Come Back to Eden and other stories by Julian Balfour

Author:Julian Balfour [Balfour, Julian]
Language: nld
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

you let it.”

“We’ll play it by ear, Brad. Don’t worry

about it.”

Brad smiled and touched Hank’s face. “God!

You’re a handsome man.”

“You probably say that to all your naked

models.”

“Thank you for yesterday. It’s always so hard

for me leave that place.”

“You don’t have to, you know,” Hank said.

Brad placed his finger over Hank’s lips and

then kissed him.

“See you or call you late Wednesday.” He

grabbed his canvas bag, briefcase, and the package

of calendars and left.

THE Charlotte meeting went well. Despite

the rush of the day and all that was going on around

him, Brad felt energized and made a winning

presentation. He was offered the job on the spot.

At six thirty he went to the bar in the Adam’s

Mark Hotel, where he had promised Wayne

Richards he’d meet him for a drink—Wayne, the

fellow who had once broken his heart. He hadn’t

seen Wayne in a year or more, and he wondered if

his former lover would look any different.

“Hi,” came a voice from behind him. Brad

turned and there Wayne was, a bit out of breath,

and with a shock of blond hair hanging over his

eyes, as always. “I thought I was going to be late! I

will never get used to this damned Charlotte

traffic!”

Wayne gave him a hug. Brad noticed the

smile that had once melted him had not changed,

nor had the trim frame, which, in earlier days, had

reminded him of a young George Harrison. They

sat in a dimly lit corner booth. “You look terrific!”

Wayne said. “Rich and successful! And, hey! I like

that tiny touch of gray at the temples. Distingué!”

“Age, my friend, happens. Or is it life that

happens?”

“Whatever it is, it’s been good to you.”

“You lie as pleasantly as ever.”

“Well, tell me! Did you get the photo

commission at the bank?”

“Yep! Nailed it!”

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw your name

on Mr. Hill’s appointment calendar. I told him you

were fabulous!”

“What on earth are you doing working at

Wachovia?” Brad asked. “What happened with the

teaching?”

“Ask me what didn’t happen with the

teaching! I don’t know why I thought it would be

better here than in Asheville, but it was the pits!

Plus, I was sick of having to hide my sexuality. I

thought I could be ‘out’ here, but forget it! The

public schools have got a long way to go, baby.

Anyway, I’ve been at the bank for about six months

—and I’m out there! And everybody knows it!

Hooray!”

“Do you like it, the bank?”

“It’s okay, but you know what PR is like. I’m

really a glorified flunkie. They only hired me

because I look good and can talk without a trailer

trash southern accent. And… I know how to turn

on the charm—when it’s needed.”

“I seem to remember that,” Brad said, with a

smile.

“Listen, friend, you could teach charm, if

you’d ever decided to come out from behind that

camera. I’ve watched you wangle your way into

getting pictures that nobody else could have

gotten.”

Brad ignored the comment. “Still, it’s a

prestigious place. I can see you moving up fast.”

“No way! It’s a road to nowhere as far as I’m

concerned,” Wayne said. “I don’t have any interest

in banking, so I’ve applied for the job as reference

librarian at the Pack Library in Asheville.

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