Page 94 of Rule the Roost
“That and the Dairy Queen, the laundromat, and the Burger Hut. He loves investing in the town but doesn’t like when others do. Don’t ask me why, I think the man is just contrary to everything.”
Chandler came in, sidling up to his dad, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Dad, the best dad in the entire world, the most handsome, intelligent, loving…”
“What do you want, Chan?”
“Can I take the Benz tonight and go visit Aunt Eileen?”
“Two towns away? Chandler, you’ll have Colby, or don’t you remember you’re babysitting tonight?”
“I didn’t forget,” he said while sitting in the empty chair across from me. “The Benz is twice as safe as the other cars.”
“The Land Rover is the safest, actually, and costs as much, if that’s what you were going for.”
“But it doesn’t make the same statement, and there’s this guy…”
I laughed but Rick stared, slack-jawed after he’d just taken a bite of his fruit salad.
“Dad, ew, close your mouth.”
I reached over to close it for him as I asked Chandler, “You’re taking Colby on a date?”
“No, no, I’m just…flirting. What’s better than a Benz and cute little kid to flirt with?”
“Chandler, he’s not a prop,” Rick whispered. “Who is this guy?”
“Cowboy. He’s…gorgeous. He works at Olivera’s Ranch, ranch hand, and he’s…gorgeous.”
“No. Absolutely not,” Rick started to say, but I had to try and soften it.
“Chandler, what are you thinking, exactly?” I asked as I laid a hand on Rick’s to soothe him into silence. “I mean, it’s not a date, so it’s a what? Drive by?”
“He goes to the diner there every night after work, about seven at night. He loves the burgers there, so I’ll take Col to eat, then take him to Aunt Eileen’s.”
“Who is Aunt Eileen?”
“My mom’s sister,” he explained. “She’s older, like a lot older, like seventeen years older than my mom, but we have to go see her once a month or she blows a cork.”
“Chan…she’s very sweet,” Rick chided.
“She is, but she nags too. She hates my hair, my makeup and all that, and I don’t want to think on what she’s going to say to find out I’m gay.”
“Do not tell her tonight,” Rick said, then looked over at me. “If you go.”
I nodded. “As long as he goes to eat, then right to his aunt’s, it should be fine. Let him take the Benz.”
Rick sighed, “Fine. Chandler, you know…”
“I know. I know. Safe, responsible, yadda, yadda.”
I knew it was coming, but Rick surprised me. “I trust you, Chan. Don’t mess that up, please.”
He was surprised that was the extent of the lecture, then looked over at me and smiled. “You guys are wanting us gone. Ew.”
“Chandler…” Rick warned.
“Yes, Father, I shall make myself and my younger sibling scarce so you can…do whatever old people do naked.”
“Chan,” Colby complained, his face a mess of melted ice cream and chocolate. “Don’t say bad words!”