“I try! I try!” Sam squealed happily as he watched Justin blow bubbles in his coke through the straw.

Justin had laughed at the expression on Josh’s face when he’d told him he wanted coke for breakfast, he’d given him a mischievous smile before ordering it himself. He liked coke and yes it wasn’t really healthy and of course weird to drink in the morning but hey who cares? Besides who knew when he would get the chance to buy it again.

Justin giggled as he saw the happy smile on Sam’s face and the playful scowl on Josh’s face as they both watched his bubble blowing trick. He saw Josh’s embarrassment but he also saw he was enjoying himself; he was just pretending to be angry to keep up his father act and Justin found that very sexy. He passed the glass to Sam with a mischievous smile to Josh, settling it in front of the little boy and guiding the straw to his lips.

“Now blow” Justin told him gently, his arm around Sam’s chair. And Sam blew, carefully at first but when he saw the effect he pressed more and more air into the straw making larger bubbles in the glass of coke. He giggled happily as he saw the effect and clapped his hands enthusiastically, satisfied he could do that too just like Justin. Josh finally lost it and smiled fully at the happiness of his kid. Justin noticed it and smiled at him, his eyes lit up and giggles erupted from him.

Justin tensed; his smile slid off his face quickly and he swallowed his giggles at once, his eyes darted away from the door and he made himself as small as possible as to not to be noticed.

Josh looked at him strangely; what was wrong with him? He tried to make eye contact but Justin avoided it, he glanced down at his hands in his lap. Josh furrowed his eyebrows, confusion apparent in his eyes. He was sitting with his back to the door and hadn’t seen what Justin had. Justin, who was now looking around him frantically searching for an escape route if the situation called for it. The ding of the diner door drew his attention to the door as he saw Justin shrinking further in his seat out of the corner of his eye. Josh turned in his seat, looking straight at the door where two cops on a pit stop stepped in.

“Eddy, 2 coffee please” one of them ordered. Justin jumped when he heard the voice, he closed his eyes tightly thinking they would arrest him any minute now and he almost had a heart attack when someone grabbed his hand. His eyes flew open but it wasn’t a uniform he was met with; it were the calming steel blue eyes of the stunning man on his left.

“Calm down” Josh soothed softly, bending towards the distraught young boy. He’d seen the cops come in and understood why Justin was so nervous all of a sudden. Justin tried to take deep calming breaths but the prospect of jail was working against him.

“They’re not here for you, calm down” Josh repeated in soothing tones but it didn’t work. Justin continued to gaze wildly at the two officers at the bar who were drinking coffee, sure of the fact they would get up and arrest him any minute now. The diner was almost empty making it even worse for Justin.

“Can we go” Justin whispered urgently, his eyes pleading with Josh to say yes, the calming breaths were not working for him; he needed to get out of there. He needed to get as far away from those cops as possible but Josh shook his head no.

“We can’t just get up and leave, it will look suspicious” Josh told him softly but determined and Justin knew he was right but that didn’t mean he wanted him to be. Justin eyes were wild, he was terrified and Josh noticed it, the cops didn’t seem to leave. Josh rummaged through Sam’s changing bag till he found what he’d been looking for.

“Read Sam a story” Josh offered as he pushed a thin book into Justin’s hands, urging him on with a quick nod. Josh always brought a couple of items to keep his son entertained if it were necessary and he was grateful he took the bag with him. Although it wasn’t really to keep Sam entertained this time.

Justin looked at him strangely, had he lost his mind?

“What?” he asked incredulously.

There were cops in here; only 30 feet away from him, ready to bust him and throw him into jail and Josh wanted him to read?!

Was he nuts?

Josh saw the look in Justin’s eyes.

“Trust me” he whispered before nodding once again, urging him to start. Justin’s hands shakily opened the book and he slowly began to read. Sam gave him his full attention and listened intently; it was his favorite book. Justin’s frantic, wild and panicking attitude slowly disappeared, he was calming down with every line he read out loud and Josh watched satisfied. Justin continued to read and although he was still more than aware the cops were there, Sam distracted him just enough to not be noticed by his nerves. He was half way through when a hard laugh made him jump which was followed by a friendly,

“Thanks Eddy, see you later” Justin glanced up nervously and followed the two officers with his eyes as they walked towards the door. The cops left without a second glance to the two young men and the kid in the corner and Justin breathed a sigh of relief. He stood to leave immediately but Josh stopped him.

“Wait a little while, you’re safe. Trust me nothing is going to happen, you’re safe” he talked into him and Justin sat down slowly; he trusted him. He did. He’d only known the man for a couple of days but he trusted him so he stayed where he was. They waited a couple of minutes, making sure the cops had left before they asked for the bill. Josh paid quickly, lifted Sam out of his seat and went for the door. When they got outside Justin couldn’t help but quickly look around him to make sure the cops had really left and luckily they did. He didn’t spot the police car anymore and now… now he was safe. Sam was twisting in Josh’s grip to see everything around him but Josh kept his eyes on the young man walking beside him as they walked back to the car.

“Thank you” Justin told him seriously as he looked him straight in the eye.

“Sure” Josh smiled, happy his little plan had been successful. Josh continued to watch Justin, hoping for signs but Justin kept his eyes ahead and would occasionally glance over his shoulder to make sure there were no cops following him. The silence stretched till they were halfway to the car. Justin looked up and twisted to see Josh.

“How did you know what to do?” he asked curiously, still in awe Josh had come up with an idea like that and that it had actually worked.

“I saw something about shoplifting once and they said that cops always pick out the nervous people. I just wanted to make you seem relaxed so you wouldn’t be noticed” Josh explained with a shy smile before he shifted Sam on his arm.

“Thanks” Justin said seriously.

“Your welcome” Josh said, the smile still present.

He was happy it had worked, he didn’t want Justin to go to jail; not now….. not ever.