Free Shawn Lane - Car Wash 1 - Car Wash by Shawn Lane

breath and his eyes burned.
Fuck .
Swallowing his pain, Kevin picked up the phone on his desk and called Noah. Last night he’d told Noah everything. He’d gotten a big lecture about hiding secrets from his old friend, but Kevin had felt so much better. “Hi, it’s Kevin.”
“Kev? What’s up? You sound different. Are you okay?”
“No,” he admitted. “I…I really need a friend tonight. Can you—can you pick me up from work?”
“Of course. What happened?”
“It’s stupid.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“Michael has a date.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, Kevin.” Noah sighed. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. You can come over tonight. We’ll make you dinner. Okay?”
Kevin closed his eyes, trying to not let his emotions get out of control. “Thanks. I’ll see you in a few.”
After he hung up the phone, he typed a response to Michael.
“It’s fine. I have another ride. Have a good time.”
He made himself hit send.
* * * Kevin accepted the beer from Noah’s boyfriend, Charlie Banks, with as much of a smile as he could manage. “Thanks.”
    Charlie nodded. “Are you sure you don’t need something stronger?”
“I’d better not. I have a tendency to get weepy when I drink the strong stuff and I’m depressed already.”
Noah came out from the kitchen and rested a hand on Charlie’s back. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, you can stop asking me that.” Kevin let himself check out the two men for a moment. They looked so easy and happy together. Noah with his all-American boy-next-door looks, and Charlie with his dark curly hair, deep brown soulful eyes and movie-star handsomeness. Still he knew Noah almost didn’t get his happy ending with Charlie. “What’s for dinner?”
“Pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans,” Charlie answered. “I’ll go check on it.”
Noah smiled at his lover and then turned back to Kevin when he’d gone into the kitchen. “So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Kevin took a swig of beer. “I don’t know if I can work there. I don’t know what to do.”
“Well, I’m still pissed at you for not telling me you got laid off and almost got kicked out of your apartment,” Noah said. “But, listen, you can live in my house if you want. It’s just sitting there empty now since I moved in here.”
“I can’t afford to pay much.”
“You don’t have to pay anything. The house is paid for. I’ll also ask at my office. They might need someone.”
“Hey, hon, can you give me a hand for moment?” Charlie called from the kitchen.
“Be right there,” Noah yelled back. He hugged Kevin. “Think about it, won’t you?”
Kevin nodded. “I will.”
“Be back in a second.” He gestured to the bottle in Kevin’s hand. “Need another?”
“Maybe. I’m gonna get some air.” Kevin smiled reassuringly and walked over to the front door. He opened it and stepped out into the balmy evening. From Charlie’s front porch he could see Noah’s old home a few houses away. Funny how Noah ended up getting together with the guy he grew up with. Looked like that wasn’t going to happen for Kevin.
His phone vibrated against his left butt cheek. Kevin pulled it out and flipped it open. Michael .
“Hello?”
“Hi.” Michael’s voice came out strained, raw.
“Are you all right?”
“No. You?”
Kevin closed his eyes. “No.”
“Kevin, I want to see you again. I’m sorry for our fight and sorry for how it’s been between us the last week.”
His heart pounding hard, Kevin whispered, “Really?”
“Yes.”
“What…what about your date?”
Michael’s laugh was bitter. “I didn’t have a date, Kevin. I wanted to get a reaction from you. I’d hoped you’d get pissed at me or something.”
“We’re pretty stupid, huh?”
“I think so. Where are you?”
“I’m at Charlie and Noah’s having dinner.” Kevin paused. “Want to come here? I’m sure there’s plenty of food. And then, after, I could go home with you…” He held his breath,