Chapter 7 #2
The drive was amazing. The went down to the Point Arena Light and wandered around, gazing up at the tower and at the rocks covered with sea lions sunning themselves.
On the way back, they stopped at a seaside restaurant and had a slow, leisurely dinner before getting back into the car, arriving in Mendocino as the last of the sunlight faded in the west. Chet pulled up to Darren’s house and parked alongside the road.
They went inside, and Darren wound his arms around Chet’s neck after closing the door.
Then he tugged him toward the bedroom, leaving the lights off because they served no purpose now.
Once in the bedroom, Darren kissed Chet deeper.
Their shirts were tugged away and fell to the floor.
Shoes and pants followed before they tumbled onto the bed, arms and legs entwining as they scrambled for more and more sensation, each driving the other out of their minds.
The urgency took Darren by surprise, his own as well as Chet’s.
The need, the passion, the simple excitement was almost too much and yet not enough at the same time.
Darren wanted everything, and he wanted it all at once.
Minutes led to hours of exploration and care until they were both worn out and completely sated… at least for the moment.
At some point in the night, light rain began, sending drips from the eaves down the outside of the house.
Darren rolled over and pressed Chet onto his back, holding him as Chet wound his arms around him.
They made love once more to the beat of the drips from outside, silent and intense, their bodies connected, and Darren rode Chet until he could take no more, and this time when they fell asleep, Chet held him tightly for the rest of the night.
When Darren woke, sore and smiley, in the morning, he turned toward the clock and groaned. He’d overslept and had just twenty minutes to get to work. Darren climbed out of bed and hurried to the bathroom, where he washed up and then dressed quickly before leaning over the bed to kiss Chet goodbye.
“You going to work?” Chet whispered.
“Yeah.” He kissed him again and then hurried out of the house and down the road toward the market.
Somehow, he managed to clock in with a minute to spare.
Then he hurried to the butcher shop and got to work, expecting Henry to give him a glare, but the place was empty.
The refrigerator was filled with cuts to be set out, and he got to it, but Henry was nowhere to be found.
“What’s going on?” he asked Margie when she stopped by to make sure he had everything.
She came around and stood in the doorway. “Henry will be out today. He has some appointments that he can’t miss. Can you handle everything?”
Darren nodded. “Of course I can.”
“He came in and made sure there’s enough stock, but I told him that he needs to train you on the rest of the operations back here. So you make sure he does.”
Darren smiled and nodded. “Thanks.” He had been asking about it, but all he got was one of Henry’s grunts. He went back to setting up the cases and helping customers. When it was slow, he cut and packaged the chickens, adding them to the case.
He had a steady stream of business all day and kept busy. At noontime, he found himself looking for Chet, but he didn’t come in. Darren tried not to be disappointed and kept his head down. At about two, he refilled the case and looked up to see Chet smiling back at him.
“Do you get a break?”
“Let me see if there is someone who can watch the counter.” He called Margie, and she sent back one of the guys. “Just man the counter and help the customers. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”
“I got it,” Wendel said.
“And don’t touch anything without gloves on,” Darren reminded him as he took off his apron and hat before leaving the area, tossing his disposable gloves.
“I got us a table at The Pub. It’s waiting for us. I would have ordered something for you, but….”
“It’s okay,” Darren said as he walked down the sidewalk. Chet led him inside and to a table under the tent. Hillary took their orders right away, and Darren tried not to stare longingly into Chet’s eyes. Their time was running out and he knew it.
“I need to leave for San Francisco late tomorrow morning.” He didn’t elaborate.
“Then why don’t you check out of your hotel and bring your stuff to the house. I have to work here until ten, but at least we can spend a few hours together tonight.” It was all the time they had left.
“Sure.” Chet smiled as Hillary brought drinks.
“He’s going to miss you,” Hillary told Chet. “Darren has been talking about you for the a while, and every time he does, he gets all goo-goo-eyed.”
“Hillary,” Darren said, trying not to blush.
“Come on. Being happy is a good thing.”
“Chet is leaving… tomorrow,” Darren said.
She put a hand on his shoulder for a second and then left the two of them alone.
“You have good friends here, and they seem to look out for you.”
“Yeah. The servers here all tend to look out for each other. They’re a real good bunch of people.” Darren sipped his Coke. “I work so much, and I don’t have time to spend with people outside of that, you know. But they’re a family here. So is the store. I think they look out for one another.”
Chet took his hand. “I’m going to say this, and I hope I don’t come off like a dick. But you need to give up this third job and allow yourself the chance to have a life outside of work.”
“But how?” Darren asked.
“By making yourself more valuable. The sausages you’ve been talking about—make some and give them to Henry.
Show him what you can do. Maybe they can sell them in the store.
That’s a way to make yourself worth more, by having something special that only you can do.
Show that you deserve to make more money by bringing in more revenue. ”
Darren nodded. He had been thinking about that for a while, and it was time he got off his butt and did something about it. “I will.” Chet was right. If what he made sold, well, he would be worth more and then he could ask for more money. “I promise.”
“Good. Because you deserve a chance to have friends and a life outside work. I know you only work in Fort Bragg a few nights a week, but it would give you time to have a little fun.”
Darren nodded. “And what about you? What are you going to do about driving your own future? I know that you feel like you have to take over the business from your father, but is that what you want? Or are you going to follow your own path?” He held Chet’s gaze.
“You have opportunities I can only dream about. I know that. And in some ways, I’m envious as hell, but then, you have the same problem I do.
How are you going to make your life your own? ”
Hillary set their plates in front of them, along with the check. “I know you only have so much time.”
“Thanks,” Chet told her with one of his bright smiles. “I appreciate it.” He handed her a credit card, and she took it and the bill away.
“So? It’s easy for you to give me advice, but you need to figure out the life that is going to make you happy.” He took a bite of his salad and waited.
Chet nodded slowly. “Do you know what it’s like to stand up to my father?” He rolled his eyes. “There’s a portrait of every one of my ancestors from the founder to my father in his office, and I’m supposed to take his place and join them.”
Darren set down his fork. “And you can do that. You don’t need to walk away from the heritage and what you feel is your obligation. Just make it your own. And figure out how to do that. Just like what you told me. I have to make my job my own so I can be of more value. And so do you.”
“But what the hell is that? What does it look like?” He took a bite and chewed for a few seconds before taking a drink and pushing his plate away a little. “I don’t have a clue.”
“Maybe that’s because you’re too close to it.
Or you have been. But you’ve been here for two weeks, and you checked your email and did some work, but the pressure has been off.
You had a chance to clear your head, so go back with fresh eyes.
I want you to be happy. That’s what counts.
So, find something that does that and hold on to it.
” It didn’t matter to him what form that took.
If it was another person in his life, so be it.
The thought made his stomach clench, but what was he going to do?
Darren lowered his gaze and finished eating his lunch. Then he checked the time. He had about five minutes before he needed to get back.
“I’ll be here this evening once you’re done with work. Okay?”
“Yeah.” Darren gave him keys to the house. “Get your things and take them to the house. That way you can relax there and stuff. I should be done about ten.” He glanced around, kissed Chet quickly, and then hurried out to go back to the store to finish out the first part of his workday.