Last week, in The Sheriff, we saw Dustin and his new bf Jordan kicking it with a couple of Jordan's buddies. This week, we get to see what Roy's up to. Any movement in his love life? Find out in this week's chapter of The Sheriff! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
Another blustery March day in Texas. The wind whipped at Roy’s
hat like it had a personal vendetta against the sheriff. He clamped it to his
head with one hand as he followed Lee and Marshall into a local steakhouse in
Tucker Falls. The only saving grace as far as the weather was concerned was
that the wind was coming up from the south, so it was fairly balmy. Roy knew he’d
be wishing for these modest temperatures to return when the dog days of summer
struck with a vengeance.
He’d talked his friends into meeting Denver for lunch,
telling them they needed to take a break from work now and then. If he was
going to be completely honest with himself, it wouldn’t hurt him any either.
Roy had been keeping an eye out ever since the breakfast meeting with Harlan,
but he hadn’t seen a thing. According to Harlan, the robberies were still going
on, and not a damn lead to be had.
Between that particular bit of frustration, and his
continuing failure in the romance department, Roy had to admit he needed this
quick break with his friends.
Denver was waiting for them inside, at a booth near the
front window, one which offered a great view of the parking lot. Lee waved
Marshall into the booth and slid in beside him.
“Guess you’re stuck with me.” Denver grinned. “Can you get
past me okay? Let me stand for ya.”
Roy shook his head. “No way. Just slide on over. My legs
need more room than yours.”
Denver complied with a chuckle and a wink. “Just you wait till
you get married. Then you won’t get a choice. You’ll end up wherever the little
woman puts you.”
That produced laughter from Marshall and Lee as Roy took his
place.
“Or the little man,” Marshall offered helpfully. Roy scowled
at him.
“You got something against that idea?” Denver asked, but his
question was interrupted by the arrival of the waitress, a chipper
forty-something platinum blonde whose name tag read Tabatha.
She distributed menus then stood back and grinned. “Howdy y’all,”
she greeted them. “Can I get y’all something to drink while you’re thinking
what you want?”
They all opted for the house draft. “Be back in a tick,” she
said, spun on her heel and headed in the direction of the service bar.
If Roy hoped the interrogation regarding his love life was
over, thanks to the waitress’ timely intervention, he was sadly mistaken.
“Surely you’re not saying you’re too good to be with a man?”
Denver continued. Roy couldn’t help but notice the twinkle in his eye, not to
mention the snigger Marshall was doing his best to control, but failing sadly.
As for Lee, while he wasn’t grinning, he had an all-too knowing look in his
eye, like he knew something Roy didn’t know. There’d been times in the past
when that look had led to an interesting development Roy hadn’t seen coming,
especially when they’d been searching for the kidnapped Marshall. But not this
time. This time Lee was completely coming out of left field, if that’s what he
thought.
“I never said that,” Roy protested. “Fact is, I don’t
remember saying anything at all, one way or another. You’re just a shit
disturber, Denver.”
“Hey, that reminds me, where’s Dustin at? How’s he doing?”
Marshall asked. Roy was grateful for the change in subject. He was curious to
know the answer to that question to, but damned if he was going to bring it up
first.
“Hell if I know.” Denver shrugged. “Haven’t seen much of him
lately.”
Lee’s eyebrows arched. “You haven’t? Doesn’t he still live
with you?”
“Yeah, I thought that was the whole idea of him moving to
Tucker Falls,” Marshall said.
“He still lives there, sure. He’s just been busy lately.
With his new boyfriend, I guess. I dunno. I just know he’s still working at the
store, and he pays his share of the bills, and he isn’t in trouble. What more
can I ask of him?”
“Well, that all sounds good then,” Lee said. “Would that
boyfriend be the one we saw him with at Partners a while back?”
“I think so.” Denver nodded. Just then Tabatha returned with
their beers, which she distributed in frosty glasses.
She took their order—four top sirloin steaks, in varying
degrees of doneness. “Would y’all like fries with that?” They all agreed on
fries and she promised to be back soon.
Once she’d gone, Denver cleared his throat and took a drink
of the draft beer, before saying, “I’ve seen him pick Dustin up, but I haven’t
exactly met him.”
“Oh? That seems a mite odd,” Lee said.
“Yeah, I agree, but Dustin’s old enough to know his own
mind. If he wants to let some guy sit out in the drive and honk for him and
have him running out the door like a schoolgirl on a hot date…” He shrugged and
let the words lie where they fell. “Sometimes there’s a couple other guys with
them, in the back seat. Didn’t get a good look at them, though.”
“That seems awful rude,” Marshall commented.
“I know, but like I said, he’s a grown man.”
Roy agreed with Marshall that such behavior was very rude.
What had Dustin gotten himself into now, he wondered.
to be continued
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