Peace In An Unlikely Place - 1. Chapter 1 Stranded

My hands were pressed contently to the steering wheel as I drove down the freeway. I was trying to forget about the past that laid behind me as I concentrated on the goal that lie ahead of me. I was sure that I would make it to Dallas by nightfall, but as the sun peaked in the sky and I still had 6 more hours to drive I knew that wasn't going to be possible.

I had lived a pretty normal life, I was a Nurses Assistant at a hospital back home in Boise, Idaho. I had friends and a home, family and things that any normal person would have. I was dating this guy who was nurse at the hospital I worked at, Gary was his name. I don't know what it was that made me fall for him so quickly but I did. But after weeks turned into months I soon realized that Gary was abusive and an alcoholic. I tried to leave him several times but if I ever hinted at the fact of ending things he would quickly turn on me and make me regret it.

Not that I wasn't a big guy and I couldn't take Gary but I was always sort of pacifist, always wearing my heart on my sleeve. But after my relationship with Gary I changed, and what was a happy go lucky guy with his heart on his sleeve, turned into a man with a heart of stone and too many walls that even a demolition team couldn't take down. That's why I was going to Dallas.

My best friend in high school Julie, who was the first person I came out to, offered me several times to come out and live with her and her husband. I always refused as I did not want to intrude on their life that they worked to build. But after the last beating I received from Gary I decided enough was enough. I packed my bags, quit my job and hit the road for my new life that awaited me.

I winced in pain as I felt my sunglasses rub against the shiner on my eye. I looked in the mirror to see if the swelling had gone down but with no such I look I rolled my eyes and pushed my sunglasses back up to my face.

Why didn't I just stay with my family you might ask? Well truth be told my mom wasn't down with the whole 'my son being gay thing' and didn't really want anything to do with me. My dad on the other hand supported my decision as he stated. "Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy son." In that husky voice of his. I smiled as I recounted the memory. I loved my dad he was always there for me.

My phone started ringing and I fumbled for it in my pocket as I looked to see who what is. A picture of Julie brightly flashed on my screen and I smiled.

"What's up Julie bean?" I said smiling.

"Not much Jer, where are you?" She asked a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"I just passed thru Oklahoma City. I don't think I'm gonna make it till late tonight." I responded.

"Ok well drive safe especially when you get here to Texas, drivers aren't very friendly here." She laughed.

"Ok will do, see you later." I said as a set my phone down in the passengers seat.

'Ok how far do I have to go?' I asked myself as I retrieved my phone and opened the GPS. I looked up at the road for a split second to see a cattle trailer pull out in front of me. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as I thru my car in neutral, slammed on the breaks and turned the wheel sharply to right. My car went off the highway and into a wire fence that was used to keep cattle in.

After a few deep breaths I got out of my car and checked on the damage. There was a few dents and scrapes from the fence but other than that it didn't look bad. If there was one thing I know about cars though is that even if the damage didn't look bad, it could still be pretty bad.

I ran my fingers thru my hair and tried to think of what to do.

"Are you ok?" I heard a rough southern drawl come from behind me. I turned around to see the driver of the truck hauling the cattle trailer looking concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine." I said shortly. I looked at my cell phone and was not shocked to see there was no service. 'Great, figures.' I thought to myself tossing my phone on my passengers seat.

"Do you need some help?" The trucker asked me. Although I didn't want to be stuck in some horror movie themed plot I decided I weighed my options and decided that it was better than dying from heat exhaustion.

"Yeah is there a mechanic nearby?" I asked hoping he would say yes.

"There's one just up the road in Hayward. I can take if you want." He suggested jerking his thumb over his shoulder at his truck.

I let out a sigh of relief. "That would be great!" I exclaimed as I walked towards his truck. I climbed into the cab and looked around. It was a typical truck driver cab. Smelling of stale cigarette smoke and I noticed a beer can or two sitting on the floor board at my feet.

"Names Jack Eerly." The truck driver extended a hand out towards me. I shook his hand, it felt like my hand was being crushed by a vice so I matched his grip and a smirk crossed his face. "Jeremy Davies." I responded shortly.

Jack didn't say much as we drove down the road which was probably better anyways as I wasn't in the mood for conversation.

'It would be my luck to get stuck out in the middle of Oklahoma, with a hick town being my only possible oasis.' I thought to myself as Jack turned on the radio humming along to some old Tim McGraw. I smiled as "Where the Green Grass Grows" blared over the radio. It brought back good memories of me and my mom in the truck driving down the road and her singing horribly in the drivers seat as I laughed. I immediately shook the memory away, it was too painful to think about those things right now.

We arrived in Hayward more quickly than expected. The road forked at the edge of the town and Jack had me step out as he needed to bypass the town to continue his trip.

"Just follow the road up about half a mile and you'll find yourself on Main street." Jack explained.

"Thanks for the ride Jack." I grinned at him and he just waved and drove off. I looked down the road and could vaguely see the buildings ahead of me. I started walking hoping to get there soon as I wanted to be back on the road and get to Dallas as soon as possible so I could start living my life.

As I approached Main Street I stopped and took in my surroundings. It looked like a stereotypical small town. Brick buildings, hardly any cars parked along them. People were walking in and out of the stores with their latest purchases. I spotted a café and walked thru the door. There was a rather plump woman standing behind the counter. Her eyes beamed as she spotted me and a smile cracked across her face.

"Hi there sweetie what can I get fer ya?" She asked. Her voice was hi pitched and she had a strong southern accent.

"Is there a mechanic somewhere in this town?" I asked.

"Oh sure you want Jo's, it's just a couple blocks down on Mayflower." She explained pointing thru the café wall at which direction I needed to go.

"Thanks ma'am." I smiled as I began to walk out the door.

"Well are you sure there aint nothin I can get fer ya?" She asked again beaming at me.

"No, thank you I really must be on my way." I explained, saddling the threshold of the door.

"I understand, have a good day." She always continued her smile as she talked.

"You too." I said as I walked out of the café. I walked up two more blocks and saw a brick building with a sign that read Jo's Mechanic Shop on the side. I stepped inside and immediately took in the smell of car grease and WD40. Country music was playing on the radio which was propped up on a bucket next to a jug of Castrol oil.

"Hello?" I asked looking around. I stepped further into the garage and spotted a pair of legs sticking out from under a 1972 Camaro, I could hear the man singing along with the music on the radio and it reminded me vaguely of my older brother who was also a mechanic. "Excuse me-" But the man cut me off short and extended a hand out. "Can you hand me a three quarter socket?" His voice had a deep baritone to it with a slight drawl.

I looked at the tool box and grabbed the correct socket and set it in the mans greasy hand. "Thanks." He responded. "So what is that you need?" He added. I could hear the cranking of the socket as he spoke.

"I wrecked just outside of town and I need a tow, can you help me out." As I explained my situation to him he slid himself out from underneath the car and I got a look at his face. Even under the grease he was the most handsome man I had ever seen. He had brown hair that was cut short, his face looked like something that was carved by Greek sculptors with a little bit of scruff added in there. His coveralls were pulled down to his waist to reveal a white tank top and I couldn't help but stare at this broad shoulders and big arms.

He grinned at me. 'Damn that smile is killer.' I thought to myself. "Yeah I can help you out just let me wash up and I'll meet you outside." He said as he got up and walked towards a wash basin and began scrubbing his hands.

I walked outside and waited for him to get done I heard a truck fire up and before I knew it a tow truck pulled up in front of me.

"Well hop in outsider." He gestured at his truck. He was even more cute without the grease on his face. I got in the truck and sat as close to do the door as possible not wanting to get too close to him. "What's your name anyhow?" He asked intrigued by my unusual behavior.

"Jeremy Davies." I responded sticking out my hand. He shook it, I immediately felt a shiver up my arm. How could a mans hands be so rough and yet so soft at the same time. I think he had the same reaction because he let go and put the truck in gear. "Names Joey O'Neil but just call me Jo, everyone else does." Jo stared out the window shifting gears as we picked up speed.

'Nice to meet you.' I thought nervously to myself. This wasn't good I couldn't be around an attractive man right now. I just got out of a relationship from hell. I looked over at him to examine his looks a little more. He had a mole on his right cheek and his lips looked soft and pink. I looked at his arms and noticed he had had tattoos, on the inner side of his left arm I also noticed a few scars across his forearm.

"What are those from?" I pointed out to his scars and he looked at where I was pointing.

"Oh, I'm accident prone." Jo said flatly turning his forearm downward to hide his scars. They looked like self inflicted wounds to me but I didn't press the matter any farther.

"What's with the black eye?" Jo cocked an eyebrow at me. I stared at the floorboard of the truck embarrassed at the fact that he noticed my eye.

"Well believe it or not I'm accident prone too." I lied trying to hide it behind a grin. He squinted his eyes at me as if to know that I was lying, his gaze softened and he shrugged his shoulders staring back at the road. I wasn't about to tell him about the incident, I hardly knew this man.

Within minutes we returned to my car and we both hopped out of the tow truck.

"How'd you manage to do this?" Jo asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Cattle truck pulled out in front of me. Had to swerve to avoid it." I explained as Jo examined the front of my car. He lifted the hood of my car and pulled his head back as steam blew in his face.

"Yup, you don't need to be a mechanic to know you need repairs here." Jo said fanning the steam from his face.

'Just great.' I thought to myself as I rolled my eyes.

------ Jo's Point of View -------

"She's riding in the middle of his pickup truck, blaring Charlie Daniels yelling turn it up.." I sang to myself as I worked under my Camaro, trying to make repairs to her engine.

"Hello?" I heard a mans voice call out in my shop.

I waited for him to get closer, I could see a pair of converse sneaker approach me. "Excuse me-" But I cut him short as leak sprang on me. "Can you hand me a three quarter inch socket." I asked extending my hand out. I felt him drop it in my hand. "Thanks." I responded and quickly repaired the leak.

"So what is you need?" I asked as I cranked the socket wrench.

"I wrecked just outside of town and I need a tow, can you help me out?" He asked as I slid out form underneath the car.

He was about the same height as me and had black hair. He had rugged features and stark green eyes. He had big arms and chiseled chest that showed thru his grey t-shirt he wore, he was extremely handsome. I noticed a black shiner on his eye that looked fresh. I grinned at him and he grinned back.

"Yeah I can help you out, just let me wash up and I'll meet you outside." I said, he just nodded and walked outside. He was definitely not from around here. For one he didn't have an accent and two he didn't dress like anyone from around here.

I got the tow truck and pulled it around out front. "Well hop in outsider." I said to him, he got in the truck and we began driving off towards his car. He looked a little out of place, it looked as if he was ready to bail out of the truck at any moment with how close to do the door he was sitting.

"What's you're name anyhow?" I asked.

He extended a hand at me as he spoke. "Jeremy Davies." I shook his hand and was amazed at how soft his hands were. I sent a shiver up my arm and I immediately pulled my arm back. I didn't like those feelings very much.

"What are those from?" Jeremy asked as I noticed him pointing out my scars on my forearm. I hid them from view and responded flatly. "Oh, I'm accident prone."

That was a dead lie. I wasn't accident prone, truth be told I used to cut a lot. I still do sometimes but only when I get flooded with emotions I can't handle. I found feelings to be hard to handle and the only way I could seem to deal with them was to cut, physical feeling was easier for me to handle.

I noticed his black eye again, and the curiosity was just killing me. I had to ask. "What's with the black eye?" I cocked an eyebrow at him. He seemed taken aback by the question and stared at the floorboard of the truck.

'Whoops, did I just embarrass him?' I thought to myself. I didn't have the most smooth reputation.

"Well believe it or not I'm accident prone too." He responded flatly only looking up to see my reaction. I knew he was lying but I decided not to press the matter any further. I just shrugged my shoulders and stared out the windshield trying to concentrate on my driving.

We arrived at his car and noticed it was off the road and crashed into a wire fence. I laughed to myself as we both hopped out of the truck. How'd you manage to do this?" I asked with a hint of amusement in my voice. I walked over to the front of his car.

"Cattle truck pulled out in front of me. Had to swerve to avoid it." Jeremy explained as I opened the hood of his car and steam came pouring out. I fanned the steam away from my face as I spoke. "Yup, you don't need to be a mechanic to know you need repairs here."

Jeremy rolled his eyes and I could literally feel his pain. I always had car problems too.

"Lets get it back to my shop and I'll take a better look." I said putting the hood back down.

Jeremy helped me attach the car to the back of the tow truck and I hoisted it the rest of the way up. Jeremy watched me as I worked, I couldn't tell if he was impressed or if he was just checking me out. Irregardless I didn't mind the second.

'Stop thinking like that Jo, its not right.' I thought to myself and I immediately pushed the thought from my head.