Fresh Start: A Small Town Gay Romance (Cedarwood Beach Book 1)

by Rhys Everly

  “Well,” I said biting back the naughty remark I had. “You’ll have to because we’ve got to go.”

  Leo jumped up in bed. “Go where?”

  The idea had come to me last night, but I hadn’t wanted to say anything. I wanted to do something nice for Leo. Something that didn’t include favors in bed.

  “I’m taking you shopping in town,” I said.

  Leo grimaced. “Why?”

  I got out of bed and covered my nakedness as I stood in front of him.

  “I want to buy you some nice clothes for the anniversary party. And for your meeting next week,” I said and walked into the bathroom.

  “Uhm, I don’t need new clothes,” he said with a cheeky smile. “And don’t you dare flash me with your gorgeous ass to distract me.”

  Leo also got out of bed to follow behind me. I looked down at his cock, which also had started to wake up by this time.

  “Well, it worked though, didn’t it?” I said, and Leo chased me the rest of the way into the bathroom and then into the shower where we did dirty things to each other before finally cleaning up.

  By eleven, we were all dressed and ready to go. Leo had agreed to let me spoil him a little, and I’d agreed to fuck him later that night so he could show me how much he appreciated it.

  We drove to Newport News and located their Nick Grant store, where we both tried on different suits for each other. Everything looked good on Leo, but if he wanted to impress the casting agents, he had to show off his body as well as his talent. You couldn’t play a superhero without a good base to start with.

  I got him a tight grey suit for the meeting and a navy-blue suit for the dinner tonight. He was still reluctant to let me pay for everything, but in the end, I won.

  We got some lunch in the city before we headed back to Cedarwood Beach with enough time to clean up, get dressed, and head to my parents' house.

  “Wow,” I said when Leo came out of the bathroom, clean-shaven and with his hair slicked back, wearing the blue suit that hugged him in all the right places. His well-defined muscles were visible under the jacket, and his skinny fitting trousers gave me a view of not only his gorgeous butt but also of little Leo.

  “What? You saw me put it on in the store,” Leo said.

  “I know. Why do you think I was muttering to myself when you showed me then?” I said.

  “Oh, shut up and go get dressed. We’ll be late,” Leo said and slapped my butt, and I retreated to the bathroom to get cleaned up too.

  Shortly after seven, we arrived at my parents’ house, and their driveway was a Jenga of cars parked so close to each other that there was no walking space between them. The front door was open, so we walked straight through. The music was loud as was the liveliness both inside and outside in the back garden.

  I looked for my parents or any other familiar face, but the majority of them I’d never seen before. Had Mom and Dad made so many new friends in Cedarwood Beach? Not that I’d be surprised considering how friendly everyone was, but Mom wasn’t someone who could hold friendships for long.

  “Dawson, darling,” someone hooted behind me, and I turned to find a very high-spirited Mom with a glass of white wine in her hand wading through the crowd to get to me, Dad following close behind her.

  From the corner of my eye, I spotted Leo straightening his back and wiping the front of his shirt even though there was nothing there.

  “Hi, Mom. Dad. You’re looking like you’re having a blast,” I said, and Mom grabbed the back of my neck to pull me into a tight hug.

  “It’s so good to have you here. Please visit more often. I know you’re a big star now and everything, but we like having you around,” she said.

  “I like being around, too, Mom,” I said, and she let me go.

  “And who is this hunk of a man?” she asked. She really had had too much already. But at least she liked the look of Leo. That was something.

  Leo passed her his hand and introduced himself.

  “We went to college together, and guess what? He’s from Cedarwood Beach. His family all live here,” I said.

  “No,” Mom said in disbelief. “Who’s your family?”

  “My dad is Paul Karagiannis. We’re a big, fat Greek family,” Leo said, and Mom gasped.

  “No way. You’re their little lion? No way. Jeff, did you hear? Leo is Marina’s grandson,” she said still holding Leo’s hand.

  “Don’t you live in London or something?” Dad smiled at him.

  Leo nodded. “Yeah, I’m visiting the States on business, so I thought I’d visit everyone,” he said, and I could tell he was uncomfortable.

  I hoped my parents weren’t making him feel that way.

  My mom, oblivious to any such cues, dragged Leo into a tight hug while she told him he’s practically family.

  I blinked and looked at her for an explanation, which she only gave when she let him go.

  “I met your gran during yoga, and we’re friends now. I think she’s here somewhere. The whole family is,” she said.

  A breath I didn’t know I was holding escaped me, and I turned to Leo, who grinned back.

  “Are you okay?” I whispered to him.

  “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Eldred, congratulations on your anniversary. And very nice to meet you. I don’t want to keep you from your other guests,” Leo said.

  “Nonsense, darling. You’re a friend of our son’s, and I’m a friend of your family, so you’re family too. And call us by our first names, will you. We’re not that old. I’m Christine and this is Jeff,” Mom said, and Leo pursed his lips, nodding. “Where is your drink? Would you like a beer or some wine?” she asked, and I wanted to intervene, but Leo was prepared.

  “I’m actually okay. I’ll have a soda, though,” he said with a wide smile.

  “Soda? It’s a party, sweetie. Get something stronger,” Mom said.

  “I’ve got some good Scotch if you like,” Dad added.

  “No, really. I’m okay,” Leo said.

  “I’ll go get you a Coke,” I said, and before I could go, Mom grabbed me and asked me to put some whiskey in it.

  “Mom, Leo doesn’t drink alcohol,” I said, hoping they both would get the drift.

  “Why on earth not?” Dad said.

  I opened my mouth to find an excuse, but Leo cut in.

  “I’m a recovering alcoholic. But I don’t drink anymore. Five and a half years clean,” Leo said.

  Mom’s cheeks took on a rosy hue, and Dad opened his mouth to say something, but then decided it was best not to say anything at all.

  “I’m so sorry. I’m such an idiot,” Mom said and gave Leo another hug. “But good on you for resisting temptation. And my silly persistence. Is it too late to say I was just testing you?” She winked at Leo, and he laughed.

  “Don’t worry about it, Christine. You didn’t know,” he said, and Mom patted his chest with a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, can I use your restroom?”

  Mom pointed toward the stairs, and Leo smiled at me before climbing them.

  “Oh sweetie, I’m so happy for you,” Mom said when she came back. “He’s gorgeous. And he comes from such a good family.”

  “Christine!” Dad reprimanded her.

  What was she talking about? Why was she happy for me, and what did Leo have to do with it? Had someone told her about my relationship with Leo? Had someone seen us together?

  Fuck.

  Was it when we went to the private beach and had sex out in the open? Or had someone seen us when we had the dinner that Melody helped me prepare?

  “Wh-what are you talking about?” I asked.

  “Leo,” Mom said. “He’s your... special friend, isn’t he?”

  “You don’t have to answer that,” Dad said. “We’re just happy to see you have someone.”

  My knees felt weak all of a sudden, and I desperately needed to sit. Along with a strong drink.

  “I don’t understand. How do you—” I said.

  Mom took my hand in hers and gave
Dad her wine glass.

  “Sweetie, I gave birth to you. You think I don’t know my own son? You’ve never brought a girl home even though you have been engaged what? Three times?”

  She turned to Dad, who nodded.

  “Besides, you look at him like he’s your lifeline. Even if I didn’t know before, I would have guessed it as soon as I saw you two together.”

  I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know, nor could I find, what to say. There were so many questions circling in my head, and I was having a hard time picking any of them to vocalize.

  “You’re surprised,” Mom said and turned to Dad.

  “He’s surprised,” Dad answered her. “Son, I want you to know that I—we love you no matter what, no matter who or what you are—”

  “Unless you’re a murderer,” Mom added with a very serious, but very drunk face.

  “And even then, although I really do hope you’re not. We love you, and we want you to be happy. And if Leo makes you happy, then we’re happy with you.”

  My eyes tickled as the tears threatened to stream down my cheeks, and I tried my damn best to keep them inside. But when my Dad gave me a hug and a reassuring pat on the back, they came rushing out.

  “Also, he’s Marina’s grandson, so that’s a plus,” Mom added. “Am I right to think he’s famous and rich too?”

  I laughed.

  “Does that mean you’re gonna have gorgeous, Greek, famous, and rich babies too? Oh, I can’t wait,” she said, and I gave her a hug.

  I didn’t know why or how, but I was so grateful that they came out for me. I don’t know if I’d have ever found the guts to do it myself.

  “What the hell is going on here? Did someone die?” Leo asked, and I turned to him.

  Mom just slapped his face gently, and both she and Dad left us on our own.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  I nodded and told him what had just happened.

  Leo reached out and wiped the tears from my eyes before he caught hold of himself and pulled his hand away. The funny thing was, I didn’t care that he was touching me in public. I had no idea if it was because my parents knew now, or because I couldn’t stand being apart from this beautiful man. And I didn’t care to find out. Not at that moment.

  “Do you want to go somewhere more private?” I asked, and Leo took my hand and took me down the stairs.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. Somewhere without people?” Leo said.

  The corridor downstairs was dark, but Leo kept walking, right to the end where there was a little bit of light coming out from a room.

  We walked into the media room, and Leo stopped on his tracks. Summer and a bunch of other kids were sitting around the TV. Leo’s nephew, Nathan, and some teenagers were there, too, on their phones.

  Summer ran up to us when she saw us and gave us both a shared hug.

  “Uncle Leo, Dawson, what are you doing here?” she asked but didn’t let us answer her question. “Dawson, are you going to play another superhero? What about Detective Strong?” she asked.

  “What?” Leo asked.

  I shook my head and asked her what she was talking about.

  “They said it on the TV. You’re going to be playing a hero called Death Knight,” she said. “Come on. I’ll show you.”

  I turned to look at Leo, whose glare became intense, as did his frown.

  Summer took us closer to the TV and turned the volume up.

  “We don’t have a lot of information on the details, but we have spoken to sources close to Dawson Eldred, and they have confirmed that he’s involved in the new production. Sources said he’s in talks about playing the infamous superhero Death Knight, on the first live-action adaptation of the iconic comic book,” the news anchor on the gossip and entertainment channel said, my picture showing up next to her intercut with pictures taken directly from the comic book.

  “What the fuck?” Leo shouted.

  “Uh-oh. Uncle Leo, you have to put money in the swear-jar,” Summer said.

  Leo apologized and walked out of the room. I ran after him.

  “Leo, stop,” I said.

  “I trusted you, man. Again. What the actual fuck? Were you already involved in the production and didn’t tell me anything, or did you find out about it from me and thought ‘hm, I know what I can do. I can fuck Leo over again.’”

  I tried to stop him from running, but he was a hurricane, and I was just a man.

  He stood at the bottom of the stairs, and his face and eyes were red.

  “I can’t believe I let myself trust you again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...”

  “Leo. It’s not like that. Please stop. Let me expl—”

  There was no point. He was already gone.

  Fuck! What the hell happened?

  Eighteen

  Leo

  I was done with listening. It was time to cut Dawson out of my life. Again. How could I have been such a fool? How could I have let myself trust him after everything? I needed to stop letting my dick dictate my life. Here I was, in trouble again because of it.

  Never again.

  Dawson belonged to the past, not in my future. As much as I’d wanted him to be.

  Why did he have to go and fuck it up again? Weren’t we happy? Weren’t we good together? What more did he want? He already had all the fame and money anyone could want. He was living my dream. Despite what it took to get him there, he was. Why did he have to take the only good thing I had away from me?

  Years, so many years, I’d been fighting, craving for an opportunity such as this. And of course, Dawson had to smear all over it with his bullshit. Because Leo didn’t deserve anything good. Because I didn’t.

  The tears streamed down my face and heads turned as I stormed out of the house and found myself blocked by all the fucking cars in the driveway.

  I looked behind me for anyone willing to move their vehicle so I could get out of this fucking house, but no one was there.

  Dawson wasn’t there. He hadn’t come after me. Why hadn’t he run after me? Even just to make excuses.

  Of course he hadn’t. He’d gotten what he needed, so now he could get back to his life better than ever. Leaving me behind as usual. I’d been such a fool. To trust him with my story, with my body, with my kisses, only for him to steal all of them away and use them as he saw fit.

  And the worst part of it all was that I still wanted him to come after me and tell me it was all a lie and that I’d been having hallucinations or something equally wild.

  But that wasn’t going to happen. Even if it did, there was no way I could take him back. Not after he lied to me. I was done with Dawson Eldred. Never again.

  Tonight had been what I needed. A kick in the butt to remind me that no one was getting in the way of my dreams. Dawson had hurt me, and it was nice to put an end to the resentment and the memories, but it was time to move on to greener pastures. I’d hoped there could be something between us. A future, perhaps. But if tonight proved anything, it was that old habits die hard.

  Dawson still looked out for himself and only cared about one person and one person only. Dawson Eldred. Even after all the talks, the explanations, and the apologies, he had still done the same thing to me as he had all those years ago.

  Dawson looked out for himself.

  The more I repeated those words, like a mantra stuck on a loop in my head, the less shit I felt for allowing myself to trust him. Dawson couldn't help himself.

  I needed to let it go. It was going to be my new motto. Whatever happened next in my life, I was going to be a let-it-go man. I’d stop carrying burdens and betrayals like a heavy weight. No matter how much they hurt.

  It was the best thing I could do for myself. If Dawson only cared about himself, it was time for Leo to look after Leo too. I wasn't going to allow him to steal from me again.

  I jumped over the hood of one car and stepped on the patch of green running beside it to escape this house. Esca
pe him. For good.

  “Leo!” someone called behind me as I walked down the road of where the Eldreds lived.

  Dawson?

  I turned around and found Nathan running toward me. When he got to me, he took a moment to catch his breath before he straightened and placed his hand on my arm.

  “Are you okay? What happened?” he asked. “Why did you storm out?”

  I couldn’t tell him, could I? Dawson’s sexuality was his secret to reveal, and even despite it all, I still didn’t want to hurt him. But what he did to me wasn’t a secret. Or it didn’t need to be. Not anymore. Not after I lost my big break. The chance of a lifetime.

  Besides, Nathan was family. No, I didn’t know him yet, but that didn’t change the fact that he was one of us.

  “I had to get out of there,” I said, and we walked down the road, destination yet unknown, as I told him what happened with Dawson. I tried to keep the personal stuff out of it, but Nathan was perceptive, so he read between the lines until I admitted to him what Dawson had meant to me. Both times.

  “That sucks, man. I’m so sorry about that,” he said.

  “So am I,” I said. “Worst thing is, I don’t know what to do now. If I go back to Mel’s, he’ll be there, and I don’t think I want to talk to him. And this whole thing with the role is a giant mess I don’t know how to unravel.”

  Nathan stopped and put both hands over my shoulders, looking much wiser than his age.

  “First things first. I'll go to Aunt Mel’s and pick your stuff up. You, go home and call your agent,” he said.

  “It’s late—” I started to say, but Nathan cut over me.

  “And this is an emergency. He’s your agent. He can find out what the hell is going on and if it’s true that Dawson already snatched the part.”

  “Look at you, all grown up,” I said, memories of him in diapers and a stroller coming back to me.

  Why had I stayed away for so long? I’d missed out on so much. And for what? A stupid modeling career that never got me anywhere and a toxic band career that got me a drinking problem. I might be closing on forty, but I was still a dumb kid. What would have happened if I’d come back years ago?