The Quarterback by Tal Bauer

Chapter Twenty-One

“Did you try calling again?”

“Yeah.” Justin frowned at his phone. “Dad’s not answering. That’s so weird.”

“Well, it is Friday night.” Wes winked, glancing at Justin before turning his attention back to the road. They’d finally hit an area of the interstate where there was cell signal, at least for the next few minutes. “Maybe he’s out.”

“He doesn’t go out. He’s Dad.”

Wes laughed. “I’m sure he’s fine. If there was something wrong, we would have heard. We would have gotten a text or a voicemail as soon as we got reception. Nothing like that, right?”

“No. He hasn’t responded to my texts.” Justin sighed and slouched against the bench seat. His lips twisted, and he glared at the ribbon of asphalt rolling before Wes’s headlights.

“It’s going to be a slightly bigger surprise for him than we thought, that’s all.” Wes grabbed Justin’s hand and pulled it into his lap. “I’m sure your dad is fine.”

“Yeah.” Justin slipped his phone into his jeans pocket and squeezed Wes’s hand. “Has it felt… weird to you, though?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like Dad’s been a little distant?” Justin shrugged. “I dunno, it’s just felt… different.”

“I think that’s what happens when you’re away from someone for a while. We saw your dad almost every day before the summer. Then we didn’t. I think that can sometimes change things.” He kissed the back of Justin’s hand. “It’s why I don’t want to spend a day without you, ever.”

Justin melted, sliding sideways against the bench seat and laying his cheek against Wes’s muscled shoulder. Wes squeezed his hand and then wrapped his arm around him, pulling him closer. “There you go, cowboy, saying those sweet things to me again.”

“Gotta keep saying things that will make you smile.” He kissed the top of Justin’s head as he steered one-handed. “I need your smile in my life every day.”

“Oh, cowboy. Il n’y a que toi qui me fait sourire.”

“J’allais dire la même chose, mon amour.”

“How long until we get there?”

“We left late, so we won’t get in until the middle of the night.”

“At least I’ve got a key.”