4. Hayes
Chapter four
Hayes
After a quick shower and shirt change, I’m reluctantly driving Leon into town.
Parking on a side street, I note how the spots are mostly full even though the sun just set.
The Foggy Basin of my childhood was only farmers and half the storefronts were closed.
Now we have multiple places to eat and even tourists. Not big, but definitely busier.
Since my farmstand is always busy, I can’t complain. Hell, maybe someone will even catch my eye. I could use an end to this dry spell. But will it be men or women who I’m checking out? Holding the door of Pints & Pool open for Leon, it hits me I can look at both.
Damn, maybe I did need to go out if that just occurred to me half a year after I hooked up with a man.
“Let’s get drinks first,” Leon says, leading the way to the bar where Nate is polishing glasses. “Hey Nate.”
“Leon, how’re the fish biting?” Nate asks, and I’m glad he doesn’t comment on how long it’s been since I came to the bar. A year, I think? Yeah, about a year. They launch into a discussion of the best fishing spots and Leon orders a beer. “What about you, Hayes?”
“I’m designated driver,” I explain.
“I’ve got a mead that’s only two-percent alcohol,” he offers and I consider it.
If I remember from the college health class that included a lecture on binge drinking, two percent is practically non-alcoholic. After my sister’s pointed conversation about having fun, and my thoughts on loneliness lately, I decide I can use a drink.
“Sure, I’ll be here with Leon until he’s had a few, anyway,” I say and Leon laughs.
“You say that like I’m a drunk, asshat.”
We face the room and I see the game is on. “I’m just giving you shit. Wanna claim a table?”
“Probably should before it gets packed in here.”
Two people approaching the bar catch my eyes and I see it’s Ezra from the Boutique, a man completely unafraid to be out and gay. He’s arm-in-arm with a man who isn’t his partner Olly, and I do a double take.
Beside Ezra is a man who looks remarkably like the man I hooked up with months ago. Wearing a soft outfit in a creamy color that sets off his warm skin tone, it’s like Kai walked out of my fantasies and into this small town bar just to tease me.
Am I hallucinating? I don’t think I’m that hung up on the man.
The Kai-doppelganger guy stops in his tracks to look at me, and I notice his hair is longer than I remember Kai having, dark and wavy, almost to his jaw-line. He blinks at me and I swallow hard.
“Leon, Hayes! Good to see you two,” Ezra’s voice cuts into my frozen thoughts and I blink. Kai is still standing there.
“Ezra, how’s it going?” Leon replies while I stand there rooted in place. “Who’s this?”
Kai’s name is on the tip of my tongue, but Ezra answers first before I can embarrass myself in case I’m still imagining the appearance of my sexual awakening.
“This is my new social media consultant, Kai Hale.”
So I’m not imagining things.
“Hi, Kai,” Leon offers his hand and Kai finally stops staring at me. “Welcome to Foggy Basin. First time here?”
“No,” I answer for him and embarrass myself anyway. “I mean, hello.”
“Hello.” Kai lets go of Leon’s hand to take mine and I see a smirk on his face.
First, I feel my body heat up at the memory of his lips on me and then fear sets in. Will he tell them about our… time together?
“Yes. I broke down here in spring and Hayes helped me get a new tire,” Kai supplies and I feel my shoulders relax a few inches from their spot by my ears.
“He got a flat out by my stand,” I add unnecessarily. I can’t take my eyes off of him. Somehow, he’s even prettier than I remember. His lips are glassy and pink like he’s wearing makeup and I wonder if he still tastes like strawberries.
“And now you’re back,” Ezra says with a clap. “I’m so excited you’re staying!”
"You're staying? In Foggy Basin?”
“For a little bit, yeah,” Kai nods and reaches up to brush the hair from his eyes, looking up at me through his lashes. I wanted to reach out and help, so I balled my fists instead.
“Your drinks,” Nate calls out from the bar and Leon grabs them.
Leon hands my drink over and looks between me and Kai suspiciously. “I’m going to grab a table.”
“Yeah. Yes. Um. Okay,” I mutter and tilt my head down to hide for a second.
“I need to order food,” Ezra adds, moving to the bar and leaving me alone with Kai.
“Hi,” I say again.
“Hi,” Kai echoes and smiles in a way that makes me smile back. “Fancy seeing you here, farm boy.”
His words send a thrill that’s part déjà vu, part desire, racing up my spine. Kai’s shirt has a deep neckline and I can make out his nipples through the thin fabric. I want to take his shirt off to see them. Kiss them. Maybe lick and suck on them.
Clearing my throat, I look at his eyes again. “Guess it’s a small world, after all.”
Kai laughs and the sound is a joyful noise I want to bottle. How has he gotten even hotter since I last saw him?
“What are you drinking?” Kai asks, like we see each other all the time and this isn’t another life changing instance.
“Uh, mead,” I hold my cup up to show the golden liquid I haven’t touched yet.
“Ooh, that’s what I got. It’s very good. Try it,” he tells me and I do it without thinking. It’s sweeter than I normally like in a drink, but tasty. “What do you think?”
“It’s good.”
“A man of few words,” Kai teases and I feel myself blush. If I ever even stopped.
“Hayes, come break,” Leon calls from across the room where he's holding two pool sticks.
The guy probably thinks he’s getting me out of an awkward conversation when it’s the opposite. Well, it’s a little awkward, but I don’t want to get out of it.
“Join us?” I ask without thinking. “For pool, I mean.”
“I could be down for a game of billiards,” Kai says like he’s considering the options, then glances over to Ezra. “Let me ask the others if they want to join.”
“Okay, yeah.” The thought that the others might say no has me adding, “If not, find me before you leave?”
“Of course,” Kai agrees and bites his lower lip. “Can’t let you get away so easily this time.”
Not knowing what to say to that, I wave awkwardly and go to join Leon.
My eyes track Kai’s movement as he walks with Ezra back to their table, joining two others.
My break is terrible but I sink a solid as I watch Kai pointing in my direction.
When all of their eyes look my way, I focus back on the balls and miss a shot so spectacularly Leon laughs at me.
“Maybe I shouldn’t take you off the farm.”
“Oh, screw you,” I shove at his shoulder and make him miss his own shot on stripes.
“Who are we screwing?” Kai’s voice interrupts our horse play and I freeze again. I wonder how long he’ll need to be in town before I act like a normal person and stop making a fool of myself.
Not sure I’ll ever be able to act normal around him, I decide to talk to him while I can.