by Shane Morton
Something Borrowed, Something Boo
A Point Pleasant Holiday
Shane Morton
Contents
Untitled
1. Danny
2. Danny
3. Blake
4. Danny
5. Blake
6. Danny
7. Blake
8. Danny
9. Blake
10. Danny
11. Blake
12. Blake
13. Danny
14. Blake
15. Danny
16. Danny
17. Blake
18. Danny
19. Blake
20. Danny
21. Blake
22. Danny
Untitled
About Shane K Morton
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Also By Shane K Morton
Copyright © 2019 by Shane K Morton
All Rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the brief quotations in a book review.
Cover art © 2019 by Winterheart Design, winterheart.com
Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is dedicated to my sister Donna. You are an inspiration to me, always.
I would also like to thank Deb Swietek for all the advice and help.
1
Danny
I jumped into my truck and sped down the winding highway that led into town. It was only a five-minute drive from my cabin as long as there wasn’t snow on the road, and at this time of year, it was safe. The trees were covered in their best fall colors of red, orange, and yellow; their large branches hanging over the curving road that sat at the base of the Calahumas Mountain Range. This was my home, and I loved it. All thoughts of escape into the unknown had passed, and I never wanted to leave the place I grew up. My college experience had cured me of that.
It was a gorgeous day - with the right amount of autumn chill in the air, and I rolled my window down to let the clean, crisp air into the truck. The wind felt amazing as it blew through my dark curly hair blowing every which way but off my head. It was thick and unruly, most of the time, so I usually covered it with a hat.
I was running late. I almost always ran late. I blamed my X-Box for this chronic problem, but I knew it was usually because I wasn’t paying enough attention. This was one of the many flaws I possessed. I mean, I was working on it with my counselor and hoped I might be making some progress on it. She always made it seem like I was taking steps in the right direction instead of the wrong one. But it’s easy to slide back into bad habits. I hate time…
I’ve been seeing Dr. Miranda for a little over a year. It was a decision I made when my ex Everett broke my heart. We only dated for six months, but we’ve known each other for a little over a decade. Everett was my best friend- well had been my best friend, ever since he sat beside me in algebra when we were in middle school. “Algebra’s not that important now that we have a new-fangled invention called computers,” he joked to our teacher. I was hooked from that moment on. His snark became something I couldn’t live without.
Our friendship grew fast- quickly becoming an inseparable bond that lasted all the trials and tribulations of high school: parties, football games, and even coming out to each other. We went to college together and pledged the same fraternity, eventually becoming brothers in another way. It lasted through our numerous breakups with other people, and some of them were rough. We were always there for each other to help pick up the pieces of what some other asshole destroyed.
Everett was by my side when Dad passed away and held my hand through the most challenging time of my life. Holding me and letting me cry as I had never cried before, his hands soothingly playing with my hair as he wrapped it around his finger. A year later, he repeated the process when my Mom succumbed to cancer.
He was the bestest of best friends. The closest of brothers…
Perhaps falling in love with each other was inevitable, even if we both knew it probably wouldn’t work. I’m a laidback apathetic mess and after college and losing my parents, I couldn’t get my act together. I got a fun job at the resort, and I love it- even if I could be doing more with my life. I didn’t need to get a degree for what I do. But, settling seemed like the best option for me, I mean, I needed a job but didn’t really want a career.
Everett has never settled for anything. He’s demanded more and pursued it with a voracious appetite. Looking back, I think he thought of me as the comfortable choice, and I’ve always known that Everett could do better. He deserved more than the life I jumped into. So I wasn’t surprised when it happened.
We broke up because it wasn’t working. I was totally stuck in my status quo and always late, broke, and non-committal to what the future may or may not hold. Nothing wrong happened between us, and I think that made it worse. There was no big fight- just regrets and sadness. We had each lost our best friend, our brother. Things were different now after we dated and I worried that nothing would ever be the same. Sadly, I was right. At least for a while.
Two months after we split, Everett met Evan and fell head over heels in love. They started dating, and I started therapy. It wasn’t really because of Everett falling in love with someone else- thought that was part of it. It made me think about things. I finally realized that I wanted more. I wanted to be able to be more for someone else, when and if I ever met my own new someone and I was not ready for that.
We’ve mended fences, and our friendship has recovered, for the most part, but it still has its tenuous moments. Everett doesn’t share as much as he used to. He still has a wall up, even though we’re slowly taking it apart brick by brick and moment by moment. Trying to get back to us.
Everett’s probably gonna be pissy at me.
Shit! I gripped the steering wheel hard and leaned in. I took the last curve a little too fast. My tires squealed as they fought to stay on the leaf-covered road. If too many leaves fall, it can get a bit slippery.
The town’s around this last bend. Point Pleasant is a small town. It boasts a large community of about five thousand people, but that population count is only the people who live here year-round. In the summer and in the winter, the population explodes with thousands of tourists that come for hiking, swimming, boating, and skiing. This valley becomes a summer paradise and the mountain’s a winter adventurers dream. Those tourists are how I make my money. I’m a ski instructor during the winter and a lifeguard during the summer, and I love it. It’s easy, and I get to keep doing what it is I love. I’ve always been outdoorsy, unlike Everett, who I have never seen ski in my life. But, for the first time in my life- I want more than being a babysitter to the tourists. I’m just not one hundred percent sure what that is.
I drove past the ‘Welcome to Point Pleasant’ sign and passed through the town’s only stoplight before I turned the first corner and parked in front of the town square. I glanced in the rearview mirror and ran my hands through my overly long curls. The wind had blown my hair all over the place. I grabbed my wallet from the passenger’s seat and hurriedly exited the truck.
Everett was sitting out front at one of the café tables that sat on the small patio of the town’s only coffee shop. It was a cozy place with a bookstore, bakery, and the best damn coffee in the state called Margie’s. Margie had retired, but her daughter Crystal now ran the pla
ce. We all went to high school together. Crystal was wild.
“You are late, Danny,” Everett laughed, his finger shook judgmentally at me. “Why am I not surprised?”
Yep, pissy.
“Sorry. I was saving the universe from the Empire, and I didn’t realize,” I grimaced, shrugging apologetically. “I’m sorry, Ev. I know…”
“I thought you were setting alarms to help with that,” he motioned to the cup of coffee he had ordered me. “It’s probably a little cold, now.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be able to drink it faster. Thanks for this,” I grinned brightly at Everett before bending down to give him a quick hug. We had finally gotten to the hugging place in our relationship a few months ago.
“So, the alarms? I thought that was your new thing with Dr. Miranda. I think it’s a great idea for you- but I bet it drives you crazy.”
“Well… Yeah. But, it usually works. I haven’t been late to work in a while, but I still need to start adding it into my personal life.” I sat down in the small metal chair and took a quick sip of the coffee Ev bought me. “Damn… I don’t know their secret, but this coffee is always off the fucking hook!”
“Right? It really is crack. I don’t even try to make coffee at home anymore. Why should I drink anything else when I can be here in - like - a minute,” Everett laughed. “I love living in town!”
“So what’s up? I mean, something is happening if you wanted an afternoon coffee date,” I asked curiously. We got together quite often but not usually midday. “What couldn’t wait for our regular Friday pizza and beer night? Is everything okay?
Everett giggled- Seriously, giggled like he might be the gayest person on the planet. It was unsettling.
“Everything is great!” He said this too loudly. He was definitely hiding something, and he was nervous about it. Everett was not someone who got loud. It was one of his tells that something was making him uncomfortable.
“Okay,” I played along. My stomach did a little flip as I went through the myriad of possibilities. Cancer? Probably not. Moving? That would surprise me. I mean, it could be anything. Maybe he got a new job. He was always on an upward track in whatever he did. “So, what’s been happening? Did you and Evan like the play you went to last night?” The Point Pleasant Playhouse was a big hit in town. It did a professional season during the summer for the tourists and became a community theatre in the fall.
“It was great. I love The PPP. Hey, do you remember Amber McGinty? I think she was a year ahead of us in school.”
“Yeah, I think so. Really quiet and mousy, right? She was friends with your sister, wasn’t she?” I asked, wondering where this was going.
“Yep. Anyway, Amber went to Yale and got a degree in music. She and her family just moved back to town over the summer, and she is the new music teacher at the high school.” Ev always got excited sharing gossip. It was cute. His green eyes sparkled.
“I heard Mrs. Montgomery was retiring. She hated me, I think. Gave me a D in music,” I shook my head in disgust. “I mean, I showed up to every class. Was it my fault I had no musical ability?”
“Well, Danny, you are totally tone-deaf. Taking you to karaoke is terrifying. Anyway, she was the star of the show. She sounded amazing.” He took a quick sip of coffee. “She played Marian and was quite good.”
“That’s cool. It seems like everyone always comes back to The Pleasant, don’t they?” That’s how locals referred to the town. ‘The Pleasant.’
“It’s hard to leave paradise, Danny,” he grinned. “But, sometimes you have to fly when it’s your turn.”
“You’re fucking leaving? What!” My head spun. Everett couldn’t leave. He loved it here more than I did.
“What? No… I’m not leaving. I mean, that’s not what I meant,” he stuttered, his face reddening.
“Then what the fuck is going on, Ev? You’re freaking me out.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. My heart was racing with the thought of losing him, this time in a way that perhaps we couldn’t fix. He was my touchstone, even after the mess we made of us.
“No… It’s… Damnit, Danny! This isn’t the way I wanted to tell you about this,” he stood up and grasped the back of the chair, his face overly serious.
“Okay, seriously… Please, just spit it the fuck out. You have never been good at delivering bad news.” I whined, hoping it would get him to rip the band-aid off quickly so I could process it and then see what I could do to fix it.
“Okay…” he turned around and looked over at the court square. The state flag flying in the small park that held a gazebo that people always said was magic. “Do you remember when we first heard the tale of the gazebo? I wonder if the kids are still as mesmerized by it?”
“What?” Okay, so this caught me off guard. I wished he would just fucking tell me what was wrong. When Ev got like this, he could meander the conversation all over the fucking place. “I don’t know. Probably. I’ve seen the kids go in there on Valentine’s Day to see if they can hear the name of their perfect match whispered on the wind. So, I guess.”
“Do you remember when we did it?” he turned around and smiled sadly.
“Of course. I whispered my name as quietly as I could to fuck with you, and you heard it. You freaked out for weeks,” I chuckled. It may have made me an asshole at the time, but it was still funny.
“Yeah… You were a dick,” he grinned. “Do you remember the other part of the legend?”
“Uh… I’m not sure, honestly. Something about if you get married under the gazebo you will have a life of happiness… or something?” I shrugged, draining my cup. The coffee really did get cold. A small breeze blew into us, and Ev’s hair stood up for a second. He really was extraordinary, one of the most handsome men I have ever met. But he didn’t belong to me anymore.
“That’s close. The legend says that if you say your vows under the gazebos safety, they will be sealed for all eternity, ensuring a happy and blessed marriage. My mother used to repeat it every time we would walk by when I was younger. I think she wanted me to know that when or if I got married that it had to be under the gazebo.”
“That’s funny.” Ev shot me a quick look. “And cool,” I added, waiting for him to finish so he would tell me what was happening with him. Why he was so nervous.
“That’s it, Danny,” he stated so simply it only confused me more.
“I don’t get it…”
“I’m… getting married, Danny. Evan proposed to me last weekend.”
My jaw dropped… Probably further than any jaw has ever dropped in the history of jaw drops. I was fucking floored. I just stared at him, my eyes so wide they actually hurt.
“Are you okay? Say something, Danny, damnit.”
I couldn’t. I was stunned into silence. Married? Everett and Evan? My stomach flipped, and my vision went blurry for a second as I tried to rationalize what this meant. Married? My Everett… No. Not my Everett. Evan’s Everett. He had never really been mine, not in that way. We were a glitch, a glitch that hurt us for a time but a glitch we were able to get over. Married? “Holy shit…”
Everett looked like he was about to cry.
I quickly stood up and walked over to him, placing my hands on his shoulders. “Holy shit. Oh, Everett… That is so fucking great. I’m happy for you, Ev… honestly. Evan is a cool guy, and you deserve to be happy, and I know he makes you happy, Ev.” I took my finger and raised his head by the chin so I could look deeply into his eyes. “I mean it.”
I took him in my arms and gave him a huge hug, holding him tightly against me. I felt his head lean against my shoulder as he loosened and relaxed into my embrace.
“I was worried you would be upset. I didn’t want to hurt you, Danny,” he whispered, his coffee breath caressing my ear.
“Of course you were,” I chuckled sweetly. “My sweet Everett… You are my best friend. I am okay, Ev. As hard as it may be for you to believe, I am not in love with you in that way any longer. Of course, I wan
t you to live your happily ever after. I promise. We all deserve that, don’t we? So when is the big day?”
“Next Saturday,” he giggled.
“One week? You two are crazy,” I squeezed him tighter. Even the thought of that made me anxious for them.
“Ow… God… Your body is so hard it's hurting me. Seriously, you are crushing me with your biceps and pecs… I think I might have just gotten shredded by your abs. You work out to much,” he laughed as he pulled away.
I raised my arms and flexed my biceps, a smirk proudly placed upon my face. “I know. But this body gets me the best tips from all the snow bunnies and beach babes,” I laughed.
“Oh, I know. Someday, when you meet the right person, they are gonna love that body,” he teased, squeezing my bicep. “So…”
“So?” I took a step back and crossed my arms, seriously.
“Will you be my best man, Danny? It has to be you, you know…” He looked at me, hopefully.
“One week? Are you kidding me? I mean, of course, I will, Ev. But that’s…”
“I know. I’m counting on you, Danny. Evan’s brother, Blake, is flying in tomorrow to help out,” he reached out and grabbed my hand. “I’m really gonna need you. Seriously. I have a project at work and its due on Thursday, so my time is gonna be…”
“Then why are you guys rushing this?” I asked, completely confused.
“Next Saturday is Halloween dummy! I want to be married on Halloween. You know that! Blake will be here too, and I’m sure the two of you will make the wedding awesome. You know me better than anyone, Danny,” his eyes pleaded with me. “Can you take a little time off work? It’s kind of between seasons right?”
