“I don’t understand.” Hope’s voice is quiet at my shoulder.
I’m still holding her hand, and I reluctantly let it go to unlock the car. “Get in. I’m driving.”
“How you folks doing tonight?” The muffled voice pulls me up short, and I spin around to see three of the beefy, black-masked ushers have followed us out.
Scout answers fast, stepping forward to meet them. “Not so great, considering that Brother Bob in there is a fucking liar!”
“Start the car.” I toss the keys to Hope and step up beside my brother. “We’re not looking for any trouble. We’re just leaving.”
“Sounds like your friend is doing the devil’s work.”
“He’s my brother,” I correct the tank of a man. “He just doesn’t like snake handlers.”
I put my hand on Scout’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“I don’t like liars who preach they hate homosexuals when they’re secretly into it themselves.” Scout steps towards them, not following me to the car.
“Is that so?” The big guy’s jaw clenches, and I see a cruel gleam in his eye. “How would you know something like that, pretty boy?”
Adrenaline spikes in my veins, and I lower my hands, clenching my fists. Here we go…
“Brother Bob seemed to recognize me.” Scout flexes his elbows, bringing his fists together under his chin. His blue eyes are leveled.
The car engine roars to life behind me, and I can’t help thinking, Good girl, Hope.
I try one more time. “We’re really not looking for any trouble.”
“You’re not going to cause any either.” The other two guys step closer, and I turn, putting my back to my brother’s just in time for the first punch to fly.
Scout’s fast, and I hear him grunt as he absorbs the big guy’s gut punch, turning and pulling him forward. The guy across from me goes for my face, but I didn’t spend two years in prison not to learn how to dodge a thug.
I catch his wrist, pulling him closer and drive my knee upward into his stomach. He pitches forward with a groan, and Hope turns the car around, facing the exit.
She pushes the passenger door open and yells at us. “Get in!”
I hop over the guy’s fat body to the car. “Come on, Scout!”
He’s close to me when the middle guy catches him with a right hook to the cheek.
“Fuck!” My little brother starts go down, but I grab him under the arms, shoving him into the front seat with me right behind him.
“Floor it!” I yell, slamming the door, and Hope punches the gas.
Hope
My hands are shaking, but I grip the steering wheel as I fly out of the dirt and gravel parking lot onto Highway 43.
Rocks scatter and one of the huge men attempts to chase us a few feet. He doesn’t make it far. I’m breathing fast, as I check my mirrors. We’re leaving this little city, speeding into the night.
“You okay?” My voice is shaky as I glance at the guys.
“Yeah,” JR groans, sliding over the seat into the back. “Those guys were more fat than muscle.”
Scout’s in the seat beside me holding his cheek. He’s looking at the side mirror, and his voice has an edge I’ve never heard in it. “We’ve got to report that guy. He’s stealing those people’s money.”
“Report him to who?” JR’s voice is equally sharp, but I don’t feel afraid.
I saw the protective fire in his eyes when he took my hand in that tent. He kept me by his side the whole way to the car, and I never felt safer.
“You’re lucky you got away with just a sock in the face,” he barks. “You were messing with their hustle.”
“I hate bullshit like that.” Scout’s so mad. I don’t know what to think. “He’s a fucking hypocrite.”
“Good luck trying to prove it.” JR stretches back, exhaling deeply.
“Anybody care to tell me what just happened?” I glance at Scout.
The car falls quiet, and music plays softly, The Chicks singing about truth. I keep driving a little longer, then I laugh, shaky with nerves.
“Seriously? You’re not going to tell me?”
I glance in the rearview mirror, and JR’s eyes meet mine. “Not my story to tell.”
Scout only stares out the window, and the muscle in his jaw moves. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
My eyes are on the road, but I steal another glance at him. “It was big enough to get us chased out of a tent revival.”
“Because that guy’s a con man. Handling snakes and talking about evil spirits.”
Pressing my lips together, I’m not sure what to say. I try to trace back over what happened. One minute we were sitting at the picnic table eating and joking around, then the snake came out, and the brothers jumped up for a closer look… Heck, we all did, except I was safely behind JR’s shoulder.
Another glance at Scout, and I think about everything that’s happened. I didn’t really press him too hard for details on the person he left behind in Fireside. He said it was a girl, but I guess sometimes gay guys call each other girl… I think. Do they still do that?
“Well, I grew up in San Francisco, so ‘love is love,’ I always say.” My voice is confident, reassuring. “If you think you have to hide your truth from me, I hope you know—”
“What?” Scout winces at me. “I’m not gay, Hope. Shit. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… It’s just not me.”
I frown at him. “But… that guy back there was talking about Sodomites, and you lost your shit.”
“Because I have gay friends. I don’t like them being treated that way.”
“But you said he recognized you…”
He doesn’t answer. He looks out the window and quiet fills the car, except for now it’s Taylor Swift singing about cardigans and getting on busses.
JR sits up, touching me on the shoulder gently. “You’re going to take the next right to get on I-20. See it?”
As frustrated as I am with Scout, I can’t help warming at JR’s touch. His hand on my shoulder makes my stomach all tight and fizzy. He was such a badass back there beating up those thugs and holding me close to his side.
“Thanks.” I’m pretty sure I sound like a crushing teenage girl.
And I’m very aware this is a silly way to act, but there it is.
Following the road, I get on I-20, and my stomach growls. I can’t help thinking Scout’s the only one who got a real meal tonight.
“Want me to stop at a McDonald’s?” I glance back at JR, who’s watching the lights pass out the window. “You never got to eat.”
His ice blue eyes meet mine. “You only got a roll.”
I smile. He noticed. “I don’t want to spend your money.”
“It’s no problem.”
I wish he’d suggest we stop at another motel, maybe we all need to shower again. After the way things played out tonight, if I had another chance, I wouldn’t wait for him to make the first move. I’d close the space between us and kiss him myself.