the car. “And, uh.. Sorry about the whole coffee thing. I’m really clumsy, and I hope you didn’t get hurt. That coffee was hot as fuck,” he chuckled, still staring out the window. “I’ll try to sit on the end next time, so there’s less collateral damage.”

I desperately wanted to joke back at him, but the words refused to come out.

“Have a good night,” he said finally.

I nodded and he closed the car door. I pulled away from the curb as he ducked inside the house.

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