Tuesday Tales – Alone

It’s time for Tuesday Tales!

Today we have the final snippet from “The Christmas Oaks” my holiday MM romance WIP. I’m about done with this book and will be starting a new one shortly!

Our word prompt today is “Alone” and in this excerpt Bryn and his beloved PA, Betty, are having a heart to heart.

This story may have gay erotic scenes, strong social issues addressed and mature language. If those things offend now is the time to move onto another Tuesday Tales blog. Thanks for stopping by!

“Want to tell me about it?”

“There’s not much to tell.” I then launched into the story and didn’t come up for air for several minutes.

When I was done Betty looked incredibly sad. “Bryn,” she said, paused, and then pointed her muhammara-coated knife at me. “I’ve worked for you for many years.”

“Feels like a century at least. I kid, maybe only eons.”

“And I think that I know you about as well as anyone, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Totally.” I leaned back to give the server room to place the platter holding my green chili cheeseburger and bacon-wrapped dates. I hoped this meal wouldn’t exacerbate my heartburn.

Betty thanked the waiter for her avocado and crispy rice meal then waited, patiently, as he refilled our water glasses then scurried off.

“And as you have no other loving being to talk to as you tend to cut people surgically from your life…”

I scowled at her as I forked a date. “I resent that.”

“What did you do to Tom?” I blinked and tried to reply but she just bulldozed me flat. “And before that it was Gregory, and before that it was Ernesto, and before that it was—”

“Okay, I get the picture,” I said then popped my date into my mouth and chewed with attitude. “In my defense, all of them were… well, they were unaware of just how much time a talent agent has to give to his clients.”

“Pardon me boss but I’m calling bullshit.” She carved into her whole, roasted avocado as she spoke. “It wasn’t that they demanded an ungodly amount of time from you. They just wanted some time with you.”

“You do realize that I can fire you for insubordination?” I took a huge bite of my burger, sighed at the zip of the peppers on my tongue. Oh that was good stuff.

“You wouldn’t last two hours without me. I doubt you know your social security number.”

“Okay fine, Ms. Potts,” I mumbled around my food.

She smiled softly at that comment. “Don’t try to charm me. The point that I was making was that you remove any man who begins to show affection to you as soon as the feelings emerge. And I understand why you do it. I know that one of the men you looked up to the most turned on you in a heinous and heartbreaking way, but do you want to spend the rest of your life alone in the fancy apartment with a miserable cat for company?”

The bite of burger stuck in my throat a bit going down. I washed it down with some mint tea then said nothing for a few long, long moments.

“So what do you suggest I do exactly? He’s there, I’m here. He won’t move down here and I can’t really run a talent agency for country western singers from the boondocks that are rural Pennsylvania. Also, it’s cold there. And the cabin is already on the market.”

Her eyeroll was fantastic. World class even. She should have been a gay man.

“Feeble excuses won’t keep you company on cold winter nights,” she pointed out as someone fired up the old jukebox in the back room. Jose Feliciano’s Feliz Navidad crept softly into the main dining room.

“The nights here aren’t that cold.”

She pointed her fork at my nose. “You’re being a turd.”

Copyright 2019 ©by V.L. Locey

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