Homecoming Hearts Series Collection

by HJ Welch

  He scrubbed his cold face. What the hell was he going to do now? Look for another lawyer, he supposed. Or just deal with the police and hope this all got solved in a civil manner.

  Either way, that felt like something he could muster the energy for tomorrow, before his shift. It was dark and cold and he felt wretched. The only thing he wanted now was to see Joey. To hold him in his arms.

  Maybe he would tell him his troubles. Wasn’t that what you did with the person you loved, after all?

  He smiled despite the shit show of meeting up with Lewis. He loved Joey. He was almost certain of it.

  Everything else could wait. He needed to talk to Joey, face to face, as soon as he possibly could.

  25

  Joey

  Joey’s cold hands fumbled for the phone as he tried to yank it from his pocket before it stopped ringing. The blasted thing never rang, so whoever it was, it was probably important.

  Sure enough, his agent’s name was glowing on the screen. “Hey, Martha!” he cried, picking up the call just before it went to voicemail.

  “Joey,” she said. She had a well-educated accent that he’d always loved. “I wasn’t sure if I’d catch you, I know it’s getting late there.”

  They were only three hours ahead of L.A., but the implication that he could be busy was much appreciated. That was one of the reasons Joey really liked Martha. She always did her best to make him feel better.

  “I’m just heading home, actually,” he said.

  He’d had enough of the town’s diners and cafés for one day. With any luck, he hoped he could slip into his parents’ house unnoticed and chill out in the basement for a while. It was Friday night, so there was bound to be some sport on and his dad and brother would probably already be through a few beers.

  “I’ll be quick then,” she said. Joey imagined her smoothing down her well-tailored blazer and pencil skirt as she looked out her window over L.A. “Are you free a week from today for an audition in the city? I’ve got you in for a new Netflix show, I think it’ll be just your sort of thing.”

  Joey stopped walking in the shadows between streetlights. “What?” he stammered. Netflix? That was incredible!

  “You know how the eighties are all the rage right now?” she explained. “This show – Beat It – it’s set in a recording studio in 1986. It’s a drama, but part of that will be recording original songs as well as covers. So, one of those shows with a soundtrack.”

  Joey felt dizzy. “That…that sounds perfect.”

  “I know,” she said. He could hear the smile in her voice. “It’s not a main part, per se. But a side character that has an arc with one of the stars. You’d be going for Donny Shaw, a troubled up-and-coming singer. One of those juicy parts with lots of guts that you love.”

  “I do,” he said, rubbing his chest. “Martha, that sounds like a dream. Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” she warned. “You still have to get the part.”

  Joey nodded in the darkness. “Send me everything. I’ll be ready.”

  They closed the call and he began slowly walking again. Was this really happening? His mind was already whirring at what this could mean for him.

  A steady paycheck. Quality content, or at least he assumed, coming from Netflix. He’d be based in New York, just like he’d hoped.

  However, now…now another idea crept into his head.

  If he was going to be fixed in New York City, he could get a place more in the suburbs. That would mean he wasn’t that far away from Gabe.

  Could it really work? Maybe he didn’t have to stop seeing Gabe.

  He wasn’t an idiot. There was still every chance that Gabe wanted to change him too much and Joey would have to break away from him. But if he got a job in L.A. or anywhere else far away, they didn’t stand a chance. If Joey was in New York City though, it seemed okay to think about giving them just a bit more time to figure things out.

  Every time he got too giddy, he tried to rein it in. Nothing was certain, nothing. But for once…it didn’t seem so terrible to hope.

  Plus, he’d also heard from Storm Sailor’s people. The date was set for the video shoot in a couple of weeks and Joey loved the concept. They’d also sent him the finished track, and quite frankly, it was fucking awesome. If he could time the song’s release with hype about him getting the part in the show, if he got it, that might just be what he needed for a comeback.

  He unlocked his phone again as he took the shortcut through the park. He and Gabe hadn’t spoken much that week besides silly little niceties. Joey had been trying to keep his distance, in order to protect his heart in the face of what he felt was an inevitable parting of ways. But now he just wanted to talk to Gabe and share his good news. It felt amazing, to have someone nestled in your chest, their presence always thrumming like a hummingbird. It made Joey feel like he wasn’t so alone, knowing Gabe was out there, just on the other end of the phone if he needed.

  Expect when he looked up, Gabe wasn’t on the end of the phone at all.

  He was about thirty feet in front of him.

  It was dark in the twilight, but Joey could make out his broad form easily as he marched across the park. Joey went to cry out and wave, but then he realized Gabe was walking towards someone else and a dog was lunging itself at Gabe, its tail wagging furiously.

  Joey smiled. Gabe was so well loved, even dogs threw themselves at him. It would be rude to shout out to try and grab his attention from the other person. Joey would just walk over and say hi. He was sure he’d be welcome.

  He felt like he was being buoyed along by a balloon as he climbed the slight incline to reach Gabe and his friend. But before he could get any closer, he stopped in his tracks. The other man – and Joey was sure it was a man – flung his arms around Gabe and tucked his head into his neck. That seemed like an awfully intimate embrace for a friend.

  Joey stood still and watched the other man brush his fingers against Gabe’s cheek and his blood ran even colder than it was already in the freezing air.

  Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. Joey looked between the mystery guy and the dog. Gabe said his ex had left with their dog only a matter of weeks ago, and Joey knew from photos he’d seen in his house that it was a golden retriever. The dog by the two men ahead was definitely big enough to fit that breed.

  Was this Gabe’s ex? Lewis?

  Joey watched with a sick sensation in his gut as the two of them sat on the bench, the dog wagging its tail happily between them.

  Joey knew he’d been distant this week, but he hoped his behavior couldn’t be seen as giving Gabe the cold shoulder after their weekend away. Even though Joey had been considering breaking things off, he had a chance now. He might not have to do that.

  It would be unbelievably cruel if Gabe had been pissed at his lukewarm texts and reached out to Lewis in the meantime.

  Joey felt like his heart was in his mouth as he watched the two men talk, unnoticed.

  And then the guy ran his hand up Gabe’s thigh.

  Joey’s adrenaline kicked in in the blink of an eye, and before he knew what was happening, he’d already spun around and was marching away from the scene.

  Jesus H. fucking Christ. What had he been thinking? That someone as gorgeous and kindhearted as Gabe was just going to sit around waiting for Joey’s salty ass to mellow enough that they could make a go of it?

  He scrubbed angrily at his eyes as he took the nearest exit out of the park and began walking a longer route home.

  Home. Ha. It wasn’t home. It was his parents’ place that his dad was deigning to let him sleep in, for now, only because Joey had given in and coughed up a hundred dollars. When it came down to it, it was still cheaper than a hotel, and Joey was still doing his best to spend as many hours of the day out in town and away from his family.

  This is what he got for daring to stop job hunting a little early. He felt so good he was confident he could sneak in and just lay on his bed for a while. He’d been going nons
top for so long, after his good news he’d just wanted to have an evening off.

  But no, he’d had to run into Gabe and his gorgeous ex, who were obviously not quite as broken up as Gabe had made them out to be.

  For fuck’s sake. Had Joey really considered letting himself be tied to this crappy town with that guy? What a joke. The sense he’d been played was eating him up.

  So he was Gabe’s rebound fuck. Okay, he’d been worse. He could get through this. He just needed to forget about his heart now and think with his head. If he nailed this audition, there was every hope his luck could change.

  His phone ringtone made him startle. He fished it from his pocket, optimistic it was someone about the TV show again. But for the first time in weeks, when he saw Gabe’s name flash up he felt a sinking sense of dread instead of joy.

  He sent the call to voicemail, then placed his phone on silent. He didn’t even want it to vibrate. Let Gabe call himself silly; Joey had seen everything he needed to.

  No one seemed to notice as Joey slipped down the front door and into the basement. It only seemed fair, as the universe owed him a bit of good fortune. He’d picked up some pasta on the journey back, but he only managed a few bites before his stomach rebelled and threatened to send it all back up again.

  It was too early to sleep and he was too wired in any case. So he put his earphones in and placed his music on shuffle. His phone was set up so that even if he got calls or texts, it wouldn’t interrupt the playback. Normally, the function irritated the hell out of Joey. He’d missed many a call thanks to that. But for now, it was perfect.

  He was alone. He’d always been alone, so it shouldn’t take that long to shake off the hope he’d built up that Gabe might stick around. It had felt nice to be a part of a couple, however briefly. But Joey was tough. He’d survived the band’s destruction, so he could survive a broken heart too.

  He stared at the dank ceiling and let the music wash over him. He purposefully picked thumping rock and dance tracks so the beat could pound into his head and keep him distracted.

  It obviously worked, as he had no idea he had company until his mom suddenly appeared in his line of sight.

  He bellowed out a curse and yanked the earphones free. “Sorry, Mom,” he spluttered, trying to slow his heart rate down. “You scared the life out of me.”

  He laughed and she managed a small smile, but she looked troubled. “I tried calling down, but I didn’t want to be too loud in case I disturbed the others.” She meant his dad and brother no doubt.

  “No, no, that’s fine,” he said. He held the earphones up. “It was my fault, I couldn’t hear.”

  She shifted on her feet and looked down at him sitting on the camp bed. “There’s, huh, someone here to see you. A man. He’s, um, very handsome.”

  The sparkle of tentative excitement in her eyes made the ache in Joey’s chest worse. If Gabe had shown up on his door, today of all days, Joey wasn’t sure how he was going to react. The betrayal felt like a gaping wound.

  He closed the music app he’d been using on his phone. Waiting for him were several missed calls and text messages, all from Gabe. His heart sank.

  “Oh, right,” said Joey, mustering up a smile. “Thank you, Mom.”

  He pocketed his phone and followed her up the stairs. As they went through the door, the sound of the crowd cheering at the game blaring from the living room was clear. At least it meant that they most likely wouldn’t have heard the doorbell ring or his mom calling down to him.

  Joey really didn’t want an audience for this.

  His mom gave him an encouraging smile and headed back towards the kitchen, throwing a hopeful look over her shoulder. She was excited for him. If only she knew the truth.

  Taking a deep breath, Joey unbolted the door and greeted the person on the other side.

  Gabe looked up immediately, a smile lighting up his face. Joey felt like his heart physically cracked. Gabe was bundled up against the snow that had started to fall, the soft, white flakes glinting in the night.

  “Hey,” he said. “I’m sorry, I tried calling.”

  “I know,” said Joey flatly.

  The look of hurt was fleeting, but Gabe quickly smiled again. “Can I come in? It’s freezing.”

  Joey looked over his shoulder. Even if he wasn’t cut to the bone by Gabe’s actions, he wouldn’t want to risk inviting him into his house, not with his dad just in the other room. “Let’s step outside,” he said.

  He grabbed his coat and jammed his feet into his shoes, bracing himself both for the cold and the conversation ahead. He had to be strong. The most important thing was to protect himself.

  “So,” said Gabe warily as the door closed behind them. Fuck, the wind was bitter. Joey hugged himself. “You…saw my calls?” Joey shrugged.

  “Sorry, I’ve been busy.”

  “Right,” said Gabe, frowning. “I guess, well, I’ve had a hell of a week too.”

  Joey stared at him. He was pissed at Joey? That was rich, considering he’d just seen him cavorting with his ex. “Yeah, I know,” he said with a scoff.

  Gabe looked hurt again. “You…know?”

  “I’m not an idiot,” Joey snapped. “So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t treat me like one.”

  “I don’t think you’re an idiot,” Gabe replied, his frown deepening. “But I’d really appreciate it if you heard my side of things before you jumped to any conclusions.”

  Joey let out a hollow laugh. At least Gabe wasn’t going to deny it. If he’d tried to get Joey to go along being his thing on the side, that would have hurt even more. Fuck, had his ex ever actually been his ex? Or had they been carrying on this whole time?

  Joey didn’t want to know. Ignorance was better than being tormented by the ugly truth.

  “I think I’ve seen enough,” said Joey, stepping back towards the house. “Look, this was never going to work anyway, was it? All you want is this pathetic little life and I’m made for bigger things. That’s just it.” He knew he was being spiteful, trying to hide the desperate hurt that was overflowing from his battered heart. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself. “I’m out of your league.”

  He turned to let himself back in, but realized with a horrible spike of humiliation that he didn’t have his keys. He jabbed the doorbell anyway, praying his mom heard him.

  “What the fuck?” Gabe shouted. Joey flinched and looked back to see Gabe advancing up the porch steps, tears in his eyes. “Joey, you can’t possibly believe what you heard? You know me!”

  “I didn’t hear, I saw,” he shot back. “With my own eyes. So let’s just both forget about it, okay? It was a mistake.”

  He stabbed the doorbell again. Fuck, he needed to get away from this situation now.

  “You know what?” Gabe shouted. The tears were spilling down his cheeks behind his glasses. Joey told himself he didn’t care. Gabe had brought this on himself by being a lying, cheating bastard. “You’re a selfish fucking brat, Joey Sullivan.”

  The door finally opened. But it wasn’t Joey’s mom on the other side.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” his dad hissed in a menacing tone. Joey’s blood ran cold.

  He glanced back at Gabe, who threw his hands up, stepping away. “Nothing, man,” he said, thickly. “I was just leaving. Have a nice life, Joey.”

  His rancor was completely unfair. Joey was the victim here. Hate and hurt wrestled with each other as Gabe stalked down the lamplit street, away from the house.

  All thoughts of Gabe quickly vanished though as a meaty hand seized his collar and hauled him into the light of the porch. “How dare you cause such a disgusting scene in front of my house!” Joey’s dad roared.

  If Joey hadn’t been so frightened, he might have pointed out that his dad’s yelling was causing far more curtains to twitch than his and Gabe’s argument. But he could smell the liquor on his dad’s breath, and he shook Joey, hard.

  “Let go of me!” Joey squeaked, trying to pull free.<
br />
  His dad obliged, sending him flying against the wooden railing of the porch. Joey snatched a cold breath as his mom tried to rein his dad back in.

  “Martin, no, please!”

  Other than to shove her aside, his dad ignored her. “We’ve put up with enough of your fucking shit for long enough,” he snarled, advancing on Joey. “You lay about all day, don’t pay your way, bringing nothing but shame and embarrassment onto us decent, hardworking folks-”

  “There’s nothing decent about you!” Joey screamed back, not caring what the neighbors heard. “You’re a hateful bigot who would disown his own son just because he’s gay! You should be ashamed of yourself, you coward!”

  The punch cracked across his jaw before he even saw it coming. Joey staggered, stars in front of his eyes and his mom’s screams in his ears.

  “You’re nothing, you little shithead,” his dad growled. “We’d all be better off if you did the decent thing and just fucking killed yourself.”

  Joey was mortified by the sob that escaped his lungs, but he couldn’t help it. Instead, he dragged himself to his feet and stumbled down the steps into the front yard. “Fuck you,” he cried, not caring that the tears were dripping down his face. “I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction.” He wiped his eyes and glowered.

  His dad was illuminated by the porch light and the light spilling out from the hall. His mom was sobbing silently by his side, her hands over her face. His brother and sister-in-law had come out to watch the show. Faintly, Joey could hear Michael crying from his crib.

  “You’re nothing but a little faggot,” his dad spat. “I never want you in my house again.”

  Panic filled Joey. His bag was still in the basement. His laptop was in there, along with his few sets of clothes and irreplaceable sentimental items. Not to mention his wallet and his phone charger. But his dad stepped forward menacingly, his shoulders bulking as he raised his fists, challenging Joey to dare come near him.