Page 53 of Out on a Limb

“They always station one cop there. It’s a trap.”

As they passed bedroom number one, where Jordan was fighting back people trying to hide, Walker remembered the closet next to the bathroom. It would be big enough for the both of them.

“Follow me.” Walker took Cameron’s warm hand and led them into the hallway closet. They shoved in behind the row of coats. It was tighter than he remembered. Jordan and Nolan also had a shit-ton of crap. Cameron and Walker had to squeeze flush up against each other. Walker fanned the coats out to better conceal them.

“We’re fine,” Cameron said. “We’re adults, and this isn’t our place.”

“I gave alcohol to minors.”

“But it was wine.”

The deep clomping of cop shoes reverbated on the floor. Walker signaled for Cameron to stay quiet.

“Evening, officer,” he heard Nolan say.

“We having a party tonight?” The officer asked, and Walker’s throat seized up. That voice belonged to Ed: husband of Melinda, father of Hobie’s gymnastics classmate Sophie, friend of Doug and Ron. Walker shoved him and Cameron further into the closet, behind the heavy winter coats.

“I don’t think there are any underclassmen here,” Cameron said.

But it didn’t matter. Melinda’s husband couldn’t find him here, not drinking with college kids and his new pretty-young-thing boyfriend who wasn’t his boyfriend. He would never hear the end of it from Doug.

The clomping got deeper. Louder. Closer.

The closet was pitch black. Walker couldn’t see Cameron, but he felt his body close to him.

“Do I need to go around asking everyone for ID? Because all it takes is one freshman or sophomore sneaking in here.” Ed must like the macho thrill of being a cop since at home, Melinda wore the pants.

“It’s your call, officer.”

“Okay then. IDs out everyone!”

Walker’s heart rattled like a wild animal stuck in a cage. When he was a senior, he and Doug threw a small party and still had the cops called on them. It was a testament to the safety of the town the police had nothing better to do. Walker and Doug charmed the pair of cops who had visited, inviting them to sing a round of karaoke with them. It turned them into legends for a while.

“Think positive thoughts,” Cameron whispered.

The faint crackle of the police radio echoed. Ed and his partner were in the hallway. Every one of Walker’s nerves stood on edge. But then he felt Cameron’s arms around him, like they were protecting him. And even though that wouldn’t have helped if they were caught, it made Walker calm down.

The doorknob jangled, followed by the creaking open of the closet door. Officer Ed shined his flashlight around the closet. Walker prayed that the winter coats were heavy enough. Cameron seemed to sense his legitimate fear and tightened his grip.

The beam of light inched across the hanger pole, getting closer and closer to their heads. Walker’s throat shut down. He couldn’t even prepare an excuse for when Ed caught him.Hi Ed, I seem to have gotten lost on my way home.

The flashlight clicked off just before it reached Cameron’s hair. The door shut.

Walker’s lungs filled back up with air.

“Success,” he whispered.

No witty reply from Cameron.

Walker reached his fingers out into the blackness and felt Cameron’s forehead, the smoothness of his skin, then traveled down to his stubbly cheek.

He couldn’t see a thing, but he could feel Cameron’s eyes on him. He could feel the heat between them. They locked into an intense gaze. Walker’s thumb smoothed over Cameron’s bottom lip.

He leaned forward and kissed Cameron. The energy Walker had from cheating imprisonment and gymnastics class embarrassment made him want to devour Cameron. Walker pulled him closer. Cameron opened his mouth and let his tongue enter. Walker pulled Cameron right up against him. Ed and his partner clomped past one more time en route to the door.

And then they were apart again.

“Walker,” Cameron said through heaving breaths. His hands were on Walker’s chest, pushing him away. “Friends.”