Read Out of the Blue for Free Online Page A

ordered a second round.
    “It was a culmination of things, really. My nan died a little while ago, and Mom wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her apartment. Nikky, my girlfriend, complained of the commute to work, and I wasn’t getting along with some of the guys I worked with, so I was on the lookout for a move. So when this transfer came up, I jumped on it, bought Nan’s apartment from Mom, interest free, of course, and asked Nikky to move in with me.”
    “Sounds like it all worked out for the best. Why weren’t you getting along with the crew at the other station? You seem relaxed about most things.” I couldn’t imagine Kris not getting along with anyone.
    “I am, not much bothers me, but I found I couldn’t rely on some of the guys to have my back. In this job, trust in your colleagues is everything. I took my complaints to the chief and he shrugged them off, despite the same complaints from others. From then I was on the lookout for a transfer.”
    “Who was your chief?”
    “Renado.”
    “Figures.”
    “You’ve heard of him, then.”
    “Yeah, asshole extraordinaire.” Chief Renado was the biggest bigot on the planet. He didn’t believe gays should be allowed in the service, or even have the right to breathe the same oxygen.
    “That’s him. I was friends with a couple of the gay guys at the station, and because I was friends with them, I was treated the same way they were. They moved on and got transfers to other stations, but I was still called a ‘faggot lover.’ Hate notes were stuffed in my locker, the odd derogatory comment made as I passed, and a few times my gear was fucked with.” Shit. I knew what could happen when your gear didn’t work properly.
    “Wow, that’s intense. We’ve got a few of those people here, but Chief Maloney makes sure they’re kept in line. He won’t tolerate any bullshit.”
    “Yeah, his reputation precedes him, which is why I jumped on this transfer before anyone else could. I need to know the guys have my back.”
    “Well, I’ve got yours, buddy.”
    “Good to know.”
    My stomach grumbled, so I suggested we order some dinner from the bar menu. Our conversation flowed easily as we ate and talked about the differences between the station houses. Each station had their own quirks and politics, and I was interested to hear the stories about his previous station on the other side of the city. I laughed so hard at some of the antics he’d witnessed, my eyes watered and my sides hurt.
    It was good to know he didn’t have a problem with me and the handful of gay guys we worked with. It was reassuring and I was so caught up as I listened to Kris’s stories that I didn’t notice the time.
    As we finished our meal, I looked out the window into the dark night and realized how late it was. I pulled my phone from my bag and saw three missed calls from Jake. “Oh shit.”
    “What’s up?”
    “Uh, missed calls from my partner.” It was then I noticed the unsent text from earlier. I must not have hit the Send button. My heart sank, knowing Jake would be worried. “I should get going.”
    “It’s Jake, right?” Kris asked.
    “Yeah, he’s probably wondering where I am.” I grabbed my bag and threw some bills on the table as I stood to leave. Kris was right behind me.
    “You’re in Telegraph Hill, right? Wanna share a cab?”
    “Sure, beats walking.”
     
     
    “Jake,” I called as I opened the apartment door. There was no answer, and I wondered if he was even home, though the living room and kitchen lights were on.
    Jake stood by the window as he stared out into the black night, his back to me and phone in hand. I could see the tension in his lean frame.
    “Hey, babe,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
    “I tried calling. I cooked dinner, but you didn’t answer your phone,” Jake said to the window, his tone quiet and neutral.
    “Sorry, I got caught up talking to Kris. I did send a text. Sort of, anyway. I didn’t actually hit the Send