Beautiful Days (Jason Of The Valley Book 5)

by Jason K. Melby

  "Whoever wrote this review was an idiot. Your book was great. I just don't understand why you still bought the magazine." Jason slipped away and took the magazine back.

  "It's still my first review."

  "Well, it didn't even sound like he read the whole book to me. He probably didn't. You know those critics only get twenty bucks a review. They work in volume. He probably only read half of it and judged it on all of that."

  "It doesn't matter if he read half of it or all of it. What's done is done and my first book is officially a flop."

  "Don't be like that. It takes time for these things to happen. You'll find your audience."

  "How? This is the only real kind of advertising for books there is and it was bad. Maybe this could work on opposite day."

  "You just need to get your work in front of more eyes."

  "I'm open to suggestions. I've been trying to publicize my book as much as possible since it came out." David began to think. He paced back and forth for a moment until he finally stopped and he looked as though inspiration had overtaken him.

  "A book signing."

  "What?"

  "A book signing! They have them all the time!"

  "Yeah, for established writers."

  "And for new ones. My friend keeps telling me how great they are for marketing books. You get to meet your readers. New people will discover you. We'll have a big party and you can sell your book directly to the people there. Maybe we could even have a reading!"

  "Okay, that sounds good, but where are we going to have this thing?"

  "A bookstore of course."

  "In case you haven't noticed, bookstores are becoming kind of scarce."

  "I just came up with the idea. Give me a minute to figure out the details, but what do you think?"

  "I'm willing to try anything at this point. If you think we can pull this off, I'm all for it."

  "Great. Can you get copies of your book?"

  "Of course. How many? Twenty? Thirty?"

  "A hundred?"

  "Okay, I get them for cheap, but not that cheap."

  "We're going to need enough books to actually sell at this thing."

  "A hundred?"

  "All right, maybe we can come down from that after a little more planning, but I think this could be big for you." Jason walked up to David and slipped his arms around his waist.

  "I think you're right."

  Chapter 14

  A Job's A Job

  Mike was busy cleaning up after the Brunch crowd and getting the bistro ready for the lunch rush. Since it was a weekday, they had only half the bus boys and kitchen staff on hand, but for some reason they seemed to be attracting more business than usual. Mike didn't question it, he just enjoyed it.

  As he cleared away the last table and was getting ready to reset it, he saw Ken wander in. He looked better than normal. He was wearing a buttoned up dress shirt with gray slacks and a pair of loafers.

  "Hey, Ken!" Mike called out. Ken came over to him and smiled easily.

  "Busy?"

  "Just getting things ready for lunch. Here," Mike said as he held out one end of a clean table cloth to Ken. He took it and together they flipped the table cloth open and placed it on the table. "You're looking sharp. What's the deal?" Mike asked as he smoothed out the creases in the cloth.

  "I have that job interview at Heat Wave Video."

  "Oh, right. Then why do you look so depressed? You're about to get a job."

  "Well, I kind of sent Jason on a wild goose chase this morning. I found a review of his book in the new issue of Urge."

  "That's good."

  "It wasn't a good review."

  "That's bad."

  "I just feel really bad about setting him up like that."

  "It's not like you did it on purpose. He'll be fine."

  "I hope so. I guess I'm also kind of bummed over this interview too."

  "I realize it's not the best place in the world to work, but it's a job."

  "I know, I know. I just don't know if I'm ready to work in a porn store."

  "Just remember to look before you touch anything and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer handy at all times."

  "You sound like you know what you're talking about."

  "I did my time in a sex shop a while ago. I was only there for six months, but I learned a lot in those six months. Things I can't unlearn."

  "Is that supposed to make me feel better about this?"

  "Don't be nervous. Heat Wave looks a Hell of a lot better than the dump I worked in. You'll be fine."

  "Actually, it won't be over the phone. It's more of an in-person situation."

  "What does Adam think of you working there?"

  "I haven't told him. I figured I'd wait until I get the job before I even bring it up."

  "You sound pretty positive you're going to get it."

  "I don't really see how I couldn't get it. I mean, if anything I'm over qualified for this."

  "True, but you never know. It's not about how good you are these days. You're in competition with a lot of other people, some of whom are hungrier than you."

  "The idea of being stuck in that dingy, dirty little front for a porn shop all day and interacting with all the creepy perverts who shop there makes me sick, but I need this and I need it bad. I will do anything I have to in order to get a job. Even this job." Mike looked down at the table and saw not a single crease or wrinkle. He then set the dishes he just cleared aside and fetched some clean plates and flatware and started setting them out.

  "So, what can I do for you?"

  "How do I look? I mean, I'm going for professional, but since it's a retail job, I'm not knocking myself out."

  "I've driven by that store a few times. I think as long as you have all your teeth, you'll be fine. Other than that, you look great," Mike then saw the door to the bistro open and he saw past Ken to see Jeff walking in. "How the Hell did he find me?"

  "What?" Ken asked. Mike then pointed toward Jeff who was just standing around in front of the bar as though he were waiting for something to happen.

  "That's my dad's new playmate." Mike said. Ken turned his head and nearly snapped his neck as he caught sight of him.

  "Holy shit! He's hot!"

  "I'm aware of that. He's also trash."

  "Look, I admit it's weird that he's banging your dad,"

  "Don't say that!" Mike barked.

  "I'm sorry, but that's what's happening. He and your father are 'enjoying' each other and it's really none of your business."

  "How can it not be my business? It's my father!"

  "But your father is a human being and he has the ability to make up his own mind. If you mother has no issue with this, why should you?" Mike slammed down the last of the flatware onto the table and began tapping his foot.

  "Don't you have an interview to get to?"

  "Oh, yeah. I should get going. I'll let you know how it turns out!" Ken said as he dashed for the door. Mike followed closely behind and watched him leave. He then turned and Jeff flashed him a perfect smile.

  "Hi." He said.

  "Hello."

  "Nice place."

  "Thanks. How did you know about it?"

  "Your dad mentioned it. He's very proud of you."

  "That's great and it means so much more to me coming from my father's male lover." Mike said and then hurried back to the dining room. Jeff followed.

  "I can't believe you are having a problem with this. You're gay."

  "Yes, I am. When I wind up in bed with another man, no one is surprised. My father has been married to my mother for nearly forty years. You'll excuse me that his switching sides has me a little thrown." Mike turned away from Jeff and tried to find any bit of busy work to keep him from looking back at him. He began fussing with the flatware on all the other tables and made sure they were matched and straight.

  "Mike, I don't think that you and I have to be enemies here. I want to be your friend."

  "Why don't you go make friends with
my mother? You two can compare notes about my dad."

  "We've actually already did that."

  "Oh my god! Please tell me you all didn't have a three way."

  "Oh, no. I'm gay. Your dad did suggest it, but I just thought,"

  "Why are you not shutting up? Honestly! Do you not understand I don't want to hear any of this?"

  "Frankly, I don't. How can you be so uptight over this?"

  "Look, you're young. Maybe it's hard for you to see this from my side. Maybe if your parents were splitting up and taking lovers you'd understand."

  "Your parents aren't splitting up. They're just opening up their relationship. They just want to get out there and try some new things. I'm not coming between anyone."

  "The Hell you aren't!"

  "I didn't come here for this."

  "Then what did you come here for?"

  "I was hoping you and I could talk and work this out. Your father is worried about you."

  "And he sent you to talk to me?"

  "No. I came on my own. I like your father. He's very special and I help people I like."

  "You really can't see how twisted this all is, can you?"

  "I guess my parents raised me to have a slightly more open mind when it came to sexuality.

  They were very demonstrative with me. I knew how babies were really made before first grade and it didn't warp me. It actually gave me a better understanding of human nature and I think it allowed me to experience a lot of wonderful things." Jeff said. Mike looked at him thoughtfully.

  "You lost your virginity before you were fifteen, didn't you?"

  "That's not the issue here."

  "As you can probably tell, I'm very busy right now and I don't have time to have this conversation. Please go." Mike then turned and went to pick up the basket with the dirty dishes. As he did, he felt Jeff slide up behind him.

  "I really was hoping we could get along better." Mike then spun around and locked his eyes with Jeff.

  "We are not going to be friends."

  "Then maybe we could be more than that." Jeff then slid his hand up Mike's arm. Mike leapt back and had a disgusted look on his face.

  "Were you seriously flirting with me?"

  "Maybe. You know, you are very attractive. You definitely got your father's looks."

  "Are you doing this on purpose? I mean, did you get up this morning and try and think of a way to make this situation even worse than it already was?"

  "I live my life in the moment, Mike. I see what I want, I take it. The past is over and the future's not here, so there's no reason to worry about that either. All we have is right now."

  "You really need to go. Now." Jeff smiled at Mike and his eyes flashed just a bit. Something deep inside Mike hated refusing him, but if had said yes, he knew it would have just gotten worse.

  "Fine, but I'm sure I'll be seeing you around," Jeff said with a smile. Mike watched as he made his way to the door. He couldn't help but notice the perfectly round shape of Jeff's ass. "I know you're staring at it. It could be yours." Jeff said as he walked out. Mike noticed a glass of water on one of the nearby tables and he snagged it and dumped it over his head.

  Ken made it to the video store with more than ten minutes to spare. He drove into the parking lot and found a spot in front of the donut shop next door. He got out of the car and looked around. It was a sad looking little strip mall. A couple car repair shops, a no name dollar store and the donut shop. The asphalt was cracked and broke. It looked as though it had been decades since it had been repaved. He looked up at the sign over the store. There were light bulbs surrounding the sign, but most of the bulbs were missing and the few that were still there looked to have been burnt out. The signs in the window were sun bleached and from the little Ken could see the inside was rather plain. He checked his watch and he still had eight minutes until he was due for his interview, but as he looked around, he figured the sooner he got it over with, the better.

  Ken walked into the store and a high pitched tone rang out. He looked around and he saw the store was even worse from the inside. He saw that there was a wall that ran through the middle of the store. There were wire racks from the front to the back and they were all loaded up with VHS tapes and it was clear no one had touched them in a long time. The plastic wrap on most of them was chipped and crumbling and Ken hadn't heard of most of the movies they were offering. A lot of them were from the early eighties and seemed to have come from other video stores that had folded. He could tell by the stickers from the old stores still stuck to the video covers. There were even a bunch of instructional videos that claimed to teach everything from sewing to karate. Ken almost let out a laugh, but as he took a breath, he sucked in a large amount of dust that had built up on the tapes and he coughed it out.

  "Hello?" A voice came from the back of the store. Ken walked to the counter and saw a man sitting behind the counter. He was a heavy set man with uneven stubble and thick glasses.

  "Hi. I'm Ken Jenkins. I'm here about the store clerk position." The man stood up and gave Ken a considered look.

  "You look awfully sharp."

  "Thanks."

  "Sure. I'm Bernie. Manager of Heat Wave. Nice to meet you." Bernie then held out his hand and Ken took it.

  "Nice to meet you too."

  "Why don't you come back over here?" He said. Ken nodded and went behind the counter. He then just noticed that on the other side of the partition that ran down the middle of the store was the adult section and it looked as though it was the largest section of the store and there were no VHS tapes there. It was all DVD. State of the art.

  "Nice store you've got."

  "Please. It's a pit. As you can probably guess, the adult section over here is what keeps this place open. We haven't gotten a new general release movie since nineteen eighty eight, but we get new porn releases twice a week," Ken looked over and saw all the many racks behind the wall. "We've got features, compilations, interracial, amateur, classics. We even have some gay titles. They don't sell as well, but when they do, we make a bundle."

  "Impressive." Ken said with as much sincerity as he could muster.

  "You ever work a cash machine like this?" Bernie asked as he pointed to the computer sitting on the counter.

  "Uh, no."

  "That's fine. It's easy. Here." Bernie then stepped up and proceeded to show Ken how to ring up sales and process returns. He then took him on a tour of the adult section and he wasn't kidding. It looked as though they had every kind of porn that existed. Each genre was divided into different sections and the ones that failed to be defined by any clear genre were dumped in the sales racks. Ken was rather impressed with the gay section. It wasn't very big, but they had quite a few quality titles, which surprised him.

  After the tour, Bernie brought Ken back around the counter and showed him how they handled the rentals and then he went on about the opening and closing procedures. Ken looked down at his watch and saw that he had been there for nearly an hour.

  "I don't mean to tell you your business, but you've shown me a lot about the job, but you haven't asked me any questions."

  "What's to ask? I've got your resume. I've seen where you've worked. Look, this may surprise you, but there weren't a lot of applicants for this job. Your competition's a sixty year old Latina who can't speak English and insists on bringing her grandchildren in with her for her shifts and some dude who clearly just got out of rehab and is probably going to be going back in less than a month. You're the first person to come in here dressed for an actual interview. You have no priors," Bernie then reached for Ken's arm and pulled his sleeve up. "And no track marks. As far as I'm concerned, you're hired, man."

  Chapter 15

  Girls Just Want To Get Out

  Cynthia was staring at her clothes in the closet and couldn't decide what to wear. Each time she thought she had found the perfect thing, the checked herself in the mirror with it and it was usually too small. When she then decided to wear something she knew would fit
and she'd be safe with, she saw that it was either too big or just too boring. Haley had instructed her to dress for fun and Cynthia was coming to the painful conclusion that she had forgotten what that meant.

  "Why don't you wear that blue dress?" Douglas advised. Cynthia spun around to see him standing in the doorway of their bedroom.

  "Do you mind?"

  "I'm sorry, but you've been in here for almost thirty minutes. It doesn't usually take you this long to choose something to wear."

  "That's because these days the only thing I usually wear are my sweats. This is the first time I've been out on the town in a long time." Cynthia then plucked her blue dress out and draped it over her body. It was small, but not too small, she thought, and the short skirt was a bit titillating. Douglas then leapt forward and pulled the dress away.

  "On second thought," He began. "Maybe that's a little too much fun. You're still married to me, remember?"

  "Wow. Is that a fit of jealousy?"

  "You're going out to have fun. Not pick up guys."

  "Aw. You're so cute when you're insecure. Trust me. You have nothing to worry about. Look at me." Cynthia then turned to the mirror and lifted her arms up. All she could see was her stomach poking out and her sides spreading. She wiggled her arms to make the fat deposits under her biceps quiver, but Douglas took her hand and pulled her close to him.

  "I only see a beautiful woman, whom I love very much. Don't forget that."

  "I never do."

  As Douglas leaned in for a kiss, the moment was broken by the doorbell ringing out, which in turn roused Ronny from his nap.

  "I'll get the kid." Douglas said.

  "I'll get the door." Cynthia chirped. She ran to the front door and pulled it open to see Haley standing before her dressed for a night out. Her hair was done up and she was wearing a lovely black mini-dress with a red choker.

  "Wow. You look great." Cynthia said.

  "Thanks," Haley said as she walked in. She then took a better look at Cynthia and noticed that she was sporting beige colored sweats. "Tell me you're not wearing that."

  "Of course not. I've been trying to figure out what to wear for a while now."