The drivewas amazing. The went down to the Point Arena Light and wandered around, gazing up at the tower and at the rocks covered with sea lions sunning themselves. On the way back, they stopped at a seaside restaurant and had a slow, leisurely dinner before getting back into the car, arriving in Mendocino as the last of the sunlight faded in the west. Chet pulled up to Darren’s house and parked alongside the road. They went inside, and Darren wound his arms around Chet’s neck after closing the door. Then he tugged him toward the bedroom, leaving the lights off because they served no purpose now.
Once in the bedroom, Darren kissed Chet deeper. Their shirts were tugged away and fell to the floor. Shoes and pants followed before they tumbled onto the bed, arms and legs entwining as they scrambled for more and more sensation, each driving the other out of their minds. The urgency took Darren by surprise, his own as well as Chet’s. The need, the passion, the simple excitement was almost too much and yet not enough at the same time. Darren wanted everything, and he wanted it all at once. Minutes led to hours of exploration and care until they were both worn out and completely sated… at least for the moment.
At some point in the night, light rain began, sending drips from the eaves down the outside of the house. Darren rolled over and pressed Chet onto his back, holding him as Chet wound his arms around him. They made love once more to the beat of thedrips from outside, silent and intense, their bodies connected, and Darren rode Chet until he could take no more, and this time when they fell asleep, Chet held him tightly for the rest of the night.
When Darren woke, sore and smiley, in the morning, he turned toward the clock and groaned. He’d overslept and had just twenty minutes to get to work. Darren climbed out of bed and hurried to the bathroom, where he washed up and then dressed quickly before leaning over the bed to kiss Chet goodbye.
“You going to work?” Chet whispered.
“Yeah.” He kissed him again and then hurried out of the house and down the road toward the market. Somehow, he managed to clock in with a minute to spare. Then he hurried to the butcher shop and got to work, expecting Henry to give him a glare, but the place was empty. The refrigerator was filled with cuts to be set out, and he got to it, but Henry was nowhere to be found.
“What’s going on?” he asked Margie when she stopped by to make sure he had everything.
She came around and stood in the doorway. “Henry will be out today. He has some appointments that he can’t miss. Can you handle everything?”
Darren nodded. “Of course I can.”
“He came in and made sure there’s enough stock, but I told him that he needs to train you on the rest of the operations back here. So you make sure he does.”
Darren smiled and nodded. “Thanks.” He had been asking about it, but all he got was one of Henry’s grunts. He went back to setting up the cases and helping customers. When it was slow, he cut and packaged the chickens, adding them to the case.
He had a steady stream of business all day and kept busy. At noontime, he found himself looking for Chet, but he didn’t comein. Darren tried not to be disappointed and kept his head down. At about two, he refilled the case and looked up to see Chet smiling back at him.
“Do you get a break?”
“Let me see if there is someone who can watch the counter.” He called Margie, and she sent back one of the guys. “Just man the counter and help the customers. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”
“I got it,” Wendel said.
“And don’t touch anything without gloves on,” Darren reminded him as he took off his apron and hat before leaving the area, tossing his disposable gloves.
“I got us a table at The Pub. It’s waiting for us. I would have ordered something for you, but….”
“It’s okay,” Darren said as he walked down the sidewalk. Chet led him inside and to a table under the tent. Hillary took their orders right away, and Darren tried not to stare longingly into Chet’s eyes. Their time was running out and he knew it.
“I need to leave for San Francisco late tomorrow morning.” He didn’t elaborate.
“Then why don’t you check out of your hotel and bring your stuff to the house. I have to work here until ten, but at least we can spend a few hours together tonight.” It was all the time they had left.
“Sure.” Chet smiled as Hillary brought drinks.
“He’s going to miss you,” Hillary told Chet. “Darren has been talking about you for the a while, and every time he does, he gets all goo-goo-eyed.”
“Hillary,” Darren said, trying not to blush.
“Come on. Being happy is a good thing.”
“Chet is leaving… tomorrow,” Darren said.
She put a hand on his shoulder for a second and then left the two of them alone.
“You have good friends here, and they seem to look out for you.”
“Yeah. The servers here all tend to look out for each other. They’re a real good bunch of people.” Darren sipped his Coke. “I work so much, and I don’t have time to spend with people outside of that, you know. But they’re a family here. So is the store. I think they look out for one another.”
Chet took his hand. “I’m going to say this, and I hope I don’t come off like a dick. But you need to give up this third job and allow yourself the chance to have a life outside of work.”
“But how?” Darren asked.
