Chapter 23: Chapter 23

“You’re welcome, little man.”

Tim turned to Denny and smiled. “And you must be—”

“Denny!” Babe said. “He’s Denny.”

Tim raised an eyebrow but didn’t challenge her. “Hello, Denny.”

Denny stepped forward and held out his hand. “Hello.”

Tim shook it, then studied the three young men. “And you are?”

Charles introduced them. “Brad. Ryan. I’m Charles.”

“So you’re Charles. Sweetcheeks mentioned you.”

Charles started to frown, then quickly smoothed his expression, as if he were worried about lines and wrinkles. “I imagine it was nothing good.”

“Why would you think that?” Tim asked.

“We…you might say we’re not the closest of friends.”

“Well, he just told me you’d be driving Babe and her little boy down here.”

“Oh.” A warm tide of red climbed Charles’s cheeks. It would be interesting to find out what had gone on between the two rent boys, but Babe had learned long ago not to poke her nose where it didn’t belong.