HUM

by Dan Hawley

  HUM

  THE NEW NORMAL: BOOK 1

  DAN HAWLEY

  HUM

  Copyright © 2021 Dan Hawley

  Editor: Susan Gaigher

  Cover: germancreative

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  COPYRIGHT

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  EPILOGUE

  AUTHOR'S NOTE

  For Adrienne.

  CHAPTER 1

  “Are you excited?” Jason asked as he looked over at Sam.

  “I am,” she responded.

  Her dark eyes met his from the passenger seat. “It’ll be nice to get off the road.” Sam’s hand reached for Jason’s lap as she turned her gaze out the window and towards the city. “That was a long drive.”

  “Drive?” Jason grinned. “All you did was sit there and be cute.” Sam shot him a feigned look of annoyance. He pretended to be shocked. “But you do it so effortlessly, babe.” He winked and flashed the dimples. She couldn’t resist those dimples. She couldn’t resist Jason.

  When they met three years prior, it was like two worlds colliding. Fireworks and lighting and all the cliché love analogies. Neither of them believed it could happen until it did. Love at first sight. It was the type of thing that people on the outside look at and judge. “How could they fall in love so quickly?” people would ask sarcastically, rolling their eyes. “That was fast.” But Sam and Jason didn’t care. They could not ignore the deep stirring within them.

  “Did we actually just move to the other side of the country?” Sam asked.

  “Yeah we did,” Jason replied. “Crazy.”

  “It doesn’t feel real,” Sam whispered.

  The move made sense to Samantha on many levels, and she had considered everything thoroughly before finally agreeing. Jason had a better, higher-paying job waiting, and no doubt she would find something quickly too. More money was always good, but Samantha was also ready for adventure, for change. The city was a great choice, beautifully nestled among some of the world’s most gorgeous landscapes. Seattle had almost everything they needed.

  “I miss them already,” Samantha said.

  She was close to her parents. They had always been there for her, and she knew it hurt them deeply when she broke the news. But they understood. Her father immigrated from Japan when he was a teenager, so he knew about travel and adventure and craving something new. Her mother, though, was a homebody. Her family had lived in that small, North Eastern town for generations. Still, she could understand the draw of something different.

  “Yeah…I’m sorry, babe. That’s the only thing that sucks. We don’t know anyone out here,” Jason responded.

  He knew he would miss his family and friends as well, but he was convinced this was the right move. “Like we said, though. Nothing is stopping us from packing up and moving back if we don’t like it here.”

  “Yes,” Samantha agreed. “We need to experience life and all it has to offer while we’re still relatively young, right?” she chuckled. “That is, until you knock me up, and we’re forced to put our dreams and ambitions aside to take care of the kids. I’ll get all old and fat and tired looking, and you’ll cheat on me with your young, sexy secretary.”

  “They’re called executive assistants now, Sam,” Jason chirped as he smiled.

  “OK!? Don’t deny it or anything!” Samantha protested, but she knew Jason would never cheat. Every relationship had its challenges, though, and theirs was no different. Even though Sam and Jason fell madly and deeply in love from the very beginning, they still had disagreements. Jason often spoke before thinking, and Sam could become offended quickly. They could both be very stubborn as well, which meant fights lasted longer than they needed to. But one thing was sure in both their minds, unwavering and true; they were deeply in love.

  “And we’re going to visit soon,” Sam declared.

  “That’s true,” Jason agreed. “We’ll fly back in a few months for a visit once we settle in. He paused. “You’re good, right?”

  “Stop asking that.” Samantha rolled her eyes. “You know I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t want to.”

  “I know, just checking in,” Jason said. “I think this is our building.”

  As he eyed the tall building up ahead, he thought about how this all came to be. Late the previous year, Jason was approached by a Seattle-based software company that asked him to fly out to check out their operations. He obliged, and Samantha went along. By the time the trip was over, Jason had an attractive job offer and Samantha had a good idea about what neighborhoods she liked. The couple had truly made up their minds by the time the plane took off to take them back home. The only real negative they could see was leaving their friends and family behind. But better jobs, more money, a warmer climate, and the thrill of adventure was too much to pass up. After all, they agreed, they could go home any time if they wanted to.

  As they pulled into a spot in front of the building, Samantha remarked, “It’s weird that we’re moving to an apartment that we’ve never seen.”

  “We have pictures and videos and had a virtual tour.”

  Jason unclipped his seatbelt.

  “You know what I mean,” Samantha said as she examined the height of the building. “We don’t know how it… feels.”

  “Well, you said you liked the neighborhood and the pictures and video of the place. You liked the furniture, and the building management was professional and friendly and got great reviews online. It’s also why we only signed a six-month lease. So we can test things out. Make sure we like it out here,” Jason explained and added, “But yeah, it’s weird.”

  Samantha and Jason had sold most of their furniture before the move. They’d decided it would be best to rent a furnished apartment instead of hauling everything across the country. Offloading most of their stuff would also allow them to easily move back home if they discovered they weren’t settling in. Selling most of their things didn’t take long, and when they packed up before they left, the couple agreed that it was odd to be able to fit their whole lives into the SUV.

  After a quick stretch, the couple entered the building and found the office, where they met Chester.

  “Good to see you folks.” Chester smiled warmly and rose from his desk.

  He was a large man but had an energy about him that made people feel at ease, like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold winter night. He was older, with greying hair and a thick beard. He had the sort of belly that comes with age and a love of food. But beneath the layer of fat, Jason could tell that Chester had thick muscles and was once in phenomenal shape. He extended a hand that was bigger than Jason’s entire face.

  “How was the drive?”

  “It was good,” Jason replied, making sure to clasp Chester’s huge hand as best he could and offer a s
trong, manly shake. “It was a bit boring until we hit the mountains. Man, they are something else, huh?”

  Still smiling, Chester nodded.

  “They sure are. Ok, I’ve got your keys here, and I’ll take you up after I show you your parking spot down below.”

  Chester grabbed the keys in his large paws and started towards the door. Samantha and Jason looked at each other with excitement and followed.

  It didn’t take long to bring everything in from the parking garage to the apartment on the 21st floor. The front door opened into a short hallway with a mirrored closet on the right for shoes and jackets. The white tiles then transitioned into hardwood flooring as one moved further into the apartment. On the left was the kitchen, which opened to the living room. Dividing the two spaces was a granite-topped island meant for eating, with two stools tucked alongside.

  The kitchen was stocked with all the essentials: dinnerware, pots and pans, and cooking utensils. The stainless-steel appliances and white cupboards gave the space a modern look against the dark stone backsplash.

  The living room was large and bright, with a fantastic view of the harbor from the leather couch. A recliner and giant flat-screen television rounded out the area.

  The first room off the living area was going to be their office. It was big enough for a desk, a chair, and a bookshelf.

  Next was the bathroom; light and bright with a deep bathtub and lots of storage for Samantha’s products under the sink. A small laundry nook was hidden behind another small door.

  Finally, the master bedroom was in the north-western corner of the apartment. A small wood nightstand sat on either side of a carved wood queen-sized bed. Even though Samantha said the walk-in closet was the best thing about the bedroom, Jason thought it was the view. To the west, the small, white-crested peaks of salty waves danced and fell away on the ocean’s dark surface. To the north, beyond the city, stood stalwart mountains capped with snow.

  “This view is insane.”

  “Yes, it is.” Samantha agreed.

  But she wasn’t looking out the window. She was staring at Jason, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring west at the horizon. It was getting late. The earth had recently spun the last piece of the sun below its horizon, and the sky was on fire with long brushstrokes of intense color. Violent reds and crisp oranges mingled in the air, fighting an endless battle with the impending black of night approaching from the east.

  Jason’s silhouette popped against that background, and Samantha could see the definition in his arm and chest muscles through his tight white t-shirt. She stood captivated by the magnificence of it all. Jason looked up to see his lover eyeing him seductively.

  “Oh, you meant me, huh?” He blushed a bit.

  She had that look in her eyes, and he knew what that meant. His blue eyes watched as Samantha reached down, grabbed the hem of her shirt, and removed it from her body, revealing her ample breasts. She stood a moment so she could enjoy Jason’s gaze on her body.

  Anticipation filled the room, like fully inflated lungs holding, pausing, before their exhale.

  Jason’s eyes eventually made it back to hers, and she moved to stand in front of him, their eyes locked. Sam leaned over, her pouty red lips stopping less than an inch from his. They consumed each other’s breath while she removed his shirt from his chiseled body. Jason reached down and caressed Sam’s legs under her long, flowing skirt. Slowly, he traced up each leg before sliding her panties down. Not able to take it anymore, Samantha attacked her prey.

  * * *

  “I suppose we should keep putting our stuff away,” Sam said as they lay locked in each other’s arms.

  “Or, we could just keep lying here,” Jason replied. Their bodies glistened with sweat in the moonlight.

  “True.” Samantha snuggled into Jason’s side.

  “Except…” Jason said as he sat up in bed, “is that the fridge?”

  “Is what the fridge?” Samantha asked.

  “I don’t know. That sound? Can you hear it? It’s like a buzz. Is it coming from the fridge or what?”

  Jason rolled over, threw his feet over the side of the bed, stood up, and slid on his boxers. Scratching his head, he headed for the kitchen.

  “I don’t hear anything,” Samantha sighed as she rolled over to pick up her phone from the nightstand. Everyone she knew had been asleep for hours, so there wasn’t much to see on social media. She started playing a song from her “Moving across the country” playlist and got out of bed. The moonlight caressed her naked body with its cold, pale light as she posed in front of the full-length mirror beside the closet.

  “I definitely put on a few pounds on that road trip,” she muttered.

  “What’s that, babe?” Jason called out from the other room.

  “Nothing,” Sam replied as she slid on her robe. “I was just saying the moonlight makes me look pale. I need a tan.” Sam tied her robe loosely as she entered the living room. “What are you doing?”

  Jason had his head cocked to one side as if exerting himself to hear better. He made his way from the fridge to the laundry, then back to the kitchen. He checked the bathroom and office and then into the bedroom to stand by the bed. Jason reached down and grabbed Sam’s phone to silence the music.

  “Hey, I’m listening to that,” Sam started, clearly annoyed.

  “Shhh,” Jason sounded as he held a finger to his lips.

  “Did you just shush me?” Sam’s eyes widened.

  Unapologetically, Jason shot her a sharp look and hissed, “Babe come on. Give me a minute.”

  His head cocked one way and then the other as he looked around the room, confused and angry. “Can you not hear that?” he pressed.

  Samantha paused and listened. At first, she heard only silence. But then, “Oh yeah. I do hear that. Like a faint buzzing sound. It’s not a big deal, is it?”

  Jason crept towards the bedroom door and stopped in the doorway. He looked up the right side, across the top, and down the left. Slowly, he pivoted and lay his ear gently against the wall. Behind the paint and drywall, Jason found the source of the sound. A vibration, constant and dull, setting his nerves on edge.

  “Son of a bitch,” he exclaimed. “It’s coming from the wall.”

  “I can barely notice it,” Samantha sighed as she took her earphones from the dresser and popped one in each ear. “Just ignore it.”

  “Ugh,” Jason sputtered. “It sounds like power lines. Or like one of those friggin’ green transformers that buzz outside buildings.”

  He made a disgusted face and stuck his tongue out as Samantha turned on her phone to listen to music and unpack.

  CHAPTER 2

  The next morning, Jason’s eyes opened to the smell of fried meat and the sound of sizzling and popping in the next room. His stomach growled. Groggily he pulled himself from the sheets and made his way towards the kitchen.

  “Smells good, babe,” Jason commented as his mouth watered in anticipation. “Where did you get the grub?”

  Samantha looked up and smiled.

  “You were out like a light, so I googled the nearest grocery store, and it turned out there is a cute market just around the corner. I just grabbed a few things, but we will need a big shop later.”

  “Hell yeah!” Jason exclaimed. “You’re the best. Need me to do anything?”

  “I got this,” Sam replied.

  Jason pulled out a stool and sat down. Stretching his arms up and out, he said, “I didn’t sleep very well, I don’t think. It took me a while to get to sleep with that damn noise. I finally put in earphones. Seems to be quieter this morning though.”

  Samantha shrugged, plated the meat and eggs, and slid the plate in front of her man.

  “Turkey bacon, huh?”

  Jason poked at the thin stripes of meat with his fork. Samantha rolled her eyes.

  A loud ding from the toaster oven signaled the bread had become toast. She pulled the toast from the hot oven, threw the pieces onto a plate, and began
to butter them.

  “Maybe you’re just stressed about the move and everything. It’ll get better,” she said reassuringly, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She folded a lock of Jason’s hair back and gave him a little kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside him at the island.

  “Well, after breakfast, I’m going to ask Chester if there is anything he can do about it.”

  Jason grabbed a piece of freshly buttered toast and dipped it in the pale-yellow yolk of his eggs.

  “I think the office opens at 10 on Sundays.”

  The lobby of the building was bright, with floor to ceiling windows at the entrance. The sun’s glare from the freshly buffed stone tile partially blinded Jason as he nodded to the concierge sitting at his desk.

  “Good morning sir,” the smiling concierge said as Jason passed. The cream furniture of the seating area looked stiff and uninviting. Jason wondered if anyone ever sat there. He opened the door to the office and went inside. The office had a classic “old man library” feel to it, with walls of books and a handmade wood desk near the back. Behind the ornate desk, Chester sat engrossed in his reading.

  “Good morning Chester,” Jason offered, in a tone that he meant to sound apologetic for interrupting the large man.

  Chester looked up from the papers, startled. Apparently he hadn’t realized that someone entered the room.

  “Oh, hello, Jason. How are you settling in?” Chester asked as he shuffled his papers back into a pile and into their folder.

  “Pretty good.” Jason nodded. “The view is incredible up there, and everything looks like it did in the pictures, so we’re pleased with that. It’s just…”

  Chester raised an eyebrow.

  “Please, sit if you’d like,” he said, gesturing to the armchair in front of his desk. Jason hesitated. He didn’t want to complain. Chester was very nice and looked busy, and Jason didn’t want to take up too much of his time.

  “Well,” Jason began as he slid into the seat of the big, comfortable chair. “There seems to be a hum…”