AN OCEAN APART by Sammy GoodeAN OCEAN APART by Sammy Goode, Nowe MM
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
These two men have been exclusive lovers for years. Over the past year, they have drifted apart and have been taking each other and their love for granted. It seems that all they do now is argue every day and haven't been intimate in months. The blonde man begins to lean on his "friendship" with another man. The tattooed man recognizes this and decides to fight for the only man he has ever loved. He takes him away to this place in hopes of their finding each other again and recapturing the love they've once shared. AN OCEAN APART by: Sammy Goode Shane pushed back his chair and tossed the stylus down on the desk. It bounced a few times before coming to rest atop the thick file that sat like a glaring reminder of the absolute failure his life had become. He ran his fingers through his hair and blew out an angry breath, wishing for the hundredth time that he still smoked. A smoke would go a long way in calming his frazzled nerves. Jesus, get a grip McAllister, it's a fucking coffee ad not the end of the world. But that is exactly what it felt like…the end. By rights it shouldn't. In fact, Shane should be jumping for joy at winning the Dexham Coffee account…the million-dollar Dexham coffee account. After all, he had fought tooth and nail to land this account, working long hours, doing mock-up after mock-up of an ad campaign that should and did knock the socks off of the Company's collective feet. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe the 12-hour days and 6-day weeks were finally catching up to him. Right that had to be it! That had to be the reason his gut was in knots and his head was pounding from an oncoming migraine that threatened to blow his head right off his shoulders. And, it must be the reason why his hands cramped every time he picked up the stylus and turned on the computer and began to create…hah, create? Sure, that was what he was doing, Shane thought bitterly. I'm creating—I'm an artist! Isn't that what the great Mr. Dexham said himself? Bile rose in his throat. Once upon a time, he had been an artist. Once upon a time, he had dreams…big dreams. He recalled bitterly how "once upon a time" his lover had shared those dreams. His lover. Christ! Jaime could hardly be called that anymore. They barely saw one another these days. And when they did their exchanges were rarely of the loving kind. Shane rubbed his eyes and tried to recall the last time he and Jaime had actually made love. It had been so long he could barely remember what it felt like to hold the man in his arms. When did that happen? How had they managed to drift so far apart? The phone on his desk buzzed causing Shane to jump and knock over his mug of coffee. Swearing aloud, he made a grab for the meaty file that lay in the wake of the oncoming spill and snatched it up right before the steaming black liquid could reach it. The phone continued to blare out its annoying alarm as Shane grabbed tissues to catch the liquid before it reached his computer keyboard. He frantically mopped up the offending pool, the buzzing mercifully stopped. Throwing the sopping tissues into the trashcan beneath his desk, the silence was again broken by the raucous sound of the phone once more demanding his attention. Snatching it up in his left hand, Shane barked into the receiver, "What the fuck do you want Margaret?" Unfortunately Shane's appalling lack of luck continued as his order was answered not by the clipped tones of his secretary but with a loud sigh and the sarcastic tones of his partner, Jaime. "Well, sounds like your day is going well." Shit! Great, just great! "Sorry, I just spilled coffee all ov…" "I'm calling to let you know I'm going to be late tonight. Jim just called me and Danny's sick so he needs me to cover his shift." "But we had plans I made reserva…" Jaime interrupted again, frustration clearly coloring his voice. "It's not like I planned this Shane. For god's sake, he was in a bind and I had the time. It's not as if you never cancelled at the last minute." Shane gritted his teeth, trying to clamp down on his anger. "You know that I have always tried my best to keep our time together sacred. You also know what a bitch my work schedule has been. Jesus Jaime, you have to know I'm doing this for you…for us." "Right and my working as an assistant manager to one of the most influential men in the restaurant business is nothing I suppose? Christ, never mind Shane I should have known you wouldn't understand. I should have remembered just how you felt about my little 'waitering job.' You've certainly made it clear often enough!" "My god Jaime, I said that over a year ago—and I was joking! I know how important this is to you. I get it! But why is it that every time someone calls out sick, Jim decides you're the only one who can fill in? You guys employ 12 waiters at that place—why can't one of them do it for once?" "Because I am the assistant manager and that's what assistant managers do—they fill in during emergencies!! God, why are we even having this argument again? You never listen! You refuse to take my job seriously. Jim was right! He said you never…" Jaime's voice stopped abruptly. Shane felt his entire body coil as anger ripped through him. Fucking Jim! That's all Jaime ever talked about anymore. Jim said this, Jim said that. Jim said he likes my hair, my clothes, my cologne. Why the hell was Jim even getting close enough to his partner to smell his damn cologne anyway? Shane felt his control slipping. "Oh do tell, what did Jim Almighty say this time? What pearls did the lord and master of the fucking restaurant world impart, huh, Jaime? Can't remember? They aren't imprinted on your memory so that you can recall them verbatim just like a good little lackey should?" The responding silence was deafening. Shane realized that all he could hear was himself panting. Panting because he was so worked- up, so pissed off that he felt as though his heart was going to leap out of his chest. How did this happen every time? Why did what Jim had to say have the ability to fuck with him like this? Make him so angry that his blood boiled and he lost all control over his mouth? He drew in a ragged breath and heard a faint sob, a hiccup really. Oh god, was Jaime crying? Had he made the only man who mattered to him in this world actually cry? "Oh Jaime, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. Oh jesus babe, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm sorry Jaime. Please, honey, don't cry. Please baby, talk to me. Please!" Shane heard Jaime draw a shuddering breath. "I'm okay. It's okay. I know. I'm sorry too. I know, I do, Shaney. I'm sorry, it's just that..."Jaime's voice trailed off, his voice faltering, emotion threatening to choke him. Shane closed his eyes against the tears that the familiar nickname evoked . How long had it been since Jaime had called him that? How long had it been since he had heard anything but sarcasm and disdain in his lover's voice . Carefully, afraid to break the fragile olive branch that Jaime was offering, Shane spoke: "Ah Babe, it's okay! We're okay! God, I just miss you so much, Jaime. I feel like we never see each other anymore. I really wish things could be different. I hate what this is doing to us. All we ever do is work." "Me, too, I hate it too. But I have to do my job Shaney. It's the only way I'm going to learn enough to run my own place one day. And I want that more than anything. It's always been my dream you know that." Shane felt as though he had been punched in the gut. Yes, he knew. He knew all about Jaime's dream to one day own his own restaurant. They had talked about it so many times. Just like they had talked about Shane's dream job. He looked around the plush office suite and realized for the hundredth time just how far away his dream had flown. He straightened up in his chair and drew in a deep breath, trying to get a grip on his emotions. This was not the time to be thinking about himself. He needed to be here for Jaime. He had to fix this. "Okay, so you have to work Danny's shift. Does that mean you're stuck there till closing?" "Yeah, but tonight is an early closing, cause it's Monday—so I should be done by nine. Shane could hear the relief in Jaime's voice and his heart warmed to the sound. If he was careful here, maybe, just maybe Jaime and he could still salvage the night and connect. It had been so long since they had taken the time to just be with each other without any drama, any angst. That's all there seemed to be these days, one fight after another. When had their relationship dissolved into an endless series of angry, painful sound bites? Jaime's voice pulled him back from his thoughts. "Uhm, I…I don't suppose you still want to come pick me up, do you?" Shane winced at the timid tone in his lover's voice. Had he put that there? Had something he'd done made Jaime doubt how much he loved him? Speaking quickly to reassure him, Shane blurted out, "Yes, absolutely yes. Nine pm right? I'll be there—and we'll go out, maybe dancing—would you like that baby, dancing? Shane's question was met with a deafening silence. "Shit, what am I thinking, you're probably going to be too tired to go out, ah hell, I'm sorry Jaime I…" He was babbling like a fool. "Shhh honey, it's okay. I would love to go dancing with you but you're right, tonight might not be the best night. After working a double shift I don't think I'd be a very good dance partner." Shane tried to hide his disappointment. "Right, right, I'm such an idiot—of course you're going to be exhausted. So, I'll just pick you up then and we can go home so you can crash in bed and get some sleep." "Yeah, that would be great. Bed sounds really good." "Okay Babe, bed it is. That sounds good to me too. I'll be there by nine." "Uhm, Shane maybe we could talk a bit…when we get home? I mean if you're not too tired?" Shane felt his pulse quicken. He and Jaime rarely talked anymore. He [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
Podobne
|