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.
