Beautiful Days (Jason Of The Valley Book 5)

by Jason K. Melby

  "Thanks for the confidence. Speaking of confidence, what's with the new look?"

  "The Mom Chic? I know. I guess everything just got away from me. Once you have one of those things, it's like time gets put on fast forward and you don't have time for anything but them. I've gained all this weight. I feel so tired all the time."

  "You just need to get physical. Join a gym or something."

  "I should. I need to do something. You should see the way the other moms look at Douglas."

  "The same way we used to look at him?"

  "Exactly. It's disgusting."

  "But it's not how they look at him. It's how he looks at them. Does he?"

  "Not that I've noticed. He says he still finds me sexy."

  "You doubt that?"

  "A little."

  "If I may ask, when was the last time you two hid the salami?"

  "It's been a few months, but Douglas has been working crazy hours. He's got this new building contract."

  "Fair enough. Maybe you should jump his bones tonight."

  "I'd love to, but another little snag in that is Ronnie," Cynthia said as she looked over into the house as Douglas was piloting a spoon of strained carrots into Ronnie's mouth. "Douglas is still freaked about getting intimate with him in the house."

  "But he's in his own room."

  "I know! But he still worries."

  "Maybe I could take him off your hands sometime. Show him a good time."

  "He's still my husband." Cynthia said defensively, then with a moment of realization she said "Oh. You meant Ronnie." Jason's eyes darted suspiciously.

  "Uh, yeah. Ronnie. That's what I meant. Totally." He said with an impish grin.

  "You're horrible." Cynthia said with a laugh.

  "But failing that, maybe we could start hiking or something. Get you back into shape. Things might pick up for you two if you trimmed down a little."

  "It's worth a try. How's David?"

  "He's good. I talked with Mike about bringing him out next weekend."

  "To Coconutz?"

  "Yup."

  "You're really going to release him into that shark tank?"

  "I've been protecting, but I know how David feels about me and how I feel about him. It'll be fine."

  "How do you feel about him?"

  "What do you think? I love him."

  "Have you told him that?"

  "We haven't gotten there yet. We're close, I think, but right now we're in a good place."

  "Good. David's a good guy."

  "He is." Jason said wistfully. His eyes craned back up to the sky. The moon was getting more prominent as the sky darkened.

  "You still miss Matt, don't you?" Cynthia asked. Jason turned to her.

  "It's getting easier to let it go, but what me and Matt had, that's hard to just get over. Especially when you consider how it ended."

  "Have you talked to him?"

  "No. I'm not ready for that."

  "I bet he'd love to hear from you."

  "Maybe. Maybe not. He hasn't tried to get a hold of me. I'm taking that as a sign." Jason said. Cynthia could only look him in the eyes and offer him a gentle smile.

  "Hungry? It's Sunday and we usually send out for pizza." Cynthia said. Jason thought for a moment.

  "Sure. I'd love to." He said.

  Chapter 3

  Bring Me a Dream

  The alarm went off at the usual time. Ken's eyes slowly widened and the world came into focus. He rolled over onto his back and as he did, he felt the warmth of Adam's body next to his. He looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh which roused his slumbering lover.

  "What is it, babe?" Adam asked.

  "You remember when Monday morning actually meant something?"

  "Don't be like that."

  "Easy for you to say. You have someplace to be."

  "You'll find something soon. I know you will."

  "You say that so much. I hate making a liar out of you."

  "You want something to do? How about you make breakfast?" Adam asked. Ken looked back at him with a shocked expression on his face.

  "Now you're bossing me around like I'm your servant or something?" Ken asked. Adam flopped back down into his pillow.

  "You want something to do. That's something to do. I don't know what else I can say."

  "No. No. The least I can do is make sure my man is fed before he goes out to earn a living." Ken said as he dragged himself from under the covers.

  Adam was cleaned and dressed as he walked out to the kitchen to discover a golden brown waffle on his plate with a small bowl of fruit and a cup of coffee next to it.

  "Wow. I would have settled for a bowl of cereal and orange juice." Adam said as he sat down. Ken was still standing at the sink washing some bowls.

  "I found the waffle mix in the pantry. Looked like it had been there long enough. How is it?"

  "Fantastic!" Adam said as he pushed a syrup drenched chunk of waffle into his mouth.

  "Good."

  "Aren't you going to have one?"

  "Maybe later. I'm not really very hungry now." Ken said. Adam put down his fork and took a quick sip of coffee to wash the waffle out of his throat.

  "This really has to stop. I get it that you're depressed about the job situation, but moaning and groaning about it won't fix the problem."

  "What do you expect? It's been three months! Three months of resumes being sent out and contacts being pressed. Three months of all that and not a single damn interview. Not even for any of the entry level jobs I put in for."

  "It's a tough economy these days. It doesn't happen overnight."

  "Apparently it doesn't even happen after three months."

  "Don't forget why you left your job in the first place."

  "Because I was an idiot." Ken said. Adam got up from his seat and slowly slid his arms around Ken's waist.

  "Because you refused to be used anymore. Because you know that you're better than that." Adam said as he kissed the back of Ken's neck.

  "What if it never happens? What if I'm just unemployable?"

  "There's always a job out there."

  "Yeah. Maybe I can get a job stocking shelves or frying meat."

  "So what if you did? Do you think I'd love you any less?"

  "Maybe." Ken said. Adam pulled Ken around to meet his eyes.

  "Wrong! I don't care what you do to make a living. That's not what makes you who you are. Not to me."

  "I know. I'm sorry. I just never thought I'd be in this kind of situation. I always had my job. Always thought I would."

  "It's just a test and who knows? Maybe you're going to find something you really love. You never really looked before, have you?"

  "No."

  "And maybe you'll find it today. Or tomorrow. Or..." Adam continued.

  "Honey. Please." Ken said as he put up his hand. "Any more of this pep talk and I won't need any syrup for my waffle."

  After Adam finished his breakfast and left to tackle the morning traffic, Ken sat down on the couch and for the briefest of moments, he saw a small upside to being out of work.

  He fixed himself a waffle and enjoyed it as he watched an endless parade of mind numbing morning television. When he was done, he cleaned up his dishes and brought out his laptop computer.

  Ken opened up his browser and checked through his usual cycle of job websites and as usual he found a few likely prospects on each one and sent out his resume to them all. With every resume he submitted, he felt a little twinge of optimism. He thought to himself 'this one' and the image of him getting the job and all that would follow filled his mind. He would smile, but then reality would begin to cloud his vision and he went back to feeling a little more hopeless. He was crashing from his reverie just as his phone started to ring.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey." Mike said.

  "Hi, Mike. What's up?"

  "Nothing. I just was wondering what you were up to today?"

  "Just the usual. Searching the web for job openin
gs, a good cry and then chores."

  "Still haven't found anything, huh?"

  "Oh, I've found lots of good jobs. I just can't get any of them."

  "Sorry. It's tough out there."

  "You and Haley wouldn't be looking for any help at the bistro, by any chance."

  "I'd hire you in an instant, but we really have all the help we can handle right now."

  "You were telling everyone the other day how you were short two or three waiters."

  "We are, but we've been flooded with applications. Besides, Haley's really taking the lead on the hiring thing."

  "Let me guess. All the applicants are young, gay and hot."

  "So hot! There's one guy, Thad, who looks like he's some kind of mix of black, Asian and Latin and he's got tattoos up his arm and long hair and, oh. I have to take a seat. Getting light headed."

  "So your unending libido trumps loyalty to a friend."

  "Let's not forget a chance at some hot after hours sex."

  "What was I thinking?"

  "You don't want a job like this. It's a step back."

  "I need to get something. I hate Adam being the only bread winner around here."

  "Has he been complaining?"

  "No, but I can sense it. I try to space out my chores around the house so that by the time he comes walking in the door, I'm just finishing cleaning the kitchen just so he'll never walk in seeing how I really spend most of my day. With my ass planted on the sofa. I feel like such a load of nothing."

  "You're just going through a rough patch. A lot of people are these days, but it's going to turn around."

  "This is the first time in I don't know how long I've really been back in the job market. I'm older and most of my skills are outdated. I'm not what would be called a hot property in the current job market."

  "It sounds like someone needs to get out. Why don't you come down here for lunch today? On the house."

  "Really?"

  "Sure."

  "Well, my mom taught me never to say no to a free meal."

  "Wise woman. I'll see you here around noon."

  Ken arrived at the bistro at precisely noon and was surprised to see how quiet it was. There were only a few other people dining and one lonely looking fellow sitting at the bar.

  "Right on time." Mike bellowed as he burst out from the kitchen. He motioned for Ken to join him in the back of the main dining room. "I saved our best table for you." He said as he pulled a chair out for Ken at a table that was set across from the kitchen.

  "Thanks. This is your best table?"

  "It's about to be. Oh, Thad!" Mike called out. Seconds later, a vision of indescribable beauty cruised through the door. Thad's eyes were like dazzling jewels and his face was chiseled and flawless with strong lines and exotic features. His hair hung down to his shoulders easily and tussled gently with his every step. His skin had the dark complexion of caramel mixed with dark chocolate.

  "Yes, Mr. Turner?" Thad said. His voice was thick and deep but soft and gentle at the same time.

  "My friend Ken will be having lunch here today. I'm picking up the tab for him and I would like you to concentrate on making his experience here very pleasurable. Do you understand?"

  "Absolutely, Mr. Turner," Thad said and then turned his gaze to Ken, who felt as though he was trapped in some kind of weird, warming ray. "I'll be happy to do whatever I can to make you happy, Mr...?"

  "Ken. You can just call me Ken."

  "All right. Ken it is. I'll be back with some water and a menu." Thad said and with a slight click of his heels, he turned and walked away. Mike looked down at Ken and their eyes hit each other at the same time.

  "Okay. I get it." Ken said.

  "Man. I got to get into those pants before he gets cast in a movie or something." Mike said as he sat down next to Ken.

  "Is he an actor?"

  "Not as far as I know, but with guys like that, it's only a matter of time. So, tell me about this job thing. What kind of job are you looking for?"

  "Well, an office job. Filing or clerking or something. I don't know."

  "You don't know? You have to know. If you don't know what kind of job you want, how are you going to find it?"

  "I just send my resume to any jobs that ask for my kind of experience."

  "But are they the kind of jobs you want?"

  "They're jobs."

  "What do you want to do anyway?" Mike asked. Ken froze for a moment as he tried to think.

  "You know, I don't think anyone has ever asked me that. I don't know."

  "Isn't there anything you have a passion for? Something you really want to do? Anything?"

  "No. I spent all my time in school trying to get the grades I needed in order to get into college and in college I did everything I had to in order to graduate. Then I got my first job and that was it. I was working. That was the goal. To work."

  "No one's ever asked you what you wanted to do with your life?"

  "In high school, but the answer was to get into college. And I did that."

  "You never had a dream or some kind of interest?"

  "Oh my god. No." Ken said. He then clutched his chest and pulled at the collar of his shirt.

  "Are you okay?"

  "I can't breathe."

  "Thad! That water?"

  "Right here!" Thad said as he launched over with the grace of a ballet dancer and placed the glass in front of Ken.

  "Wow." Mike mumbled.

  "I'm sorry?" Thad said.

  "Nothing. Good work. Go get a pitcher of water out here, okay?"

  "Sure, boss." Thad said and dashed into the kitchen. Mike finally looked back down at Ken as he was gulping down the last of his water.

  "Should I call someone?"

  "No. I'm fine. Thanks," Ken said as he began to calm down. "Just a little panic attack. I just realized I'm in my thirties and never had a dream. I have no direction. I have no idea how I want to spend the rest of my life. I'm going to be chained to some boring, pointless job until the day I die."

  "It's not too late. You just need to look inside yourself. Figure out what you really want out of life and go for it."

  "Easy for you to say. This is all you've ever wanted and now you have it."

  "After how many years? It doesn't happen overnight, but when it does, it feels great, and it'll happen for you."

  "What if it doesn't? What if I'm unable to figure out what I really want out of life? What if it's too late?"

  "You'll still have Adam."

  "For how long? Do you really think he's going to stay with some guy who's just going to be spinning his wheels forever? Thanks for the offer of lunch, Mike, but I'm not really hungry right now," Ken said as he got up from his table. "I'll talk to you later." He said as he headed for the door.

  "Sir? I have the water." Thad said as he walked up to Mike.

  "Thank you, Thad, but Ken left," Mike said. "I'll take that back for you," Mike then saw his chance and feigned reaching for the pitcher and instead tipped it over which caused the water to pour down all over Thad's shirt, which caused it to stick tightly to his muscular body. "Oh my! I'm sorry. Let's get you out of that wet shirt right away." Mike said as he ushered Thad back into the kitchen.

  Chapter 4

  Love Comes In Different Forms

  Mike returned from his break on Thursday night and was surprised to see the bistro extremely busy. It was usually busy each night of the week, but that evening it seemed more so. He also thought it was odd that there were so many couples. Usually there were few larger parties.

  He then saw Haley rushing around looking stressed out. He ran up to her and grabbed her by the shoulder.

  "Hey." He said. Haley smiled wide and hugged him tightly. "What's going on? What's with the rush?" He asked. Haley looked back up at him with a puzzled look on her face.

  "Don't you know what tonight is?" She asked.

  "No. Should I?"

  "It's Valentine's day! We are getting crushed! We had so many reservations bu
t then we got all these walk-ins. I've been trying to fit everyone in and keep them happy, but I don't know if we're going to make it."

  "Okay. Relax. Go promote the bus boys and get them order pads. I'll clear these tables now. What time is it?"

  "It's only six! Most of our reservations aren't until eight. If we're going to seat them, we're going to have to clear half of these people out within the next hour."

  "Okay. Don't freak."

  "I'm trying." She said as she rushed into the kitchen. Mike then took a breath and with the new information he received the picture was becoming clearer. Waiters were flying back and forth with trays and drinks while the customers whispered their conversations to each other, each one highlighted once in a while with a slight giggle or kiss.

  Mike went about filling in where he could. He cleared a few tables, cashed out a few checks and took a few orders, but it still felt like he was fighting an uphill battle. He looked up and saw a large group of people pour in from outside. He ran toward them and greeted them with as big a smile as he could force.

  "Good evening everyone. How many here with reservations?" He asked. Virtually everyone raised their hands. He looked at his watch. It was just ten ‘til eight. He looked behind him and he could see only two or three open tables when he needed at least six. He turned back to the anxious, and hungry, crown before him. "Okay! Well, why don't we start your evening off with a complimentary drink to whet your appetites?" He said. The crowd seemed to react positively to the offer of free liquor, much to Mike's relief.

  He ran around to the other side of the bar and pulled out a small case of wine he knew they didn't really need. He popped it open and started pouring glasses and passing them out to everyone. A familiar voice carried over the rest of the commotion. Mike looked up and saw Ken and Adam squeezing their way through the crowd to him.

  "Hey guys! I'd love to chat, but as you can see."

  "Yeah, busy. Got that. We just thought we'd stop by and see how you were doing." Ken said.

  "If you were thinking I would sneak you in tonight, I'd love to, but I can't. Not tonight."

  "Damn."

  "You were seriously doing that?" Mike asked.

  "Well, you do own the place and it is one of the best restaurants in town. I don't usually exploit my friends like that but it is Valentine's Day."