“Uh oh,” Skylar said with a laugh.
“Yeah. We had this gate between our backyards, and he never locked the back door, so I let myself in. Then I heard the moaning and couldn't resist sneaking upstairs to take a look.” Adam pressed a hand to his groin. “I watched them finish, and John told the guy he could either let himself out or stay for another round, then went to take a shower.” Adam paused. “The guy had his head under a pillow, and the sheets came just up to his ass. And when he got up and left, I didn't even think. I waited until he was gone and then ripped off my clothes and threw myself on the bed, trying to recreate his position.”
“Oh! And with the pillow over your head, John might not know–”
“Exactly. Except he did. He barely touched me. Like he was right on the edge of grabbing my ass, and—holy fuck—I almost came right then and there. But that was when he realized something was different and he pulled the pillow away. Then he freaked out.”
“Shit,” Skylar swore. “How bad was it?”
“Bad. Like nuclear bad. It was three days before my eighteenth birthday, and he knew that. I honestly didn't even think about it. Nothing registered beyond trying to get him to touch me. But that's what stopped him. Of course, at the time, I thought he was freaking out because I was trans and he didn't want me, but it turned out it was just the age thing.”
“So what happened…Oh shit. Wait.” Skylar paused. “Didn't your dad…”
Adam winced. “Yeah,” he whispered, swallowing hard at the memory. But his mouth ran on despite the emotion clogging his throat. He told Skylar all about what happened two days later, how his dad went in for a routine shoulder surgery and never came back out. How he got home from the hospital late that night, after having to recover from being sedated becausehe'd been such a wreck, and had gone to knock on John's door. Despite the drama from two nights earlier, all Adam had been able to think about was having John there to tell him what to do. Tell him how to move forward. How to merely survive.
Except the Cunningham house was dark and silent, and Adam learned that John had moved away in a hurry while Adam had been at the hospital.
“And I thought I'd never see him again,” Adam went on. “Eight years, thinking he was out of my life for good. But then we just chanced to run into one another over Christmas.”
Adam told Skylar all about the trip to Camp Bay so he could sing with his old band. How he'd run into John there at the chalet, since John was in town to visit his brother for the holidays. He talked about how they'd had to share a room because the place was fully booked. How he and John fell into a hot-and-heavy affair, all those years worth of pent-up longing finally bursting out of them.
And then discovering how they both just happened to live in the same small town.
Adam couldn't help laughing at the memory. He still had no idea how the two of them had both left Idaho at different times, yet both wound up in Paso Robles, but he didn't care. It had meant they had a chance to finally be together.
“That's bananas,” Skylar exclaimed.
“Right? Like what are the odds?”
Skylar chuckled, then gasped. “Shit. I've gotta run. I'm sorry we didn't get to hang much this weekend. I should have realized I'd be down your way and texted you or something, but…”
“It's okay,” Adam assured him. “It was such a great surprise to see you! But now wereallyneed to make a plan to get together.”
“Definitely.” Skylar blew out a breath, mumbling to himself. “Makeup. Heels. Purse. Yeah, I think I've got everything.” Helet out another heavy exhale, then said, “Hey, let me know how things go with plans to sing at the wedding, yeah? That is still on, I hope?”
“Yeah, it's still on,” Adam said, then heard a beep. He pulled his phone away from his ear and saw, as though on cue, a new text from Trevor. “Oh! That's Trev.”
“I'll let you go. Have a great night.”
“You, too,” Adam said, then winced, thinking of what Skylar was about to go do.
They ended the call, and Adam quickly switched over to the messaging app to read Trevor's text.
Trevor: Sorry. Finally caught a moment. Shit's been nuts!
Before Adam could reply, another message came through.
Trevor: Anyway, about the wedding, I'm not sure we can do it.
Adam winced and quickly typed out a reply.
Me: I know it's a small gig. But whatever they offer you, just take it. I can pay the difference of whatever price you want.
Trevor: No, it's not the money! Hell, man, we owe you after you saved our asses over Christmas. It's just a scheduling thing. We've got a gig already set for the day before, but it's in Florida.
Adam groaned. “Shit.” There was no way the band could get all the way across the country and get set up and ready in time for the wedding.
Trevor: I can let you know if something changes, but this one could be our big break.
