Page 21 of As The Shifter World Turns

21

SAYING GOODBYE IS GONNA SUCK

Micah

“Are you ready?” Archer asked. “We gotta go.”

He was adorable and it was all I could do to keep packing and not pull him in for a searing kiss and possibly more… definitely more.

“Just because you’re able to throw a weekend bag together in two point five seconds doesn’t mean I can too.” I had a feeling he forgot more than a handful of things.

When I got the call that my friend’s vacation rental had a cancellation for the weekend and he asked if I wanted it in exchange for some advice on staging it, I was all in.

I loved the idea of spending the weekend mountainside with Archer where we weren’t going to be bothered by reality. Just the two of us—together. He had a bag packed within minutes. Me? I was hoping not to forget anything so I wouldn't waste time running out to buy socks or toothpaste when I could be knotting him.

“I’m just excited.” He was bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I’ve never been before. I heard they have all kinds of activities apart from skiing.

“We can look up what to do when we get there.” I zipped my bag up, fairly confident I had everything we needed and threw it over my shoulder. “Ready to blow this taco stand?”

He grabbed his bag. “I don’t eat meat.”

“I seem to recall from our shower this morning that you do.” His cheeks pinkened. “And you eat it with enthusiasm. ”

“Fine. I’m not completely vegetarian.” Archer’s eyes settled on my junk. “But there’s only one type of meat that will get past my lips.”

“And now I get to walk out of here with a hard on and everyone will notice.”

“They’ll see that being around me makes you aroused.” He rolled his eyes. “How horrible that will be.”

We did not, in fact, end up running into anyone. Shame, because if I could get him to blush saying little things like that in private, I could only imagine what I could do in front of our friends without those people being aware.

“I’ll take this.” I grabbed his bag and stowed both his and mine in the back seat as he climbed in.

It wasn’t a long drive. It took longer to get out of town than to reach the mountain where we were staying. There were larger and more attractive places for skiing during the season, but this one was close to the city making it popular in its own right.

I drove and we both chatted about work and gossip in the manor and even our favorite television shows. It was perfect. Until it wasn’t. His stupid phone interrupted us.

“I gotta take this.” He apologized and quickly turned on his professional voice, answering, “Archer speaking.”

There were a lot of “Of course” and “I see” and I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Not that I should've been eavesdropping, but we were in a car. There was no escape and I couldn’t help it. It had to be his boss.

“Is there a per diem?” he asked, followed by more “I guess so” and “Yes” responses.

“Email me the details and I’ll give you a definite answer in about an hour. I’m in the car.”

That must’ve worked for his boss because the next thing I knew the phone was back in my cup holder.

“That was work.”

“I got that.”

“They want me to do a temp job. It’s more money and a great opportunity. Not just following my boss around reminding him of meetings and buying him lunch.”

Then why didn’t he sound happy?” “Are they getting rid of your current job?” That would totally suck, but I’d known it to happen to people over the years.

“No. Nothing like that, it's just… it's two months and way outside my normal commute.”

“How much outside?” I clicked on the blinker as our exit was in sight.

“About three hours.”

I focused on driving, getting to the right lane and not killing us. It was too much to process. We’d finally gotten together and my week away had sucked. There were huge questions about our relationship. But we were with each other now. Two months? That was for freaking ever.

“Will they give you a place?” I finally asked as we reached the stop sign at the end of the exit.

He let out a sigh. “I thought you were mad at me.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “You were just dodging traffic.”

And thinking everything through. “Figured you could work better, you know, if you weren’t dead.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Not dead is better than the alternative.” He paused. “They’ll give me money for food and a hotel room. We can still talk and stuff… stuff being coming while we’re on the phone in case you were curious.”

“If I let you,” I teased and turned towards our destination. “When do you leave?”

“I don’t know. They’re sending over the paperwork.”

“I can drive you there.” I offered. He didn’t have a car and I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could.

“Thanks.” His phone buzzed again and he tapped and swiped at it. “Monday. I leave Monday.” He sounded just as dejected as I felt.

“Guess we better make the most of this weekend.” Because anything else I could say would sound like me being a dick.

I wish you could stay.

I’ll miss you.

Are you allowed to say, “No”?

Yeah, it was best to focus on the weekend. I could have my little pity party next week, after he left.

Ryder

“I need to run.” I sighed, looking at the now tepid beer in my glass.

I’d gone up to the roof for some fresh air and Ivor was there. He appeared skittish when I turned up. We hadn’t said much to one another at work so this was super awkward.

Us being on the roof turned into me trying to pretend that he hadn’t shut my ass down so completely weeks ago and that everything was normal.

Instead it became me rambling on about work, Ivor being visibly bored, and both of us not having a good time.

I never should’ve mentioned a date. It was stupid. He worked for me and even if he didn’t, nothing about my situation shouted that he’d be anything more than a rebound.

I mean he wouldn’t be, but from the outside, how could it look like anything but ?

“Yeah okay. Think we can go to Daire’s family’s place?” I hadn’t meant we should go together, but now that he said he’d join me, the day got exponentially better.

“We should ask him on the way out.” His parents had been shittastic since—well always, but especially more so recently. It was like they wanted him to be independent, but also hated him being independent. They were basically just sucky people.

“Sounds good.” We headed down to find Daire, only to meet him on the stairs.

“I was just seeing if anyone was on the roof,” Daire said.

“We were, but we were thinking a run sounded good. Could we go to your family’s land?” I asked.

“Yeah. I’ll even drive.” So much for some alone time with Ivor that wasn’t work related, but what could I do? Tell him to get his cock-blocking ass out of the way so I could run and afterwards get rejected again? Maybe it was best that he was coming with us.

“Sounds great.” I forced myself to sound excited and it came out flat. Thankfully Daire didn’t seem to notice.

Daire stopped in the clearing where he usually parked. I closed my eyes while Ivor got undressed. Had I seen him naked before? Absolutely. Pretty much every time we shifted, but somehow, with these feelings growing, it felt like I shouldn’t anymore. Like I needed to be given permission to see him naked or something.

It was official. I was overthinking all things.

Clothes off, I took my stag form, my limbs loving the stretch of being free. As I opened my eyes, they met Ivor’s who was staring at me with an odd look on his face. I couldn’t ask him what it was about as I’d shifted, instead baring my neck the way wolves seemed to need and taking off into the field.

The wolf and bear would have more fun without me, anyway. They liked to hunt and I looked for grasses to chew on—hardly compatible—the same way I was beginning to think Ivor and I were.

Neil

My phone alerted me that my package had arrived. The neighborhood was safe enough, but a box on a porch had a way of attracting sticky fingers and I didn’t want to chance it being scooped up. It was my new mouse and for all I knew the box announced that it was from the computer store.

I stretched as I got out of my seat. I’d been working on editing content and felt more like an old man than my age. I needed to think about getting a new chair next or possibly one of those fancy cushions .

It was my day to stay in. It used to be that almost all days were, but now that I started coaching, there were far fewer of them. It was probably good for me. No. Not probably. It was good for me. But also—I wasn’t at the point where I enjoyed it… especially not after that man recognized me.

I mean I had to know it would happen, right? I had increasingly more hits on my platform. Odds were one of my clients was bound to see me out in the community. But it felt… I don’t know… just off.

Maybe because it brought all the insecurities I had about jerking off for others and getting paid to the forefront.

I inhaled, counted to five, then exhaled. It was only the front porch. No big deal but I hadn’t planned on going anywhere today. I could do this.

Two more breaths and I was out the door and headed to get my package. I was focused only on that. I ignored everything around me, which was exactly how I crashed into someone.

“Sorry.” I looked up expecting to see Daire or Ivor and instead found myself face to face with… no… it was soccer man.

“No. That was my fault.” He reached out and I did what any sensible person would do.

I freaked out, turned on my heel and ran back to my apartment.

Screw the mouse. I could order another one. I had more important things to worry about.

Who was that guy and why was he following me? It couldn’t be a coincidence that he recognized me and here he was. That just didn’t happen.

No, he was up to something and every horror movie with a stalker in it ran through my head.

“Fuck.” I locked and bolted the door before trying to figure out a place to hide.