The Maine Events, Rodney Riesel [best books to read in your 20s TXT] 📗

door, and the domelight came on. Mya squinted.

“Wow, that's bright,” Allen said.

“Sure is,” Mya replied. “If you were to lean over and kissme, everyone would see us.”

Allen pulled the door shut far enough for the light to goout. “Did you want me to lean over and kiss you?”

“Well, I figured if we kissed now, then tomorrow night onour date, it wouldn't be such a big deal.”

“That's really good thinking.”

Allen leaned over and pressed his lips against Mya's. Sheput her hand on the side of his face. The kiss lasted about four seconds. WhenAllen pulled away and opened his eyes, Mya's were still closed. Her eyelashesfluttered as she slowly opened them. She was a beautiful woman, but even moreso with the moonlight shining through the sunroof.

“That was nice,” Mya whispered.

Allen smiled. “You want me to do it again?”

“Yes … but not tonight.”

“Okay.” Allen pushed the door open and climbed out of thecar. He bent down to look back inside. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

“Close the door, Allen.”

“You got it.” He pushed the door closed and turned towardthe building.

As he walked toward the office door, he heard Mya shift thecar into reverse. He wondered if he should look back over his shoulder one lasttime. He wanted to, and if the roles were reversed, he would want Mya to lookback. He decided against it.

Always leave them wanting more, he thought.

“Evenin', Blue Eyes,” he heard from the shadows.

Donnie Peppitone was seated in a chair in front of hispicture window. As usual he had a wine glass in his hand.

“Oh, hey, Donnie. Didn't see you there.”

“Was that a woman dropping you off?”

Donnie's voice sounded a little different. He didn't seem asupbeat as usual. A few of his words sounded slurred, but not like the slur ofsomeone intoxicated.

“Yes,” Allen replied. He squinted through the darknesstrying to detect something about Donnie's mouth that would cause his to speakdifferently.

“Did you go on a date tonight?”

“Not exactly,” Allen said. “I volunteered at a nursinghome.”

“Very funny.”

“No, I'm serious. The woman who dropped me off, she servesice cream to old people on Wednesday nights. She asked if I would help hertonight because the woman who usually helps her is out of town.”

“Well, that's very nice of you, Blue Eyes.”

“I have a date with her tomorrow night.”

Donnie chuckled, and when he readjusted his seat, he leanedforward into the light from the wall lantern. There was a small cut over his eye,and his lip was swollen.

“Do you have a fat lip, Donnie?” Allen asked.

Donnie put his fingertips to his lip. “Oh, it's nothing—justhad a little mishap.”

“I wondered why you were talking funny. Did someone do thatto you, Donnie?”

“It was nothing I couldn't handle.”

“Were you in a fight?”

“A little scuffle.”

“What's the other guy look like?”

“The other guys. There were two of them—redneckassholes.”

“Two guys jumped you?”

“Yes, and to answer your question, they look a lot worseright now than I do. You see, Blue Eyes, when you grow up as the only gay kidin a small town, you learn to fight really well.” Donnie set his wine glassdown on the plastic table and rubbed his right fist. “I doubt those boy'sknuckles hurt as bad as mine do though.”

Allen chuckled. “Whipped 'em pretty good, did ya?”

“Yeah, but the satisfaction isn't really in the beating, itwas in the look on the one kid's face when I hit the other one in the facethree times before he even got his hands up.”

“Kids?”

“Late twenties, so, yeah, kids to me. They'll think twiceabout messing with the next homo, as they called me.”

“I bet they will.”

Donnie picked his glass back up. “Glass of wine?”

“Yeah, sure, why not? Let me run upstairs first. I'll beright back down.”

“I'll be here.”

Allen jogged toward the office door. As he opened it, helooked back. “I'm going to grab myself a cigar,” he said. “You want one?”

“Normally, I would say yes, but with this lip, I betternot.”

“Okay.” Allen walked through the door and let it closebehind him.

Allen bent down, lifted the doormat, and grabbed his roomkey. When he opened the door, Frankie jumped to his feet.

“What's up, pal?” Allen asked, on his way to the bathroom.

Frankie barked.

Allen walked back out of the bathroom a minute later andtook a five-inch Montecristo out of the humidor.

“I'm going downstairs for a drink, Frankie. You want to gowith me?”

Allen grabbed his lighter and cutter.

Frankie jumped off the bed and ran to the door.

“I guess so.”

When Donnie saw Frankie, he said, “I've only got twoglasses, fella.”

“That's okay,” Allen replied, noticing the glass of wineDonnie had poured for him. “Frankie only drinks tequila.”

Frankie ran to Donnie.

“How ya doin', fella?” Donnie asked, scratching Frankiebetween the ears. He looked up at Allen and pointed. “The boy down the way wasout here a little while ago throwing a ball around.”

Allen sat down in the other chair. “Yeah, he's watchedFrankie a few times for me. He's a good kid—Jacob.”

“And the other boy, what's his name?”

“That's Oliver.”

“They're brothers?”

“No. Oliver lives over here behind the motel somewhere. Ihaven't really met him yet.” Allen clipped the end of his cigar and lit it. Heinhaled and blew smoke into the air.

“I see Jacob's father working over on the seawall. Thefamily lives right here in the motel?”

Allen nodded. “Jacob, Tess—that's Jacob's mom—and the babyare just here for few weeks. The dad, Jay, has been here all summer for work.The family is going home in September. Jay's here until November.”

“Long time to be away from your family,” Donnie commented.

“I guess.” He took a drag on his cigar, and then sipped hiswine. “Say, I thought you said word around here spreads quickly. How is it youdon't already know everything about the Palmers?”

“Yeah, what I meant by that was, word spreads quickly when Ibother to ask Crystal.”

“I see.”

“So, tell me, how is it you ended up with a date after beingin town for only three days? I'd like to know your secret. I can't meet anyonein this town to save my life.”

“Maybe you're just not trying hard enough, Donnie.”

“Oh, I'm trying, Blue Eyes. How do you think I got this fatlip?”

Allen burst out laughing. “He didn't