Chapter Eighteen
Wes
Wes strolled along a deserted section of
Baker Beach, on the outskirts of San Francisco. The cool, salty
air, vivid sunshine, and blue sky combined to
create a bright, beautiful mirror of his mood. Despite the
jet lag, he was energized—and shocked to admit to himself the
reason why.
Ryker.
Although they had only recently met, lived
in two different countries, and were opposites in many ways, Wes
felt a bond with Ryker, a protective and possessive feeling that
he’d never experienced with any man before. It made Wes smile for
no reason, and it frightened him for so many more. As both feelings
warred inside of him, Wes vowed to use this newfound energy to fuel
the last part of his tour and start writing again. He needed to
focus less on Ryker the man and more on Ryker the writing partner.
Work should come first and foremost. The rest would work itself out
over time.
Wes headed back to his hotel to do just
that. Three hours and one chapter later, he was perusing social
media when an e-mail notification popped up.
From: Kieran Moore
Subject: Hi
Wes,
I know it’s been a long time, but I wanted
to reach out. I’ve seen you in the news recently and I can’t stop
thinking about you. I see from your social media posts that you’ll
be in Portland on the 26th. Let’s meet up for coffee. My new number
is attached, please call or text anytime.
Yours,
Kieran
The nerve of of his manipulative asshole ex!
After all his lies, he expected Wes to forgive him and agree to
reunite all these years later, like nothing happened?
Wes hit delete, blocked the e-mail,
and sent a note to Luca and Grey to warn them. Then he went on with
his morning.
By noon, Wes was off to another event, where
he and three other best-selling authors took part in an
international conference on top writing trends and topics. The
quality of panelists was high, but Wes found Ethan Blackwell, a
former FBI agent turned crime fiction author, the most stimulating.
Ethan was a forty-year-old man with salt-and-pepper hair who looked
more like a model than a former cop. He had brains, looks, and
talent, and his charismatic presence had drawn huge crowds to the
session. The audience lapped up his funny quips and dramatic
stories.
Once the individual presentations were over,
all the panelists gathered on the stage to participate in the
lively Q&A portion of the event. The moderator stood up and
started fielding questions.
“My question is for Ethan Blackwell,” a
young woman in the front row said. “How did you make the transition
from active investigator to author? Was it difficult? Do you miss
the thrill of hunting down leads and solving cases?”
Ethan gave a huge smile. “Good question.
Actually, I still solve the case, except now I also create the
crime.” The audience laughed. “Truthfully, my work at the bureau
was rewarding, but it was also personally draining after so many
years of long hours and stressful situations. And the transition to
full-time writing was pretty smooth. I still have to do a lot of
research, so there’s a good deal of overlap with my last job. I
love what I do now, and I have no regrets.”
“Next question. The woman in yellow,
please.” The moderator motioned to the front of the room.
A young woman with blonde hair stood up. “My
question is for Wes Stewart. What are your top tips for first-time
authors when it comes to writing a mystery? Oh, and are you
single?” She waved coyly.
Wes faced the audience. “For question number
one, focus on creating fulsome characters, and make sure to use
misdirection to keep your audience engaged.” He paused. “As for
question two, yes, I’m single and happy. I’m way too high
maintenance for most men,” he joked as the audience laughed.
“Next, the man with glasses at the front,”
the moderator said, pointing to an older man in a suit.
“My question is for Ethan. Are all your
stories based on true crimes? And have you ever been asked to go
back to work, to solve cold cases, for example?” the man asked,
then sat back down amongst the crowd.
“To an extent, many of my stories are
inspired by crime scenes I worked on or heard about through my
network. But I have no desire to go back to my former life. I’m old
now, in case you haven’t noticed.” Ethan indicated his grey hair as
the audience quietly laughed along with him. “And I have not been
asked to review any cold cases.” He paused. “But I wouldn’t
necessarily say no if I was asked. In a private capacity, of
course.”
Excited murmurs echoed in the conference
room.
“Okay, folks, final question. The lady in
red, please.” The moderator pointed at a beautiful woman in a sharp
red suit.
“Wes, you’ve been asked by several reporters
in recent weeks if you’re working with another author on a new
series. Is that true? And if so, are you working with the man
sitting beside you?” she asked, pointing to Ethan.
The crowd erupted in murmurs and squeals
until the moderator broke in. “Quiet, please, so our guest can
answer.”
Wes looked at Ethan, but Ethan shrugged and
waved at him to go. “I may or may not be working with another
author on a new series. Like I’ve said before, you’ll have to
follow my social media accounts for official announcements to find
out. But I can tell you that I have no current plans to work with
Ethan Blackwell. Though that’s not a bad idea. Ethan, what do you
say?” Wes smiled and looked over at Ethan as the crowd clapped
enthusiastically.
The moderator signaled to the panel that
they were done, and the host concluded the event. After the crowds
trickled out of the room and the mics were removed, Wes walked over
to Ethan.
“Ethan, I loved your talk. I learned a lot.
Would you have time for a quick drink?” he asked.
“Sounds great. How about Angler’s Cove? It’s
a short walk from here,” Ethan replied.
They left the conference venue and walked
down to the waterfront, Ethan sharing his knowledge about San
Francisco and his favorite places to eat and drink. They finally
entered the nautical-themed bar and settled into a booth near the
front of the room with a view of the water, Wes with his vodka on
ice and Ethan with rye and ginger.
“So, how do you like San Francisco so far?”
Ethan asked.
“I’ve been here before, but it gets better
every time. The food, the art, the energy. It’s a great city. I
just wish I had more time to actually explore and see the sights
when I travel.” He paused. “But to be honest, my favorite city in
the US is New York.”
“And why’s that?” Ethan asked, signaling the
waiter for another round.
Because Ryker’s there, was Wes’s
first thought, but he pushed that sentimental notion aside. “The
people, the attitude, the grit. It’s messy, beautiful,
heartbreaking, and exhilarating all at once,” Wes said.
“Sounds more like a relationship than a
city,” Ethan observed, cocking his head.
Wes ignored the comment and pivoted the
conversation. “Tell me more about this exciting FBI life of
yours.”
“It wasn’t all that. I mean, it was
interesting for sure. I met good people and worked complex cases.
It was fulfilling for a while, but then it ended up taking a huge
toll on me personally. Like I said today, working long, erratic
hours and dealing with shocking crime scenes takes its toll. I had
issues sleeping, concentrating, and I was never home. Eventually,
my wife divorced me, and I had to start over again.”
“And now that you’re a full-time author,
things are balanced?” Wes asked.
Ethan nodded and smiled, his dark brown eyes
warm. “Exactly. I have time to have a life, travel, volunteer,
date. Although dating in this city is fucking murder. Sorry, man,
that’s a bad pun.” Ethan took a long sip of his drink. “Dating is
painful. There are a lot of predatory people out there. So many
women are only interested in my celebrity status. I’ve just about
given up on a romantic relationship.” He sighed.
“I know what you mean about that. It’s not
easy. I prefer to keep things casual. I don’t do relationships,”
Wes said. Ryker’s face popped up in his mind, and he inwardly
cringed at his comment. “But that’s me. I’m sure there’s a
wonderful woman out there for you, just waiting.” He clinked
Ethan’s glass with his own.
“Don’t give up on love either. There may be
a man out there who changes your life for the better. Casual dating
is okay, but to me, not nearly as satisfying as having a true
partner. There’s something to be said about having someone to come
home to, to share life’s ups and downs with, to champion each
other. Someone to talk to when you wake up in the middle of the
night.”
The middle of the night. That mention only
reminded Wes of Ryker and his nightmares. He wished he’d been there
to comfort him when he woke, to hold him and assure him everything
would be okay. What would that be like? To be the one Ryker woke up
next to every day? Oddly enough, Wes could picture it clearly even
though a small part of him was still a little bit freaked out. It
was crazy how much depth of feeling he had for this man he’d only
known for such a short time.
“You look deep in thought. Did I hit a
nerve? If so, I apologize. I tend to run my mouth about
things.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just taking in
everything you said. You may be right. Thank you,” Wes said as he
took another sip of his drink.
“So, what’s the real scoop?” Ethan asked.
“Are you working with another author on a new series? Don’t worry,
my lips are zipped.”
Wes nodded. “We’ll announce it formally in a
couple of months. The prospect of working with a creative partner
is very exciting. It’s a new venture for both of us. He’s a very
talented author. His storytelling is so vivid, so imaginative.” Wes
could feel heat rising in his cheeks. Dammit, I never blush.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to get carried away there. I feel this
partnership might give my writing new inspiration. The passion
that’s been missing for a while.” He sipped his drink, lowering his