Getting Real

ETTING

EAL

…I looked at Cole. “How about a rain check for lunch? Maggie

was supposed to be here at ten to finalize our order for the plants. Now
she says she can’t make it until noontime. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, the job comes first.” He reached out and briefly touched my

shoulder. “You want to go for a drink later?”

“You mean here in town, after work?”
“Why not?”
“I think you need to slow down. Lunch is one thing, Cole. You

hired The Birds to supply the plants for the building, so it could even
be explained as a working lunch. What you’re suggesting is something
else. It’s like a date. It’s like making a major statement to the entire
world. What if someone sees us and your family finds out?” I couldn’t
believe I’d just said that, but I wanted Cole to step back and think
what could happen.

“I’ve thought about that, too. If I lose my job and my mom wants

me to move out, that will be their decision. This one is mine. If I’m to
have the kind of life I want, I can’t keep putting it off. I have to start
somewhere, and this is it, TJ. With you at my back, I’m ready to take
this first step. We can have a drink or two, and hang for a bit. Maybe
later go get something to eat. You cool with that?”

I high-fived him, swallowed the sudden surge of emotion that

made  my  chest  tight  and  my  eyes  blurry  and  finally  gave  him  a  hug.
He smelled delicious and his body was hard and sweet as rock candy
just  waiting  to  melt  and  mold  against  mine.  He  started  hugging  me
back, so I cut it short before nature took us in the direction I knew we
both wanted to go. “You betcha, babe! Although, there are a couple of
things  you  should  know.  Like  you,  I  live  at  home,  and  right  now  I
don’t have wheels…”

LSO

HRISTIANE

RANCE

And The Cat Came Back

Anything You Can Do

Blues In The Night
Chance Encounter

The Club At Cool Harbor

The Cop And The Drifter

Crossing The Line

French Twist

The Gallery On Main Street

I’m Sorry

The Impossible Dream

Independence Day I & II

It Happened In Las Vegas

Les Hommes, Vols. I & II

Love Matters

Missing Presumed Dead

Oh, George

On Days Like These

Once Upon A Secret

Raindrops And Roses

Reincarnation

Some Place Only We Know

Strangers In The Night

A Taste Of Honey

This Time For Keeps

Wishing On The Moon

GETTING REAL

CHRISTIANE FRANCE

MBER

UILL

RESS

LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

ETTING

EAL

MBER

UILL

RESS

OOK

This book is a work of fiction.

All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the

author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously.

Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales,

or events is entirely coincidental.

Amber Quill Press, LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

No portion of this book may be transmitted or

reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in

writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief

excerpts used for the purposes of review.

ISBN 978-1-61124-401-4

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

GETTING REAL

GETTING REAL

I could not believe it! Me, Thaddeus Jasper Delaney, Junior,

told to grow up. Told to get real and to go out and get a job? Work
my butt off, probably for peanuts, when there was no need? Why?
To what end? The idea was beyond ridiculous.

I went to my room, slammed the door and stared at the shocked

look on my face in the full-length mirror.

My father had more money than God. I asked; he gave. It was a

system that had worked to perfection my entire twenty-three years,
so why did he want to screw with it now? Why order me to take a
job away from some poor sucker who really needed it?

I sat on the edge of the king-sized bed and continued to glare at

my reflection.

I’d asked my father all that and more, but had he answered?

GETTING REAL

No! Had he even listened? No way!

According to him, a strong work ethic built moral fiber and

character, and was therefore a man’s best and most important asset.
Without good character, a man was nothing, at least in his opinion.

He admitted my present lack of gainful employment was partly

his fault for indulging me. Nevertheless, he’d thought I’d get tired
of partying and find myself a goal in life without his help. Since I
hadn’t shown any signs of doing that, he felt it necessary to point
out a few things, such as I needed to grow up, get real, and learn
how the other half lived, and the sooner I did it the better—his
words, not mine.

He’d then demanded the keys to the new car he’d leased for me

through  his  company  less  than  a  month  ago  and  informed  me  my
weekly  allowance  and  all  my  credit  cards  had  been  cancelled.  I
could  keep  my  phone  and  continue  living  and  eating  at  home  for
now, but  my  friends  were  no longer  welcome. If he  didn’t see at
least some improvement in  my lifestyle over the next four weeks,
he’d have to reassess the situation and consider harsher measures.
In other words, find a job or else.

Or else what? He’d change all the locks? Hand me a tin cup

and bus fare and tell me to find a begging pitch downtown?

He wouldn’t dare.
Or would he?
I knew my father loved me. He’d confirmed that a moment ago

after he explained, for the second or maybe it was the third time,
he was only doing it for my own good. I loved him, too. I couldn’t
imagine my life without him. I also knew—I’d heard the stories a
million times or more —that Thaddeus Jasper Delaney, Senior was
one tough dude who’d eaten nails for breakfast and steel filings for
his supper. He’d been a few weeks short of fourteen when his mom

GETTING REAL

and her boyfriend left him behind at a gas station, somewhere out
in the back of beyond. With nothing but the will to survive, along
with the clothes on his back and an almost non-existent education,
he’d  earned  his  money  the  old-fashioned  way.  He’d  taken
whatever job or jobs he could find, sometimes having as  many as
four at the same time, just to get by. Now, he’d decided it was time
for  me  to  prove  myself  by  doing  the  same  and  finding  myself  at
least one job.

As my temper cooled, resolve took over. So okay, if that’s what

the man wanted, why not? I couldn’t fight him, but I could, and
would, prove I wasn’t the useless, spoiled rich brat he’d just
accused me of being.

I got to my feet and took a deep breath, then narrowed my gaze

and thrust out my bottom lip. In response to the challenge, my
Delaney survival instincts were rapidly coming to life and ready to
march into battle. If TJ, Sr. could start with nothing and make a
few bucks, then so could TJ, Jr. Guaranteed.

I glanced around for my car keys, remembered I no longer had

them, and headed for the door. Not having my own wheels was a
major pain in the ass, but I promised myself the pain would only be
temporary. I’d show the old guy. Two, three days max, and I’d
have a paying job.

Or so I thought…
One week later, I found myself a seat on one of the benches in

the downtown area and tried to figure out my next move.

Coming up with a paying job was proving to be mission

impossible.  I  didn’t  want  to  disappoint  my  father  or  myself  by
failing. And I sure as hell didn’t want to find myself living on the
street,  panhandling  to  survive.  On  the  other  hand,  how  was  I
supposed to find  gainful employment  when every agency in town

GETTING REAL

told  me  I  was  way  under-qualified  for  anything  they  had  on  their
books? A first-year college dropout  with a  high  school education,
average  marks  and  no  special  training  or  references  of  any  kind
didn’t  cut  it  in  today’s  high-tech  job  market.  What  it  did  was
render me virtually unemployable, and, although no one put it into
actual words, a prime candidate for the nearest soup kitchen unless
I did something about it.

One counselor I spoke with suggested I go back to school and

either earn a degree or learn a skill. Another said I should find a
need and fill it. My good buddy, Toby, told me my best bet was to
apply at one of the local gay bars for a job as a dancer. With my
body and looks I’d make a fortune.

All great ideas in their way and given with the very best of

intentions. Even so, I had no burning urge to go back to school and
learn  how  to  become  a  hair  stylist,  even  though  I  know  one  who
earns a fortune, or a hospital worker. For one thing, it would take
months.  Anything  farther  up  the  pay  scale,  such  as  a  hotshot
business exec or a lawyer, took years of studying, even supposing I
was interested, which I wasn’t. Dog walking was out because I’d
have to pick up their shit. As for dancing, that was a non-starter for
three  reasons:  one,  I’d  need  at  least  some  training  to  dance  like
that;  two,  the  thought  of  getting  fondled  by  all  and  sundry  made
me sick to my stomach; and three, if my father found out, he’d be
horrified, maybe even disown me.

Doing a Scarlett O’Hara by telling myself I’d think about it

tomorrow, I left the bench and headed for home. If I couldn’t get
what  I  thought  of  as  a  proper  job,  like  working  in  an  office  or  a
bank,  then  I’d  have  to  try  elsewhere,  like  the  restaurants  and  the
supermarkets.  There  had  to  be  something  for  me  somewhere.  I
knew  my  father  had  started  off  by  doing  stuff  like  waiting  tables

GETTING REAL

and stocking store shelves. Now he owned half the real estate in
town and had an investment portfolio that was solid gold, blue chip
stocks all the way.

If he could do it, as a chip off the old block, then so could I.
I’d barely completed the thought as I crossed the street and

there, in front of me, was a store with a HELP WANTED sign in
the  window.  The  Birds  And  The  Bees  was  an  eco-friendly/new-
age-style  shop  across  from  the  courthouse  and  had  been  there  for
as  long  as  I  could  remember.  I’d  been  in  there  a  few  times,  so  I
knew half the space was devoted to house plants, candles, crystals
and one-of-a-kind handmade crafts. The other half was taken up by
a  combination  café  and  grocery  featuring  rain  forest  products,
herbal teas, different kinds of local honey, and baked goods made
from whole grains and nuts.

Whether the job involved watering plants, serving tea or

general  clerking,  I  didn’t  imagine  it  was  anything  that  required  a
college  degree.  After  assuring  myself  I  had  nothing  to  lose,  I
opened  the  door  and  went  in.  The  shop  was  busy  with  people
browsing the items on display and the café had customers lined up,
waiting for tables.

I went over to the forties-something woman behind the plant-

shop counter. “Excuse me?”

She looked up from a plant she was repotting and gave me a

warm smile. “Yes? Can I help you?”

I returned her smile and gestured toward the notice in the

window. “I’d like to inquire about the job.”

“Do you know anything about houseplants?”
As it happened, I knew quite a lot about them. When our

housekeeper broke her leg two years ago, I’d taken over caring for
all the plants at home. During Katy’s absence, I became so

GETTING REAL

fascinated with the plants and their welfare I’d even bought books
and studied the subject. I’d replaced or repotted those that weren’t
flourishing, reorganized others to give them the correct lighting,
and then added a number of new and different varieties. By the
time Katy returned to work, there was double the number of plants
she’d left in my care and they were all doing so well we agreed I
should continue.

“That’s a croton,” I said, indicating a plant sporting thick, dark

green leaves veined with red and gold. “This is a prayer plant,” I
added, turning to a white ceramic pot and smoothing a finger over
an  oval-shaped  leaf  with  its  two  shades  of  green  and  dark  pink
stripes.  “What  you  have  in  your hands is a  rubber plant,  and that
small  striped  one  behind  you  is  a  Sansevieria,  or  snake  plant  as
some call it.”

She appeared impressed. “Very good. You have plants at

home?”

I explained about Katy’s broken leg.
“Sounds like you’re just the man we need.”
“Great. You want someone to take care of the plants here in the

shop?”

“I’m afraid it’s a little more complicated than that.”
My sprits drooped. Surely she didn’t want someone with an

advanced degree in the care and management of houseplants. “In
what way?”

She pushed the rubber plant to one side and held out a hand.

“I’m Maggie Pane, half-owner of The Birds and The Bees.”

“TJ Delaney,” I replied, accepting her firm handshake.
“Son of Thad Delaney, right?”
The question surprised me. “How did you know?”
“The name, plus a strong family resemblance. You’re the

GETTING REAL

spitting image of your father when I knew him.” She laughed, an
attractive,  light,  tinkling  sound  I  would  have  expected  from
someone half her age. “Thad and I worked together at a donut shop
when  we  were  teenagers.  If  you’ll  give  me  a  minute  to  find
someone to take over here, we can have a cup of a coffee and I’ll
explain about the job.” She opened a door behind the counter and
called,  “Jenny?  Can  you  leave  what  you’re  doing  and  come  up
front, please?”

Jenny turned out to be a slightly younger woman with wire-

framed glasses and long dark hair tied back in a ponytail. Leaving
Jenny in charge of the cash register, Maggie beckoned me around
the counter and into the back room, which turned out to be a neat,
well-equipped office.

She told me to take a seat, poured us each a cup of coffee, then

took possession of the chair across from me on the other side of the
wide desk.

“In addition to the shop, we also supply interior plant decor

services to local offices, banks, wherever they’re needed. By this, I
mean  we  supply  the  plants  and  then  take  care  of  them  on  a
continuing  basis.  My  business  partner,  Franny  May,  looks  after
that  side  of  things,  but  Franny’s  been  called  away  on  a  family
emergency and that puts me in rather a large dilemma.”

“You need someone to take care of the plants while she’s

gone?”

“If only it were that simple.” Maggie sighed. “We already have

someone  looking  after  our  existing  clients.  What  we  need  is
someone  to  help,  possibly  even  take  charge,  of  a  new  project.
Unfortunately,  Franny’s  father has had a heart attack.  A few days
before  it  happened,  Franny  contracted  with  the  management
company for that new office tower behind the courthouse to supply

GETTING REAL

and  maintain  the  plant  décor  for  the  entire  twelve  floors.  The
contract is  due to  start on the first of next  month, and the  doctors
still haven’t given her any kind of prognosis about her father. Even
if  they  had,  there’s  no  way  Franny  can  make  whatever
arrangements  may  be  necessary  for  his  care  and  be  back  here  in
time.”

“You can’t ask for a delay?”
“If we do, we could lose the contract and that would be bad for

business in more ways than one. It would tag us as unreliable and
we don’t need that. I can pinch-hit to get things started, but I still
have the shop to run and that means I need extra help.”

Disappointment landed like a rock in the pit of my stomach. “I

see. So the job will just be temporary until your partner returns,
right?”

The eager look on Maggie’s face faded. “You’re saying you

only want something temporary?”

“No, but if that’s all you’re offering, I’d be willing to help out

while I continue to look around. I really want fulltime.”

“You do? That’s great.” The smile returned. “We decided we

had to hire someone fulltime because the management company
wants to emphasize green in the tower. We’ll have our own space
in the basement for supplies, so you’ll be working from there.” She
hesitated. “So, if you want the job, I’d say you need look no
farther.”

“What if your partner doesn’t think I’m qualified or she doesn’t

like me?”

“Provided you do a good job and don’t kill off any of her

babies, Franny will love you to death.”

“Let’s hope. When do I start?”
Maggie opened a drawer, pulled out a job application and

GETTING REAL

handed it to me. “I need you to fill this out. Then I have to find you
a uniform—don’t worry, it’s nothing fancy, just a green, hip-length
jacket with the store logo and your name, and you can start
tomorrow.”

“You said the contract doesn’t begin until the first of next

month.”

“True, but that’s not so far away. Before then, we have to set

up our space at the tower and go through the entire building to
figure out what’s needed before we can even make up the order.”

I experienced a giddy surge of confidence. “You’d want me to

do all that?”

“Why not? If you take care of the plants in your father’s

mansion, then you can do the same for an office tower.”

“What if I screw up?”
Maggie reached across the desk and patted my hand. “Don’t

worry; you won’t. From what you’ve told me, you know plants and
you have experience in caring for them. So use your best judgment
and  come  up  with  a  suite-by-suite  list  of  whatever  you  think  is
appropriate.  Just  stay  away  from  anything  that’s  too  pricey,  too
delicate  or requires special care. Once  you’ve  finished, I’ll check
the  list  over  and  if  I  feel  any  changes  are  necessary,  I’ll  let  you
know. Otherwise, you’ll be on your own.”

“Really? You’d trust me to do all that by myself?” In the space

of a few minutes, Maggie felt more like part of my family than an
employer.

“Absolutely. Come on, TJ. Dealing with plants requires love,

understanding their needs and a little commonsense, not a master’s
degree in rocket science. If you kill any off the little beauties
through carelessness, I’ll deduct the cost from your paycheck.
Sound like a plan?”

GETTING REAL

I looked down at my hands. “I guess. Maybe I should have

mentioned that I’ve never had a job before.”

“So now you do. Everyone has to start somewhere.”
“Will I be on a month’s trial or something?”
Maggie gave me a considering look, then she shrugged. “Why

don’t we see how things go? Provided you manage the tower set-
up with no problems, and I see no reason why you shouldn’t, if
you still want the job, we’ll make it permanent. We can always use
an extra pair of qualified hands. Later, if you decide it’s not for
you, then no hard feelings. Does that sound fair?”

“More than. Thank you.”
“Good, but this is your first job, so a word of warning. The

tower is an office building and offices, like most every other work
place,  run  on  gossip  and  rumor,  who  is  currently  having  an  affair
with  whom,  who  got  fired  or  is  about  to  be,  or  details  of  some
other spicy little intrigue they’ve discovered. What you’ll be doing
will take  you  into every one  of those  offices, so  you’re  bound to
hear  a  few  things.  Don’t  get  drawn  in  and,  above  all,  don’t
comment  on  anything  you  hear  or  you  could  find  yourself  being
accused of spreading stories. Getting too involved with people you
work with is always tricky, especially when things go wrong and,
from  what  I’ve  seen,  that  usually  happens.  Now,  do  you  have
proper I.D. I can use for payroll and tax forms?

I took out my wallet, found the appropriate card and held it up

for her to see.

She gave it a quick glance. “If you’ll get busy and fill out that

application, we’ll be all set.” She left the desk and went over to
one of the cupboards. “What size jacket do you wear? Small,
medium, large?”

“Probably small, but it will depend on the fit.”

GETTING REAL

“Here, try this one.”
The shapeless green cotton jacket Maggie held out had the

name of the store printed in fancy yellow letters on the back. I
slipped it on, surprised it fit better than I’d expected. After a quick
turnaround for her inspection, I took it off and handed it back.

“What name would you like me to put on the pocket?”
“Just the initials TJ. It’s what everyone calls me.”
The next few minutes I spent completing the form—full name,

address,  phone  number,  date  of  birth,  email,  all  the  usual
information.  Once  it  was  finished,  I  pushed  it  back  to  Maggie’s
side  of  the  desk.  “Where  do  you  buy  your  plants?  One  of  the
garden supply companies?”

“Kreber’s out on the highway. You know it?”
“The one with the big greenhouse just before you get to the

conservation area?”

“That’s it.”
“I go there all the time. They have really nice stuff.” In my

estimation, Kreber’s had the best plants for miles around, the kind
you could be certain wouldn’t die on you within a couple of weeks.

Thinking about Kreber’s reminded of a guy who’d worked

there  for  a  short  time  last  summer.  A  guy  I’d  tried  every  which
way  I  could  think  of  to  get  to  know,  but  I  should  have  saved  my
breath.  Taciturn  was  a  polite  description  of  his  public  persona.
Miserable, unfriendly sonofabitch  was  more  accurate. He’d never
used  a  single  word  if  a  grunt  or  a  nod  of  his  head  would  suffice.
Despite the attitude, he’d been so damn good looking, with a body
to die for. Dressed in cut-offs and tank tops, he’d displayed enough
skin  to  make  him  every  gay  guy’s  wet  dream  come  true.  He’d
certainly been mine.

A shiver of excitement skipped down my back and landed right

GETTING REAL

between my legs as an image of black curly hair, tight butt and
bad-tempered scowl slid into my mind. I’d never been able to
figure out if he was gay, straight, or if he swung both ways, but I
did wonder where he worked now.

* * *

After promising Maggie I’d be at the shop by eight-thirty the

next morning, I could hardly wait to tell my father the good news.
I’d  overhead  him  telling  Katy  he’d  be  home  for  dinner  and  that
gave  me  the  perfect opportunity. Later, after  we’d eaten, I’d give
Toby  a  call  to  see  if  he’d  cover  me  for  an  evening’s  clubbing  to
celebrate.  When  I  walked  through  the  door,  Katy  greeted  me  by
saying TJ Senior had received a last-minute invitation to a charity
event  and  if  I  wanted  to  eat  with  her,  she’d  made  my  favorite—
pasta carbonara.

“How’s the job hunting?” she asked, as I followed her to the

kitchen. “Any luck yet?”

Katy knew what had been holding me back. She’d been quite

vocal  on  the  subject  of  what  she  considered  was  my  lack  of
initiative in getting an education and my father’s failure to insist I
do  something  about  it.  That  was  Katy’s  nature,  though.  She
worried  about  everything  from  me  not  finishing  college,  to  us  all
being kidnapped by aliens, to my father waking up one morning to
find  himself  penniless.  In  fact,  I  had  a  feeling  cutting  off  my
financial  support  and  sending  me  out  to  find  work  had  been  all
Katy’s  idea.  The  proviso  I  could  keep  my  phone  and  continue
living  and  eating  at  home  was  so  she  could  keep  an  eye  on  me.
That part would never even have occurred to my father.

I gave her a quick hug and pulled out a chair.

GETTING REAL

Five-foot tall and weighing no more than a hundred pounds

max, Katy was also the one who’d stood up for me against school
bullies and gay bashers until I was old enough to take care of them
myself. For that alone, I owed her big time.

She handed me a bowl filled with carbonara, along with a

shaker of Parmesan cheese and another of crushed hot chili
peppers, and sat down across from me. “Cat got your tongue?”

I sprinkled cheese on my pasta. “Sorry, I was thinking.”
“About what? You found yourself a job or not?”
I shoved a forkful of pasta in my mouth and sighed with

pleasure as I swallowed. “Man, this is so good! And yes, ma’am,
as a matter of fact, I have found a job.”

“You have?” Katy’s grin encompassed her entire face.

“Fantastic! I knew you could do it. Come on, baby. I want to hear
all the details.”

I’d planned to tell my father first, but Katy was the closest I

now had to a mother, so I gave her the short version of my
interview with Maggie Pane and told her what the job entailed.

“How much are they paying you?”
“Would you believe I forgot to ask?” Truth was I’d been so

tickled to get the job money had been the furthest thing from my
mind.

Katy twirled a strand of pasta around her fork and popped it

into her mouth. “Probably minimum wage to start. But if you work
hard and save your money—”

“I can buy my own plant store?” I finished with a grin. “Then

another and another and—”

“Why not? Your father started off by buying a broken down

building and fixing it up in his spare time.”

“Then he sold it for a huge profit, which he invested in

GETTING REAL

something else. And so on and so on until now he owns half the
town. I’ve heard the story before, Katy. So many times, I know it
off by heart.”

She made a face at me, pretending she was offended. “You’re

saying you wouldn’t you like to have your own store? Be your own
boss?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, one day. Maggie seems to think taking

care of the plants here in the house qualifies me to do the interior
plant décor for the new twelve-story office tower behind the
courthouse. I’m not sure I can pull it off, so for now I need to
concentrate on that.”

“Of course you can. I can see it all now,” Katy said with a

smile. “Today a job, tomorrow the world.”

“Sure, but I hope you’ll understand if I take it slow, like one

small step at a time, huh?”

“Finish your pasta before it gets cold. You’ll need the energy

for all the running around you’ll be doing.”

“Yes, ma’am. You have anything good for dessert?”
“Apple pie and ice cream, but only if you eat your dinner first.”
“Absolutely, ma’am.” I gave a soft sigh of frustration and

quickly finished the rest of my pasta. Getting Katy to admit I was
an adult would never happen. If she was around when I turned
fifty, she’d still insist on treating me like a five-year-old.

She exchanged my empty bowl for a plate containing a wedge

of pie and two scoops of vanilla ice cream. “You going out
tonight?”

“I thought I might call Toby. See if he’s interested in going to a

club.”

“If you do go somewhere, remember you need to be up early

tomorrow. Don’t stay out too late. Better yet, stay home.”

GETTING REAL

I took a deep breath and counted to ten, then I relaxed and gave

her my best smile. “Give it a rest, Katy. I’m all grown up. That
means I get to go out when I want, stay out as late as I want, and
do whatever I want.”

“Right,” she snapped back. “So you do. And we all know

where that’s got you, don’t we? In your father’s bad books. If you
didn’t have me to watch your back…”

“Okay, okay. I promise, I’ll set my alarm. I have to be at the

shop at eight-thirty, and you’re right, I can’t afford to be late on
my first day.”

* * *

Upstairs in my room, I had every intention of following Katy’s

advice  about  staying  home  and  getting  an  early  night.  I’d  check
through  some  of  the  books  I  had  on  houseplants  for  ideas,  scope
out  the  Internet  for  new  varieties,  and  be  all  prepared  when  I
started work in the morning.

I grabbed one of the books from the shelf above my desk,

flipped through several pages, then swore under my breath and put
it back. Without knowing the inside layout of the new tower or any
of the light and space considerations of the various suites, I could
do no more than make a short list of possibilities.

With that in mind, I reached for a scratch pad and pencil. First

thing on the list, forget the pretty but messy plants with falling
leaves or petals. Also forget anything too flowery or exotic as they
almost always required special care and attention. I also needed to
avoid placing any plant that looked too perfect in an easily
accessible location. If I did, people would start pinching leaves to
see if it was real or made of plastic, and in no time at all it would

GETTING REAL

look a mess and need replacing.

English ivy was one of my favorites, but much too

unpredictable  for  a  commercial  setting.  Maybe,  if  Kreber’s  had
them,  I  could  use  purple  velvet,  provided  I  removed  the  noxious
smelling flowers the moment they appeared, and purple waffle for
a dash of color. Bamboo was another favorite. It was durable, good
in  any  type  of  light  and  always  looked  elegant.  Philodendrons
would  be  perfect  for  hanging  baskets,  crotons  and  Kentia  palms
were always popular, and I’d have to see if I could find something
new and different in indoor shrubs.

Other than that, there was nothing more I could do to prepare

until  tomorrow.  I  put  the  pad  and  pencil  back  on  the  desk.  I  felt
bored, antsy. It was far too early for bed, even by Katy’s standards.
If I had my car keys, I’d go for a drive. Since that was out, I picked
up  my  cell  and  speed-dialed  Toby’s  number.  I  wanted  to  tell  him
about  my  new  job  and  doing  it  over  a  couple  of  drinks  would  be
cool.  After  about  a  dozen  rings,  I  gave  up,  figuring  he  was  busy
and the phone was turned off. I could have texted him or gone over
to his place, but if he was having the kind of fun I suspected, then I
wasn’t about to interrupt and spoil it for him.

My next stop was the TV on the off chance I might find

something  interesting.  I  didn’t.  I  turned  it  on,  surfed  through  the
pay-for-view  and  a  few  others  channels  and  switched  it  off.  As
expected,  any  movies  I  hadn’t  seen  didn’t  appeal  to  me,  I’m  not
big on sports, and there was nothing else that grabbed my attention
for more than a few seconds.

I drummed my fingers on the edge of the desk and tried to

think of someone else I could call. Most of my friends liked to troll
the clubs in the evenings and so did I, but the downtown clubs
were expensive and without wheels and with my credit cards

GETTING REAL

cancelled, that was out. All I had was the few bucks left over from
my allowance, which I needed to cover bus fare until I got my first
paycheck, and the emergency fund hidden in the back of my closet.

After a moment’s hesitation, I took two tens from my stash

with a silent promise to replace them when I cashed my first check,
grabbed a jacket and my house key, and headed down the stairs
and out the front door.

I was excited about my new job and scared to death of

screwing up. If I was to get a good night’s sleep, I needed to relax
and  take  the  edge  off.  Twenty  bucks  would  buy  me  a  couple  of
beers  and  some  conversation  at  a  pub  I  knew  over  on  Palmer
Street.  If  my  luck  was  in,  I  might  also  find  what  I  really
needed…and that was a little action.

* * *

The Lion’s Pit is located a few blocks north of where I live,

close to downtown and right next to the railroad overpass. One of
those dark, hole-in-the-wall, easy to miss spots, where most of the
faces are little more than a blur and no one knows or cares who or
what you are. If you want to talk, fine. If you don’t, that’s fine, too.
If you’re just looking for company, then you’ve come to the right
place.

As usual, the English-style pub was crowded. I ordered half a

pint of draft from the barman and when it arrived, I looked around
for somewhere to sit. Eventually, I found an empty spot at the far
end of the bar where I got caught up listening to a loud-mouthed
drunk bragging about his sexual endurance to anyone who cared to
listen. According to him, not eating red meat was the secret. A diet
composed of nuts, grains, raw veggies and yogurt, and anyone

GETTING REAL

could fuck for hours without breaking a sweat. Like, who really
cared?

At least I didn’t have to listen to him for long. He saw someone

he knew, grabbed his drink and took off. The seat was empty for
no more than ten seconds before another guy grabbed it.

“You come here often?” my new neighbor inquired with a

friendly smile.

I didn’t know if the smile was a prelude to cruising me…he

was gorgeous, with nice teeth, professionally styled dark hair, and
I should be so lucky. Or if he was just another lonely guy looking
to  make  casual  conversation.  He  was  kinda  preppy-looking  and
nicely dressed in a designer golf shirt and khakis. I figured him for
either  a  lawyer  or  an  accountant,  and  going  by  appearances,  he
looked to be somewhere around  my own age, or  maybe a  year or
two older. “Once in a while. You?”

“I don’t live here. I’m just in town for a few days. I happened

to be passing, saw this place and decided to drop in for a drink.”

“You’re here on business?”
“I’m giving evidence at a trial over at the courthouse.”
I took a long sip of my beer. “Sounds interesting.”
He laughed, a soft, sexy, chuckle that gave my libido a

delicious  wake-up  call.  The  hint  of  five  o’clock  shadow  was
always  a  big  turn  on  for  me.  I  pressed  a  hand  firmly  against  the
juncture  of  my  thighs  and  wondered  if  he  was  a  kindred  spirit.  It
wasn’t  always  easy  to  tell,  but  there  was  something  about  this
guy… And maybe I was seeing what I wanted to see.

“You wouldn’t say that if you had to sit there, day in and day

out, listening to all the lies and excuses. Unless, of course, you’re
interested in fraud.”

“You mean like cheating old folks out of their retirement

GETTING REAL

funds?”

“No, this is insurance fraud. A guy burning down houses for

people in financial need in return for a percentage of the insurance.
Maybe you read about it. It was in all the papers.”

“Nothing new about that, is there?”
“No, not really.” He took a few sips of his drink and put the

glass back on the bar. “It happens from time to time. This time,
though, the guy who did it was too greedy and that made him
sloppy, which is how he got caught. By the way, I’m Dave. Can I
buy you another beer?”

“TJ. Thanks, but I’m good for now.” My limited funds

wouldn’t permit me to return the favor. In any event, my glass of
draft beer tasted a tad skunky, so I wasn’t about to risk getting sick
by ordering more.

We chatted for a while. Dave said he was with an insurance

company. He currently worked at the head office in Toronto, and it
was the first and only job he’d had since finishing school three
years ago. I told him I was starting my first job tomorrow and
made it sound fancy by saying I specialized in interior plant decor.

If he was looking for more than conversation, he’d made no

sign,  and  the  customers  were  starting  to  thin  out.  I  looked  at  my
watch,  surprised  to  see  it  was  later  than  I’d  thought.  Close  to
midnight,  in  fact.  Deciding  I  was  wasting  my  time  waiting  for
Dave to make a move, I pushed my unfinished beer to one side. If I
didn’t make it home before the witching hour, Katy would be up,
pacing the floor or having kittens, or both. Then I’d have to listen
to  yet  another  lecture  on  the  merits  of  early  to  bed,  early  to  rise,
and the safety of good, solid employment. I knew Katy meant well,
and  I  loved  her  to  death,  but  her  brand  of  TLC  bordered  on
smothering.

GETTING REAL

“Time for me to go.” I pushed my unfinished drink to one side

and slid off the stool. “Nice meeting you, Dave. Good luck with
the trial.”

“Thanks. Same here. I guess I should go, too. Sitting in a hotel

room, going over the same evidence night after night just for
something to do gets boring. Tonight, I figured I deserved to take a
break for an hour or so.” With that said, he followed along as I
headed for the door.

As I turned left, I heard him mutter, “Oh, shit! Now where do I

go from here?”

I was tempted to ignore him and keep going. If he hadn’t been

from out of town and apparently lost, and… I turned around.
“What’s the problem?”

“I’m staying at the Edward Hotel, and I don’t have a clue how

to get back there. It’s on Main Street? Do I turn left or right here?
Stupid me didn’t pay attention.”

“It’s this-away.” I waved a hand, indicating the direction in

which I was headed. “This street is Palmer. One block down is
Main. Turn left again on Main and you’ll see the Edward.”

“Neat. If that’s the way you’re going, mind if I tag along?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“That’s great! Thanks. I usually try to pay attention to street

names when I’m in a strange city. Tonight, I was so damn
desperate to get outside and breathe in some fresh air it never even
crossed my mind. What can I say?”

That you weren’t looking at street names? That my first guess

about you was correct and your real reason for coming out was
because you’re looking to get some? I may not be smartest guy in
the world, but given time, there are some things that even I get.

We reached the end of the block where Palmer intersected

GETTING REAL

Main. Dave hesitated once again, half-turning to give me a quick
glance. He checked his watch, made sure his wallet was safely
stowed in his back pocket, then he said, “It’s not that late. Want to
come up to my room for a while? Have a couple of real drinks and
talk some more?”

Fuck! Now he asks! If he’d said something an hour ago, then

yes, but this was one time I had to be sensible and say no. Starting
the new job in the A.M. was the first step to getting my life back,
and jeopardizing the chances of that happening by staying out all
night would be worse than dumb.

“Sorry, I’d really like that, but this is one night I need to get

home.” I knew from experience rejection can be tricky to handle.
Feelings  get  hurt  and  sometimes  tempers  flare,  especially  when
both  parties  have  been  drinking.  I  shrugged  and  added  a  smile  to
the mix, doing my best to appear regretful. “If I want to show up
looking  good  tomorrow,  a  few  hours  sleep  is  an  absolute  must.  I
hope you understand.”

The corners of his mouth drooped, evidencing his

disappointment. “Yeah, I do. Sorry, I forgot. New job. Right?”

“Right. I figure I ought to at least try to make a good first

impression.”

“It is if you want to succeed. Worked for me I must admit, even

though my dad is on the board and got me in the door. Finding a
good position is easy when you know the right people. Moving up
in the company is a whole different story. They make you work for
that.”

We came to the Edward Hotel and said goodnight. Dave started

toward the main entrance, then stopped, turned around and added,
“Want to meet again tomorrow night? Either back there in the
same bar, or somewhere else if you’d prefer.”

GETTING REAL

For a second, I couldn’t believe I’d been handed a reprieve.

“Hey, that would be nice. I’d like that. The same bar’s fine with
me. What time?”

“About eight. That okay?”
“Perfect.”
He gave a wave of his hand as he went inside. I returned the

wave, then alternately danced and ran the rest of the way home,
feeling like my life had been reinvented. I was about to start a job
doing something I knew and liked, and I had a date with the
glamorous Dave.

I stopped and closed my eyes, wondering how he kissed. Were

his lips soft and gentle or did he use the forceful, take no prisoners
approach? Then there would be the thrill of making contact with
that sexy hint of five o’clock shadow. A shiver of excitement slid
down my back just thinking about the rough rasp of his face
against mine. Yes, man! Life was good and getting better.

I knew connecting with someone from out of town was a lot

like a vacation romance. No future in it, but enough time to get
hurt if I wasn’t careful. Although unlike places like London or
Rome, where broken hearts were included in the price of the tour,
Toronto was a mere forty clicks away.

* * *

The house was in darkness when I let myself in. My father’s

car was in the driveway, but everything was quiet, so I knew he
and Katy were in bed and asleep.

I scooted up the stairs and into my room, closing the door

behind me without making a sound.

After a quick shower, I set the alarm for seven and got into bed.

GETTING REAL

An hour later, I was still totally jazzed, lying on my back, staring at
the ceiling and the patterns made by the moonlight shining through
the trees.

I switched on the light and pulled on a pair of jogging pants.

Desperation called for desperate measures. I went down to the
kitchen and fixed myself what Katy swore to be her no-fail
remedy—a cup of weak tea with a shot of brandy.

It must have worked because I remember going back to bed,

rolling  over  onto  my  stomach…and  wrestling  with  the  largest,
most  aggressively  growing  philodendron  I’ve  ever  encountered.
The faster I tried to trim it back and get it under control, the faster
the damn thing grew, the tentacles wrapping themselves around my
body  and  doing  their  best  to  choke  me.  I  couldn’t  breathe;  I
couldn’t  move.  Then  the  alarm  went  off,  and  someone  began
banging on my bedroom door. The next thing I knew I was wide-
awake,  tangled  up  in  the  sheets  and  wondering  where  in  hell  the
fire was.

* * *

Maggie had said for me to be at the store by eight-thirty. I was

already there waiting a few minutes before that when she arrived,
comfortably dressed in jeans and a checkered work shirt.

“’Morning, TJ. Eager beaver, huh?” she greeted me with a

smile.

She unlocked the door and preceded me inside.
“The staff gets here by nine or shortly after, and we open at

nine-thirty. I asked you to come in a little earlier today so I can
take you over to the tower and introduce you to Cole Labelle. Cole
is with the company that manages the building. He’s in charge of

GETTING REAL

maintenance and rentals, so they have an office there and you’ll be
working with him. Anything you need or have questions about
relating to the tower, such as access to any of the empty suites, or
if you have problems with any of the tenants, speak to Cole.”

She switched on the lights, put her bag on the counter and then

went behind it. Reaching underneath, she pulled out what looked
like the jacket I’d tried on the day before and shook it out. “Here
you go. TJ on the pocket, as requested.”

“Thanks.” I took the garment from her and put it on. “What do

you mean about problems with the tenants?”

“You’ll get a few for sure. It’s not usually the tenants

themselves; it’s their employees. They’ll make a fuss about the
location of the plants, or they’ll want some other variety, or they’ll
have allergies, or they’ve upset their coffee and they’ll try to blame
you. It’s always minor stuff, but it can be annoying. If it gets out of
hand, don’t try to deal with it yourself. Tell them you’ll have to
speak to Cole. Usually, it just goes away.”

“What if something valuable goes missing, say like a purse or a

wallet, and they try blaming that on me?”

Maggie frowned. “Fingers crossed that has never happened.

Franny  and  I  have  talked  about  bonding  our  outside  workers,  but
we  only  have  one  at  the  moment.  Apart  from  you,  that  is.  If  you
decide  to  stay,  we’ll  revisit  the  subject.  You’ll  have  a  key  to  the
building, but not a passkey to the individual suites, so you can’t get
in  if  no  one’s  there.  If  you  do  need  to  get  in  for  some  reason,
arrange  it  with  Cole  and insist one  of  his people  goes  with  you.”
She hesitated and gave me an inquiring look. “Any questions?”

“I’m sure I’ll have some, but none right now.”
She handed me a business card. “This has the store number and

my cell phone number. Whatever it is just call. Now, do you have a

GETTING REAL

PDA or whatever they call them? Or do you need a notebook?”

I patted the back pocket of my jeans. “I’m good. I have both.”
“In that case, let’s go find Cole.”

* * *

The tower was a short, five-minute walk away.
The receptionist in the management office said Mr. Labelle was

currently on the phone, but she’d let him know we were here as
soon as he was through.

While we were waiting, Maggie checked her email, then her

voice mail and returned several of the calls. I flicked through a
couple of magazines from the stack on the coffee table and read an
article about the difficulties of finding jobs for even the most
qualified applicants.

“Mr. Labelle will see you now,” the receptionist announced.

“First door on your right down the hall.”

The door was open, but when I saw who was sitting behind the

desk, I stopped and stared with surprise. Either it was the guy
who’d worked last summer for Kreber’s or his twin brother. Same
curly black hair, same handsome face, same scowl, and
presumably the same tight butt.

“Good morning, Cole,” Maggie said, smiling. “I’d like you to

meet TJ Delaney.”

“’Morning, Maggie.” Cole spared me a brief glance. “TJ,” he

acknowledged before returning his attention to Maggie. If he
remembered me as a customer over at the garden center, he gave
no sign. “No Fran today?”

“Not today, I’m afraid. Franny has a family matter to attend to,

so I’m subbing for her temporarily.”

GETTING REAL

“No problem, just curious.” He gave Maggie what was actually

a nice, friendly smile. “So, what can I do for you?”

“I’ve hired TJ as our man on the job. He’s here now to look

everything over and make a list of what he thinks will be required
to give the tower the green feeling you’re looking for. Now, do you
want to show him the work space we’ve been allotted or shall I?”

Cole pushed back his chair and got to his feet. “Why don’t we

both do it? The carpenters finished down there yesterday
afternoon. You can make sure the setup has been done the way you
and Fran requested, and I can check to make sure they did the job
right.”

He opened his desk drawer, took out a key ring with four keys

and gave it to Maggie. “Two for the building; two for your suite.
You need more, let me know. Lose them, let me know that, too.
Now, if you’d like to follow me.”

Maggie took one of each of the keys off the ring and put them

in her pocket, and handed the ring with the other two to me before
we followed Cole to the basement workroom.

The space turned out to be larger than I’d expected. A double

stainless  steel  sink,  with  grooved  stainless  steel  draining  facilities
for the plants on either side, occupied one entire wall. Shelves took
up  another,  cupboards  the  third,  and  a  large  unit  like  a  kitchen
island  sat  in  the  center  of  the  room.  Off  to  one  side  of  the  island
was  a  small  round  table  with  two  chairs,  and  the  entry  door  was
green  with  THE  BIRDS  AND  THE  BEES  inscribed  in  yellow  in
the same script as on my jacket pocket.

Maggie took a quick look around, opening cupboard doors,

turning the taps on and off, then declaring herself more than
satisfied. “I assume there’s a toilet somewhere handy?”

“Over there.” Cole indicated a door at the end of the shelving.

GETTING REAL

“Nice job,” she complimented. “I know we don’t officially start

until the first, but will it be okay if we bring some of our
equipment over? Watering cans, fertilizer, that kind of thing.”

“Of course, no problem.” I noticed Cole’s smile, although far

from  dazzling,  actually  held  a  little  warmth  this  time  around.
“Plants, too, if  you  wish. You probably don’t have  a lot of  spare
storage  at  the  shop  and  it  would  be  a  shame  if  any  of  them  got
damaged.”

“Sounds good. So…I’m going to leave TJ here to get started.

I’ll see you both later.”

I waited until Maggie left and then I turned to Cole. “Any

thoughts about what you’d like to see in the public areas? Or
perhaps not see?”

Cole shrugged and headed for the door, and I wondered why

I’d thought he was so hot. Sure he had a great body, wide mouth,
tight butt, stuff I’d spent more than a couple of sleepless nights
fantasizing over. Too bad he had no personality whatsoever.

“Don’t ask me. You’re the plant guy. You figure it out,” he

said with what sounded like a snort. “Just don’t bring in anything
that sheds or the cleaning staff will be on my back. The idea is to
emphasize green, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to turn the tower
into a fucking forest. It’s not. Apart from that, you’re on your
own.”

“Nice,” I muttered as the door clicked shut behind him. “And

you have a good day yourself, asshole.”

The words had barely left my mouth when the door opened

again and Cole stuck his head around. “A couple of things I forgot
to  mention:  one,  the  tenants  have  all  been  warned  to  expect  you;
and  two,  the  supply  and  care  of  the  foliage  is  included  in  the
leases.  That  means  they  don’t  get  to  choose,  you  do.  Leave  it  to

GETTING REAL

them and they’d want stuff that’s rare, delicate, expensive, needs
constant care, and is finished within a few weeks, such as orchids
at fifty bucks a pop.”

“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Since this was a first for me and I’d literally be flying by the

seat of my pants, I figured I’d make fewer mistakes if I started by
outlining a plan of attack.

I pulled out one of the chairs and put my notebook and a pen on

the  table.  First,  I’d  take  a  look  around  all  the  common  areas  like
the front entrance lobby and the elevator area, and the hallways on
each  floor,  to  get  an  idea  of  available  space.  While  I  was  doing
that, I’d draw rough diagrams and then insert possibilities for the
plants  later.  I  could  use  the  same  method  for  the  various  suites.  I
wondered  if  there  was  a  software  program  available  that  might
help—something  similar  to  what  I’d  seen  renovators  use  on  TV
when they  were redesigning house interiors. I made a mental note
to ask Maggie.

After leaving what was now to be my office and workspace, I

took the elevator to the main floor.

The floor and walls were pale-beige marble, the perfect foil for

anything green. Except there  wasn’t a lot of entryway space. The
elevators  were  located  in  the  center  of  the  building,  about  ten  or
twelve  feet  from  the  main  door,  and  set  two  each  side  of  a  short
hallway  that  ended  in  a  blank  wall.  One  of  the  town’s  larger
financial institutions occupied the entire available space to the left
of  the  elevators.  To  the  right  were  the  management  and  leasing
office, plus a travel agency.

I took a quick look around. Even if I liked hanging baskets,

which I mostly don’t because of the watering problems and the
messy factor, the ceiling was far too high. I looked around again.

GETTING REAL

There  were  no  convenient  corners  or  recesses  that  needed  filling
either.  My  one  and  only  option  was  to  go  for  the  less-is-more
approach  by  installing  a  large  palm  or  other  tall  plant  against  the
end wall between the elevators.

After making a note, I took the elevator to the second floor. It

was the same set-up with the elevators, but there were a few spots
in the hallways that offered possibilities.

I continued on to the next floor, assuming it would be the same

layout,  only  to  find  the  space  had  been  configured  a  little
differently.  It  was  the  same  story  on  each  floor  all  the  way  up  to
twelve.  No  two  floors  were  exactly  the  same,  and  no  two  offered
the  same  spaces  for  me  to  fill,  which  promised  to  make  my  job
even more challenging.

Maggie hadn’t said anything about break times or whether I

was allowed an hour or a half hour for lunch, so I figured I’d check
with the young woman in Cole’s office for ballpark advice.

I’d barely stepped through the door when Cole came out of his

room.

“Something I can help you with?” he asked in a frosty voice

that gave me the impression I’d already used up my question quota
for the day.

“Just wondering about my break and lunch times. Am I

supposed to work that out with Maggie or with you guys?”

The nasty look he gave me was no different from some of those

he’d directed my way when he worked at Kreber’s. “We hired The
Birds to do a job, TJ, not babysit you,” he said, with a cross
between a smirk and a sneer. “If you can’t figure out something
that simple for yourself, then perhaps Maggie should find someone
who can. Trish, I need you to hold my calls for the next hour.”

With that said he went back into his office and slammed the

GETTING REAL

door, leaving Trish, the young woman behind the desk, and me
speechless with shock.

“Wow!” I muttered when I found my voice again. “He always

like that?”

“No. Never,” the girl whispered, glancing over at his door.

“Maybe he’s having a bad day or something. He’s nice with
everyone and so patient—even tenants who come marching in here
screaming their heads off, demanding the impossible or yelling for
blood.”

“Maybe it’s me he doesn’t like?”
“What’s not to like?” She gave me her sweetest smile.

“Anyway, he just met you this morning. It must be something else.
Something he ate; problems with his family. Who knows?”

“He’s married?”
“No. No girlfriend either. Although…” She glanced again at

Cole’s door, then beckoned me closer. “I’m not sure, but I think he
swings the other way. The only personal calls he ever gets are from
his mom and his sister.”

“That’s too bad,” I said, then changed the subject. “Is there

anywhere nearby I can get a decent sandwich?”

“There an Italian restaurant around the corner on John Street.

Their stuff is all homemade and also they have takeout.”

“That’s great. Thanks.”
I wasn’t about to enlighten Trish on my own ambivalent

thoughts as to Cole’s sexuality, or give her details of my previous
less-than-pleasant encounters with the man. Going by his behavior,
he could be gay, straight, both, or plain not interested in anyone or
anything but his own not very charming self. In fact, I’d concluded
grim and grumpy was the way he behaved toward everyone. Now,
after what Trish had just said, I wondered if his problem was

GETTING REAL

simply fear of exposure. There are gays who prefer to keep it quiet
for  any  number  of  reasons,  and  that’s  their  business.  The  fact
discrimination is becoming a thing of the past doesn’t change some
people’s  thinking.  There  are  still  a  few  holdouts  who  won’t
knowingly  hire  gays  if  they  can  get  away  with  it,  and  there  are
those  who  are  embarrassed  about  any  gay  members  within  their
own family circles.

Be that as it may, it didn’t explain Cole’s hostile attitude

toward me. If, indeed, he was gay and thought it would prevent me
from guessing his secret, he was wrong. Maybe he thought once I
knew I’d tell the whole world by posting it online. If so, he really
did have a problem.

I picked up a meatball sub and a coffee from the place Trish

recommended and took them back to enjoy in my new domain.

If I spent the afternoon making rough diagrams of each floor,

tomorrow  I  could  decide  what  to  put  where.  Then  I  realized  it
would  make  more  sense  if  I  also  checked  each  of  the  individual
suites  before  making  any  definite  decisions.  That  way,  I’d  have
one list of what was needed rather than two.

Another thing I needed to find out from Maggie, along with

software programs and break times, was my working hours. When
five-thirty came around, I saw most of the offices in the building
were closed, so I decided to follow their example and leave.

I still had to get home and eat dinner, then shower and change

for my date with Dave at eight and that didn’t leave me a whole lot
of  time.  The  thought  of  seeing  Dave  again  made  my  heart  beat  a
little  faster.  He  wasn’t  my  usual  type,  but  the  guy  was  hotter  ’n
hell…maybe not quite as hot as that asshole, Cole; even so, he ran
him  a  close  second.  I  was  really  looking  forward  to  the  evening
ahead. I couldn’t wait to—

GETTING REAL

I slammed the door on my x-rated thoughts, draped my work

jacket over the back of a chair, and locked the door on my way out.

While I waited for a bus, I wondered what to wear for the

date—my new skinny jeans or my favorite old pair with the ripped
out knees? If Dave suggested us going back to his hotel—and I had
a good feeling it was the whole point of tonight’s date—maybe
black dress pants and a casual shirt might be more appropriate.

* * *

My father’s car was in the driveway when I arrived home. I

figured Katy would have told him about my job by now and that
meant he’d want to hear all the details over dinner. I hoped it also
meant I’d be getting my wheels back. Although knowing how the
man just loved playing the hard-ass, I figured he’d make me wait a
while longer. Just to make sure I got the message—he who giveth
can also taketh away, so don’t count your chickens just yet, son.

I paid a quick visit to my room to wash my hands and change

my shirt, then I went into the dining room.

“Hi, Dad,” I said as I joined him at the table. “Good day?”
“Katy tells me you’ve found a job.” As usual, he cut straight to

the chase rather than bother with the formalities or small talk. “She
said you’re working at Maggie Pane’s shop.”

“Not in the shop. Maggie has the contract to do the interior

plant décor for that new office tower downtown. She’s hired me to
do the actual work.”

“As in buy a few flowers to fill up the empty spots?”
My temper flared at the way he deliberately minimized what

I’d be doing, and for a second, I wanted to throw something—
preferably at his head. Instead, I took a deep breath and smiled.

GETTING REAL

“Not exactly. There’s a lot more to it than that. You may think it
sounds like a nothing job, but I can assure you it’s not. It requires
specialized knowledge, which I happen to have.”

“Oh, yeah.”
“Yeah.” I met his narrow-eyed stare without flinching.

“Maggie’s partner was to have done it, but she’s been called away,
so  they  needed  someone  who  knows  houseplants  and  has
experience  with  their  care  and  handling  to  take  over.  Since  I  do
ours  here  in  the  house,  Maggie  decided  I  fit  the  bill,  and  now  I
have  carte  blanche,  subject  to  her  final  approval,  to  do  the  entire
job.”

“So, the position is just temporary until the partner gets back?”
“No. Maggie said if I do a good job and want to stay, she’ll

make it permanent.” I hesitated and began fiddling with my
cutlery. “Sorry if it’s not the kind of job you were expecting me to
get, but I don’t have the skills or the training to make a name for
myself in big business. I know, my fault, not yours, but that’s how
it is.”

He reached over and squeezed my arm. “It’s fine, TJ. I asked

you to do something, and you’ve done it without making a fuss. In
this economy, finding any kind of work is no easy feat. So, hey,
I’m proud of you, son. Okay? A job is what you make of it, and I
can assure you Maggie Pane is good people to work for.”

“She said the two of you once worked together.”
He smiled and scratched his ear. “That’s true, we did. It was

way back in the good old days. The place is gone now, but Maggie
and I used to be the night shift at a donut shop across from the
police station. Minimum wage, but all the donuts and coffee we
wanted.”

“Ready to eat?” Katy asked, suddenly poking her head through

GETTING REAL

the  hatch  connecting  the  dining  room  to  the  kitchen.  “I’ve  made
TJ’s  favorite.  Roast  beef  with  gravy,  roasted  potatoes  and
Yorkshire pudding. I figure he needs a little fattening up for all the
running  around  he’s  bound  to  be  doing  with  his  new  job.  And  I
have apple pie and ice cream for dessert.”

* * *

It was just past eight when I got to The Lion’s Pit. I’d settled

on black dress pants and a black designer tee and the new Italian
loafers I’d bought a few weeks ago when I was in New York. I’d
also used gel to add a little style to my latest haircut and borrowed
another twenty from my stash. There was no sign of Dave. In fact,
the place was almost empty, so I had no trouble finding a seat.

“Your name TJ?” the barman inquired when he brought me the

draft beer I’d ordered.

I handed him the twenty. “Who wants to know?”
“Some dude on the phone. Said his name was Dave. He called

about half an hour ago. Said he was supposed to be meeting you
here, but to tell you sorry, the case has been settled.”

Fuck!
“That’s all he said?”
“Umm…” The man shrugged as he gave me my change.

“Something about being on his way back to Toronto and hoped
you’d understand.”

“Thanks.” I swallowed my disappointment with a sigh, picked

up the bills and left the coins as a tip. I stared at my reflection in
the mirror and released another small sigh. I hated being stood up,
but I didn’t fancy sitting here guzzling beer by myself, and I didn’t
want to go home either. I took a long pull of my drink, then took

GETTING REAL

out my cell and speed-dialed Toby.

“Yo, dude. What’s happening?”
“You busy tonight?” I inquired.
“Nope. My plans didn’t work out. I was about to call you to

find out if you’d found a job yet?”

“Yeah, I did. I started today.” Toby and I have never been

anything more than good friends, but we got joined at the hip our
first day at kindergarten and we’re as close as brothers. We’ve
always confided in one another and cried on each other’s shoulders
when things go wrong, so he knew all about my father cutting me
off with orders to get a job or else.

“And?”
I explained what the job entailed, then I added, “It was either

this or doing something like delivering pizzas, and since I don’t
have wheels to do that, I took it. Anyhow, the reason I’m calling is
because my plans for tonight just bombed. So I was wondering…”

“If I’d stake you to an evening’s clubbing?”
“Just until I get my first paycheck.”
“Sure. No problem. Where are you? At the house?”
“The Lion’s Pit near the overpass.”
“See you there in ten. Fifteen max.”
I disconnected and slipped the phone back in my pocket. After

we’d finished high school, Toby and I had gone to college with the
intention  of  obtaining  our  degrees  in  business  administration.  I’d
partied  too  hard  and  crapped  out  the  first  year.  Toby  had  paid
attention,  hit  the  books  and  now  worked  for  his  dad’s  car
dealership.

If I’d been smart, I’d have followed Toby’s example a long

time ago rather than put my father in the position of having to
deliver the wake-up call. But he had and to my surprise, I was

GETTING REAL

grateful. Maybe there was hope for me after all.

I finished my beer in one long swallow and went outside to

wait for Toby. The good news was that I was twenty-three, not
thirty-three. If the job with Maggie didn’t work out, I’d talk to my
father about going back to school. To study what, I had no idea
right now, but I’d pick up a brochure and take a look at what was
being offered.

* * *

“So where are we going?” I asked as I got into Toby’s latest

ride—a fancy Italian two-seater—and fastened my seatbelt.
“Charlie’s?”

“Not Charlie’s. I thought we’d give this new dance club I’ve

heard about in Niagara Falls a try. My treat. It’s called The Purple
something or other. One of the guys at work told me about it. He
says it’s an okay place, they have great live music and it’s mostly
guys our age.”

“You looking to pick yourself up a little action?”
Toby laughed as we made it onto the highway and he stepped

on the gas. “Maybe. Depends if I see anything tasty. Not to worry,
bro. I’ll make sure you get home okay.”

“You’d better. I had a tough enough time finding this job, I

don’t want to lose it after one day.”

“You won’t, so quit fussing.” He threw me a quick glance.

“I’m curious, though. What happened to that guy I used to know?
You remember him? The one who didn’t give a shit about anything
or anyone.”

“I guess he finally grew up.” I gave an embarrassed chuckle.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me it was about time. I know

GETTING REAL

that. The thought of living rough was a wee bit scary, so I figured
what the hell? Guess I’ll have to show the old guy what I’m made
of.”

“You think your father would have done that to you?”
“Damn right he would. One thing he doesn’t do is make idle

threats. I knew that from the get-go. Sure I was pissed off… angry,
too. If I thought I could have talked him around, I would have
tried. Truth is, he probably did me a favor.”

“You mean that?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“The guy from work said to exit the highway at Lundy’s Lane,”

Toby said, changing both the subject and lanes at the same time.
“Then take the first left. It’s on the outskirts of town. Apparently
it’s all flashing lights and razzle-dazzle so we can’t miss it.”

“That it?” I asked the moment we made the left turn. I pointed

ahead to a giant purple animal that looked vaguely like a cat,
picked out in pink lights and sitting atop a low, one-story building
in the next block.

Toby crossed over the intersection and stopped in front of a

flashing sign above the door that said The Purple Panther. The lack
of parking space was explained by another smaller sign to the right
of the door: Valet Parking Only.

“This is nice! Saves me having to park elsewhere,” Toby said.

Then added, for the benefit of the attendant who stepped forward
and opened his door, “My insurance people will not be happy if
anything happens to this baby.”

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll take good care of it. I haven’t had a

casualty yet.”

“That sounds reassuring.” Toby got out of the car, then

hesitated, frowning. “How long has this place been open?”

GETTING REAL

The attendant gave him a wide grin. “Just over a month, sir.”
Toby extracted a bill from his pocket and handed it over. “Then

I guess a little extra insurance won’t go amiss.”

“You can depend on me, sir. You go have yourselves a good

time now, you hear?”

The interior of the club was pretty standard—a bar down one

wall,  a  small  stage  and  an  uncarpeted  area  for  dancing,  and  a
collection  of  table  and  chairs,  most  of  which  were  occupied.  The
only real difference  was the three-piece band on the  stage  instead
of the usual disc jockey.

“You want to wait for a table or try for a seat at the bar?” Toby

asked.

From what I could see, it was standing room only. As we

moved deeper into the room I caught sight of a face I recognized
sitting alone at a table for two.

“Well, whaddya know,” I murmured to myself, as I muttered

an excuse about seeing someone I knew to Toby, then headed over
to the table and grabbed the empty chair. I felt a quick surge of
excitement that made my dick wake up and take notice and my
heart began to beat a little faster. This was an opportunity I could
not pass up. “This seat taken, dude?”

“I’m—” He looked up, his signature scowl firmly in place.

“Oh, fuck! Not you again.”

“What’s the problem, Cole? You’re waiting for someone?

You’re just leaving? What?”

“You follow me down here?”
I might have if I’d known where to find you.
“Come on. How could I do a thing like that?”
“No idea, but wherever I am, you always manage to show up.

First it was Kreber’s, then the tower and now here. You’re saying

GETTING REAL

it’s all one big fat coincidence?”

“What else? Either that or Fate’s trying to tell us something,” I

joked.

The scowl deepened. “Tell us what?”
“That we belong together?”
“Shit! I sure hope not.”
I laughed in the hope of lightening his sour mood. “Why’s that?

I’m using the wrong deodorant or something?” I didn’t know if
Cole was shy or if he had a bad case of under-developed people
skills, but I liked him enough to want to stick around for a bit and
find out.

“Because… Because you’re gay, that’s why not.”
If the guy planned to confuse me, he’d just won first prize.

“You’re not making any sense, bro. In case you haven’t noticed,
this happens to be a gay club. You want to tell me what’s going on
here?”

“I, umm…” He sighed and stared down at his hands, giving me

the impression he wanted to evaporate or wished the floor would
open up and swallow him whole.

“Hey, you want me to get lost, just say the word.”
“No, please.” His hand shot out as if he were about to grab my

arm, then he changed his mind and quickly withdrew it. “I’m sorry.
I’m behaving like an idiot. Of course, I know this place is gay, I
wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t, but…”

“But what?”
“Nothing. You must think I’m nuts. I just wish…”
“You had someone to talk to?”
His head shot up. “Why would you think that?”
I reached across the table and touched his hand. “You’re saying

you don’t?”

GETTING REAL

“You think talking helps?” He took a tissue from his pocket

and rubbed it over his face.

I couldn’t decide if he was in the closet and working up the

nerve to come out; if he wasn’t sure whether or not he was gay; or
if his problem had nothing to do with the above. “It’s been known
to. Why don’t you give it a shot? I’m a good listener.”

He hesitated, crumpling the tissue and shoving it back in his

pocket. “What’s the point? You’re gay and proud of it. I’m gay,
too, but I’m not proud of the fact. I can’t afford to be.”

He fidgeted with his drink, looking embarrassed, and I waited

for him to continue.

“It’s not that I don’t want to be open about who I am, and it’s

not that I don’t like you because nothing could be farther from the
truth. It’s—” He sighed and threw up his hands. “You wouldn’t
understand.”

“You’re saying your family doesn’t know about you and you’re

afraid they’d disown you if they did?”

I thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then he sighed and

said, “My dad’s gay. He got tagged by a cop in a public washroom
of all places. The cop thought the guy he was with was underage.”

“Was he?”
“No. Of course the whole world found out because my family

made a huge fuss, so Dad took off and it broke my mom’s heart.
What can I say? The last thing she needs is to find out I’m the
same way.”

“Your mom doesn’t even suspect you’re gay?”
“No. But I’m quite sure her brother does, and I work for him.

He owns the company that manages the tower. He has some pretty
strong opinions on the subject he’s not shy about sharing, so I’m
super careful to play it straight at the office. Whenever I want a

GETTING REAL

little action, I come down here or go to Toronto. Somewhere I’m
not likely to run into anyone I know.”

I wanted to ask Cole to dance with me. I wanted to snuggle up

against  that  gorgeous  body,  taste  his  lips,  feel  his  cock  pressing
against my leg, and then find us a nice dark corner somewhere so
the  two  of  us  could  have  some  fun.  I  wanted  to  do  something  to
make  him  forget  his  problems.  I  sure  as  hell  didn’t  want  to  make
things worse by telling him his receptionist, Trish, already had his
number.

Instead, I beckoned a waiter over and ordered a beer for myself

and another for Cole, then hoped I had enough cash left to pay for
them. “Sounds like you need to get yourself another job.”

“I wish it were that simple.” Cole found another tissue and

dabbed at the perspiration on his forehead. “It’s not just my uncle
who’s the problem; it’s my mom as well. I don’t want to embarrass
or upset either one. One small slip on my part and I guarantee five
minutes later, they’ll know all about it. We live in a small town,
TJ, and people in small towns love to gossip.”

“You still live at home?”
“Yes, but it’s not from choice. After graduation, I was all set to

get a place of my own and have my own life. Somehow, my Mom
found out what I was planning. She said she was scared of living
by herself and begged me not to leave her.”

“You’re an only child?”
“No. I have a sister, but Carla’s still away at college. She says

when she finishes school, she wants to get a job somewhere close
to home and move back in with Mom until she figures out what
she wants to do with her life. Only that won’t be for another year.”

If she comes back. I kept the thought to myself as the waiter

appeared with our drinks. I checked the tab, relieved the money I

GETTING REAL

placed on top was enough to cover it along with a decent tip.

“You here by yourself?” Cole asked.
“No. I came with a friend who has a car. That reminds me, I

should see where he’s at and what time he plans to leave.” I stood
and looked around the room until I saw Toby over near the bar,
talking to a blond-haired guy. “There he is over there.”

“Will you be back?”
I hesitated. Cole had said enough to convince me he was being

manipulated by his family. Sins of the father and all that. If I was
smart I’d just go and stay gone. Getting involved in other people’s
problems was never a good idea. Then I thought how I’d feel if I
were in his shoes. I didn’t see how I could help, but I couldn’t
ignore the hopeful look on Cole’s face, and I couldn’t just turn my
back and walk away. “Sure. Just give me a couple of minutes.”

He frowned. “What about your friend?”
“No problem. He’s just a friend.”
Cole smiled and visibly relaxed. “In that case, I’ll wait right

here.”

When I caught up to Toby, the guy he’d been talking with had

moved on.

“I wondered where you’d got to,” Toby said. “You want a

drink?”

“No, thanks. What time do figure on leaving?”
“I dunno. We only just got here. Why?”
“There’s someone here I know, and…” I couldn’t explain, so I

just shrugged. “It’s kinda complicated.”

Toby put his glass on the bar, checked his watch, then took out

his wallet and handed me a pair of fifties. “This be enough to hold
you?”

“Too much.” I gave him back one of the bills. “So, what time?”

GETTING REAL

“I have an early meeting with some new clients tomorrow. So,

let’s make it midnight, here at the end of the bar. That work for
you?”

“Five minutes either way?”
Toby slapped me lightly on the back. “You got it. Have fun.”
Cole was still at the table where I’d left him, staring into his

beer and looking as moody and miserable as before. I wished I
could give him a hug, help him find a way to fix things. As it was,
all I could do was listen and hope that helped.

I was lucky to have a father who’d always loved me

unconditionally.  Sure,  he’d  recently  told  me  to  grow  up  and  get
real,  but  he’d  never  had  a  problem  with  my  sexuality,  and  I
couldn’t  even  imagine  him  making  me  feel  embarrassed  about  it
the way I suspected Cole’s family made him feel.

I remembered when I was about ten or eleven, I’d run home

crying about some kids at my school bullying me and calling me
nasty names.

He’d given me a hug and said, “That’s because they sense

you’re different, son. We can’t change who we are. We can only
accept it. If you can do that, then most of the bullies will, too.
You’ll see.”

As usual, my father was right.
Cole looked up as I reclaimed my seat. “Everything cool with

your friend?”

“He wants to leave around midnight.”
“I’d give you a ride myself, but it’s better I don’t.”
“Why? You’re scared someone might see us.”
He hesitated for a second or two, drank some more of his beer

and then shrugged. “I don’t know, and I don’t care to tempt Fate.
My mom would get upset and my uncle would go nuts. It’s too

GETTING REAL

risky. I can’t.”

“You could say you were giving a friend a lift.”
“They know I don’t have any friends. I’ve lost touch with those

I had in college and I’m in no position to make new ones.”

“Sounds like they’ve made sure of that.”
He tried for a smile, but looked closer to tears. “You must think

I’m an idiot, but you just don’t understand what it’s like for me. If
they saw me hanging out with you or anyone else who is openly
gay, I’d lose my job for sure, and I don’t even want to think how
Mom would react.” He sucked in a breath. “To be honest, I’m just
about counting the days until Carla gets back.”

Cole was wrong. I was beginning to understand a little too

well—his  family  was  worried  about  him  following  in  daddy’s
footsteps,  so  they’d  done  everything  short  of  locking  him  in  his
room  to  ensure  that  didn’t  happen.  And  Cole,  poor  bastard,  had
given up without a fight because he believed his sister would keep
her  promise  to  come  home.  A  year  was  a  long  time.  She  could
change her mind a dozen times between now and then.

I liked Cole a lot, and I’d have enjoyed finding out if there was

more between us than a little chemistry and me wanting to get him
in the sack. I could see there was zero chance of that happening,
but I couldn’t just give up.

“I know you want to get your own place and you figure you

can do that once your sister comes home, but what if she changes
her mind? Have you thought about that? Even more
important…what about the here and the now?” I paused to let my
words sink in. He didn’t reply, and I added, “Maybe I’ve
misunderstood. The situation can’t be that bad or you’d have done
something about it, right? How old are you? Twenty-five, twenty-
six?

GETTING REAL

“Twenty-six. Look, TJ. You may think you understand the

situation, but  you don’t. If it  wasn’t  for  my uncle, I’d be  waiting
tables  or  something  worse.  He  came  through  with  the  job  at  the
tower  when  the  one  I’d  had  lined  up  fell  through.  When
construction  on  the  tower  didn’t  finish  on  time  and  I  started
looking for something temporary to fill in, he came through again.
He called a  friend at Kreber’s and arranged for me to work there
until  the  tower  reached  the  point  where  I  could  start  showing
prospective  tenants  around.  I  thought  it  was  really  nice  of  him  to
go  to  all  that  trouble  when  I  know  he  doesn’t  like  me  and  also
why.”

Nice? No way! The dude wanted Cole where he could keep an

eye  on  him.  Make  sure  Cole  kept  his  sexuality  under  wraps.  I’d
heard  a  few  stories  about  controlling  families,  but  this  was  sick.
His uncle had been so fucking clever about finding him a job, Cole
figured  he  was  doing  him  a  favor.  “You  like  working  for  your
uncle?”

“It’s okay. I wouldn’t say it’s my dream job. It’s boring as hell

most of the time—no real responsibilities, nothing to tax the brain,
but it sure pays well. More than I’d earn anywhere else.”

“Must come in handy if you’re supporting your mom.”
“No, there’s no reason for me to do that. My grandparents

made certain she was well provided for. She’s never had to work
or go short of anything her whole life.”

“So she could afford to pay for home security?”
“I suppose she could if she wanted to. What does that have to

do with anything?”

I reached for my glass and gulped down half the contents in

one go. “It occurred to me that if she got home security, she
wouldn’t need you to hold her hand all the time, and you wouldn’t

GETTING REAL

have to wait for your sister to finish her education. You could have
a life now. Go clubbing, go on vacation, do whatever you want.” I
smiled. “Just a thought.”

Cole’s mouth tightened, and I knew I’d hit a nerve. Probably

made him angry, too, if the way he stiffened and straightened in his
chair was anything to go by. “You’re kidding, right? A home
security system wouldn’t change a damn thing. I can’t start doing
my own thing until Carla gets back. It’s not because I’m a coward
or I don’t have the balls. As the man of the family, I have
responsibilities. She’s my mom, she needs me and I have to respect
her wishes, TJ. She says me living at home makes her feel safe.”

Oh, puleeeese!
“If you say so. I don’t have a mom, so I wouldn’t know.” I

gave him a weak smile and wondered if Cole was as brainwashed
as he sounded. Somehow I thought not. He knew  what was going
on,  but—  But  what?  He’d  chosen  to  ignore  it?  He  believed  life
would  change  after  his  sister  returned?  “What  happens  when  you
want  to  go  out,  say  like  tonight  for  example?  Does  she  have  a
friend come over?”

“No. We have a housekeeping couple who live in, so she’s not

completely alone. There’s always someone there if she needs
anything.”

Suppose she were left alone, then what? She’d throw a fit?

Send you to your room with no dinner?

Cole tried to pass off what he’d said with a smile, but I saw the

deliberate way he avoided eye contact. He even sounded
embarrassed when he added, “I guess you think I’m being over-
protective.”

I knew I should shut up and either change the subject or leave.

It was Cole’s life he was wasting, not mine, and it wasn’t up to me

GETTING REAL

to tell him what to do. I cared about the guy, but there was nothing
I could do to help and that made me angry. I couldn’t just blow
him off with a few kind words.

Instead, I captured his gaze as I reached across the table, took

hold of his hand and squeezed, hard. “I don’t think you’re a
coward or lacking balls. I think what you’re doing is crazy. You’re
pretending to be someone you’re not for all the wrong reasons.
Don’t you get it?

“From everything you’ve said, your mom and uncle don’t just

suspect you might be gay, they know you are. That’s why they’ve
taken such an interest in where you live and work. Between your
mom with her ‘I’m scared to live alone’ routine, and your uncle
paying you big bucks to do what sounds like a minimum wage job,
I’d say they’re worried you could embarrass them in the same the
way your dad did.

“By keeping you boxed in like this, they think they can prevent

that from happening. I could be wrong, but I have a feeling you’ve
already figured most of this out for yourself. You need to get real,
Cole. Quit worrying about them and what happened with your dad,
and concentrate on your own life. You can’t do both.”

With that said, I pushed back my chair and walked away,

knowing I’d probably wasted my time and my breath. If Cole
wanted to hang onto his illusions about his family and their
outdated motives, then that was his choice.

As I passed by the dance floor, I saw Toby grooving to the beat

with the same guy he’d been talking to earlier. I slid onto one of
the bar stools where he’d be able to find me when he was ready to
leave, ordered a vodka martini and settled down to wait. When the
barman brought me my drink, I put Toby’s fifty on the counter and
told him to keep them coming.

GETTING REAL

I was on the second when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I

started to shrug it off, figuring it was someone looking for
company, and then I heard Cole say, “Thanks for listening, TJ. See
you tomorrow, yeah?”

“For sure. Drive safe.” I watched as he headed for the door,

wishing the evening had worked out differently, and wondering
how he’d react if I went after him and gave him a hug.

“Hey, darlin’, you wanna dance?”
I turned around. The speaker was young, cute, nice body,

possessed what sounded to me like an Australian accent, and the
music had slowed to soft and smoochy. I smoothed a hand over my
limp dick. Nah! Two strikeouts in one night and I’d lost the mood.
I managed what I hoped was a regretful smile, and said, “Sorry.
I’m waiting for someone.”

* * *

I called Maggie first thing the next morning to find out about

my working hours and break times, and anything else I should be
aware of, bearing in mind this was my first job. I also asked her
about software programs for interior plant décor.

She said didn’t know about stuff like that, but I was welcome

to find out if I thought one would help. “I’m old school, TJ, and so
is Franny,” she added with a chuckle. “We tend to follow our own
instincts as to what works and what doesn’t. It also depends on
what’s available. You’ll find plants go in and out of fashion the
same as everything else. A few years ago, caladiums were hugely
popular, and now they seem to have disappeared.

“What I suggest you do is start by making a list of what you

think will be suitable, then check it out with Kreber’s or one of the

GETTING REAL

other  garden  centers.  If  there’s  anything  they  don’t  have  or  say
they  can’t  get,  ask  them  to  suggest  a  substitute  or  figure  it  out
yourself. If you can have the list finalized within the next couple of
days, I’ll come over to the tower on Friday morning so we can go
over it together and firm up the order. Once we have that done, you
can set up the  workspace and make sure you have everything you
need before the plants arrive.”

Talking with Maggie had renewed my excitement about being

entrusted with a job of this importance. So what if it wasn’t rocket
science and I didn’t need to wear a three-piece suit or take clients
to lunch? I was doing something I loved, and I made a silent
promise not to do anything that might make Maggie regret taking
me on.

Between deciding what to put where and checking with

Kreber’s on availability, the rest of the week passed in a flash. I
hadn’t seen Cole since the night I ran into him in the Falls. If he
regretted our conversation and was avoiding me, fine. I might not
agree with his reasons, but it was his life and his decision.

Friday morning, Maggie called to say she’d be over around ten.

About a quarter to the hour, I heard a tap-tap on the door. Figuring
she was early, I yelled, “Come on in. It’s open,” only to look up
and find Cole standing there, looking smart and delicious in a
charcoal suit, pale blue shirt and patterned tie.

“You doing anything for lunch today?” he asked.
“No. Why?” If I sounded suspicious, I was. “I thought—”
“I know. The thing is I’ve been thinking, so hear me out,

okay?”

He shuffled his feet, as if he were nervous about something.

Then he smiled, a shy, tentative smile that once again made me
want to rush right over and give him a hug. Again, I resisted.

GETTING REAL

“After I left the club the other night, I drove around for a while

and thought really hard about what you’d said. You were right. I
knew my family was scared I’d do something to embarrass them,
and I took the easy way out by going along with it. I figured it was
only temporary and that once Carla came home… Then I recalled
you saying what if she doesn’t? That was something I hadn’t even
considered.”

“So? You come to any conclusions?”
“That Carla has a life to live same as me. You were also right

when you said I needed to forget about my family and concentrate
on my own life. So that’s what I’m trying to do. If someone has a
problem with us having lunch together that’s too bad. ”

“Okay, but one small step at a time, huh?”
Before Cole could reply, the phone rang, and I picked up.
“Hi, TJ. It’s me, Maggie. I’m afraid there’s been a slight

change of plan. I can’t get there until sometime between noon and
one. Is that okay with you?”

“It’s fine. See you then.”
I replaced the receiver with a sigh and looked at Cole. “How

about a rain check for lunch?”

“Problems?”
“That was Maggie. She was supposed to be here at ten to

finalize our order for the plants. Now she says she can’t make it
until noontime. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, the job comes first.” He reached out and briefly touched

my shoulder. “You want to go for a drink later?”

“You mean here in town, after work?”
“Why not?”
“I think you need to slow down. Lunch is one thing, Cole. You

hired The Birds to supply the plants for the building, so it could

GETTING REAL

even be explained as a working lunch. What you’re suggesting is
something else. It’s like a date. It’s like making a major statement
to the entire world. What if someone sees us and your family finds
out?” I couldn’t believe I’d just said that, but I wanted Cole to step
back and think what could happen.

“I’ve thought about that, too. If I lose my job and my mom

wants me to move out, that will be their decision. This one is mine.
If I’m to have the kind of life I want, I can’t keep putting it off. I
have to start somewhere, and this is it, TJ. With you at my back,
I’m ready to take this first step. We can have a drink or two, and
hang for a bit. Maybe later go get something to eat. You cool with
that?”

I high-fived him, swallowed the sudden surge of emotion that

made  my  chest  tight  and  my  eyes  blurry  and  finally  gave  him  a
hug. He smelled delicious and his body was hard and sweet as rock
candy  just  waiting  to  melt  and  mold  against  mine.  He  started
hugging  me  back,  so  I  cut  it  short  before  nature  took  us  in  the
direction  I  knew  we  both  wanted  to  go.  “You  betcha,  babe!
Although, there are a couple of things you should know. Like you,
I live at home, and right now I don’t have wheels.”

“Not a problem.” He grinned happily. “I’ve decided to find a

small apartment and start spending the odd night there, just to get
my  mom  acquainted  with  the  idea  of  me  not  being  around  so
much. My car is paid for, and if my uncle plays hardball over my
job,  I  can  get  by  until  I  find  something  else.”  He  checked  his
watch. “I gotta scoot. Barring anything unforeseen, my day ends at
five.  If  it’s  okay  with  you,  I’ll  meet  you  down  here  and  we  can
walk out together.”

* * *

GETTING REAL

Maggie turned up just before one o’clock with coffee, donuts,

and my first paycheck.

“The next one will be better because it’ll be for the full week,

but I thought you’d like to get paid for the days you’ve worked so
far.” She handed over the envelope, then offered me the bag of
donuts. “Any of the tenants give you a hard time?”

“One or two.” I smiled, thinking of the receptionist who’d

envisioned  herself  surrounded  with  a  daily  supply  of  fresh  roses,
and  another  who  kept  insisting  that  orchids  were  the  in  thing.  “I
just  explained  what  they  wanted  wasn’t  possible.  They
understood.”

“Good for you.” Maggie returned my smile. “Now, where are

those lists that you’ve made?”

She scanned the pages I’d prepared, then requested a walk-

through the building to double check my selections. The only
change was made at the request of one tenant who said thanks, but
no thanks. Anything green made him sneeze.

“Good job, TJ. You’ve done even better than I expected,” she

said when we returned to the basement office. “I can’t wait to see
how it’s all  going to  look. I’ll give  your list  to Jenny  when I  get
back to the shop, and she’ll put the order in on Monday. The plants
should arrive within two to three days after that. I’m sending you
over  a  three-tiered  trolley  to  make  the  job  of  distribution  easier,
along  with  watering  cans,  sprayers,  scissors,  fertilizers,  all  the
usual stuff. If I’ve missed or forgotten anything, call either myself
or Jenny. Now, is there anything else before I go?”

“Just…” I hesitated. Something had been worrying me and this

seemed like a good time to bring it up. “I know you said this job
would be fulltime, but do you really think I’ll find enough to do
here to justify that?”

GETTING REAL

“No, because once you’ve finished putting all the plants in their

new homes, it’ll just be a simple matter of care and maintenance.
Not  to  worry  though.  I  promise  you  won’t  be  bored.”  She  patted
my arm as if to reassure me. “We have a couple of new projects in
the  works,  and  this  morning  our  other  fulltime  outside  worker
decided to quit. There will be plenty to keep  you busy. Maybe  so
much we’ll need to find you a part-time assistant.”

* * *

After Maggie left, I kept glancing at the clock on the wall. As

the hands ticked off the minutes, my mind began running off in all
directions. Was the attraction between me and Cole just sex, or
could there be more to it than that? Was he looking for more? The
fact he frequented out-of-town gay clubs indicated he was sexually
active. Then there was his family situation. From what he’d said, I
didn’t think he was a wimp or a coward, just a nice guy in a tough
spot trying to do the right thing.

As for myself, I wasn’t looking to settle down or anything like

that…  Or  was  I?  I  knew  my  thinking  had  done  a  complete  one-
eighty  in  the  short  time  since  my  father  pulled  my  car  and  my
credit cards and insisted I find a job. I’d discovered I liked waking
up  in  the  morning  knowing  there  was  somewhere  I  had  to  be;  I
loved  working  for  Maggie;  and  instead  of  endless  clubbing  and
one-night stands, the thought of a stable relationship seemed oddly
attractive.

Maggie had said it was a bad idea to get involved with people I

worked with. I wasn’t. I didn’t work with Cole; we just happened
to work in the same building.

A few minutes after five, Cole appeared in the doorway.

GETTING REAL

Instead  of  waiting  for  me  to  join  him,  he  closed  the  door,  came
over  to  where  I  was  straightening  a  stack  of  indoor  gardening
catalogues,  wrapped  his  arms  around  me  and  the  next  thing,  his
tongue was partway down my throat.

For a second, I stood there like an idiot, thinking I must be

dreaming, but then I began kissing him back. It felt so good and so
right I didn’t want it to stop.

“Hey, feeling a little desperate, were we?” I asked as he pulled

back.

“Just shut up and do something about this.” He groaned and

pressed my hand against his hard cock. “It’s been so fucking long,
I’m more than just a little desperate. If you don’t, I won’t be able
to keep my hands off you when we get wherever we’re going.”

I pulled down his zipper, slid my hand inside and began to

stroke him. “I thought we were going to a bar.”

He laughed softly, bit my ear, then unbuttoned my jeans and

pushed them down over my hips. “We are. What say we look for
one that’s attached to a motel.”

“This is your idea of one step at a time?”
He laughed and bit my ear again. “This is what I’ve wanted

since the first time I saw you at Kreber’s. I wanted to get you and
your sexy butt behind one of the greenhouses. That wasn’t
possible, so now you have a lot to make up for.”

I upped the speed of my strokes. “I’m to blame ’cuz you

couldn’t keep your mind on the job?”

“Absolutely, you with your sexy mouth and tight little butt

could drive a guy nuts just from looking. You should come with a
danger warning. I can’t wait to— Never mind.” He grinned, his
eyes narrowing to mere slits as he rubbed the tip of my penis with
his thumb, then gently squeezed my balls. “This feel good?”

GETTING REAL

“Great.” It felt better than that. I licked my lips, my

imagination going crazy. “What can’t you wait for?”

“The two of us to get naked. What do you say to us finding

ourselves a room with a minibar?”

I was on the edge of coming, and I knew Cole was as well. This

was one time multi-tasking—doing and thinking at the same
time—was out of the question. “Just get me off, okay?”

He slid the tip of his tongue along my lips, and I shivered with

frustration. “Harder,” I breathed. “Just hurry it up, Do it faster.”

I matched my strokes to his, pumping his shaft until his body

stiffened and a spray of hot cum hit my hand. Then it was my turn.
I just closed my eyes and let it happen. The next thing I knew, we
were holding onto one another, laughing with relief and trying to
catch our breaths.

After we finished cleaning up in the tiny bathroom, I realized

I’d have to go home and change. Cole was wearing a suit and tie. I
had on jeans, a washed-out tee and running shoes. My outfit might
pass for a quick drink in a bar, but it wasn’t appropriate for the
kind of night Cole had in mind.

I mentioned this as we left the building and suggested he wait

for me in the coffee shop across the street.

“You want me to drive you there?”
“No, it’s okay. I won’t be long. Half an hour max.” I still had

money left from Toby’s fifty, so I flagged a passing cab. If Cole
really wanted to keep things low key, the fewer people who knew
about us the better.

* * *

There were no cars in the driveway when I got to the house,

GETTING REAL

meaning both Father and Katy were out, so I asked the cabbie to
wait. I took a quick shower, then selected navy dress pants and a
navy designer shirt, added a cream linen jacket for a touch of class
and slipped my feet into a pair of loafers. A little hair gel and the
tiniest spray of cologne, and I was on my way again.

I found Cole waiting for me in the coffee shop, drinking a soda

and playing solitaire on his laptop. I asked if he’d decided where
we were going. He said he had a place in mind; somewhere we
weren’t likely to run into anyone we knew. First though, we’d have
to go back to the tower to collect his car.

I should have guessed we were going to Niagara Falls even

before Cole turned east to join up with the Queen Elizabeth Way.
What better place to ensure anonymity than a town with dozens of
big hotels filled with vacationing tourists? Just before we reached
the town itself, Cole surprised me by turning off the highway and
onto a side road.

“Where are we going?”
“A nice hotel in a quiet neighborhood that just happens to have

a great restaurant.”

I experienced a nasty twinge of what I was thought might be

jealousy. Except I’ve never been jealous of anything or anyone in
my whole life, so I decided it was the result of wolfing down
Maggie’s donuts instead of eating a proper lunch. “You mean it’s
your private hideaway.”

“Nope.” He cut me a quick sideways glance. “If you think I’ve

brought anyone else here, you’re wrong. It’s a recent discovery. I’d
been to the outlet mall, felt like something to eat and when I saw
the hotel had a restaurant, I decided to give it a try. What the rooms
are like, I have no idea, but the food was great.”

A couple more turns brought us to an elegant cream-colored

GETTING REAL

hotel complex that looked like it belonged in Miami or L.A. Cole
turned into the first empty slot in the parking lot, but left his engine
running. “If you’d rather go to some other place, we can do that.”

“No, this is fine.” I started to get out, then remembered I’d

spent most of what was left of Toby’s fifty on the taxi, I no longer
had a credit card, and I hadn’t cashed my paycheck. I had enough
to pay my share of dinner if it was somewhere cheap,  but not in a
place  like  this.  I  got  back  in,  closed  the  door  and  chewed  on  my
thumb.  I  was  so  used  to  having  money,  not  having  it  was  totally
fucking  embarrassing.  Was  this  what  my  Father  meant  about
getting  real?  If  so,  what  was  a  real  person  supposed  to  do  next?
Plead a headache? Say I’d left my wallet at home? Or just suck it
up and tell Cole the truth?

“So, are we going in or not?”
“I’m sorry. I…” I looked at Cole, wishing I could just die and

get it over with.

“What’s the problem?”
I took a deep breath and stared straight ahead. “I should have

thought before I got involved in your plans for tonight. Fact is, I
didn’t.”

“Thought about what?”
“Long story short. I feel like an idiot telling you this, but I

don’t have the kind of money I’d need to go in there. The reason I
don’t is because a couple of weeks ago, my father cut me off. He
confiscated my car keys and credit cards and said it was time I got
a job. I’m not criticizing the man or saying he was wrong. I think
he did me a favor. Problem is that I tend to forget I no longer have
unlimited funds at my disposal.”

Cole laid a hand on my knee. “No problem. You want to

borrow a few bucks until payday?

GETTING REAL

“No. I can’t. I won’t borrow money I’m not able to pay back

right away.”

“Why can’t you pay it back? You have a job.”
“Yes, and I love what I’m doing, but I’m not exactly earning

the big bucks. Okay?” I’d already thought about the dollar amount
on the paycheck Maggie gave me and how far it might go. Not to
fancy dinners and nice hotel rooms with minibars, that was for
sure.

“Then let me treat you.”
“No, I don’t want you doing that either.” Toby and I treated

one another on occasion, but that was different. We’d first met in
kindergarten and were closer than brothers. “I appreciate the offer,
but no. If I can’t pay my way, then forget it.” I laid a hand over
Cole’s. I could see by his expression he was disappointed, but then
so was I. I just hoped he didn’t feel insulted by me saying no, or
think I was playing stupid games. “If you feel like a beer and a
burger, I can handle my share of that.”

His smile looked a little sad. “Not the evening I was hoping

for.”

“Me, either. Too bad we both still live at home.”
“Sucks, right?”
“Sure does.” I sighed. “So, why don’t we go pick up some food

and find a place to park?”

Cole gave me an odd look, then laughed and withdrew his

hand. “You’re not suggesting we make out in the car, are you? I
haven’t done that since I was a teenager.”

I managed something between a half-hearted chuckle and a

groan. “No, I wasn’t suggesting that. I was thinking take-out.
Although… What the hell, why not? That’s assuming you know
somewhere safe and secluded where we won’t need to worry about

GETTING REAL

getting arrested.”

“Not offhand, I don’t.” He reversed out of the parking space

and drove back onto the street. “Everything from here to Toronto is
becoming so built up I wouldn’t even know where to look
anymore.”

A few blocks farther on, Cole stopped at an Italian restaurant

he  said  he’d  been  to  a  number  of  times  before.  Everything  was
homemade  and  served  in  huge  portions.  We  ordered  pizza  and  a
large  bowl  of  salad  we  couldn’t  finish,  and  a  carafe  of  red  wine
that we did.

When the check arrived, I mentally added a tip, divided the

total  in  half  and  placed  my  share  on  top.  After  Father  cut  off  my
credit,  I knew I’d have  to  watch  my spending, but it  wasn’t until
Cole had parked in front of that hotel the message finally sunk in—
if  I  was  to  survive  on  what  I  was  currently  being  paid,  almost
everything  I  was  accustomed  to  having  I  could  no  longer  afford.
No more trips, no more expensive outings, no more designer gear,
no  pricey  toiletries,  no  more  of  any  of  the  things  I  most  enjoyed
having and doing.

So what are you going to do about it, huh?
“You’re looking kinda thoughtful,” Cole observed. “Something

I can help with?”

“No. Just feeling sorry for myself.”
He reached under the table and grasped my hand. “You mean

like I was the night you found me in that club?”

“I guess.” I smiled and entwined my fingers with his. There

was something about the warmth of his hand, the physical contact
and  the  caring  I  could  see  in  his  dark  eyes  that  felt  so  good,  so
special.  Enough  to  give  me  another  good  feeling,  the  one  that
predicted  we  did  have  something  more  going  on  than  simple

GETTING REAL

physical attraction. “You just needed a push to start thinking about
yourself instead of others. I need to figure out how my father made
it big on nothing at all. And I do mean nothing. No family, no
education, just hard work and determination.”

“Find a need and fill it? Go back to school?”
“I gave school a try. It wasn’t for me for a whole number of

reasons.  Anyway  what  need  could  I  fill  that  hasn’t  already  being
taken care of? I love what I’ve been doing this past week, figuring
out  what  plants  to  order  and  where  to  put  them.  Thing  is  once
they’re  in  place,  it’ll  just  be  a  matter  of  regular  maintenance,
checking  water  levels  and  picking  off  dead  leaves.  Maggie  says
she  has  more  projects  in  the  works  and  I  won’t  be  bored,  but  I
guess I’ll have to wait and see. I want a job that will allow me to
spread my wings and lead to bigger and better things.”

“Why don’t you try surfing the Net for business opportunities?

Even if you don’t have money to invest, it may spark an idea or
two you could build on.” Cole put his share of the check on top of
mine and pushed back his chair. “Ready to go?”

It was now dark outside. After we left the restaurant and got

back in the car, instead of starting the engine, Cole laid a hand on
my crotch. One, two tiny strokes was all it took and I was hard as a
rock. I closed my eyes and held my breath, wondering what he had
planned for an encore.

“Look at me, TJ.”
The moment I turned my head, the look Cole gave me was so

damn hot I was ready to melt. “I want to make proper love to you,
babe.”

“I feel the same way, but you already know that.”
“So let me get us a room.”
“No.”

GETTING REAL

“Why not? It’s just money.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Cole. It’s not just money. My

pride is on the line here. I  need to prove to  myself and  my father
that I can stand on my own two feet. I don’t want to be  your toy
boy or your pet poodle, and that’s how I’d feel if I start letting you
pick up the tab for everything. I’ve always paid my own way and
that’s  not  about  to  change.  The  only  difference  now  is  I  have  to
earn  whatever I spend rather than  have it  handed to  me. If I can’t
afford something, then I’ll say no.”

“That’s fine. I understand, truly I do. If you change your

mind…”

The tension that had been building between us lightened, and I

smiled. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

Cole chuckled softly. “Yeah, I get that. So where do we go

from here?”

“We’ll find somewhere.”
“You think? Making out in a car scares the heck out of me.”
“Why? You figure anyone who happens by maybe tempted to

check it out?”

“That and I’ve heard a few horror stories. Never mind, I have

an  idea.  It’s  a  warm  night,  it  hasn’t  rained  in  a  week,  and  it  so
happens  I  have  a  blanket  in  the  trunk.  We’ll  pick  up  some  beer,
and  on  the  way  back,  stop  somewhere  along  the  Escarpment  and
go for a walk. I noticed there’s almost a full moon tonight, so we
won’t be stumbling around in total darkness. Sound like a plan?”

* * *

A few miles before we reached St. Catharines, Cole turned off

the highway and onto a sideroad, where he found a place to park

GETTING REAL

out  of  sight  under  some  trees.  After  collecting  the  beer  and  the
blanket  from  the  trunk  and  leaving  our  jackets  behind  in  the  car,
we  made  our  way  through  the  trees  and  into  what  I  took  to  be  a
farmer’s field.

The moon was riding high in a cloudless sky and once my eyes

adjusted, I was able to see quite well.

“This should do us just fine,” Cole said, as he shook out the

blanket, spread it on the grass, and sat on it. “Now how about a
beer?”

I took one of the cans from the carton and handed it to him,

then I opened another for myself and took a sip as I dropped down
beside him. I knew our chances of being disturbed at this hour
were less than zero, but I still felt a tiny bit jumpy. “You ever done
this before?”

“Not in a field, but when I was a penniless student, I did the

same  as  everyone  else—I  took  my  pleasures  where  I  found  them.
Abandoned  buildings,  dark  stairwells,  a  deserted  alleyway,  any
place we figured was reasonably safe.” He took my drink and put it
on  the  ground  next  to  his.  Then  he  stretched  out  and  pulled  me
down beside him. “Enough! We didn’t come here to talk.”

I smacked at my pant leg below my knee. “Shit! I think there’s

something crawling up my leg.”

“Don’t worry…it’s only a bug.”
“What kind of bug?” I sat up and pulled my pant leg above my

knee, but I couldn’t see anything that wasn’t supposed to be there.

“I don’t know. There are probably dozens of different kinds out

here in the wilds.”

I rubbed both hands over my skin in case it was one of those

tiny “can’t-see-’ems.” “Do they bite?”

“TJ?”

GETTING REAL

“What?”
“Forget the bugs, just shut up and kiss me.”
“What if it’s some kind of poisonous ant or spider and it bites

me? I could blow up like a balloon and you’ll have to take me to
the ER.”

“It’s not, so you won’t and I won’t.”
“You don’t know that for sure. What if it’s so bad they have to

amputate?”

“Cut it out, TJ. You’re letting your imagination run away with

you. This is the Niagara Escarpment, not a jungle in South
America.”

I laughed, straightened the leg of my pants, then rolled onto my

stomach and kissed him leisurely on the mouth. “Just teasing,” I
said. I sat back on my heels, opened his zipper and freed his cock
by easing his pants and boxers down over his hips. “Well, holy
moly, look at what we have here.”

“TJ?”
“What? I’m busy?”
“You gonna suck it or play with it?”
“Don’t rush me.” Cole was already hard and I knew he was

eager for me to take the next step, but in my experience,
anticipation makes the ultimate moment so much better.

I ran my fingers down what I estimated to be a good eight

inches of solid, hot deliciousness and wished we were somewhere
more comfortable, like a bed or a shower. Someplace where I
could bend over and— I closed my mind to that delightful thought.
Instead, I gently rubbed the head with my thumb, while I used my
other hand to locate one of the condoms I’d tucked into my back
pocket.

I’ve heard all the arguments pro and con the dangers of oral sex

GETTING REAL

without protection, especially with a new partner. For me, the
dangers are quite obvious enough. I don’t ever take chances.

I used my teeth to open the foil package and then carefully

rolled the protection down over Cole’s aroused shaft. As soon as I
had him suited up, I took him into my mouth just a little at a time,
sucking and licking until he began begging me to hurry things up. I
added to his pleasure by alternately fondling and squeezing his
balls, delaying his need for satisfaction to the point he tried fucking
me in the mouth.

I’d expected him to do that. He was ready, and so was I.

Abandoning his sac, I pushed the tip of my finger hard into his
anus. I heard his quick intake of breath. I pulled my finger out and
pushed in again, farther this time, quickly establishing a rhythm as
I sucked him harder and faster, bringing him closer and closer,
until he let out a yell that I managed to muffle by clamping a hand
over his mouth.

“Wowee, babe,” he muttered after pushing my hand away.

“That was good.”

“Just good?” I lay down beside him and traced the outline of

his mouth with my tongue.

“Better than.”
He parted his lips just enough for my inquisitive tongue to slip

inside. He tasted of beer and pizza, and I couldn’t wait for him to
give me the relief my body ached for.

He cut short our game of tongue tango by pushing me off and

pulling up his pants. “Give me a minute to pee, and I’ll be right
back.”

While he was gone, I lay on my back and stared at the sky.

There were no stars, at least none that I could see, just a few small
clouds scudding across the moon. And dammit, what felt like

GETTING REAL

another bug crawling up my leg. I stood up, took off my pants,
gave them a good shake, and then did the same for the blanket.

“In a hurry, are we?” Cole asked, as he stepped out from the

trees.

“I think we’re sitting on an ant hill.”
He took a small flashlight from his pocket and shone it over the

immediate area. “No ant hill here. Have you’ve been bitten?”

“No, but I just felt another creepy crawly on my leg.”
He put away the flashlight and pulled me into his arms. “Does

this mean you want to go?”

“No.” I rubbed my hard cock against his belly. “Not before you

do something about this.”

I stepped out of my briefs and tucked them in his pocket.
He moved his hands down and began to squeeze my ass

cheeks. “Just what exactly do you want me to do with it, babe.”

“How about get me off before I have to do it for myself.”
“Oh, fun. Can I watch?”
“No.”
He laughed softly and bit my ear lobe. “Party pooper. I thought

you liked prolonging the moment.”

“I do. But this is pushing it. I’m about to snap, so if you have a

condom handy…”

“Coming right up.” He produced a foil package, ripped it open

and rolled the rubber down over my dick. “You okay with sitting
on the blanket again? I swear there are no ant hills.”

We resettled ourselves on the blanket, and I expected it would

be  over  the  instant  Cole  began  to  suck,  but  he  was  sneaky.  He
wrapped his fingers firmly around the base  of my cock to prevent
ejaculation. I don’t know if works with everyone, but it does with
me.  It  also  increases  the  pain-pleasure  level,  so  when  he  finally

GETTING REAL

relented and took his hand away, I erupted like a fucking volcano.

“That better?” Cole asked.
I smiled and ruffled his hair. “You need to ask? But since you

did, I’ll give you a ten plus.”

I retrieved my briefs from his pocket, picked up my pants and

gave  them  another  good  shake,  then  retreated  to  the  woods  to
dispose  of  the  condom.  I  wasn’t  gone  more  than  five  minutes.
Even so, when I returned to where Cole was lying on the blanket,
the  moon  had  disappeared  behind  the  clouds,  a  stiff  breeze  was
now whistling through the trees, and I felt spots of rain against my
face.

I nudged him with my foot. “Come on, babe. We have to go.

It’s starting to rain.”

“I doubt it’ll be more than a sprinkle.”
The words had barely left his mouth when a streak of lightning

flashed across the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance.

“Then again I could be wrong.” He jumped up, grabbed the

carton of beer with one hand and the blanket with the other.

With the aid of Cole’s flashlight, we made it back through the

trees and none too soon. In the short amount of time it took to
reach the car, those first few drops of rain had turned into a steady
downpour.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Cole and I spent every possible free

minute together. Some days it was only lunch or a drink at a
nearby bar. On others, we managed to include a little after hours
private time in his office or my basement workspace. Fortunately,
it was summertime and the weather was good. On weekends, Katy

GETTING REAL

who kept asking questions for which I gave her no answers, packed
us a picnic lunch, Cole brought the beer and the blanket, and we
discovered more secluded spots to make out than we could ever
use.

During that same time, Maggie’s promise I wouldn’t be bored

was more than fulfilled. She’d taken on interior plant projects for
two other office buildings, and said she was so pleased with my
work I could consider the job permanent. In fact, she was thinking
of offering our services farther afield.

Soon after my probationary period with The Birds was over, I

came down to breakfast one morning and found an envelope beside
my plate. Inside were my car keys, my credit cards, a deposit slip
indicating my allowance had been reinstated and paid into my bank
account, and a note from Father which read, I’m proud of you, son.

I folded the note and put it in my wallet, along with the credit

cards and the deposit slip, then I picked up the keys and headed for
the garage. I couldn’t wait to tell Cole my good news.

After a quick visit to The Birds to pick up fertilizer, I parked in

a nearby lot and hurried straight to Cole’s office.

“Sorry, TJ. Cole won’t be in today,” Trish informed me with a

smile. “But he dropped by earlier and left this for you.”

This was an envelope containing what felt like a single sheet of

paper. I didn’t need to open it and read the contents I just knew
what it was and it put my good news, along with a rumor I’d just
heard and wanted to share with Cole, right out of my mind.

I felt hot, then cold, then dizzy while my stomach performed a

couple of back flips. Deep down, I’d been expecting something
like this since that first night when we went to the Falls. I’d figured
it would take a ton of courage for Cole to break free from his
family, and this was to tell me he couldn’t do it. This was the kiss

GETTING REAL

off. The Sorry, TJ, it was fun, but I can’t do it after all.

“You okay, TJ? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“No, I’m, err…I’m fine.” I felt sick, my eyes burned, and rather

than wait for an elevator, I took the stairs down to the basement.

Once I was inside my workspace, I locked the door, dropped

the envelope on the table and stared at the wall, trying hard to get
my emotions under control. It would have been nice if he’d told
me in person, but tears and recriminations solve nothing, so
perhaps it was kinder this way. Then again, they can be immensely
cathartic, as I knew from experience.

I grabbed the envelope with the intention of ripping it to shreds

and tossing it in the trash, but curiosity got the better of me. I
opened it and removed the single sheet of paper. Instead of the
goodbye note I’d expected, there was one single line and that was
an address: 1710 Lilac, Apartment 1508.

It took a second for the penny to drop and then it hit me. Cole

had been talking about finding an apartment and he’d finally done
it. He wasn’t dumping me. This was my official invitation to drop
by after work.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I watered plants that didn’t

need it, picked off leaves that weren’t dead, rearranged perfectly
tidy cupboards, anything to keep busy while I wished the minutes
and the seconds away. I thought about calling Cole to confirm, but
decided to let him sweat. After the scare he’d given me, it was the
least he deserved.

* * *

I knew the location of Lilac Street. It was a couple of blocks

from where I lived, and 1710 was on the corner, an older building

GETTING REAL

that looked out over the lake.

When I arrived, I parked in the visitors’ area and Cole buzzed

me in. I then took the elevator to the fifteenth floor and found his
apartment halfway along the hallway. I knocked on the door,
undecided whether or not to tell him what I’d thought when Trish
handed me his note. I was still undecided when he opened the door
and stepped back to let me in.

He closed the door and gave me a hug and a kiss on the mouth.

“Any trouble finding me?”

“None at all. Hey, something smells good.”
He indicated a small dining table set for two. “Dinner will be

ready in about ten minutes. Sit; make yourself comfortable. You
want a beer or a glass of wine?”

“Whatever you’re having is good.” I sat on the sofa and waved

a hand around the open plan living-dining-kitchen area. What
furniture there was looked new and there was still a pile of boxes
in the hallway waiting to be unpacked. “When did this happen? I
know you said you wanted a place of your own, but I thought you
were still looking. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Cole took two beers from the fridge and handed one to me.

“What happened was my sister, Carla. I didn’t tell you because I
wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Carla’s home for good now?”
He perched his butt on the edge of an easy chair and opened his

beer. “No. A flying visit to attend a friend’s wedding.”

“And?”
He smiled. “I’d never actually discussed the situation in detail

with Carla, but she’s smart, so what she didn’t know, she’d
guessed. The last time we talked, I asked if she still planned to
come home, and she said probably, but if I was thinking of moving

GETTING REAL

out to just go. Anyhow, she wasn’t in the house five minutes
before she wanted to know why I was still there. According to her,
men of my age only live at home if they’re a momma’s boy or too
lazy to take care of themselves.”

“She said this in front of your mother?”
“No, to me. But Mom overheard and made a big fuss about

being scared to be on her own, etcetera. Carla said this was the first
she’d ever heard of Mom being scared of anything. If she was, she
should invite one of her sisters to come live with her, buy a really
big dog, or find herself a boyfriend.”

“And while they were hashing that over, you packed your bags

and slipped out the back door?”

“Not quite. We all talked some more and Mom eventually

conceded Carla was right—that I was entitled to a life of my own,
blah, blah, blah. So here I am.”

“What about your uncle?”
Cole’s dark eyes sparkled with glee. “My uncle had the

misfortune to drop by right in the middle of the discussion. He did
a little harrumphing, looked like he’d rather stick pins in his eyes
than get caught in the middle of that particular conversation, then
he had the audacity to say he’d wondered what I was waiting for.”

“They gave up just like that? No attempts later to change your

mind?”

He grinned and shook his head. “Nope. What could they say?

That I’d been seen having lunch with you?”

“When did all this take place?”
“A couple of weeks ago, but as I said, I wanted it to be a

surprise. I’d already looked at this apartment just the day before. I
liked the open-plan design, plus there’s a bedroom and a full
bathroom, so the next morning I called and told the superintendent

GETTING REAL

I’d take it. All I had to do after that was buy a few pieces of
furniture and today I moved in.”

The oven timer pinged. Cole put his beer on a side table and

got to his feet. “It’s nothing fancy, just frozen lasagna with garlic
bread and a salad.”

While we were eating, I told Cole my own good news, then I

said, “Remember what I said about wanting a job that will lead to
bigger and better things?”

“You’ve found one?”
“No, but when I was over at the shop this morning I heard a

rumor that Maggie’s partner, Franny, is maybe looking to sell her
share of The Birds. Apparently, Franny wants to look after her
father herself rather than put him in a care facility, but she can’t do
that and take care of business.”

“So you want to buy her share?”
“I’d love to. That’s if the rumor is true.”
“What would you use for money?”
“I think my father would probably lend it to me. If not, since

he’s now reinstated my allowance, I could also talk to the bank
about a loan. First, though, I should check with Maggie. If the
rumor is true, she may already have someone in mind.”

After we’d finished dinner and cleaned up the dishes, we

cuddled on the sofa and watched a DVD of a recent movie we both
lost interest in about halfway through.

“You’re gonna stay the night, right?” Cole began rimming my

ear with his tongue and feeling me up, while I ruffled his hair and
groaned with contentment.

“Sounds good, but I came straight here from work. That means

I have to go home and collect what I need for tomorrow. I’d rather
do it now than crawl out of bed at the crack of dawn.”

GETTING REAL

“Now? I thought we were gonna…you know.”
“Absolutely, now. Just hold the thought.”
I got off the sofa, tucked my T-shirt in my jeans and headed for

the door. “I won’t be long.”

* * *

After collecting what I needed from my room, I found Katy in

the  kitchen,  eating  a  strange  mixture  of  BBQ  peanuts  and  chips,
doing  a  crossword  puzzle  and  watching  TV.  “If  you’re  hungry,
there’s  chicken  in  the  fridge.  I  can  warm  some  up  for  you,”  she
said.

“No, thanks. I’ve already eaten and I’m not stopping. I just

came to pick up a few things. I’m spending the night with a
friend.”

“Anyone I know? Maybe that guy you take on picnics?”
“Butt out, Katy. He’s new and he’s special, and that’s all you

need to know.”

“Don’t forget to send me an invitation.”
“An invitation to what?”
She looked up from her puzzle, grinning like a fool. “To the

wedding, of course. What did you think I meant?”

“Very funny, Katy. If and when I ever get married, I’m

counting on you to be the flower girl. I’m thinking a slinky outfit
of something stretchy in hot pink and a pair of strappy white
heels?”

I heard a muffled curse word, a roar of laughter, and I barely

escaped before Katy’s puzzle book, at least I assumed that’s what
it was, hit the kitchen door with a resounding thud as it swung shut
behind me.

GETTING REAL

* * *

On my way back to Cole’s, I detoured by the liquor store and

splurged on a small bottle of French champagne.

“House warming present.” I thrust the brown paper package

into his hands when he opened the door and dropped the bag
containing my shaving gear and a change of clothes beside the
stack of unopened boxes.

Cole smiled as he took out the bottle and checked the label.

“This looks kinda special.”

“It is. Special occasion for both of us,”
I watched as he carefully withdrew the cork without spilling a

drop on himself or the floor. Before the bubbles settled, he filled a
couple of wineglasses and gave one to me. “To us?”

I raised my glass, savoring both the moment and the ecstatic

look on my lover’s face. There was something about the apartment
and the two of us being here together, or maybe it was because we
could finally relax, knowing we had complete privacy that made
me feel all warm and cozy inside. “To us!”

After refilling our glasses, Cole turned the radio to an easy-

listening station and blew me a kiss as he stretched out on the sofa.
“You want to hang here for a while, relax and listen to the music,
or do you want to go to bed?”

I set both our glasses on the coffee table, pulled him to his feet

and brushed my lips against his. I could smell his own unique scent
and the merest hint of male musk, and I felt my cock harden and
push against my jeans. “First, we need to slow dance to get
ourselves in the mood?”

“I’m there already,” Cole said, sighing. “I don’t need help.”
“Then we’ll have ourselves a nice long shower.”

GETTING REAL

Cole’s hair was still mussed from earlier and the look in his

dark eyes was hot and sexy enough to melt concrete. “Sounds cool.
What happens after that?”

I captured his mouth, thrusting my tongue deep inside and

loving the way he groaned and responded. When we came up for
air, I laughed, squeezed his ass cheeks and rubbed my loaded cock
against his as we moved to the insistent beat of the music. “Just let
me know your pleasure, babe, and I’ll see what I can do.”

Long before the song ended, I was more than ready for the next

step. I wanted to feel Cole naked in my arms. I wanted to fuck him,
and love him, and take him to the moon and back.

“Where’s the bathroom?”
“Right next to the bedroom.” Cole led the way down a short

hallway and opened the first of two doors on the right.

He turned on the water, adjusted the temperature, and selected

a  few  items  from  the  cabinet  that  he  added  to  the  wall  caddy.
While  he  was  doing  that,  I  undressed.  Then  he  followed  suit,
quickly  disrobing  and  dropping  his  clothes  on  top  of  mine  before
pulling me under the shower and closing the glass door.

The moment I turned my face up to the gentle spray, his hands

and  mouth  were  everywhere.  He  kissed  my  neck  and  plucked  my
nipples,  sending  streams  of  desire  shooting  through  my  body  like
rivers of fire. It was as if this was our first time together and none
of  the  other  times  counted,  which  in  a  way,  they  didn’t.  Stolen
moments  always  with  one  eye  open,  half-expecting  someone  to
walk  in  and  catch  us,  were  a  turn-on  if  they  happened  once  in  a
while.  As  a  steady  diet,  I’d  discovered  they  could  have  the
opposite effect. At least they’d started becoming that way for me.

I wanted it like this, skin to skin, behind a securely locked

door, with the whole night ahead of us and no fear of interruption.

GETTING REAL

Cole broke off what he was doing to reach for a container of

shower  gel  and  pour  some  into  his  hand.  He  began  to  soap  my
body leisurely from my neck to my toes, stopping at every crevice
and erogenous spot he could  find until I began pleading  with him
stop.  When  he  did  stop,  it  was  only  long  enough  for  him  to  rinse
off  the  soap  and  turn  the  water  down  to  a  trickle.  He  then
proceeded to fit a condom over my aroused prick and another one
over  his  own.  As  he  took  me  into  his  mouth,  I  groaned  my  need
aloud, wanting him to hurry things up. But he slowed things down
to a crawl, sucking me and stroking my inner thighs until my legs
started to tremble. Next, he teased my balls and ran a finger up and
down my crack, stopping to insert his finger in my hole, massaging
the opening until the ring of muscle loosened enough to allow him
entry.

My cock ached like hell. My nerves were in knots. Everything

within me was primed, ready for just one thing and that was him
getting me off. I held my breath. But Cole suddenly stopped what
he was doing. Before I could protest, he stood, reached for a tube
of lube and as he turned me around so my back was toward him, I
felt his huge dick nudging hard against my butt.

He pressed kisses on my back and nipped at my shoulder as he

positioned me against the wall and got me even more excited in the
process. “Now, spread your legs, babe, and brace yourself for the
ride of your life.”

I did as instructed, shivering a little as he squirted cold lube

directly into my anus. Then he was inside me, his movements
unhurried enough to let my muscles relax and allow him entry.

When he was all the way in, he hesitated before pulling

partway out and pushing back in. Once he’d established a rhythm,
he wrapped his arms around me and took possession of my cock.

GETTING REAL

He began stroking and squeezing, gradually upping his strokes and
driving our mutual need higher and higher. I focused on the tiny
golden globe I could see with my mind’s eye, spinning around and
around in the distance. I watched it come closer, growing bigger
and bigger, and spinning faster and faster, until finally it exploded,
showering us with warm golden dust and leaving me satisfied and
content in the knowledge that now I had it all.

After we disposed of the used condoms, I increased the

pressure of the water and urged Cole back beneath the spray. “My
turn now,” I said, as I helped myself to the shower gel and a cloth.

“You’re kidding, right?”
“Wrong!” I began to wash Cole’s back, starting just below his

hairline, then moving around down over his chest and belly before
centering my attention on his flaccid dick.

“Good luck with that,” he said, reaching back and pressing a

hand against my own limp member. “I think we’re done for the
night.”

“Wanna bet?”

* * *

By the time we got back to the champagne it was almost flat,

but  we  finished  it  off  anyway  and  went  to  bed.  The  last  thing  I
remember  is  pulling  up  the  covers,  the  two  of  us  wrapping  our
arms  around  one  another,  and  me  saying  a  silent  prayer  that  I
wanted what we had right now to last forever.

I came awake in the early hours to a crash of thunder and rain

pelting against the windows. I got up, paid a quick visit to the
bathroom, and made sure all the windows were closed.

Cole muttered something and snuggled closer as I climbed

HRISTIANE

RANCE

Christiane  truly  believes  that  love  makes  the  world  go  round,  so
she  likes  stories  with  both  happy  and  bittersweet  endings.
Christiane has been writing romance for the past twenty years and
lives  near  Niagara  Falls  with  her  husband  and  The  Boys—two
black and white Persian cats.

* * *

Don’t miss The Rivals
by Christiane France,

available at AmberAllure.com!

Rod  Levins’  future  as  a  newly  qualified  lawyer  is  anything  but
certain.  After  graduating  with  an  above  ninety-five-percent
average,  he’s  in  line  for  a  job  with  the  town’s  number  one  law
firm.

But so are three others, including the man Rod’s fantasized about
for many months.

Jinks Jessop gives the impression he’s interested in Rod also, but
each  time  Rod  makes  a  move,  Jinks  backs  off.  Is  Jinks  gay,
straight, or simply a rival amusing himself at Rod’s expense?

MBER

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