Wayward Love

by Rhys Everly

  It was the truth. I’d gone out and searched for the best business to do my senior project on before the semester even started. It had taken me weeks to finally get something going until those dildos at the hair salon told me they didn’t need me anymore.

  I should have seen it coming when the manager sent me a thirsty dick pic after a “team bonding” evening, but it certainly hurt when the message had arrived. But as desperate as I was to find a company for my senior project, I wasn’t going to fuck my boss to succeed. Besides, he was ugly as fuck. And so gross, that sleazy dildo.

  I’d seen how he looked at me every time I was at the salon trying to discuss the details and get some dates down in the diary. Those accidental touches he thought I hadn’t realized weren’t so serendipitous. The “sweethearts” and “darlings” that made me twitchy. The seedy stares that made me wanna barf.

  “I see,” Davies said and turned to his desk to tidy it up. “If that’s the case, I am happy to give you an extension for a week, but you have to promise me you will try and sort this out. You are a good student, Kyle. In fact, one of my best. But I don’t want anyone to think I’m giving you preferential treatment.”

  I didn’t know what I could possibly do in a week to untangle this mess, but I wasn’t going to turn down the offer.

  “Thank you. Thank you so much. I promise I won’t let you down again,” I said and offered him a big smile.

  He pretended not to be affected by it, but his lips curled upwards despite the serious face he’d tried to maintain.

  I readjusted my backpack and pivoted on the spot to face the door. Nathan was leaning against the wall as I came out of the classroom and he snorted.

  “Finally, dude,” he said. “What took you so long?

  “Teach wanted to talk to me. Why? Did you miss me, honeypie?” I said and cooed at his face. “Did you miss my beautiful green eyes, you big baby?”

  He swatted my hand away from his face with a fake, indignant grimace, and we walked out of the building.

  Nathan was my best friend despite the fact we’d only met three years ago. We’d bonded from the get-go, and even though our majors were different, we’d hang out all the time.

  We came out onto the campus green, and Nathan took a deep breath.

  “Oh, it feels good to be out again. Look at the sky. The trees. The people. I almost forgot what it means to be human again,” Nathan said.

  “Let me guess. Microbiology was boring again.” I laughed.

  Nathan dropped both hands to his sides and turned to me with a most serious face.

  “It was torture. It’s like we’re back in primary school,” he said.

  I shook my head. “It’s not the college’s fault you’re a science geek,” I said. “Not everyone has been blessed with your wits, my liege.”

  I bowed to him as if he was indeed my liege, and Nathan crossed his hands behind his back like a true lord.

  “Would you care for luncheon, Your Highness?” I asked in my best British accent, which probably sounded like I had asthma more than the real thing.

  “Most certainly, my fair Brady,” Nathan replied. “Say, what says you? Would you be interested in a grandmotherous-made lunch?”

  I dropped all pretense and turned to my friend. This was not a time to joke around.

  “Did your grandma send packed lunch again? Because we start with that, Nathan. We always start any conversation with that.”

  “I thought maybe you’d like to finally meet the legend in person,” he said, and I gasped. “Thought it’s about time.”

  I grabbed his arm and resumed our usual theatrics.

  “Boy, oh, boy, do you really mean it? You want me to meet your family? It’s a big deal. I haven’t even had my hair done. And look at my clothes. What will they think if you take me home looking like a tramp?” I squealed.

  “They would have thought you were one regardless of your appearance, dear.” Nathan laughed.

  I slapped his head.

  “Hey. Don’t be ugly.”

  “So…what do you wanna do? Yaya is making some mean lamb chops, and she’s personally invited you,” he said.

  “Yeah, for, like, the hundredth time,” I said.

  I still couldn’t believe I hadn’t met his family after three years of friendship, but, considering we lived at New Harlow and our lives revolved around our classes and studies, the stars hadn’t aligned yet to make it happen.

  “Uhm, do you even need to ask? Bitch, please, I want in. I’ve been wanting to meet her for, like, forever,” I said.

  “Yeah, she’s starting to think you’re fictional,” Nathan said.

  “Me? Fictional? Bitch, I’m so fantabulous I can’t be anything other than the real thing,” I told him, and he pushed me away.

  “More like a fantasy, Miss Thing,” he said. “Hop on.”

  Nathan bent his knees slightly, and I climbed on his back. Once he straightened up again, he walked us to his car.

  “Jesus, man, what the hell did you eat for breakfast?” he moaned halfway there.

  “Uhm, I’d rather not talk about it. I’m feeling very fragile about my weight lately,” I whined and pulled his ear. “It’s my books, idiot.”

  “Well, tell those books to lose some pages,” he said as we got to his vehicle and he let me down.

  “Shhh, they might hear you, babe,” I said covering my bag with one hand.

  Nathan took a deep breath and unlocked his car.

  “Get in.”

  “Shotgun,” I called and got into the car.

  Nathan shook his head and walked around to the driver’s seat, then drove us to Cedarwood Beach, which was only an hour away.

  Driving through his hometown was like driving through a fairytale. The farmlands of Mathews County gave way to planted palm trees along the coast that gave it an exotic feel. There were cute little shops with colorful exteriors, flowers in all kinds of colors, and, of course, the sea, so blue and inviting that it all made me feel like I had just gone into a Bob Ross painting.

  And butterflies. So many butterflies. I didn’t think I’d ever spotted so many butterflies as I did during our drive through town. I knew Cedarwood Beach was famous for its local breed and the butterfly festival in June, but damn, I didn’t expect to see so many.

  With my mouth ready to swallow anything that was thrown my way by Nathan’s great-grandma and my head still buzzing from the kaleidoscope of sights, smells, and colors of the town, we pulled over in front of his house, a large estate painted in white, and he took me straight to the kitchen in the back of the house.

  A petite but high-spirited woman greeted me with open arms once Nathan introduced me to her. She gave me two juicy kisses on the cheeks and sat me down at the dining table, offering me everything and anything she could find in her kitchen.

  “Hey, is Dad still here? We saw his car outside,” Nathan said, turning to his grandma.

  “Yes, he didn’t sleep last night. I sent a message to Rachel to open without him using my spare keys. He needs his sleep. He is working extra hard lately,” she replied and set a jug of sweet tea in front of me with two glasses.

  “You boys go out and enjoy some lemon tea in the yard and I’ll finish the food in here. It should be ready in no time,” she said.

  Nathan grabbed the jug and opened the door to the back. I followed him outside and we sat down on two lounge chairs to enjoy the sunshine. He served me a glass and then helped himself before sitting back and closing his eyes.

  “How did it go with Davies?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “He gave me an extension until next week.”

  “That’s good. Isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, but what good will it do? I’ve been trying to find a company for months now. You think I’ll strike a goldmine all of a sudden?”

  “Can’t you fake it?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “No can do. We have to find a small business and help develop it. I have to provide proof for everything, and Davies is mentori
ng us during the program to help us give our best to any store we work for.”

  I picked up my glass and tasted the sweet, lemon tea, and it instantly gave me some comfort. I was screwed. If I didn’t find somewhere to do my senior project on, I could say goodbye to my honors degree.

  “It’s a shame, too, because I was looking forward to trying different marketing techniques or some social media to help the salon get more customers,” I said.

  “Well, I, for one, am glad the ass showed his true colors before you started working for him. I’d rather you weren’t harassed for the sake of your degree,” Nathan said.

  “Yeah—” I started, but at that moment my glass slipped from my hand and showered my t-shirt with sticky tea.

  “Oh shiitake,” I shouted.

  That was fucking cold.

  “You’re such a klutz, dude.” Nathan shot out of his chair. “What a mess. Here, come with me. I’ll get you something to change into and we can put your tee in the laundry,” he said, and I sighed.

  Lady Goddess seemed to have spat on me today.

  I followed him up the stairs and into his bedroom. If he hadn’t told me it was his, I would have thought it was his teen brother’s, even though he didn’t have one. Considering he lived on campus during the year, it wasn’t that surprising that his childhood bedroom hadn’t aged with him, but the thirsty boy band posters took me by surprise.

  There were also some basketball jerseys by people I’d never heard of before as I was not versed in sports, unlike Nathan.

  He opened his closet and handed me a white top.

  “Are you going to change or what?” he asked after a few seconds of me taking all of his bedroom in. “Don’t tell me you’re shy in front of me?”

  His question brought me out of my stupor and I stuck my tongue out, grabbing the T-shirt he was holding. It’s not like he hadn’t seen me naked before. We’d gone swimming together in the past. But just to make a point, I opened his bedroom door.

  “I’d like to use the bathroom, anyway,” I said, and he showed me to a door down the corridor.

  I quickly ducked inside and took my wet top off and threw it on the floor. Before I managed to do anything else, the door opened and a hunk of a man appeared in front of me.

  He was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, and I was standing partially naked in front of him.

  Me, a slender, skinny-ass man who had also lost his ability to talk. Dear God, what had I done to deserve all the bad luck today?

  “Who are you?” he asked, and, oh-my-God, it made everything inside me rumble.

  I pulled the white T-shirt Nathan gave me tighter around my chest trying to cover some of my shame when my best friend appeared behind the man and introduced me to his dad.

  He’d told me his dad was young, but fuck, I did not expect to have my biggest, wettest dream standing in front of me. Friends needed to warn their besties if they had hunk-as-hell dads. I shook my head to clear the dirty thoughts crawling through my mind and extended my hand—which looked like a stick in comparison to his—to shake his.

  I half-expected him to crush my bones, but his touch was so delicate it gave me goosebumps.

  Uh-oh. Houston, we’ve got a problem.

  I couldn’t have the hots for my best friend’s dad.

  “Andy. Nice to meet you,” he said, and I almost fainted.

  That voice, that touch, those eyes.

  And I was still shirtless in front of him.

  Three

  Andy

  Kyle stared at me with his small, bright green eyes, and I found myself lost in them.

  “I’m so sorry. You probably need to use the bathroom,” he said and put his t-shirt on in one swift movement.

  I didn’t even get the chance to tell him that it was okay. We had three more bathrooms in this house, and I could certainly use any one of them. But he didn’t give me a chance. Instead, he made himself as small as possible and tried to tiptoe around me toward the door.

  “I can wait…” I started to say, but my voice made him jump. He flinched back and his thigh caught the end of the bathtub.

  Kyle tumbled inside the tub, pulling the curtain down with him. His head made a thump as it collided with the spigot, and the gut-wrenching sound echoed around the small room.

  “Kyle!” Nathan let out from behind me.

  Without missing a beat, I bent down to check on the young man. His eyes were closed, but his hands were trying to grip onto something, so I gave him my hand. He squeezed it, and his eyes shot open boring right into mine.

  “Are you okay?” I asked him.

  He paused and swallowed, and only when I repeated my question did he actually answer me.

  “I’m fine. I’m so clumsy,” he said and tried to get up, but I put my hand on his chest to stop him.

  Nathan came and stood next to me.

  “Take it slow. Only get up if you feel you can do it. How’s your head?” I asked him.

  Kyle chuckled and then just as quickly winced.

  “Did I say something funny?” I turned to Nathan.

  Nathan laughed.

  “You don’t wanna know, Dad. Trust me,” he said.

  I looked from Nathan to his friend and back to Nathan again, but neither one of them was eager to enlighten me.

  “I think I’m ready to get up now,” Kyle’s soft voice said, and I removed my hand from his chest.

  Had that been there the whole time? What was wrong with me? Was I still dreaming?

  I gave him my hand and Nathan grabbed his other one, and we helped him out of the tub. As soon as Nathan let him go, Kyle swayed from side to side until he collapsed against me, plastering his body onto mine.

  He was so small, appeared so fragile, that I wanted nothing more than to take him in my arms and keep him there until I made sure he was okay.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Nathan asked him, and his voice brought my attention back into the room.

  What had brought that on? This young man could be my son.

  Nah, I was still dreaming. For sure.

  “You need to sit down,” I said. “Nathan, get him a glass of water and some ice.”

  I helped Kyle onto the bathroom floor, his body still shaking from the shock of falling. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. When he opened them again, he avoided my gaze and instead focused his attention on the pipework under the sink behind me.

  “What a terrible first impression,” he said barely a whisper.

  I shook my head.

  “Pff. What are first impressions anyway?” I told him, but he still didn’t look at me.

  Was this man Nathan’s boyfriend? He’d never mentioned being in a relationship or dating anyone. But then again, he’d been back on campus for a few weeks, so who knew?

  I don’t know if I’d consider them a good pair. Nathan was a great kid. I mean, he was my kid, so of course I thought that, but he and Kyle didn’t feel like a good match. I couldn’t exactly put my finger on why though.

  Nathan returned with a glass of water, a couple of painkillers, and a cold compress. He knelt down and passed the water and pills to his friend while placing the cold compress on Kyle’s head and rubbing Kyle’s arm.

  Yeah, they must be. But if they were boyfriends, why had he introduced him to me as his friend? Surely he knew I wouldn’t have a problem with it.

  “Yaya says you get an extra portion for lunch,” he told Kyle, and I chuckled.

  Typical Yaya. She believed food could heal any ailment. Food and a good cup of coffee.

  “What’s for lunch?” I asked and then I froze. “Shit, I’m late for work,” I said and stood up so fast that it made me a little nauseous.

  “No, you’re not. Rachel used the spare keys to open the bar,” Nathan said.

  “What? Who gave them to her?”

  The spare keys were for emergencies only. They were not supposed to be used by any of my staff. My guys didn’t need to have access to the office where all my shame was hidde
n. The last thing I needed was for Rachel or any of them to find all the late payment letters and spread the word to my family—or worse, their own families.

  If there was one thing I hated about living in a small town, that was definitely the speed at which gossip traveled.

  “I think Yaya told her to come by and pick them up,” Nathan said.

  Something ugly rose inside me and the bathroom was becoming claustrophobic. There were way too many people in here. I marched out and headed downstairs, feeling the heat in my cheeks. Naturally, I found Yaya in the open plan kitchen-dining room, setting up the table.

  “Good afternoon, sweetheart,” Yaya said with a big smile.

  “Why didn’t you wake me up?” I snapped at her.

  “You needed to rest. You slept on your desk, sweetheart,” she said without missing a beat.

  “I can’t afford to rest. I’ve got a bar to run,” I said, and from the corner of my eyes caught a glimpse of Nathan helping Kyle down the stairs.

  “Well, it wouldn’t hurt you to take a break once in a while. You’ve been working yourself to the ground lately,” she replied.

  “I can’t afford to take a break,” I said.

  I wish I could say more. I wanted to say that I needed nothing more than a break. Nothing more than to be able to sit back and relax. Take a weekend off and not have to worry about anything.

  But I couldn’t.

  Because if I did, my bar would crumble before my very eyes. And then I’d have to live off my father’s money, as little as it was, and then, when that ran out, Yaya’s pension. I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. I was a forty-three-year-old grown man with three kids, and I’d rather die from exhaustion than be a parasite on others.

  “Well, you got one now. So sit down and we’ll all have lunch together. Then you can go back to your precious work,” Yaya said with a tone that said she wasn’t to be argued with.

  With a sigh, I sat myself down at the head of the table, and Nathan and Kyle joined me.

  “Better?” I asked Kyle once he’d sat down and taken a big sip of his water.

  Kyle flinched when I spoke and forced an awkward smile on his face.