Andrew Grey's Blog, page 57
November 26, 2010
Love Means... Courage
Blurb:
Len Parker is laid off during the recession in the early eighties and decides to go back to college at home in rural Michigan, where he reconnects with his best friend from high school, Ruby. He's overjoyed when she marries Cliff Laughton and overcome with sorrow when she dies an untimely death, leaving behind her husband and two-year-old son.
Out of work again, Len finds a job at Cliff Laughton's sorely neglected farm. Cliff is still mourning his wife, struggling to raise his son, and has little enthusiasm or energy left for work. Len immediately begins to whip the farm—including the two Laughtons—into shape. Working side by side, Len and Cliff grow ever closer, but loving another man takes a lot of courage. They'll have to stand together as they face faltering business, threatening drought, misguided family, and Midwestern prejudices to protect what might be a lifelong love.
Available at:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Excerpt:
Len’s mother dropped him and Ruby at the party on Saturday, but not after grilling them like a CIA agent would. “If there’s alcohol, you both stay away and call me. I’ll come right back and pick you up.” Len’s mother could be formidable, and neither of them had any thoughts about crossing her. “I’ll pick you both up at eleven.”
“Okay, Mom.” Len helped Ruby out of the car, “We’ll be fine.” He deliberately kept himself from rolling his eyes; she’d pick up on that. The woman picked up on everything.
The party was obviously in the yard. A fire had been lit, and there were tables with food and drinks nearby. Most of the cast was already there, and they walked up and said hello. He knew everybody. Mason County Central High School wasn’t big enough for you to not know everyone.
“Hey, Len. Hi, Ruby.” Cliff greeted them both and showed them where everything was with Sheila sticking to him like glue.
The school musical had been a huge success, with every performance nearly sold out, and during those weeks of rehearsal, the cast members had become quite close. “Are you two going to prom?” Len turned around and saw Brenda, one of the Pink Ladies, asking as she approached.
“No, I have to work.” Len knew that Ruby was disappointed, but he hadn’t wanted her to miss it. “But Ruby’s going with Brad.” Brenda giggled and pulled Ruby away, leading her over to where the girls were talking. It never ceased to amaze Len that they all went to school together every day, sat in the same classrooms, and ate lunch together, but put them in a social setting, and the girls and boys separated like milk and cream.
Len wandered over to where the guys were talking, hearing Cliff’s voice over the rest. “She’s driving me crazy, thinks I’m her boyfriend or something. Is she delusional? I’m not Danny, and she’s not Sandy. The play’s over.”
“So break it off with her. Tell her you’re not interested, because she sure thinks you are.” Cliff was about to say something when one of the other guys chimed in. “I heard she puts out.”
Cliff snorted and laughed. “Are you kidding? She’s some sort of nun.” Then Cliff made a face that Len couldn’t see, and everyone laughed. The girls made their way over, and the party shifted as couples paired off. Ruby was talking to Brad, and Len was pleased the two of them were getting along. Ruby was a friend, and he knew she would never be more than that. The mere thought of anything more than that scared him.
Len stayed near the food table, talking with the guys. He was having a great time. The night was cool but not cold, and everyone was friendly and sociable. Throughout the evening, he watched as the occasional couple snuck off onto one of the paths for a little private partying.
“Len.” He turned and saw Cliff coming over sans Sheila. “Do you have a minute?”
“Sure.”
Cliff motioned behind one of the barns, and Len followed, wondering what Cliff could want. “I wanted to ask you something.” Cliff shifted from foot to foot, his nervousness apparent. “The other day—” He stopped and then started over. “During dress rehearsal, when I knocked you over….”
Len was ready for the earth to swallow him whole. Cliff had felt him. How in the world was he going to explain it away? “Listen, Cliff, it was an accident….” He began to stammer and look around, trying to determine the best way to disappear.
“I know. I didn’t mean to knock you over. I felt bad that I might have hurt you. Mr. Stevens reamed me a good one the next day.”
Len slowly released the breath he’d been holding. “No, I just got the wind knocked out of me, but that didn’t last long.” He heard his normal tone return to his voice.
Cliff leaned close, his face near Len’s. “I’m glad. I thought I might have damaged something important, if you know what I mean.”
Len’s first and only instinct was to play dumb. “Huh?”
“I felt you.” Cliff’s eyes rose to meet his, and Len was surprised at what he didn’t see. There was no disgust, no condemnation, and no world coming to an end. Len swallowed and waited to see what Cliff would do. He braced himself for the worst. Instead, he saw Cliff looking at him, their eyes locked onto each others’. Len thought he saw Cliff getting closer and wondered if he was going to kiss him. Len’s lips parted, and he saw Cliff tilt his head just slightly. He closed his eyes and felt a light touch on his lips. Damn, he was kissing Cliff Laughton, or Cliff was kissing him. It didn’t really matter; this was like a dream come true.
“Cliff!” Sheila’s voice cut through the night like a knife. They pulled away and straightened up just as she rounded the corner of the barn. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” At that point she noticed Len. “Hey, Len.”
God damn it! Why’d she have to show up now? Len wanted to scream. He composed himself quickly, wiping the disappointment from his face. “Hi, Sheila.”
She latched onto Cliff’s arm and began walking him away, obviously unaware of what had almost happened, and what she’d almost seen.
Cliff tried to take control of the conversation. “Sheila, we need to talk.”
“I’ll say we do. There are some things we definitely need to get settled for after graduation.” The girl was driven; you had to give her credit for that. She knew what she wanted and went for it, no holds barred.
Len watched as they walked away, and he again saw Cliff turn to look at him. And this time, there was nothing in the way. What he saw surprised him, because it looked like disappointment.
Len got a hold of himself again and walked from behind the barn to rejoin the party. Ruby and Brad were still sitting together talking. He checked his watch; their ride wouldn’t be there for another half hour, so he sat quietly around the fire, making small talk with other people he knew. One of the girls whispered in his ear, “Are you okay with Ruby and Brad?”
Len turned and smiled. “Ruby and I are good friends.” He heard a car pull into the driveway and realized it was his ride. He’d been hoping to see Cliff again before he left, but he was nowhere to be seen, although Sheila had returned to the party, definitely looking subdued. Len said his good-byes and got Ruby, and the two of them climbed in the car.
His mother asked all about the party, and Ruby told her everything that happened. As they pulled out of the drive, Len craned his head, trying to see Cliff, until the farm disappeared into the night.
November 23, 2010
Love Means... No Shame
Blurb:
Geoff is in the city, living the gay life to the hilt, when his father's death convinces him to return to the family farm. Discovering a young Amish man asleep in his barn, Geoff learns that Eli is spending a year away from the community before accepting baptism into the church. Despite their mutual attraction, Geoff is determined not to become involved with him, but Eli has discovered that Geoff shares his feelings and begins to court him, neatly capturing first Geoff's attention and then his heart.
Their budding relationship is threatened by closed-minded, gossipy relatives and the society at large, a whole new world to Eli, and he must decide whether to return to the community, his family, and the world and future he knows or to stay with Geoff and have faith in the power of love.
Available at:Dreamspinner Press
Amazon
Excerpt:
He’d never needed an alarm to get him up in the morning, well at least when he hadn’t been drinking and this morning wasn’t an exception. It was still dark and Geoff was out of bed, cleaned up, dressed, and in the kitchen grabbing a bite to eat before going to the barn for his morning ride. He heard a soft knock and opened the door to find Lumpy looking concerned, standing on the steps. “There’s something in the barn that you have to see.”
Geoff looked dubious, but followed Lumpy across the yard, into the barn, and down to the empty stall on the end where he saw a pair of black boots. Looking in the stall, he was surprised to see a pair of legs and peeking around the corner, the sleeping form of what looked like a young man. The barn was still largely dark with only the early morning light coming through the windows and open door, but it was enough for Geoff to see that this man was extraordinary. It was only after seeing his sleeping face that he noticed the black pants sticking out from under the black coat he was using as a blanket and the wide brimmed black hat that had been carefully set on the empty manger. What on earth was an Amish boy doing sleeping in his barn?
Geoff didn’t get much time to contemplate the question because a few seconds later, the young man’s eyes opened and immediately filled with fear. Suddenly he was on his feet and running like a jackrabbit out of the barn and into the yard. Lumpy looked at Geoff and took off after him, but Geoff called him back. “I’ll go; you get started with your work.” Lumpy nodded and Geoff picked up the hat and pair of boots, walking outside. Dawn was just starting to break and he could see the boy standing by the road, looking back at the barn.
Geoff walked slowly in his direction, treating the boy like a spooked horse, making no sudden movements. “You forgot your boots and hat.” He held them out to him and when he didn’t move forward, Geoff slowly bent down and set them on the ground. “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you.” He stepped back and the boy moved forward, pulling on his boots and taking his hat. “Why were you sleeping in the barn? Where’s your family?”
“Rumspringa.”
The word sounded foreign to Geoff, “I don’t know what that means.”
The young man, he was definitely not a boy, stood back up again, those intense blue eyes boring into him, “It is my time away from the community.”
Geoff nodded, not really understanding too much about Amish life other than what he’d heard second hand, but if he was supposed to live away from the community and he was sleeping in his barn, he obviously didn’t have a place to stay. “Are you hungry?”
The young man stood stark still as if deciding to answer or bolt, listen to his fear or his stomach. “Yes.”
Geoff smiled and extended his hand, “I’m Geoff and this is my farm.”
The Amish youth looked around, his eyes traveling over the house and barns, his eyes filling with awe. “I’m Elijah, Elijah Henninger.” He took Geoff’s hand and shook it tentatively.
“All right Elijah, follow me and we’ll get you some breakfast.” Geoff turned and walked toward the house checking to see if Elijah was following. “It’s okay, we’re just going inside.” He led them to the back door and into the kitchen. Elijah followed and immediately took off his hat when he came inside, unsure where to go or what to do.
The look of surprise on Len’s face when he saw the young Amish man standing in the kitchen was hard to miss, but luckily Elijah was looking around and missed it. Geoff pretended he hadn’t seen it and started talking as though there was nothing out of the ordinary, “Is breakfast almost ready?”
For a second, Len looked at him like he had three heads, but then remembered his manners, “About ten minutes.”
“Good.” Geoff motioned Elijah over, “Len, this is Elijah, he’ll be joining us for breakfast. Elijah, this is Leonard, Len, he’s the foreman here on the farm.” There was no way that Geoff was going to try to explain their relationship and Len seemed to understand and followed his lead.
Geoff indicated a chair and Elijah sat down, placing his hat beneath, “Thank you, sir.” Len finished dishing up the food, putting three plates at their places on the table while Geoff poured glasses of juice and set them at each place. “What’s that?” Geoff looked and saw Elijah pointing at the glass.
Oh my god… what a realization. “It’s orange juice, try it.” Elijah looked dubious, but took a sip and smiled, tasting some more before putting the glass back down. He then started eating with gusto, the eggs, pancakes, and toasted bread disappearing quickly washed down by the juice. He was definitely hungry. Geoff watched out of the corner of his eyes as he ate his own breakfast and sipped his coffee. He’d poured Elijah a cup and he’d sipped it, shuddered, put the cup back without touching it again.
Len had been watching Elijah with a strange look on his face, “I know you.” Then he remembered, “I see you at the bakery when I buy bread.”
A banging outside startled all of them, with Elijah jumping a little in his chair, and then Fred hurried into in the kitchen, his eyes widening when he saw Elijah. “Len, it’s Princess, she’s struggling with the foal. I called the vet, but he’s on another call. His office said he be here as soon as he can.”
“Fuck and damn.” Len leapt from his chair, grabbed his coat and was out the door followed by Fred. Geoff gulped the last of his coffee like he was downing a shot of whiskey and grabbed his coat as well.
He wasn’t sure what he could do, but he was sure as hell not going to sit here while one of his horses was in trouble. “Come on!” He handed Elijah his coat and rushed out the door, Elijah right behind him.
Elijah called from behind him. “Do you know about birthing horses?”
[image error] Description:
Geoff is in the city, living the gay life to the hilt, when his father's death convinces him to return to the family farm. Discovering a young Amish man asleep in his barn, Geoff learns that Eli is spending a year away from the community before accepting baptism into the church. Despite their mutual attraction, Geoff is determined not to become involved with him, but Eli has discovered that Geoff shares his feelings and begins to court him, neatly capturing first Geoff's attention and then his heart.
Their budding relationship is threatened by closed-minded, gossipy relatives and the society at large, a whole new world to Eli, and he must decide whether to return to the community, his family, and the world and future he knows or to stay with Geoff and have faith in the power of love.
November 22, 2010
Simple Gifts - Christmas with Geoff and Eli
Last Christmas I wrote this story about a special Christmas for Geoff and Eli. It was included in the 2009 Dreamspinner Advent Calendar. I hope you like it.
Blurb: Eli never regrets leaving the Amish community to live with his lover, except maybe at Christmastime, when the pull of family is strongest. But even if Eli's family could accept his love for Geoff, he doesn't want them shunned by the community for his choices. So he's reconciled himself to a Christmas without them, until Geoff gives him a gift that changes the way Eli defines family.
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press:
Excerpt:
The snow crunched as Geoff walked between the trees, branches hanging heavy with white. “This one looks good.”
Eli stepped up and knocked the snow off the limbs, sending white flurries flying on the breeze and right into Geoff’s face. “Sorry.” He couldn’t stop himself from snickering.
“You think that’s funny?” Geoff bounded toward his lover, arms gripping him tightly as he sent them both flying into a huge drift of white. Eli started to protest, but Geoff quelled it with a touch of his lips, capturing Eli’s with his own. The snow, the cold, the wind—all vanished, as Geoff felt his lover beneath him, a soft moan mingling with the song of the winter birds. Geoff traced his tongue over the ridge of Eli’s lips, the shape familiar, the taste known, the warmth home.
The winter wind picked up, its tendrils working beneath his layers, and Geoff slivered slightly. Pulling away, he got to his feet before helping Eli to his.
“We should decide and get back. It’ll be dark soon,” Eli commented as he trudged out of the drift, stomping off the snow. “The temperature’s going to start dropping fast.”
Geoff pulled Eli to him, chest to chest. “I’ll keep you warm.” He felt Eli shiver against him and smiled, knowing it wasn’t entirely from the cold. After another kiss, they returned their attention to the Douglas fir standing in front of them. “I like it,” Eli said, as he felt the soft needles.
“Me too.” Geoff picked up the canvas bag they’d brought with them and pulled out the saw, handing it to Eli. He held the branches up at the base and watched as Eli leaned into the tree and began to cut. A crack and a shift signaled that the tree was ready to fall, and Geoff held it upright as Eli cut through and stepped back. Geoff let the tree fall away from them and retrieved a length of rope from the bag. Tying it around the trunk, they put away the tools and grabbed the bag before dragging the tree along the row toward the road.
“Find a good one?” Old man Nichols smiled as they approached the office of the cut-your-own Christmas tree farm.
Geoff grinned as he displayed their prize before stowing it in the back of the truck. “How much do we owe you, Greg?”
The man made dismissive noises, “After all you helped out after the storm this year? You take it, and have a merry Christmas.” He patted both Geoff and Eli on the shoulders as he walked over to other customers emerging from the field of trees.
With a final wave, they climbed into the truck and Geoff started the engine, pulling out of the parking lot. Geoff turned on the radio and Christmas music filled the cabin of the truck as they drove the short distance toward the farm.
Pulling into the drive, Geoff parked near the house, and together he and Eli unloaded the tree, setting in the snow near the back door. “We’ll bring it in tomorrow.” Eli nodded his agreement as he opened the back door, holding it for Geoff.
The warmth of the house wrapped around him like one of Eli’s warm hugs, and after stomping off the snow, he slipped off his outdoor gear. Geoff then tromped into the kitchen, with Eli right behind him. Heading for the coffee pot, he poured them each a steaming mug.
“Did you get a good one?” Len called from the living room.
“Sure did. We’ll put it up tomorrow.” Geoff carried their mugs into the living room, setting them on the coffee table before sitting on the sofa. Thinking Eli was right behind him, Geoff looked around for his missing lover, then heard his footsteps climbing the stairs. Geoff retrieved his mug and sipped, the warm liquid finally thawing him from the inside. Turning to Len, he whispered, “I can’t figure it out what to get Eli for Christmas.”
Len scoffed, “And you’re asking me?”
Geoff shook his head; he knew better. “No, just hoping for some inspiration.” He shifted, getting comfortable as the images on the television flickered, capturing his attention.
The sofa next to him dipped, and Geoff handed Eli his coffee, moving closer to hold his lover as they watched the mindless chatter. Geoff knew Eli wouldn’t sit long—he never did, rarely watching television at all—so Geoff enjoyed the quiet closeness before Eli’s energy got the best of him.
The windows darkened as the light faded, and the wind picked up. Eli finished his coffee and, as Geoff expected, got up and put his mug in the sink before going back upstairs. Soon, thumping and bumps echoed through the house, and Geoff turned to Len, “I’ll go see what he’s doing.”
Len got out of his chair. “I’ll start dinner.”
Geoff followed the noise and found Eli in the closet of the spare bedroom, digging through boxes. “What are you looking for?”
“The things for the tree.” He didn’t add a “duh,” but it was clearly implied in his tone.
Geoff tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to a neat stack of four large boxes standing in the corner of the room. “I got them out yesterday.”
Eli returned the boxes he’d dragged out to the closet and shut the door. “Would you help me carry them downstairs?” Eli picked up two boxes and began carrying them out of the room. Geoff didn’t answer, but picked up the other two boxes, smiling as he watched Eli’s backside, that butt flexing as he descended the stairs.
They put the boxes in the living room and Eli began digging through them. Geoff got out of the way and let Eli have his fun. He’d learned the year before that this was something Eli absolutely loved to do.
Papers were spread on the living room floor and Eli hauled in pine boughs he’d cut and gathered. Boxes were opened and ribbons, bows, and simple wooden decorations spilled out. Geoff rested on the sofa, listening to the sounds of home. He heard Len in the kitchen, the dishes clanking, and footsteps as Eli moved through the room, covering the mantle with pine boughs tied with gold and red ribbon. “Do you need help?”
“No,” Geoff heard both Eli and Len reply, as they continued their tasks. The aromas of dinner drifted in from the kitchen as the room filled with the scent of pine. Eli hummed softly to himself as he worked, tying sprays with bows that hung on the spindles going up the stairs.
Feeling guilty, Geoff got up and went into the basement, returning with the large tree stand, placing it in the back so it would be ready for the tree. Then, figuring “What the hell,” he slipped on his coats and boots, took the stand outside, and fastened it onto the tree. Giving everything a good shake, he hauled the tree in the back door, through the kitchen, and to the living room, setting it in front of the large window.
Eli stopped what he was doing. “I could have helped.”
“You were having too much fun.” Geoff stood back, looking at the tree to make sure it was standing straight and tall.
“Can I decorate it tonight?” The childlike wonder in Eli’s eyes was fun to see.
“You could.” Geoff took off his coat and boots, putting them in the mud room and returning. “You could decorate it tomorrow.” Geoff slipped his arms around Eli’s waist, pressing his hips against his lover’s butt, Geoff’s chest to his back, as he kissed the base of Eli’s neck. “I know something else fun we can do.”
Eli dropped the pine bough he’d been holding, and it rustled as it landed on the papers. Eli’s hand slid along Geoff’s hip.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Eli’s head nodded slowly as Geoff nibbled on a warm ear.
“Hmm.” A throat clearing interrupted them. “Dinner’s almost ready.” They both heard the amusement in Len’s voice as they broke apart and walked to the kitchen for dinner. Geoff set the table and Eli helped Len bring over the food. They sat down and dishes were passed. After filling their plates, they began to eat.
“I stopped by the bakery today.” Len passed a plate of fresh bread. “Your uncle gave me a message.”
Eli put down his fork, his attention riveted on Len. Eli’s Amish family rarely sent messages to him. His father didn’t approve of him living among the “English.”
“Your uncle told me that your family hopes that you’ll join them for Christmas.” Geoff watched as Eli’s face lit up for second, but then faded again. He knew that Eli missed his family, particularly at this time of year. But Eli couldn’t tell his family that he was gay. They wouldn’t accept him, but, more importantly, his family’s place in the Amish community would be threatened. They would blame and possible shun his family if they found out, so though he visited them occasionally, it was always alone. Geoff knew Eli felt guilty that Geoff couldn’t come with him whenever he left to visit them, and even more guilty when he returned because of the omission he’d made to his family.
“I’ll see my uncle in the next few days and tell him I’ll visit right after Christmas.” Geoff saw a sadness behind his lover’s eyes, a sadness he hated.
November 20, 2010
Christmas Stories - Winter Love
Blurb:
Forced by his father to evict a tenant from forestland he wants to sell, Blayne travels through the storm and meets Roeder. Stranded, he stays for the magical night and learns that his new lover isn’t at all human – he’s a satyr, and his life is tied to the forest. When Blayne leaves the next day, he’s determined to do what he can to save the land… and Roeder’s heart.
Available from Dreamspinner Press
Also Available at Amazon
Excerpt:
Damn, I hate my father! The old bastard had me drive two hours in the mid- December snow to do his dirty work. Over the last few months my father had gotten a taste of his mortality. A mild heart attack left him tired and bedridden for weeks and he’d driven everyone in the house crazy. My father had always been pushy and bossy, even when he was in a good mood, but having him confined to bed was enough for any of us to contemplate smothering him with a pillow. My brother and sister were absolutely going out of their wits trying to cater to my father’s every whim. You see, my father had a lot of money, and they wanted to make sure they got their share. I was lucky, well, lucky and hardworking, since I’m the only one with a separate income.
While all three of us had gone to college, my brother Ned had graduated and then moved right back home with his wife Anne to live with my parents. My sister, Christine, wasn’t much better. She somehow managed to graduate with a degree in interior design, but she didn’t have the ambition and drive needed in order to become a success. They were both basically good people, and if my father hadn’t spent most of his time belittling everything they did, they might have made something of themselves. To be honest, I’m not much better, because I too moved back home after college.
This morning my father had summoned me to him through Raymond, his personal assistant. I was sitting at my desk in my bedroom working on a short story. I’d graduated from college with a degree in English two years ago. At first, I didn’t have much luck getting a job, so I spent a lot of time at the gym, and I started reading erotic gay love stories while I was on the treadmill. After reading a number of them, I figured I’d try writing one. I liked the process and enjoyed reading what I’d written, so when I was done, I submitted it to a publisher. They liked it, printed it, and I’d been writing for them ever since. In addition, with help from my publisher, I’d also had short stories published in a couple of magazines. It was a good arrangement, and no one in my family knew I had my own source of income.
I was just getting to the really good part of the story when I heard a soft knock on my door. “Blayne, your father would like to see you in his room.” I’d always liked Raymond, and I knew that he’d cleaned up what my father had actually said.
I huffed to myself because I was in the zone and could have easily finished in another hour. “Tell him I’ll be right there.” Raymond shot a smile at me and I returned it. I knew he was only doing his job.
Pushing back from my desk, I saved and closed the file on my laptop, locked it from prying eyes, then headed out of my room and down the long, paneled hall to my father’s office, located next to his bedroom. I knocked and then opened the door. “Raymond said you wanted to see me.” My father was sitting at his desk with a blanket wrapped around his legs. Papers were piled all around him. He’d always been a strong, active man, but since the heart attack he’d looked weak and sort of frail, but his tongue was as sharp as ever.
“Yes, I bloody well did. I want you to take care of something.” I said nothing and waited. “Over the last few weeks I’ve started the process of simplifying my estate. Selling off hard-to-manage properties and liquidating unproductive assets.” He sifted through some of the papers on his desk. “Your grandfather bought a parcel of wooded land decades ago. He never did anything with it, the fool.” Disliking your father was fast becoming a tradition in my family. “I was approached by a developer a few weeks ago about purchasing the property and I’ve decided to sell it.” That pronouncement hit me cold. I’d visited the property with grandpa and we’d hunted and fished there. Those memories were particularly strong and happy, some of the best I have, and I’d always hoped that the land would be part of my inheritance. But I knew arguing with dad right now would be useless, so I kept quiet. “I didn’t take the developer’s offer, it was too low, but there is someone living on the property and I want you,” he pointed and wagged his finger at me like a recalcitrant child, “to go up there and evict him. I’ll pay to relocate him and get him an apartment.”
“Who is it?” I’d never heard about a tenant and I’d never seen one when I had visited with grandpa.
My father waved his hand in dismissal, “He’s some old man that your grandfather let live on the property years ago. He shouldn’t be any trouble. He hasn’t paid rent in years. I’ve already called the sheriff and told him what’s going on. He’ll help you get rid of him if you need it.”
“When do you want me to leave?” I looked outside and saw that it was already starting to snow, and I didn’t relish heading further north.
“I want this taken care of right away. The sooner he’s gone, the sooner I can sell the property, and the sooner I can get this over with.” That was my father to a tee − if he got something in his mind, he’d take care of it right away; otherwise, it could languish for years completely ignored. He turned in his chair, his once bright eyes now dull and gray, “Leave today, and get it taken care of.” He turned back to his papers and I was dismissed.
I walked back to my room, swearing softly under my breath. I actually had work to do. Still grumbling to myself, I packed some warm clothes into a suitcase, grabbed my winter coat, packed my laptop and notes, and headed down the hall to the stairs. I passed Christine as I was going down the stairs heading to the front door. “Where are you going in weather like this?”
“I have to run an errand up north for dad. I’ll be gone a few days.” My face didn’t hide the fact that I didn’t want to go.
“In weather like this? You should leave tomorrow.” Christine was always very practical and probably had the most common sense of any of us.
I jerked my head towards the stairs and smirked, “Our father’s in a hurry and told me to leave right away.” I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, “I’ll be careful.” I really loved Christine; she was the most cheerful of all of us and she made life with my father bearable.
I knew she’d worry, so I promised to call her when I arrived, then headed out the door to my car. Unlike Ned and Christine, I drove a nice car, rather than an expensive, fancy car. My father had told me he’d buy me a car when I graduated from college. I’d told him I’d like to pick it out myself, so he wrote me a check. I bought a good, inexpensive, safe car and banked the rest of the money. I’d seen what complete dependency on my father had done to Ned and Christine and I wanted no part of it. So for years I’d returned many of the expensive but needless gifts I’d received from my father, picked out by his personal assistants, and banked the cash.
I unlocked my car, threw my things in the back seat, started the car, and pulled out of the circular driveway and onto our quiet, secluded street on my way to the highway heading north.
An hour later, the snow was still falling steadily as I continued driving. It was still mid-afternoon and, with any luck, I could make it to the property while it was still light, deliver my message, get a hotel room for the night, and head home in the morning.
I usually love to drive, but I was not enjoying this ride, and the more I thought about the task my father had set for me, the more I hated doing my father’s dirty work. Evicting an old man from the home he’d known for years did not sit well with me. Jesus, dad, how can you be so heartless? I already knew my father’s answer, “Money has no heart.” And let’s face it, money was what my father cared about most. Well, money and the power it gave him.
As I continued driving, the snow got steadily heavier and heavier. By the time I’d turned off the highway, it was a near white-out, but at least the wind wasn’t blowing. It took me another half hour to reach the property. A road ran around two sides of the acreage and I looked carefully to see where the tenant might live. After driving slowly along the road for 10 or 15 minutes, I thought I saw tracks, partially covered, heading off into the woods. I pulled off the road and the car immediately sank to the axles in snow. Great, just what I wanted to do, dig the car out of the snow. Luckily I had a shovel in the trunk. I pulled out my cell phone to see if I had service − just barely. Thank god, I could call a tow truck.
I decided to get the unpleasant job over first, so I pulled on my warm clothes, opened the door, and stepped out of the car into knee-deep snow. The trees were laden with snow, their bare branches black on the bottom with snow clinging to the tops. There was no human noise, just the sounds of the air and the trees as they creaked under their burden. It was a pristinely beautiful sight, the snow, the bare branches, the occasional green of the pines. I shut the car door and followed the tracks into the woods. Once under the trees the snow wasn’t as deep and it was easier to walk. The tracks were clearly visible and I followed then for about ten minutes. Finally, as dusk was starting to settle in, I saw light coming from what looked like a small window. Thanking my lucky stars, I trudged toward the source of the light.
As I got closer, I saw what looked like a small cabin. Warm light spilled from the windows and smoke rose from the chimney. I trudged forward and arrived at the door. I knocked and heard movement inside. A minute later the door opened a little and a face appeared in the gap. “What do you want?” The voice was mellow, rich, tinged with a little fear. “My car is stuck in the snow.” I decided not to conduct the business I needed to in the freezing cold and snow.
The door opened the rest of the way and I gaped, open-mouthed, into the eyes and face of a beautiful young man about the same age as me. I was expecting an old man, and instead my father’s tenant looked no older than me.November 18, 2010
Christmas Story - A Cruise for Christmas
A few years ago, I wrote this story for Dreamspinner Press's first Advent Calendar - Christmas Dreams. I hope you like the excerpt.
Excerpt: When Henry Gilmore is given a private stateroom on a gay cruise for a Christmas present, he has visions of cute party boys, hunky muscle gods, and breaking his run of bad luck when it comes to love. Things don't turn out quite as he planned, but sometimes Santa knows best and two out of three ain't bad.
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press
Excerpt:
“It’s a cruise!!” Jim and Paul squealed together as I opened the envelope they’d handed me as my Christmas gift. “We know we agreed that we wouldn’t go overboard, but we just couldn’t help it.” Jim gushed with excitement as he pulled me into a hug.
Paul held back, he was always the more reserved of the two, but even he was excited, “You’ve helped us so much this year, we just wanted to say thank you.”
I looked down at the ticket in my hand, unable to believe my eyes, “Thank you, but…” I had so many questions.
Jim started gushing again, “We already called your boss and arranged for the time off from work. So you’re all set, you leave in 5 days.” I was hugged to within an inch of my life… and it felt good. These two men were as close to a family as I had, hell they were the understanding parents I never had. I met Jim and Paul years ago when I got my first job and my first apartment. They still lived in the same apartment while I had moved to another part of the city, but I could never leave them behind. I spent holidays, birthdays, both theirs and mine, with them. We laughed together, joked together, and we loved each other. “If you check the ticket, you’ll see that we got you your own cabin so you can have some fun.”
Their apartment was decorated to the max with a huge tree and lights galore. “Thank you so much.” I hugged both of them, unable to believe their generosity. “I haven’t gotten your gifts yet.” It was only the first week of December and I had just stopped over to see if they wanted to go shopping. Both Jim and Paul were approaching 70 and neither of them drove, so I stopped by regularly to take them shopping and to help with things they couldn’t do anymore.
“Just bring us something from the cruise.” Paul hugged him again before sitting back on the sofa.
Jim quipped as he headed into the kitchen, “Yeah, preferably someone tall, handsome, and just your size.” They both laughed and I joined in as well. We all knew my dating history, unlucky at best. Jim returned with a tray of his famous cocktails and treats, setting the tray on the coffee table. But instead of passing out the drinks, he went to the hugs Christmas tree and started pulling out packages, before handing them to me. “Before you say anything, we know we sprang the cruise on you and with your work, you won’t have time to shop, so we got you a few things.” Jim plopped half a dozen wrapped boxes on my lap. “Open, open, open!” Jim was like a kid on Christmas morning as I did as he asked.
The boxes contained a nearly complete cruise wardrobe with shorts, fashionable t-shirts, tank tops, and even light dress pants and shirt. They had great taste and while I’d never spring for such fashionable clothes myself, my wardrobe consists mainly of work clothes and jeans, I knew what they’d bought would look good on me. “I don’t know what to say, this too much.”
It was Paul’s turn at the tree, “Nonsense, you do so much for us,” he handed me a small package, “This is just our way of saying thank you, besides you know we love you, you’re the son neither of us ever had.” Paul started laughing; besides we got to spend an evening with the International Male catalog.” I opened this last small box to find two bathing suits, small bathing suits. One was a blue square cut with anchor buttons and the other was a very brief bikini. “We couldn’t send you on a cruise and let you wear those huge board shorts that go down to your knees. Yuk!!” They both laughed. “Okay, go try one on, we want to see you.” I looked at both men, giving them my best, “You’ve got to be kidding look,” but they wouldn’t be put off, so I found myself in the bathroom, changing into a the blue square-cut suit.
I came out of the bathroom, feeling a little shy, but as soon as they saw me, they started gushing again, “You’ll be beating them off with sticks.”
“Honey, they’re gonna love you.” I twirled around for their enjoyment and then went back into the bathroom to get dressed again. When I came out, they passed out drinks, and Jim made a toast, “Here’s hoping you get harpooned on the high seas.” All three of us cracked up, particularly since that wouldn’t be surprising.
Up to this point, my love life had been one disaster after another. There was Julio, who was very sensual and a lot of fun both in and out of bed, but he refused to move away from home. Stavros was gorgeous… tall, dark, handsome… and married. A fact he neglected to mention for two months. Irving was delightful, a shy, quiet, intellectual man that I dated for almost six months. We had a great time, until he told me his ultimate fantasy involved me naked on all fours with calling him master and him calling me puppy. Everyone has to draw the line somewhere, and mine is eating with my fingers out of a doggy dish. I’m sorry but utensils are absolutely necessary.
“Henry, you’re a wonderful man who deserves to be happy and maybe, just maybe… you’ll find him on the cruise.” It was Paul, the eternal romantic, who’d said he never gave up on finding true love. He and Jim hadn’t met until both of them were in their 50s. They’ve been happy together for 20 years.
We spent the rest of the evening laughing together like we always did in their warm, homey, and utterly charming apartment. When I got up to leave, they both hugged the stuffing out of me and wished me bon voyage. “I’ll call you before I leave,” They both hugged me again, told me they loved me, and got me a bag for the gifts before seeing me to the door.
For the next week, I worked during the day and get things ready for the cruise at night. My boss, an institution at my company, and one of the sweetest people I’d ever met, though if she heard me say that, she’s probably hit me, was almost as excited as I was about the upcoming cruise. She made sure that everything was done before I left and spent the week running interference. I added her to the list of people I needed to shop for. On Friday at about three, she stopped by my desk and told me to get out here before somebody decided they needed something else.
“Thanks Judy.”
“You’re welcome, Hun… have a good time.” She smiled and tootled her way back to her office as I shut down my PC and high tailed it to the exit.
As soon as I got home, I completed the last of my packing and called Jim and Paul. They were both so excited for me I thought they’d bust a gut. “Have a good time and take plenty of pictures.”
I heard Jim pick up the other phone, “Yeah, take plenty of pictures of the scenery… preferable in Speedos.” Jim laughed as they both said goodbye still as excited as if they were going on the cruise with me. Before bed, my suitcase was packed, the alarm set for a god awful hour, and I climbed in bed with visions of palm trees and pretty boys dancing in my head.
I got up before the alarm and caught the first morning shuttle to O’Hare. The bus took almost two hours, but it saved a fortune in parking fees. The flight to San Juan was on time and we landed just after noon. I retrieved my luggage and a porter from the cruise line was on hand telling me that it would all be taken care of and not to worry. A shuttle bus picked me up and drove me to the dock where a huge, gleaming white ship awaited. As I stepped out of the bus, another cruise line employee asked to see my boarding information. I handed it over and he motioned to someone else.
“Please show Mr. Gilmore to the forward gangway.” My ticket was viewed again and then I was led away from the crowd of people to the front of the ship, where two people waited behind a table. My ticket was passed to someone else. I provided a credit card for my onboard expenses, my passport was checked, and I filled out a few forms, signing where they indicated. “Thank you, Mr. Gilmore, Jose will show you to your stateroom.”
A little confused, I followed Jose as he took the carry-on bag I was carrying and led me up the gangway, “Is this your first cruise, sir?” His English was impeccable and his tone very welcoming as he led me onto the ship. I was lead up a few decks and down a hallway to a door, “This is your room and here are your key cards.” He opened and held the door for me as I entered the room.”
“Jesus…” I was expecting a small room on the inside of the ship. What I was in was a huge suite with what looked like a balcony and a separate bedroom. “Is this right?” Jesus, Jim and Paul must have broken the bank.
“Yes sir. As I said before, I’m Jose and I’ll be your cabin steward for your voyage. If you need anything, please press the steward’s button on the phone.” He showed me through the suite and then quietly left the room. The table had a large basket filled with chocolates and even a bottle of Champagne. I plucked out the card, “Have a great trip and find someone to share the champagne with. It was signed, Jim and Paul.” I smiled as I set down the card. A brief knock, the door opened, and then a porter entered, with my luggage. He quickly placed it in the bedroom, bid me a wonderful trip and quietly exited the cabin. I unpacked quickly, picked up my key and the map of the ship on the table, and ventured out to explore the ship.
The shopping arcade and atrium were decorated with huge Christmas trees and waterfalls of twinkling lights. As I wandered through, I heard the ship’s whistle indicating that we were leaving port. Walking briskly, I joined the other passengers at the rails to wave and celebrate our departure. It was there that I got the shock of my life.
As I looked around at the other passengers, I realized that everyone I could see was of retirement age. I’d checked the brochure so I knew that was a gay cruise, but this was not what I was expecting. As we pulled away from the dock, I heard an announcement, “Welcome to the Caribbean Star for our annual Gay Maturity Cruise.”November 13, 2010
Blurb for Love Means... No Fear
Raine Baumer is living the party life in Chicago, indulging in short relationships with little emotional commitment. But after he’s severely injured in a gay bashing, close friend Geoff arrives to take him to the country to recuperate. There Geoff and his partner Eli treat him like part of the family, and Raine meets Jonah, Eli’s brother, who is exploring life in the world outside his Amish community.
Jonah and Raine’s mutual attraction draws them together, but they may not have a chance to explore it. Jonah’s father is making ultimatums, and the police believe that the attack on Raine may not have been as random as it initially appeared. Raine and Jonah will have to face what they fear most in order to have any chance at a life together.
November 12, 2010
Mariah the Christmas Moose coming December from Dreamspinner Press
Enjoy!!!
KYLE placed his feet on the floor, immediately pulling them back as a shiver ran through his slender frame. Cold. Why did everything have to be so cold all the time? The only time he felt warm was when he was in bed. Curling back beneath the covers, he tried to think of what on earth could have woken him up at—he checked the clock—five thirty in the morning. Then he heard the buzzing again and reached his hand from under the covers, grabbing his phone before pulling his hand back beneath the blankets. “Hello, Mom,” Kyle sighed, blinking his eyes. “Do you know what time it is?” he asked groggily as his legs started to feel warm again.
“Of course, honey,” she responded brightly, obviously checking the clock as she dragged out her words to fill any possible empty space. “It’s ten thirty.”
“Mom.” Kyle felt his head throb once. “Alaska is five hours behind Florida; that means it’s five thirty here.” He told her this every time she called. For the first week, she’d asked him what time it was when she called. Now she’d just given up and gone back to assuming her time was his time. “Is there something you wanted?”
“No, I just called to talk. I got this new cell phone, and they said I had free long distance, so I thought I’d call, see how you were.” More like find out if he’d changed his mind and decided to come back home, Kyle thought in response, but he phrased it in a much less mom-friendly way. She’d asked him no less than five times in the three weeks since he’d taken the job as a teacher in the Anchorage school system. “So, is it cold there?” she continued, completely oblivious to anything he might have to say. “It was eighty degrees yesterday, and I went with your brother and the kids to the beach. We had a lovely day.” She went on for a while about his perfect brother, Gregory, and her perfect two grandchildren—how cute they were, what they did, the cutesy questions they asked her. Kyle’s attention snapped back when her tone changed. “And do you know what Dommy asked me after we went swimming?” She sounded scandalized. “He asked me if girls had inside penises.” She whispered the last word, and Kyle completely lost it.
“It’s not that funny,” his mother replied indignantly.
“Mom, you called me at five thirty on a Sunday morning just to tell me that one of my nephews asked you the difference between a whoo-hoos and who-haas”—using the euphemisms his mother had used when they were children—“and for some reason you don’t think that’s funny?” Kyle continued laughing until his gasps moved the covers, letting in a blast of cold air.
“If you’re not going to be serious, I’ll hang up, and you can call me later.” The line went dead, and Kyle closed his phone and placed it on his nightstand before looking around the room. It was still dark, and he chuckled a few more times before burying his head beneath the covers, trying in vain to go back to sleep.
His family all thought he was completely crazy to leave the family home of Bradenton, Florida for the wild and cold of Anchorage, Alaska, and there had been days when he’d begun to question his sanity, too, but the people he worked with seemed really nice and almost all of them were from someplace else as well, so they had made him feel welcome. Besides, he’d spent the last three years substitute teaching, trying to get a permanent elementary school teaching position, and every time one came up, it went to someone else for one reason or another. When he’d seen the ad in the NEA newsletter that Alaska needed teachers and that they’d pay to relocate qualified candidates, he’d applied, figuring nothing would come of it. Well, surprise, surprise, they’d called, and after a telephone interview as well as calls to his references, they’d hired him, provided he agreed to study and become certified in Alaska. Unfortunately, they’d forgotten to tell him that they wanted him to start right away, which meant early December, and that the temperatures were already in the single digits—for the highs. Kyle shivered at the very thought.
The furnace kicked in, and Kyle listened to it run, imagining the room getting warmer. Giving up on getting back to sleep, he felt around on the floor until he found his slippers, and then, in one quick move, practiced each morning he’d been here, he slipped his feet into them and pulled on his big, fluffy robe in less than two seconds flat.
He padded down the hall to the kitchen, where he started the coffeepot and huddled next to it for additional warmth until the nectar of the gods was ready. Pouring himself a huge cup, he settled in one of the huge, plush living room chairs. He loved these chairs, even though they dwarfed his five-foot, four-inch frame. But they were comfortable and surprisingly warm. The teacher he’d replaced had been called back “down below,” as he’d heard the locals refer to the rest of the country, because of a death in the family, and Kyle had been able to take over her lease on the house. He’d just been looking for an apartment, but this was an opportunity too good to pass up. The place wasn’t large, but it had two bedrooms, a nice living room, and a huge eat-in kitchen with huge windows overlooking the backyard. There was also a wood stove, and he’d found a massive stack of firewood under a snowdrift in the backyard.
After drinking his coffee, he must have dozed off, because he jerked awake with a cramp in his leg and a crick in his neck. Stretching and gliding his head in a circle, he blinked awake and saw the faint glow of daybreak just lightening the sky. Standing up, he picked up the empty mug from where it had fallen on the floor and walked into the kitchen, placing it in the sink.
Thinking he saw movement in the backyard, Kyle walked to the windows and peered outside, jumping back and falling flat onto his butt as a huge pair of eyes stared back at him. As he watched, a massive head backed away from the window and a huge body lumbered further into the yard to where some vines grew on the fence. It started eating the vines, but Kyle swore it never took its eyes off him.
Panic rising through him, Kyle reached for the phone, dialing 911.
“Hello. Can you please state the nature of your emergency?” a calm female voice asked on the other end of the line.
“Th… th… there’s a huge animal, monster—hell, I don’t know what it is, but this thing is in my backyard, and it’s eating stuff.”
November 9, 2010
Chat Wednesday - November 10
Here's a link ot the group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe/
A Taste of Love is Available
All Romance eBooks
Amazon
Rainbow eBooks
November 7, 2010
A Taste of Love - Releasing Tomorrow
Purchase from Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
The lunch rush at Darryl Hansen’s restaurant, Café Belgie, is getting to be too much for one man to handle, and Billy Weaver is a young man in search of a job—any job—to support his family. Billy gains Darryl's respect with his earnest nature and willingness to work hard, but Billy's admiring looks resurrect pain and shame from Darryl’s past.
Until Darryl stumbles across Billy's secret, Billy is suffering in silence: his father died a few months earlier, leaving him struggling to raise his twin five-year-old brothers. Darryl takes Billy and the boys to the restaurant, where they’ll stand together to face the smorgasbord of troubles in their future… while Davey, Donnie, and Billy all worm their way into Darryl’s heart.
Excerpt:
The kitchen door opened, and Darryl looked up from behind the line and saw Billy peeking over the shelf. “Someone wants their steak frites with regular butter instead of the herb butter, is that okay?”
“Of course.” Darryl felt his mouth go dry as Billy smiled at him and handed him the note to go with the ticket. “You can just enter it on the computer. You don’t have to come back to tell me whenever you have a special request.” The smile faded just a little bit, and Darryl found himself wanting to put that smile back. It just brightened everything. “You’re doing fine. Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it.”
Billy nodded a little and turned around, leaving the kitchen, and Darryl found himself watching the door until a steak flared on the grill and he returned his attention to where it should be. He heard Kelly snicker a little, and she turned away from him, but he glared at her nonetheless. She must have seen him anyway. “Come on, boss, it’s funny.”
“What is?” He turned the steak, thankful it wasn’t burned. “I need two frites and a Niçoise salad,” he said, looking ahead to the next ticket.
“Okay, chef,” Kelly replied with a knowing smile, dropping the frites into the fryer and starting on the salad with practiced ease.
“You have something to say?” Darryl glanced up from his work, adding another steak to the grill and setting up two orders of mussels to steam.
“Nothing. It’s just that every time Billy comes in here, you forget what you’re doing. It’s funny.” Kelly placed the salad on the pickup station and pulled out the frites, letting them drain before transferring them to the paper cones. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were sweet on him.”
Darryl saw her bat her eyes at him teasingly, and he swatted her with his towel. “I am not. I just want to make sure he’s doing well. It’s his first week, after all.” He hoped Kelly bought the explanation, because while what he said was true—he did want him to do well—fuck, the kid could scramble his concentration with just a simple smile. It had been a long time since anyone had that kind of effect on him. He liked it, sort of, but there was no way he was going to act on it. He just had to deal with it.
Finishing the orders, he wiped the edges of the plates and pressed the button to tell the server that their order was ready. Billy bustled into the kitchen, picking up the plates and hurrying out again, taking a second to flash him another smile. Darryl closed his eyes and pushed away the images that flooded his brain. Billy was grateful for the job and happy to be working, that was all. Kelly’s chuckles cut through his thoughts, and he gave her a final glare before returning his attention to where it should be, on his food. “Keep it up and I won’t put your dish on special tonight.” He tried to sound menacing, but Kelly just smiled, seeing right through him.
“Come on, Darryl,” he heard Maureen interject from the pastry station. “Billy’s been working here three days and he’s already got you wrapped around his little finger,” Maureen said with a hint of laughter in her voice. “If you ask me, it’s about time someone caught your attention. I was beginning to think the pipes were clogged or something.” Both Maureen and Kelly laughed, and Darryl scowled at them.
“My pipes are just fine.” Damn it, he’d said that way too loud, and he looked up, thankful the door to the dining room was closed. Both women returned to their stations, heads down, shoulders bouncing, and he knew they were laughing. He was never so thankful for anything in his life as when the printer started spitting out orders. “Need two more frites and a Caesar.” Darryl ripped off the ticket, and another came right behind. “Seems your mousse is a hit, I need three of them,” he said to Maureen as he began preparing the main dishes.
“Billy sells more dessert than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Maureen commented as she went to the refrigerator, pulling out three decorative glasses filled with a creamy chocolate and garnishing them with whipped cream and strawberries.
“It’s those eyes,” Kelly replied, the words passing around Darryl as he tried to concentrate on his work. “Can you imagine saying no to him?” Kelly stopped what she was doing, looking at Maureen. “Would you like some chocolate mousse?” Darryl glanced up from his pointed effort to ignore the two of them, sighed in frustration while shaking his head, and forced his attention back on his work, to no avail. “Every woman out there says yes, thinking about what she’d like to do with that mousse.”
An image of Billy flashed in his mind, smooth skin, big eyes, chocolate mousse streaking his…. A clang as his spoon hit the floor pulled him back to the present, and both women howled. “You’re way too easy.” Maureen thumped him on the back before doubling over with laughter. Darryl growled and picked up the spoon, tossing it into the sink. Yanking open the stainless steel drawer, he grabbed another and went back to work, growling as the other two turned back to their stations, still snickering.
