Alex stared at him with more attention. “I know you.”
“Impossible,” Caspian said. “I don’t move in your kind of circles.”
But Alex was already bristling, and an oily lock of blond hair fell on his forehead and the massive dressing covering the nose. “You had a road rage freak-out at me two weeks ago or so.” He glanced back to Gunner. “Like peas in a pod, the two of you, huh? Though I never actually pegged you for a gay man before, Cas. You never had any style.”
Gunner had to bite the inside of his cheek to bear this. “Can we please consider this a misunderstanding between old friends? Look at me, I wouldn’t last in jail.” He laughed, hoping the self-deprecation would be up Alex’s alley.
Alex exhaled, staring at him for the longest time. “No, you would not. Though you might end up with a whole collection of big bad boyfriends from the other side of the tracks if the judge decided not to let you off the hook with just a fine and some community service.”
Gunner’s face flushed at the threat. He couldn’t bring himself to meet Alex’s eyes, and was nervously pulling on his own fingers. It felt like being a teen again, and having to answer to his father for a job he’d fucked up.
“Is there anything I can do to make things better?” he tried.
“Sell me your car.”
Just like that. It came out as if Alex had been keeping this sentence at the back of his throat and waiting for an opportunity to let it out.
Gunner wasn’t sure how to answer, and his tongue tangled, because the vehicle wasn’t his, but Caspian answered before Gunner could have decided what to do.
“Yes. He will sell it, won’t you, Caspian?” he asked, glaring at Gunner, who at this point could only nod. He knew how much Caspian loved that car. He’d even insisted on washing it himself the few times Gunner came to visit him at the trailer park, because he didn’t want it accidentally scratched by car wash workers.
He’d just sell it, as if it meant nothing?
Alex’s gaze moved between the two of them, but when Gunner didn’t protest, he spoke on. “For a hundred grand.”
It was a ridiculous amount of money for a car so old and this unique, but Caspian spoke faster than Gunner again. “You gotta be joking. If you want to pay so little, get a 1930s Ford model A, not a unique vehicle like the Southfield. You’ll need to pull at least twice that out of your pocket.”
Alex raised his eyebrows, as if he knew he’d won. “You’re the one haggling with me over your tiny boyfriend getting dragged through court and jail? My forgiveness is worth more than that car, but I’m willing to be kind for old times’ sake…”
Gunner swallowed, glancing up at Caspian. This mess was his fault, and therefore he should’ve been bearing the consequences, but life wasn’t fair, and Caspian would be the one to have his future put through the grinder once they swapped. It only made sense he wanted this over as soon as possible and without charges.
But he didn’t flinch. “Three hundred and fifty grand and the car is yours.”
Alex might have flushed under all the swelling and dressings, but he kept still, and for the longest moment, the room sunk in tense silence. And then, he shook his head at Gunner. “You know what? Keep the car. I’ll see you in court.”
Caspian’s jaw muscles twitched, and for the longest moment the world stood still. And then he spoke. “Hundred and fifty then. You know that’s dirt cheap.”
Alexander grinned, and his gaze stopped on Gunner, as if he wanted to make a point of humiliating him. “I win.”
“I guess you do,” Caspian said and gently pushed Gunner forward.
Gunner gave a nervous smile and reached out to Alex. “I’m sorry. For the nose and shit.”
Alex hesitated, but in the end gave Gunner’s hand a brief squeeze. “I’ll be calling you about the car once I feel better. You should really apologize to your parents.”
Gunner groaned, eager to just be out of here as fast as possible. He wasn’t looking forward to the conversation with Barb and Thomas, even though Caspian had already handled the worst of it for him through messages.
He mumbled a goodbye and an awkward “get well soon” as they left, but back in the empty corridor, he clung to Caspian with a tight hug. “I’m so sorry.”
He couldn’t believe Caspian would be losing his beloved car because of him, and to his arch nemesis at that!
Caspian patted him on the back, already leading the way down the hallway. “It’s just a car. Don’t worry.”
Gunner rubbed his face. “How are you not angry with me?”
Caspian exhaled, staring at the exit ahead. “Honestly, I have no idea, but here we are.”