Mike thought for a moment. “Who pays for your schooling?”
“I’m on a full scholarship, plus there’s my college fund Momma set up.”
“Okay, that’s good.” A scholarship pointed to Tommy being a bright student. That made things easier. “Then maybe you need to have a think about where you go from here. That might mean changing your major. Maybe there’s something else you’d rather study.” When Tommy’s brow furrowed, Mike instinctively reached across the table and took hold of his hand. “And you don’t have to start thinking right this minute, all right?”
Tommy glanced at Mike’s hand covering his own and nodded, his cheeks pink.
Mike released him and sat back. “Now let’s change the subject. How are you finding Atlanta?” He drank some more of the strong coffee.
Tommy chuckled. “I don’t rightly know how to answer that. I’ve not really seen much of Atlanta.”
Mike gave a theatrical gasp. “Well, if that ain’t a shame. Kid, you’re living in the gayest city in the South! How can you be a student here and not have sampled the gay delights of Hotlanta?”
Tommy’s chuckle was music to his ears. Mike studied him for a moment, taking in his body language. Tommy had to be in his early twenties, but there was a vulnerable air about him, something that made him appear younger. Then it struck him.
Hell, this kid needed looking after. And Mike was just the man to do it.
“Tell you what. I’m working tonight and Sunday, but Monday is my day off. Why don’t you spend the afternoon with me? I’llshow you ’round the Ansley Mall, for one thing. We can visit some of the stores, like Brushstrokes, Boy Next Door, a few other places. Then we can have an early dinner at Cowtippers. Ever been there?”
Tommy shook his head.
“Thought that might be the case. Well, Tommy, I’m gonna show you the gay side of Atlanta.” Mike was going to take Tommy under his wing and have some fun in the process. He couldn’t wait to see Tommy’s face when he took him into Capulets. He’d bet next month’s paycheck that the kid had never seen the inside of an adult store before.
“That sounds great,” Tommy said. He let out a sigh of satisfaction. “An’ breakfast was great too.”
“Wanna swap phone numbers?” Mike got out his phone and opened Contacts. “That way I can text you about where to meet on Monday.”
“Sure.” Tommy reeled off his number, and Mike programmed it in. Then he sent a text.
“There. Now you got mine too.”
Tommy shifted on his bench seat, reached into his back pocket, and took out his wallet.
“Uh-uh,” Mike said firmly. “This is on me.”
“You sure?” Tommy paused in mid action.
“Yep.” Mike pulled his wallet from his jacket pocket and counted out the correct money, plus tip, which he stuffed under his coffee cup. “And now I’m gonna go home and get some sleep. You should too.”
He smiled and rose to his feet, Tommy joining him. They walked out after thanking Lola when they passed her. Outside there was still the odd noise carried on the air, as revelers went on partying. The road was busy as usual; the bars and clubs all along the street saw to that.
Tommy stopped by Mike’s truck, hand outstretched. “Thank you, Mike,” he said.
Mike was relieved to see he looked more relaxed than when they’d arrived. He ignored the hand and pulled Tommy into a brief but firm hug.
When he released him, he stepped back and nodded. “I’ll see you on Monday, okay?”
“Yeah.” Tommy gave him a warm smile before walking over to his truck. The street was humming with traffic as Mike climbed into his own truck and switched on the engine. He watched Tommy pull out of the parking lot, raising his hand to wave at Mike as he passed. Then he was gone.
Poor kid. Mike shook his head as he thought back on the way Tommy’s family had treated him. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became—Tommy needed someone to look out for him, like a big brother. Then it hit him that this was a little weird, considering how he’d undressed the young man in his head on more than one occasion. And the idea of spending an afternoon with the tall, muscled student was very pleasant indeed. It was only when he did the math in his head that he realized he had to be around the same age as Tommy’s daddy.
Damn. That wassonot a good thought.
Tommy looked around the interior of Cowtippers with interest. Most of the tables in the center of the floor were occupied, but the host led them to a booth and told them someone would be over to take their order shortly.
Tommy sat down and perused the menu. “What’s good?”
“Everything. They do great burgers here.” Mike grinned. “And I know how much you love a good burger.”
