“You stopped talking to me.”
“Well, you did say you were stuck with me, so I thought I’d give you space.”
“Please tell me how you knew that I was aware of this type of gay relationship.”
“I saw you hanging out with a one at a gay club.”
“What gay club?”
“The gentleman goes by the name Daddy Sergei at the Cubbyhole.”
“Oh, Daddy Sergei moved to Canada.” Jasha’s face lit up when he spoke about his daddy.
“How long were you two together?”
“One year.”
“I used to have a boy, but he didn’t like my rules, so he left.”
“Daddy Sergei had rules for my protection. We lived in the same neighborhood.”
“All good daddies have rules to protect their boys.”
“How long have you been without a boy?”
“Too long.”
“I’m hungry.”
Kaleb pushed the button for the flight attendant, and within moments, she hurried over.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“We’d like dinner. Do you have a menu?”
“I’ll bring one,” she said, stepping away, but returning quickly to hand them menus.
“What do you feel like eating?”
“I’d like the chicken marsala,” he said.
“Sounds good.”
“I hope you let yourself enjoy Lake Tahoe.”
“I want to, but I don’t know you.”
“That can change, Jasha.”
Chapter Four
Jasha
Jasha had doubts they would ever arrive at Lake Tahoe. Having Daisy by his side brought him great peace, and he was glad Mr. Bronson had allowed her to travel with them. The Jeep crunched to a halt on the long driveway at the top of the hill, the world outside a swirling blur of white. Jasha’s neck ached from the endless hours spent staring out the window, watching the landscape transform from green to brown to white.Mr. Bronson directed him to sit in the back with Daisy in her carrier while he sat up front with Adam. The two men discussed Christmas festivities for the month. The way they interacted suggested a close bond, more akin to friendship than a typical employer and employee connection. Even after many visits to the apartment, Mr. Bronson held no positive communication with his father. What was his real connection to his father and why did his father owe this man so much money?
A sprawling chalet stood against the backdrop of a snow-kissed Lake Tahoe. Snow clung to the roof like a thick white blanket, and the ground was a pristine expanse of white broken only by the Jeep’s tire tracks.
Daisy meowed insistently from her carrier, a tiny island of warmth in the frigid air. Jasha hurried to extract her, the cold nipping at his exposed skin.
