“Funny,” Connor said. “I remember not wanting to go last year, but someone made me.”
David smirked. “I didn’t make you. I just encouraged you with my puppy dog eyes.”
“You have a puppy?” Tommy asked.
“No. I’m just good at imitating one.” David barked and pawed at the air for his amusement. His father and Gordon came through the doors next, looking puzzled at this behavior.
“Well, at least we beat the crowds,” his father said. “Who’s hungry? It’s on me tonight!”
There was a chorus of agreement.
“We can’t stay out too late,” David said. “Connor and I have an early start tomorrow.”
“You aren’t driving to Florida,” his father said sternly.
David’s jaw dropped open. “What? Of course we are! You’ve known about this for months!”
His father shook his head. “It isn’t safe. With all due respect, Connor, your car isn’t likely to make it to Missouri without breaking down.”
“My car is on its last legs, so to speak.” Connor said sadly. “It overheated twice on the way over here. I guess we’re screwed.”
“What?” David’s head whipped back and forth between them. What new conspiracy was this?
“It isn’t safe,” his father repeated. “I forbid you to ride in Connor’s car again. But, I suppose you could make it to Florida in record time with this.” He held up the key to the family car before tossing it to David.
He should have caught it, but hand-eye coordination was never David’s strong suit. He fumbled it and bent to pick the key up off the ground.
“You’re giving me your car?” he asked in disbelief.
“Well, it is getting old. I could use a new one.”
David laughed. “It’s only a few years old.”
“And it’s paid off,” his father said wistfully, but then he smiled. “This means you’re coming back here on holidays. Understood, young man?”
“Understood. Thanks, Dad.”
“So what did we decide for dinner?”
Gordon was at David’s elbow. “Joe’s Crab Shack,” he whispered, sounding desperate.
David pursed his lips. “That would be the seafood restaurant where the poor waiters have to sing and dance every twenty minutes?” It also just happened to be where Gordon’s girlfriend worked. “Sounds ideal!”
“Then it’s a date!” Gordon said with a little too much enthusiasm.
“When Connor and David get married,” Tommy chimed in, “will that mean that David’s dad and my dad are married too?”
“Not quite,” David’s father said, before trying to explain to him the concept of in-laws. Gordon was checking his hair in a pocket mirror, smoothing it back with a little spit, and Connor looked exasperated as Tommy interrupted to ask how two boys could have a baby. Then Connor caught David’s eye and smiled. In that moment, David couldn’t be happier with his perfectly dysfunctional family.
* * * * *
David awoke to the roar of the ocean and the scent of salt water in the air. When he woke up a little more, he realized the waves were the sound of an ancient vacuum cleaner and that the salty air smelled more like pancakes. Still, as mornings went, it had promise. The sun was already burning bright, as it did most days in Florida. Just when David grew sick of the sunshine, a wild storm would roll into Daytona to mix things up. He knew these weather events didn’t happen just for him, but Florida felt like his own little paradise regardless.
David’s contentment didn’t come solely from the weather. High school and all of its hard lessons were behind him. Gordon had a new life and wouldn’t be lonely. David’s father was coping too, sending daily emails that mostly dealt with college curriculum strategy. In one email, his father joked about getting a job transfer to the University of Florida, just to keep an eye on him. At least David thought it was a joke.
Connor had taken a job cooking at the restaurant where Tracy worked. The chef there was a nightmare, and Connor often came home tired and swearing he would never cook again. But by the next morning he was usually at the stove, helping the grannies with breakfast. His passion for cooking couldn’t be extinguished completely. David expected he’d keep at it until one day he became a chef himself.
A career sounded like an appealing prospect to David. He wanted to get a job and earn a little cash, but Connor insisted that he enjoy this one year off. It was hard to argue against sleeping in late and lounging around the house.
How far they had come! Almost a year ago, they had both been locked up, their future uncertain. But now they were building a life together. The world still brought problems and no doubt would try to shake them up, but David didn’t believe they could ever be separated again. They had grown too strong together.
David lay in bed and thought over the crazy times they had been through, his thoughts lingering on Sabrina. He had called her once things had settled down, but her cell phone had been disconnected. He wrote her an email too but had never heard back—until last week. Funny how the past could catch up so unexpectedly. David reached for the laptop next to the bed. It belonged to Tracy, but he was always stealing it away from her. Bringing the machine out of sleep mode, he reread the email.
David,
I’m sooooo sorry I never wrote you back. I wanted to, believe me. Shawn and I were laying low until we were both eighteen. Not that I didn’t trust you, but you never know who is reading your mail. Anyway, in case you never heard, when I went to the family reunion with my parents, I played it cool for about an hour before I jacked their car. Can you believe it? I wish there had been a wild police chase or something, but there wasn’t. I ditched the car close to Shawn’s place, and the rest is history. We’ve been in Chicago ever since. For a while it was rough, but Shawn landed a great job a few months ago so we’re doing better. As for me, brace yourself! I’m pregnant! If it’s a boy, maybe we’ll name him David. Or Connor. Ha ha! I hope you and your jailbird managed to fly away together. I’m dying to hear from you!
Your girlfriend,
Sabrina
David still hadn’t answered her email, so he started to now. But then the door opened and Connor came in, already showered and dressed. David tensed and waited for the inevitable.
Connor saw his reaction and laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to say it.”
“Good.”
“Do you have any wishes, though?”
David mulled it over. “Birthday sex?”
“Ha! Maybe later. The grannies expect you to eat cake for breakfast, and my sister is climbing the walls to give you your present.”
“I need a shower.”
“Better hurry!”
Once David was downstairs, he was assaulted by hug-hungry women. Well, Margie gave him a playful slug to the shoulder, and while it hurt, he knew she meant well.
Breakfast was everything but cake. Eggs, toast, pancakes, hash browns, sausages, even a fruit salad. Anna had probably started cooking as soon as he went to sleep the night before. Halfway through his meal his plate was shoved aside by a present.
“Happy birthday!” Tracy crooned.
“I thought we weren’t allowed to say it,” Margie grumped.
“Well, she has now,” Anna said, “so happy birthday, David!”
“Sorry.” Connor grinned from across the table. “I coached them as best I could.”
“It’s okay,” David said. Anything was forgivable when presents were involved.
“That’s from all three of us,” Tracy said.
“Thanks.” David sheepishly unwrapped the present, feeling a little confused when he saw it was a GPS unit. “Nice,” he said. “I love gadgets. Thanks!”
“You don’t even know what it’s for,” Tracey teased.
“Speaking of which—” Anna hopped to her feet and rushed out of the room. When she came back, she was carrying the promised cake, candles ablaze. Tracy started singing first, her voice not much better than her brother’s. Then the others joined
in. Only after David made a wish and blew out the candles did he notice the number written in frosting.
“But I’m eighteen,” he said.
“Nope.” Connor came over and stole a quick kiss. “You said you’d always be my Sweet Sixteen.”
“Aaaaw,” Tracy said, doing her best impression of a studio audience.
“Which piece do you want, dear?” Anna asked. “This one? Okay! I’ll get it packed up so you can take it with you.”
The puzzle pieces clicked together. The GPS and cake on the move. Connor was taking him on another trip!
David looked at Connor, his sly expression all the answer he needed. “Where are we going?”
“To work,” Connor answered, throwing him for a loop. “Come outside. I’ll show you my present.”
Outside? It’s not like they needed a new car, so it couldn’t be that. A pony? What else would need to be outside? As a group, they stumbled out of the house, Tracy trying to squeeze through the door at the same time David did. Outside was a huge eighteen-wheeler parked along the curb. Connor was standing next to the semi truck, like he owned it.
“Come see the world with me,” he said. “Or at least the United States.”
“That’s yours?” David asked in disbelief.
Connor laughed. “I wish. No, this is my job, at least for the next year. You once told me that you wished we could always be on the road together.”
“Now you can be!” Tracy said, slapping him on the back. “I’m so envious. If only I could find someone so romantic … who wasn’t my brother. Or a dude.”
“You’re all packed up and ready to go,” Margie said, dropping a suitcase next to David and nearly crushing his foot.
“Come here!” Anna gave him a hug and a Tupperware container full of cake before she and Margie disappeared indoors.
Then Tracy assaulted David, getting him in a headlock, but after a gentle noogie she let go and hugged him. “I always wanted a little brother,” she said dramatically.
“You have two,” David reminded her.
“Yeah, but a little brother I actually like.” She looked him over and shrugged. “Maybe someday I’ll find one.” She winked and went back inside the house.
Connor watched him for a moment, David meeting his gaze, not shying away from its intensity. Then Connor strolled toward him. He was sure they were going to head back upstairs to the bedroom, but Connor stopped in front of him and took his hand. “What do you think?”
“I’m completely lost,” David said. “What about your cooking job?”
“More of an internship. I’ll have time enough for that later. You have the next year off, and I wanted to show you more of the country. Of course that’s expensive, so I thought this way it would be paid for, and we’ll earn money on the way. Uh, is this the dumbest idea ever?”
David, tears rising, did the manly thing and forced them back. “Not at all!”
Connor smiled. “Come check it out! It’s an older truck, but it has a bed, lots of storage room, even a little refrigerator. Tracy loaned me her old portable TV too.”
After a grand tour and a little preliminary groping on the small bed, David crawled into the cab’s passenger seat, bouncing up and down to test the springs. The seats were much more comfortable than those of a car, designed for hours and hours of butt-numbing sitting. The only thing he didn’t like about them was the space between him and the driver’s seat, but David could imagine sitting on the floor with his head in Connor’s lap for an on the road nap. Or other things.
“You ready?” Connor asked.
“Yeah!”
The engine came to life with a rumble of thunder. David held his breath as Connor put the truck into gear. Slowly, they cruised out of the neighborhood and onto one of the larger roads.
“Where are we going?”
“All sorts of places,” Connor said. “The first route takes us through Texas and over to California.”
“What about Chicago?” David asked. “I have friends there.”
Connor nodded. “We’re hitting Chicago, but not before we pass through Kansas.”
“Wait until my dad sees. He’ll flip!”
“In a good way, I hope.”
David grinned. “And to think what shameless criminals we were last year—trashing McDonald’s and assaulting bullies. Now look at us! Playing by the rules and living a respectable life.”
Connor cleared his throat. “Almost.”
David stared at him. “What do you mean almost?”
“Well, I did lie about my age. You have to be twenty-one to haul across state lines.”
“You lied to the company that hired you?”
“No!” Connor said, as if this were unthinkable. “I lied to the DMV when I got my commercial driver’s license. And it wasn’t a lie, really. Just a little forgery on my birth certificate.”
They looked at each other and laughed as the truck turned onto the highway. Then Connor reached over, bridging the gap between them, and took his hand. David looked at him as if for the first time—at the muscles of his neck decorated by the scar of his past, the broad shoulders that would bear any burden for him, and the wild green eyes that always searched his soul. But beneath all of this was the gentlest heart that David had ever known. Right now Connor appeared hopeful, maybe a little uncertain. He looked at David, grinned sheepishly, and said:
“David and Connor conquer America. Are you ready for this?”
David was quiet a moment, considering the endless road ahead and all the adventures that awaited them. Then he leapt out of his seat and answered Connor with a kiss.
__________
Also by Jay Bell:
Something Like Summer
Love, like everything in the universe, cannot be destroyed. But over time it can change.
The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before his heart began beating to the rhythm of two words; Tim Wyman. By all appearances, Tim had the perfect body and ideal life, but when a not-so-accidental collision brings them together, Ben discovers that the truth is rarely so simple. If winning Tim’s heart was an impossible quest, keeping it would prove even harder as family, society, and emotion threaten to tear them apart.
Something Like Summer is a love story spanning a decade and beyond as two boys discover what it means to be friends, lovers, and sometimes even enemies. This full-length, gay romance novel is available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and other eBook formats.
For more information, please see:
www.jaybellbooks.com
Also by Jay Bell:
The Cat in the Cradle
To set out into the world, to be surrounded by the unknown and become a stranger. Only then would he be free to reinvent himself. Or fall in love.
Dylan wanted one last adventure before the burden of adulthood was thrust upon him. And to confront the man he hadn't spoken to since their intimate night together. Stealing a boat with his faithful companion Kio, their journey is cut short when they witness a brutal murder. A killer is loose in the Five Lands and attacking the most powerful families. Dylan—a potential target—seeks sanctuary from an unpredictable bodyguard named Tyjinn. Together they decide to turn the tables by hunting the killer down. Along the way, everything Dylan thought he knew about himself will be challenged, but if he survives, he stands to win the love he never dreamed possible.
The Cat in the Cradle is the first book in the Loka Legends series and features twenty-five original illustrations created by Andreas Bell, the author's husband.
For more information, please visit:
www.jaybellbooks.com
Also by Jay Bell
Hell’s Pawn
John Grey is dead… and that’s just the beginning.
Purgatory should have been a safe haven for souls that belong neither in Heaven nor Hell, but instead John finds himself in a corrupt prison, one bereft of freedom or pleasure. Along with his decedent friend Dante, John makes a brave escape, only to fall straight down to Hell and into the arms
of Rimmon, a handsome incubus. John is soon recruited as Hell’s ambassador, visiting the afterlife realms of other cultures to enlist an army strong enough to stand against Heaven. As interesting as his new job is, John’s mind keeps returning to Purgatory and the souls still trapped there. Somehow John must stop a war he doesn’t believe in and liberate Purgatory, all while desperately trying to attract the attention of an incubus whose heart belongs to another.
For more information, please see:
www.jaybellbooks.com
-Table of Contents-
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Epilogue
Jay Bell, Kamikaze Boys
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