Jordan is safely in custody, so what next? Do Roy and Dustin start the next chapter in their lives or do they go their separate ways? Find out in this week's chapter of The Sheriff. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's going on with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
The Sheriff #55 (13.3)
They decided to go back later to get Dustin’s stuff. Right
now, they had more urgent needs to take care of, now that Jordan was safely out
of the way. Hopefully, forever. Now they
were going home. Together.
Dustin still couldn’t believe Roy had actually asked him to
move in with him. No one had ever done that before, other than his cousin
Denver. And that wasn’t comparable, not at all. Things were looking up for
Dustin, no doubt about it.
All the way back to Burnham, Dustin caressed Roy’s strong
thigh, loving the feel of the lawman’s trousers against his hand and dreaming
of feeling him naked on top of him again. Roy’s declaration kept ringing in his
ears. “I think I’ve fallen in love with
you.” If this was a dream, Dustin never wanted to wake up.
“Sounds like Harlan would like you to join his department,”
Roy said. “I think he was really impressed with how you did handling this case.
‘Course, that’d be a long commute, back to Tucker Falls, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, it would be,” Dustin agreed. The next moment, his
heart plunged. Shit, what had he been thinking? He couldn’t afford such a long
commute for any job, much less that shitty one. So how was he going to pay Roy
his share of rent and utilities and food? He must have been a fool to think
things were finally going to work out for him. Always something, wasn’t there?
He fell silent, and his hand stilled, as he stared glumly
out the front windshield, not actually seeing anything of the scenery they
passed. He doubted he’d have a job at the computer store either, once they
found out about what almost happened, and his part in it. He’d be judged on his
association with Jordan, no doubt, and that would be that.
It had been a nice dream while it lasted.
“What’s the matter?” Roy asked.
Dustin swallowed the lump in his throat that threatened to
choke him. “Nothing,” he said, although he didn’t sound at all convincing, even
to himself.
Roy didn’t reply immediately. They drove a few miles in
silence. Then, suddenly, Roy pulled off onto the side of
the road, and put the truck into park.
“Something wrong?” Dustin asked. “We got a flat or
something?” He hadn’t felt anything or heard anything. Didn’t mean it hadn’t
happened.
“You tell me,” Roy said.
Dustin tried to turn away but Roy stopped him. He pressed
one hand against Dustin’s cheek, locking eyes with him.
“Look, you’re not committed to moving in with me. If you’ve
changed your mind, just say so. I won’t be mad.”
Oh God, why was Roy always so nice to him? “It’s not that,
not that at all,” Dustin tried to reassure him. “I do want to live with you, I
swear it.”
“But…?”
“But I doubt I have a job any more. Plus like you said,
that’s a long commute. And if I’m not working, how can I pay my share of the
bills?” He didn’t want to leech off of Roy, he wanted to be equal with him, as
much as he could. It wouldn’t be fair to expect Roy to support him.
“What about going to work for Harlan? That has to pay better
than the computer store,” Roy suggested.
Dustin wasn’t sure how to reply to that, but finally decided
that he needed to be honest with Roy in all things. “I’d rather work with you,”
he blurted out.
Roy began to smile, although Dustin had no idea why he
should look so happy.
“Did you forget what the mayor said about me getting a
deputy? I was kind of hoping that would be you. It would only be part time at
first, but it’s a start. I just thought you’d rather work in Tucker Falls. It’s
a bigger department and all.”
“I don’t care, I’d rather be your part time deputy than his
full time,” Dustin said sincerely. “I just don’t think that’ll be good enough
to carry my weight with bills and such…”
“Don’t you worry about that,” Roy said. “I told you. I’m not
looking for a roommate. I want us to live together. There’s a difference. We’ll
figure out the bills. What’s important is being together, spending time
together. That’s selfishness on my part. If you aren’t working an hour away,
then we’ll see each other more often. Especially if you’re working with me.
What do you think?”
“I think you’re an amazing man, is what I think. If it’s
okay with your mayor, I’d love to be your deputy.”
Roy kissed him softly. “Then that’s what we’ll do,” he said.
He started the truck once more and got back on the highway.
to be continued
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