Page 52 of Stay A Little Longer
“Is he there?” He cut Sheila off as he gassed the engine.
“What?”
“Is he there? Did he get out before they found him or is he still there?”
He was holding his breath for the answer and he didn’t know why until Sheila’s voice came back on the line. He needed to know if Trent was gone. Disappeared like a figment of Lance’s overactive imagination. He needed to know if he was still in Fate, still within reach.
“He’s inside the trailer as far as I know. Lowry went out because his fiancé is out there with that Trent Thorne fella. They’re trapped in the trailer and Lowry told them not to come out until he clears the place I think.”
Trapped. Lance swallowed hard. Lance was trapped with a swarm of cameras and microphones waiting like sharks for him to step outside. He should have been called earlier but he kept from snapping at Sheila again. It wasn’t her fault. She couldn’t possibly know or understand. She couldn’t even imagine that his reaction to hearing Trent was surrounded by media and paparazzi was the same as Shane’s had probably been with Lemon. Because the people they loved were trapped.
“Thanks, Sheila.” He said instead when he managed to find his voice. “I’m gonna head that way and see what I can do.”
“I’ll let the Sheriff know reinforcements are on their way.”
Reinforcements? Lance almost laughed. He wasn’t going home as a cop. He was going home as a man, desperate to protect the man the loved from more pain or hurt.
“Thank you, Deputy Nichols.” Sheila’s voice was softer and he almost missed that she was even talking to him, “It’s a nice thing you’re doing, going to help that boy. Nobody should have to defend who they are to the world like that. We all just love who we love, ya know.”
Lance grit his teeth to fight a flash of tears. Yeah, he knew. He loved Trent. Loved him. Heart and soul. Couldn’t believe that it had happened so fast but it was true. He loved Trent Thorne and damn it he needed to be with him. Right now.
It took ten minutes. Ten long and awful thought-filled minutes for Lance to get home. To find the situation that Sheila had warned him about. Only it was a lot worse than he’d been picturing and what he’d been picturing had been pretty damn bad.
There weren’t a handful of reporters littering the lawn. There were dozens, maybe even tens of dozens. So many that he couldn’t see anything but the massive crowd of people gathered between his trailer and the one where Trent was trapped. There were vans parked up and down the small street that was generally all but abandoned. News vans, he registered with annoyance. Cameras everywhere. He couldn’t even pull into his parking spot. The other officers on the scene had tried to shut the street down but it was clear from their haphazard parking that they’d gotten there too late. The damage was already done. The trailer park overrun with nosy assholes.
Lance pulled slowly through the scene until he reached a spot on the street he thought it might be safe to park. He jumped out of the cruiser and scowled at the people that turned to look at him. He must have made an intimidating figure because several of the women in tight little suits and too much makeup took a step back.
Good. But not good enough. He glared at them.
“This is private property. You need to back off.”
“We have a right to be here.” One brave cameraman sniffed and Lance couldn’t help himself, he got right up in his face and snarled.
“You don’t have any fucking right to be here. None.”
“Trent Thorne is a public figure and…”
“He’s a person!” Lance growled, “Not a thing for you to exploit for your own Goddamn amusement. And this property? The grass you’re standing on? It belongs to me so get the fuck off it. Now.”
His anger was building and he didn’t even try to fight it. Not this time. This was about Trent. For Trent. These people wanted a piece of him but they couldn’t have it. Trent was his.
“Wait… your property?” A slim blonde stepped closer with a questioning gaze, “You’re the owner of the trailer? Did you know Trent Thorne was staying here? Are you two friends? How did he…”
“Get that fucking microphone out of my face.” He smacked it away when she held it out, “I’m not telling you a good goddamned thing except that you need to get off my property. Now. Before I…”
“Nichols!”
Lance jerked at the harsh, warning sound of his last name. His head spun around and he found Shane stalking towards him. His face was grim. His shoulders set with anger. But his eyes were full of concern. For Lemon? For Trent? Maybe even for him? He couldn’t be sure and this certainly wasn’t the time to ask just what Shane had managed to put together or what his fiancé had told him.
“Yes, sir?” He tilted his chin up when that sharp green gaze met his.
“Stop threatening people. Now.” Shane hissed under his breath, “You’ll only draw more attention.” His boss and friend took him by the upper arm and steered him back a few steps into an open space, “And I don’t think you want any of this attention right now.”
Lance blinked. So, Shane knew. Great. Just great. It wouldn’t be long until everyone knew and he felt that old sliver of fear and panic slide down his spine. Everyone. His family and friends and the entire world because there were cameras all over his front yard. He blinked again and shook his head trying to think it through, think straight.
He was still trying when the crowd gasped. Just like them, he and Shane both turned to see what was happening. Shane cursed under his breath but Lance couldn’t get enough air into his lungs to do even that.
Trent was standing on the top step of the trailer. He’d come outside to face the mob. He looked tired, Lance realized and his heart ached. He wanted to pull him into his arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay but he just stood there, his feet glued to the ground, as those mesmerizing blue eyes searched through the crowd and then found his.
