Knave of Broken Hearts (19 page)

“No. And I doubt you’d even introduce me to your father—or your mother, right? Because I’m the wrong kind of guy for them.”

His back straightened. “Correct, because you’re not a Japanese woman.” But he wouldn’t meet Jim’s eyes.

Jim turned and felt his shoulders sag. “This is stupid. Neither of us can do anything about the—” He made quote marks in the air. “—complications of our lives. I’ll never regret fucking you.” Jesus, that was so achingly true. “But I guess we ought to leave it at that.”

Jim’s stomach knotted when Ken nodded slowly. “I see the logic in your argument.” He glanced up with bright black eyes. “But I can be talked out of it.”

Jim had to smile. Always the player, but oh so gorgeous.

“So in the interests of not running into each other again, I’ll make sure I stay away from the club on Saturday night.”

“I figure I’ll haul Constance to my favorite bar in Laguna after her play. That should emphasize how different we are.” He blew his breath out slowly. He might be feeling heterosexual, but the idea still didn’t excite him.

“Which is your favorite bar?”

“The Bay. It gets a lot of blue-collar guys like me, but it’s a pretty mixed group—like Laguna.”

“I live just north of Laguna in Crystal Cove. I’m always looking for great bars.”

Jim cocked a smile. Made sense the doc would live someplace ritzy like that. “Bay’s probably not your scene.”

“Perhaps.”

Jim looked down at his bare legs and the tip of his cock hanging below the edge of his shirt. “Guess I better dress.”

“You may be even more popular with the boss lady if you take to that attire.”

Why was that more sad than funny? He grabbed his boxer briefs from inside his fallen jeans, pulled them on, then dragged the denim up his legs.

Ken spoke from behind him. “Sorry to see that butt go.”

Not half as sorry as Jim was. “My kid brother’s probably worried. I fell asleep in the suite, or I wouldn’t have been here to save your pretty ass.”

Ken’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Thank you for that, by the way. Thank you for both rescues and for thinking my ass is pretty.”

Jim turned to face him, looking up those couple of inches into dark depths he could drown in. “That’s not an opinion. It’s a universal truth.”

Ken pressed his lips against Jim’s. Jim’s dick gave a little hop, but it wasn’t really trying.
Too sad.
“Guess I’ll see you around, doc.” He stepped back and walked toward the door.

“Take care of your heart.”

Jim cast a look over his shoulder. The only chance he had of doing that was to stay away from Ken Tanaka.

K
EN
’
S
PHONE
rang as he walked to the front door of his apartment. Well, damn, he had a pretty good idea what this call was about. “Good evening, Okaa-san. I’m honored by your call.”

“I’m pleased to hear that you are going on a date with Mikio Okuwa. You make me very happy, my son.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy.” He locked the door and headed toward the car.

“Please invite Mikio to our home this week so we can get to know him better.”

Never a good idea.
“I have to tell you, Mother, that I had a very unfortunate experience in Mickey’s company. Tonight he’s trying to show that he was not responsible for the bad events that took place. But the jury’s still out.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not sure if I believe him.”

“Surely he is innocent. He comes from such a good family.”

Ken snorted.

“Kenji!”

“Forgive me, I had to sneeze.” He opened his garage door and slid into his car.

“May I ask what he did?”

“His friends drugged me.”

“Oh no. That’s terrible. Sometimes young men get into bad company without realizing it. You are older and need to guide him.”

“I said I’d give him another chance and I will.”

“Without the jury?”

He laughed. “Yes, ma’am.” He started backing out.

“Very good. Have a happy evening, my son. When I see you next, I’ll show you the information I’ve found on surrogate births.”

His foot stomped the brake. “Mother, what the hell?”

“Kenji, just because you are gay does not mean you are freed of your responsibilities to your family. We must get you settled so you can produce your first child.”

Dear blessed God.
“I have to go. I know you don’t like me to talk on the phone while driving.” Right. One more announcement like that and he’d wreck the car.

“Take care. We’ll see you and Mikio later in the week.” She hung up.

He stabbed his finger at the End button on his phone. Damned thing should be attached to a noose that his mother was tightening around his neck. He dropped his head onto the steering wheel. He didn’t want to go on this date.
And what do you want to do, Dr. Tanaka?
Easy answer. He wanted to curl up on his couch and think about Jim Carney’s cock buried deep in his ass. Jim had made him promise not to forget. Not likely he ever could.

A horn sounded behind the car.
Shit, move.
He pressed the accelerator and headed toward the fate he didn’t seem to be able to escape.

A half hour later, he sat in a nice seafood restaurant in north Laguna that Mickey had chosen and picked at his food. It was going on ten, later than he usually liked to eat, but Mickey had chosen that too.
Wonder how Jim’s date is going?

Mickey chewed his steak. “I thought you might like this restaurant.”

Ken swallowed a mouthful of tilapia. “I do like it, but you didn’t have to pick a place you don’t enjoy.” He gestured toward Mickey’s full fork. “I doubt they specialize in beef, being called Pacific Fish.”

“Tough to mess up a good steak.” He popped the food into his mouth, then looked up with an expression that dripped concern. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling well. I have trouble believing that GG and Tommy would do such a thing, but I cut off my friendship with them since you said you’re sure they’re responsible. What a terrible experience.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t fun.”

“I’ve read that drug’s usually pretty powerful. How in the hell did you get away?”

“I wasn’t drinking alcohol, or I probably wouldn’t have been able to function. And I recognized the taste right away so I didn’t drink much.”

“Yeah, you being a doctor and all.” He swallowed a mouthful of red wine. “Good thing. I don’t guess there’s a chance GG didn’t do it, is there? Maybe somebody at the bar?”

Ken narrowed his eyes but kept playing with the fish on his plate. “As I told you, your friends came looking for me.”

“Could have just been concerned.” He waved his fork.

“I heard them. Didn’t sound friendly. And the guy who came to pick me up says they wanted to finish what they started.”

“Umf.” He swallowed. “About that. GG says they were worried about that guy. Thought he looked pretty sketchballs and they were trying to get you away from him, but he got mean. Hit Tommy pretty hard. I’m glad he didn’t hurt you.”

“He’s a friend of mine.” He sat back. “Look Mickey, believe who you choose. I wouldn’t want to come between you and your friends.”

He held up a hand. “No, no. Like I said, I severed all relationships with those assholes. If you say they did it, it’s good enough for me. Hell, I’ve got more reason to be with you than with them.”

“Oh, really?”

“I don’t know about you—hey, want some dessert?”

“No, thanks. I’ll take a cappuccino.”

Mickey waved to the waiter and ordered a cappuccino and a spiked coffee for himself. When the waiter left, he looked back at Ken. “Where was I?”

“I don’t know about you—”

“What?”

“That’s what you were saying.”

Mickey grinned. “Man, you do pay attention. That’s one thing I really like about you. Not many guys do, you know?”

“Yes, I do know.”

“Anyway, what I was going to say is that my family is really all over us getting together. Hell, you’d think we were the fucking crowned heads of Japan or something. Like the future of the realm depends on us being a couple.”

Ken blew out his breath.

“You too, huh?” The waiter brought the drinks, and Mickey cradled the warm coffee in his hands. “I mean, I’m no traditionalist, you know, but my folks still pay for law school and my apartment and shit. Until I get the music thing going, you know? So I figure, what the hell. If you can’t beat ’em, you know?”

Ken stared into the blackness of the cappuccino. “Yes, I do know.”

“So I hear I’m supposed to have dinner at your place this week. I mean, at your parents’ place.”

“Obviously, my mother’s invitations have traveled far and wide.”

“Yeah, man. Some of that Mama-san determination. I love my mother, but she makes me glad I don’t get a hard-on for females.”

Ken laughed.

Mickey joined in. “Imagine facing that kind of manipulation every day?”

Ken finished his coffee.

“Hey, it’s too early to give this up. Want to go someplace for some drinks? A few laughs?”

Did he? Everything Mickey said was true. His mother would never let go of this bone. She’d taken the huge step and admitted he was gay. She’d more than met him halfway. Mickey might be better than some men she could choose. At least he was great-looking and had a sexy charisma that made people stare when he walked in a door. “Okay.”

“I don’t know this neighborhood very well. You got any suggestions?”

Ken gazed out the door.
Oh, you hopeless piece of shit.
“How about the Bay Bar in Laguna Beach?”

“T
HIS
IS
such a fun place.”

Jim looked over at Constance, who was surveying the crowd at the Bay. If he’d had some idea that bringing her here would point out the vast differences in their daily lives, he had to think again. She’d ordered a beer, said hi to both Charlie and Raoul on sight—even remembering Charlie’s name, threw a game of darts against Raoul and won, and now was leaning back in their booth looking as at home as a dog in a burger factory. Jim smiled. “Glad you like it.”

“It reminds me of places my dad used to hang out when I was a kid. He’d bring me along sometimes and let me play on the machines.”

“Your mom didn’t mind?”

She shook her head. “She died when I was little. I barely remember her. My father raised me.”

“He never remarried?”

“No. He said he’d had his wife. There wasn’t going to be another one.”

“Match made in heaven.”

She sipped from her beer bottle and gave him a grin. “Sounds like it, doesn’t it? Actually, I think he hated being married, and my mother dying was his way out.”

Jim snorted a laugh and some beer sucked into his nose. He coughed.

“Ah, you laugh, but it’s kind of sad. I guess they had to get married. He was a blue-collar guy and she was a professor’s daughter. Different as night and midday, but for one romantic night they hooked up and produced me. Then the fact that he was an unapologetic redneck and she was a tree-hugging bleeding heart made the remaining year of their marriage pure hell. She died suddenly and he got me. I don’t think he even minded that I wasn’t a boy. He has some serious asshole opinions, but underneath, he’s a good man.”

That was not the monologue he’d ever expected to hear from Constance Murch. “He must be if you think so.”

She smiled over her beer bottle. “Thank you.” She sipped. “He likes me to play Daddy’s girl, and I don’t mind.”

“He knows you’re as tough as he is.”

She gave him a slow sideways glance. “Yes.” She set her empty bottle on the table. “You never told me if you liked the play.”

“Yeah. It was funny. It took me a few minutes to figure out that the lead character was a dog.”

“That’s part of the fun.”

Something changed in the sounds from the people at the bar. A little gasp here or there, a drop in tone, and some whispers from two women sitting across from their booth. Jim followed their eager glances toward the door of the bar. His heart actually skipped a beat, and he heard his own breath catch.
Son of a bitch.

Constance must have heard because she looked up. “Well, I’ll be damned. Dr. Tanaka is not someone I would have expected to see in the Bay Bar.”

He could feel himself frowning.
Quit it.
“Me either.”

“You must suspect he’s following you after seeing him at the restaurant and then that confrontation at the club the other day. You can’t escape your doctor.” She smiled. “Well, I’ll testify you haven’t had anything but ginger ale the whole evening, and you even ate salmon for dinner. Very heart-healthy.”

Ken had to have come here on purpose.
Pissed or psyched?
Truth? Somewhere in between, probably leaning toward psyched.

“That’s a very attractive young man he’s with. I think he was at the restaurant too. Do you suppose he’s Ken’s boyfriend?”

There was the pissed part. This was the second time he’d seen Ken with that handsome kid. “Don’t know.”

“But he was with another man when we saw him at the club. I guess you can’t blame a lot of men for finding the doctor attractive.”

Jim’s frown deepened. “You don’t seem to share your father’s prejudices.”

“No.” She shook her head. “He grew up with men on construction crews who aren’t necessarily the most tolerant, and if they are, they keep it to themselves.” She looked at him. “But you should know all about that.”

Jim dragged his eyes away from Ken and the cutie. “Yeah. And I was one of them until the day my best friend and boss came out as gay. Changed everything.”
Really everything.

“Your boss? You mean Mr. Ballew?”

“Yep. He’s on his honeymoon with his husband, not his wife. He doesn’t hide it, so I think it’s okay to tell you.”

“He defies one or two stereotypes, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “But it’s a good reason why your father wouldn’t want to use our company for his construction. I was planning to tell you anyway.”