I was a bit uneasy about accidentally running into Rick after my little trip into the city. I knew I would eventually run into him or he'd drop into the shop asking me over for dinner and a talk, but I actually didn't see him all week.
Finally Saturday came around and there was Stephen, mowing the grass and all. It got pretty busy for me; I wasn't able to stand around and watch the gyrating of his hips behind his trimmer. As it was Saturday, I locked the door as soon as I could, only to hear a tapping on the glass late in the afternoon. There was Stephen, his hands against the glass as he peered inside.
"Hey, you! What's up?" I asked him as he stepped into the shop. I locked the door and pulled down the shade after him.
Stephen was wearing a sleeveless t-shirt with sweat stains under his arms and on his chest. His blond hair dripped with sweat. His arms bulged from the work he had been doing. Fuck he looks good, I thought to myself.
"Just finished up," he told me, wiping his face with a hunter green bandanna, and then stuffing it into his right back pocket of his shorts. "I don't have a show or anything going on tonight, soooooo...I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out or something."
"What about Rick knowing you're over here with me?"
"Oh, he's been busy all day with some kind of event-thing. And as a matter of fact, I told him I met you in the city...at the mall...you recognized me from cutting grass here at the church and spoke to me. He seemed cool with it," Stephen explained.
"Well, okay...but I'm not exactly a mall kind of person," I responded. "But I guess it doesn't really matter."
"I just don't want him to know I'm stripping. And as long as you don't say anything everything's cool. He knows I like older guys...probably just thinks I've got the hots for you," he said, winking at me.
"Do you?"
"What?"
"Have you got the hots for me?"
"Why do you think I wanna hang out?" he said, getting closer to me and rubbing his hand over my chest. His fingertips pushed into the front of my shirt feeling my chest hair, and he sucked in a breath between his teeth. "Fuck, I want to bury my nose into your chest and nurse on those fuckin' nips, daddy."
"Do you need to go and come back, or do you want to stay and get cleaned up here?"
"I've got a bag in my truck with a change of clothes...like I'll need them. Can I use your shower?"
"Yeah, go get your bag," I told him, unlocking the door and opening it.
Stephen bounded off across the street and I stood outside waiting for his return.
"Cough, cough."
I turned to see Nadine standing with her arms crossed, flicking ashes onto the pavement.
"Oh, you got some 'splaining to do here, Jackie boy," she said laughing.
"Well, Nadine, you're here late for a Saturday."
"Big party over at that damn country club. So many updos flipped and roots done, I'm wore the fuck out. And it looks like some kind of event going on here tonight too. Explain," she joked.
"Well, Nadine, our lawnmower boy likes to go around trees, it seems. He likes older trees. Big older experienced trees," I told her with a big smile on my face. "No gullies, no wet trenches, just big daddy trees."
"Damn!" Nadine muttered. "And he's barking up your tree tonight, I see."
"He'll be doing more than barking, Nadine. Lots more. Like gnawing at the trunk, if I'm lucky."
"We'll talk about details later, trash," Nadine said, giving me a sly grin. "You know I really hate you right now," she laughed again. She took a long drag on her cigarette. "I got to go feed my crew at home while you get up to god-knows-what, damn it." She looked at the dying cig in her hand. She let it fall to the pavement.
"Nadine!" I cried out as she ground it with her shoe into the sidewalk. I pointed at the cigarette disposal I had gotten specifically for her.
"Well, fuck, I forgot."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Let ya boy clean it up," she laughed and winked, pointing to Stephen as he walked back up. "Have fun, boys!" she said walking back to the beauty shop to close it down.
"Who was that?" Stephen asked, as I gestured him back inside.
"That was my insufferable friend Nadine. You'll meet her again, and who knows, you might even learn to really like her."
"No, you really won't!" yelled Nadine, locking the door of her shop. She cackled and waved as she walked to her car. After she threw her things into the car, I caught Nadine running back to her cigarette butt and throwing it in the cig disposal.
"And that's why I love you, Nay!" I shouted to her, sticking my head out the door. She shot me the bird as she got into her car.
I showed Stephen upstairs to my apartment. I told him I wanted to finish up some things in the shop. I showed him to the bathroom and told him to make himself at home.
Downstairs, I finished the daily totals and I turned off the lights. Out in the dusk of the evening, I could see a well-dressed group walking down the other side of the street. They must have come from the Grubers' house, I thought. They were having a get-together tonight; I had done some flower arrangements for Lottie earlier today. I figured it was a little thing before everyone went off to the country club party. I turned to walk back upstairs, but turned back when I heard a particular voice shouting and laughing.
There were two couples -one I didn't know, and another consisting of Rick and a strange young woman. They were all laughing loudly at something. Then I saw Rick lean in and kiss the lady he was with on the cheek and give her a tight hug. Their foreheads touched and Rick said something I couldn't hear before kissing her cheek again.
"Closet queen," I muttered under my breath as I turned and walked upstairs.
Stephen was lying on the couch naked watching television when I walked in.
"Didn't bother getting dressed," he said, running a hand over his golden body.
"Oh, I see that. Just the opposite of what everyone else in doing in town this evening. Seems there's a big get-together tonight at the country club. I wasn't invited, but I like being here more."
"Yeah, my parents are going to that," Stephen said, jumping up and grabbing me around the waist. He started nuzzling my neck.
"Hey, you know what?" I said pulling away from him.
"You don't wanna play?" he said sadly, a big frown of disappointment on his face.
"Oh, I definitely do, but let me get a shower and you order a pizza...for later. I know you'll be hungry."
