Quick yanked out his cell phone and called Duke, switching the speaker on so his hands weren’t tied up. He’d needed to know what to do for Cayson to change his mood. While the phone connected, he hurriedly foraged through Cayson’s very organized cabinets. He had the skillet and a pot already out when Duke’s voice blasted through his speaker.
“How’d it go? Did you call him?” Duke said instead of hello, which was fine because Quick had limited time.
“Even better, bro.” Quick smiled while filling the pot with water for his rice. “I went to his office with…” Quick huffed a laugh, preparing for his best friend’s reaction. “I took the flowers.”
“Oh, snap!” Duke cheered. “And did it work?” he asked after eventually calming down.
Quick was grinning ear to ear. “I think so. I’m at his house.”
“No shit!” Duke laughed hard.
“Yeah. He’s in the shower, I’m making him dinner.”
Quick had to hurry and adjust the volume on his phone since Duke was yelling and cheering like a crazy ass. Cayson was going to be able to hear them at this rate.
“Duke, shut up,” he scolded with a harsh whisper.
“You are the man, Rome! I knew it! I knew you two would be good together!”
“Whatever,” Quick mumbled, still having a hard time concealing his pleased smile. “There may be more to it than I thought.” The boneless pork chops were already sizzling in the skillet in some olive oil and a few sprinkles of flour to make a gravy.
“Meaning?” Duke’s voice had dropped some of its humor.
“Meaning he has a boyfriend.”
“What?” Duke yelled again. “But he seemed so—”
“Lonely… yeah, I know. Okay, wait… he’s not technically a boyfriend.” Quick groaned and shook his head tiredly. “We’ll discuss that more later. All I know is the guy is a massive fuckin’ tool and he was here waiting for Cays when we arrived.”
“‘Cays’,” Duke teased. “Nicknames already. Is he calling you ‘Romey’?”
“Duke, I swear to god.”
“Okay, okay. I’m just happy for you, man. Alright. Being serious now.”
“Thank you.” Quick flipped the pork chops. The wonderful aroma quickly permeating the first floor. Hopefully it’d reach upstairs soon and tempt his date back down. “He said some really fucked up shit to Cayson and I threw him off the porch and he scrambled away. But he—”
“Shit.” Duke’s voice hinted at amazement and disbelief. “I said go big, man, but goddamn. I didn’t say go fuckin’ hulk, Rome.”
“Dad, are you over there acting like a barbarian in front of Dr. Chauncey?” Vaughan’s disappointed voice came through the speaker next.
“He deserved it,” Quick barked defensively. Why were they ganging up on him without the whole story?
“Dad, come on,” Vaughan snapped. “You know better.”
Sometimes Quick wondered who the parent was between the two of them. It’d been like that since the boy could talk.
Quick walked to where the ivory linoleum in the kitchen met the plush rug that covered the dining room floor. He peered upward and listened. There was a brighter light on and the water had stopped. Quick took his phone off speaker and nestled it in the crook of his neck and shoulder. “Look you two; he’s almost finished with his shower. I need to relax him. Y’all just don’t know what an asshat that guy was, and if you’d heard what he’d said to our friend, y’all would’ve been all over him, too.”
“Sorry,” Vaughan murmured right along with Duke. They were all extremely protective of their little makeshift family, so they knew what he meant.
Quick dropped a couple bags of instant rice in the pot of boiling water and put a lid on his almost finished pork chops. Quick’s voice softened. “I want to make him feel better.”
“Nice.” Duke chuckled.
“Not that damn nice. I want him to feel better about himself.” Quick shook his head, getting exasperated. “What do I do, Vaughan?”
“Dad. You are a great guy. Just be you and he’ll relax. Cooking for him is the best idea. You’re an awesome cook. What are you making?”
“Pork chops. What do I do after dinner is finished and he’s ready for me to leave?”
“Do you wanna leave?” Duke asked first.
“No. That guy was a first rate jerk. His eyes said he would catch Cays when I’m gone.”
“Are you for real?” Duke’s voice was serious. They never took threats lightly. Whether spoken or implied. He and Duke hadn’t made it as bounty hunters for so long by underestimating desperate people.
“I wouldn’t joke about that.”
“Then do whatever you have to do to stay with him. Make up anything. Improvise.”
“Uh-oh.” Quick wasn’t the best liar. Grown men didn’t have to lie. It was man up or shut up. “Alright guys. Well you’ve been… you’ve been very little help. Thank you for nothing.”
“Hey, man. I’m the one that said get him flowers. Obviously it worked, because it got your big foot in the door, so take that back,” Duke complained.