Coke was in the hallway, a glass broken at his feet.Oh, Jesus. Dillon stopped, stared a second. Coke was in a neck brace, eyes both black, left hand all wrapped up in bandages.
Coke’s mouth opened and closed and opened again. “Dillon? Hey, ho—son. How’s that shoulder doing?”
“I. Oh, Christ, Coke. You need to sit down. Come on, babe. The front room or the bedroom?” Coke called the living room the front room—that always made him smile, but right now it wasn’t helping.
“Front room, I guess. You go on. I gotta get the broom. You want a beer?”
“No. You sit. I’ll get the broom. I know,” he said, holding up a hand. “You’re not helpless. I’m just less hurt than you.”
“Why’d you come, Dillon? Did… Did things not work out for you with… I mean, I didn’t know, son. You coulda told me. I know what it’s like. I’d’ve had your back.”
“Could have told you what?” That broken glass was going to slice something off, and neither of them could afford to lose a foot. Dillon needed his for stomping Coke’s, just for thehell of it. “There was nothing to tell. David and I were over when he got married, and I may be a clown, but I’m not stupid enough to think there was anything real there for him.”
Coke looked at him, blinked. “Whut?”
“He never loved me, Coke. Not like you do. What kind of fool would give you up for that?” His hands were clenching and unclenching, his shoulder screaming with the tension. “I’ve never thrown myself in front of a two-thousand-pound bull for David.”
“You ever throw yourself in front of another one and I will blister your ass.”
“I think the urge has passed. From now on, I’ll throw my clothes at them. Or my barrel. Maybe Nate. He deserves it.” He was still a little mad at Nate.
“I… Lord.” Coke seemed flummoxed. “You want that beer?”
“I do. Come and sit, and I’ll get the broom, okay?” They had to sit, talk like rational people. Hell, if Coke was on the same kind of drugs he’d been on, the man would be really confused, and this could all be cleared up now they were allowed to be together again.
“Okay.” Coke shuffled forward, staring at him a little. “I was worried about you, your shoulder. I came to the hotel to tell you I was sorry.”
“When, Coke? Nate said you heard me and David, but I was just trying to get clean. That’s all.” He didn’t know if he should touch, if he could. Coke was so damned pale.
“Y’all were in the shower. I just…I didn’t know what to think and then I thought I’d better go and then…” Coke led him into the front room, right hand on his elbow, solid and sure. “Then Nate told me, and I… Well, I know what it’s like to love somebody you cain’t have…”
“I was drugged out of my gourd, babe. Jonesy gave me a shot. All I could do was flop around like a dyingfish.” They got settled on one of Coke’s big, soft couches, and Dillon forgot the beer in favor of grabbing Coke’s good hand.
“It don’t matter. I ain’t accusing you of nothing. I just…” Coke sighed, legs moving idly, like the man didn’t know they were moving.
Maybe he didn’t. Back injuries were odd. “Coke. Look at me, okay? I’m going to repeat this a lot over the next few days, because I think you’re loopy with meds. I love you, okay? You. Even if you’re still pining for some lost love you never had.”
“Pining?” Coke chuckled, then those chuckles turned to harsh, hysterical laughter. “Oh, shit. I swear to you, if Daniel Scott had ever thought my ass was pining, he’d’ve beaten me. I thought I loved his skinny ass, then I got old and learned better.”
“Daniel. Jason’s dad?” Dude. That was. Wow. “Well, then, we’ve both gotten smarter.”
“Uh-huh. Either that or my old pale ass fell in love with this cowboy clown from the Great White North for real. Pick one.”
“I’ll go with that.” The smile bloomed on his mouth, all but splitting his face. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. At the hospital. I tried.”
“I left as soon as they took the catheter out. If Doc or Jonesy or Ace calls, don’t answer. I’m still ’sposed to be in.”
“I know. Ace knows. He’s the one who threatened to fire me if I didn’t take time to recover before I went to see you.”
Coke squeezed his fingers. “Now, cowboy, you know I ain’t worth losing all them pennies over.”
Dillon sniffed. “I’m not going to get fired, Coke. I did, however, tell Ace to stuff it up his ass.” Man, that had beenfun.
“And I missed it? Tell me that Mitch was there with the camera.” Coke chuckled a little, then tugged his hand. “Do me a favor?”
“What, babe?” Anything. He’d do anything for this man.
“C’mere so I can see you? I cain’t turn my head. They fused two of my neck bones.”
