Zach
Opening the case, Zach set the violin and bow in their place and shut the top.
It was only a day after he’d had the ‘Helen of Troy’ run-in with his bandmates, but something was different. No one had said anything, but the tension was higher than usual. The others were distracted in their playing, and Stephen had been avoiding him all day. That alone told Zach to be on guard. Every day since his grandfather had died, Stephen had asked about the bank account. Until today.
Zach had played dumb, which was easy to do; they all thought he was stupid anyway. That suited him fine, especially now, because of course he knew the password. Grandpa had his faults, God knew he had more than a few, but being a fool wasn’t one of them.
Besides, Grandpa’s fancy Virginia lawyer, Beauregard Randolph Lee, had told Stephen all Grandpa’s assets had to go through probate. Stupid fuck didn’t even know what that meant.
Truth was, the bank account had been in both their names, so that money had already passed to Zach. He hadn’t tried to access it because he suspected Stephen had someone at the bankwatching for any activity. If anyone but Mr. Lee accessed it, Stephen would know Zach had been lying.
He moved his small bag, and mentally checked that he hadn’t forgotten anything important. Years of being ready to move within fifteen minutes of being told kept everyone in the band packed and ready. Nothing to tip his hand.
The butterflies in his stomach were more like angry hornets. Aside from whatever Stephen and the boys were up to, today he was going to meet McAllen.
He hadn’t been this nervous since his first time. Only back then, the hot cowboy he’d been with had stalked him. Bought him ice cream before they fucked behind a trailer on the last night the show was in town.
Zach smirked. It sounded hotter than it had been. Even the memory was better than the real thing. They were both sixteen, clumsy, and virgins. Neither had a condom or lube. Thank God the guy wasn’t big, or he’d have hurt Zach.
But he’d wanted it, that night, with that guy. Troy’s attention had felt good. Good enough that Zach remembered his name three years later. Troy had been totally hot, but still didn’t think Zach should feel grateful for the attention. Kinda like Deputy Hot Stuff.
Only this time, Zach had an agenda other than sex. If he wasn’t desperate, he wouldn’t do this to Deputy Hot Stuff.
The night was warm, and the black jeans and long sleeve shirt of his outfit didn’t help. Neither did his nerves.
Slipping into the energy of the fair, he looked back twice to be sure no one was following him. All those years of sneaking out to meet someone for a night of fun served him well. Back then he’d worried his grandfather would beat his ass for sneaking out. This time the stakes were much higher.
If McAllen and his friend followed their routine, they’d be heading to the food trucks about now. His job was to get therebefore McAllen bought anything. Not much point in asking him to get something to eat after the show if he’d eaten already.
Fortune smiled on Zach, and he managed to get ahead of McAllen, who’d taken his time walking down the midway. Zach took it as a good omen.
By the time the pair made it closer to him, Zach’s heart was hammering. Why did the guy have to be so fucking nice that he talked to everyone?
“Do you think they’ll actually pay us?” Deputy Hanlon asked. “You remember what happened last time you talked me into doing one of these.”
“Yeah, you got paid… eventually.” McAllen said. “You worry too much, Greg. Besides, your dad will make sure they pay us.”
“Not the point, Colton. I don’t like….” Greg pointed in Zach’s direction.
Zach sucked in a breath and forced his heart to stay in his chest. He could do this. Besides, Colton looked as nervous as Zach. It was cute as fuck, and it made smiling a lot easier.
Trying his best to sell this as a chance encounter and not a prelude to a restraining order, Zach walked onto the midway. He nodded, and damn if Colton didn’t tip his hat. So hot.
“Hi.” Zach’s eye contact made it clear he was greeting only one of them.
Color crept up Colton’s face. “Hi.” He touched the brim of his hat again. “Heard you tonight. You play a real good fiddle.”
Now Zach’s face burned. “Thank you.”
“Think I’ll go see how business is with Sarah Billings’s truck,” Greg said. “I’ll catch up with you when I’m done.”
Colton’s face got redder. “You got it.”
That was the worst pretext for leaving, and the best one Zach had ever heard. They both watched Greg leave. “He’s a good wingman,” Zach said.
“The best. He’s also my cousin, so we grew up together.”
Either Colton was nervous, or he shared too easily. “I’m Zach.” Colton probably knew that from the show, but this made it official. Sort of. He held out his hand.
