Diversion 1 - Diversion (21 page)

Two and two added up to “self-sacrifice” and Lucky gained a whole new respect for the man lying beside him. “You never told anyone but me who you stole for, did you?”
Bo hesitated a moment before answering. “No.”
“You let them believe you took those meds for yourself.”
“Yes. I mean, you already know Ive got a history. It didnt take much digging for the investigators to find out about the doctor shopping. My positive drug test clenched the deal.”
“But couldnt they tell the difference between what you had in your system and the stolen meds?”
“They didnt do an in-depth test. I tested positive for drug use, over and above what I had valid prescriptions for, thats all that mattered.” Bo wafted out a sigh. “It was „damned if I did, and damned if I didnt. But I decided that if I was going down, I wouldnt take Darren with me.”
Darren is an asshole.
“Bo?”
“Uh-huh?” He sounded braced for the worst.
“He didnt deserve you.”
Silence, then, “I have another confession to make.”
“Yeah?”
“When we met you complained about not sleeping. From what you said I thought you might have Restless Leg Syndrome. You seem to sleep better now.”
“Uh-huh.”
Thats what good sexll do for ya!
“Your confession?”
Bo fell quiet, and even in the dark Lucky pictured the downcast eyes, the twisting fingers marking his nervousness. Frustrated and worried now, Luckygrowled, “Out with it!”
“I…um…I only meant to help.”
Lucky huffed out a heavy breath. “Seems to me your tendency to help gets you in a lot of trouble.”
“Rub my nose in it, why dont ya!”
“Hey, sorry. Say what you gotta say.”
Please dont let it be bad, please dont let it be bad.
“I…um…started slow, a little here and there, gradually increasing…”
Holy shit! “You didnt!” Lucky ping-ponged between outrage and elation.
“Yeah, I did. I switched you to decaf…and stevia.”
“You are such a bastard. A card-carrying, no-holds-barred bastard.” If not for his mellow, post-sex afterglow leaving him weak, Lucky might have been tempted to hit the man. No wonder hed been out of sorts, feeling drained, and then flitting around like a hummingbird on speed at his next cup of genuine, sugary Starbucks hi-test.
“So Ive been told.” Bo rolled onto his side, head on Luckys chest and fingers lightly sifting through Luckys chest hair. It felt entirely too good, entirely too comfortable, lying together. “But I never get tired ofhearing it…”
Lucky gave him a playful swat. “Dont go stealing my best lines.”
Bos soft chuckle reverberated through both their bodies, and when Bo squirmed, Lucky wrapped an arm around his back…
To keep him still, no other reason. No, none at all.
He lay listening to the sounds of their steady inhales and exhales, as they breathed in perfect harmony. Lucky wondered if their hearts beat in time, too.
You are such a teenaged girl.
“Bo?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Dont mention it.”
The next morning Lucky awakened to the sound of cheerful whistling and stumbled out into the kitchen to find Bo cooking breakfast…in nothing but a pair of assless chaps and a stained apron.

Lucky sipped coff ee, thigh pressed to Bos as they sat side by side on the couch, checking headlines that most of the other people in their neighborhood probably never read.

They checked the FDA, the Florida Board of Pharmacy, local news, and were starting to cross-reference. Not Luckys first choice of how to spend a Saturday off, but it needed doing. No matter how much Keith bitched and moaned, Lucky still had seniority, meaning he got to park his ass on the couch for the weekend while the snotty do-gooder watched Ryerson playing with her kids at the park.

He noticed something interesting in a sidebar and clicked. “See this article about emergency re-classification of an over-thecounter cough syrup?”

A nd see this recall notice?”
“Yep.” Bo squinted at Luckys laptop screen, entering the URL
into his iPad. Lucky, born and raised in the south and familiar with
“Dueling Banjos,” referred to their fact sharing as “Dueling
Puters.” He personally felt his won, because it was bigger than the
dinky little toy Bo used. “Get yourself a mans computer, why
dont you?” he goaded.
Bos “Got size issues there, big boy?” effectively shut Lucky
up.
“Theres only two current manufacturers producing that
product in this country, and its critical for heart surgery patients.
Were not the only ones watching trends. The other manufacturer
is about to get a ton of new orders that he cant fill, and if you
check those orders, youll probably find a massive quantity ordered
last week, from someone who heard rumors of a recall and bought
up stock.” Ten years ago, Victor would have done the same. Hed jokingly referred to himself as a “day trader.” “Once the product is in short supply, the hoarder will sell it to hospitals at up to three
times the going rate.”
Bos mouth dropped open and he sputtered in righteous
indignation. “But that…that… Is that legal?”
“Right now it is. If you read this article”—Lucky clicked on the
tab for the Board of Pharmacy—“youll see the powers that be are
aware of the situation and are trying to crack down. The buzzards
will make millions before that happens though.”
“How did you learn about the black market?” Bo set his iPad
aside, attention fully captured by Luckys explanations. “Not the black market, the gray market, where Victor made a
lot of money. Of course, in his case, he often nudged the shortage
along, creating the recall through sabotage or hijacking a load of
short supply raw materials.” Damn but it hurt to talk about Victor
so clinically, like he was a case study and not a man. Seeing Victor
through someone elses eyes made it hard to distinguish between
what most people would consider a hardened criminal and a man
whod been a thoughtful lover and who most likely intended it as a
kindness when he dished out doses of chloral hydrate every night
to help Lucky sleep.
“Happy Birthday, Lucky!” Victor handed over the keys to a
new Mustang.
A few months later:
“I paid a visit to your brother-in-law. He
wont be bothering your sister again. Does she like her house in
Spokane?”
And later still:
“Tell your mother not to worry about your
fathers hospital bill…And your brothers tuition is taken care of.”
Yeah, like Luckyd said before, being nice didnt make
someone a good person. And if Victor were still alive to find out Luckys parents had disowned him, that might earn them another visit from Luckys guardian devil. Funny how having a rich boyfriend had reconciled them to their sons being gay and other shortcomings—as long as the rich boyfriend remained in the
picture.
Bo reached over and squeezed Luckys hand. Lucky hated and
loved it at the same time. Why did Bo have to be so damned
understanding, almost reading his mind and knowing when he
needed a simple gesture like a hug or a hand holding? Why did the
guy make things harder than they had to be, knowing in a matter of
weeks theyd part company for good?
This time, the comforting wouldnt be silent. “Can I ask you
something?”
Mesmerized by a pair of inquisitive brown eyes, Lucky
couldnt say no, and found himself nodding.
“Did you love Victor?”
Lucky got the distinct impression that the question had nothing
to do with understanding Lucky and Victors business and
everything to do with Lucky as a person.
“No!” Lucky blurted, changing the answer to “yes,” and after a
moments hesitation, “maybe.” He ran his free hand through his
hair, thoughts and emotions swirling around his brain, finally
deciding on, “I dont rightly know.”
Bo stroked his thumb over the back of Luckys hand in
soothing circles. “Sorry, I shouldnt have asked.”
“No, I dont mind. Its just…whether I did or whether I didnt
doesnt do any good now to me or to him. My lawyer tried to
convince the jury that Victor was an older, more experienced man
who took advantage of a young innocent.” He snorted. “I wasnt
even born innocent. The jury bought it, though, cause I got off a whole lot easier than I should have, and they pretty much held a public lynching for Victor.” In his mind he pictured Victor, relaxing next to him on the couch in that big, comfortable den, followed by an image of the man hanging in a jail cell, something Luckyd never actually witnessed except in his worst nightmares.
No matter what the man had done, he didnt deserve that. Lucky opened his mouth and the truth came out. “Maybe I did
love him, only I didnt realize it at the time. But Ive always heard
that memories get sweeter with time. We werent exclusive, but he
was good to me. Taught me things, showed me a life Id never
have known otherwise.”
Silence descended, making Lucky uncomfortable. Should he
say more? Did Bo want him to say more? Should he change his
story and swear he never even cared about Victor? About stressed
to the breaking point, Bo released the pressure valve with, “Your
relationship was a gray market, too. I get that. Now, if I were to
Google this product…” And they were off to the races again.

Sunday Lucky cleaned while Bo visited the grocery store. Hed headed out to the car to grab some bags when he spotted a purchase that hadnt been on the list.

“And what the hell is this thing?” In a cleared out corner of the living room sat a small potted plant, pink blossoms trailing from its many shoots.

“Christmas cactus. I figured the place wasnt big enough for a tree, and sinceIm living with a Grinch, it might not be a good idea. I settled for a cactus.”

Lucky stared down at the plant, unwilling to admit how pretty it was, even if it should have been in the other corner to get more sun. Bos hopeful expression tugged at his heart. Knowing a growl was expected, he didnt disappoint. “We can keep it, but remember; you gotta feed and clean up after it.”

He stalked back out the front door to the pleased sound of, “Thank you, Lucky.”
The next day while Lucky trailed Ryerson from store to store, he did a little Christmas shopping of his own. The enormous local Toys “R” Us allowed him plenty of displays to duck behind, and the doctor appeared too mesmerized by endless choices to notice anything else. She had kids, but damn! Only two! Shed loaded her cart full enough for a family with six rug rats.
Several of her intended purchases piqued Luckys interest and he decided that a cart allowed for better blending with shoppers. It also gave him an excuse to be there, if noticed, and he grabbed one of his own, mulling over what his nephews might like.
“Would a twelve-yearold boy like this?” he asked the man standing next to him. He held up a robotic T-Rex, fighting a smile when he recalled Bo calling him one.
“I got my grandson one last year and he loved it,” the stranger assured him. “And Joeys eleven.”
Lucky put the dinosaur into his cart, toying with the controls, making the toy roar and the eyes flash red. He snickered and added another for Bo.
Toys “R” Us wasnt too bad, and Lucky checked both nephews off his shopping list. He started to get something for his brothers little girl, but stopped at the last minute. His brothers sided with Mom and Dad, considering Lucky a disgrace, and any gifts he sent were always returned—unopened. With a heavy heart, he placed the stuffed kitten back on the shelf.
He paid a few extra bucks to have the gifts wrapped—he sucked at gift-wrapping—and waited in the car for the doctor to emerge.
The department store Ryerson visited next wasnt nearly as entertaining, although Lucky managed to check his sister off his shopping list by purchasing a small bottle of whatever Ryerson had been spraying at the perfume counter. At sixty bucks for the smallest size, Charlotte was bound to love it, right?
Unable to help himself, he ducked into leather goods, yielding to temptation and buying Bo a new iPad cover…to match the chaps.
The next store was too small for him to avoid detection. While Ryerson shopped, Lucky stepped into the adjoining shop without checking to see the name.
“Can I help you, sir?” The salesgirl sniggered at his wide-eyed surprise. “Welcome to Undercover Lover. Anything in particular youre shopping for?”
Neck deep in bustiers and leather whips, Lucky wanted to explore the store at leisure, without some commissioned salesgirl stalking him, and without having to worry about Ryerson slipping under his radar. “Ill be back,” he said, beating a hasty retreat.
He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, waiting for Ryerson to get enough of shopping or max out her credit cards. She emerged from the store another hour later, laden down with bags. “Mountains of drug money come in handy, I reckon,” he muttered. Thankfully, she headed for home, where shed become someone elses problem.
It took Lucky twenty-six minutes to follow Ryerson home. He made it back to Undercover Lover in seventeen.
Ten minutes later Lucky tried and failed to keep his scowl in place while watching a windup “Perky Pecker” bouncing across the counter. The ridiculous grin on the plastic minidildos “face” made it impossible not to smile. Being the only current customer afforded Lucky the full attentions of the bored salesgirl, and shed enlisted his help in testing gag gifts.
“If you get two you can race them,” she said, steering the toy away from the edge of the counter with a fingertip.
While silliness wasnt his forte, Lucky imagined several appearances by The Dimple if he stepped out of character long enough to buy the ridiculous toy. The pecker slowed and stopped and Lucky rewound it, setting it hopping again. “Youve talked me into it.”
Why, he had no clue.
“Okay, youve got something cutesy, now how about getting your guy something a little more romantic?”
Lucky shot her a horrified glare. He never thought hed been obvious. “What makes you say I have a guy?”
She giggled, actually giggled, and it further horrified Lucky to have been chatting idly with a woman who may have been twenty, tops—about dancing dildoes! She waved an “its no big deal” hand. “No straight man alive would play with a Perky Pecker. They may cop a sly glance and throw one in a bag for their girlfriend, but theyd never make eye contact with me while doing it, or worse, theyd wave it in front of my face making vulgar suggestions, like I havent heard them before.”
For a relatively young woman, she appeared world-weary. “Dont worry, your secrets safe with me. You cant work in a place like this long if you dont have an open mind. I mean, if I can advise a guy on what kind of bustier to get for himself, I can help you pick out a Christmas present. Cmon. What would your man like?”
Your man. Was Bo “his man”? He scratched his head, considering both the clerks question and his own. “I honestly dont know. Were kind of new.”
“Ah. Youre getting something started, not trying to fan dying flames.”
“Huh?”
“We normally see two kinds of customers in here: those trying to start something and those trying to save something. Trust me, the starting something crowd are a whole lot more fun. Lets take a stroll through the racks, shall we?”
She waved a hand in the general direction of the showroom, and stepped out from behind the counter. Passing a display of braided whips that appeared to be more for show than for practical use, she selected one, slapping it against her palm for effect. “Tell me, how does he like his kink?”
While Lucky found the possibilities intriguing, jumping off the deep end might not be advisable. “Lets tone it down a notch or two. Were fairly new, remember?” He left off, “And short-term.”
The womans smile faded and she wafted out a disappointed sigh. “Darn. I was hoping to kill an afternoon fantasizing about two hot guys having a little fun. Oh, well.” She replaced the whip, browsing through other displays of nipple clips, body wax, and a few things Lucky wasnt too sure about. They ended up in mens apparel, if the skimpy, flimsy garments counted as clothing.
The saleswoman held up a mesh tank top. Lucky shook his head. She held up a thong with an elephants head positioned over the crotch. “The trunk grows,” she teased, holding it up suggestively with her fingers to demonstrate.
“No. Definitely, definitely not.”
When she held up a leather thong, adorned with silver rings, Lucky grinned. Itd match the chaps perfectly. “Ill take it. Oh, and dont forget two Perky Peckers.”
He made it back to the car with his wrapped packages, called it a day, and headed for the house after stopping by the post office to mail gifts to Spokane. The brightly gift-wrapped package holding Bos T-Rex completely hid the Christmas cactus, and Lucky rummaged around for an empty box to set the plant on. While admiring his handiwork it dawned on him that this would be the first Christmas in a long time he actually hadnt dreaded.
Bo cast a few glances toward that corner of the living room during TV time, but otherwise said nothing. However, when Lucky lay in bed the next morning, waiting for the scent of breakfast to beckon him to the kitchen, he swore he heard paper rattling. He struggled to keep his smugness in check over an egg white omelet and coffee. Sure enough, his packages werent quite where hed left them.