Something in Common (Dreamspinner Press Bundles)

by Talia Carmichael

  “Next to Megan, he’s the best,” Del said.

  Megan was the CEO of Del’s holdings.

  “Humph. If you tell him that, he’d definitely tell you no,” Bernie said.

  “See? You’re coming around to our way of thinking. Sheldon might refuse anyway. I’ve offered him a position in my organization before, but he refused,” Del admitted.

  “Why don’t you ask Megan?” Bur suggested.

  “I already did. She said no. She’s waited a long time to run my holdings and isn’t giving it up. She’s such a liar. She just didn’t want to deal with the crap of politics it would take to run the center.” Del laughed.

  “Then maybe Sheldon isn’t such a good idea. From the way he needles Tomas, he might not be diplomatic enough,” Bernie said.

  “Nah. He does that to irritate Tomas. But haven’t you noticed he gets what needs to be done completed? Usually in a more efficient way. We need that for the center. Let’s just ask him. This conversation might be moot, since he could refuse.” Del didn’t look like he believed Sheldon would turn them down.

  “Tomas is going to be peeved.” Bernie sighed.

  “He’s a good businessman and will understand,” Del said.

  “Since we’re thinking of people we might know who might work, I know someone for Treble Duo. Maybe.” Bernie bit his lip.

  “Who?” Bur asked.

  “Theron,” Bernie admitted.

  “Who’s that?” Del asked.

  “Longoria. He’s one of the blokes we play poker with,” Bur answered.

  “The one that’s the EMT?” Del looked confused.

  Bur was too. He’d hung out with Longoria and didn’t know how he would fit.

  “He’s an EMT. At least, now he is. Technically, he’s a doctor—a psychiatrist whose specialization is in children and adolescents. He mentioned he focused more on the counseling aspect. Prior to being an EMT, he worked for child protective services. He was actually in charge of others and managing things. So he would have some know-how on the counseling, management, and inner workings of helping people.” Bernie shrugged. “He might be someone to consider.”

  “He’s a doctor. Why isn’t he still practicing?” Del demanded.

  “We didn’t get into that.”

  “How the hell did you get Longoria to tell you all this?” Bur asked.

  “People tend to talk with me. And when we’re playing poker or hanging out, I find out things. You’d be surprised at the complexities of the people we hang out with. They would make an interesting case study. Something I picked up from Theron.” Bernie grinned.

  “He appeals to the scientist in you.”

  “Yes. He’s a fascinating man,” Bernie said.

  “With a name like Theron Longoria, he must be.”

  “Huh. Why?” Bernie’s brow furrowed.

  “Theron is Greek, and Longoria is Spanish. When you meet him, Del, he’ll baffle you even more, because he looks Native American.” Bur glanced at Del.

  “Really? Then we definitely need to check his background and see if he might work. Then we can talk to him. I’d be interested in meeting this conundrum of a man.” Del arched an eyebrow.

  “You could meet him if you would take part in things we do with the others,” Bernie pointed out.

  “I don’t like people much,” Del said.

  “Hey, asshole, we’re people.” Bur poked Del in the side.

  “You’re family. There’s a difference,” Del said.

  “We’re going to get you to stop being such a recluse,” Bernie said.

  “Good luck. You know, he was like this when we were kids.” Bur studied Del, then added, “Although he’s worse now. Maybe it’s his age. Instead of better with age, he’s grumpy with it.”

  “That works for me.” Del grinned.

  “And they call me strange.” Bur snorted.

  “They know the truth. Now, stop flapping your gums and let’s start laying the groundwork for convincing Sheldon to take the position as head. And getting info on Theron, or is it Longoria? I don’t know why you all call people by their last name instead of their first,” Del griped.

  “I think it’s a habit, since a lot of them work as cops and in the fire department,” Bernie said.

  They all stood and strolled toward the office. Bur thought about it then decided to mention what he was thinking.

  “Since we’re looking outside the résumés we have, I think I know someone who might be a fit for the position as the second for the main center,” Bur said. “Although there were four of us on stage for TrebleBur, there was one other member of the band we couldn’t do without. Hell, we see him as one of the founding members of the group, although he doesn’t perform on stage. Enrico Falchetti was our stage manager, and he is brilliant at organizing stuff.”

  “Now, why didn’t we know this a zillion résumés ago? You could have saved us some aggravation.” Bernie smacked him on the arm.

  Bur retaliated and retorted, “You didn’t mention Longoria.”

  “Or even Sheldon. Do you know how to find this Enrico?” Del asked.

  “He still works with us. My three bandmates, he, and I all own the TrebleBur Corporation together.”

  “In England. But would he be willing to relocate, much less take the job?”

  “I’ll have to ask about the relocation. But the job would interest him. We’re always having to listen to him bellyache that he misses using his skills to do phenomenal feats as we had him do organizing us.” Bur smiled, thinking of Enrico and his other bandmates.

  Yeah, he had to call them.

  “Well, I’ll check him out, but check and see if he’s even interested,” Del said.

  Bur nodded. They entered the office. Del took over delegating what they needed to do. They made notes.

  “Dinner is ready. Come on before my food gets cold,” Tomas said.

  They immediately stopped and stood. They already knew how Tomas got when his food got cold. As they trudged down the hall, Bur thought of Gerald in the kitchen. He really didn’t want to sit across the table from him and eat.

  “I’m going to go check in with the construction at the center,” Bur said.

  “It’s my turn to check,” Del said.

  “I’ll do it.”

  “But—”

  “Let him do it, Del. But after dinner,” Tomas interjected.

  “Nah. I’m getting something on the way. I want to check on my house,” Bur said.

  Tomas stopped in the hall by the front door. “Check on our work, you mean. We’ll be done with the landscaping tomorrow. And yeah, when did you want us to get started on the other four houses you had built? I still don’t get why one man needs five houses.” Tomas shook his head.

  “They aren’t for me,” Bur said.

  Tomas, Bernie, and Del all stared at him, waiting. Bur walked around Tomas, heading for the door.

  “Who are they for?” Bernie asked.

  “Just another of my stupidities,” Bur replied.

  “Maybe you can move out of Harper’s soon,” Tomas suggested.

  “I’m still waiting for some of the custom furniture I ordered to be ready.” Bur made the excuse.

  Although it was true he was waiting for some furniture, the house was ready for him to move in. He could at any time. But as he told Gerald, he would stay with Harper until he wasn’t needed.

  “Tomorrow at eight, at my house,” Del said.

  Bur lifted his hand, acknowledging him, then exited. He strode to his dark blue Lincoln MKX. Bur got in, started the vehicle, and got on his way. He loved his new Lincoln that was a mix between car and SUV. Bur drove, pleased that he didn’t need the GPS to find his way. It had taken him a few months to get to know places in Mapson. He pressed a button, and music filled the cab. Bur drove, listening to the tracks of the music he was working on for a fellow artist. He made mental notes of the tweaks he wanted to make to the piece. It was just the music with no vocals. He’d put in vocals once he got the feel
he wanted.

  Before he realized it, the hour drive had passed. Bur turned down the road leading to his house. As he approached the start of the area designated for the houses he’d had built, he noted the stone and brick fencing he’d chosen to have built to enclose the property was, as the builder said, now just waiting for the gates. It would be an electronic slide gate with telephone entry for visitors. The owner of each house, and those they designated to have them, would have individually encoded transmitters to give them access. Bur drove through the arched entrance. He passed the roads on the right and left—each had two lanes—which led to the other four houses he’d had built. Each house was a distance from the others and had a few acres of land around it. The main road led to his home. He crested the slight incline and viewed the oasis he had created. The RodBro landscapers had done a fabulous job to create a design to compliment the sprawling two-story Tudor home.

  Bur pulled in front of it and shut off his car, then got out. He retrieved the CD, then strode up the walk and the three steps to the door. He opened the door with his key and went in. Bur stomped over to the stairs to the second floor and sat. He put his hands under his chin.

  “Fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into. First, you tell a straight man you want him, then commit yourself to contacting Enrico, which will lead to the other bandmates, who are probably pissed that you haven’t called them. You’ve done a lot for it being only the third day of January.” Bur played with the ball piercing in his tongue, then laughed. “And now you’re in an empty house, talking to yourself. Yeah, you’re a weirdo.”

  Bur stood. He headed to his music studio at the back of the house. He’d work on the music and get his head back on straight. He needed to forget all about Gerald, contact his bandmates, and get back to normal.

  GERALD SET the table as he waited for Tomas to return with the others. He paused, thinking about the look Bur had given him when he arrived. He couldn’t define the feeling that had overcome him when he’d spotted Bur. It wasn’t the usual wishing he was gone. Hearing the voices in the hall, but unable to hear what was being said, he completed his task.

  “Grab me a drink, Bernie. Del, help yourself. I’ll get the food dished up,” Tomas said.

  Gerald noted Bur was missing. “Where’s Bur?”

  “He went to his house,” Bernie replied as he brought his and Tomas’s drinks to the table.

  Gerald frowned. Bur really needed to stop thinking of Harper’s house as his own. Bernie and Del took seats. Tomas placed a plate before Bernie and Del, then went to get the others. Gerald studied Del. He didn’t know him too well. Del didn’t spend much time around any of them. Del met his gaze, the look in his eyes cool. He partially lowered his lids over his eyes. Gerald blinked at the common mannerism, which Bernie and Bur did too. On Del, the look was cold and calculating.

  “Do you all practice to do that?”

  Bernie looked between Gerald and Del. Then Bernie smacked Del on the shoulder.

  “Cut it out. Stop trying to intimidate Ramirez.”

  “Oh, is that what it was? I thought he was just studying my fine features. Wait. Let me show you my good side.” Gerald stood to turn around.

  “No mooning people at my table.” Tomas put his hand on his shoulder and pushed him back in the chair.

  “You’re no fun.” Gerald pouted.

  Del stared at him, then laughed. It was a hearty sound. Gerald was surprised how it made him look more approachable.

  “You’re as bad as Bur. He has a potty mouth and warped sense of humor too,” Del said.

  Gerald scowled.

  “Why do you get so surly around my brother?” Del asked.

  “We won’t discuss that,” Bernie said.

  Gerald stifled a chuckle. He knew Bernie didn’t want him to go off on a tirade of Bur taking advantage of Harper. But after yesterday and what Harper told him, he wouldn’t. Gerald didn’t mention it to them, since what Harper had said was between Harper and him. Gerald paused in eating. And Bur. It seemed as if there was no escaping Bur. Now, without thinking about him taking advantage of Harper, Gerald wondered why he was still uneasy about Bur being around.

  “HARPER, YOU and Bur go to the poker game today without me.” Gerald held the cordless phone to his ear as he stood, walked over to the window, and paused before the window seat.

  He glanced outside at his backyard. He absently noted the weeds that needed to be pulled in his flowerbeds.

  “You’ve been acting peculiar, Ramirez. Are you okay?” Harper asked.

  “I’m okay,” he replied.

  “I haven’t seen you in two weeks,” Harper said.

  Guilt filled Gerald. He’d made sure to call Harper, as he usually did, at least once a day, but he hadn’t been by the house as often.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Gerald replied.

  “It’s not that you have to see me. It’s just since Karl… passed, you’ve been coming around so often, and then nothing. Even before that, you’d at least come by twice a week. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I’ve just had some thinking to do.”

  “Thinking too much, as usual,” Harper teased.

  “You know me.” Gerald laughed uneasily.

  Harper was silent, then said softly, “If you need a sounding board, I’m here.”

  “I know. But I need to work this out my way,” Gerald said.

  “Fine. But I’m here. If I don’t see you by this Friday, I will hunt you down,” Harper promised.

  “Okay. I’ll come by. Don’t want you stalking me.” Gerald laughed.

  “Friday,” Harper warned.

  “Win lots of money at poker.”

  “Bur has better luck at that than I do.” Harper laughed.

  Gerald frowned at the mention of the reason he’d kept away from Harper’s house. That night when he’d left Tomas’s and gone home, he’d been unable to get Bur out of his mind. He’d replayed their conversation where Bur had basically made a pass. The unsettling feeling of being hit on by a man that had started with their conversation had only increased with seeing him again. The way Bur had looked at him had made him feel disjointed. It had started that day and increased each day since. Gerald had thought of each of their interactions and conversational sparring matches. If Bur had been a woman, the way he had challenged him, Gerald knew he would have already made a move. When he used to go out, he tended to go for women who not only turned him on, but also engaged his mind. He loved matching wits. Bur was very adept at that. But he was the wrong gender. Wasn’t he?

  The doubt is what was messing with him. He’d been up close and personal to many gay and bisexual men. With those friends who he knew were able to take the joke, he enjoyed teasing them by getting in their personal space. They’d gotten used to his crude and touchy ways, laughing it off. And he did the same when they did it to him. Even if he didn’t date men, he knew they were considered sexy. He’d heard women and men alike say such things. Yet he’d never once been attracted to any of them. Heck, he wasn’t even sure if he was attracted to Bur. It was frustrating, being so uncertain. It wasn’t like him at all. He didn’t like the feeling. Since he didn’t know what was wrong with him, he’d stayed away from any chance of being around Bur.

  “Ramirez!” Harper’s sharp tone caught his attention.

  “Sorry. What did you say?”

  “Just asking about how work was going,” Harper replied.

  “It’s work. I’ll speak with you later.” Gerald hung up without waiting for a reply.

  He lowered the receiver, holding it loosely. A purring sound made him glance around. The orange tabby cat walked over to him, rubbing against his leg. It glanced at him, then hopped up on the window seat. It meowed.

  “Finally awake from your nap, Cinders?” Gerald hooked the phone on the waist of his pants, then picked up the cat.

  He petted it and it purred in his arms. Gerald stroked his pet as he looked out the window. She meowed again. Gerald looked at her. She cocked her head to th
e side.

  “Want to go outside and run around while I garden?” Gerald asked.

  Cinders meowed, then butted his hand. Gerald went back to rubbing along her fur as he turned and headed out to the backyard. Gardening would help him relax and keep him occupied. As he worked in his garden, Gerald continued to think about Bur. Hours later, he was sweaty and still no closer to figuring out why Bur made him so antsy.

  “Cinders!” he called, heading for the house.

  She ran past him and entered the house. Gerald went in, heading for the shower. After, he returned to the living room to watch TV. He flipped the channels and kept looking at the clock. He stood and paced, then wandered his house. Ending back in the living room, he sat and tapped his foot. When the clock turned to 6:30, he placed a call. When the person he was calling picked up, he barely heard hello before he blurted out, “I need you to take me to a gay bar.”

  “Ummm… Ramirez?” The voice was cautious.

  “Come on, Nicky. You’re a gay man, and I know you know gay bars,” Gerald said.

  “Why don’t you ask Tomas, Miguel, or Hector?”

  “Your brothers would tease me mercilessly,” Gerald said.

  “Why would they tease you? Isn’t this for work or something?” Nicolas Rodriguez, the youngest Rodriguez brother, asked.

  “Are you going to take me to a bar or not?” Gerald asked instead of answering.

  “Fine. Meet me out front of the bar. It’s at 85 Wayne Street.”

  “The area where the farmers’ market is? There’s a gay bar there?” Gerald strode down the hall toward his bedroom to get ready.

  “Yes. And when I get there, you will explain.” Nicolas hung up.

  Gerald winced, turning off the phone. He knew that tone, Nicolas was the more easygoing of the brothers but was relentless in finding out information. Gerald dressed quickly then went to the front the door and out to his vehicle. Once inside he drove toward the address, wondering what he would say to Nicolas once he saw him. By the time he arrived in the bar’s parking lot, he still had no idea. Gerald found parking close to the door then got out of his truck. He stared at the sign that read “Destinations.” It was actually very tasteful. He glanced around the parking area that was full of various vehicles. Gerald rolled his shoulders and headed for the entrance. He paced back and forth in front of the bar. Men came and went as he waited.