Trucker and Pup

Chapter 1-4

“Well, look who it is!”

Kevin turned to see Cal leaning against the doorpost at the front entrance of Parker’s Haulage, lazily chewing on a stick of gum.

Joey had persuaded a reluctant Kevin to accompany him to work that morning, and ride with him in his cab.

“Go away.” Kevin realised he sounded pathetic. Cal had always had a frightening effect on him.

Cal laughed. “I’m not due out for another ten minutes, I’m gonna take you round the back,” Cal pointed his thumb behind his left shoulder, “and you’re gonna get down on your knees to worship my prick.”

Kevin felt a cold shudder run down his spine. He wanted to run away, but Cal was always able to send him into a state of immobility with a single look.

“No thanks, I’m not interested.”

Clearly Cal hadn’t thought Kevin would disobey. His left eyebrow almost disappeared into his mop of ginger curls. His mouth set into a hard line. Kevin, much as he wanted to look away, just couldn’t move. Cal pushed himself from the doorframe and slowly approached. Kevin’s heart began to beat faster, his knees turning to jelly.

“What did you say?” Cal’s icy voice was barely above a whisper.

“He said he wasn’t interested,” a louder voice announced from behind Cal.

Spinning round, Cal saw Joey. “Hi, mate, didn’t know you were doing a run today.” His tone had changed from menacing to one of friendly deference.

Fixing his gaze on Kevin, Joey said, “Go and get into the cab.” He tossed the keys to a still shaking Kevin, who dropped them.

“But...” Kevin bent and picked up the keys.

Joey’s expression hardened. “Pup.” His gaze wasn’t menacing, like the ones Cal used to use, but Kevin knew Joey wasn’t to be disobeyed.

“Yes, Sir.”

As Kevin limped away and rounded the corner of the building, the angry voices of Joey and Cal grew mercifully fainter.

Climbing into Joey’s truck, Kevin looked round. It had been some time since he was inside a cab. Cal would never let him into his. The thing was actually quite spacious. He noted with some amusement that the interior was clean and uncluttered, which was surprising because Joey had admitted he didn’t keep his flat very tidy.

“Right, we can get off now,” Joey said, opening the large door at the driver’s side.

Glancing at Joey, Kevin was disturbed to see he’d been in a fight, his left eye showed some darkening bruises under it, and there was a trickle of blood oozing from his nose. Joey’s knuckles also showed signs of grazing.

“Oh, Sir.”

Joey smiled and stroked Kevin’s hair gently. “I’m okay. But you should see the other guy.”

“I’ll go and get something to put on your cuts. That black eye needs ice.” Not waiting for Joey to protest, Kevin turned to the passenger’s door. “I won’t be a minute.” Kevin fumbled with the catch.

“It’s not necessary.”

Kevin paused, he didn’t want to disagree with Joey, but he felt he had to. “I’m sorry, Sir, but it is, you’re hurt.”

“Thanks. It’s nice to have someone looking out for me.”

Kevin lowered his head. He could feel his cheeks beginning to flush. “Um, yeah.” Kevin wondered why he was behaving as he was.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, but if you’d feel happier, then go and do what you need to, but be quick about it, we’re already running late.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Walking quickly, despite his limp, Kevin was on a mission. He wasn’t sure how he felt about two men fighting over him. He was flattered, but on the other hand he hated violence. The fact that Joey had stood up for him, got hurt for him, raised Joey in his estimations.

Grabbing a few items from the first aid box, Kevin scuttled back to Joey’s lorry. He saw a rather dishevelled Cal lumbering towards his own vehicle—Kevin gave him a wide berth. No point in tempting fate, he thought.

“Ouch!” Joey winced as Kevin applied iodine to his cuts.

“Sorry, Sir, I did warn you.”

“Yeah, you did,” Joey said through gritted teeth.

“Well, if you will go off fighting,” Kevin said light-heartedly.

“I was defending you.”

Kevin stopped what he was doing and lowered his head. “No one’s ever stuck up for me before,” he whispered.

Kevin felt a hand rest on his shoulder; he looked up to see a concerned expression on Joey’s face.

“I was always getting picked on at school. I tried to make friends with a couple of the bigger kids, hoping they’d protect me.”

“And did they?” Joey rubbed Kevin’s shoulder.

“Sort of, but they weren’t keen on having a nerd hanging around them all the time.”

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault.”

“No,” Joey sighed. “I guess I was a bit of a bully at school, I never really saw things from the other person’s point of view.”

“There’s no reason why you should, you being strong and tough and everything.”

Joey sighed, obviously thinking about things in his past.

“There, you’ll do,” Kevin said, finishing patching up Joey’s face and hands. “You might not win any beauty competitions for a few weeks, but there shouldn’t be any permanent damage.”

“You saying I’d win one normally?”

Kevin felt his face heat up. He hated that he blushed way too easily.

Joey ruffled Kevin’s hair. “You go and put the stuff back, then we really have to be going.”

Kevin nodded. “Sorry there was no ice. Mr Parker must have used it all. I’m sorry I didn’t check it yesterday.”

Joey took Kevin’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “How were you to know I’d need ice today? And anyway, I wouldn’t be able to drive with an ice pack stuck on my face.”

“True.”

“Now go on, scram.” Joey waved his hand at the passenger’s door.

As he limped back to the main building, Kevin felt a warm glow wash over him. Maybe he’d misjudged Joey. Underneath the man was kind, gentle, and…

Packing away the unused Band Aids, antiseptic ointment and iodine, Kevin couldn’t help but to recall the events of the previous night. Joey had been wonderful. No one, least of all Cal, had shown him such kindness and consideration before. Though Cal had his moments of tenderness—Kevin had lived for those—they were few and far between. But last night, Joey had carried him around his flat, fed him—although the food wasn’t up to much—then he’d talked with him, and best of all held him all night long without making any s****l demands on him. With a jolt, Kevin realised he was falling for the big lorry driver. The thought scared him; Kevin knew he wasn’t ready for a relationship. It was highly unlikely Joey wanted him anyway.