Starting Over in Cedarwood

by Megan Slayer

  He agreed. “Kevin?” He wasn’t ready for Kevin to leave. They had such chemistry and he craved Kevin’s attention.

  “Yeah?” Kevin wiped his hands on a napkin. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing.” Shaun wasn’t sure what he wanted to say because his thoughts were a jumble. “I’ll text you when I’m on my way.” He left his seat and rounded his desk. “And right now, I’ll walk you out.”

  “I’m not helpless. I know how I got here.” Kevin held Shaun’s hand. “But it’s nice to be escorted.”

  “Accompanied.” He bumped shoulders with Kevin. “You make me happy.” He walked them out into the sunshine. “Things are falling into place.”

  Kevin frowned. “They are?”

  “I wanted to start over in Cedarwood. Find myself, put down roots and find happiness,” Shaun said. “I’m well on my way because I know what I want from my life and I’ve got a purpose—to write stories for the paper, do the advertising and be part of the community. My roots are starting to grow and I’m in a good place because I have you.” He kissed Kevin. “See? Life is how it’s supposed to be.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Shaun’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He’d almost forgotten he’d tucked the device away. “Sorry.” He checked the name of the caller. “It’s Remy and I should take it.”

  “Go ahead. I’ll see you tonight, so it’s not like you’re bothering me.” Kevin kissed him. “Deal with that, but don’t goof around. I hate watching movies alone.”

  “You have Leo.”

  “He sits on my chest and obscures the view.”

  “That might be a problem.” Shaun swiped to answer the call. “See you.” He turned his attention to the phone. “Remy.”

  “Finally,” Remy said. “I see you in the parking lot. Hurry up.”

  “Ouch.” He waved to Kevin as he backed out of his spot. He kept waving until Kevin drove out of sight. Once his boyfriend was gone, Shaun walked into the building.

  Remy stood in the foyer. “Sorry I had to call, but you weren’t in your office. Where is everyone? Did I call a holiday and forget about it?”

  “They went to lunch,” Shaun said. “I thought you knew.” What the staff did wasn’t his business.

  “Nope.” Remy tucked his phone into his breast pocket. “The feature?”

  “I’m polishing. It should be on your desk within the hour.”

  “Good,” Remy said. “Get it done and you’re good for the day. I like the photo you chose. The pup is cute.”

  “Cara liked it, too. She seemed interested in him.” The mixed breed dog had adorable floppy ears and would make anyone a good pet. The little thing reminded Shaun of a mini Great Dane.

  “She could use a dog.” Remy nodded. “Get the story done. Go. I don’t want to wait all day.”

  “Yes, sir.” Shaun strolled into the office. Getting used to Remy’s quirks took time, but he seemed to understand him better. Remy wanted stuff done now and had a short attention span. Oh well. Remy knew how to steer the paper in the right direction and Shaun didn’t mind. He preferred to have deadlines and tasks. Too much wiggle room got him into trouble because he tended to overanalyze and take extra time.

  He settled behind his desk and opened his laptop. In moments, he got to work. The story didn’t need much polish. It was straightforward and sleek. He added a couple of extra sentences, then sat back for a final read-through. If he fiddled with it any longer, he’d screw the story up. Instead, he sent the photo and article straight to Remy’s email.

  “Done,” Shaun murmured. He rolled away from his desk and stretched. The weight of getting the story done was off his shoulders. He could relax tonight and enjoy his time with Kevin.

  He logged out of his laptop and shut the computer down. After he packed up his things, he stopped by Remy’s office. “I sent it through.”

  “Got it.” Remy waved without looking up from his laptop. “You’re off?”

  “To see Kevin, yes.”

  “Have fun.” Remy never switched his focus from the computer screen, like Shaun wasn’t there.

  Shaun should’ve been insulted, but he wasn’t—no point. He sighed and returned to his office long enough to ensure he had everything, then switched off the lights and locked up. He headed out to his car. In just a little while, he’d be with Kevin.

  He settled behind the wheel and plugged his phone into the charger. As he backed out of the spot, his phone rang and Cheryl’s name came on the display screen. He tapped the button on the steering wheel to answer the call hands-free. “Hi.”

  “You’re a hard man to reach,” Cheryl said. “Where have you been?”

  “How many times have you tried to call?” He navigated through town to the grocery store. “I haven’t been MIA.”

  “I tried once, but I’m used to you just being there,” she said. “Where have you been?”

  “With Kevin and at work. It’s been hectic. Between the proofs not being right and other stuff, I haven’t had time to breathe.”

  “Kevin? You’re still together?”

  “I am, and he’s great.”

  “When do I get to meet him?”

  “Soon.” He wanted to show off his boyfriend to everyone.

  “Tell me about him,” she said. “Not the ‘he’s sweet’ bullshit. What do you know about him? This is happening fast. What is his favorite color? Cat’s name? Is he allergic to shellfish? Come on. You don’t know anything.”

  He pulled into the lot and parked, then disconnected his phone. He pressed the device to his ear. “He has a cat, so he’s not allergic. The cat’s name is Leo and he’s a little choosy, but I like him. Besides, he’s a cat. He’s going to be a snot. As for shellfish, I haven’t asked, but I will. I don’t know his favorite color or even his birthday, but I will.” He groaned. “We haven’t slept together yet. The hottest thing we’ve done has been a five-mile run and a hot kiss at his apartment. I’m taking it slow, so I don’t mess this up.”

  “I want to be mad at you, but I can’t. You’re being good, which is all I can ask.” She sighed. “Just keep your head on. I know how you dive in deep, then flame out.”

  “I know,” he said. “I need to go. I’m cooking for him tonight and I need to get stuff.”

  “Cooking for him?” She laughed. “You really are in over your head. You don’t cook for anyone.”

  “It’s not my idea of fun, but I want to do this.” He tucked his wallet into his back pocket. “Anyway, I’ll call you in a day or two. Okay? Love ya,” he said. “Thanks for checking on me.”

  “Love you.”

  He hung up, then headed into the grocery store. He wasn’t sure what to make. It probably didn’t matter what he cooked, because he had plenty of time. Hell, they had all night. He wandered the aisles, seeking inspiration. None came to mind. He walked past the meat counter and spied the prepared meatballs and chicken dishes. A thought came to mind—he could make chicken with mozzarella and spaghetti. He picked up a package of chicken breasts, some fresh mozzarella cheese, pasta and a jar of sauce. Would Kevin like bread? The carbs might help with their run the next day. He should grab some.

  He stopped at the frozen food section and picked out breadsticks.

  “Shaun?” Jack strode up to him. “It’s Jack. I bought an ad in the paper. It’s nice to see you.”

  “Sure, I remember. Hi, Jack. How are you?” He had his arms full of stuff or he would’ve offered his hand. “How’s sales?”

  “Good.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. Your ad should be running now,” Shaun said. “I like how it turned out.”

  “I saw it and it looks great. I may offer a coupon next time. Can I do that?” Jack asked.

  “Sure can. Email me and we’ll get it set up when you’re ready.” He jiggled the things in his arms. “Sorry.”

  “No worries,” Jack said. “Got plans for tonight?”

  “I’m cooking for Kevin tonight.” He nodded to his purchases and hoped he didn’t drop anything.
“I hope it turns out okay.”

  “Looks like you have a good start.” Jack tipped his ballcap. “I’ll let you go. Have a great night and thanks for the advice. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Good deal and good afternoon.” Shaun headed to the register and paid, then left the store. He drove the short distance to Kevin’s apartment. Halfway there, a though occurred to him—he should’ve bought wine or something. Shit.

  Oh well. A forgotten bottle of wine wasn’t going to ruin his evening. Nothing could. He was about to see Kevin and have a good time.

  He deserved nothing less.

  * * * *

  Kevin cleaned the apartment and tried to ensure the place looked spotless. He doubted Shaun cared if his space was messy, but he refused to have a disaster. He didn’t want a tumbleweed of cat hair on the carpet, cat toys on the floor or dirty dishes in the sink. He had to have this perfect.

  Leo strutted across the coffee table and bopped the unlit candles onto the floor.

  “Thanks.” Kevin picked up the tea lights. So much for setting the mood. He placed the candles on the side table, then paced the length of the room. He should make sure he looked okay. He’d never thought he was handsome, but he was passable. Part of him knew he had Shaun’s affection, but the niggling doubts came back. They always did. God, he had to stop being negative and worrying. Shaun wasn’t Kyle and probably never would be.

  He checked his outfit and fixed his hair. He’d paired a clean pair of khaki shorts with a different T-shirt. Should he wear socks? His slippers? Did it matter?

  He groaned, then walked away from the mirror. Staring at himself wasn’t going to help.

  Where was Shaun? He sat on the couch and petted Leo. He hadn’t been this worried with Kyle. Then again, with Kyle, he’d worried about how Kyle would react and if he’d even show up. With Shaun, he couldn’t contain his excitement. He had to embrace the positivity. Shaun was the man he needed.

  Leo sat on Kevin’s lap and cleaned his paw, then licked his side.

  “You don’t care about any of this, do you?” He petted the cat. “What do you think of Shaun? Do you like him?”

  Leo stopped bathing and stared at him. He didn’t blink, just stared.

  “I like him, Leo. I like him and I want this to work. He makes me laugh and I feel comfortable. I want to climb all over him, too. I got a hint of what he’s packing and it’s all I can do to keep myself from exploring. My God, and he seems to really like me. It’s not fake, it’s not forced… Leo…I might be in love.”

  His breath caught in his throat. He’d thought he loved Kyle, but realized it was only lust. The connection might have had a bit to do with punishment, too. He didn’t feel like he deserved to be loved by a nice guy and had to settle for guys like Kyle. He knew damn well Kyle wasn’t good for him. He’d known since they’d moved in together and Kyle had tossed most of Kevin’s clothing because it wasn’t designer label.

  Shaun wasn’t like that.

  The door buzzer infiltrated his thoughts and Leo scrambled out of sight. Kevin jumped up from the couch. He checked his phone. One text from Shaun.

  At the door. Can use help. Arms full.

  Shit. He grabbed his keys and stuffed his feet into his boat shoes, then hurried to the ground floor. Shaun stood just outside the main door with two bags in his arms. He grinned.

  Kevin opened the door. “Hi. Let me help you.” He took one of the bags. “Are you feeding a mob?”

  “No.” Shaun laughed. “I overthought this, though.”

  “What are you making?” He opened the second door, allowing Shaun into the building.

  “Baked chicken and pasta.” Shaun waited for Kevin and ascended the stairs alongside him. “I got sidetracked by my friend and talked with Jack at the grocery store.”

  “Jack? Hot Dog Jack?”

  “The one and only.”

  Kevin opened his apartment door. “How is he?”

  “Good.” Shaun carried his bag to the kitchen, then left the sack on the counter before he kicked out of his shoes by the door. “He wants to run a coupon.”

  Kevin placed his bag on the counter. “Cool.” He didn’t want to discuss Jack or coupons. “What can I help you do?”

  “Right now, kiss me.” Shaun threaded his arms around Kevin. “You’re enough.”

  “Am I?” Kevin kissed him. “You look tired. Let me help you tonight.”

  “I appreciate it.” Shaun held him. “Give me a minute. This is what I need most.”

  Kevin snuggled in Shaun’s arms. He liked the way Shaun smelled and how he and Shaun truly fit together. He nuzzled Shaun’s throat.

  Shaun stroked Kevin’s back. “When I’m right here, everything in the world is balanced.”

  “Because it is.” Kevin smoothed his palm over the back of Shaun’s neck. “I don’t know how we didn’t run into each other earlier, but I’m glad I met you.”

  Shaun squeezed Kevin’s ass. “My thoughts exactly.”

  “We should get dinner going before Leo gets into it,” Kevin said. “I see him peeking around the corner. He’ll be digging in those bags in no time. He’s nosy.”

  “I’ll bet.” Shaun disengaged from him. “Let’s get this to the kitchen and cook the chicken. Want to turn on the oven?” He washed his hands, then dried them on the towel.

  “Sure.” Kevin followed suit, then emptied one of the bags on the counter. “Ooh, you got fresh mozzarella cheese. I think I’m in love.”

  “I prefer fresh over the blocky chunks that you’re not sure how long have been there.” Shaun opened the package of chicken. “I thought about it after I purchased the bundle. I remember asking you if you were allergic, but things can happen or can be forgotten in the rush. I should’ve asked again before I went shopping.”

  Kevin withdrew a skillet from the cupboard. “Here. You’re going to need that to brown the chicken.” He grabbed the spray. “This is what I use to keep it from sticking to the pan.”

  “Thanks. Will you turn the oven to three-seventy-five, please? Oh, and I need a knife to clean the chicken.” Shaun blushed. “I guess I’m pushy and didn’t plan this well, did I?”

  Kevin located the paring knife and cutting board. “It’s okay. You’re getting more cooking done in here than I tend to do. Want me to start the water for the spaghetti?”

  “Sure.” Shaun sprayed the pan and set it on the burner, then focused on the chicken.

  While Shaun worked on the main course, Kevin added water and salt to a saucepan, then dribbled a bit of oil into the water.

  “I’ll turn this one once you get the chicken into the skillet.” Kevin rested his hip against the counter. “As for allergic to lactose, I’m not.”

  “Good.” Shaun finished cleaning the chicken, then washed his hands and turned on the burner. “My friend Cheryl called me. We were apartment mates in college. Us and three other people. Made the rent better and we had our own little squad that way. She studied finance and works at a bank, and I went toward advertising. All these years later, we still check on each other every so often. She called while I was on my way over here to see what I was doing. I told her…you. Why don’t you turn the water on? Do you have tongs to turn the chicken?”

  “Here.” He grabbed the tongs and turned on the burner. “How is she?” He had no idea who this Cheryl was, but she sounded nice and Shaun hadn’t made a big deal about him mentioning the L world.

  “She’s good. She divorced her husband about five years ago and never quite got her groove back. I think she’s waiting for the right guy to come along.” Shaun shrugged. “Took me this long to find you, so I doubt I’m going to be much help to her. But she called.” He turned the chicken over. “She wanted to know about you.”

  “And you told her?” He retrieved the pasta tool from the drawer. “My vital stats?”

  “Sort of.” Shaun moved the chicken around in the pan. “She asked a bunch of questions I can’t answer.”

  “Like?”

  “Your favorite co
lor, your birthday…middle name. Stuff like that.” Shaun turned the chicken pieces over again. “She got after me for not knowing.”

  “She’s just concerned.” Kevin opened the box of pasta. He didn’t blame her for wanting the information, since she wanted to make sure he was happy and safe. “It’s the sign of a good friend.”

  “She’d like hearing that—or she’d call you a sweet-talker.”

  Kevin moved the pasta around in the pot. “My middle name is Reece. It was my mother’s maiden name and she liked it. My favorite color is pink. I love how it looks so delicate and pretty, but can be garish, too. I’ll take any color over black—my work clothes are black and it’s so boring.”

  “Makes sense. Plus, you end up with a huge headache when you’re at work.”

  “I do,” Kevin said. He checked the time on the pasta and calculated how much time it had left to cook. “My birthday is February twenty-fifth.” He met Shaun’s gaze. “What about you?”

  “Shaun Michael Fallows. I was born on April nineteenth. I don’t have a favorite color, though.” He grinned. The circles under his eyes seemed to fade. “I love classical music and listen to Mozart to settle my mind when I’m stressed.”

  Kevin stirred the pasta. “I don’t think I could pick out a piece by Mozart if I tried.”

  “You know more than you realize.” Shaun turned the chicken over again. “Do you have a cheese slicer?”

  “It’s better if you use a knife.” Kevin abandoned the pasta and withdrew another knife from the block. “Like this.” He cut pieces from the chunk of cheese. “It’ll be so gooey and delicious.”

  “I know.” Shaun kissed his cheek. “This is so nice. I’ve never had anyone want to cook with me.”

  “You’ve been with the wrong people.” Kevin rubbed Shaun’s back, then pressed his mouth to the soft spot where his neck connected to his shoulder.

  Shaun sliced the cheese. “We’ll need a pan to put this in the oven so we can melt the cheese.”

  “Done.” Kevin produced the pan and sprayed it. “Go for it.”

  Shaun grinned. “Should be about time to drain the pasta.”