Page 35 of Stronger Than Blood

Chapter thirty-three

Rory

Mrs. Ida had immediately agreed, which shocked Mick. “Oh, my crazy brother would’ve loved this,” she said. When I looked over at Kalinda, she was smiling from ear to ear. I had to assume she’d already discussed that with him since she’d spent quite a bit of time in the old building the day before.

I looked over at Mick, who was also smiling. He was slowly coming around to the idea. Kalinda and I had both talked about it incessantly.

What sucked was the cool draught that’d settled between us since leaving Memphis. “I feel it too,” Kalinda had said after we checked back into the Piston Creek Hotel. “He’s feeling conflicted.”

Well, I guess he would feel conflicted. We’d only known each other a short time, and already, we were throwing around the idea of opening up a business and making him a partner. But that was more because all three of us had lives that were currently unclear, or up in the air.

If he didn’t want to go into business with us, he didn’t have to.

But that didn’t mean he and I couldn’t… Oh well, we were still relatively new.

I needed to let things progress as they would, which, to be honest, was what I was trying to do anyway.

That’s why I didn’t spend time with him at the hotel in Memphis and went to my own apartment instead.

I knew me and men. If I jumped in the sack, they never lasted long.

I liked Mick enough to see where things might go. No, I wasn’t looking for a husband or anything. Just, you know, more than a quick screw. I forced my thoughts away from the subject and focused on the topic at hand.

“So, the doctor said you can move back home as long as you have someone with you at all times. Mick said he’s got a lot of time right now. Plus, I can stay in your guest room and I’m sure we can even get this one,” Kalinda said, pointing at me, “to come entertain you from time to time.”

Mrs. Ida laughed. “I don’t need entertaining, but I don’t feel like doing much these days. I’d welcome the company.”

“So, we’ve got a plan then,” Kalinda said and smiled at Mrs. Ida.

She chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then sighed.

“Just so we’re clear, the entity is going to fight, and before you go home, we should prepare.

Especially Mick. I’ll take the next few days to put some things together.

” Then, like she had woken up from her thoughts, she smiled again.

“I’m so excited about spending time with you, Mrs. Ida.

I haven’t been on a farm in so long. It’s almost like going back home to my childhood. ”

Mrs. Ida reached over and took Kalinda’s hand.

“That makes me feel better, if I’m honest. I hate living in this place, all the depressing old people wandering around, but I don’t like to put people out.

If we can make it feel more like you coming home, that…

well, that makes it better for all of us. ”

Kalinda leaned over and hugged Mrs. Ida, then said she wanted to spend some time speaking with the staff to prepare.

She sent us on to get ready for the upcoming party at Uncle Eddie’s building.

Mick said he knew everyone who should be invited, and we should all meet first at the restaurant to eat because it was ridiculous to buy a bunch of food and tote it over to the building when his cousin already had it ready at her place.

I just chuckled because that was such a Southern way of thinking. We’d already brought a bunch of Old Dominick’s whiskey from Memphis to share at the party, as we wanted to use the same marketing ideas they used.

When we returned to the building, I volunteered to sweep and mop the dusty floors while Mick cleaned the bathroom and wiped down all the surfaces.

“We’ll be able to get some chairs and a few folding tables from the church,” Mick said.

The thought of borrowing chairs and tables from a religious institution to promote a new distillery just made me laugh.

The world had definitely changed. I guess for the better.

Alcohol was only evil when it was abused.

Same as most things. Common sense needed to reign, and if we built the place like Kalinda and I had discussed, it would likely never be a place that caused people to act like fools.

I really wanted our spirits to be high quality.

We weren’t ever going to distill a lot of liquor, so what we made should be the best we could, and why not?

If the old moonshine that still sat in the safe was any indication, even rotgut shine turned into something amazing, given enough time.

“Hey, do you think we should pull out some of the good stuff to share?” Mick said, causing me to laugh.

“I was just thinking about all that booze back there. I mean, we tested it, and it didn’t kill us. But I’m guessing we better make everyone sign something saying they won’t sue us if it does,” I said, winking at Mick.

When his face turned red, I looked at him in a funny way. “Hey, did I do something wrong or upset you?”

He looked shocked. “No, why?”

“’Cause you seemed to have lost interest.”

“In what? The business? No, I’m just needing to think it all through.”

I shook my head. “No, the business makes sense. We’re all just figuring this out. No rush in deciding on that, but you and me. Since we came back from Memphis, you seem… distant.”

Mick sighed. “I’m sorry, Rory, I got carried away.

I… well, I think you know I live here in the middle of nowhere, and I don’t spend much time with other gay men, well, not single gay men, and you know, I might’ve just, you know, pushed things on you.

But I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or anything. I know I’m not all that, um… special.”

My mouth dropped open, and an adorable blush crept up Mick’s face before he looked away. “Mick,” I said, leaning the broom against the wall before going over to him. “I don’t know what you mean. I like you… a lot.”

Mick stepped away before I could touch him.

“No, don’t play me, Rory. I know you’re one of the most handsome men around, and I’m…

well, I’m not. But don’t play me. Let’s be friends, okay?

I don’t want to be led on. You didn’t seem to want to spend time with me on our nights in Memphis. You went home instead. ”

He turned before I could stop him, went into the back room, and shut the bathroom door behind him. I stared at the door for a few moments and finally got my wits about me, closing my stupid mouth before swallowing.

I turned to go back for the broom, and damn if I didn’t see a spirit… The normal prickle of chills tickled my arms before the goosebumps spread across my body. I didn’t necessarily fear spirits, but I had a very healthy respect for them. Even though I believed I was looking at Mick’s Uncle Eddie.

He looked mad, and rightfully so. “I’m not leading him on,” I said to the apparition. I probably shouldn’t have been so forthcoming with a spirit, but my sadness was taking precedence over my concern for seeing a ghost.

He shook his head and disappeared. “I didn’t lead him on,” I said again, but this time to myself.

“I really like him.” I knew I was pouting and felt a chill, so I figured Eddie must’ve put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

Of course, feeling a dead person touch you wasn’t exactly comforting, but it wasn’t horrible either. I knew he understood.

Another feeling flowed through me at the touch. Eddie must’ve been like his nephew. I’m not sure how or why, but I knew at that moment that Eddie had been gay. “I’m so sorry,” I said, and my heart ached for the man who’d had to be queer when the entire world had hated homosexuals.

I had learned from my family about a distant cousin who’d been gay back in my grandparents’ time and who’d been killed for his sexuality.

It was something that really worried my grandparents when I came out to them.

All that had been stuff Eddie would’ve had to navigate during his days.

The thought made me beyond sad, and tears prickled the backs of my eyes.

I reached up and put my hand on the shoulder where I’d felt the hand and sighed. “I’m so sorry things were difficult for you. I promise things are better now… much better.”

“Who are you talking to?” Mick said as he came back out.

“Your uncle—he was just here. Mick, I’m so sorry. I never wanted you to feel like I was playing you. I like you… I mean, I like you a lot?”

Mick stared at me, then shook his head. “Rory, I came back ’cause I felt like a stupid teenager hiding in the bathroom.

You barely touched me when we were in Memphis.

You didn’t even… Well, it’s weird, and no, you don’t have to like me, but—" He looked around the room.

“Wait, you saw my uncle? Like Kalinda did?”

I nodded and laughed. “Okay, let’s deal with that first, then let’s take a walk, ’cause he’s still around. Your uncle just came to see me. He was mad at me because of our argument, then he touched my shoulder, and I felt… I, well, did you know he was gay?”

Mick shook his head. “No! He supposedly had a girlfriend, but they never married.”

“A beard, then?”

“Huh?” Mick asked, and I laughed again.

“You’ve never heard of a beard? Back in the day, when gay men didn’t want people to figure out they were gay, they’d get a female best friend to pretend to be a girlfriend.

They called them beards 'cause, you know, like you hide your face behind a beard. Anyway, when your uncle put his hand on my shoulder, I felt it. I felt his sadness and loss.”

“He didn’t want me to feel that way?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I could feel all the sadness from his life as a gay man.

You know it’s sometimes easy to forget how different things were back then.

” Mick nodded. “Okay, so let’s go for a walk and let your uncle stay here,” I said, hopefully encouraging the spirit to give us some space.

We walked down the square toward the park on the other side of the town hall. “You know,” Mick immediately said, “you don’t have to pretend to like me. I’m a grown man.”

I stopped and, before I could think, I pulled Mick into my arms and kissed him. When we pulled apart, I sighed and looked down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t ask for your permission.”

Mick laughed and pulled me back into his embrace, this time kissing me.

When someone whistled beside us, we pulled back and laughed, embarrassed.

Neither of us looked at who’d whistled but instead we carried on our way.

Kissing someone in the middle of the day in the street was a surefire way to get the town talking.

I took Mick’s hand, though, and led him to a little gazebo in the park, where we sat down.

“Listen, I didn’t mean to give you mixed signals, and I realize now that’s exactly what I did.

I like you, and not just the screw-around kind of like you.

I have never met a guy I wanted to get to know before taking it to the next level.

Usually, I screw first and think later. But I know there’s something special about you.

Maybe because of that, I’m messing this up. ”

Mick stared at me, then sighed. “Rory, I like you too, but I don’t have much experience with dating.

I mean, I know I’m not ugly, and I’ve had plenty of opportunities to hook up, especially if I’m in Chattanooga or the more populated areas, but I’ve only had one relationship, and that ended badly.

I never thought I’d even consider another one… not more than a fantasy, at least.”

“But you’re thinking about one with me?”

He nodded. “I sorta was, when I wasn’t thinking you were just being nice but not interested enough.”

I smiled and took his hand, kissing it. “I’m not gonna play. I want all the stuff, including holding you and kissing you and all the other things too. But my gut tells me we have to take this slow. Is that okay?”

“No!” Mick said, but laughed. “But I guess, if you’re going to try to have some common sense about all this, we can do it your way.

That being said, I don’t promise not to jump you eventually, and if you really do like me and aren’t jerking my chain…

although there ain’t nothing wrong if you want to jerk my chain,” he said, wagging his eyebrows before chuckling lasciviously, “I will try to resist.”

I leaned over and kissed him, and with our semi-private surroundings keeping us from prying eyes like earlier, I deepened the kiss to show him just how much I wanted him. How much I’d like to throw caution to the wind and take him as mine.

When we finally pulled back, the look he gave me sent shivers through me. “Shit, this is going to be harder than I thought,” I said, and when he looked down at my crotch and back up at my face, he laughed out loud.

“Good. If you’re insisting on this slow crap, you should be in as much pain as me.”