Looking At Forever (The Rock Gods Book 4) (26 page)

“I’m here, Mom,” Rooster replied, making a turn off the main road to take the curvy roads up the hill to Wheland’s estate. “Sorry. I was distracted with traffic.”

“I was saying, your father’s birthday is coming up and I’d like to have a family dinner. Angela is joining us, and we’d really love it if you could be here, too. It’s been a long time since we’ve sat down as a family, Salvatore. I was thinking the Sunday after his birthday; maybe one o’clock? Do you think you could make it?”

Rooster calculated the dates in his head and realized Wheland might be home at that time. If that were the case, Rooster wanted his family to meet the man he could actually see a future with... a real future, unlike the one they all thought he’d have with Pricilla.

“Salvatore, you didn’t answer me,” she said. “Will you be able to make it for dinner?”

“Would it be okay if I brought someone with me, Mom?” Rooster asked.

“Salvatore, have you finally met someone special?” she asked.

“I have, Mom, and I’d really like you all to meet him.”

The silence that followed that statement was heavy and dark and Rooster felt like he was being swallowed up by it. It hung there between them for what felt like an eternity and Rooster thought he heard the sniffle of his mother come through the phone.

“Never mind, Mom,” Rooster heard himself say. “I just thought by now you’d be okay with me being gay. I mean, it’s been four years since you found out about it.”

“We are... okay with it, sweetheart,” his mother said.

“Obviously you’re not,” Rooster said. “Forget I mentioned it, I’ll come alone. Is Dad still drinking Wild Turkey? I thought I might pick up a bottle for him as a gift for his birthday.”

“If it’s important to you, then bring along your friend,” his mother said.

“He’s a lot more than a
friend
,” Rooster said. Why did he feel tears biting at his eyes? “I moved in with him in L.A. He’s a musician like me.”

“Is he also... you know, gay?”

Rooster had to bite a hole in his tongue to prevent the sarcastic comment from shooting from his mouth, but he knew that was not the way to deal with his mother.

“I love him, Mom.”

“Then, we should meet him,” his mother said.

“Will Dad be okay with this?” Rooster asked.

“Your father loves you, Salvatore,” she said. “He’s just... confused by it, as I am.”

“I can’t help Dad with that, or you,” Rooster said. “And I can’t stop living my life because this is confusing for you. What was confusing for me was being with women. I’ve never been happier, and I’d like you to meet the source of that happiness. That’s all.”

Rooster told his mother he’d think about bringing a guest to dinner and said good-bye. When Wheland got home Rooster would have a talk with him about meeting his parents and see what kind of reaction Wheland had to the idea. This wasn’t something Rooster would push. He needed Wheland to want to do this, not do it because he knew it was important to Rooster or felt it was an obligation.

Rooster tucked his mother’s invite aside for now. He was almost back to Wheland’s estate. Exhaustion had him eager to get inside to relax. When he got to Wheland’s driveway, Rooster spotted a woman standing outside the security gate. This was the fourth day in a row Rooster had seen this same woman. Rooster entered the security code in the keypad and waved at the dark-haired beauty as he accelerated his rental car onto the property. He watched the gate close behind him in the rear view mirror before he got out of his car. You could never be too careful when it came to fans stalking those they loved.

Although it was far from abnormal to see fans hanging out at the security gates to their properties, seeing the same woman several days in a row standing all by herself and holding a notebook outside Wheland’s gate did pique Rooster’s curiosity. On the fifth day, Rooster stopped and put down his window to talk to her.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Rooster asked the brunette.

She stepped closer to his car and smiled at Rooster. Wearing a skin-tight top with her ample boobs spilling out of a scoop neckline, a short jean skirt, tanned bare legs, and a pair of cowboy boots, there was no doubt the girl was hot and she knew it. Certainly not Rooster’s type, since he much preferred the solid muscles of a man and a nice, thick dick. Lucky for him, Wheland happened to have both those qualities.

“I’m waiting for Wheland,” the woman said. “And you’re not him.”

“Wheland is on tour right now,” Rooster said. “Is there something I can help you with?”

The woman flipped her long, chestnut colored hair over her shoulder. The action revealed a large spiderweb tattoo on her neck. “I need to speak with Wheland. I’ll wait.”

Rooster put his car into park. “He’ll be gone for months and you can’t wait here that long,” Rooster said. “The police will take notice and arrest you for trespassing.”

“Only if you report me,” the girl said. “Is that what you plan on doing?”

Rooster shook his head. He was losing patience fast. “Look, if you have a message for Wheland, I’ll pass it along to him. That’s the best I can do.”

The woman thought about that, shifting her weight from one booted foot to the other. “Are you the property manager or something?” she asked.

“I live here,” Rooster said. “Do you have a message, or not?”

“I do have a message, but it’s kind of personal,” the woman said. “Do you have a phone number for him? Maybe I could call him.”

“Yeah, I have a number, but you won’t be getting it,” Rooster said. “If you have a message, write it down on a piece of paper from that notebook you’re holding, add your name and cell number, and I’ll make sure he gets it. Take it or leave it, but you can’t stay out here.”

“My doctor told me I should contact him... and any others I could remember,” she said. “Of course I remembered Wheland. He’s hard to forget.”

“Your doctor?” Rooster asked, ignoring the smirk on her face. Was she some sort of escaped psycho, Rooster wondered? He was about two seconds away from dialing the cops and having this wacko removed when he noticed she was writing something down inside the notebook. When she finished she ripped out the paper and handed it through the car window for Rooster.

“Here. Please give him this message as soon as possible,” the woman said. “I did my part. If he doesn’t take care of this and gets sick, that’s not my fault.”

And, with that, the woman started sashaying down the road. Rooster drove through the gate and parked his car in front of the garage, then stepped out of the front seat. He was reading the handwritten note on the paper as he walked to the front door of Wheland’s house and stopped in his tracks when the information registered in his brain.

Fuck! This can’t be happening.

As soon as he was inside the house he was hitting the speed dial button on his phone to connect himself with Wheland. He growled when his call went to voicemail. He wouldn’t leave this kind of news in a recorded message, but he’d ask for a quick return phone call instead.

“Babe, call me. It’s important,” Rooster said into his phone. “I don’t care how late it is. Call me.”

Rooster tossed his phone onto the coffee table in front of the couch and sat down. He grabbed for his head and held it with both hands as if it might explode. This couldn’t be real. Hoaxes like this happened all the time between rock stars and groupies. Right? It was one sure way for a groupie to get attention and sometimes a springboard for a lawsuit. Was is possible this girl could be telling the truth? Was it even a possibility? Would Wheland have been so stupid to fuck this girl without protection?

Rooster reached for the piece of paper again and read the short note.

I have Hep B. You need to be tested. Call me. Kimber

Rooster crumpled up the paper and tossed it onto the floor. “Fuck!” Rooster screamed into the silent room. He and Wheland had gone bareback just a few days ago. Why had he taken that risk before Wheland had tested clean? Shit. If he’d been exposed he had no one to blame but himself, since he remembered it had been his idea they cross that line and fuck without a condom.

His cell phone finally rang and Rooster lunged for it on the coffee table.

“What’s going on?” Wheland asked.

“Babe, I need to ask you some serious questions,” Rooster said.

“Okay. Shoot.”

“When was the last time you were tested?” Rooster asked.

The pause from the other end of the phone kicked up Rooster’s heart rate several painful degrees.

“Well, now that I think about it, I’m overdue,” Wheland said.

“How overdue are we talking?” Rooster asked.

“It means it’s been about a year, maybe a little more since my last test.”

“Fuck.”

“Has something happened?” Wheland asked.

Rooster sat back on the couch and rubbed at his forehead. “Do you remember a girl named Kimber?”

“Nope. Should I?” Wheland asked.

“Long, dark hair, big boobs, nice legs... ringing any bells?” Rooster asked.

“You just described half of Hollywood, sweetheart,” Wheland said. “Can you be more specific?”

“Big spiderweb tattoo on her neck,” Rooster said.

More silence came through the phone and Rooster held his breath.

“Yeah, I remember her,” Wheland said. “The string of web runs down over her tit and there’s a spider tattooed around her nipple. Pretty cool to look at.”

“I’ll take a pass. Thanks,” Rooster said in a clipped tone.

“You’re pissed,” Wheland said. “What the fuck is going on there?”

“The last couple of days I came home and this
Kimber
chick was standing outside your gate,” Rooster said. “Today I finally asked what the fuck she wanted.”

“And? What the hell did she say?” Wheland asked.

“Apparently she’s tested positive for Hep B,” Rooster said. “And you’ve been exposed and need to get tested; which means I’ve been exposed and will have to get tested.”

“Shit. Seriously?” Wheland asked.

“Do you really think I’d fucking joke about that, Mick?”

“I didn’t mean the question literally, Sonny,” Wheland said, and sighed loudly. “I just don’t see how it’s possible. It was over a year ago when we hooked up with her because it was before Cooper was with Jayson.”

“Cooper fucked her, too?” Rooster asked.

“We did a couple of three-ways with her,” Wheland said.

“I should have known he’d somehow be involved in this,” Rooster said. “Maybe we can get a group rate on the blood work, since so many of us will be needing it.”

“Sonny, I’m sorry,” Wheland said. “Do you think I’d knowingly expose you to something?”

“Of course not,” Rooster said. “I’m not mad at you. I’m pissed off at myself. We should have waited to go bareback until we knew for sure we were both safe. It’s not like I don’t know about the risks involved. I know better. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Babe, I am so sorry for dragging you in to this,” Wheland said.

“Don’t be sorry,” Rooster said. “You have a past and so do I. I’m sure this won’t be the last time our exes come back to haunt us.”

“It’s been such a long time since we were last with her,” Wheland said. “I’m finding it hard to believe she is just now finding out about this.”

“Hep B can be silent for a long time before symptoms start showing,” Rooster said. “Sometimes you never show symptoms and you’re simply a carrier, passing it along unknowingly.”

“I feel fine,” Wheland said softly.

“And I’m sure you are fine,” Rooster said. “But, we’re still getting tested. I’ll make an appointment for myself tomorrow.”

“Me, too,” Wheland said. “I’ll talk to Cooper. I’m sure he’s been tested since getting together with Jayson, but he may want to get tested again, just to be sure. Maybe we can get tested at the same time. I hope he’s not pissed.”

“I wouldn’t worry about Cooper’s reaction,” Rooster said. “We all know the risks and we still enjoy the game. This is all part of it.” Rooster let the silence fall between them; each lost in their own thoughts, then he spoke again. “Can I ask you something?” Rooster asked.

“Anything,” Wheland said.

“Did you wear a condom with her?”

“Of course... we both did,” Wheland said. “I’ve
always
used condoms. You are my one and only, Sonny.”

Hearing Wheland say that relieved Rooster; although he still knew how contagious this disease was and wearing a condom was only a small part of protecting yourself.

“I love you. You know that, right?” Wheland asked.

“I do, Mick, and it sucks we have to go through this, but maybe it’s a wake-up call,” Rooster said.

“What do you mean? Are you suggesting we go back to using condoms?” Wheland asked.

“There’s a vaccine,” Rooster said. “We could get one for the extra safeguard.”

“If you want to, I’ll do it,” Wheland said. “If you want to go back to using condoms, I’m okay with that, too. Whatever makes you comfortable, I’ll do it, Sonny.”

“Get tested first and let’s see where we’re at before we start talking about using condoms again,” Rooster said.