Bring Me Edelweiss (Five Points Stories Book 2)

by Kyle Baxter

  Bring Me Edelweiss

  A Five Points Story

  Volume 2

  By Kyle Baxter

  Bring Me Edelweiss

  Copyright © 2020 Kyle Baxter

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission from the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Chapter 1: This Charming Man

  Chapter 2: I Try

  Chapter 3: Walking on Broken Glass

  Chapter 4: Mr. Know It All

  Chapter 5: Weight of the World

  Chapter 6: Alone Together

  Chapter 7: Step by Step

  Chapter 8: Stay With Me

  Chapter 9: Tell Me

  Chapter 10: Before You Go

  Chapter 11: Just Fine

  Chapter 12: Something to Talk About

  Chapter 13: Elaborate Lives

  Chapter 14: Rumor

  Chapter 15: A Whole New World

  Chapter 16: Dancing in the Living Room

  Chapter 17: Back in Your Head

  Chapter 18: Changes

  Chapter 19: Do You Want to Dance

  Chapter 20: Your Man

  Chapter 21: There’s Nothing Holding Me Back

  Chapter 22: Just Some Guy

  Chapter 23: Make Me Feel

  Chapter 24: I Feel Pretty/Unpretty

  Chapter 25: I Won’t Say

  Chapter 26: Happiness Is a Warm Gun

  Chapter 27: Tears Dry

  Chapter 28: The War Song

  Chapter 29: Too Good at Goodbyes

  Chapter 30: Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover

  Chapter 31: Still Hurting

  Chapter 32: Somewhere Only We Know

  Chapter 33: Night and Day

  Chapter 34: Where the Streets Have No Name

  Chapter 35: Babe

  Chapter 36: 10,000 Hours (Acoustic)

  Chapter 37: Testify

  Epilogue: Stuck With U

  Back Matter

  Acknowledgments

  I want to start by thanking my dear friend, Andrea La-Rosa Jimenez, for her advice and unflagging support. Thank you so much.

  Thanks to all those who have been a part of my getting here: Jodi Erickson, Jordan Hollen—you know what you did! As well as pal Dorian Wright, my father, and anyone who said anything positive, or taught me something along the way.

  Finally, this book would not have been possible without Gabriella Michaelis, my ever-patient beta reader and a fantastic novelist herself, and Bodie Dykstra, my amazing editor.

  A few years ago I had a very bad holiday season. Hallmark Christmas movies helped get me through it, and I couldn’t help but wish there was something there for my community, the LGBTQ+ community. That’s where the Five Points Stories come from, the desire for my own cozy gay romances. I hope you enjoy them.

  Mahalo Nui Loa.

  For Robert, and Rich

  and all those

  we loved and lost.

  What is remembered lives.

  Chapter One

  This Charming Man

  “What?” Joel shouted, lifting his head off the bed. There was banging and his alarm was blaring.

  “Get up!” Larry pounded on Joel’s bedroom door again. His excitable Yorkie, Buttons, yipped in the background.

  “I’m up! What’s your damage?” Joel shouted at his roommate. They were old friends, but this was too much. What the hell?

  “You’re late for work, McIntyre,” Larry’s voice cut through the door. Joel knew that tone; Larry never used his last name. I fucked up. Even Buttons went silent.

  Joel looked groggily at the time on his DVR. The numbers shocked him, and he sat up in bed like a shot. Shit shit shit. He was late—really late. He smacked his alarm clock, silencing its whine.

  “Enrico’s been calling me for an hour,” Larry spat. “And it’s my day off. Get up, dumbass!”

  “I’m moving. I’m moving,” he moaned.

  As he headed to the shower, Joel heard Larry say to someone—probably on the phone, “He’s on the way.”

  Shit. Enrico was counting on him, especially today. They had an early meeting with a client. He did not want to let him down.

  They were planning a wedding for two men, one of whom came from a well-heeled Connecticut family, and they were pulling out all the stops. It was nice to see a family that supportive of their gay son, and this was a big win for Five Points Catering.

  Joel wasn’t sure why he was oversleeping—often even through the alarm. Some days, even ten hours didn’t seem like enough. It started months ago. Well, really after Seth left last year. He was always a sound sleeper, but this was new, and it interfered with work and with his life. He’d become a hermit lately, rarely going out. He used to be a social butterfly.

  In a rush, Joel showered and changed, then stumbled out of his bedroom. After giving Buttons a pat on the head, he pulled on his jacket. Larry sat on the floor in the living room in the Bound Angle yoga pose, his blond, hairy legs flat on the ground in front of him. Joel winced; he could never get his own legs that flat when he tried the pose. Larry didn’t open his eyes, just shook his head and said “duuude” as Joel yanked his jacket on.

  “Thank you—love you!” Joel waved goodbye as he staggered out the front door of their ground-floor apartment in Williamsburg. The place was almost a shotgun, like their old house back home in New Orleans. He had the front bedroom, and his best friend Larry had the back. They moved up here ten years ago, and he never regretted a moment. Well, except for the year with Seth and the breakup. He regretted that. Not the breakup, but the time he wasted with him.

  He really didn’t want to go back to therapy, but it looked like that was where he was heading. Shit shit shit. He thumbed open the screen on his phone and called work.

  Enrico picked up immediately, the disappointment in his voice was searing. “I can’t believe this. I’m heading into a meeting to try and sell this couple on venues you picked out for their very expensive wedding by myself. I really needed you here for this one. And sharp.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Joel ran down the block to the subway entrance at Lorimar and took the L train to Manhattan. He transferred at Union Square for a train to Chinatown and sprinted the remaining blocks. The commute averaged only half an hour to forty-five minutes on a good day, but today took longer because of course it did. Why not?

  He burst into the second-floor offices of Five Points Catering, out of breath. Mark Elmer, one of their new salesmen, was working at the front desk today. Not large enough yet to need a full-time receptionist, they rotated the position among the office staff. Mark only shook his head.

  Damn, does everyone know? His face flushed with embarrassment as he walked into the sales office. Sliding into the desk facing Enrico’s, he said, “I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  �
�Yeah, it’s been happening a lot.” Enrico pushed a lock of dark hair off his forehead and glowered at Joel. “I wish you’d been here. We went over what we could. These clients, Drew and Scott, like me. I mean, who wouldn’t? But they love you.”

  His stomach dropped and he slumped in his chair. He did not like disappointing Enrico. “Thank you. What time are we meeting at the venue?”

  “Not we, you.” Enrico handed him the notes from the meeting. “You’re meeting them there in one hour. And don’t be late.”

  “I won’t.” Joel flipped through the pages and asked, “Uh, does Sheryl know?”

  “Everyone knows.” Enrico stood up and went to the huge dry erase calendar that adorned one wall. “And another client called looking for you. The note is on your desk.” He pointed at the legal pad, then turned back to make an entry on the calendar. There was a digital version as well, but everyone found that seeing the upcoming events here on the wall helped. It made things harder to forget or ignore.

  “Thanks.” Joel picked up the pages and gave them a quick perusal. Nothing urgent there, so he set them aside and looked through Enrico’s notes from the meeting.

  The clients wanted a fall wedding. Their appointment was at a restaurant in Battery Park. Expensive, but the views were incredible. He looked up from his musings to see Enrico staring at him quizzically. “What? What did I do now?”

  “You know I love the Shawn-Mendes-meets-geek aesthetic you rock. It’s natural, it’s you, but are you really wearing that tie?” Enrico’s dark eyes flashed with amusement.

  “What?” He looked down. Shit shit shit. Everything that could go wrong was going wrong today. In his rush out the door, he grabbed a Superman tie instead of a business one. His shoulders slumped and he eyed the etched Superman S shield on the double-walled canteen on his desk. He really needed to ask his friends to quit buying him comic book stuff. He loved it, he loved them, but enough was enough. And this was already too much. Cursing under his breath, he yanked at the tie.

  “Hey!” Enrico held up a hand. “Hey, stop. Just relax. It’s okay. Take a moment and breathe deep.” Enrico put his palms together in front of him, doing the Namaste pose. Joel rolled his eyes but followed suit. Giving him a wink, Enrico pointed at the tie again. “The clients love you. It’s fine. They’re gonna love it.”

  Joel took another deep breath and slowly let it out. “Thank you, you’re a lifesaver.” After packing his messenger bag with everything he needed, he stood up, then double- and triple-checked to make sure he had his keys and his phone. Can’t leave those. “Okay, I’m off.”

  “Knock ’em dead, Jo-El.” Enrico grinned and turned back to his computer.

  ❖

  After the tour of the venue, Joel grabbed a quick lunch by himself before heading back to the office. He glanced over the calendar on his phone. Next month there were appointments to take the same couple to see two more venues, one in Jersey City along the shore. The other was a rooftop in the Village. Like the space in Battery Park, they also had spectacular views. The Jersey City location was nice, but getting Manhattanites off-island was a chore.

  Returning to Five Points Catering, he plopped down in his chair in the sales office and called his friend and mentor Robert. They worked together back in the day, and after the disaster that was this morning, Joel needed a reassuring voice—and maybe a shoulder later. “Hey, is Movie Night still on?”

  “Of course, duckling.” The older man sounded chipper. “But it may be just the two of us.”

  Movie night was Joel’s favorite event of the month. But just the two of them? Robert’s merry crew of “ducklings becoming swans” had dwindled of late. “They graduated,” Robert explained. But Joel wished the man got out more. Since he retired, he’s become a recluse. Robert needs to do more than just live in that tiny apartment. It’s not healthy.

  Joel spun around in his chair. “How about I pick up dinner on my way?”

  “That’s lovely. See you later!”

  “How was the meeting?” Enrico asked from the copy machine in the corner of the office. Joel took a moment to appreciate the sight. His friend looked good in his tight-fitting salmon-colored chinos, but Enrico Manolo Tapia always looked good with his long dark hair and sharp eyes. Joel always wanted to let his own hair grow out but lacked the patience.

  “It went well. We’ll see the other two venues when they get back from vacay. They mentioned Mykonos.” Joel spun around in his chair again and whined, “I want to go to Mykonos!”

  “What did you think of the venue?” Enrico asked. “I went on a date there two years ago, I think?”

  “I liked it, but I prefer the rooftop in the Village. It’s amazing, especially at night with the lights of the city. Scott and Drew are so nice. They were very understanding about my missing the meeting this morning.”

  “Speaking of that, Sheryl wants to see you.” Enrico motioned upstairs as he walked back to his desk. He picked up his messenger bag and slung the strap over his shoulder.

  I knew this was coming. Shit shit shit. Joel’s shoulders fell. “Okay, I’m on it. Where are you going?”

  Enrico took a deep breath. “I am going to lunch—with my brother.”

  “Wow,” Joel said. “What brought this on?” Enrico’s relationship with his brother was sometimes strained.

  “I’m sure he needs a favor,” Enrico grumbled and headed for the door.

  After watching him go, Joel let out a long breath, trudged up the stairs to the boss’s office, and knocked on the door. Shit shit shit.

  “Come,” Sheryl said from behind her large desk. A petite woman, she looked over her computer at him. Pictures of her family littered the desk. “So . . .”

  He slumped into the chair across from her. “Sheryl, I am so sorry.”

  “Joel, I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re coming in late all the time, and it’s getting out of hand . . .”

  “I know, and—”

  Her hand slicing the air cut him off. “We like you, your clients like you, but we have to be able to rely on you. We don’t punch a time clock here, but you can’t miss meetings like this. Not if you want to keep being an event coordinator.”

  His head dropped. I really messed up. The pit in his stomach became a knot. “Yes, ma’am.”

  A grumble escaped her throat. “Ugh, I hate being called ma’am.”

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. I just cannot get anything right today . . . lately. What am I doing?

  She waved it off. “You’re going on vacation soon?”

  He brightened a little before a flash of panic struck him. Were they canceling it on him? Can they? “Uh, yes, I’m going for three weeks.”

  “Good, take that time, figure out what you want,” she said firmly. “Are we clear?”

  Crystal. “Yes, ma—” He caught the flash of her eyes. “And thank you.” Cowed, he headed back downstairs, sank into his chair, and buried himself in work.

  At the very least, he could get caught up on all his paperwork and answer emails. But his thoughts raced and made it a slog. What am I going to do? Joel liked his job, and it’s not as if he was deliberately oversleeping. He got to bed at a decent time. He couldn’t explain it. Maybe I am headed back to therapy.

  So caught up in his thoughts, Joel barely noticed when Enrico came back from lunch.

  “You okay?” his friend asked, setting his messenger bag down.

  Joel jerked and looked up at him. “Oh, hey . . . As well as expected.”

  “Why are you having so much trouble making it in? This isn’t like you. Well, it didn’t use to be,” Enrico said as he sat down.

  Joel pushed his reading glasses back on his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes. “I’m just sleeping too much, like a lot. Eight hours just isn’t enough lately. I was always a good sleeper, you know? But never like this. I’m thinking about seeing someone about it.”

  “Good idea, but what are you going to do in the meantime?” Enrico moved the mouse on his des
k to wake his computer.

  “I ordered a Screaming-Meanie alarm clock that also shakes the bed.” Joel leaned back in his swivel chair. “I hope it works.” Please let this work. I like this job! I don’t want to go back to being a waiter.

  “I would not be late again if I were you.” Enrico picked up the stress ball off his desk and threw it to Joel. “Sheryl is a stickler for punctuality. You leave for England at the end of the week, right?”

  Joel winced, still feeling guilty about letting Enrico down. He gave an overexaggerated return throw of the ball. “Yeah, I have a few days on my own before my family joins me. We fly out from Heathrow. Our big European family vacation.” He was excited to see his sisters again; they were always fun. But his parents? He always felt like a disappointment to them.

  Enrico threw the ball again, but too high, making Joel reach for it. Enrico shook his head. “You and your long arms. What’s the first stop?”

  “A little country in the Alps called Etreustein. Ever heard of it?” Joel threw the ball high, but Enrico anticipated it this time and jumped from his chair and caught it.

  He pumped a fist and turned the ball over in his hand before tossing it back. “No, but they have a couple of those little countries. I lose track after Luxembourg.”

  “Typical Ugly American,” Joel scolded, referencing the stereotype of boorish U.S. tourists. “This trip is a present from my dad. He’s writing it off as a business expense.” The whole thing was going to be one long exercise in patience and tolerance. Still, they were going to Europe on Dad’s dime. There are worse things in life.

  “What does your dad do?” Enrico asked.

  Joel was sure he mentioned this before and made a face as he tossed the ball high and far. “Fracking.” At a questioning look, he added, “You know how they inject liquid into boreholes and open fissures to extract oil or gas?”

  The ball landed with a thud behind Enrico. “Yuck.”

  “My dad’s company calls it ‘clean fracking.’ They’re trying to get a contract with Etreustein and I think they really need it. Every time I call my dad to talk about the trip, he makes a great big honking deal about it. I hope it works out. He likes his job a lot. But yeah, I agree with you. Fracking? Ugh. It’s nasty.”