The Start

Life has a funny way of fucking with you.

Jeff’s POV:

It had been two weeks and my buddies and all there buddies had talked. Today we were all meeting at an old grain elevator about fifteen miles NW of Rugby across from a dirt road main street town called Barton. It was kind of a truck car show but the conversation wasn’t about the vehicles.

There must have been a hundred guys. I learned about things I never wanted to try and about the seven boys in the last ten years that had gone missing around these parts. The consciences were that we would meet here every Saturday at ten AM. I didn’t know what I’d started but I sure as hell knew I had no idea what to do.

Dean’s POV:

I released Niki before I got completely hard. It didn’t hurt to pee anymore and to be honest I had stroked little Dean to orgasm. I just wasn’t ready for her yet. Niki and I did Rushmore and zigzagged across SD. ‘The posted speed limit is seventy-five miles an hour.’

We stopped at a pull-off so Niki could get some pictures. The sign said, ‘Don’t feed the Prairie Dogs,’ Niki ignored it throwing part of a donut at a few.

She had turned to me making some sort of hand gesture and take a picture of me as I scolded her for not heeding the signs warning as I watched about a thousand heads pop up from the tall grass and I took a picture of her. “Niki, you should get back in the car now,” I said pointing behind her. And the barking started.

Niki was slipping on her own shit as she made a dash for the car. She was shaking and breathing hard when her door closed. And I laughed before she hit me in the arm. I faked pain.

We made our way back to Rugby. It was Sunday and The Album had been released as well as the single with Rick. Niki and I took care of shit at the Motel she’d been in and I was trying to calm her as we drove to my house.

“Will you just calm down. My parents are going to love you as much as I do, so just chill.” She looked at me. More like her head snapped to look at me. Fuck. I thought about what I’d just admitted. Fuck again. I didn’t even try and explain.

We pulled up in the driveway and I opened her door reaching for her hand. “I get a raise for this, Farmboy.” She said as I opened the front door announcing our arrival. She pulled her hand from mine when my Mom came around the corner with open arms.

“You must be, Niki?” Mom said as she hugged her before me. There was a short conversation as they were ear to ear and I got like a sixth sense feeling.

“MOM? What about me?” I was a little put-off.

She released Niki and turned to me. “I told you those drinks weren’t good for you.” Her hand was on her hip and she rocked her head back and forth and a finger shook in my face. “You had poor Niki worried to death, Dean: not to mention us. When will you start listing to your mother?” And I saw a smile on Niki’s face.

“I was the one who passed the stones Mom, not her.” This was getting a little much as my Dad came out and hugged Niki. Oh great; him too.

“Your mom has dinner on the table and you two can tell us what’s been going on.” And he put his hand on my neck pulling me close, “Stones? How did those work for ya?” He asked. I pulled out the bag dangling it in his face as we reached the table. “Damn.”

“Put those things away, Dean,” Niki said. “He pulls them out every chance he gets and I think it’s disgusting.” She finished looking at my Mom.

“Niki’s right, Dean; put those away; were at the dinner table.” My mom said to me.

This was really starting to get on my nerves. I couldn’t help it. “But Mom, these came out of my dinger,” I said in my best whiny tone. I held up the bag remaindering the woman that birthed me what she called my private part when I was young.

“I will not have you flinging those things around my dinner table, Dean Cooper.” And Niki smiled at me. I think I growled back.

My Dad took the bag examining them then said, “Impressive,” with a smile handing them back.

“I was thinking of having this one set in a ring,” pointing to the biggest one winking at my dad. “What do you think?”

“I honestly raised him better than this, Niki.” My Mom assured her.

We talked till close to supper time; well my Mom talked to Niki and I talked with my Dad. We came together for the schedule part of shit and I learned more than I had in the last few days. Niki explained.

“Dean has to be in Washington on Tuesday for a meeting with his attorney, Parker Richardson, and he’s doing morning shows in California on Thursday and Friday then Ellen in the afternoon. He’s having dinner with John Legend and his wife then a show with him on Saturday.

Sunday we fly to New York and he will do six appearances; three in the mornings then some recorded stuff then back to LA and Bill Maher on Wednesday.”

I was shaking my head. “What the fuck, Niki? I’m doing, Bill Maher?” I mean really. She hadn’t shared any of this with me.

“Dean Adam Cooper, you will watch your mouth or I will.”

“Sorry, Mom.” I turned to Niki. “So when were you going to tell me all this, Uptown?”

“I tried to tell you what it was going to be like,” she said looking at me. “I was just going to give you one or two days at a time.” She looked at my Mom, “He just won’t listen to me.”

Both my hands went into the air. “Oh no, you don’t.” I scolded sharing the look with Niki and my Mom as my own head rocked back and forth. “Mom I am the boss, she works for me. This isn’t fair.”

It wasn’t fair. My PA, my Niki, Nikita had teamed up with my Mom and this was just wrong.

“You listen to her Dean and stop your whining, life isn’t fair.” And she gave me a look as I mouthed it as she said it. Let’s just say I’ve heard it a time or two.

“We got to go. I need to get Niki back.” I said standing knowing that the longer we stayed, well you get the picture.

“We’ll be right back, Hun,” and my Mom took Niki by the hand and they walked out back as my Dad and I watched from the sliding glass door.

My Dad gave me an elbow to the side and asked, “WELL?” as he did that eyebrow thing.

I understood the question but this was the first time my Dad and I had any kind of conversation like this. I had to look away because of the smile plastered on my face. “DAD, she works for me. There are laws for Christ sake. She could sue me.”

“Oh come on Dean, share with your Dad. I saw you holding her hand when you came up to the door. I don’t think she plans on suing you.”

“We spend a lot of time together, Dad; she’s like a sister.” That was the best I had.

“Like a close sister, Dean? In my day we would have called Niki, a spinner. You know what that is, right?”

“Ew Dad. Oh God. I’m never going to be able to scrub that from my ears.” And he laughed at me.

Mom and Niki were walking back to the house arm in arm and Dad and I stepped aside when they came in. They were giggling like school girls and I half expected my Mom to get out the photo albums to show Niki my baby dinger.

When I subconsciously reached for Niki’s hand she reached hers out and my Dad elbowed my Mom. I didn’t know if I was coming back home or if I was staying with Niki so I didn’t say anything.

After much fawning over Niki, we were now in the car. She was tight-lipped and smiling like a chasseur cat and I was biting the inside of my cheek. “You and my Mother are not friends.” I started in kind of a bossy tone.

“You can’t pick my friends!” She sounded off.

I wasn’t expecting that and I wasn’t expecting Nikita to be looking back and forth between us. “Well. My Mom. Don’t tell me you’re like Facebook friends? Oh my god, you’re Facebook friends, aren’t you? You and my Mom can’t be friends.” I finished. “And what are you looking at, Nikita?”

I was losing this battle on all fronts and my Mom would pinch my ear and Niki would cut me for sure. There was no winning.

“So…? You like my Mom?” I started with a new approach. “I think she likes you.” And I had to smile.

“Do you have a third eye I can’t see, Farmboy? And here I thought I knew you.” She returned.

“Fine, you and my Mom can be friends,” I said opening her door offering a hand thinking I had the last word.

“You know they think we’re doing it, right?” She said so nonchalantly. Oh god.

“You didn’t tell her anything, did you?” I asked back too fast.

“And just what would I have to tell her? Did I sleep through something?” I knew she was fucking with me but still.

Walking to her motel room door I wasn’t sure if I was saying goodnight and going back home to sleep in my childhood bed alone; without Niki. Was I coming in with her to spend the night like we had for the last eight days not counting the two in the hospital?

“When do we have to leave?” I asked as she leaned back on the door.

“Your meeting is at two on Tuesday. We would have to leave real early or we could fly out tomorrow night.”

“Is this really what it’s going to be like?” I asked.

“Dean, I can’t even explain. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen, myself. There may come a time in the not so distant future that all of this is over my head and you will need to bring in somebody more experienced.”

“I hate making decisions. Do whatever and text me. And I told you, ‘We’re a team.’ We’ll learn the ropes together, but if anything goes wrong.”

“That’s what Niki’s are for, Farmboy.” She said looking up to my eyes leaning her head to the left wanting to kiss me then kick the door closed and.

I leaned in kissing her on the right cheek. “Sweet dreams, Uptown.”

I Know she thought it was so stupid. “I had a really good time.” She said before realizing it sounded like a girl who had been on a date. “Sweet dreams, Farmboy,” and I released my hold and walked away not looking back. I wish I had.

Rick’s POV:

The first call came in on Sunday and they hadn’t stopped; agents wanting to represent me and others just wanting me. I needed to talk to my parents because I didn’t know what to do. When Dean and I were on the road he seemed to take care of shit and I just followed his lead. I didn’t have that now and after our last conversation, I didn’t think he’d answer my call.

I was right, he didn’t answer. I knew we wouldn’t be going to Washington like he said we would and I tried to push that out of my head. Dean usually kept his promises. He was big on, ‘if you say it, do it.’ He was right when I called him; I wasn’t thinking about him.

It was eleven days ago when he had a complete breakdown. Then two days later he destroyed his voice recording six, no seven songs in two days. And when it seems he could take a break he passes kidney stones and then I call to bawl on his shoulder. I wouldn’t answer my call either.

I called Deans mom and she was kind enough to give me Niki’s email. Niki called me back. My first question was, “How’s Dean?”

“Dean’s a survivor but, the next few months will be the true test. I’ll help you but you can’t do that to him again, do you understand? You can’t dump all your shit on him when life isn’t good for, Rick.” And I agreed.

Niki turned me on to a guy and the next evening I was at the airport in Minot off to California. It’s not an international airport or anything. I was looking out the window at a Gulfstream 350. I swear it was Dean and Niki.

‘I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again.

Dean’s POV:

She toured the UW campus with me and I presented her with the bonus check over dinner at Fisherman’s Terminal. “There are no strings attached to this, Niki. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I can’t take this, Dean. It’s too much.”

“It’s like one percent of what you saved me at that school. It should be more.”

We landed at John Wayne Airport and Niki was back on her tablet when we got in the car. I had a surprise. “We’re here, Niki” and she looked up. I know my dimples showed when she looked at me.

Tears from smiles are ok as far as Dean is concerned. She climbed over me to get out and was at the door before I was out of the car. I saw her on the floor with her little Shazam and I was so happy I was able to give her this and then I saw him.

She got up with the dog and walked to the man as I walked in the door. Her Mom came from one direction and her Dad from the other.

“What are you doing here, Asher?” Niki asked the man in front of her.

He was what you would call, tall, dark, and handsome; Rock Hudson, like; definitely not my type. He looked twenty-five, 6’4, 245, but I thought he was older and the hair on my neck stood on end. He tried to embrace her but she backed away. I stepped up.

Niki did introductions and it seemed her parents cornered me as Niki and Asshat walked out to the back yard.

“So, Nicole works for you? What do you do?” her mother asked me. She reminded me of an old movie I saw, Stepford wives, or something like that.

I had never been asked that before. “You’ll have to ask Niki, Mrs,” I replied. I didn’t know Niki’s last name. How can I be such a fuckin tool I thought as I watched Ashwipe grab Niki by the arm, “Excuses me,” and Dean was on a mission?

He watched me walk out and if he couldn’t tell by the look on my face something was wrong with him. “It would be in your best interest to take your hands off her.” I tried not to rock my head back and forth as I said it.

“Oh, so this is what’s going on, Nicole?” And he laughed. “Have you turned into some sort of Cougar for, Mr. Dean Heart throb here?” I had never come across a guy like this before who wasn’t on his knees.

“You have like two seconds, aw fuck it.” And I grabbed his hand. I guess I have a short fuse. With a simple pressure point, Ashnuts was on his knees right where he belonged. I reached over and scratched Shazam between the ears with my other hand.

Ashsack was still on his knees and I asked, “You let men put their hands on you like this, Niki. I thought I knew you better.”

“Let him go, Dean.” She returned with a tone. And I did as she asked after an extra hard squeeze.

Ashole was holding his partially broken hand and I turned Niki back to the house.

We walked in the doors and Niki excused us and pulled me to another room. We were pissed at each other for different reasons. She got the first word. “What the fuck was that, Dean?”

“Ashpuss has no right putting his hands on you or is that what you’re into? I thought I knew you.” I hadn’t thought that one out.

OK. Dean could have and should have handled that differently. I wasn’t surprised when she half slapped half slugged me and we used our eyes to kick the shit out of each other. I lost.

“If you think I am going to apologize to Ashwipe, you can just kiss my ass, Niki.” And she grabbed my hand.

“I’m sorry I hit you.” She said rubbing her thumb across my cheek with a smile that I’d never seen before.

“I shouldn’t have said that I’m sorry, but really? That’s what? I mean he is?” I was going to have a panic attack. Build boxes, build boxes.

“Your mother asked me what I do. What do I do Niki? I don’t know what I do.” I was one step away from a full-blown meltdown and didn’t know why. “I didn’t know what to tell her and I don’t think your dad likes me and.”

“Breathe, Dean.” And she took my cheeks in her hands. “My folks don’t even have cable. How about you let me tell them?” And I nodded and she put Shazam in my arms.

Ashshame walked in and between the looks, he got from me and Niki he said, “Goodbye.”

Niki’s POV:

What a hellish ten days? It was limo to the studio and back or to another studio. We went from California to New York and back again. The only good thing was I found Dean’s style. Well, it wasn’t really me. When he walked out for a photo shoot I just shit my pants. “Close your mouth, Uptown.” He said with a smile as he walked by.

Justin Timberlake walked out with him adjusting the hat. It really doesn’t matter what the colors were. The jeans were expensive, like real expensive, and the shirt; all of it tight. The shirt had the sleeves rolled a few times, under. The sleeves of the blazer were pulled up to just below the elbow and that hat sat a little to the side.

“You really can close your mouth. You’re Niki, aren’t you” I thought I was hearing things and then I saw him.

Justin Fuckin Timberlake was talking to me and I had no idea what he said. “You can close your mouth. You’re Niki, Right?” And there was that smile. I gave him my best fish face and turned to watch Dean work the Camera.

The second shoot was different. I watched him in white linen pants a flowing white shirt, unbuttoned, blowing in the ocean breeze showing parts I wanted to keep to my self. He was so wound up to do Bill Maher. Dean was beyond ready for this. He had kept his mouth shut for a while and Bill was his vent. Fuckum.

Bill started with, “So you’re running in 2020?” Every tooth in Dean’s head shined and a VW could have hidden in his dimples.

“Yes, I’m running. My slogan is, WANKER.” That got laughs.

“Ok, Kid. WANKER?” Bill asked.

“I’m just fuckin with you, Bill.” And more laughs. “I’d say sorry Mom but she doesn’t watch you.” More laugh.

“I was going to ask you the same question, Bill. I think it’s time you step up, besides I’m like, too young.”

“Not too young to be added to Rushmore.” And the picture I’d photoshopped was on the screen.

Dean glared at me. “I wish that picture would just get lost in the cloud, Niki?”

“So Dean?” And Bill just looked at him.

“Is there a question hidden somewhere in those two words?”

“I just can’t get over you. It was like six months ago you and the guy with the hair sang at a school assembly. What the fuck are you doing on my show today?” And there was laughter.

“I don’t know, Bill. I just go where Niki tells me, so here I am.”

“So just to break it down, six months ago you were nobody?”

“No. I was Dean Cooper. Who were you six months ago, Bill?” That caused a huge laugh.

“We shared a dislike for a certain orange individual.” Bill finished with a smile. “You kept him up at night.”

“Come on, Bill? A Testicular infection? And you say there isn’t a god. It had to be the hand of God,” Clapping and laughter ensued.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, my new best friend, Dean Cooper.”

Justin had not only dressed Dean for this shoot but had two weeks of clothes laid out. “He won’t wear the same thing twice.” Dean was very happy with it.

And now we were landing in Dallas. The show came off without a hitch and Dean kept a promise to a big sister, Pink. I think the hardest part for Dean was the praise that was laid down on him. You can get so much head that you get numb to it but not Dean.

It was after the show that everything went too shit. Dean was too nervous to eat before so here we were at a busy Roadhouse, midnight, on a Friday. We were seated in the bar without question and Dean wanted cow and starch. He did have a salad though and a Bloody Mary.

“Excuse me, Miss. There’s something wrong with this. I ordered a Bloody Mary. That is Vodka and Tomato juice, isn’t it?” And he waited.

“We use Clamato.” And she stood there.

“So what if someone orders a Red Beer?” He asked thinking he had just got to the bottom of this bad Bloody Mary.

“Red Beer. Beer and Clamato.” She returned blowing a little bubble with her gum.

Dean took a deep breath, “So? No Tomato Juice?” He asked. She didn’t even answer and just blew another bubble.

“Thank you,” Dean said shaking his head. He handled that well.

As he carved away on some poor cow Dean went on about how he bombed and Pink carried him. I reassured him he was wrong. “Tell them not to say all that shit about me, Niki.”

“Dean, all that shit is true and you should be proud.” I took both his hands in mine and we looked at each other over one of those red candles they have in bars in Texas.

“You know? I just want to, fucking, slap you sometimes?” It was like a pinball machine in my brain and the ball is stuck between, ‘think before you talk,’ and, ‘think before you talk.’

“REALLY?” He said way to fast to ask, What?

“It’s just that. You can’t seem to. See what I mean?” And I slammed my hand down on the table.

It was around one thirty when we finished. We’d paid and Dean said he’d be right back heading for the restroom. Stupid, and dumb as fuck, came up to hit on me and didn’t want to take NO for an answer. I could see his friends over at the bar laughing at his feeble attempts to woo me. Dean came back to the table.

He stepped between me and, dumb fuck, basically telling the guy to ‘take a walk.’ This was not anywhere near a fair fight because Dean was about three inches shorter, fifty pounds lighter, and ten years younger. I reached for his hand as the guy pushed Dean; a little more than a playful push. He backed one step and was right in the guys face again.

“Do you really want to go there?” Dean asked and the guy went to push him again.

It happened so fast. I have only seen shit like this at the movies. It turns your stomach in real life. Dean grabbed the guy by his wrists, kicked him in the balls, hard, and when the guy went down Dean broke both his arms; bones sticking out and all.

Now the three guys from the bar were coming over to their friends' rescue. Dean met the first in the middle of the dance floor and kicked the guy square on the knee making it bend the wrong direction and he was on the floor.

Guy number two; more Dean’s size was looking between his two friends on the floor and then took a boxing stance. Dean made the few steps to meet him. The guy took three swings and Dean ducked and side-shifted then planted four, rapid-fire, to the guys face and kicked him in the balls. Three down.

Dean looked at me and calmly said, “You should probably get your coat and stuff.” As the last guy walked over and inventoried his Buddies.

The first guy had two broken arms and would probably never be able to produce children. Guy number two got off easy with only a knee that now bent both ways. Guy number three was flat out on the floor and he also may never produce children. I swear I heard his nuts busting. Dean didn’t hold back.

Guy number four stood in front of Dean pulling out his phone saying, “I’m calling the cops.”

Dean held out his hand and said, “Time to go, Uptown.” And we walked out of the place stepping into a black SUV and off to the Hilton.

Dean was silent as we made the short journey to the hotel and I ran everything over in my head. I thought about, Asher. He got off easy compared to this. I thought I knew Dean, thought, I had seen all his sides and I was wrong; so wrong.

I watched him breathing hard trying to relax then he looked at me. He rubbed the knuckles on his right hand. “I’m sorry, Niki. I know I could have handled that better.” I knew he was just giving me platitudes. He showed not one sign of remorse.

“Dean, you seriously injured like three guys; one will probably limp for the rest of his life. And the others; fuck Dean. That was sick what you did, and not in a good way.” I told him looking back out the window.

“Matthew Shepherd.” Is all he said?

I looked back at him. “That was a long time ago, Dean. Why did you do that?”

“Niki, we’re not in LA. We are in Texas if you haven’t noticed and I don’t want to wake up in the back of a pickup headed out to the desert if you get my drift. I can’t take a hit Niki; one would do me in and I know it. If there’s a fight, whoever is going down because I can’t afford them getting back up. That’s the way it has to be.” He finished folding his hands in his lap.

“I met his mother, you know? There are things you can’t unlearn.”

“Dean? You’re not that guy. I thought I knew you and I don’t know you at all.”

“All you need to know is; I can take care of myself. I can take care of us.” And he took my hand.

“Niki, I don’t want to be a pest but maybe you should call that place and tell them if they have any video they should know the guy is seventeen. I’m just saying.” And he looked out his window.

I was still grappling with the idea of Dean taking down those three guys like it was nothing let alone thinking about damage control. I don’t care who you are, being hit on when you don’t want to be, sucks. It’s not that I don’t think I could’ve taken care of myself it’s just the way Dean did it. We had this talk two weeks ago at the high school.

It’s not like Dean wasn’t unrecognizable. The album had been out two weeks and the songs were racing up the charts. The cool thing was that when people downloaded the tracks the offer was made to donate a dollar or more to the Project. Thirty million dollars in the first six days; add that to what the album alone was bringing in equaled close to another hundred million.

Dean was so busy he was off the grid other than live TV. Plans were underway and in ten days Dean would be honored in Canada. I knew he would be pissed and I would pay for a while but let’s face it, he deserved this.

From your Author.

I hope this chapter kept you interested. I know there might not have been enough of what most are looking for but sometimes it’s not all about sex and I don’t want it to be. There is too much of that already.

My goal is to engage you, the reader, and maybe enlighten or motivate you. I have versed my opinion on the few readers that comment but so many are rating and emailing me personally that it lifts my spirits. I still think commenting is important but, do what you’re comfortable with. RJC