Page 49 of Blue Umbrella Sky
“I do?” Milt gave Dane a look, and they both burst into laughter.
“You do,” Dane said. “Of course you do. What else could you say? Everyone speaks very highly of me.” He turned back to Billy. “And Milt speaks very highly of you too, Billy. In fact, I think he might have a little crush.” He winked at Milt. “So watch out.”
It was a small delight to Billy to see the flush redden Milt’s cheeks. He glared at Dane, shaking his head.
Billy wanted to immediately quiz Milt. “A crush? Really? You do?” but he held all the queries inside. He could see Milt was embarrassed, bordering on humiliated. If he didn’t have such a stake in this game, he would have thought the situation laugh-out-loud funny.
Instead, mercifully, he changed the subject. It was time to make amends. Billy drew in a breath and then just came out with it. He clasped Milt’s shoulder. “Hey, man, I’m really sorry I didn’t show this morning. I wish I had some good excuse to give, but I don’t, other than me being an ass. Therefore, I apologize. I hope you can forgive me.”
Billy didn’t need to be an empath to read the hurt and confusion on Milt’s face. He knew Milt probably wondered why he’d stood him up without a good reason to explain it.
“It’s so unlike you,” Milt said softly. “Is everything okay?”
Billy eyed Dane, silently pleading for a moment alone. If he didn’t catch on in a second, Billy would break down and ask him for this small grace.
But Dane, bless his heart, got why Billy was staring pointedly at him. Or at least that’s what Billy deduced.
Dane said, “I need to go inside, boys.” He winked. “Come on, Ruby.” He tapped his thigh, and she dutifully followed. Once both man and beast had gone inside with the door closed behind them, Billy turned back to Milt and said, “Yeah, everything’s okay. Except I’m an idiot. A jealous fool. A dick.” Billy chuckled.Could I tell him the truth? Yes, I can. And I will. Remember the tenth step? When you’re wrong, buddy, you promptly admit it.So he spilled the beans, told Milt how he’d been a Peeping Tom that morning and got more than an eyeful. “An eyeful I of course completely misinterpreted.” Billy smiled. “I’m sorry.”
“You were jealous?” Milt was grinning. “Really? Dane’s like my brother. Or my sister, if the mood’s right.” He chuckled. “If you saw anything even remotely sexual between us, you were way off. That would be like incest.” Milt rubbed the toe of his shoe in the dust at his feet. “But I have to admit—I’m flattered.”
“You are?”
“Yeah, hell yeah. It’s been a long time since I inspired jealousy in anyone. I’ve been an old married guy for so long such stuff doesn’t even cross my mind.” He smiled. “You do an old man’s heart good.”
“Shut up,” Billy said. “You’re hardly an old man. And I bet, even when you were married, you inspired lots of jealousy, whether you knew it or not.”
“Well, I don’t know about that. And I’m sorry for the confusion. If you’d just knocked on the door, we could have avoided all of it.”
“Believe me, I know. I know. I have a child’s mind sometimes.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Milt said. “You’re only human.”
Billy didn’t argue. He just nodded.
Neither of them said anything for a few moments. Both turned to look as they heard the back door of the trailer opening.
Milt said, “It’s just too bad. I was looking forward to our hike.”
“So was I. Believe me. More than you know.”
“Hey. I was gonna take Dane out for dinner. I was thinking Vietnamese. You want to join us?”
And Billy did. More than anything. But he thought a little self-sacrifice was called for here, so he said, “No. That’s okay. You enjoy your friend. He’s only here for the weekend, right?”
“Yeah, but—”
Billy held up a hand. “Don’t. It’s okay. I’m sure you guys have lots of catching up to do.” He didn’t say it, but he knew they’d most likely want to talk about Corky. “I’ll just let you guys do your thing. When Dane goes back, you’ll be in touch, I hope, and we can reschedule that hike. The trails aren’t going anywhere.”
Milt looked at him curiously and then, Billy thought, with gratitude. “Okay. Talk soon.” And he leaned forward and planted a small kiss on Billy’s face. It landed just north of his upper lip. It should have been awkward, but what it was was wonderful. When he stepped back, Billy had the pleasure of seeing that ridge of rose emerge across Milt’s cheeks again.
“Later, tater.”
Billy watched him walk away.
He waved a hand and went home.
Chapter 17
