by Eden French
“But he’s back? He’s actually here? I’m speechless.”
“Yeah, me too. We got the call to the house, and I didn’t even consider he’d be there. He hasn’t been home in since, well, you know, since he left, and I’m sure Cass would’ve told me if she knew.” He brought the glass back up to his lips and nearly drained it. Ryan was there with a refill.
“Okay, so, you got to the house and, what? He was like ‘Hey, Brand, what’s up? Sorry I bailed on our love. No hard feelings, right?’ I mean, how did it happen? How are you? Ugh, I swear to God, I want to throttle him like I wanted to in high school, but this time for real.”
He shot her a pointed look. “No, it didn’t happen like that. Actually, I… I didn’t even let him speak. I mean, I was there for the call anyway. I do have a job, you know. And I’m… fine. I guess.”
“Oh my God, West. You’re killing me! You’ve been twisted up inside over him for seven fucking years. You’ve dated a handful of people, no one fit the bill. You’ve thrown yourself into your job, so you don’t have to worry about relationships, and finally, finally, you’ve let your guard down enough to open up to Teo, who by the way is amazing, and now Mr. Tall, Blond, and Ripped Vampire comes back and you’re telling me you’re fine? That’s it? No explanation? Nothing?”
“It’s not that simple, Ry. I mean, yeah, I was totally caught off guard. But then, I had to help Mrs. Keaton. Cass was there, James was there, I mean, there was literally no opportunity to say anything.” He paused. “Except when….”
She leaned forward. “Go on.”
He finished his second glass and filled a third. He wasn’t on shift for a couple days, and then it would only be providing secondary medic services at the North Lake WinterFest. He wouldn’t even be the primary on duty, he could have another glass.
“Well, when we were leaving, he followed me out. He said he wanted to explain. Said it wasn’t what I thought.”
Her mouth dropped open. “And….”
He sipped his wine. “And nothing. I shut him down. Basically told him to leave me alone, that I didn’t care how long it’s been or what he did while he was in town.”
Ryan punched him in the arm. “You idiot!”
“Ow! What was that for? You said yourself I should be moving on, that I deserve love. I’m with Teo now, aren’t I? What does it matter?”
“Yes, but that was before Mr. Movie Star came strolling back into town, offering the one thing you’ve been needing the past, oh, eternity. The one thing you’ve been dying for.”
“Oh, really? And what’s that?”
“Closure, West. He could finally give you closure.”
He thought of her words as he finished his drink. Could Carson give him the closure he needed to truly move on? Probably. But what if in the process he reopened old wounds, or worse, what if it reignited old love?
Chapter Fourteen
Tahoe WinterFest was always held downtown the weekend before Thanksgiving. The entire community participated, and all proceeds went to providing families in need with holiday meals. Carson had worked the North Tahoe High’s game booth with Brand the last winter before he left. He eyed the stall from across the square. The kids in it looked like babies. Fuck, eighteen seemed like a lifetime ago. Two boys and a girl laughed and chatted as they set rings out for contestants to throw. What did they know about real life? What had he known back then?
He shoved his hands in his pockets. The chilly winter day bit at his cheeks, and as he walked through vendors with his jacket up around his neck and beanie pulled down low, he shivered. The temperature was quite different from sunny Southern California. How could he have forgotten?
A waft of warm chowder caught his attention, and his stomach growled, but he brushed it aside. He was here for one reason only. A six-foot-one hunky god of a reason. Where could he be? He’d already scoped out the medic tent, the information center, and the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District booth like a true stalker. Nothing. Brand was nowhere to be found. Shame crowded around him. Pathetic. Maybe this was a bad idea. As supportive as his mom and sister had been, perhaps taking their advice had been rash.
As he considered his next move, music started up on the main stage. Turning to look, he spotted an ambulance parked next to the east side of it. His breath caught in his throat. Brand had to be close, there was no other place he could be. He approached the stage cautiously, wanting to locate where Brand was before he was spotted.
His heart stopped.
Brand was talking to a group of people. Carson walked the periphery of the stage, his eyes drinking in his strong figure. Shit, he really looked stunning in his uniform. His chest and shoulders filled out the crisp blue shirt, and his pants hugged his ass in all the right places. His hair hung just off his face in thick, dark waves. Carson could practically feel it under his fingers as they twitched in his coat pocket.
When he got a couple steps further, he stopped. A throng of women gathered around Brand, their smiles and breasts at full attention. He felt a pang of jealousy as Brand flirted back. Figured. Unlike him, Brand was always much more fluid in his sexuality. Where Carson was solely into men, Brand had always identified as bisexual, a point of insecurity for Carson when he was young and immature. Now this fact twisted its pointy sword in Carson’s stomach, and he pushed his hand firmly into his belly as reality slammed into him. He had no right to feel this way. He didn’t have a claim on Brand. Yet somehow, those women ignited irrational feelings. Some things never change.
He pursed his lips. The way Brand eyed one blonde in particular, the stubble on his chin adding a rugged accent to the rakish grin he flashed her, sent a twinge of jealousy through Carson’s blood. Was he too late? Had Brand moved on? Not if he could help it. He narrowed his eyes and rolled back his shoulders. It was time to snag some of that attention for himself. If charm was what he needed, he was prepared to pull out every weapon in his arsenal. He pulled the beanie from his head and tousled his hair.
He lifted his foot to step forward and froze. A man, around the same height as Carson, stepped through the group of women. Carson’s breath caught in his throat as the golden-brown haired cutie approach his ex with a smile spread across his face. Carson’s eyes flitted back and forth between the two men, his worst nightmare playing in slow motion in front of him as the mysterious man leaned forward and planted a kiss on Brand’s mouth, much to the dismay of the women.
What the actual fuck? Who was this? Carson’s teeth ground together as the two men exchanged quick affection. His heart climbed up his throat, desperate to escape. No. No. This was a mistake. A huge mistake. He should’ve never come back. What had he been thinking? At least in Hollywood, he could delude himself into thinking Brand had waited. That their love was stronger than he had been when he’d run away.
Now, he knew the truth. It was too late. Brand had moved on. And with another man. Carson’s heart sank back down in his chest, deflated. His breath raked his chest. In some twisted reality, a small part of him believed that it hadn’t been too late. That he would come back, explain the truth, and they would pick up where they left off. Now, the intimate smile Brand shared with this stranger slapped the delusion right out of his head. He had to get out of there.
A high-pitched voice broke his thoughts.
“Oh. My. God! You’re Carson Keaton!”
Carson turned around to face the speaker. A group of teenage girls stared at him wide-eyed.
Christ.
This was the last thing he needed. He took a step back as the mob began to circle. He held his hands up and released a nervous laugh. “Umm, yeah. It’s me.” The girls closed in. “Oh, um, how about a little space here…. I have time for some autographs. Selfies?” The mobbed pushed forward, and he took another step back, his foot catching on an electrical cord.
The girls screamed and rushed him as he tumbled over a trash can and hit the staircase, knocking into a tower of speakers. He looked up at the rickety tower of electronics swaying over him.
“Shit.”
He closed his eyes and held up his arms, attempting to shield himself from the impact. It was no use. The corner of the topmost speaker hit his forehead with a thud.
And then there was black.
Chapter Fifteen
Carson opened his eyes and saw soft blurs.
“What the—”
“Shh. Don’t move. Everything is all right.” The voice was calming, warm. Carson wanted to wrap himself up in it like a blanket. “You took quite a hit to the head.”
Where did he know that voice from? As his awareness returned, and the world around him became solid, his eyes focused on a pair of green emeralds studying him carefully.
“Brand?”
His vision was still spotty, but he’d know those eyes anywhere. This was the best dream he’d had in a long time. He hoped he wouldn’t wake up any time soon.
Brand leaned forward and brushed Carson’s hair from his forehead. Chills ran down his body and straight to his cock. Heaven. But what good was a dream if he couldn’t do anything in it? He attempted to sit up.
Brand’s hand was gentle but firm on his shoulder. “Whoa, take it easy there, Car. You barely made it to the tent.” He continued to struggle, and Brand huffed. “I see you’re as stubborn as ever. Here, at least let me help you.” Strong hands traveled the length of his arms and gripped him tight.
Wait. That felt too real. Panic crept up. His head was pounding. He felt like shit. And yet, as Brand wrapped his arm around him and propped him up to a sitting position, there was nowhere else he’d rather be. He didn’t care how he felt. His body wanted to melt into the other man.
When he was somewhat in a sitting position, he rubbed his head. A burst of pain shot out over his face when he passed over the point of impact.
“Ugh. What the fuck happened?” He tilted his head toward Brand as he tried to separate the fuzzy details.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Your vitals are strong, and the actual cut on your head is minimal, just a bleeder. That, and the fact you have one of the hardest heads I’ve ever known to exist. But I’m still gonna recommend transport to the hospital. Just to be safe.” Brand fought not to smile.
Carson narrowed his eyes. “What happened?”
“It appears you were running away from a throng of teenage girls when you hit the side stage and knocked over the speaker tower.”
The incident came back to him with clarity. Of course. Only teenybopper vampire fanatics would go apeshit over seeing him. How embarrassing. Trampled by a bunch of kids.
“I had to pretty much dig you out of the pile of clamoring adolescents. You’ve made a bunch of North Tahoe High girls very happy.”
Carson held up his hand. “Stop. I don’t need to hear anymore.”
Brand laughed loudly, the sound pulling a smile from Carson’s lips. It’d been so long since he heard that laugh. God, he really missed it. He tried to stand but lost his balance. Brand was at his side to hold him up.
“Man, what’s with your family and head injuries? You know, there are other ways to get my attention.”
Carson was quiet. “I tried those,” he replied. “And they weren’t working, so I figured go big or go home, right?”
The words came out with ease and Brand grew silent. Go big or go home. It was kind of their thing. As seniors in high school, they had planned to take the world by storm. Be anything, do anything, see everything. Just the two of them against the universe. Brand had always encouraged him to be his best self, to “go big or go home” because life was too short for half-assing. Now, Carson bit his lip and waited for a response. Brand took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling before he spoke.
“Okay, Car. You win. I’m probably going to regret this, but let’s talk.”
His heart nearly burst. He opened his mouth to speak, but Brand cut him off.
“Not here. Not now. First, you gotta get to a hospital. Unlike your mother’s injury, I’m actually concerned you may have a concussion.”
“Forget it, Brand, I’m not gon—”
“Then, when you’re cleared, we can talk. Friday afternoon. My place.”
Brand bit his lip and dragged his hand along the back of his neck. Carson searched his expression. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”
Brand didn’t argue.
“Tell me.”
“I’m seeing someone,” Brand blurted out. “And I’m guessing, considering the tabloids, you’re not exactly out yet, publicly. But I’m not sure I can lie to Teo about who you are and what we used to be, especially if we’re going to be meeting. I care about him and I don’t want to hurt him. I… I’d like to be able to tell him.”
Carson’s mouth froze in a slightly open position, but his mind raced as his worst nightmare slapped him repeatedly in the face. Holy shit. His name was Teo. And they were serious enough for Brand to want to tell this stranger about them, about their history. His pulse echoed in his head and his chest tightened. Everything about this situation screamed red flags, he shouldn’t have come here. This was all a mistake.
“Hey, are you all right?” Brand said leaning forward and taking Carson’s wrist. He placed two fingers on the pulse point and looked at his watch. His brow furrowed. “You need to relax.” He didn’t wait for Carson to respond. Brand shifted him back on the cot and elevated his feet with a few towels. “You need to get to a hospital just to be safe.”
“I’m not riding in the ambulance. I’d rather die. That’s all my agent needs to hear about—”
“Well, the last thing I need to hear about is how I’m responsible for single-handedly destroying the daydreams of teen girls everywhere when your show gets canceled because you are no longer able to work due to head trauma.” Brand pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re going to the hospital. Car. Period. Anyway, I knew you wouldn’t agree to the ride,” Brand casually replied, a smile twinkled in his eye. “That’s why I called your mother. She and Cassie are on their way now.”
Carson cringed, knowing both Cassie and his mother would be worrying over him tonight. As if on cue, he heard his mother and sister approaching the tent. He reached out and grabbed Brand’s wrist.
“Do you trust him? Teo. To be discreet?”
Brand’s expression grew serious. “I do.”
“Then go ahead and tell him about us. And then on Friday, I can tell you what really happened.”
Brand nodded and stood. He picked up his bag. “Ask Cass for my address. She’ll get you there.”
Carson sat silently as Brand walked out of the tent, his tight ass looking delicious as he left, and he almost forgot about the other man. Almost. Questions flew through his head like poisoned darts. Who was this person? Were they serious? How long had they been together? Did Brand love him? He winced as the pain in his head shot through his face and neck, and he brought his hand to his temple. He looked up at the tent ceiling. Could Brand’s agreement to talk mean he still had a chance?
Stop it. It doesn’t mean anything.
His stomach tightened and his head pounded. It could very well be the potential concussion, but a twinge of hope sparked to life. The questions didn’t matter right now. Brand had agreed to meet. Right now, he had to get better and back on his feet. There was no time to waste and Friday couldn’t come fast enough.
Chapter Sixteen
Brand’s knee bounced up and down at a feverish pace, the two coffee drinks in front of him jostled on the tabletop as he waited for Teo to arrive. The past few weeks had been amazing. The best weeks he’d had since… well, since Carson had left him. He’d always known one day he’d have to share his past with Teo, but he didn’t think he’d be doing it so soon into their relationship. What if his baggage was too much for Teo to carry?
He took a sip of his latte, the hot liquid burning his throat. He lifted an eyebrow. If he burned his vocal cords, he’d be too injured to explain things. He should’ve ordered his drink extra hot.
Stop it. What’s wrong
with you? Just tell Teo everything. Everyone has a past. It’s fine.
He thrummed his fingers on the table. Of course Teo would understand, he’d never been anything but supportive. Then why was Brand so nervous? It wasn’t like he had anything to hide. Did he?
The small bell on the café door chimed, and he looked up. Teo walked in and immediately caught his gaze. A warm smile spread across his face, and he stood as Teo approached.
“Hey, babe,” Teo said as he leaned in for a kiss.
The contact sent warm fuzzies to Brand’s extremities, and he returned the affection. His tongue poked out and gently grazed the other man’s lips. He tasted like peppermint.
“Hey there,” he replied. “Thanks for coming. I know I didn’t give you much warning.”
Teo sat as Brand slid the hot mocha over to him. The other man picked it up and took a long swig. “Thanks. I needed this. Ryan’s got me running all over town, building the inventory up for the holiday season. Usually we’ll take a few mornings to grab a coffee together, but not this week. It’s like she’s intentionally trying to avoid me. Apparently, there’s too much for her to do. So, what’s up?”
Brand cringed. He had warned Ryan about his talk with Teo and knew her behavior reflected her inability to compartmentalize her opinions on the matter. He shifted in his chair and forced a smile, his hands fiddling with his coffee lid.
“That serious?” Teo asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Brand sat up and placed his hands flat on the table. “I was hoping we’d have more time… you know, to get to know each other, but it looks like my time’s up.”
Teo’s voice lowered. “What’s going on? You know you can tell me anything.”
He reached over and placed his hand on Brand’s. Brand looked up and met his gaze. Teo’s eyes were warm and inviting. They were safe. Brand’s heart fluttered. My God, he didn’t deserve this man. He swallowed hard. No use drawing it out further. “You’ve heard that Carson Keaton’s in town, right?”