“Keep it up, Patricia and I'll show you woman,”Mark said, then walked toward the sound stage.
All three guys burst out laughing.
“Where's Ken?” Brendon asked when everyonesettled down.
“He's about a half an hour out.” Patrick said.“He called, seems Texas State Troopers don't like smart-assedOhioans.”
Ryan grinned. “Sounds like Ken.”
“How fast this time?”
“Hell, Brendon, speed limit is seventy and hewas pushing ninety-five. He talked the guy out of taking him in.How I'll never know.” Patrick smiled.
“He's led a charmed life,” Ryan said as hefinished off his beer.
“Who's led a charmed life, you beautiful fag,you!” Kenneth strolled into the bar a full twenty minutes earlierthan Patrick said he would.
“Kenneth, any other guy I would knock his teethdown his fucking throat….” Ryan's reply died in his throat. “You'refucking bald!”
“I know; cool ain't it?” Kenneth beamed at Ryan.He slid his hand over his shiny skull. “Goddamn, look at you three.Brendon, you're a fucking God, Ryan still as beautiful as ever. AndFucking Patrick-- God, you're shorter!”
Patrick flipped Kenneth off. “Dude, we're stillin and you're the one who went all Kojak.”
“Yeah but I'm in a phase, don’tcha know?” Heleaned back against the bar. To Ryan he looked a little rough.Kenneth had always been slim but now he was almost gaunt. He knewthat look in Kenneth's eyes too. He would talk to the other guytomorrow. Not tonight though. Tonight they were going to have agood reunion.
“Damn, Rosey. You look like Lex Luthor.” Marksmirked.
“Yeah yeah. Barkeep, load us up!” Kennethdemanded.
Seems Kenneth didn't have that Drill issueeither. Damn.
Mark smirked. “Get your ass behind the bar andload your buddies up,” he ordered Patrick.
“Bossy bitch isn't he?” Ryan drawled. He hadbeen around Mark long enough that he didn't get that same 'Oh shit'feeling he got with Phillip.
“Dude, you have no idea,” Patrick said. Hejumped over the bar and began doling out beer and shots.
“What are you up to, Kenny?” Brendon asked.
“As little as possible. Living off Daddy just topiss the bastard off. He wanted me to become a doctor.” Kennethwrinkled his nose in distaste. “If I was gonna do that shit I wouldhave stayed in patching y'all up.”
Ryan watched Kenneth. There was a twitchiness tohis movements that hadn't been there before. All of them coulddrink a normal man into a coma but Kenneth was tossing the beerback like a pro.
“Did our Ryan tell y'all who got transferreddown here?” Patrick drawled.
“Yeah, about that, Patrick. Mind telling me whyI JUST found out?” Ryan asked. “Seein' how he called Markbeforehe PCS'ed?”
“Who?” Kenneth asked as he leaned closer.
“Yeah, who?” Brendon wanted to know.
“Wait, ifhe'scallingMark….AndRyanis all in a snit…then it can only be Grabowski,”Brendon said before Patrick could answer.
“You're fucking Sherlock Homes, Brendon.Really,” Ryan replied dryly.
“Holy shit!” Kenneth exclaimed when Patrickbroke out into a wide grin.
Fucking Brendon wasn't as stupid as hepretended. “Yeah, and the hero here didn't fucking tell me,” Ryangrumbled.
