Page 44 of Laying Low

“One person can’t carry all the gear,” Anthony said.“And the boys are who they’re looking for.You and the boys go around the side of the building.These guys haven’t stopped the cars yet.I’ll go make two trips, and you three start toward the beach while I’m making the second one.”Anthony paused and swallowed.“We can’t go without food, Reg.This might be the last chance we get to eat for a few.”

Reg nodded and then gave a faint smile.“And cheese alone isn’t going to do it.”

Anthony shuddered.“At least we’ll be sleeping outside,” he said.

Reg took a deep breath and turned to go intercept the boys as they came out of the bathroom.

“Hey,” Anthony said softly.“Be careful.”

And then, oh wow.One of those kisses.Short and hard, because they were standing on business, but soul-sustaining.Meaningful.

Important.

“Boyfriends, right?”Reg said, feeling pathetic.He knew intellectually that there was more to a relationship than just sex, but somehowthisrelationship felt so much more important because sex was on the table.

“Oh my God, yes,” Anthony said.“Now go.”

Reg smiled at him and went.

There was a smaller back entrance that led to a patio, and the patio had steps to one of many hiking trails that led to the ocean.Reg greeted the boys calmly and took them toward that exit, proud that they caught his mood and behaved casually—but moved quickly.

“Which way are we going?”Ilia asked as they pounded down the small staircase, and Reg took a breath.

“Well, I’m waiting for the first round of backpacks, but I think the pier is that way.”He gestured vaguely west.“There should be a trail guide where the trees start.I think you can see it from here.You guys head that way and pause at the first fork in the road.If anybody but us approaches, get off the trail and hide.”He grimaced.“But, you know, watch out for poison oak and poison ivy and snakes and small bears and—”

Ilia and Reynaldo stared at him.

“Your brain does this all the time,” Reynaldo said.“You must beexhausted.Trust us, Mr.Royal.We know how to hide.”

“Closets, trees, is all the same,” Ilia said, and Reynaldo smacked him on the back of the head.

“Is true!”Ilia laughed, and together the two of them took off, walking quickly but not running down the path Reghopedwould take them to the mouth of Tillamook Bay.

God, he was starting to love those kids.

For a moment, he was alone, staring off across a field swept with the cold bay wind.They were all dressed in hoodies and cargo shorts, and he found himself doing an inventory of everybody’s knapsacks, including the freshly laundered clothes that had added half an hour to their morning to finish drying.

Would they have enough?Oh God, he should have told Anthony to make sure he got the gear knapsack, with the foil blankets and wool blankets and the rain ponchos.It rained all the time here, and what if they had to sleep outside and—

“Here,” Anthony gasped, coming around the building at a full sprint, a backpack over each shoulder and a full canvas tote in his hand.“Start this toward the boys.”

“That way,” Reg said, taking first one and then the other pack from Anthony.

“Okay, I’ll head that way.”

“Are they scoping out the car?”Reg asked breathlessly as Anthony made sure the top of the tote was securely closed.

“No, but they have done the asshole park thing and are heading inside the factory.I figure I’ve got about ten minutes to get to the parking lot and back out here before they realize you can get down to the paths from the patio.”

“Oh God,” Reg squeaked.

“Get moving.The bag’s got the blankets and the ponchos and shit.I’ll have the food bag and the books.”

And before Reg could tell him to leave the books, Anthony was gone, and Reg had no choice but to go with the plan.

THE BOYSwere apparently made of speed, because it took Reg twenty minutes to catch up with them, laboring under the weight of the three bags.As soon as he passed from the windswept grasses to the stand of pine trees overlooking a cliff over the ocean, though, he heard Reynaldo call out.

“Mr.Royal, stop.We’ll come help you.”