River Town Box Set

by Grant C. Holland

  Lewis’s eyes suddenly opened wide. He said, “Oh, and please don’t think I’m trying to recreate what I had with Dak. That’s not the case at all. You are handsome, and you honestly look nothing like Dak other than, of course, the…”

  Suddenly, only muffled sound escaped Lewis’s lips. Sid reached around his torso and pulled him close, kissing hard to stop the nervous chatter. A few seconds later the impetuous kiss melted into something more passionate, more worthy of the mutual desire.

  A ragged moan came from deep inside Sid when Lewis slipped a warm hand up underneath his t-shirt. Sid’s cock pulsed hard against his jeans. He reached down to touch the bulge in Lewis’s pants for the first time. His cock was thick, and it was long. Sid wanted to touch it without the khaki barrier and stroke the silky length of it from base to head.

  While fumbling with the buckle on Lewis’s belt, Sid ground his own crotch into the man’s thigh. The pressure of their bodies against each other stoked the flames of passion. Sid moaned, “Ah, man. I want you. Fuck…”

  As Sid gripped the zipper on the pants, a hand grasped his knuckles and pulled the fingers away. Sid pulled back from the kiss and stared into Lewis’s eyes. With eyebrows raised in a questioning expression, he asked, “No?”

  “Is that okay? I’m not quite ready.”

  Sid exhaled with a long sigh. He wanted to say something about feeling like he was going to explode, but instead, he formed the words, “Yeah, it’s okay. It has to be what we both want, and we’re ready for.”

  The kissing began again, and Sid’s hands rose above Lewis’s waist pawing at his chest. He ran the index finger of one hand down the side of Lewis’s face. The waiting was messing with his mind. It didn’t reduce his desire at all. Instead, he was more excited about the future than ever before.

  7

  The River

  Dak raced after Penny and shouted, “Stop, don’t get so close!” He swept her up in his right arm and pulled her out of the way of potential harm from the hammers and the power tools.

  She giggled and shouted, “Daddy! That was fun!”

  He wanted to growl and spit in response. Dak’s heart pounded after the fear of disaster surged through his mind. Looking into Penny’s eyes, he said, “Always listen to me. I know it looks fun over there, but you could get hurt. You need to stick by me, or I’ll have to take you home. Do you understand?”

  Penny poked at the two-day’s growth of amber-colored razor stubble on his chin. “Yes, Daddy.”

  For the next hour, she stuck close by his side. Penny greeted all of the friends as they arrived, and a few of them, like Diego and Puck, lifted her off her feet for a massive hug. She giggled and shouted in delight.

  Dak felt humbled by the incredible turnout for the project. After Brody agreed to work with the community ownership plan, Lewis joined forces with Alan’s Auntie Erin and pulled a few local government strings to set up the construction of a new picnic shelter by the river as a benefit project for Brody’s store.

  In exchange for a promise to construct it in one day, the town council donated a significant gift to the store project. Gifts from some of Coldbrook Bend’s older families joined the government contribution.

  Auntie Erin kicked in a sizable personal donation to provide food and drinks for all of the workers. Diego’s trucking company purchased the supplies from wood framing and shingles to nails to hold it all together. He stopped short of making a personal donation.

  Diego wore overalls, and Dak couldn’t stop himself from chuckling softly. He said, “I’m sorry, but I’m so used to seeing you everywhere in a suit and tie. This is such a change.”

  Diego grinned. “This was Alan’s suggestion. Back home in Mexico, we always hired other people to do this work. It’s good to be outside and get exercise carrying boards and hammers around. Otherwise, what good is the gym subscription?”

  Alan appeared and wrapped an arm around Diego’s waist. “Well, I think there are other reasons the gym subscription is a positive.” He leaned in to kiss Diego’s cheek. “I’m just saying.”

  Puck stuffed a hammer into the tool belt he wore and said, “I think the two of you need to get a room if you’re going to do that out here.”

  Slapping Puck on the shoulder, Dak asked, “Are you a little bit jealous? I know you said that Ross had an important meeting at a gallery up in Minneapolis today. Are you missing him?”

  “Well, of course, I’m missing him, but I’m just teasing. I’m happy when my friends are happy.”

  “How’s the relationship with Addie’s in-law grandparents?”

  Puck beamed. “Oh, man. It’s like night and day now. Miranda must be smiling down at how it all turned out. They’ve even been babysitters for Addie on a few occasions. We’re planning to spend Christmas with her parents this year. The stunning change couldn’t have happened without most of the people here.”

  “We’re always here to help out friends,” said Dak. “Are you serious about their transformation? They must have met Lewis. He’s been drinking from the same water. He desperately wants to make amends with everyone.”

  “I think that’s phenomenal. I guess you should never give up on someone. I wish I could hang around and chat longer, but I see Diego waving me over to the project. I think I’m one of the few here with significant construction experience.”

  Dak hoisted Penny onto his shoulders. As she settled in and gently pounded the top of his head with her hands, Sid approached and asked, “Why aren’t you getting yourself dirty?”

  “The project needs a supervisor, doesn’t it?”

  “Shouldn’t you pick me, then? I’ve got experience leading a boat crew just like you. And I can only do the light jobs with my arm anyway. So I humbly suggest we change positions.”

  Dak glanced around and saw that no one else was in earshot. He looked beyond Sid to see everyone pitching in as the shelter roof began to take shape. “Honestly, there’s one particular reason I’m standing here to the side,” said Dak, “And it was approved by Brody.”

  Sid nodded. “He’s the man with the only authority over you.”

  “You know, maybe you can step away for a few minutes and join me.”

  “Join you? Lewis will come looking for me soon if he thinks I’m gone.”

  Dak raised an eyebrow. “Are you that close already? Why don’t you take a walk with me, and we can discuss that, too.”

  Sid walked in step at Dak’s side as he headed for a break between the trees at the riverside. Penny squealed with joy when a few branches brushed at the side of her head.

  Sid said, “I don’t think you have any reason to be jealous. You’re already taken.”

  “Jealous? Of who?”

  “Either one of us,” said Sid.

  Dak chuckled softly. “I think I can safely say there’s no danger of me feeling jealous. Lewis was a long time ago for me, and my dance card for the future is full.”

  As they approached the bank of the river, Penny started to bounce on Dak’s shoulders and pointed. “Barge, Daddy!”

  “Ahh, that’s what this is about,” said Sid. “Do you keep the schedule in your head?”

  “No, but I had an inkling one of the boats would come this way around now.” He reached up and tugged on one of Penny’s feet. “That one’s a lot like the boat Daddy worked on, and Uncle Sid here, too.”

  “Uncle Sid. I kind of like the sound of that.”

  “I thought you might, and don’t you feel something every time you see one of the barges go by on the river?” Dak reached out and patted Sid’s belly. “I feel it right in there.”

  “I think mostly I still feel fortunate to be on land and earning enough money to have my own place. I still owe you a huge debt of gratitude for introducing me to Diego. I love working on the trucking fleet. I still get my hands dirty from time to time, but it’s not dangerous like the boats.”

  “I don’t know what it is. It’s like the river is part of me, or I’m a small part of it. I can’t stay away fo
r too long, or it feels like withdrawal.”

  “That’s why you’re fighting so hard to stay here?”

  “That’s at least part of it.”

  8

  Gordon

  A few days after the picnic shelter project, Seb, one of Brody’s most trusted employees, directed the unloading of a new shipment of lumber at Home Pro. He’d worked his way up to department head after more than twenty years of service, but he still couldn’t resist the opportunity to step in and provide two more arms and a strong back for the job.

  As he watched the work unfold, Brody remembered when he walked through the front doors of Home Pro for the first time as the new store manager. It was an hour before opening for the day, and a hush fell over the employees. It was so quiet in the large hardware store that you could have heard the proverbial pin drop.

  After what felt like an eternity of silence, Seb, wearing one of the navy blue Home Pro vests over a sweat-stained t-shirt, stepped forward. In a voice that showed no signs of nerves or trepidation, he said, “Welcome, Boss! It’s great to have you on board. ‘Scuse the appearance. We had an early shipment out back this morning.”

  That was all it took to begin building relationships between Brody and his workers. Seb broke the ice, and soon his fellow employees were all back to work. Seb took it upon himself to offer a thorough tour of every inch of the store. He even knew the ins and outs of the HVAC system and where the floor drains were in case of accidents involving liquids.

  Through the years, Seb, with only a high school education, worked his way up in the store’s management structure to become head of the lumber and building materials department. He earned the role of one of Brody’s most trusted advisers and even married the boss’s secretary. Only five years remained before Seb’s retirement. He was already talking about a trip to Hawaii to celebrate with his wife, Lacey.

  Brody’s breath caught in his throat as he watched Seb work and thought about having to tell him about the store closing. Those who worked at the store knew there was an effort to change ownership, but they didn’t know Home Pro would close if it were unsuccessful.

  Lewis’s plan was starting well, but it was still the longest of long shots. Brody thought it would be difficult sharing the news with all of his employees, but Seb and Lacey would be the hardest.

  Seb brushed his gloves together letting a small shower of sawdust fall to the concrete at his feet. With a loping stride, he crossed the yard to Brody while the younger workers finished up stacking the new lumber. “Hey, Boss, you look a little distracted this morning. Is the little one sick at home? Or did you miss that first cup of Joe?”

  Brody shook his head. “No, nothing like that. I guess I’m just thinking about other things.”

  Seb reached up and gripped Brody’s shoulder. Realizing he still had his gloves on, he pulled it back like he’d touched a hot stove. “Oh, damn, Boss! Forgot about the gloves. I’ll get that shirt cleaned for you if you need it. Lacey always tells me I need to be more careful.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. It might be fun to go through the day with fingerprints from you. It’s a conversation piece.”

  “That’s funny, Boss. You know, last night Lacey had us watch one of those movies she likes, and the main guy was a chef. His cooks went on and on about how great it was working for him. Lacey piped up and said, ‘That’s what Mr. Sexton would be like if he ran a restaurant.’ She has nothing but respect for you.”

  Brody listened and felt the lump in his throat grow twice as large. He reached one hand up to his face and covered his eyes. Seconds later, the vibration of his cellphone in his pocket rescued him from embarrassing tears.

  It was Lacey. She sent a text message that read:

  “A Mr. Billingham from Minneapolis is here to meet you. Where are you? Did you forget about this?”

  It was almost like Lacey lived in a corner of his brain. He did forget about the meeting. Billingham was a regional manager representing one of the big box store chains. He covered all of southern Minnesota. Brody set up a meeting with him when he received a cold call three days earlier. He promptly forgot about it in the flood of emotion that filled his week.

  “Damn, Seb, I’ve got to go. There’s a guy waiting to meet me in the office. I totally forgot about it.”

  Seb rubbed the whiskers on his chin. “That’s not like you, Boss. You’d better get going.”

  “You’re right. It’s not me at all. I’ll catch up with you later…and, thank you for everything.”

  Gordon Billingham was younger than Brody expected. He looked like he was barely out of college, and he didn’t have the appearance of a hardware man. He wore his dark hair slicked back from his forehead, and the charcoal gray suit was an anomaly in Home Pro.

  Brody invited Gordon into his small store office. He’d led the renovation of the space just after the first of the year. For the first time, the Coldbrook Bend Home Pro store had a private room with a door that locked and blinds that shut out gaping curiosity seekers. Employees cheered the availability of the option to speak with their store manager openly with no one listening.

  Brody reached out to shake Gordon’s hand. “Please excuse me. I’m almost never late for a meeting, but I had a situation out in the lumber yard that needed my attention. I hope you had a good drive out from the cities this morning.”

  Gordon grinned. “Actually, I drove down late yesterday afternoon. I’ve got an appointment later today in Red Wing, and I wanted to check out your little town. I’ve never been in this neck of the woods before.”

  The lack of experience in Coldbrook Bend was no news to Brody. Gordon was too young to have seen much of the world. Brody wondered whether he was even from Minnesota originally. He didn’t have the lightly lilting accent of most lifelong residents. Brody thought perhaps Gordon was a business school graduate from Michigan or Indiana looking to pad his resume as he climbed the corporate ladder.

  Gesturing toward a chair, Brody asked, “Would you like something to drink? I’ve got a little fridge here behind my desk. No alcohol, of course, but there’s juice and soda.”

  Gordon shook his head and sat. He pulled the chair closer to Brody’s desk. With an eager expression on his face, he asked, “Do you mind if I get right to the point?”

  “Of course not. I appreciate the direct approach.”

  “Well, Mr. Sexton…”

  “Please, call me Brody.”

  Gordon cleared his throat. “Yes, well, Brody, your reputation in southern Minnesota is a stellar one.”

  “My reputation?” Brody grinned and said, “I didn’t do it. Whatever it is.” Nervous laughter filled the office, and fortunately, Gordon joined in.

  “I assure you that I’m speaking professionally. Once my employer heard about you, he sent me out to speak with other store managers in the region who might know about your work. I’m happy to report that 100% of what I heard was positive.”

  “Well, that’s a relief. On the other hand, it sounds like you were doing detective work on me. What’s this all about?”

  Gordon smiled broadly. “I think it’s called headhunting work. There’s nothing at all nefarious involved.”

  “Headhunting? Are you offering me a job? Is that what this is about?”

  “Yes, our largest store in the Twin Cities is seeking a new store manager. You’ve risen to the top of the list of desired applicants. I didn’t want to make an impersonal phone call about the matter. You deserved a visit so that I could answer any potential questions in person.”

  Brody leaned back in his chair. The timing of the offer was astoundingly coincidental with the closing of his current store. However, Lewis’s Hail Mary pass of an idea was still on the table, and relocating to the faceless suburbia around the cities remained unappealing.

  Brody asked, “What if I’m not looking to move?”

  Gordon leaned forward. “I understand that it’s still a rumor, but I’ve heard that this store’s days are numbered.”

  Reaching up and
scratching his head, Brody wondered if there was anyone in the world other than his employees that didn’t know the Coldbrook Bend store was on the chopping block. He was shocked that Seb and Lacey didn’t know. Perhaps they did, and they had the decency to not talk about it before an official announcement.

  Brody rubbed his chin as he spoke. “Even if that news were true, and I’m not saying that it is, why do you assume I’d want to move to the cities? I’ve spent my entire life in Coldbrook Bend. I live in the house where I grew up.”

  “Do you have a pen and a small sheet of paper?” asked Gordon.

  Opening his desk drawer, Brody pulled out a memo pad. He handed it over along with one of his favorite pens. He grinned when he read the word, “Daddy,” engraved on the side.

  Gordon quickly scribbled on the pad. He tore the sheet off and pushed it across the desk.

  Brody audibly gasped and then held his hand to his mouth. It was a full 40% raise. As he stared at the number, he thought about Penny’s college fund and the travel he could do with Dak. With the income from selling the house in Coldbrook Bend… Brody stopped his thoughts. He took a long, deep breath and looked up at Gordon’s face.

  “I don’t know if I can accept it. Can I have a week, maybe two, before I tell you whether I want to pursue this?”

  “I can offer twenty-four hours. I’ll be sticking around Coldbrook Bend for the next couple of days, and I’ll be available to answer any questions that may arise. I apologize for the short time frame, but we must move quickly.”