Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 101335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
He closed his eyes and thought about how good he would feel standing proudly at the altar, Jace dressed in his tuxedo, offering his hand to accept Colt’s ring. He let himself dwell on that image for several minutes before his heart started the slow steady pound, remembering the longing he thought he saw in Jace’s expression while he looked down at their picture. This day was wrong. Marrying Maryia was all wrong.
He’d played the interview enough to know Jace planned to be in Hawaii this week. Goose bumps sprang up on his arms, his chest tightened. He took a deep breath to steady his pounding heart. If he allowed himself another second to think his decision through, he might change his mind, so Colt flew solely on emotion. He rushed to his closet and threw open the door. Colt jerked his duffel bag off the top shelf and tossed a couple of pairs of shorts, T-shirts, flip flops, and a few of his toiletries inside. He pulled a random ball cap down off a shelf, grabbed the duffel and shut the closet door behind him.
Colt decided to throw all caution to the wind and follow his heart this time, something he’d never had the courage to do before. He’d always told himself he protected Jace when he allowed his father to control so much of his life. Marrying Maryia was essentially the same, only trading one controlling leech for another. He refused another minute of giving that bitch control of his life. If he didn’t take this opportunity now and go after the man he’d always loved, he might never have another chance. His stomach knotted with excitement as he strode across the room to grab his wallet, sunglasses, and cell phone from his dresser. Colt didn’t leave a note. He needed time to get out of town.
Never looking back, he took the elevator down, acknowledging all the well wishes along the way. His driver stood ready by his Bentley, pulling the car door open as he walked out. Bypassing the opened back door, Colt rounded the hood, walking to the driver’s side.
“Shut the door, buddy. I’ll drive myself to the church. Catch you later, man. Wish me luck!” The driver looked confused as Colt got inside the car and pulled away from the curb, leaving him standing there alone. Colt told the lie easily, hoping Clint didn’t wait there too long. Colt needed time to get out of the city. He drove straight to the airport, leaving his car running while parked in fifteen minute parking. He removed the tie and jacket, tossing them in the backseat of the car, and placed the ball cap on along with the sunglasses. He booked the first flight taking him in the general direction of Hawaii. He had fifteen minutes to board. Perfect!
Forty-five minutes after leaving his apartment, Colt sat in coach with the airplane charging down the runway, heading to Los Angeles. With his iPhone, he booked the connecting flight to arrive in Hawaii before morning. Colt refused to allow himself the luxury of thinking this through; too afraid he would chicken out if he had second thoughts.
Once the plane got in the air, he did a quick change. He kept his head down and his eyes averted, but when recognized, he used his natural deep southern accent to throw people off. Colt wanted one person and one person only. There would be no more waiting. Regardless of how Jace might respond—and that thought did give him a moment of intense anxiety—he planned to see this through. If Jace didn’t want to have anything to do with him, at least he’d tried. Then Colt would know for sure and he could apologize for the pain he’d caused years ago.
Chapter 19
The end of the lounger sat perched along the beach where the water came forward meeting the sand in a frothy swirl. The waves kept the water coming and going, back and forth. Jace loved the feel of the wet sand and water between his toes. A cooler sat to the right of his chair, anchored deep into the sand and filled with alcohol, all cold and ready for him to drink. The trash bucket collecting the empty bottles sat to his left. Jace lay in the low reclining chair, staring out into the retreating sun, sizzling its way back into the ocean. The evening was beautiful. The balmy breeze slid across his skin like a soothing caress. Jace sat there in what had become his regular wardrobe for the island: loud, colorful swim trunks and nothing more.
As the sun dropped over the horizon, day five of his fourteen day vacation came to an end. Jace was now one hundred percent certain buying this house sight unseen hadn’t been the best idea. The inside turned out to need more repair than the outside. Clearly, no one bothered with maintenance on this place in all the years since he’d last been here.
Jace spent the first few days securing the flooring back in place, both inside and out. He would never consider himself a handyman, but those first few years of getting his gym up and running required he do a lot of repair work himself. Apparently he’d learned reasonably well. The last two days he built a larger deck around the front and back of his new home. He hoped he made the steps not quite so treacherous getting inside the elevated beach house.
Sleep still wasn’t coming easily. Jace hadn’t hooked up any of the televisions or internet devices and kept his phone internet turned off most of the time. It stayed quiet in the house, only turning on an old AM/FM radio when he felt like he needed company. The island had lots of oldies stations which were absolutely the best to listen and sing along to. The memories still lingered. When he first walked through the front door, they’d rushed back and struck him hard, reminding him of his and Colt’s time here. Memories so vivid they caused him to reconsider even being here. The old stove top, refrigerator, and table were still in the kitchen, the same sofa still in the living room. Each one of those held a strong memory of something the two of them shared together. He and Colt had made love in every room in this house.