Nothing Special V (Nothing Special 5)

Tech looked pleasantly surprised when he walked in and found everyone there. Not pissed like Steele. This was their night. He saw these meatheads every day, all day. He wanted his time alone with Tech. He watched his date walk right up to Furious and wrap him in a brotherly embrace.

“Hey, you. Wow, you look gorgeous,” Furi said, giving Tech a Hollywood smile.

“Thank you. What are all of y’all doing here? I didn’t know there was a get together planned.” Tech turned, looking at his teammates. “How come you didn’t tell me?”

Steele shook his head in disbelief. Tech could be so sweetly oblivious sometimes. He loved his team so much he couldn’t even tell that the guys were fucking with Steele by trying to cock block him. They all knew how much he wanted Tech. Like hell, he was letting this happen.

Tech’s eyes lit up when he peeked in the kitchen. “And Green’s cooking… Steele, let’s stay here,” Tech yelled over to him. “Oh Day, are you cooking, too?”

“Sure. I can,” Day agreed.

“What? No way.” Steele took long determined steps and clasped Tech’s hand before he could make his way farther into the kitchen. “Nope, not staying. We’re going to Atlantic Station, they got food there. Come on.”

Tech let Steele pull him back to the door. Tech waved frantically behind him, telling Furi he’d call him later with all the details. Steele could still hear them laughing and Ruxs hollering something about letting him get a picture first, but Steele slammed the door shut.

“You in a hurry?” Tech provoked him, slowing their steps to the parking lot.

Steele jerked Tech into his arms and kissed him hard, letting him know just how anxious he was to get this date started. “Unless you want to be bent over in front of our friends, I suggest you get moving,” Steele urged, sucking behind Tech’s ear.

Tech wrapped one arm around Steele’s waist, the other cupping his jaw. “You look good, too.” He held his head higher, guiding Steele’s mouth to a spot next to his Adam’s apple. “Mmm. More.”

Steele reluctantly pulled back. “Later. Lots more, later. But we gotta go, or we’ll be late for the next showing.”

Tech led him to a shiny, all-black Tahoe parked next to Green’s Camaro. “This is your truck?” Steele stared disbelievingly.

“What’d you think I drove? A Volkswagen Beetle?” Tech hit the key fob, unlocking the doors.

“No,” Steele said, climbing inside. “This is nice. Holy shit!”

Tech laughed, closing his door and fastening his seatbelt.

“Tech, what is all this?” Steele pointed at all the equipment, including the twelve-inch display screen that lit up when Tech pressed the ignition button.

“Good evening, Shawn. What is your destination?”

Steele looked at Tech with the funniest expression he could probably make. “Your car is talking to you.”

“Yeah, he does that. I’m going to navigate myself, though.” Tech tapped a few keys on what looked like an iPad and waited until their current location displayed. He turned on the radio and classical music started quietly as he put the truck in drive.

“This is crazy,” Steele said, still looking around. “Is this… is this a laptop in here?”

Tech looked over at the woodgrain dashboard on the passenger side, while Steele tried to figure out how to open it.

“Yeah. I guess I was kind of bored when I put that in.” Tech shrugged like everyone could have one of those.

“Did you do all this?” Steele asked, finally settling back and enjoying the smooth ride.

“Well me and Furi. There’s nothing that guy can’t do with a vehicle. I bought this bad boy about a year ago and took it to his shop for him to look over. I started telling him what I wanted to do and he told me I was free to come there and work on it in his shop, anytime. And since I have no life outside of work, I went there often. He helped with the bodywork and his shop partner Doug helped with rearranging the interior to accommodate everything. He had to redo the dash and the entire front panel so I could insert the new system. It quickly became a hobby. I wanted to use it if I ever got in the field.”

Steele noticed the change in Tech’s voice, the want. He reached over the raised center console – wondering what kind of surprise was in there, probably a cappuccino maker – and rubbed his forearm. “You talked to Syn, right?”

“A while ago, but I haven’t heard anything. Maybe he’s still trying to convince God to give me a shot. I don’t know. Let’s not talk about that. So, we’re going to the Station. I love it down there. The storefronts and bars. I don’t go often but I always liked it.” Tech headed onto the freeway.

“My uncle told me about this movie in the park that they do. There’s a really nice restaurant with outside booths. I thought we could eat outside, talk, watch an old classic.” Steele hoped Tech was into that. He’d mentioned liking action and old-time films.