Looking for Trouble(44)

“Really?” Clay teased.

Dylan glanced over his shoulder at the kids, who were still painting away, some of them on their second or third rock. He wanted this, wanted it so badly he could taste it, but there was a part of him that wasn’t sure it was a good idea. Yeah, he’d been the one to tell Clay they should enjoy each other while they were together, but fishing trips? Cabins in the mountains? It felt so real, so permanent when they weren’t, and he was afraid that all these things were only going to make him get hurt when it was over. “I don’t know if I can get the weekend off…or if I should. I’m supposed to be saving money.”

“That’s fine. I get it if you can’t. And I don’t want you to do anything to jeopardize your job, but…” Clay shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, and his eyes found the ground again. “This is a tough time for me. I can’t stay home. If it’s possible, I’d like you with me.”

He could hear how hard those words were for Clay to get out. They dripped with years of hurt. Somehow, he knew that Clay had never invited anyone to this cabin with him before, but he’d invited Dylan. Clay needed him. “I’d love to go with you. I’ll make it happen.”

“Not if it causes any problems. I understand if you can’t go.”

“I’ll make it happen,” Dylan said again, hugging Clay. “I should go. I have twelve kids waiting for me.”

“Okay,” Clay replied, and Dylan started to walk away. “Trouble?” he called out, and Dylan turned around. “I’m proud of you. You’re doing real good.”

Dylan grinned. “Thank you.” The truth was, he was proud of himself too.



Dylan walked with Troy down Main Street toward the mineral park.

“Oh, kid. You got it bad.” Troy nudged him as they made a turn into the park.

There was a spring that went through it, and a small bridge, and a gazebo. The park was beautiful, filled with trees and flowers. Dylan enjoyed going there.

“First, you do realize we’re close in age, right?”

“Yes, but you look younger.”

“I’m a kid at heart.”

“That makes two of us. And what’s number two?”

Dylan saw the small bridge, and they headed toward it. “I feel like you’ve said that to me before.”

“That’s because it’s true. And even more so now. You damn near glow when you talk about him. Both y’all look at each other like you’re going to rip each other’s clothes off at any second.”

“Well, obviously. You’ve seen us both, right?” he teased, making Troy laugh.

“Think he’d be down for a threesome?”

“No, boss.”

Troy chuckled. “You know I’m teasing you, right? I probably shouldn’t have said that.”

Dylan waved him off. He knew Troy and trusted him.

“So yes, you can have the weekend off. We’ll make it work somehow. I wouldn’t want your fishing trip with Daddy to be ruined.”

Dylan laughed off the nickname. Not that he was opposed to the whole Daddy/boy thing. He figured he likely had some inclination in that direction. He’d always liked older men, and he definitely enjoyed feeling cared for. He looked for praise, clearly. But he’d never called a lover Daddy before, and the thought of doing it with Clay just didn’t feel right for them. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put you guys in a bad position.”

Troy shook his head. “Nah, it’ll be fine. Seriously. I wouldn’t approve it if I didn’t think so. Chloe is looking for some extra hours. I’ll talk to her.”

“And I can switch with her. I’ll work up until we go if I need to.”

“Well, work it out, but I have a proposition for you.” Troy leaned against the railing of the heavy wooden bridge. Dylan waited for him to continue. “Cindy called me. She’s loving being at home with her new baby, and when the time comes, she’s not sure she’s going to want to come back to work. She didn’t say for sure, but she wanted to give me a heads-up.”

Dylan’s heart sprinted. Was Troy offering him a permanent position? “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Troy shrugged. “Just putting it out there. You’re a good asset to us. Customers like you. You seem to like it here. Your boyfriend is here.”

“We’re not serious.” Well, Dylan didn’t know if they were. Hell, it had only been a few weeks since they gave in to each other and took things to the next level. “He only offered me a place to stay temporarily.”

“So? I mean, it’s fine if you’re not interested, and it’s fine if you don’t know yet, but let your decision be about you and nothing else. If Clay asks you to stay with him and you want to, go for it. But you’re allowed to live in Bailey Springs without living with him. You’re allowed to live here even if the two of you don’t last.”

“I know that,” Dylan snapped. “Sorry. I just… So I can think about it?” Everything was starting to feel mixed up in his head—Troy, Bailey Springs, Clay, back home. He loved it here, he did, but was he really going to drop everything and move here permanently? Drop what? He didn’t have anything to drop, but it felt so serious, like a major decision, and he hated those. They’d always stressed him out.