Love In My Town

  © Copyright 2020 by Van Cole All rights reserved.

  In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

  Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

  Love In My Town

  MM First Time Romance

  By: Van Cole

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Come Stalk Me!

  Foreword

  There's a first time for everything…

  I should be used to Leah's whims, at this point, strange though they've always been. If my baby sister wants to have a wedding in the middle of nowhere, who am I to tell her 'No'? Even if small town mindsets make me itch. At least the guy running the only bed and breakfast in town, Randall, with his curious nature and kind smile, seems nice enough.

  Being the only gay man in a small town isn't easy. Adding to that the past-due rent bills and the stress of managing an empty bed and breakfast, it was a blessing to hear that there would be a large wedding taking place up at the old lodge. I hadn't expected anything of it except being able to actually pay the bills, until I met Mister Tall, Dark, and Handsome. And, unfortunately, straight. Or so I thought.

  Love In My Town

  Chapter One

  Randall Fletcher

  Nothing exciting ever happened in this town. Trust me, I would know.

  The problem was it just wasn't big enough, or close enough to anything worth a damn. Those travelling through my neck of the woods were on their way to something else; something bigger, or better, or more. Anything that wasn't here.

  It's not all bad, I suppose. There were things to do if you knew what to look for, from the small hiking trails through the woods, to fishing in the lake, to manning the only bed and breakfast here, which was where I came in.

  The only regular I ever got was Mabel, who was a sweet old lady whom I was pretty sure had been around when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. She had moved here about three years ago, though I'm still not sure if it counts as moving when you live in a bed and breakfast and have little more than the same six outfits on rotation and a photo album to your name.

  She was good company, though, especially on slow days. She liked to sit in the little reading nook by the front desk, people watching and reading her old spy novels.

  "Refill, Mabel?" I asked, when I noticed her teapot had stopped steaming and her bag wasn't coloring the water anymore with her third refill.

  She smiled up at me, more wrinkles on her face than a bulldog, and patted my hand. "No, thank you, Randall, dear. I should be off."

  'Being off' consisted of wandering around the town sticking her nose into everyone's business. That was fine by me – it gave me a chance to clean up the place and she always returned with local gossip and stories, which passed the time well enough.

  "I've heard there's going to be a big group coming through here soon," she said conversationally as I packed up her cup, sugar, and empty creamer packets onto a tray.

  "Oh?"

  "Mm. Phyllis mentioned that Darren was being told to get the old lodge ready for a wedding party."

  I paused, then, more out of surprise than anything else. "A wedding?" No one came here for anything, especially something as big a life event as that. "Who on Earth would want to get married here?"

  "It's a nice enough place," Mabel said primly, like she did whenever I let my 'Youngblood attitude' show. Her smile didn't change.

  "Sure," I agreed. "But still. No one local, I assume."

  "Mm."

  I finished clearing up her things and hoisted the tray under one arm. The prospect of actually having visitors was almost as foreign as snow in July; it simply didn't happen. My overdue power bills and rooms gathering dust were a testament to that.

  "I'll be sure to gather as much information as I can," Mabel said with a mischievous grin I couldn't help but return. I nodded, and brought the tray back to the kitchen, leaving her to be on her way for her daily information gathering sessions.

  Life was simple, here, in a refreshing kind of way. My days consisted of getting up, making food for Mabel and myself – I'd had to let my cook go last winter, money was just too tight – and then straightening her room and passing the rest of my day reading or trying to get my shoddy internet connection to negotiate with me long enough to stream a show.

  It had been like this for as long as I could remember. My grandmother originally built the bed and breakfast with my grandfather, back when our town was still growing and there were construction workers and contractors to house and feed. But I hadn't seen a customer or new face aside from Mabel in what felt like a century.

  There was a little tinkle of the bell above the door, which I assumed was Mabel leaving, so I didn't pause in rinsing out her teapot and cup. But then, another ring came. I sighed, wiping off my hands, and went back to the front.

  "Forget something -?" I stopped short. There was a stranger on the other side of the desk. He was tall, with broad shoulders, black hair slicked back and eyes that were so blue they looked fake. He was dressed in a smart business suit like he'd stepped right out of a magazine.

  He looked at me, and arched a brow. "Good morning," he greeted. His accent confirmed he wasn't from here; he didn't drawl, had no local twang.

  "Morning," I replied, and stepped up to the desk. "Can I help you?"

  "I'll be needing a room," the man said.

  I'd almost forgotten what that sounded like. "Um. Sure! Yeah, of course. How long for?"

  The man sighed. "Let's start with a week," he replied. He looked like he was aware of just how out of place he was. His eyes – Jesus, they were like stained glass, there was no way that was natural, though I couldn’t see any ring of contact lens around his irises – looked around us, taking in the dusty shelves behind me, and on the desk, and the sign-in book that had yet to have another signature aside from Mabel's in years.

  "Okay," I said. Then; "Are you here for the wedding?"

  He looked at me, and his lips twitched into a smile. "That obvious?"

  "We don't get a lot of new faces around here."

  "I imagine you'll be having a lot more, soon," he said. "I've always tried my best to be early to things."

  His smile, slight though it was, was infectious. I held out my hand. "Randall Fletcher," I said. "I own the place."

  He blinked at my hand, and then shook it. His grip was firm, and he shook once before he let go, like he had been practicing. "Nathan," he replied. "Nice to meet you."

  "You with the bride or groom?" I asked, as I fetched the sign-in sheet and the old credit card terminal, hooking it up. Mabel always paid by check; I wasn't even sure if the thing would work, but this guy didn't seem the type to be carrying cash.

  "The bride's my sister," Nathan said.

  I nodded. "Well, welcome to Highland Falls."

  Nathan hummed, and took the pen I gave him. It was probably dried out. "Thank you, Randall," he replied. He scratched the pen against the sign-in sheet. If he noticed that he was the first name since Mabel's, three years ago, he didn't comment on it. The pen barely managed to write out his first and last name – 'Nathan Monroe' – and the date of entry, and his signature. I took it back from him when he was done.

  "It's thirty bucks a night," I told him. "Breakfast is included. We serve it at seven in the dining room." I gestured to my right, through the door with an ornamental frame that was far too fancy for the region. My grandmother had had a taste for finery that suggested old money we didn't have.

  Nathan nodded. "I'll be needing your card and I.D.," I added. "Did you drive here? I'll take the license number for your car."

  "I took a taxi," Nathan replied. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but another twitch of his lips told me he knew I was surprised. "It was quite expensive," he added, before I could ask. I nodded, unsure of what to say. Nathan's gaze felt like a physical thing, pressure right through my chest, low in my stomach.

  "We don't get a lot of visitors," I murmured. He knew that, of course. He handed over his driver's license and credit card without another word, and I swiped it for the first night's fee, which was a non-refundable deposit. The credit card machine took its sweet time trying to connect, but it managed, and coughed up a receipt I tore off and handed back to him once I'd confirmed the name and signature matched. "Alright, Mister Monroe. You'll be in room 3B. The key's in the door already; it's the only copy, so please let me know if you lose it or anything happens to it."

  "I will," Nathan promised with a nod. He didn't have anything on him aside from a messenger bag slung over his shoulder. It looked like it was made of real leather, and carried the vague scent of hide. He didn't have another bag, and I couldn't help wondering how he planned to spend a week here, and a fancy event no less, with everything that would fit in a bag that size.

  He stood there for a long time, as though expecting me to say something else. I felt heat come to my cheeks, and bi
t my lower lip. It had been a long time since I'd had to make anything other than polite small-town talk; no one ever came in here, and when Mabel was gossiping, I rarely needed to sneak a word in edge-wise.

  Nathan blinked, and squared his shoulders. "Thank you, Randall," he said kindly.

  "Do you happen to know how big the wedding party will be?" I asked. The lodge itself wasn't very large, but it had a lot of grounds around it, as well as a nice lawn that could easily sit one hundred people. If I was going to be getting more people, it would be good to know how many I'd need to prepare for.

  Nathan's lips pursed in thought, his eyes lifting to the top of the doorway leading to the dining room. "I believe my sister's side of the guest list is rather small," he said thoughtfully. "There's just me and our parents coming, and a couple of her friends. I imagine her future husband's entourage will be a similar size."

  It wasn't hard to pick up the edge of disdain in his voice. There was a story there. I bit my tongue and resisted the urge to pry, but couldn't help saying, "I'll make sure his side get put on a separate floor."

  Nathan's eyes snapped back to me, brows rising. His smile grew, showing the edges of straight, white teeth. He laughed, sheepishly. "Am I that obvious?"

  "New people are easier to read," I replied, answering his smile with one of my own. "You can get away with a lot in a town where no one knows you, and that you can leave behind when you're done with it."

  Nathan hummed, and dipped his head in agreement. "Well, perhaps, if you're so inclined, you can let me in on your town's secrets," he said. He even had dimples, good Lord. "I'd hate to leave this place with a bad taste in its mouth."

  I knew my blush was dark. I laughed and scratched the back of my neck; my dad always used to say that was how he could tell I was thinking something inappropriate. To his credit, he wasn't wrong. "I'm sure you won't."

  Nathan smiled, and nodded again, his fingers wrapping around the strap of his bag as he hefted it a little higher up his shoulder. "I'll see you around," he said, and turned towards the stairs that were by the door to the kitchen. I watched him go, excited at the idea of having guests for the first time in what felt like forever, and to potentially make a friend out of one of them.

  A really, really attractive friend. To say this place was lacking in eye candy was an understatement. And being the only gay person around made a jewel like that a rare find, even though he oozed the classic straight businessman vibe.

  I couldn't stop smiling as I finished cleaning Mabel's tea away, and then her reading nook. I went to her room first to straighten everything out. She was a clean woman, and fixing up her room took minimal effort. She would need to use the laundry soon, which I usually just threw in with my own.

  I spent the rest of the day cleaning up some other rooms, ears pricked for the ringing of the front door bell signaling another guest. Even though Nathan said he was early, it was always good to be prepared.

  Chapter Two

  Nathan Monroe

  Highland Falls was the kind of place that didn't even show up on the map. The nearest point of interest was the lodge that Leah had, for some Godforsaken reason, chosen as the place she wanted to get married. Probably because it was cheap, and remote, and gave her the impression of being in nature. Even my taxi driver had seemed surprised when I'd told him to drive me here.

  It was a nice enough place. Quaint, I suppose, if I had to put a word to it. All the houses were single-story and there were maybe three restaurants and a gas station to its name. It lay at the base of a small range of mountains, covered in a thick pelt of deep, dark green, and had a welcoming humid chill that made it feel comfortable despite the overcast sky and constant breeze.

  It wasn't New York. I prefer the city, when all's said and done. Small towns are full of busybodies, desperately trying to find meaning in their lives by seeking out and gossiping about the secrets of others.

  I went into my room, shutting and locking the door behind me. The decoration inside reminded me of my grandmother's house; there were flowers patterned everywhere, from the walls to the bedspread to the carpet, so much that I was surprised the whole place didn't reek of them. It was a single room, with a bed that looked large and comfortable, and a small writing desk with a cheap office chair, and large windows that provided me a view of the forest at the back of the bed and breakfast.

  There wasn't a phone in the room, but this wasn't a hotel, so I suppose that shouldn't have surprised me. The guy at the front desk, Randall, seemed available enough and would probably be able to get me whatever I needed. I had my cell phone, so it wasn't like I was going to need a landline.

  As though summoned, waiting for its cue, my phone rang. I set my bag down and pulled it out, sighing as Leah's name and photo showed up on screen. I answered and set her on speaker, the phone on the desk, while I started unpacking the few changes of clothes I had brought. "Hey."

  "Hi!" Leah answered, chipper as always. It was like she'd been walking on Cloud Nine since getting engaged. Or even further back, since meeting Josh. As Leah's older brother it fell to me, traditionally, to make sure this guy was a good one and wasn't going to screw her over and break her heart, which was difficult to do when I lived in New York City and she was still in Denver, where my folks lived and where she had met Josh. "Did you make it to Highland Falls yet?"

  "Just arrived," I told her. My laptop had turned itself on at some point in transit, and was running hot as the fan tried to cool the machine down. I took it out and opened it on the desk so that I could force it to go back to sleep. Stupid thing needed replacing, it required updates pretty much every day now and wasn't long for this world.

  "What do you think?"

  "Seems nice enough," I replied. Mom always said I should be more diplomatic, especially around Leah, who was excitable and easily affected by negativity. That wasn't her fault, she was the kind of person who wanted everyone to be happy, to fix things when they weren't going well, and truthfully, I could be better about that. "The bed and breakfast is…quaint. Feels like it's been here a while."

  "I loved it when I went," Leah sighed. "You should go check out the lodge, it's absolutely beautiful!"

  I sighed. The time difference wasn't too large, we were only an hour behind from New York here, just past the border of Central Standard Time, but travelling was exhausting. Between the late flight into Chattanooga and then the drive out West, it had been a long night.

  "Did you need anything?" I asked, once the very short task of unpacking was completed. There was a tiny closet in the room, where I was able to unroll and hang my suit for the wedding. It was a wrinkled mess but that was one of the reasons I had come early, so that I could hang it and press it so that it would recover and be serviceable. Mom would have a conniption fit if she saw it now.

  "Just wanted to make sure you'd gotten in okay," Leah said, "and that, you know… You were doing okay."

  I knew what she was talking about. "I'm fine," I replied, hoping that there was enough warning in my voice that she didn't pry. Her well-meaning 'need to fix everything' behavior often made her put her foot in her mouth. "When are you and Josh headed in?"

  "Day after tomorrow," she said. If she was upset at me snapping at her, she didn't show it. "I think mom and dad and everyone else are coming in the day after. There's so much to do and so little time!"

  "It would be easier if you had chosen a place used to things like this," I couldn't help but say.

  She laughed. "But then I don't get to put you out of your comfort zone!" she teased. I rolled my eyes. "Alright, I have to go. Do you think you could do me a favor and check out the lodge? The guy Josh hired said it would be ready in time but I would feel better knowing you'd taken a look at it too."

  "Sure," I said. It wasn't like there was anything else to do here. I had told my clients that I would be unavailable today except in case of dire emergencies. The only ones who had my direct phone number were ones I trusted not to call unless the world was ending.

  "Thanks, Nate, you're the best," she said. "See you soon. Love you!"