Beneath the Palisade (40 page)

Alex shook. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He attempted to speak, but when he realized he was too far gone, he turned and fled into his apartment.

Harper, reaching for Colin’s arm to hold him back, moved around Allison and headed after Alex. “Guys, I’ve got this.”

Walking around the desk, Harper peered into the apartment. “Alex, I’m coming in.” Crossing through the living room into the kitchen, Harper could hear Alex sobbing in the bedroom. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he was hunched over, his head in his hands. Harper sat next to him.
God almighty, will this kid ever get a fucking break?

“He was here…,” Alex cried out before huge, powerful sobs robbed him of words.

Harper took him into his arms and held him tight to his chest. Alex wailed. Harper stroked his head, hoping to calm him. Several minutes passed. Years of frustration and hurt poured out of the young man. “Let it go, Alex. Let it go.”

Harper rocked him in his arms as he cried. Eventually, Alex got to the point where he’d cried himself out. Harper continued to rock him.

“I didn’t want to tell anyone.” Alex sat up and reached for his pillow, wiping his face on it. “My dad came here last night. He wanted to make up….” Alex struggled to manage his emotions. “I told him to leave. I told him I didn’t love him and he should never come back here.”

Harper’s heart ached. Somehow he needed to let Alex know he wasn’t to blame for his father’s death. “I would have said the same thing to him, Alex.” Harper allowed his comment to float around for a few moments before he continued. “He might have been your father by blood, but we both know he wasn’t that to you. He was a very troubled man. There’s a very real possibility that even if you had accepted him back, well, it’s entirely possible the outcome would have been the same.”

Alex stared ahead at the wall. He was spent, unable to sort through the emotions and images that were most likely flooding his mind. Harper thought for a minute and then had it. He wanted Alex to hear one last thing before he left him. “I have a feeling you may already know this, but if you don’t, now’s a really good time, I think, for you to hear what I have to say.”

Harper stood and walked to the door of the bedroom. “If Ian’s taught me one thing in the short time we’ve been together, it’s the importance of friendship. Those of us who don’t have close, conventional family situations, you know, like you and I, well, we always have our friends. Ian and I, Colin, Audrey, we’re your family too. You’re family to us. Please don’t forget that, okay?”

Alex wiped his face and nodded. “I won’t.”

“Promise you’ll come to me if you’re ever hurting or you need to work something out. I’ll never be too busy for that, understand? I’ll be there for you. Ian too, I know he would want me to tell you that.”

“Thanks. I love you.” Alex stood up and then sat back down. “I don’t know what I’m doing.” He shook his head and chuckled.

“We’ve got you covered. Stay here for a while and put yourself back together. When it feels right, jump back in. Okay?” Harper winked.

“Yeah… I’ll hang here for a while.”

“Love ya, dude.” Feeling like he’d said everything that mattered, Harper left Alex to his thoughts.

“
W
HAT
do you call these things?” Ian zipped up his jacket. The cold wind blowing off the lake was starting to get to him.

“Booze chairs.” Harper sipped his beer and chuckled. “We had booze chairs on our porch at the frat. We used to sit there after class in the afternoons drinking beer and making stupid comments about everyone who walked by.”

“Booze chairs. You never told me you were in a frat. How’d
that
work out for you?” Ian stared out at the lake. It was getting dark enough to see the bright lights on a tanker slowly heading into the Port of Duluth.

“Well, it wasn’t a social frat, but it was still hell. I had, like, seventeen crushes on guys at the same time. I can’t believe I still managed to get the grades I did. It was like a wet dream that never ended.”

“Binky was very frustrated, I’ll bet.” Ian shook his head sadly.

“Oh man, Binky was rubbed so raw, he almost fell off.” They both laughed.

Ian reached over for Harper’s hand. “You think Alex is going to be all right?”

“Yeah. He’s so angry. I believe him when he says he’s happy his old man is gone. He’s tired of being humiliated. Think about it, having to go home to that loser all the time. Shouldering the burden your dad’s a drunk while all the other kids went home to what Alex imagined were normal, healthy parents, even though half of them probably weren’t. He couldn’t have known that.”

“That’s true.” Even though it was hard to comprehend, Ian understood how Alex could feel the way he did.

“I remember a good friend of mine in law school was having issues with depression. Anyway, after talking it out with a therapist, it was determined the guy had a ton of guilt associated with the fact he hated his family. Not only were they madly dysfunctional, they were cruel. His parents used to ground him for weeks at a time, making him sleep on the floor of his room instead of on his bed. I mean, we’re talking wicked folk here.”

“Stuff like that makes me sick. I wonder how people who are cruel like that can live with themselves. I’m so lucky to have the family I have. You too, Harper.” Ian squeezed his hand.

“Anyway, this guy obviously knew early on something about them wasn’t good. He kept fighting his true feelings.” Harper sipped his beer. “The therapist basically told him he was dealt a bad hand. It happened. He pointed out to my friend how many people move away from their families because they can’t deal with them. My friend didn’t do this. He tried to stick it out and make it work. The therapist advised him to kick them to the curb and move on. Funny, that little bit of advice was all it took. Hey.” Harper looked at his watch. “We should go back and see if Allison and Spencer are still up. I highly doubt it, though. We ran their asses off today.”

“I’m really glad Alex found his way into our lives. I hope he sticks around here for a while. This is kind of weird….” Ian searched for the perfect way to communicate his feelings.

“What’s weird?” Harper picked up his beer and stood.

“I can see Alex being a part of us, growing old with us. I think he’s good for us.” Ian drained the last of his beer and got up out of his chair.

“Like family, you mean?”

“Yeah, that’s what I meant.” Ian planted a smooch on Harper’s cheek. “Come on, Bink. I need to check you for ticks.”

Epilogue

“
W
HOA
, sugar, aren’t you just about the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen? Check this boy out, Pearl, he’s like
sugar
. Honey, let me have a little teeny tiny touch, okayyyy?”

Colin smiled from ear to ear while a towering drag queen dragged her fingertip over his underwear-clad butt to the small of his naked back.

“Move over, Sasha. Let
me
have a little slice of pie,” Pearl begged.

Harper and Ian roared while Colin graciously allowed a small pudgy queen to trace a circle around each of his nipples.

“Pride can end right now, Sasha.” Pearl licked the fingers she’d used to stroke Colin. “I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. Baby, you are one… fine… sugarrrrrr-coated nugget.”

“Girl, I have to get you to our float before you melt like the ugly old witch you are. We can’t let down all the happy homos from Rochester.” Sasha grabbed Pearl by the arm and hauled her away. “Have a fantastic Pride, dumplin’! Thanks for the freebies.”

“Happy Pride,” Colin and everyone on the float cheered as they watched the sequined queens saunter away in their mile-high heels.

“Colin, you’re one hell of a good sport. Alex, how you ever talked your best… your
straight
best friend into marching in the Pride Parade is beyond me.” Allison laughed.

“He loves to have his butt played with. Doesn’t care who does it.” Alex punched Colin in the arm before retreating behind Ian, who was busy adding the last few stems of plastic flowers to the “Palisade Beach Cabins Sponsored by Jungle Gems” Pride float.

“Hey, guys, happy Pride!” Brent rounded the back corner of the float.

“Brent, you made it. Happy Pride, dude.” Harper jumped to the ground for a hug.

“Hey, what gives?” Alex slid in under Harper, giving Brent a hug. “I thought we had a deal.”

“Hold on to your horses, stud boy.” Brent stepped back and peeled off his shirt.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Alex chanted.

Next he undid his belt and dropped his cargos, revealing a pair of skimpy white underwear identical to those worn by Alex and Colin.

“Woohoo!” a few onlookers cheered, clapping their appreciation at the impromptu striptease.

“Okay, before we get going, I want you guys to line up next to our float. We need some beefcake footage for posterity.” Spencer positioned Alex and Colin, with Brent, the shorter of the three, in the center. “If this video somehow finds its way onto the Internet and I show up driving a brand new Lexus, I had nothing to do with it.”

“Woohoo!” The onlookers cheered while the three nearly naked twinks preened and posed for the camera. Alex stuck a rose stem down the front of his shorts, mugging for more cheers from the crowd.

Ian looked up to the sky and smiled.
What a perfect day.
He’d never imagined feeling this good.
You’re one lucky man, Ian Burke.
Reaching over, he kissed Harper on the cheek.

“What was that for?” Harper kissed him back.

“Just a little pre-parade kiss.”

“And to think we get to do it all over again this fall for Duluth Superior Pride.”

Ian watched the three young men work the crowd in their tighty whities. “Wow, is there something going on between Brent and Alex?”

“I was wondering about that too, but I don’t think so.” Harper leaned over and planted a kiss on Ian. “He’d probably never admit it, but Alex is too damned independent to settle for one guy. He’s got the world to explore. I have a feeling we’re going to have our hands full with him. And Brent, well, he’s kind of like that too. Fuck buddies, maybe?”

“Fuck buddies. Yep, I can see that. What’s that?” Ian looked around, trying to determine the location of the muffled music.

“It’s my phone.” Harper pulled it out of his pocket and stared at the screen. “Oh no.”

“What do you mean, oh no? It’s Andy, right?” Ian was sure it was Andy calling to tell them they’d be late.

“I wish. It’s Audrey.”

“Oh no.” Ian watched as Harper answered the call.

“Hello, this is Harper. Hi, Audrey, what’s up?” Harper bit his lip with a look of worry while he listened. After a few seconds, his face relaxed. “That’s so sweet. Ian and I sure appreciate you stepping in for us so we can be here. We owe you one, big-time. No, absolutely not. We’ll be back around six, I would think.” Harper covered his phone. “She wants us to stay down here tonight if we want.”

“Nope.” Ian shook his head.

“Thanks heaps for offering, but we’ll be back to take over by six at the latest. Okay, hang on.” Harper covered the phone again. “Alex, get your hot little butt cheeks over here.”

“What’s up, boss?” Alex hopped up on the float.

“Talk to your mother.” Harper handed over his phone.

“Oh.” Alex giggled. “Hi, Audrey. It’s amazing. I wish you could see it. There are drag queens and rainbows… everywhere. I’ll be safe. I love you too. Bye!”

“Hey, they’re starting to move up ahead.” Ian checked his watch.
Dammit, Andy! Where the hell are you and Emmett?

“Where’s Andy and Emmett? It’s showtime.” Allison tossed a piece of candy at him.

“I don’t know. But I’m starting to get pissed off. How could they be late for
this
?
And they’re supposed to be bringing T-shirts to throw out. Harper, can you try Andy again and see if he picks up? The parade’s starting.”

“Sure.”

“I’ll kill those two if they miss this.” Ian forced the last of his plastic flowers into the floral archway in the center of the float.

“He’s not—” Harper stopped midsentence.

“What’s the matter? Did you… oh… my… God.” Ian felt his mouth drop open.

“Happy Pride, everyone!” Andy, dressed in black leather chaps, matching vest, and a leather biker’s cap, gave a hearty tug on a leash he was holding. Emmett, dressed in skimpy leather shorts and nothing else but a studded collar attached to the other end of the leash, came flying around the corner of the float holding a box of T-shirts.

“Sorry we’re so late. We met some people for the Bears and Cubs breakfast this morning, and it ran a little late.”

“Here.” Emmett, all smiles, presented the box to Ian.

“Bears and Cubs breakfast?” Ian, clueless, looked over to Harper. “Did you know anything about this?”

“Let’s just say I stumbled onto a clue awhile back. I’ll tell you later.” Harper jumped down and hugged both the men. Ian followed.

“You guys did a great job finishing up the float. By far the best one we’ve seen so far.” Andy tugged on the leash. “Doesn’t it look fabulous, Em?”

“Yeah.” Emmett giggled.

“Yeah?” Andy fired off a quick swat to Emmett’s behind.