Heart's Home

by E. Davies

  “Oh, wow,” the man answered. His voice was familiar, too, but fuck, who could it be? “A house? Something you can live in, made of clay?” He sounded skeptical, but Logan chuckled and didn't take it personally. He was used to getting that kind of reaction when he educated people. Most people thought it would be primitive and leaky or something, like living in a roughshod cabin.

  “Yep, like a house,” Logan confirmed. “You live nearby?”

  The man nodded. “Got a property down the road. I guess I'll see you around,” he told Logan, then glanced at the Labrador, who was bounding down the road. “Aw, crap. Sally! Sal, come back. Come. Sally.”

  “You better go,” Logan laughed. “See you.”

  The man waved, then trotted down the road after Sally, who was tripping over her paws in her haste to outrun him.

  Logan chuckled at the sight. Despite having been unable to figure out who it was, the stranger had been handsome enough. The chance to educate a few more people on his building techniques was worth it, too.

  He got back to work, hauling the rest of the lumber into the clearing and piling it up.

  “There,” he finally breathed out when he had a chance, looking around the clearing. Drainage, well drilling, and sewer matters were going to occupy him for at least that week, so his friends were coming that afternoon and again later that week to help him out.

  But the first thing he had to do was clear the site.

  ***

  Ripping brush, cutting back shrubs, turning up earth, digging out stones, and leveling spots was more back-breaking than he'd even anticipated. Logan had never been so glad he had modest home ambitions and had sketched out and designed his plans for a home of five hundred square feet. It made it manageable to clear the entire lot in one afternoon, and the next day, he was able to put up a tent, fire pit, and cooking area since it was clear that he wasn't going to get the building done in a month at this pace.

  By the time he was starting to miss Hunter, the building site had a generator, sewer system, and even a cleared driveway and path to the road.

  The next time Juan, Pete, Kate, and Ash came over to help, they started to poke fun at Logan for never having Hunter around to help build.

  “What, is he too pretty and distracting to keep around?”

  “Afraid of us?”

  Juan grinned and chimed in, “Too good for building work?”

  Logan groaned, trying to ignore them all as he hauled buckets of gravel for the foundation with them. The week's work had been exhausting enough, but not seeing or hearing from Hunter hadn't helped. “None of the above,” he told them, trying not to get snappy.

  “Then, what, is he busy?”

  “Yeah,” Logan insisted. “He works too.”

  Juan laughed. “He works for his billions? I never thought I'd hear you say that.”

  Logan nodded, hauling another load of gravel to the ditch. His muscles ached at the end of every night now. Just about every other night, he slept in the tent here. It was getting more challenging to work on community projects and the garden he was paid to construct and maintain, but the extra income he'd get from leading hands-on workshops on the building process would make up for it, at least.

  Juan obviously knew that something had to be going on more, because he didn't question him on it like he usually might.

  “Anyway, he's gonna help me put up the door frame later, after we finish the foundation and you guys are gone,” Logan bragged. Shit, I hope he'll be home.

  “Ohhh. Saving his muscles for the easy work, huh?”

  Logan smirked. “I can't use him like I use you guys yet.”

  “Well, we'd better be invited to the first housewarming party,” Kate laughed.

  Logan nodded. “You will be, promise.”

  He'd almost forgotten about his little white lie by the time the others were all gone for their day jobs or because they were out of energy. As Kate led him to the car, Juan hung back and said, “Hunter better help you get that door up so we can start the walls. No more sitting on his billions. Make him work for it a little...”

  “Yes, sir,” Logan yawned, too tired to banter. “Right away.”

  Juan winked and waved, jogging after the others to catch a ride home with Kate.

  Logan was left alone on the building site, and the first place he looked was towards the hill and the house where he knew Hunter must be.

  Time to take matters into my own hands. He wasted no time getting out to the road, then up the staircase towards Hunter's house. He buzzed at the side gate. When the intercom crackled, he said, “Hey, I need your help with the door frame.”

  “Hello? Who is this?” It was a woman's voice.

  Oh, shit. He's not married, is he?

  It was a ridiculous thought that made him have to bite back a laugh. A moment later, Logan remembered his family's visit. But it's been days! I thought he meant a day or two. “Oh, I'm – I'm sorry. I was looking for Hunter.”

  “Come on in,” the woman answered, and the gate clicked open.

  Logan strode through, admiring how some of the impractical flowers had come along in such a short time. A short woman in light blue capris and a nice top came out to greet him. By the sight of her, Logan instantly knew she must have been Hunter's mother. They had the same captivating eyes.

  “Hello. I'm Catherine Kenning, Hunter's mother.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Kenning,” Logan answered, reaching out to shake her hand. It seemed the appropriate thing to do, since her smile was friendly. “I'm Logan Hudson.”

  “Ah, yes. What can I do for you? I'm afraid my son isn't in.”

  “Oh, do you know when he'll be back?”

  “Well, he flies back tomorrow if all goes well, I believe,” Mrs. Kenning answered.

  “Flies... back?” Did he fly somewhere?

  Mrs. Kenning chuckled. “Oh, dear. Yes, he took an unexpected trip to London. You said you needed help with... a door? You're the one building the little cottage, aren't you?”

  Close enough, Logan thought and nodded. “That's all right, I can get a friend to help--”

  “Oh, no, I'd be happy to try to help. I used to do a fair bit of lifting in my day, you know.”

  Logan didn't expect that, and he blinked. “Oh. Oh, right. Okay, if it isn't being an imposition...”

  “Not at all! I'd like the chance to work a little bit. My husband, Roy, he hates when I lift a finger,” she clicked her tongue. “Since I married him – he's Hunter's step-father, you know – I've barely done a thing. I grew up on a farm, though.”

  “A farm? Where?” Logan asked, genuinely curious. This woman was so down-to-earth compared to what he was expecting. Maybe that was why Hunter was more genuine than he'd expected, too.

  “In Oregon. Oh, I was a rebel in my day. A hippie,” she chuckled.

  Logan laughed. “Well, if you want to change first or anything--”

  “No, no. It's fine,” she assured him, waving a hand. “Clothes are clothes. So, where's this little home of yours?”

  “Down the staircase. My property's right below and across the road.”

  “Oh, how nice,” she nodded vaguely. “Lead on, then, Logan.”

  Logan was mortified. He couldn't get his secret lover's mother to help him build his house! But she was offering, and she was excited.

  When they reached the property, which she praised as feeling airy and promising, Catherine was decent help. She obviously didn't know much about cob construction, but she was strong and willing to help out. When her clothes and hands got dirty and scuffed, she didn't notice despite her fashionable clothing and manicured fingers.

  The frame went up quickly but Catherine hung around for another few minutes. Logan soon found himself off his guard around her as they chatted about nature, farm work, and the surprising number of things they had in common. From the sounds of it, though, most of the interesting things in her life had happened before she met Roy.

  “So, why did you choose to move here?” she asked.
“Aside from my son being close. I understand you're friends, yet we've never met.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Logan nodded, clearing his throat. “Yeah, the timing never worked out, I guess. This has been keeping me busy. Pleasure to meet you at last, though, Mrs. Kenning.”

  Mrs. Kenning nodded. “Oh, Catherine's fine. We've put up a doorframe together, so as far as I'm concerned, we're on first-name terms. My husband will roll his eyes, but... you know.”

  “Ahh, okay,” Logan answered and made a mental note to call her “Mrs. Kenning” if he should ever meet Hunter's father. From the sounds of it, he was a lot more... well, pretentious. Catherine and Hunter were relatively easygoing.

  Catherine added, “And the site looks wonderful. What are those trenches?”

  “That's for drainage,” Logan explained. “It keeps the water from running off the hill and the road and under my house.”

  “Oh, clever. Is that the whole house?”

  “It will be, yeah. That's the foundation,” Logan explained. “The plumbing is done.”

  “What about electricity? Is there a supply?” Catherine searched for telephone poles.

  “No, no, this will be off the grid. Solar panels,” Logan said simply.

  “Very clever! You're quite the builder,” Catherine marveled.

  Logan blushed with pride. Well, if she were to be my future mother-in-law, this would be a great start. “Thanks.”

  “How about coming in for a break and a drink?” Catherine suggested. “It looks hot here.”

  Logan's shoulders slumped. “Oh, that would be great,” he enthused. Shade was easy to find in the trees, but it was nothing like Hunter's air-conditioned mansion.

  “Come along, then. We'll get you freshened up. What else were you planning to do today?” Catherine asked.

  Oh, Jesus. Tempt your son to bed, but I can't say that. Logan tried to shake that train of thought by shaking his head. “Not sure,” he admitted. “Finish the last bit of foundation work now that that door's in place. My friends were going to help with that bit tomorrow, though. Thank you so much for that help.”

  “Not a problem. It was nice to get back to my roots, if only for an hour,” Catherine told him. “Hunter was always an outdoorsy boy, too. Playing in the mud, rough-and-tumble games, building things out of sticks and mud...”

  Logan laughed. “Wow. I should get him to help more, then.”

  Catherine grinned. “Oh, I shouldn't encourage that behavior. He'll end up playing in the mud all day and not doing a lick of work for the rest of his life. Still, more work than he does now...” she laughed.

  Logan's eyes widened. That wasn't something he felt comfortable commenting on.

  She let him into the house, then led him to the kitchen. It was a spacious, open-plan kitchen with floor-to-ceiling windows. The wall had a glass door leading out to a huge balcony.

  Wow. Logan couldn't imagine living with this much space. The kitchen fit ten or fifteen people comfortably, and it was equipped with top-of-the-line appliances.

  “The housekeeper doesn't always cook,” Catherine told him, sensing his gaze. “Hunter likes doing it. He's quiet about it, but he does.”

  “He cooks for himself? He's never said.”

  “Oh, he's a cook, too. Talented boy, all around. Well, talented man now,” she nodded. “They grow so fast.”

  “Mm.” I can't imagine watching kids grow up yet. I wouldn't mind them, though. “I'm not sure – I mean, I might end up having kids someday with the right person, but...” he trailed off with a shrug.

  Catherine nodded. “You'll find the one for you,” she assured him. “Took me two marriages, but I kept the receipt from the first one. Buyer's remorse.”

  Logan was startled into laughing, covering his mouth for a moment. She must have been the one who gave Hunter such a sharp wit.

  “What?” Catherine chuckled as she poured glasses of pink lemonade. “I'm allowed to say that about myself. Roy's not allowed to say it.”

  “So, um, what's Hunter doing?” Logan inquired next, sipping from his glass of pink lemonade as he gazed at the balcony and past the massive silver barbecue to the stunning view down the hill and across the trees where he knew his lot to be.

  “Oh, he's off to London for a business trip,” she told him. “Some kind of business... redevelopment. I don't know. They're flying back today. We're leaving just as he gets back, his step-father and I. Roy wants to see an uncle in Connecticut.”

  “Ahh, I'll have to meet him next time.” Phew.

  “Hunter was suggesting he bring you to one of our gatherings. He thought it might be good to introduce you to other friends, but, ah...” Catherine hesitated.

  “But what?” Logan inquired, doing his best to make the inquiry sound polite and reasonable.

  “He thought you might be a bit overwhelmed by the environment,” Catherine supplied.

  “Meaning I'm too...” Logan looked up and down himself.

  Catherine shook his head. “More like 'they're too...',” she murmured. “I admire that my son has friends from all walks of life. That was the other thing I remember most about his childhood – his willingness to befriend everyone on the playground. He naturally ended up with a dozen children following his every move every time we went,” she laughed.

  Logan joined in the laugh. “Sounds like him,” he agreed, finishing off the glass of pink lemonade. Now that the sweat along his back was cooling, he felt uncomfortable. He didn't want to push his luck with Hunter's mother, either. It was time to get back outside. “I should go, then, before the afternoon gets too late. Thank you so much again, Mrs. Kenning... er, Catherine.”

  “Thank you, darling. It's a pleasure to meet any of Hunter's friends, but especially you,” Catherine assured him.

  Logan still smiled to himself as he saw himself out and headed back down the staircase through the hot afternoon sun. Hunter made so much more sense now that he'd seen one of his parents, and he guessed that Roy might have influenced him a bit from the other side. 'Step-father' was so ambiguous, though – it could mean he was never involved in Hunter's childhood or that he was practically his biological father.

  “Oh,” he made a startled noise when his phone abruptly went off, then pulled it out of his pocket. It showed up as Hunter's number and he stared. Roaming costs! Still, he answered.

  “Hello, is this Logan?” It was Hunter's unmistakably deep, smooth voice, and Logan practically skipped down the last step, jogging across the road to his property and then along the cleared path towards the house.

  “It is. Hi, Hunter. Guess what?”

  “What is it?”

  “I met your mom. She's cool.”

  Hunter paused for a long moment, then laughed. “Yeah, I figured you two would get along. How the hell did you meet her?”

  “I went to buzz you to meet you and see if you'd help with something – and by the way, what the fuck? London? Your cellphone bill will be huge.”

  “It won't be that high,” Hunter disagreed. “It was a bit sudden, yeah. I just wanted to let you know, I'm coming home tomorrow. I've been working on business.”

  “On what?”

  “Um, thinking about acquiring a business here.”

  That would mean... he'd have to move for a bit, though, right? “From abroad, or... hands-on?”

  “Hands-on,” Hunter answered. “I'd be there for a month, maybe more... I've got a few friends I can hire for the real hands-on work, but I'd like to be around for it.”

  “Wow. Okay.” Logan tried to process the idea of Hunter being gone for so long.

  “I'm not sure I'm going to do it, though,” Hunter said and Logan frowned.

  “What? Why not?”

  There was a moment's hesitation. “I'd be away from everyone for a while, and... there's no point.”

  “In doing it?”

  “I have enough money. I'm not desperate for work. I don't want the prestige from it, either.”

  Logan sighed with relief. “You haven't gi
ven in to the man, then.” That was their inside joke as they discussed anything to do with Hunter's access to far more and far better things than his own.

  “But,” Hunter murmured, his voice almost a growl. “There is plenty I want.”

  “Me?” Logan teased. “It's a shame you're all the way over there.”

  “I'm calling you at nine PM your time tonight. Be somewhere private,” Hunter told him. “Talk to you soon.”

  Logan's eyes widened. “I... okay. Bye.”

  Talk to him in private? What is he planning?

  ***

  Logan didn't have to wait too long to find out what was up his lover's sleeve. He tidied up his tools for the day, drew some water to take a quick shower, and changed into lighter clothes, then sprayed a fresh coat of insect repellant across the tent.

  At promptly nine, his cellphone rang and he practically dove for the tent, zipping it shut before answering. “Hello?”

  “I'm sitting on the windowsill of my hotel room,” was the answer from that rough, sexy voice that made him want to spread his legs and submit.

  “O-Oh. I'm in the tent. On the property. I've set up a tent since you left.”

  “I'm imagining you bending over that windowsill,” Hunter continued. “Or bending over in that tent. Your breathing heavy, your cock so stiff and ready... I look forward to seeing this sight again.”

  “Me in a windowsill?” Logan settled on top of his sleeping bag and fidgeted with the front of his pants.

  “You, naked, with me,” Hunter told him sharply.

  Logan nodded to himself. “Oh.”

  “What are you doing right now?”

  Logan's hand stilled itself. “Um. I'm – you want to know?”

  “Yes. Describe it for me. You've done this before, haven't you?”

  Logan blushed. “Not... strictly.”

  “So young,” Hunter marveled. “So innocent. You're losing all of that innocence slowly, being around me...”

  Logan chuckled. “Well, I'm rubbing the front of my pants... comfy sweatpants. No underwear. All ready for bed.”

  “Sexy,” Hunter approved. “And what?”

  “I'm wearing a t-shirt, too. I'm lying back on my sleeping bag...” Logan settled on his back, one hand keeping the phone to his ear while he rubbed himself with the other again.