Acts of Desperation
Title: Acts of Desperation
Chapter: 25
Fandom: Jackass/Viva La Bam AU
Rating: R
Pairing: Ryan/Bam
Warning: Twelve year age difference between main characters…
Disclaimer: Fiction. Learn it, live it, love it.
Word Count: 2550
Summary: Ryan Dunn is a truck driver who chances picking up a hitchhiker…
Author’s Note: I feel like Kerouac, har har…
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24
Ryan placed his hand over Bam’s knee. Purposely stilling his movement, Bam smiled apologetically at him before the trucker returned his hand to the steering wheel. They were around fifteen minutes out from arriving at the consignee in Florence, Kentucky… and for some reason Bam was nervous as hell. He’d woke that morning with a ball of anxiety rolling and bouncing around in his stomach. It felt like something awful was going to happen that day. The last time he’d felt this… off was the day his family had kicked him out. And those memories were definitely not a good way to start the day. Rather than basking in the afterglow of being with Dunn, Bam sat staring out the window replaying the words shouted in anger, the sound of the door slamming behind him… the snow crunching under his feet as he gasped for breath after breath of frigid air as he hiked towards the only place he knew he could stay without being questioned.
“… Bam?” His voice sounding almost haunted as he spoke, Ryan let his gaze drift towards the boy momentarily as they hit a patch of straight road. “Did I do something… or say something?”
Snorting at first, Bam shook his head before realizing how that must sound to Dunn. He sighed and looked over at him with yet another apology scrawled across his face. “No, Ry… we’re cool… just having a rough day… it was nothing you did…”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really?”
“Will you at least tell me what you’re thinking about?”
The sun forced its way into the cab and Bam squinted. “… when Ape and Phil kicked me out…”
“…oh.” Ryan leaned over and brushed the back of his fingers over Bam’s cheek. “You want to bitch or yell or something… feel free.”
“I know…”
It seemed as though they approached the customers not five seconds later. Bam wrapped his arms around his stomach. “Do I have to go in with you?”
“Nah… it’s cool. I just have to find out which load I’m assigned to, back up to it, tarp it, secure it, and go.”
“I should help you then…”
“Babe…” Dunn shot him a gentle glare. “You don’t have to do that shit unless you want to help… I’ve never cared if you did it… I just let you because it made you feel better about me buying you food and shit…”
Bam blushed. “So you were just catering to me flipping out at you?”
“Pretty much… I was just happy to see you eat something… you looked pretty bad when I first met you… I could tell you hadn’t eaten properly in days…”
After they stopped in front of the office, Bam leaned over and pressed his lips to Ryan’s cheek just a breathe away from his ear. “I… thanks, Ry.” He quickly nipped at his ear playfully before pulling back. “If you need help, I’ll just be hanging in the sleeper…”
Pulling the blankets up over his torso, Bam sighed as his jeans and shirt suffocated him. He climbed back out of the bunk and changed into a pair of sweat pants before jumping back in bed.
***
Beaming Ryan stretched out his arms as Bree approached. “Hey, girl!” He squished her into a hug before backing up and smiling at her. “How have you been?”
“Oh, you know… working my ass off. We’ve got some new customers…” She eyed him cautiously. “Speaking of… the load you are here to pick up… because of some issues we’ve had in the past, my boss wants me to discuss it with you before we get the crane fired up and load it onto a trailer…”
“It’s not even loaded?!”
“We’ve been having some problems with vandalism… certain signs are being kept secure inside the building so we don’t have to redo the entire order.”
Dunn stopped in his tracks. “Just tell me what it is… Bree, come on…”
“Well…” The young woman faltered in her steps and turned towards him. “It’s not that I’d think you’d be the type of asshole that would care… especially since it’s going to be tarped… but you might be… well, bothered by it.” Wringing her hands, Bree nervously added. “You don’t even have to deliver it to the customer… just to a transfer point.”
“What is it?”
“…art?”
“Bree.”
“Fine… it’s a sign for a club in southern Cali…”
“What type of club…”
Deflating completely, Bree let her gaze drop to the floor. “A… it’s for a new location for this night club we make signs for… it’s already been delayed twice…” She didn’t even look up before continuing. “It’ll be tarped… it’s not like anyone would even have to know… the bill of lading even just says promotional sign…”
Unable to hold back any longer, Dunn burst out laughing. He wrapped an arm around Bree’s shoulder and still chuckling directed her towards the door to storage. “It ain’t vulgar or nothing is it?”
“Uh… what?”
“The sign… it isn’t… overtly sexual or something, is it?”
“Not really…”
“Is it fluorescent lighting fixtures or one of your guys’ traditional signs?”
“Both… there’s fixtures around the sign…” She grabbed his shoulder as they paused in front of the door. “You’re really okay with hauling something kind of questionable?”
Ryan paused before answering. His thoughts drifted to Bam staring forlornly out the window that morning. Memories of their week in West Chester flashed behind his eyes and he smiled. No matter what type of sign it was, he felt inspired to be as open as possible to as many people as he could. Bam simply made him feel free-er. “… Bree, I’m fine with it… really.”
“You should see it before you say that…”
“Lead the way.” When he first saw it, Dunn practically started laughing again. If Bree hadn’t made such an issue of it, he probably wouldn’t have even noticed the small embellishments that made it… all that questionable. “Okay… I’ve seen it. Your boss need me to sign some sort of paperwork about it?”
“You’re going to haul it?!”
“Of course I am, Bree… you guys hired me to do it… I wouldn’t back out on a load …you know me better than that. He took the clipboard from her and signed the release form clipped behind his bill of lading.
Bree had visibly relaxed as they headed back towards the yard where his truck was parked. “You’ll need to hook up to an empty and back up to the loading dock… that cool?” Features contorting once more she held back from throwing her clipboard to the ground in frustration as a the thumping bass reverberated from the cab of a truck that had just drove in and parked. “Fricking Terry… I told Eric not to hire his ass again.”
“Doesn’t the big man get pissed at him about his… music?” Dunn frowned at the close proximity to his own truck. Bam’s nap or… alone time… whatever… was going to be so fucked with now.
“No… he practically kisses any driver’s ass who hauls our stuff. A driver could walk in here naked… and he’d offer them the best seat in the house…”
Trying not to snicker at her annoyance, Ryan walked slowly toward the trailer lot. Every few minutes casting glances back at his truck. Bree caught him, and assured him. “He won’t mess with your truck or anything… he never has in the past… he’s just annoying as hell.”
“Not what I’m worried about…” No sooner than he’d spoke, music sounded from his truck’s sleeper… and at a volume just above Terry’s. “… that was.”
As she turned to face his truck with wide eyes, Bree commented. “I didn’t know you drove with someone. Who is she?” Then added. “She’s got balls doing that to him… it’s kinda funny…” She patted Ryan’s back reassuringly. “You ain’t going to get in trouble from anyone here… in fact, quite a few people are probably laughing their asses off.”
Dunn frowned again before returning his attention to the trailer pool and quickly picking out one with enough winches to secure the load properly. He and Bree were half way across the yard back to his truck when they saw who he assumed was Terry pounding against the door to his truck with a 2x4 in his hand.
“Shit.” Bree cussed. “He’s never messed with anyone’s semi before…” Speeding up, she made a beeline towards him only to stop in shock with a very pissed male voice sounded from Ryan’s cab.
“Touch this truck one more time, and your face is going to meet the pavement, asshole!” Clad only in sweatpants, Bam climbed out of the truck and stood in front of Terry. “What the fuck is your problem?!” The other driver seemed too shock to respond at first so Bam continued his tirade. “What gives you the right to start smashing up someone’s truck just because they don’t want to hear your hip hop bullshit blasting through the walls when they’re trying to fucking sleep?!”
Standing in the middle of the yard, Bree looked over at Dunn. “Who is that?”
“My passenger?” Bree narrowed her eyes before glancing between Ryan’s worried face and the other man’s anger. Dunn’s shoulder fell slightly. Sighing he replied. “Yeah… now before Terry decides to kick his ass for being a mouthy little fucker… I need to… go.” Ryan jogged up to the two men. Terry addressed him first.
“Can you believe this little punk? Jumping out of his cab all brave and shit… must be new to the biz… you don’t get all in the face of someone holding a 2x4…” Terry started clucking and bragging as soon as Dunn approached
Sliding up beside Bam, Ryan’s entire demeanor changed. “Unless they’re fucking with your truck…” He tilted his head towards Bam. “Get the tire iron…”
“This is your rig?! Then I’d highly suggest you tell this punk ass to turn his shit down.”
As Bam scrambled back into the sleeper to retrieve the tire iron from under the bunk, Ryan stepped towards Terry. “I’m sure he’ll take care of that as soon as your shit is down to a tolerable level…”
Cussing and bitching, Terry turned around and high tailed it back to his own truck when Bam reappeared in the window. Dunn shook his head and Bam left the tire iron in the cab before climbing out to talk to him.
“I wasn’t trying to start shit… his music was just annoying as fu…” He stopped when he noticed Bree approaching. Eyes going wide, Bam started to apologize to Ryan.
Shushing him, Dunn waved Bree over. “Hey… since he’s awake… I want to introduce you to someone…” Ryan motioned between them. “Bree, this is my friend Bam. Bam, this is Bree… her and I have been working together almost the entire time I’ve been trucking.”
Bam held out his arm and shook her hand. Halfway through he remembered his state of near undress. Blushing, he glanced over at Dunn before bowing his head enough to hide behind a few locks of hair. “I was asleep… sorry… let me go get some… clothes on.” He wiped his hands self consciously over his sweats before climbing back into the truck.
Smiling, Bree winked at Ryan. “He’s cute.”
“Oh, shut up…” He laughed.
“What? He is! Spitfire too… it looks like.”
Dunn forced an annoyed glare at her. “I don’t kiss and tell… you can give up already…”
Gaping at first, Bree soon started laughing cheerfully. Her mood didn’t last long as next to them, Terry, rather than turning down his music… increased the volume. Even from outside the truck, her and Ryan could hear Bam cussing. Seconds later the music from Dunn’s cab met and outdid Terry’s. Bree stared intently at Ryan. “He’s got a stubborn streak, too. Don’t he?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe…” He glanced over at her. “This could go on most of the day…” Dunn pinched the bridge of his nose, when he finally noticed the song. “Or… your boss will kick us off the property… and he’ll probably end up getting his ass kicked in a fight by the end of the hour…”
“Wha…”
“I’ve been denied all the best ultra-sex. I tried to consume just like a super faggot. I got some dude… how can you bring a motherfucker something so good he couldn't say no? You nailed me hard. I love them when they don't give a mother fucking shit. I could've been someone instead of falling flat upon my ass.”
Her mouth dropped and she gaped at Ryan. “Holy shit…”
“Yeah… he’s not very discreet… especially when he’s pissed off.”
Bam climbed out of the cab grumbling. He barely noticed the looks on both Ryan and Bree’s face as he shot insults towards Terry’s rig. “Fucker…” He finished off with and finally turned to look at Dunn. Immediately he stopped talking and clamped his jaw shut.
Sighing, Ryan did the only thing he could at that point and made a half ass joke. “Well, that will teach me to forget the coffee in the morning…”
In an attempt to force professionalism, Bree smiled cordially at Bam. “So are you a team driver… or a passenger?”
“Uh… passenger… why?”
“In case I needed your signature… I don’t.” She glanced over at Dunn’s blushing face. “Oh, come off it Ry… Terry deserves it… and it’s not like some of us didn’t know…”
“Yeah, you figured it out like five minutes ago!” He protested.
“Still…” Bree grinned mischievously at them. “Hey, you want to show Bam the load?”
“Fuck… why not… this day couldn’t get any weirder…”
“Don’t say that shit!” Bam glowered at him. “That’s just begging for something to happen, asshat.”
Chuckling at Bam’s choice of pet names, Dunn shook his head. Behind them, the music continued to blare from the cab. Bree smiled when Ryan opened the door for Bam. She had to hold back her own laughter at his reaction.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” He turned and stared at Dunn. “What the fuck, Ry?”
“No one else will haul it…”
“So we get to advertise the entire way across the country? We’re going to get our asses so kicked.”
“It’s tarped…”
Bam paused. “Oh…” He glanced over at Ryan. “You better not fucking tell Ape about this… she’ll pitch a fit beyond all fits…”
“Wasn’t planning on it…”
When they walked back outside, Ryan suddenly regretted showing up on the yard that morning as the lyrics to Bam’s music once more hit his hears. “…we need to attach to a trailer and back up to the dock…”
Squaring his shoulders, Bam silently headed back to the truck. He seemed even more pissy than before they’d arrived at the consignee. Ryan cast an apologetic glance at Bree. The drastic mood changes definitely left something to be desired. He just hoped that a few days back on the road would help Bam level out. Being at home, had definitely inspired some less than friendly moods in the kid. Rolling his eyes at the slammed passenger side door, Dunn climbed in beside him and mock saluted Bree before igniting the engine and heading towards the trailer lot…
Chapter 26
Chapter: 25
Fandom: Jackass/Viva La Bam AU
Rating: R
Pairing: Ryan/Bam
Warning: Twelve year age difference between main characters…
Disclaimer: Fiction. Learn it, live it, love it.
Word Count: 2550
Summary: Ryan Dunn is a truck driver who chances picking up a hitchhiker…
Author’s Note: I feel like Kerouac, har har…
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24
Ryan placed his hand over Bam’s knee. Purposely stilling his movement, Bam smiled apologetically at him before the trucker returned his hand to the steering wheel. They were around fifteen minutes out from arriving at the consignee in Florence, Kentucky… and for some reason Bam was nervous as hell. He’d woke that morning with a ball of anxiety rolling and bouncing around in his stomach. It felt like something awful was going to happen that day. The last time he’d felt this… off was the day his family had kicked him out. And those memories were definitely not a good way to start the day. Rather than basking in the afterglow of being with Dunn, Bam sat staring out the window replaying the words shouted in anger, the sound of the door slamming behind him… the snow crunching under his feet as he gasped for breath after breath of frigid air as he hiked towards the only place he knew he could stay without being questioned.
“… Bam?” His voice sounding almost haunted as he spoke, Ryan let his gaze drift towards the boy momentarily as they hit a patch of straight road. “Did I do something… or say something?”
Snorting at first, Bam shook his head before realizing how that must sound to Dunn. He sighed and looked over at him with yet another apology scrawled across his face. “No, Ry… we’re cool… just having a rough day… it was nothing you did…”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really?”
“Will you at least tell me what you’re thinking about?”
The sun forced its way into the cab and Bam squinted. “… when Ape and Phil kicked me out…”
“…oh.” Ryan leaned over and brushed the back of his fingers over Bam’s cheek. “You want to bitch or yell or something… feel free.”
“I know…”
It seemed as though they approached the customers not five seconds later. Bam wrapped his arms around his stomach. “Do I have to go in with you?”
“Nah… it’s cool. I just have to find out which load I’m assigned to, back up to it, tarp it, secure it, and go.”
“I should help you then…”
“Babe…” Dunn shot him a gentle glare. “You don’t have to do that shit unless you want to help… I’ve never cared if you did it… I just let you because it made you feel better about me buying you food and shit…”
Bam blushed. “So you were just catering to me flipping out at you?”
“Pretty much… I was just happy to see you eat something… you looked pretty bad when I first met you… I could tell you hadn’t eaten properly in days…”
After they stopped in front of the office, Bam leaned over and pressed his lips to Ryan’s cheek just a breathe away from his ear. “I… thanks, Ry.” He quickly nipped at his ear playfully before pulling back. “If you need help, I’ll just be hanging in the sleeper…”
Pulling the blankets up over his torso, Bam sighed as his jeans and shirt suffocated him. He climbed back out of the bunk and changed into a pair of sweat pants before jumping back in bed.
***
Beaming Ryan stretched out his arms as Bree approached. “Hey, girl!” He squished her into a hug before backing up and smiling at her. “How have you been?”
“Oh, you know… working my ass off. We’ve got some new customers…” She eyed him cautiously. “Speaking of… the load you are here to pick up… because of some issues we’ve had in the past, my boss wants me to discuss it with you before we get the crane fired up and load it onto a trailer…”
“It’s not even loaded?!”
“We’ve been having some problems with vandalism… certain signs are being kept secure inside the building so we don’t have to redo the entire order.”
Dunn stopped in his tracks. “Just tell me what it is… Bree, come on…”
“Well…” The young woman faltered in her steps and turned towards him. “It’s not that I’d think you’d be the type of asshole that would care… especially since it’s going to be tarped… but you might be… well, bothered by it.” Wringing her hands, Bree nervously added. “You don’t even have to deliver it to the customer… just to a transfer point.”
“What is it?”
“…art?”
“Bree.”
“Fine… it’s a sign for a club in southern Cali…”
“What type of club…”
Deflating completely, Bree let her gaze drop to the floor. “A… it’s for a new location for this night club we make signs for… it’s already been delayed twice…” She didn’t even look up before continuing. “It’ll be tarped… it’s not like anyone would even have to know… the bill of lading even just says promotional sign…”
Unable to hold back any longer, Dunn burst out laughing. He wrapped an arm around Bree’s shoulder and still chuckling directed her towards the door to storage. “It ain’t vulgar or nothing is it?”
“Uh… what?”
“The sign… it isn’t… overtly sexual or something, is it?”
“Not really…”
“Is it fluorescent lighting fixtures or one of your guys’ traditional signs?”
“Both… there’s fixtures around the sign…” She grabbed his shoulder as they paused in front of the door. “You’re really okay with hauling something kind of questionable?”
Ryan paused before answering. His thoughts drifted to Bam staring forlornly out the window that morning. Memories of their week in West Chester flashed behind his eyes and he smiled. No matter what type of sign it was, he felt inspired to be as open as possible to as many people as he could. Bam simply made him feel free-er. “… Bree, I’m fine with it… really.”
“You should see it before you say that…”
“Lead the way.” When he first saw it, Dunn practically started laughing again. If Bree hadn’t made such an issue of it, he probably wouldn’t have even noticed the small embellishments that made it… all that questionable. “Okay… I’ve seen it. Your boss need me to sign some sort of paperwork about it?”
“You’re going to haul it?!”
“Of course I am, Bree… you guys hired me to do it… I wouldn’t back out on a load …you know me better than that. He took the clipboard from her and signed the release form clipped behind his bill of lading.
Bree had visibly relaxed as they headed back towards the yard where his truck was parked. “You’ll need to hook up to an empty and back up to the loading dock… that cool?” Features contorting once more she held back from throwing her clipboard to the ground in frustration as a the thumping bass reverberated from the cab of a truck that had just drove in and parked. “Fricking Terry… I told Eric not to hire his ass again.”
“Doesn’t the big man get pissed at him about his… music?” Dunn frowned at the close proximity to his own truck. Bam’s nap or… alone time… whatever… was going to be so fucked with now.
“No… he practically kisses any driver’s ass who hauls our stuff. A driver could walk in here naked… and he’d offer them the best seat in the house…”
Trying not to snicker at her annoyance, Ryan walked slowly toward the trailer lot. Every few minutes casting glances back at his truck. Bree caught him, and assured him. “He won’t mess with your truck or anything… he never has in the past… he’s just annoying as hell.”
“Not what I’m worried about…” No sooner than he’d spoke, music sounded from his truck’s sleeper… and at a volume just above Terry’s. “… that was.”
As she turned to face his truck with wide eyes, Bree commented. “I didn’t know you drove with someone. Who is she?” Then added. “She’s got balls doing that to him… it’s kinda funny…” She patted Ryan’s back reassuringly. “You ain’t going to get in trouble from anyone here… in fact, quite a few people are probably laughing their asses off.”
Dunn frowned again before returning his attention to the trailer pool and quickly picking out one with enough winches to secure the load properly. He and Bree were half way across the yard back to his truck when they saw who he assumed was Terry pounding against the door to his truck with a 2x4 in his hand.
“Shit.” Bree cussed. “He’s never messed with anyone’s semi before…” Speeding up, she made a beeline towards him only to stop in shock with a very pissed male voice sounded from Ryan’s cab.
“Touch this truck one more time, and your face is going to meet the pavement, asshole!” Clad only in sweatpants, Bam climbed out of the truck and stood in front of Terry. “What the fuck is your problem?!” The other driver seemed too shock to respond at first so Bam continued his tirade. “What gives you the right to start smashing up someone’s truck just because they don’t want to hear your hip hop bullshit blasting through the walls when they’re trying to fucking sleep?!”
Standing in the middle of the yard, Bree looked over at Dunn. “Who is that?”
“My passenger?” Bree narrowed her eyes before glancing between Ryan’s worried face and the other man’s anger. Dunn’s shoulder fell slightly. Sighing he replied. “Yeah… now before Terry decides to kick his ass for being a mouthy little fucker… I need to… go.” Ryan jogged up to the two men. Terry addressed him first.
“Can you believe this little punk? Jumping out of his cab all brave and shit… must be new to the biz… you don’t get all in the face of someone holding a 2x4…” Terry started clucking and bragging as soon as Dunn approached
Sliding up beside Bam, Ryan’s entire demeanor changed. “Unless they’re fucking with your truck…” He tilted his head towards Bam. “Get the tire iron…”
“This is your rig?! Then I’d highly suggest you tell this punk ass to turn his shit down.”
As Bam scrambled back into the sleeper to retrieve the tire iron from under the bunk, Ryan stepped towards Terry. “I’m sure he’ll take care of that as soon as your shit is down to a tolerable level…”
Cussing and bitching, Terry turned around and high tailed it back to his own truck when Bam reappeared in the window. Dunn shook his head and Bam left the tire iron in the cab before climbing out to talk to him.
“I wasn’t trying to start shit… his music was just annoying as fu…” He stopped when he noticed Bree approaching. Eyes going wide, Bam started to apologize to Ryan.
Shushing him, Dunn waved Bree over. “Hey… since he’s awake… I want to introduce you to someone…” Ryan motioned between them. “Bree, this is my friend Bam. Bam, this is Bree… her and I have been working together almost the entire time I’ve been trucking.”
Bam held out his arm and shook her hand. Halfway through he remembered his state of near undress. Blushing, he glanced over at Dunn before bowing his head enough to hide behind a few locks of hair. “I was asleep… sorry… let me go get some… clothes on.” He wiped his hands self consciously over his sweats before climbing back into the truck.
Smiling, Bree winked at Ryan. “He’s cute.”
“Oh, shut up…” He laughed.
“What? He is! Spitfire too… it looks like.”
Dunn forced an annoyed glare at her. “I don’t kiss and tell… you can give up already…”
Gaping at first, Bree soon started laughing cheerfully. Her mood didn’t last long as next to them, Terry, rather than turning down his music… increased the volume. Even from outside the truck, her and Ryan could hear Bam cussing. Seconds later the music from Dunn’s cab met and outdid Terry’s. Bree stared intently at Ryan. “He’s got a stubborn streak, too. Don’t he?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe…” He glanced over at her. “This could go on most of the day…” Dunn pinched the bridge of his nose, when he finally noticed the song. “Or… your boss will kick us off the property… and he’ll probably end up getting his ass kicked in a fight by the end of the hour…”
“Wha…”
“I’ve been denied all the best ultra-sex. I tried to consume just like a super faggot. I got some dude… how can you bring a motherfucker something so good he couldn't say no? You nailed me hard. I love them when they don't give a mother fucking shit. I could've been someone instead of falling flat upon my ass.”
Her mouth dropped and she gaped at Ryan. “Holy shit…”
“Yeah… he’s not very discreet… especially when he’s pissed off.”
Bam climbed out of the cab grumbling. He barely noticed the looks on both Ryan and Bree’s face as he shot insults towards Terry’s rig. “Fucker…” He finished off with and finally turned to look at Dunn. Immediately he stopped talking and clamped his jaw shut.
Sighing, Ryan did the only thing he could at that point and made a half ass joke. “Well, that will teach me to forget the coffee in the morning…”
In an attempt to force professionalism, Bree smiled cordially at Bam. “So are you a team driver… or a passenger?”
“Uh… passenger… why?”
“In case I needed your signature… I don’t.” She glanced over at Dunn’s blushing face. “Oh, come off it Ry… Terry deserves it… and it’s not like some of us didn’t know…”
“Yeah, you figured it out like five minutes ago!” He protested.
“Still…” Bree grinned mischievously at them. “Hey, you want to show Bam the load?”
“Fuck… why not… this day couldn’t get any weirder…”
“Don’t say that shit!” Bam glowered at him. “That’s just begging for something to happen, asshat.”
Chuckling at Bam’s choice of pet names, Dunn shook his head. Behind them, the music continued to blare from the cab. Bree smiled when Ryan opened the door for Bam. She had to hold back her own laughter at his reaction.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” He turned and stared at Dunn. “What the fuck, Ry?”
“No one else will haul it…”
“So we get to advertise the entire way across the country? We’re going to get our asses so kicked.”
“It’s tarped…”
Bam paused. “Oh…” He glanced over at Ryan. “You better not fucking tell Ape about this… she’ll pitch a fit beyond all fits…”
“Wasn’t planning on it…”
When they walked back outside, Ryan suddenly regretted showing up on the yard that morning as the lyrics to Bam’s music once more hit his hears. “…we need to attach to a trailer and back up to the dock…”
Squaring his shoulders, Bam silently headed back to the truck. He seemed even more pissy than before they’d arrived at the consignee. Ryan cast an apologetic glance at Bree. The drastic mood changes definitely left something to be desired. He just hoped that a few days back on the road would help Bam level out. Being at home, had definitely inspired some less than friendly moods in the kid. Rolling his eyes at the slammed passenger side door, Dunn climbed in beside him and mock saluted Bree before igniting the engine and heading towards the trailer lot…
Chapter 26