Picture Perfect Love

by Jerry Cole

  I agreed to meet them for dinner and made arrangements to stay an extra night at the hotel. I didn’t feel like rushing home, and spending time with people was right for me. I realized how new that thought was to me as I dressed for dinner. I typically worked with clients and spent the rest of the time alone, getting back home as soon as possible.

  Even Jamie was surprised when I got home the next day. She was arriving back from work and had the usual goodies with her. “What made you stay?” She asked as I went to drop my bag off in my room.

  “They wanted me to have dinner with them. It’s fun hanging out with a family that loves each other that much.” She nodded, feeling the same way that I did. “Santa Barbara is pretty. We need to drive around more.”

  “What happened to my homebody?” Jamie teased as I looked into the bag to see chocolate eclairs.

  “I’m going to need to hit the gym again,” I murmured as I pulled one out. Being with Ryan had become the exercise that I preferred, but he wasn’t here.

  “You could start running again. There’s a whole beach out there, not to mention the gym we have memberships for around the corner.” Jamie laughed as she plated one of the pastries and sat on the couch with her coffee. “I don’t fucking believe I even eat these.”

  “How can you not?” I asked as I joined her.

  “When is your next trip?” Jamie asked as we settled into the cushions.

  “A week. It’s another thing like this in Carlsbad,” I replied, and she smiled. “I wish you could come sometimes.”

  “We have different jams,” Jamie noted, and I nodded. “Maybe when the bakery is doing better.”

  She took her usual nap, and I edited the family shots with the ocean breeze blowing through the house. They were beautiful, and I envied them all over again as I looked closely at their faces. I called Ryan later and we talked for a while. He liked to hear about my work and I told him about the family, smiling when he said to me that his own is small but loving.

  Chapter Eight

  Ryan

  The days turned into a blur of surfing and the shop. I waited for the phone calls with Ben and almost lived for them. He seemed to be enjoying his job and life, but I suspected we were both faking life. He kept telling me that he was talking to Jamie about Thanksgiving, but I didn’t have an answer yet. As dedicated to the shop as I was, Jamie solely focused on making her bakery a successful business. I couldn’t fault her for that.

  My family talked about it every time that we were on the phone. I told them I hoped that Ben could come and they would meet him. My mom knew that I didn’t ask anyone to meet them unless it was serious.

  I just wondered why it was with someone that lived four hours away on the nights I missed him the most. Leo found a lot of girls to spend a night or two with, but I fell in love with a man that was nearly three thousand miles away.

  I added working out in the evening to my routine. I had the time, and I was eating out a lot. I was not drinking after that night at The Reef. I knew that would send me over the edge.

  Leo came over one night after I got back from the gym. “Hey,” I greeted him as I let him in.

  “Are you okay?” He looked over my work out shorts, and I nodded. “Isn’t surfing enough?”

  “I don’t think it’s ever bad to stay healthy,” I argued as I went to get some water from the old fridge in my old kitchen.

  “No, but that’s a lot. You’re restless at work, and you seem out of it in the mornings. Do you need more sleep or are you missing Ben?” He was fucking observant.

  “Probably both. I’m trying to get him to come for the holidays and haven’t heard yet.” I took a long drink of water. “Why did I have to meet someone that lives so far away?”

  “You see me. I haven’t met anyone worth too much here. It’s a vacation retreat, and that brought you someone that you care about.” Leo looked at me again and smiled. “I always knew you were more of the serious relationship kind of guy. I’m sorry about that.”

  “I’m not. I love Ben, but it’s hard being so far apart. I know it will work out.” I sighed and closed my eyes. I did feel tired, and Leo sighed.

  “I like the happy go lucky version of you. I’ll take off so you can get some sleep. See you at the beach?” I hated the question in his voice. I needed to stick with what I loved to do, no matter what.

  “I’ll be there,” I promised, and we said our goodnights. I locked the door behind him and finished my water before dropping on the mattress. I remembered that Ben had never been here and looked around. The room didn’t smell like him nor did I have a single memory of him here.

  Should I change that?

  I fell asleep before getting a chance to call him and woke up to the alarm. I cursed and dressed for the water in record time before running to the car with my board under my arm. The air was crisp and brought me back to life as I drove the short distance.

  Leo was waiting at the edge of the water when I walked onto the sand. I remembered the first time that I saw this beach and how much we loved it. It felt like home, and still was that for me. I had many memories of Ben here, but I told myself that he’d be back. I smiled as we walked through the water to get deep enough to paddle to catch a wave.

  We ran late, and both rushed to open the shop on time. It was a busy day, and I glanced at my phone to see that it was after one when Ben sent me a message. I shot Leo a look while holding it up so he knew it was Ben and stepped into the office to read it.

  Ben: Thanksgiving is on. Jamie said that they’re closing the bakery.

  Ryan: I’m so happy. We’re going to have a fantastic day.

  We chatted briefly about where he would stay with Jamie, making me laugh when he mentioned that she was demanding a hotel room of her own. He planned to rent another beach house with enough room for privacy and stay for a full week.

  I was all smiles when I returned out front, and Leo smirked at me. I was confident that he knew what was making me happy, and I asked if anyone needed help as a weight lifted from my shoulders. Ben was going to make travel arrangements and I could relax. We had just over three weeks until he’d be here again.

  He would also be meeting my family. I’d be meeting the person that meant the most to him. Would we weather that storm?

  I made sure that Mom and Sarah would have a house to stay in, given that mine was small. That or I could give them my apartment while I stayed with Ben, but it was just a one-bedroom. They deserved better than that and Mom wanted somewhere with a good-sized kitchen to cook. I got an idea and sent Ben a text, making a note of his response as my mind started to wander. He responded positively and I slipped my phone into my shorts to help customers.

  When we locked the doors for the day, Leo shot me a curious gaze. “Are you going to go to the gym?”

  “I have some stuff to work on at home.” I smiled and told him I’d tell him later and left the shop to go to my house. I pulled out my laptop and messaged Ben as we decided how to go about this. It was a bold move for something relatively new, but it made sense.

  I went to bed early that night and felt good about the future. I’d be with my favorite people for Thanksgiving and possibly forming new bonds.

  Plans were finalized, and two beach houses rented next door to each other for convenience. They shared a private beach and had a lot of privacy there and I took orders of what to buy for dinner from Mom. I would have to do a little searching for everything she typically made and planned to have the place stocked for her. My family enjoyed eating out on the island but they also enjoyed cooking me all of my favorite things.

  The shop was slammed the weeks before the holiday, and I felt like I blinked before leaving for the airport to pick up my family. Ben was going to rent a car for him and Jamie and meet everyone at the house.

  I leaned against the wall of the airport and watched as the passengers walked across the long building. I grinned when I saw Mom and stepped forward to see my sister running through the scattered crowd and into my
arms. I laughed as I caught her, realizing how much I missed them.

  “Is your boyfriend here yet?” Sarah asked as I set her down and kissed her cheek. I moved to my mom and tightly embraced her as I closed my eyes.

  “It is so good to see you, Mom. Both of you.” I smiled and led them to get their luggage. “He’s not here yet, Sarah. They’ll be here later tonight. Jamie had to finish up at the bakery with last-minute orders. “

  “I can’t wait to meet him.” Mom said, and I smiled at her. I sent her the link to Ben’s web page, and she told me how handsome Ben was. I slipped an arm around her as we looked over the cases spinning around and pulled her close.

  “Thank you for being so supportive, Mom.” I kissed her brown hair that was so much like mine, and she wrapped her arms around me.

  “There is no reason not to be. You’re an amazing son, Ryan. I just want you to be happy.” She smiled at Sarah, and I moved forward to grab their bags.

  “You still have this car?” Sarah teased as they managed to load everything into the car and got in for the ride to the rentals.

  “It’s a perfect surfing car, brat. Ben always rents something when he visits, so we’ll have a better vehicle in a few hours. “I smiled at her in the rearview mirror. “Wait until you see the house you’ll be staying in for the next few days. You will forget all about this car.” I glanced at my mom at a stoplight. “Are you hungry?”

  “Is there food at the house?” Mom asked, and I nodded.

  “There’s a lot of it. I just thought since it’s early, we can get some fresh air and eat. You’ll be in the kitchen for two days on Thanksgiving. Live a little.” They all laughed, and Sarah asked to go to a small seafood place she was fond of.

  I parked, and we walked into the building to ask for a table outside. The woman led us out, and Sarah teased me about the apparent crush she must have on me, making me laugh. She’d been doing this for years in a loving way and was just as supportive as Mom.

  Chapter Nine

  Ben

  The flight was typical, but it felt long for me. I was looking forward to seeing Ryan and spending time together, but meeting his family intimidated me. I wasn’t used to the environment and didn’t know what to say. Jamie was chatting for most of the flight and assured me that everything would be fine.

  “You’re just excited to be at the beach and out of the bakery,” I grumbled as she giggled and agreed. “Aren’t you at all nervous about being with a family?”

  “It’s not my boyfriend, so not like you are. I think it will be a nice change since I can’t remember the last time we’ve had that.” Jamie looked thoughtful for a moment, and I couldn’t help but think how great of an addition to a family she might be. She could become part of Ryan’s family after this week.

  “I want to soak it all in. You do know how much I work.” I did, and I shot her an apologetic look.

  “I do. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I know you’re nervous.” Jamie grabbed my hand and squeezed it as she looked out of the window. “Look at the sun setting. It’s beautiful.”

  I smiled at her and then looked out of the window. I saw a lot of sunsets in different places over the years, but this was an exceptional location for me. “It’s a good one tonight. You’ll be able to see them from the beach house.”

  “I am going to talk Kyle into opening a bakery here.” Her voice sounded dreamy, and I considered what a great idea that would be. The plane started to descend, and I checked to make sure everything was put away in my carry on. Jamie did the same and we waited until the plane stopped and passengers started leaving. We took our turn and headed to grab our luggage before going to the rental agency.

  I asked for an SUV this time so we could all get around the island if needed. Jamie wanted a convertible, but that idea got squashed as fast as the one about her having her room. I wanted to be practical and not look like a stuffy asshole to Ryan’s family. I looked at her once we were settled in the Rover and raised a brow. “Are we ready for this?”

  “It’s going to be fun.” Jamie nodded, and I started the engine. She looked at everything as we drove, and I pointed out a few places that I enjoyed. We had enough time to see some of the sights if scheduling worked out well but I knew I’d get her back here again. The houses we rented were about twenty minutes away from the airport and I looked at the side street as we approached the shared driveway. “Oh, my God. Look at that. Which one is ours?” Jamie squealed as I parked beside Ryan’s small car.

  “I think it’s the one to the left.” Lights were on in the other one, and they were mostly the same inside. “Should we get our stuff put away first or go meet them?”

  “You sound like such a boyfriend right now. I love it.” Jamie laughed and then gasped. “I think that question has an answer for us.” I looked forward, seeing Ryan striding to me, and my heart threatened to burst out of my chest.

  “You’re here.” I jumped from the car and hugged him, holding on tightly. “I feel like I’ve been waiting forever.”

  We managed to pull apart, and Ryan turned to hug Jamie. “It’s great to meet you.” She smiled and returned the embrace, and they both started to talk at the same time. I knew they already connected and my stomach relaxed a bit as I observed them. Shadows caught my eye and I looked at the house to see two figures emerge and the knot tightened again. Two women approached us and I immediately knew which was his mom and his sister, even though they were both beautiful. They shared the same warm smile and I stepped up to them with a nervous version of my own.

  “It’s good to meet you. I’m Pamela, and this is my daughter, Sarah.” His mom pulled me into a hug, and I froze for a moment before returning it. “You make him happy. Thank you.”

  “He does the same for me. There’s no reason to thank me.” I sensed her warmth immediately and smiled with relief.

  “He told me how much you helped with these houses. They’re gorgeous.” Pamela said as she looked around. I reached out to shake Sarah’s hand, but she also hugged me. She was a year and a half younger than her brother and looked just like him.

  “Hi. It’s so great to meet you. You look better in person.” Her mom shook her head, and I smiled at her. This was going to be just fine.

  Ryan helped Jamie and me with our luggage into the empty house, and we all convened at the main one for drinks and to get to know each other. There was plenty of beer and wine in the fridge and we sat outside on the back deck and chatted. His mom was serious about cooking and told us about the menu as Jamie and I exchanged a long look. It sounded like she was preparing food for double the crowd.

  Sarah and Jamie hit it off right away over wine. They had a lot in common, and I saw a friendship forming there. They got on so well that Jamie decided to sleep at the main house and leave the other one to us boys. All of the women shared a look, and I felt heat wash over me.

  “That was fucking embarrassing,” I muttered as we walked across the driveway to the empty house.

  “I’m sure they know what will be happening here, Ben. It’s no secret.” Ryan confidently told me as he took my hand. “Do you like them?”

  “They’re amazing. Let's move them here.” Ryan looked sad for a moment and stared forward.

  “I want you to move here, and then we’ll bring them.” I unlocked the door, and we walked into a similar floor plan. The bags were there and I reached down to get Jamie’s before I heard laughing behind me.

  “I’ll take that.” Jamie popped through the door and took her suitcase from the floor. She kissed my cheek and then Ryan’s before telling us to have a good night.

  “I think they’re too alike,” Ryan muttered as I grabbed my bag to bring to the biggest bedroom. He followed me, and when the bag was on the bed, he cupped my face to kiss me. I returned it, getting lost in the moment as our tongues moved together. This was what I dreamed about when I was apart and I pulled him closer. “Fuck. I missed you.”

  Ryan dropped to the bed, and I straddled him, trying
to hold back my weight. I kissed him again, and he pulled me down to nibble on my lip before kissing down my neck. I was instantly hard and knew I needed to have him as soon as possible. I was sick of using my hand even if our calls and chats were hot as hell. I pressed against him, feeling his erection and we both groaned.

  I looked to see if the blinds were closed before reaching for his shirt. We stripped, and it was rough and careless the first time. We had to satisfy our needs, and that was all we could think about. We both came a couple of times before collapsing on the bed. I needed a shower and some sleep with Ryan by my side through all of it.

  We passed out once the shower was off, and I looked forward to a few days off. We got up mid-morning and I pulled on some shorts and a t-shirt, while Ryan wore the clothes he was wearing last night. He forgot to bring his bag over, but he changed by the time Pamela was putting breakfast on the table for us.

  “Where’s Jamie?” I asked, and she smiled at the window that overlooked the beach.

  “They went down to the beach after breakfast. They’re already so close.” Pamela smiled and poured us some orange juice. I looked over the plate of food and then at her with a smile.

  “This looks amazing.” She waved a hand as I picked up a perfect piece of bacon.

  “You haven’t seen anything yet. This is a snack.” Ryan took a long drink of coffee and shared a look with Pamela.

  “I love cooking for Ryan when I can. He’s so far away now.” Pamela poured herself some more coffee and walked over to the window to look at the view. “I do get why he loves it here. It’s gorgeous, and he’s doing well.”

  “It’s a great place. I wish I came here more than I did for work. Now for fun.” I slowly said as I gave Ryan a warm look. It felt so good to be back together again, and there was so much love in this kitchen right now. I almost wanted to plan Christmas.

  The girls came back laughing, and we gathered on the back deck to plan the day. Thanksgiving was tomorrow, so we had the rest of the day to do something fun. Jamie brought up some of the places I did shots at and Ryan and I planned a little tour of them.