Moving Forward - 15. Chapter 15 (4.1)

Denver and Dustin arrived bright and early the morning they were to leave for Galveston. Marshall and Lee were already up and had loaded the car with what they needed. Roy was there, too. He’d come by for coffee while making his rounds. Marshall knew he just wanted to make sure everything was okay with them and see they got off safely. While they were gone, he would keep an eye on the house and collect the mail.

“You should come with us,” Denver teased him, as he loaded his stuff in the trunk of Lee’s sedan.

Roy just laughed. “Maybe I would if I was looking for Mr. Right,” he quipped, “but I don’t see much chance of Miss Right being there, do you?”

“Maybe that’s a sign you should switch teams?” Lee suggested with a grin, which only earned him a snort from Roy.

“And what if I told you the same thing?”

“I’d tell you I already have Mr. Right.” Lee put an arm around Marshall’s waist, and Marshall’s heart swelled at the gesture. He stole a glance at Dustin, with whom he’d barely exchanged two words so far. The blond was just hefting his suitcase into the trunk. When he pulled back, he tossed his head to get the hair out of his face, and their eyes met. They stared at one another for a long moment. Dustin was the first to break away. He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the car, his eyes trained on the driveway.

Marshall couldn’t help but remember his promise to Lee that he’d try being friends with this guy. Maybe Dustin wasn’t really interested in him. Maybe he’d misread all the signs. If Dustin wanted to be friends, let him make the first effort. Until then, Marshall would be polite, nothing more. Once they got on the boat, hopefully, they wouldn’t see one another. Or at least any more than they could help.

The weather was typical for March in Texas, already a slightly cool sixty-five degrees. Lee had told him it would only get better once they got to the Virgin Islands. Marshall looked forward to swimming in the ocean, on the private nude beach. Maybe they’d get lucky and find enough privacy to make love on the sand. Just in case, he’d made sure to pack plenty of lube, along with some of their toys, to be used in their cabin. Lee had laughingly asked didn’t he want to do any sightseeing or did he plan to spend the whole trip flat on his back. Marshall had blushed as he replied that the best sight he could possibly hope to see was Lee above him, making love to him.

That earned him a kiss.

Marshall sat beside Lee in the front seat, while Denver and Dustin had the back to themselves. Marshall scooted as close to Lee as he could get. He reasoned this was typical behavior on his part, so Lee wouldn’t think anything of it. Lee gave him a quick scrutinizing glance, but didn’t say anything. When he laid his hand on Marshall’s thigh, Marshall relaxed and turned the radio to their favorite country station. Willie Nelson filled the air.

There was no big rush to get to Galveston, with the early start they’d gotten. After a couple of hours, they stopped to put gas in the car. They bought some spicy fried chicken with sides of coleslaw and biscuits which they took to a rest area located just off the highway.

They sat at one of several picnic tables located beneath a grove of shade trees. The gentlest of breezes blew, barely ruffling their fast-food bags. Above them, wisps of clouds dotted an otherwise clear blue sky. A family sat nearby, a couple with two children. The children begged to play, and the parents gave their permission. Marshall watched them scamper to the small playground, each taking custody of one of the swings. He remembered he’d had a swing in his front yard, a long time ago. A tire that Lee had put up for him. Lee had spent many hours pushing Marshall on that swing. Marshall smiled at the memory.

“Think of something funny?” Dustin’s voice intruded on his thoughts. Marshall forced himself not to scowl.

“Just thinking about something,” he said, his gaze fixed on the kids at play. “A swing I used to play on, long time ago.”

“The tire swing?” Lee asked, and Marshall nodded.

Marshall gazed at Lee, and he knew Lee was remembering the same thing he was. Nothing more needed to be said, at least not in front of the others.

Marshall rose from the table and stretched. His back cracked in response. He’d been cooped up too long, and he needed to move around. “I think I’m gonna stretch my legs,” he announced. There was enough wooded area to make a walk worthwhile before he had to sit through the rest of the drive to Galveston. He started to ask Lee if he wanted to come with, but Dustin spoke up before Marshall could get the words out.

“I’ll walk with you,” he volunteered. “I could use the exercise myself.”

Marshall wanted to tell him he could find his own way, but he remembered his promise to Lee, so he grudgingly replied, “Okay.” He glanced at Lee. “Coming?” With Lee along, it wouldn’t be so bad, and Dustin would be less likely to get out of hand, assuming he even wanted to.

“Naw, you go ahead,” came Lee’s surprising reply. “I’ll keep Denver company.”

Marshall realized there was no help for it, so he accepted the situation with what good grace he could muster. But, just for good measure, he made sure to lean down toward Lee and kiss him long and hard. Let there be no doubt in Mr. Dustin’s head who he belonged to.

“Okay,” he said afterward, and walked off. Let Dustin catch up.