Free Chartreuse by T. E. Ridener Page A

sorry.”
        
“No, it’s okay,” Kasen replied gently.  “You just totally zoned out for a few
minutes there and I was afraid something was wrong.”
        
“No.  Nothing’s wrong, I promise,” Rowan reassured him, jumping slightly as
Nikki came back with their check.  He took it quickly, scanning the total
before he pulled out his debit card and handed it to her.  When she disappeared
again, he let out a shaky breath.  “Sometimes my mind just wanders.  I
apologize.”
        
“It’s okay,” Kasen repeated, nodding to him.  “I do it sometimes, too,” Then he
gave that little crooked smile, that made his eyes sparkle and Rowan gazed at
him for longer than he should have.
         You’re going to get hurt. Very hurt.  Just stop it.   He told himself. 
But he wasn’t listening to himself at that very moment.  As a matter of fact,
he was out of service until further notice.  There was just something tugging
at the back of his mind about this kid.  Every time they ran into each other,
it couldn’t just be coincidence.  What had happened at the radio station, that
wasn’t something that just ‘happened’.  There was a reason for it, or at least
Rowan wanted to believe that.
        
When Nikki returned with his card and a receipt, Rowan pulled out his wallet
and handed her a five.  “Thank you,” He nodded to her before he stood up.  He
surely didn’t see the way she reacted to getting a five dollar bill, but Kasen
noticed it because she smiled and he couldn’t help but to smile back.
        
They exited the Waffle House and then Rowan unlocked his car, getting in and
starting it quickly so the heat could circulate through the vehicle.  He
glanced over at Kasen, who’d just put on his seatbelt and was rubbing his hands
together.  For the short distance they had to walk, it sure as hell got cold
fast.  Though, still, it was nothing compared to Boston.
        
“Thanks for the breakfast,” Kasen said, suddenly, startling Rowan a bit. 
        
“Oh, it’s not a problem,” Rowan nodded.  “It was my pleasure,” He flashed Kasen
another smile before he carefully backed up and then headed back out onto the
main highway to get back to the small town of Chartreuse.  He took his time,
just in case Kasen wasn’t in any hurry to get back just yet.
        
“I’ve always imagined what it looked like beyond my town,” Kasen said
thoughtfully, before he turned to glance at Rowan.
        
Rowan smiled, resting his hand down beside of his thigh as he drove.  He’d
always been better at driving with one hand.  He wasn’t sure why.  It wasn’t as
if it were safe to do so, but he somehow managed to control the vehicle better,
“Well, now you know what a little bit of it looks like,” He said, as they left
Enterprise behind.  Maybe one day they would come back.  Or maybe not.  Rowan
had no way of looking into the future, and he couldn’t be sure that he and
Kasen would even be talking a month from now.  Though, he sort of hoped.
    -----------------------
       
Kasen still couldn’t believe how the night had turned out.  Sadly, it was the
most excitement he’d seen in a long time.  The only thing he could really
compare it to was when the circus came to town when he was eleven.  He had been
so excited to see the elephants, clowns, and tight rope walkers.  He’d never
experienced anything like it before.
        
Was he comparing Rowan to the circus?  Was that weird?  He bit his lip when
Rowan finally pulled up to the apartment complex where Kasen lived and he put
the car in park.  Kasen chewed at the soft flesh before he turned a bit to look
at the other.  “Thanks a lot,” He said again.  “It’s been a blast, really,” He
gave him that same little nervous smile of his. 
        
“As I said, it was my pleasure,” Rowan nodded to him, moving his hand up to run
his fingers through his raven locks. 
        
Then there was