Clang(22)

I have a boyfriend. And not just any boyfriend... Chase.

There were no words to describe the sense of rightness that had settled deep into his bones.





Chapter 20


Chase


"You have a boyfriend now? Shit, Chase. Why didn't you tell me?"

Chase sprayed glass cleaner on the cloth, ducking his head as he  blushed. He glanced at Floyd as he wiped in circles along the cabinet.  His boss was about to leave for the day and had asked about his plans  tonight. He'd subtly dropped the hint that he had plans.

"You were away at the Maritime tattoo show, and we were busy today..."

"Aw, man, that's awesome. Who is it? Do I know him?"

"I dunno. Jackson Riley. He's a blacksmith."

"Yeah, I think I've heard the name... I don't know him though," Floyd shook his head. "You're growing up now."

"Growing up?"

"You know, it's not all about bars. Everyone's gotta settle down sooner or later, gay or straight."

Chase frowned. He didn't especially like the implications. Yeah, I hook  up a lot, but not because I'm gay... He let it go, though. "Yeah."

Floyd winced. "And I just stacked all that overtime on you. Sorry."

"Hey, the paycheck's nice," Chase laughed. "But yeah, it's our first  date since we got together. We've both been working overtime..."

Floyd shook his head as he patted down his pockets for his car keys.  "Let me know how it goes, huh? I wanna meet this guy if you get  serious."

"I will."

"Call me if you need anything." Floyd raised a hand and waved.

"I'll be fine."

Once he was alone in the shop, Chase put away the glass cleaner and  pulled out his phone. He didn't make a habit of slacking off work  –  even  when Floyd said it was okay  –  but he had some important tasks.

Like finding a new apartment.

Chase still didn't know how his family had found this address  –  or even  figured out that he'd come to Fredericton. He'd only told a few friends  back at home in Ontario where he was going. None of them would have  leaked it.         

     



 

As he scrolled through Kijiji on his phone, he opened a few places in  new tabs to check them out. At least there was a lot on the market  thanks to the students moving at the end of the summer.

He didn't even notice the door open until he heard it jingle and slipped his phone under the counter. "Hey..."

Oh, wow. This guy was gorgeous.

"Uh, hi. Can I help you?"

The stranger's soft brown eyes were already fixed on him as he strode up  to the counter. He was perhaps in his mid-twenties or even early  thirties, with dark stubble. "Hello. I'm Alex. You're Chase, aren't  you?"

Chase was wary. This man already knew him. "I am." His hand slipped to the baseball bat beneath the counter. "Why?"

"I'm here to... confess, I suppose." The stranger's voice was soft, yet  clear. He wore a troubled frown as he rested his hands on the counter,  directly watching Chase. "I'm a private investigator here in  Fredericton. Your parents hired me to look into your whereabouts."

They did what? Chase's jaw dropped.

"I'm normally never allowed to break the rules like this and... betray  my client's confidentiality..." Alex trailed off. "But this case was a  little different. I couldn't just not tell you."

"That you were spying on me?"

What was his life? Who the hell had spies sent after them except... mafia guys and, like, gang members?

"Yes, if you want to put it like that. I haven't been watching your every movement, if that helps. I know it doesn't."

Chase was pale. He let go of the bat and gripped the counter. Hard. "It doesn't."

"I gave them your home address before I knew what was going on. They...  let a hint slip about why they needed it... and I ended our working  relationship. They don't know your workplace or new name."

"Are they coming for me?"

Alex winced, his gaze flickering up to the camera and then back at  Chase. Then, he squared his shoulders against the consequences of his  answer. "Yes."

"Wh-When? Who?"

"I don't know-"

"Fat lot of good you are, investigator."

Alex sighed. He wasn't trying to argue this one. He knew he'd fucked up  in whatever moral compass he had. "I suspect it will take a few more  days to arrange a trip out here, especially if they're driving. They  didn't say."

"Are you here to help me go undercover or... what?" Chase snapped. "Just  assuage your guilty conscience and feel better about yourself? Leave me  to deal with it?" Chase's demands grew louder.

"I... I wish I'd known what I do now. When I asked their reasons, they  lied, and I didn't question it. I'm truly sorry, for whatever that's  worth." Alex raised his hands and stepped back from the counter. "I'd  suggest moving, though that's not always practical."

"Already on it, genius." Chase pulled his phone out from under the counter.

Alex sighed, then drew a card out of his pocket and slid it across the  counter. "Look, if you need help, let me know anytime. I'm sorry for  what's happened. I owe you a few."

"In case I want to spy on people here," Chase snorted. "Very helpful."

Alex watched him for a few moments, and Chase hated the sympathy in his  expression. It was all too familiar. When they found out, everyone just  fucking felt sorry for him instead of doing anything helpful. "You can  call me anytime. Good luck."

As the door rattled shut behind him, Chase let out a slow breath and  thumped his head on the counter. Much as he wanted to tear up the card,  he didn't. He just slid it into his pocket for later.

Fuck. His parents knew where he lived, but at least no more than that.

Eventually, he straightened up again. He shouldn't have taken it all out  on Alex, but finally, he'd met someone he could blame for his current  situation. Moving was expensive and shitty and a hassle and now  unavoidable.

Asshole.

"I haven't been watching your every movement," Chase muttered  sarcastically. "Wonderful. At least they can't find me when I'm not  home. Fuck."

Movement outside the shop window made him startle, his breath catching in his throat.

It was Jackson.

Chase enjoyed watching his boyfriend squint at the sign to make sure he  had the right place before pulling open the tattoo shop door. "Hey,  good-looking."

Jackson laughed as the door swung shut and he crossed the shop floor in a few strides. "Hello yourself, gorgeous."

"I still have half an hour left." Chase leaned over the counter for a kiss. "Are you cool hanging out here?"

"Yeah, of course. I came early to watch you work, if that's okay."

"It's not very interesting. I have one appointment to finish touching up  a tattoo in a couple minutes." Chase checked his phone for the time.  "Other than that, nothing booked."         

     



 

Jackson smiled. "I'll just talk, then." He dragged a chair from the  waiting area over to the counter. He plopped himself down on it,  stretching out his legs. "How was your day?"

I can't tell him about all this shit yet... Chase glanced across the shop, then nodded. "It was all right. It was a day."

"Been a long week."

"Yeah? Your staircases are all done?"

"Thank God," Jackson groaned emphatically. He rubbed his hands down his face, stretching out his cheeks. "Bleeergh."

Chase laughed, propping his chin on his fist and his elbow on the  counter. "Yeah? At least all that's done. I told Floyd I've got a  boyfriend now..."

"Yeah?" Jackson's switch from melancholy to excitement was instant. He  straightened up and folded his hands in his lap in a clear effort to  calm down. "Cool."

Seeing someone his size get excited about everything was so cute. Chase  smirked. "Yeah, and he shouldn't give me as much overtime now. That was  the last show of the season anyway."

The door rattled and swung open as his client entered. She needed a few  more details in her flower watercolor tattoo, and Chase was excited to  finish it off. "Hey, Kate. How's it goin'?"

"Great. You? Sorry, am I early or late?"

"I'm good. No, that's just my boyfriend," Chase grinned. "He wanted to hang out and watch me work."

"You wanna watch Chase finish my tattoo?" Kate offered, already turning  to show off the work in progress splashed across her upper arm. It was  just about done, except for some light outlines they'd both agreed the  flower's center needed and a few more splashes of color to even it out.

Jackson's eyebrows raised. "Oh, you don't mind? Yeah, I'd love that. I've never seen one."

"Man, by your fourth or fifth it'll get old," Kate laughed.

Chase led them both to the back room he'd already set up. He pulled up a  chair for Jackson, then hummed and slipped on gloves. "So, just like we  agreed on?"

"Yeah," Kate nodded. "I can't wait to see it."