Page 22 of Fruit and Flash

“He thought I was lying, because ‘California is on the coast’ and kept driving.” Hayes slows as we enter main street. “I didn’t tell him the Pacific is freezing cold and the beaches are mostly rocks in Northern California.”

“Oh, boy. I bet he got a shock!” I laugh, and Shadow licks my face.

Looking up, I catch Hayes staring at me with an expression I can’t name. Maybe lust plus wonder? But either way, it’s a good one. A car honks behind us and he continues through the stop sign. Biting my lip, I realize I want Hayes to look at me that way again.

I only planned to spend a few weeks in Foggy Basin, but between this new project and the farmer sitting beside me—and his dog—I might need to extend my stay.

Chapter fourteen

Hayes

DrivingKaitothestore gives me a sense of whiplash. My days aren’t usually so full of randomness. From a neighbor worried about a prowler to my sister stopping by for eggs, then thinking about messaging the younger man to him showing up in under an hour was not on my bingo card. Well, the first couple things aren’t that unusual, but no way did I think I’d end up taking Kai to the hardware store so he could work on my property.

Shadow pants on the seat between us without a care in the world. He’s happy to be here and I’m regretting teaching him to sit in the middle since it means I don’t have an excuse for Kai to sit right next to me. Women have always seemed to enjoy scooting next to me on the bench seat when I picked them up for dates. It gave me an excuse to put my hand on their thighs or around their shoulders.

So, I might want that with a man, too.

The urge to keep looking at Kai to prove to myself he’s really here, in my truck, is strong. He’s so cute and eager, it makes me want to jump in headfirst with his plans. After old-man Merle honks at me at the stop sign on Main street, I focus on the road for the last couple blocks.

“Oh, it’s right across from Pints and Pool,” Kai points out as we pass Beauty and the Boutique and park on the side of Nuts and Bolts in the shade. “I bet I can see it from my apartment above the boutique and I never noticed!”

“Probably can.” Getting out, I close the door and tell Shadow to stay through the open window before walking around to the passenger side. Kai has already opened the door and hopped out, meaning I don't get to open his door for him. Do men even like that? Instead of asking what’s on my mind, I say, “Ready?”

Despite saying, “Lead the way, Farm Boy,” Kai clasps my hand and pulls me towards the sidewalk. He’s definitely in charge of this trip. I find I don’t mind at all.

With his smaller, and much softer, hand in mine, I’m acutely aware of how it looks that I drove Kai into town in my truck and am now going shopping with him. Even if the situation might make people assume some things about me, it feels good and right in a way I didn’t expect.

On one hand, I know there are a ton of gay—or queer? —men in Foggy Basin, but I’m still stuck in the old way of thinking from high school. As a teen everything people thought different or bad was ‘gay’ and I’m working on shaking what an internet search called ‘internal bias’. But Kai is different.

Kai is loud, flashy and unafraid to be exactly who he is, which might be over the top for some people. The idea of anyone saying a negative word to Kai has my protective hackles rising up like when my niece told me a boy was pulling her ponytail at school. I dare anyone to say a word against Kai in front of me.

One of the town’s multiple busy-bodies, Evelyn, is leaving the store, and I see her eyeing our connection. She is for sure going to tell people about this. The urge to drop Kai’s hand to please someone else feels wrong, since I really like holding his hand.

Logically, I know there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, and I let Kai pull me inside until he lets me go to pull out his phone. The loss is distinct and I frown, wondering when Kai will hold my hand again.

Others might find him to be too much, or attention-seeking, but I find it attractive. If a woman wears colorful clothes and gushes about the things she’s passionate about, no one bats an eye. Why do we have different standards for men?

“You said I need some big wood?” Kai asks and I whip my head to see him smirking. Brat

Jack, who co-owns the store with his partner, Hudson, chokes on a laugh. “Lumber and plywood is in aisle four.”

The fact that the store, passed down from Hudson’s parents, is owned by a gay couple, is something I completely forgot. Jack is actually Kai’s age, and I wonder if they would be friends if Kai stayed in town. That errant and highly unlikely thought has me shaking my head at myself. Kai isn’t going to stay forever.

“Thanks, Jack.”

Placing my hand on Kai’s lower back, I steer him to where we need to go, and find I like touching him in this way as well. I think I just like him.

“A sheet of plywood to cover the broken window,” I clarify, even though the wood bit was funny. “I think tarps are nearby as well.”

“Whatever you say,” Kai nods, smiling up at me and taking my breath away.

How is someone so hot, and so self-assured, into me? I’m a farmer in a small town who hasn’t been to a city in nearly a decade. Hell, plaid might as well be my favorite color at thispoint, while I’m pretty sure everything he wears is designer labels.

Clearing my throat, I grab a sheet of wood and tuck it under my arm. “Think you can hold the other supplies? There’s no cart or pallet.”

“No problem,” Kai tells me before spotting the tarps on an endcap and rushing over to them. “Blue, brown, gray, or black?”

“Not sure it matters,” I shrug, then think of something. “What would look better on camera?”