Chapter 5

It wasn’t all so serious, though. Once, Fess called to find out the specifics on when a band Joe had just played was going to perform again. Another time, Joe was the one to do the listening as Fess told a story about how he’d had a secretary who looked like Bea Arthur grinding against him at her retirement party. Joe had been too busy laughing to remember the fantasies that had been popping up more and more lately. At least until he hung up and had time to pull himself together.

Three weeks later, they were in the middle of a bitching session about how Supernaturalhad jumped the shark four seasons back but they couldn’t quit the damn show because of how pretty Jensen Ackles was when Carlos gave him the signal to wrap it up.

“Damn it,” Joe said. “Time for me to go.”

“Stupid work getting in the way of our fun,” Fess teased.

“Why don’t I call you back on the next break, then?”

Silence filled the line. “Um…because you don’t have my number?”