Never Say Goodbye by Stevens Felice

Author:Stevens, Felice
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Good Man Press
Published: 2024-01-08T00:00:00+00:00

***

The following morning Ren dressed for his meeting with Samuel. Unexpectedly nervous, he changed his shirt twice, which made no sense, since Samuel didn’t care what he wore. Schaeffer had offered his car for the drive to Westchester so he wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of the Metro-North.

“Don’t forget the registration and insurance card I left for you on the table.”

“I won’t. I know those troopers are out there.” He glanced at his phone before sliding it into his pocket. “I should be back by the afternoon or sooner, depending on what Samuel wants.”

“Good. I can get tickets for the ball game. Hot dogs and baseball? What do you say?”

He leaned over and gave Schaeffer a goodbye kiss. “Let’s go, Mets.”

It took an hour and forty-five minutes to get to White Plains due to traffic and construction. “Jesus Christ, I’ll be a hundred by the time they fix this damn road,” Ren grumbled, but he didn’t really mind. How could he, when he had so much to be grateful for? He turned up the radio and belted out some AC/DC.

Finally, he reached the low-rise office building in Pleasantville where Nature’s Beauty had their main offices. Toni, Samuel’s wife and coeditor, greeted him with a hug.

“Ren. I was so excited when Samuel said you were coming in today. It’s been how long?”

“Over two years. And you haven’t changed at all. Still gorgeous.” He gave the woman a squeeze. Toni was an old-school nature enthusiast, a botanist and member of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Toni blushed. “Stop flirting. When are you going to find a man to deal with you?”

“Maybe I have,” he teased.

Her jaw dropped, and she put her hands on her hips and glared. “Renaldo Stewart. You did not just say you have a boyfriend and think I’m going to let that pass.”

“Damn, Toni. No one’s called me Renaldo in forever.” He sprawled in the empty chair next to her desk. “And yeah. I met someone.” Even the mere thought of Schaeffer set his insides swirling.

“Someone special, from that look on your face. When? How long?”

“We met during the snowstorm that closed JFK about six months ago. Then we ran into each other again when I was on vacation in California. We…connected. I’m staying with him now.”

She bit her lip, eyes searching. “It’s serious?”

Serious. Such a bland word to describe what he felt for Schaeffer, what he felt like with Schaeffer. One single word couldn’t encompass the absolute completeness Schaeffer’s touch brought him. That gnawing sense of restlessness and craving to escape vanished whenever they were together. Suddenly his life of only one no longer satisfied. He needed Schaeffer to be free.

“I’m not sure what serious entails, but he’s different from anyone I’ve ever met. I’m…happy. Very happy with him.” A smile broke across his face. Thinking about Schaeffer had him smiling almost all the time.

“I can see that. And that makes me happy. For more than one reason.” But despite her words, sadness weighed in her eyes and the frown of her lips.

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