Page 1 of Sandcastles & Sunburns (DKAG Summer Shorts #6)

Liam

“Nick! Nick! Nicky!” Liam Groves nearly had to shout into the phone to get his very best friend in the world to hear him.

“What?” Nick Valentine snapped back.

Liam blew out a breath. He had to remain calm. Only one of them could be dramatic at a time and it was obviously Nicky’s turn. “Everything is fine. I’m fine. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“I know you say you’re fine but are you really? Like really-really?”

Liam barked out a laugh. “Yes, I promise. I’ve already reached the city limits. I’ll be in my new home soon. The moving truck will be here tomorrow. Tonight, I’ll order some groceries to be delivered, take a walk on the beach, and read a book or something.”

“I’m supposed to be there to welcome you!” Nick exclaimed.

“It’s fine,” Liam stressed. It wasn’t Nicky’s fault that he had a big project coming up at work that he couldn’t tear himself away from.

Nick was the boss after all and he had to set an example for the rest of his employees even if Nicky would rather be playing with Liam.

Liam was prepared to get all moved in, and now that he would live in the same city as his bestie, they would totally spend more time together. Playdates would be happening.

“Liam!” Nicky screeched.

Liam had to pull the phone away from his ear. His bestie had some lungs on him. “I know you wanted to be there,” Liam replied. “I just couldn’t wait to start my new life. I’ll see you in a few days. It will be just as amazing as we planned.”

Nicky sighed dramatically. Truthfully, he was always dramatic. Even more than Liam. Damn, Liam had missed his best friend. Phone calls and a few visits a year just weren’t enough.

“Fine.”

Liam chuckled. “Good. Now, get back to work. Finish that project. You are the boss. Start cracking the whip. Love you!”

“Love you too. See you soon.”

Liam disconnected the call before rolling down the window to take a deep breath. Salt water, the scent of sand, and fried food filled his nostrils. The cool breeze ruffled his hair, forcing Liam to push his blond locks from his eyes.

The ocean. Liam loved the ocean. And he’d finally purchased his dream house just blocks away from his oldest and dearest friend.

He'd worked hard for decades until Liam had finally left that damn draining corporate job to fulfill his real dream job. Who wouldn’t want to write gay romance books?

It was the best life ever. The first book he published had felt like a fluke.

It had been a pet project that Liam hadn’t even taken seriously.

Just something Liam had done to get out of his head when numbers followed him into sleep.

He’d not been made for being an accountant.

His passion had always been with the written word. Either reading or writing.

Liam was living his dream now.

His first book had exploded beyond his wildest dream.

It hadn’t been a fluke. People really liked reading about the Daddy and little relationships that Liam shared with the world.

Liam was a bestseller, had actual fans, and his audience was loyal and always begging for more.

Eight books in and Liam had created something special. At least in his opinion.

Now with the money in his back account from years of saving at the dreaded corporate job and the revenue from his books, Liam was going to live life the way he wanted. No more snow or freezing mornings. Hello paradise.

Reaching traffic, Liam slowed his SUV down.

There were people everywhere. Walking, biking, and even rollerblading along the sidewalk that led to the ocean.

The ocean that would welcome him every morning.

He sighed. This was what he’d been dreaming about for so long.

Sure, at forty-five years old, Liam had hoped to be making this move with a lover, a partner, maybe even a Daddy. That wasn’t in the cards though.

He glanced at the passenger seat where his traveling buddy sat grooming himself.

The gorgeous black cat, Hades, barely giving his attention to anything that was happening around them.

Hades came by his name naturally. He could be evil, often ignored Liam and everyone else, unless he was hissing and spitting, but he made for a good sounding board.

“This is it, Hades,” Liam told his cat. “Our new home. New life. New everything!”

Hades didn’t even look in his direction. At least he hadn’t scratched Liam this trip. Hades did not enjoy long car rides, and this had been the longest they’d ever taken together.

“You are going to love it here. I already have a nice sunny spot for your tree condo picked out. You’re a beach housecat now.” Liam hoped that Hades would be happy in their new house. Liam hoped he would be happy. They had to be. This had to be a good decision.

No! He wasn’t going to start questioning himself again.

After speaking with a realtor via Zoom and having Nicky check out every house that caught Liam’s attention, he had finally found the perfect beach house.

He even flew out one weekend just to check the place out for himself.

The house was perfect. Liam had taken one step inside and known that was where he belonged.

Now with his SUV packed with Hades’s belongings, Liam’s laptop and office setup, and a suitcase, Liam had enough to get his new life started.

The movers would bring in his furniture and boxes the next day, but Liam couldn’t hold off any longer, which was why he was a week early, causing his bestie more stress.

Liam was so ready to get to his new house. To start the rest of his life.

At a red light, Liam stretched out his neck.

It was a long drive, but Liam didn’t regret not stopping more than necessary. Even though his forty-five-year-old body was achy and stiff and Liam was ready to get out of the vehicle, he took the time to enjoy the views of his new city.

Most of the shops down by the beach catered to the numerous tourists that filled the town every summer. Liam wasn’t a tourist any longer. He was a resident. Liam belonged there.

The light turned green, and Liam followed the directions on the GPS that would lead him home.

* * * * *

Jude

Slicing through the water with long strokes of his arms, Jude Fox allowed his early morning routine to lull him into a sense of contentment.

This was his favorite time of the day. Every day.

The beach was quiet, the crowds not invading his space, the water was cold and worked better than a cup of coffee to wake him up.

With the ocean just a few feet from his back deck, Jude could almost pretend that he was alone on a deserted island. All on his own.

Jude was always on his own. By choice.

He didn’t need friends, old co-workers, or the team to check on him. Even though they obviously didn’t agree. He would receive the predictable phone call later that morning. The same call he ignored week after week.

Ten years.

Jude had stopped answering the calls ten years ago.

His old team hadn’t given up.

Bunch of fucking idiots.

Obviously, Jude just wanted to be left alone.

Ten years of silence and still his old buddies tried at the same time every week to get him to answer his phone.

Jude thought about changing the number, but he worried that someone would show up at his door if he did that.

Jude could ignore a call but not an in-person visit and his old team knew that.

They called.

Jude didn’t answer. Did not want to talk to them. Sent a one sentence text.

I’m fine.

That was it. Two words. Week after week.

Two words that were a lie but kept his old team from hunting him down.

Not that they didn’t know where he was. The house had been Sam’s dream.

Sam had handpicked every piece of furniture.

Sam had chosen the colors. Sam had loved the beach. More than Jude ever had.

They’d live there for less than a year before Sam left him.

Alone.

Jude was alone because Sam had left him that way.

Ten years since he’d heard his best friend’s laugh. Ten years since he’d touched his lover’s soft skin. Ten years since he’d carried his baby boy to bed. Ten years since that fucked-up mission that had taken Sam from him.

Stopping suddenly, Jude realized that he’d swam farther out than was a good idea.

Fuck!

He'd done it again.

Jude knew better to think about Sam when he was in the water. He started the long trek back toward the beach. His shoulders were burning by the time he’d made it close enough to shore where he could stand.

Out of breath, Jude stood staring at the house in front of him.

He never should have stayed. This had been Sam’s dream, not his. Jude had never cared where they lived if he had Sam by his side. Now he was stuck with Sam’s ghost and nothing else.

Movement caught his eye and Jude frowned as a lithe figure stepped from the gate to the left of his place.

That must be his new neighbor. Jude didn’t know how he felt about the house that had been a summer rental for the entire time that Jude had lived next door being purchased.

He’d have a real neighbor for the first time.

Jude stared as the man stepped onto the sand with a wide smile.

He appeared close in age to Jude’s forty-nine years. At least it wasn’t some young twenty-year-old that would turn the nice beach house into a party place. Jude would have put a stop to that right away.

The older couple that had owned the house had appreciated Jude looking out for the property.

In all honesty Jude just hated to have his self-imposed solitude interrupted.

They’d called him as soon as they’d received an offer on the house that they hadn’t been able to turn down.

They’d stopped utilizing the house several years ago when traveling from their home in Utah became too much.

Renting out the place in the summer had brought in some added income for the couple.

Until this guy, whoever he was, had decided that he just needed to live there. Leaving Jude with a new neighbor.

Staring hard, Jude hoped that the stranger would go back inside before Jude reached his towel.

He dragged his feet as much as he could to buy himself time, but the new guy didn’t move from where he sipped from a mug by the gate.

He wasn’t looking at Jude, but their gates were side by side. Jude wouldn’t be able to avoid him.

Resigned to having to meet and talk to his neighbor, Jude bent and picked up his towel before quickly drying the cold drops from his skin.

Jude steeled himself as he started toward his house.

The guy glanced over as Jude approached.

Jude watched the neighbor from the corner of his eye. He really wasn’t in the mood to make nice. Not that he was ever in the mood, but his morning swim was already interrupted by the ghost of his past. He didn’t want to talk to anyone. Was that too much to ask for?

The neighbor lifted the mug in his hand in a salute. “Morning!”

Jude managed to grunt out a response of some sort.

The guy’s smile faltered for a moment before he shrugged and turned back to open his own gate.

Shit, now Jude was the asshole. Maybe it was better that his neighbor knew that from day one.

It wasn’t like Jude was going to change his entire personality.

He was an asshole and that wasn’t going to change just because the new neighbor had gorgeous clear blue eyes, a kind lopsided smile, or a body that looked good in a pair of loose cotton shorts.

Nope! Not going there. Jude had seen plenty of attractive guys in the last ten years. His neighbor wasn’t anything special. Even if he would have been just Jude’s type before he’d met Sam. Jude had met Sam. And lost him. Never again.