My room-mate got married, and he’s moving the last of his stuff out this weekend. You looking for a place?” James pressed.
He relaxed as they continued to talk. Liam’s accusation had been almost the first thought in his mind every time he met another man. And every time James wasn’t attracted to one, he felt another victory. Janis was a perfect example, so James smiled easily.
“Not for me. My kid brother is looking for a place. He’s moving here to fill a posting at the District Attorney’s office as a liaison with our local departments. He’s solid,” Officer Janis told him.
“How much of a kid is he? He’s not gonna want to throw parties or some shit, is he?”
“I just told you he’s been hired by the D.A. Do you really think she’d hire a partier?” Officer Janis laughed. “He’s responsible, smart, not really a kid. Almost thirty, actually, but he’s younger than me, and I won’t let him forget it.”
His smile was warm and friendly and had James nodding before he spoke. He ripped off one of the tabs with his phone number on it. “Tell him to give me a call. I’ll make sure he gets a chance to see the place before I take an offer.”
“Thanks, man.” Janis clapped him on the shoulder. “See you out there.”
“See ya,” James replied.
He watched the other man walk away. He had a confident gait, and though he was stocky and short, he didn’t look like the kind of man you messed with if you knew what was good for you. More than that, he had a reputation for fairness and good humour. Any parent who’d raised one son like that had probably not done so on a fluke.
And James felt absolutely zero attraction for the man. He whistled back to his desk.
“You sound happy,” his partner, Greg Sety, commented.
“I barely posted the listing and had a possible taker.”
“Probably a rookie,” Greg said, trying to rile him with potential for one of many things that could go wrong.
“Nope. He’s Janis’ brother who works for the D.A.”
“The D.A.? Seriously? You think that’s a good idea?” Greg returned.
“Why not?”
“Think about it. You’re on a case for some prick we finally catch up to, it gets turned over to the D.A. and all charges are dropped.” Greg shook his head slowly, brows raised as he picked up the next file. “I don’t know, bud. Sounds like grounds for some serious domestic disturbance, if you ask me.”
“You could move in, but you can’t bring the wife,” James teased.
“Wow, that was classy.”
“What can I say? I’m a classy guy,” James said, grinning.
“No you aren’t. You’re a rough hardass who needs culture. Settle down, find a woman who will have you, and let her teach you a few social niceties. You could use some polish.”
“What is it about women wanting to change the guy they’re with? If they didn’t like him to begin with, why’d they bother hooking up with him?” James pounded his password into the database to gain access. He might have used a little too much force.
“For you? Chicks seem to dig the uncouth, hairy ape-men who promise to be rough in bed. It gives them a challenge. If they can dominate and prettify you, they can conquer the world ,” Greg said, punctuating with a fist in the air.
“Oh,” James said with an understanding air. He looked earnestly back at his partner. “Is that what happened? She castrated you?”
“Fuck you,” Greg laughed. He whipped a pen at James’ chest.
“It would explain so much.” James laughed too, settling in for work.
* * * *
Later that night, James was alone. His room-mate had gone out with his fiancée again, as had been his pattern for months. Usually, the guy didn’t even come home, so moving out made sense for all of them. Except that rent and association were expensive in this neighbourhood and his room-mate hadn’t paid up yet.
He flipped through the box of porn videos that weren’t making the move after the wedding, and settled on one with two guys and a girl. The bright lights
He relaxed as they continued to talk. Liam’s accusation had been almost the first thought in his mind every time he met another man. And every time James wasn’t attracted to one, he felt another victory. Janis was a perfect example, so James smiled easily.
“Not for me. My kid brother is looking for a place. He’s moving here to fill a posting at the District Attorney’s office as a liaison with our local departments. He’s solid,” Officer Janis told him.
“How much of a kid is he? He’s not gonna want to throw parties or some shit, is he?”
“I just told you he’s been hired by the D.A. Do you really think she’d hire a partier?” Officer Janis laughed. “He’s responsible, smart, not really a kid. Almost thirty, actually, but he’s younger than me, and I won’t let him forget it.”
His smile was warm and friendly and had James nodding before he spoke. He ripped off one of the tabs with his phone number on it. “Tell him to give me a call. I’ll make sure he gets a chance to see the place before I take an offer.”
“Thanks, man.” Janis clapped him on the shoulder. “See you out there.”
“See ya,” James replied.
He watched the other man walk away. He had a confident gait, and though he was stocky and short, he didn’t look like the kind of man you messed with if you knew what was good for you. More than that, he had a reputation for fairness and good humour. Any parent who’d raised one son like that had probably not done so on a fluke.
And James felt absolutely zero attraction for the man. He whistled back to his desk.
“You sound happy,” his partner, Greg Sety, commented.
“I barely posted the listing and had a possible taker.”
“Probably a rookie,” Greg said, trying to rile him with potential for one of many things that could go wrong.
“Nope. He’s Janis’ brother who works for the D.A.”
“The D.A.? Seriously? You think that’s a good idea?” Greg returned.
“Why not?”
“Think about it. You’re on a case for some prick we finally catch up to, it gets turned over to the D.A. and all charges are dropped.” Greg shook his head slowly, brows raised as he picked up the next file. “I don’t know, bud. Sounds like grounds for some serious domestic disturbance, if you ask me.”
“You could move in, but you can’t bring the wife,” James teased.
“Wow, that was classy.”
“What can I say? I’m a classy guy,” James said, grinning.
“No you aren’t. You’re a rough hardass who needs culture. Settle down, find a woman who will have you, and let her teach you a few social niceties. You could use some polish.”
“What is it about women wanting to change the guy they’re with? If they didn’t like him to begin with, why’d they bother hooking up with him?” James pounded his password into the database to gain access. He might have used a little too much force.
“For you? Chicks seem to dig the uncouth, hairy ape-men who promise to be rough in bed. It gives them a challenge. If they can dominate and prettify you, they can conquer the world ,” Greg said, punctuating with a fist in the air.
“Oh,” James said with an understanding air. He looked earnestly back at his partner. “Is that what happened? She castrated you?”
“Fuck you,” Greg laughed. He whipped a pen at James’ chest.
“It would explain so much.” James laughed too, settling in for work.
* * * *
Later that night, James was alone. His room-mate had gone out with his fiancée again, as had been his pattern for months. Usually, the guy didn’t even come home, so moving out made sense for all of them. Except that rent and association were expensive in this neighbourhood and his room-mate hadn’t paid up yet.
He flipped through the box of porn videos that weren’t making the move after the wedding, and settled on one with two guys and a girl. The bright lights
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