Dirty Laundry: A Tucker Springs Novel #3

follow up, even if he wasn’t sure quite why.
    “I did get it done,” Adam told him, and to Denver’s relief, he seemed pleased to have been asked. “I went to that place on the south side like you suggested. It was quiet and very, very clean, and there wasn’t a frat boy in sight.”
    “They rob you blind?”
    “Yes. Almost five dollars a load and they made me buy special soap because the stuff I’d brought was the wrong type. But I didn’t mind. It was worth the extra money to feel okay about doing laundry. Thank you so much.”
    The last misgivings about asking died away, and Denver eased back in the seat of his truck, smiling. “Anytime, baby. We still on for our date?”
    “Absolutely. What are we going to do?”
    What Denver wanted to do was take Adam back to his place and fuck him silly, but he already knew that wasn’t going to work out as smoothly as he’d like. “I wondered if you’d like a drive up into the mountains.”
    “That’d be great! I’ve never seen the springs.”
    “Well, we ain’t going there, because it’s just a pile of bubbling mud. I’ll take you to Sherman State Park. Unless you don’t like hiking.” The pause at the other end of the line made him panic. “We can do something else. That was just an idea.”
    “I’d love to hike,” Adam said carefully. “Can you tell me a little about the area? Like, what will I expect to see and find?” A sad sigh drifted through the line. “The dangers? Even the very, very remote ones?”
    Denver considered this. “Huh. Well, it’s mostly a reserve. There’s a couple of cake trails, stuff for families and grandmas, and those don’t go very far.” They were kind of boring too, but Denver didn’t think he should mention that.
    “What about swinging rope bridges or other swinging, loose things? Sheer cliffs and ledges?”
    Ah. Adam was afraid of heights. “Yeah, the easy trails are all connected by a rope bridge. There aren’t any cliffs and ledges though, unless you go off the marked paths, which I don’t know enough to do. There are some midlevel trails which are basically just long.”
    “What about animals?”
    “Well, it’s the wild. Technically they list deer, coyote, rabbits, and elk, but all the standard Colorado wildlife are fair game. Moose, badger, bears, mountain lions—”
    “Oh God!”
    Denver gentled his voice. “You do know this is a state park? There’s rangers every ten feet. I’ve never seen a bear or lion there, and anyway, if you do, it’s not instant death. You’re safer from bears if you stay away from idiot families from Florida who don’t know better than to feed them or leave out their picnic stuff, and then all you have to do is make a lot of noise and not hunt at night. Mountain lions don’t want a damn thing to do with you. If you see one, count yourself lucky. You can encounter both of them here in town too, you know.”
    “ Oh God .”
    This wasn’t going well. “You can also get struck by lightning or hit by a meteor.” The line went very quiet. “Adam? You there?” When the pause went on too long, he sat upright. “ Adam ?”
    “I’m here.” His voice was breathy and weak. He sounded like he’d run a mile.
    “How about we go bowling?” Denver suggested.
    “I’m sorry,” Adam whispered.
    “It’s okay,” Denver replied. He wished he could hold him, hug him a little. He sounded like he needed it.
    “I want to see the park,” Adam said, voice still wavering. “I haven’t been anywhere but Tucker Springs. I flew into Grand Junction, took a cab here, and that’s it.”
    “What? You haven’t been into the mountains at all? Boy, how long you been in Colorado?”
    “Three years,” he said weakly. “I know. It’s pathetic.”
    “It’s a crime, is what it is.” Denver tapped his fingers on his leg while he thought quickly. “Tell you what. How about a compromise? We go into the mountains, to the park. I’ll drive you all over the place, wherever you want to go. We don’t ever have to get out of the car unless you want to use the restroom or get something to eat, and I promise all those places will be in full civilization.” There was another silence. “Adam?”
    “You’d do that for me?” he said finally, his voice soft and sweet.
    “Of course I would. Hell, Adam, I don’t care where we go. I just want to spend the day with you.”
    “I’ll be ready in ten minutes,” Adam replied, still soft and gooey and melted.
    Denver glanced in his