Page 33 of The Secrets We Keep

He could taste the sweet yet potent blend of Cointreau, lime, vodka, and cranberry as he headed toward the airport’s outdoor restaurant. Just thinking about that first sip did a lot to take his mind off his troubles, to ease the tension causing his shoulders to ride up.

As he neared the patio area of the restaurant, with its cheerful umbrella tables, he halted in his tracks, drawn rudely back to the present. Someone had shouted his name.

And who other than Mr. Robert Burroughs himself knew not only what he was called but that he would find him here?

Jasper turned slowly, the dread rising up once again in his gut.

There he was, a silhouette backlit by the sun and standing very still.

Jasper found no words coming to mind, let alone lips.

Rob moved closer, stepping into the same shadow Jasper himself occupied. Rob had changed into a pair of camouflage cargo shorts, a black T-shirt with the legend Desert Animal emblazoned across the chest, and a pair of flip-flops. The ensemble made him appear years younger, and Jasper wondered anew, for many reasons, why he’d found himself here in Southern California with this man. Younger looking or not, Rob would always be old enough to be his father. And Jasper was never the type to go after daddies, although there were many his age who did.

“What?” Jasper cocked his head. “What are you doing…?” His voice trailed off, and then he asked, “How did you get in here?” Pretty as it was, with its fresh breezes, arid desert air, sunshine, and palm trees all around, they were still in the boarding-gates area, only accessed by going through security with the proper ID and a boarding pass. People couldn’t simply walk in. Those days were history, a time before Jasper could even recall.

“I came because I couldn’t let you leave. Not in the way you did.” Rob glanced behind him at the cheerful umbrella tables set out behind them, their sun-drenched optimism seeming out of sorts with the mood at hand. “Could I just talk to you, please?”

“I don’t know” was the best Jasper could think to say.

Rob reached out as though to lay a hand on Jasper’s shoulder. At the moment before he would have touched him, he seemed to think better of the notion and dropped his hand.

Jasper was relieved.

“Look. I know you must have lots of questions. Let me at least buy you something to drink? Maybe lunch? Would you be willing? Do you have time?”

Rob looked so hungry for some sign that Jasper would listen that Jasper, ever a softie, had to give in. “Okay. But first you have to tell me how you got beyond security. These days, that’s not an easy task, if it’s even a possible one.”

Rob chuckled. “You’re ignoring the obvious. But we’ll get to that. Let’s go grab a table before they all fill up.”

He turned and started to head for the restaurant’s entrance. Jasper wondered if Rob believed that if he didn’t act quickly, he’d lose him.

Once they were seated, with a cosmo in front of Jasper and a scotch and a beer in front of Rob, they both grew quiet. Both studied the menu intently. Jasper wasn’t hungry, not anymore. When their waiter returned for their order and Rob asked for a Cobb salad, Jasper said he’d have the same.

The waiter hurried away. He was slim, efficient, Hispanic, and had a great ass, which his tight black chinos showed off to good advantage. Jasper noticed because he was having difficulty meeting Rob’s gray-blue eyes.

But finally he had to force himself to make eye contact. Rob was waiting like a good therapist.

“So are you gonna tell me?” Jasper took a sip of the cosmo. Pretty good but not as good as the ones he made.

“About Heather?”

“Yeah, I want to know all about that. But let’s clear up the mystery of how you got by security and are sitting across from me.”

“That bugs you, doesn’t it?”

Jasper nodded. It did. But he could also acknowledge, at least to himself, that asking about this detail was an avoidance tactic. A warm breeze blew up, and Jasper could almost pretend this was a pleasant date. Almost.

Rob reached down to bring up something on his phone. He tapped and swiped and then showed Jasper the screen.

Boarding passes. For the same flights to Chicago that Jasper was on. There was something stalkerish about the move, and a small chill shivered through Jasper despite the sunshine and temperature.

After a moment, Jasper asked, “You fly coach?”

Rob laughed. “It was all they had. Sorry I couldn’t get anywhere near you. I’m in the last row! In the middle. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been so inconvenienced?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Jasper could only think,First world problems.

“Maybe a little. Maybe not. I just haven’t had to fly coach in a while.”