by B L Maxwell
“Hey, want to grab some lunch while we’re down here?” Jason asked.
“Sure, let’s go check in with Dean.” I winked and took Jason’s hand. We walked the two short blocks and stepped inside the crowded restaurant. “Is it my imagination, or is it even busier in here now than it was before?” I asked Jason.
“It’s really busy, wonder if it has anything to do with their new cook?” Jason said, glancing around the restaurant and at all the full tables.
“Fuck yes, it has to do with their new cook! What’s up, assholes? Come to enjoy my excellent culinary skills?” Jimbo smiled as he clapped both of us on the back. The past two weeks had changed him. Where he was gruff and serious before, now he seemed to smile constantly. He was still an asshole, but he wasn’t as grouchy about it.
“Hey, Jimbo, where’s Dean?” I asked.
“He’s in the office, trying to catch up on his books and staying out from under my feet. Right, Teddy?” Jimbo said to one of the waiters, who hurried by with plates piled high with delicious-smelling food.
“Right, Mr. Jimbo,” he said, and hurried off to deliver the food to a nearby table.
“Is it possible to get a table? I guess we would like to ‘enjoy your excellent culinary skills’,” Jason asked. “I’m starving, so if you could step it up, that’d be great. Not that I’m rushing you or anything.”
Jimbo froze and locked his eyes on Jason, not moving for a few seconds, before busting up in laughter I never thought I’d hear from him. “This way, you know we always have a table for you guys.”
“So, what are you doing with your place in Coloma?” I asked.
“I found a cook and a manager, I’ll try to run it from here, if I can’t, I’ll sell it. This is where I belong.” As he handed us both a menu, Dean walked up, and without missing a beat, kissed Jimbo on the cheek and brushed it with his thumb.
“Thank you, James, you’re doing such a great job. Everyone loves the new menu,” Dean whispered to him, making him smile once again.
“Oh, you two have it bad,” Jason said, and opened his menu to look at all the new items Jimbo had added.
“Yep,” Jimbo said, and slapped me on the back before walking away toward the kitchen with Dean, who turned back to us with a smile and a thumbs-up.
“So, what’s next on the agenda?” I asked.
“I’m thinking the brisket dinner sounds good,” he said, not even looking up from the menu.
“No, I mean with the business, Running Scared.”
“Oh, sorry,” he said, closing his menu and setting in on the table. “We’ll have to talk to your mom, she’s running the show now. I pretty much just leave it all up to her to tell us where to go next. But I do happen to know we’ve got some exciting stuff coming up.” He reached his hand across the table to rest on mine.
“Really, what’s got you so excited?” I asked. Funny how, somehow, I went from dreading every job, to looking forward to them. As long as the jobs included Jason, I was more than happy to tag along.
“Someone called with a pretty big job, but we’ll need to stay the weekend, and Jimbo will need to go. It’s too much for just the two of us. Maybe we could ask Dean too, what do you think?”
“Well, I don’t mind, as long as he wants to go, we can start training him on the equipment. Wait, where are we going?” He gave me the smile I loved the most, full of curiosity, adventure, and eagerness.
“Have you heard of Preston Castle in Ione?”
I thought about it for a second, but it wasn’t ringing any bells. “Nope, I don’t think so. Should I?” I took out my phone, ready to look up some information on it.
“It was a boys’ prison, it’s closed now, but it’s one of the most haunted buildings in the area.”
“A prison? Can we handle that?” I asked as I looked at pictures of it on my phone. It was intimidating as hell, and also intriguing.
“Hell yes, we can handle it,” Jimbo said, suddenly looking over my shoulder. Then Dean was at his side, squeezing in for a look as well.
“Oh, that looks scary, I’m in,” he said.
Jason crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair and raised his eyebrows. “Well, Wade, what about it, are you in?”
I smirked at him before answering. “Hell yes, I’m in. On to the next big adventure.”
* * *
THE END
About the Author
BL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked.
Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she's trying to sleep.
Contact
[email protected]
Also by BL Maxwell
Also in the Valley Ghosts Series
Ghost Hunted
Jason Thomas had always been obsessed with the ghost stories he'd watched on television from the time he was a kid. He'd always dreamed of visiting those haunted places, and playing amateur ghost hunters with his best friend Wade. As they grew older, Jason's fascination with ghosts grew as well, and he'd drag Wade along to different haunted houses or hotels, always hoping to see an actual ghost.
Wade Rivers loved spending time with Jason, even if it meant he'd have to endure another creepy, supposedly haunted location. Friends since they were kids, and always inseparable, Wade's feelings for Jason deepened from friendship into something more. Unfortunately, so did his fear of the places Jason wanted to explore.
The chance to spend a weekend alone in a famous haunted house was too much for Jason to resist, and almost too much for Wade to endure. He knew going to the deserted house was everything Jason had ever dreamed of, so Wade tried to put his fears aside. But when paranormal things start to happen, admitting to Jason how he feels suddenly isn't the scariest thing Wade will encounter.
Ghost Haunted
Wade Rivers finally has what he’s always wanted, his best friend Jason Thomas as his boyfriend. Their first date, hopefully the first of many, starts out with a simple dinner, but Wade has a surprise in store for Jason. They end up at a haunted house exhibit for Halloween.
Wade finds out that Jason loves investigating the paranormal, but he’s not as enthused about the other attractions. When they meet up with a fellow paranormal researcher, Jimbo, their fun night gets more frightening with each room in the haunted house.
From the beginning to the end, they’ll visit every nightmare imaginable, and they’ll all find out some truths about each other they never thought would come to light.
OTHER TITLES
Stone Under Skin
Ankit has lived many lifetimes. Once, long ago, he was made of stone, and marked with symbols and sigils meant to safeguard him and allow him to protect and serve others. He’s a living gargoyle now, cursed to live as a human; always watching, at all times aware, and constantly searching for his fated one.
While walking home from his job as a librarian, Ethan Lewis is beaten and robbed. Ankit stumbles upon him, and instantly recognizes him as the man he’s fated to. He helps him back to his apartment, and after tending his injuries, watches over him.
Fate has woven their lives together for centuries, but in every lifetime, they could never live freely, or love each other as Ankit has often dreamed of. To change their destiny, they’ll fight together with other gargoyles, and a young watcher, who is unaware of the tremendous power she possesses. This will be the last battle against their creator, and they’ll either die fighting for their freedom, or survive to live the life they’ve always yearned for.
Better Together
Since being thrown out of his home by his parents, Caden has been struggling to survive on the streets.
He lives in constant fear, stresses over his next meal, and dreads trying to find a safe place to sl
eep at night. He eventually finds an unlocked car and settles in to sleep, but is soon interrupted when someone steals the car. With little choice but to ride along, Caden soon learns that first impressions aren’t always correct.
Seventeen-year-old Damario has been raising his little brother and sister by himself since his parents were deported. He never knew how hard it was going to be paying the bills and making sure there was always food on the table. Or how hard it would be to hold his family together when they all depended on him to do it. He finds himself stealing cars to make ends meet, but he never expected to find someone sleeping in the back of one of them. And he really didn’t expect this stowaway to change his life.
When Damario brings Caden home, it was supposed to be just for a shower and a hot meal, but he can hardly kick him out onto the streets again. There is no way he could have seen that by saving Caden that night, he was also saving himself. When Damario’s world starts to fall apart, they both realize that the answer to all of their problems is helping each other, and although the world tries to drive them apart, they really are better together.
Ride
Kace Hallard leaves Sacramento, bound for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, something he and his father had always planned to do together. When his father realizes he won’t be able to make the trip, he makes Kace promise to go on his own.
He takes off, not sure he’s up to the challenge. When he has mechanical trouble a few hours away from home, he questions his choice even more.
Striker Johnson is just out buying lunch for the guys at the shop when he notices the handsome stranger in the parking lot checking over his Harley and looking confused. He approaches him and offers his help.
The next few hours fly by, and Kace asks Striker to join him.
It’s the trip of a lifetime for them both, one man looking to ease his grief, the other riding toward emotions he has no hope of controlling. One way or another they’ll have to decide if they ride together or separately, when life throws them one more curve.
Salt and Lime
Sal Hutton books a trip to Cancún on a whim. Needing some time off from work, he sees an opportunity to go and takes it—alone. After a red-eye flight and full of excitement for what he might experience over the next week, he strikes up a conversation with the handsome taxi driver who gives him a ride to his hotel, and hopes their paths cross again.
Derrik Green came to Cancún for a vacation, and two years later is still here, after falling in love with the city and its people. He’s working as a taxi driver and is happier than ever. After dropping off the man named Sal, he can’t stop thinking about him, and hopes that eventually he’ll call, even if it’s just to hire him for a ride or private tour.
Soon their wish comes true and they’re spending time together, enjoying all the sights and adventures Cancun has to offer.
Sal and Derrik weren’t looking for love, but maybe they were meant to meet here, half a world away from their regular lives, and right in the middle of a tropical paradise. With so many people behind them, they might just get their happily ever after under starry nights and surrounded by the beautiful blue Caribbean.
Cake Clash
Finn Leighton loves owning his bakery and tries not to dwell on the boyfriend that was the love of his life in culinary school. When his co-worker sends in an application for him to compete on the reality baking show, Cake Clash, he’s nervous but also excited for the opportunity. Even if he secretly wishes he was competing alongside Josiah.
Chef Jos, one of the youngest, renowned celebrity chefs, and a notorious recluse, is surprised when he’s asked to be a judge on the reality television baking show, but takes the opportunity as a fresh start. He’s blown away when he recognizes Finn as one of the contestants.
The years separated from Finn have transformed him from Josiah Stevens to Chef Jos, and seem to disappear in the presence of his first love. Can they make up for lost time, and reconnect for love on the rollercoaster ride that is Cake Clash?
Check Yes or No
Sam and Reese exchanged valentines when they were children, neither realizing how much those simple cards would impact their lives. When fate brings both together again as adults, what started as a friendship grows into more. They celebrate every year on the day that brought them together, Valentine’s Day by reading from their first Valentine’s and looking back on all the events that have shaped their lives as a couple. Valentine’s Day brings them more love and happiness than they could ever have imagined all those years ago
