Simple Man

- TWENTYSIX -

    Edmond's knee wouldn't stop jumping, even though this would be the third time Raul placed his hand on it to get him to stop. "He's not going to be happy to see us."

"He might not be but we're already on the plane." Raul said as they sat waiting for everyone to finish boarding. They were already in their seats but it was crowded and loud which did nothing to ease Edmond's anxiety. He was irritated that the only seats the two of them could get were in the business class, but at least it wasn't economy.

"What are going to do once we get there? What if he tells us to leave?" Edmond asked, trying to distract himself by looking at his planner. He had cleared out a week with his other clients so he could make the trip to Juniper. He told each of them it was a family emergency but couple of them knew it had to do with Rowan—thankfully none of them pressed the subject any further. Edmond couldn't handle that line of questioning yet, he was here to get his own questions answered first.

   It was already starting. The sun had barely rose when they drove out the gate of his house that morning and their were already three paparazzi standing across the street. Edmond wasn't sure but one of them looked like Quincy Riggs and if he was there this story was going to break any day now. Those paparazzi knew something was up and Quincy was like a dog with a bone when it came to a story. Edmond popped a Valium to calm his nerves, the idea of being swept up in a news circus and the fact he was about to hop on an impromptu plane ride in the hopes to his runaway client had his anxiety spiking.

This wasn't working. Edmond closed his planner.

"What if he's not there? What if he's in Panama Beach enjoying a Pina Colada poolside and we're reading too much into this?"

"Firstly, Rowan would never drink a Pina Colada. You know that. I don't even know why you say things  like that, and secondly Panama Beach is more of a stretch than this Juniper place he apparently grew up in." Raul pointed out patiently as he soothed Edmond's vibrating knee.

"I know but maybe I want to go to Panama Beach because maybe I need a Pina Colada by the poolside." Edmond retorted.

   Edmond knew that's not what he actually wanted to do—he truly wanted to find his friend—but his nerves were suggesting that booze would compliment the Valium exceedingly well. Edmond knew he said silly things but that was just to deflect his true feelings. He believed that's why him and Rowan understood each other so well. The two of them could carry deep conversations about absolutely nothing for hours. Rowan would usually roll his eyes as Edmond would criticize the food he had prepared. Rowan and Raul loved Edmond's cooking but Edmond was proper British and couldn't take a compliment to save his life. Just like now.

"I know you're secret, you're a good friend. Regardless of the nonsense that come out of that beautiful mouth." Raul said as he kissed Edmond on the temple.

Edmond dismissed the compliment with a shrug, "Shhh... Don't go spreading that around, ruin my reputation."

"Can't have that." Raul said.

"No, can't have that." Edmond agreed.

   Everyone was in their seats when the flight attendants went over the safety the scripted precautions. Edmond ignored them and asked his partner, "So we are landing in New Orleans, how long does it take to get to Juniper again?"

"About hour drive northwest."

"I'm glad we called ahead and paid for the rental car." Edmond said as he went back to his planner.

"I can't believe you rented a Laredo, couldn't get a Ferrari huh?" Raul asked, smirking at Edmond.

"We are two openly gay men going into a small town in the deep south, that's a big unknown. I thought we should just play it safe. I don't want to draw unnecessary attention to us and I figured Rowan would appreciate me not being an ostentatious bitch for once in my life. Also, for the record there is nothing wrong with enjoying nice things—judgey." He replied, without looking up from the calendar in his face.

"Do you think Zach will be able to handle all your clients?" Raul asked.

Edmond scoffed as he continue to read over his clients various commitments, thumbing through the pages, "Doubt it but what choice do I have? No, they'll eat him alive—especially Teresa."

   Raul grimaced at the mention of Teresa Fairchild, Edmond's eldest client and Hollywood royalty, "I'll write the eulogy."

Edmond laughed, apparently a little too loudly as one of the attendants coughed and both men looked up to meet the disapproving eye browns of an severely looking woman. "Look lady I'm sure your job is miserable but my tray is closed, arms aren't in the aisle and I got my seatbelt fastened. All I did was laugh. I'm basically the poster child of airline passengers everywhere. So what's your problem?"

She didn't say anything, just turned her nose up slightly as she walked toward first class. Raul lightly pulled Edmonds ear lobe as he said, "You better hope that's not our attendant, because then we aren't getting shit on this flight."

"I'm sure she's dealt with worse, besides she should have given us a dirty look. It wasn't like I was giving you a handy under your jacket."

"You're terrible." Raul replied.

"You picked me." Edmond said, dryly.

"I hit on you at a bar, I hardly picked you. You're the one who drunkenly followed me down the road like a lost puppy." Raul retorted.

"True, I am needy and high maintenance. You basically adopted me that night."

"I was feeling charitable." Raul said.

Edmond shoot his head and closed his planned before putting it away. He could feel the plane start to move and it was definitely too late to get off now. Right or wrong they were headed to Louisiana. If Rowan happened not to be there Edmond felt marginally comforted that the trip wouldn't be a complete waste of time for he always wanted to try authentic Cajun cuisine.