Author: Kristbethke

**A perfect challenge for summer–ice cream and unrequited love…or is it?  Enjoy!**

Getting relegated to working the ice cream stand had been kind of a low blow.  I hadn’t had to do that since high school.  The ice cream portion of the permanent family farm stand was only open during the summer, and there wasn’t much that could get fucked up in there, which was why it was the high school kids’ job in the first place.  But with my brother Jack in charge of the business now that my parents had retired to Florida, and him being pissed I’d been giving loyal customers a break on some of their produce purchases, I’d been kicked out of the stand and over to ice cream.  I felt bad that our best customers were no longer getting a few extra pieces of produce, but I could kind of understand where Jack was coming from, even if he was a big jerk.  So I took my punishment like a man and went to work in ice cream.  It wasn’t horrible, but it was boring as hell, and there was only so much ice cream I could eat before I got sick.

And then he started showing up and I thanked my lucky stars I was where I was.

The first time he stepped up to the window he had his niece perched on his hip, and he was just so dang pretty I forgot how to speak.  I just stared.  He stared back.  Neither one of us said or did anything.  The dark eyed toddler–she was maybe two or three– finally broke the spell, pulling the striped hat over her eyes and yelling out, “Hey, who turned out the lights?!” We both laughed, and Pretty Man turned a sheepish smile to me.

“Sorry.  It’s her new trick.”  He shook his head, and gave the girl a little bounce before pulling her hat off.  “Evs, you want ice cream?”

“Ice cream! Ice cream!” She gave us both a big grin, and raised her hands in the air.  “Woo hoo!”

“Vanilla or chocolate?” he asked.

It was all I could do to keep the laugh inside at the incredulous look she turned on her uncle.  “Chock-lat.”

He turned back to me, his blue eyes bright and shining, and asked for one vanilla and one chocolate, both in bowls. I was struck speechless again for just a minute before Evs hollered for her hat.

Those two ice creams were the most perfect I’d ever made.

That was just the first time he came by.  Over the past month or so, I’d seen him several times a week.  Sometimes he had his niece in tow; other time he was by himself.  We struck up a conversation each time he stepped up to my window.  His name was Trevor, and he worked as a computer programmer.  I learned about how much he enjoyed his job, his niece, and superhero movies.  He was the epitome of adorkable, and I was completely in love.

I anticipated his arrival all day.  I couldn’t wait to see him.  If he didn’t show, I felt supreme disappointment.  I found myself daydreaming about him at the oddest times.  Every time he did show up, my heart started pounding and it was all I could do to keep my nerves from showing.  Every little piece I learned about him made me like him even more, made me long to take him in my arms.  I wanted to know everything about him.  I wanted him in my house.  In my bed.

But I knew he didn’t return my feelings.  We were friendly, and had many a good conversation, but he never flirted back.  Not once.  That didn’t stop me from trying, but I knew I was destined to adore him from afar.  And I was loathing the end of the summer, when ice cream season would end, and the stand would close because I would no longer get to see him. But until then, I would store up as many memories as I could.

A rather slow afternoon had me counting cars as they drove passed and seeing how many times I could kick the counter before my toes started hurting.  I wasn’t the most intelligent of human beings when I was bored.  But when I saw the familiar dark sedan pull into the tiny parking lot, I stood up straight and did a little happy wiggle before he could see me.  When he didn’t reach into the back seat to retrieve his niece, I got even happier.  The little girl was adorable beyond words, and she always brightened my day, but it was easier to flirt with Trevor when she wasn’t hanging on his hip.

“Hey Joel,” he said with a bright smile as he walked up.

“Trevor,” I said with a swoon-like sigh.  I cleared my throat.  I was smitten but I didn’t need to act like it.  “Good to see you, man.  You want the usual?” I reached for a cup before I even finished asking.

“Yes, that would be good.” Trevor’s voice shook and he couldn’t quite meet my eyes.  “And also a date.  With you.  Ice cream and then later, a date.  If you want that is.  I don’t know if you want to.  Or if you even like boys.  I just, you know, like you so–”

“Trevor,” I said, interrupting gently.  He blinked those gorgeous eyes at me.  “I’ve been flirting with you for the past six weeks, of course I want to.”

He blinked again, and then a shaky smile graced his face.  “You have?  Are you sure?”

I laughed.  “I’m sure.”

The smile grew. “Then we should have dinner later.  Since you like me back.”

I grinned too. “I really do.”

**To finish up with Lucas and Aaron…a silly misunderstanding and a renewal of commitment.  Thanks for reading along with these guys.  I hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I have!**

“Since when do you like hunting?”

The outrage in Aaron’s voice made me startle, and I nearly dropped the book I was holding.  We had a rare three days off together, and we’d been enjoying the quiet time at home.  Aaron had been puttering in the kitchen, experimenting with a pie recipe, and I’d been lounging on the couch.  The shouting was completely unnecessary, but it told me how angry he was.  I sat up a little straighter.

“What?” I asked. I was confused and I was certain that I couldn’t have heard him right.  But Aaron was already beyond pissed.

“How could you enjoy that?  Killing innocent animals for sport?  It’s cruel.  How did I not know this about you?  I can’t abide this, Lucas.  I can’t.  And there’s no way in hell I’d ever go do that with you—”

“Baby,” I interrupted as soon as he stopped to draw breath.  “What are you talking about?”

He glared, his eyes narrowing.  “Don’t play dumb with me.  A few minutes ago, you suggested we go hunting sometime.”

I chuckled, I couldn’t help it.  “Camping.  Aaron, I said we should go camping sometime.”

“Oh.”  Aaron cocked his head to the side and let that sink in before he deflated completely.  He gave me a sheepish grin.  “Um.  Those two words don’t sound alike.”

“Not so much, no.”  I let out another laugh, and shook my head.

Aaron’s smile grew. “So I totally heard you wrong there.  Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I said, absolving him from any blame.  I held out my arms, and he came jogging over before throwing himself in my lap and burrowing in. I kissed the side of his head and pulled him in tight.

“Camping, huh?”

I laughed even as I nodded.  “Sure.  You, me, fucking under the stars.  I see no bad there.”

Aaron chuckled, and rolled his eyes.  “Such a romantic.  I can feel the love just pouring off you.”

I wasn’t romantic, and we both knew it.  The living room picnic aside, I couldn’t think of one thing I’d done that could even be misconstrued as romantic. But that didn’t mean I didn’t love him with everything I had.

“I love you, Aaron.” The words were out of my mouth before I could give them a second thought.

Aaron tilted his head back until he could see me.  His gaze roamed my face, taking in my expression and trying to figure me out.  I knew I had surprised him with my sudden seriousness.  I let him look, hoping he could see the truth.  Suddenly, his eyes went soft and he leaned into me, snuggling.

“I love you back,” he said quietly.  He squeezed me tightly.  “Don’t worry, Lucas.  I get you.  I understand your reasons and your needs.  It’s all good.  I’m as in this as I was six months ago, and that’s not going to change.  Not as long as you keep loving me like you do.”

“Never going to stop,” I vowed.

Our relationship wasn’t perfect by any means.  And I still couldn’t show him off in public or go to events with him on my arm.  He might be a secret, but he wasn’t a dirty one, and we both knew it.  We were rock solid, and that wasn’t going to change.  No matter what.

 

**Okay!  Back to the boys this week…with an Emmy nomination.  I’ll admit, I took a little liberty with this one and didn’t research how nominations were announced, but this made sense to me.  Enjoy some more Aaron and Lucas!**

It was early, but I was glued to my television screen.  Any second now, they would make the announcement  Any moment and I’d see who was nominated for the prime time Emmys.  I had high hopes. I could feel it in my bones.  This was going to be the year, I just knew it.

Suddenly, between one blink and the next, they began.  I only half paid attention as they started announcing, not caring who was nominated in most of the beginning categories.   I only half paid attention as they announced Lead Actor.  I was uncharacteristically antsy, but I was waiting for Supporting Actor and…there it was.  Just like I knew it would be.  I couldn’t contain the grin.  I was so proud I felt like I’d burst.

I got up from the table and all but ran into the bedroom, scaring the cat badly enough that he hissed at me.  I ignored him and pounced on the bed, waking my boyfriend with a sloppy kiss.  He grumbled and tried to turn over, but I wouldn’t let him.  I released a happy laugh and shook him until he opened his eyes.

“Aaron, baby.  You did it!  You got the nomination!”

He blinked.  Smacked his lips.  Closed his eyes again.  “That’s nice.”

I stared at him in shock and gave him another shake.  “Nice?  Aaron!  You’ve been nominated for an Emmy.  Aren’t you excited?”

I could tell by the way he was breathing, how he held his body, that he was no longer even remotely sleepy.  He was just pretending as he turned his face into the pillow and muttered, “Sure am.”

Okay then. I slid to the side until I could lay down next to him, snuggling up and getting really close.  Aaron carefully didn’t not move until I was right in his face, and then he turned his head, laughing a little and muttering about morning breath.  But I didn’t care about that and he knew it.  I pressed up against him and waited for him to release that sigh that let me know he knew I wasn’t going anywhere.  When it came, I smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Talk to me,” I said softly.  “I thought you’d be thrilled.”

“I am,” he responded just as quietly.  He offered me a small smile.  “And nervous.  And scared.  And overwhelmed.  And a bit sad.”

All of those emotions made sense, except for the last one.  Waking him from a dead sleep, especially after the night we’d had, made it more difficult for him to process them too.  I knew that.  So I didn’t worry about everything he was feeling.  He’d have time to work them all out.  But the sadness?  That I needed to deal with right now.

“Why sad?”

Aaron averted his gaze, and his legs twitched.  I waited, staring at him, knowing that it would make him break faster.  After just a minute or two, he cleared his throat and turned his wide gray eyes to mine.  His voice was barely more than a whisper when he admitted, “Because you can’t go with me.”

My heart squeezed tight even as my stomach dropped.  There was a part of me that wanted to give him what he wanted.  To stand up and proclaim our relationship to the entire world.  But I couldn’t do that. Not if I wanted to keep my career on the path it was.  Not yet.  The world was changing, and it was about fucking time, but it wasn’t there yet.  Someday, I knew I’d be able to be out and proud.  But it wasn’t that day yet.  Even as these thoughts ran through my head, I felt a niggle of anger.  Because Aaron had sworn up and down that my staying in the closet wouldn’t be a problem for him.  Before that feeling had a chance to take root, Aaron rolled into my arms and pressed his face against my neck.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly and full of feeling. “I’m sorry, Lucas.  I didn’t mean that like it sounded. I’d love for you to be there of course, but I don’t blame you for not being able to.”

I cut off his babbling by kissing him hard.  I knew he was sincere, and it was easy to forgive him.  Really, there was nothing to forgive.  Aaron’s body melted against mine and I held him tightly.  Eventually, I pulled back far enough so that I could look into his eyes.

“You deserve this, baby.  And I’m so proud of you.”

He grinned for me then.  “Thank you. You’ll be waiting for me to get home?”

I waggled my eyebrows.  “I’ll be naked and ready to celebrate.  We’ll start a tradition, for every award we win in the future.”

“Sounds like a good deal to me,” Aaron said with a laugh, his entire face just lighting up with glee.  He dropped his forehead until it rested against mine.  “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” I responded, kissing him again.  I put everything I felt into it, making it a silent vow.  Someday I’d stand next to him on the red carpet, and it would make our wins all the sweeter.  Until that day, this would be enough.

**Aaron and Lucas are still in love, and their life is moving along happily.  But how will Lucas react when he gets an unexpected present?  Enjoy!**

“It’s going to be fine.”

It took work to keep the scowl off my face, but Aaron was focused on the road in front of him so he didn’t notice the effort. “I know.”

“It’s really not a big deal at all,” Aaron continued conversationally like I hadn’t spoken.  He rolled to a stop at the sign, then made sure the way was clear before continuing on.  “It’s just my parents.”

“I know,” I repeated, doing my best to keep the tension out of my voice.  Yes, it was just his parents.  But it was the first time I was meeting them.  I’d talked to his dad a few times on the phone, but never his mother.  I’d sat next to him and stared at him in disbelief as he’d had conversations with her.  Truth was, I was sort of terrified of meeting them.

“They’re going to love you.  Just like I do,” Aaron said softly, sparing me a glance and a smile before he pulled into the driveway of a modest home.  I didn’t get much more than a glimpse before he leaned in and kissed me hard.  When he pulled back, he gave me a grin.  “Ready?”

Not even a little bit.  “Yep.”

When Aaron circled the back of the SUV to retrieve our bags, I did the same and within moments we were climbing the steps to the porch.  Our feet barely hit wood when the door swung open and a petite but lanky woman stepped out, flinging her arms wide.

There was no doubt that this was Aaron’s mother.  It was clear where he got his good looks.  Even though Beth Zeller had to be in her late fifties or early sixties, she looked a good decade younger.  Her eyes were bright, the same color as Aaron’s, and her hair was so light blonde that it almost completely camouflaged the gray.  She was stunning.

A familiar chuckle drew my attention to the doorway.  Errol lounged against the frame, an affectionate smile on his face as he took in the sight of his wife and son.  I couldn’t stop staring at the big man, almost amazed at how much of Aaron I could see in him.  And I thought Aaron looked so much like his mother.  As I swung my gaze back and forth between them, I realized that Aaron was a perfect mix of both his parents, taking on the best parts of them.  Both Errol and Beth were aging well, still incredibly beautiful people, and the thought crossed my mind that Aaron had absolutely nothing to worry about when it came to his looks.

“Mom, Dad, this is Lucas.”  Aaron’s smile was huge as he reached out to take my hand. “Sweetheart, meet my parents.”

“It’s my pleasure,” I said sincerely, pretending the nerves hadn’t made my voice shake.  Instead I reached out to take Beth’s hand in mine.  She let out a giggle, and lifted her free hand to her chest.

“Oh my, Lucas Logan. In my house!  I can hardly believe I have a famous actor in my house.  Oh my goodness, wait till I tell Mar—” She cut herself off with a panicked look, and shook her head fast. “No, of course not.  There’s no telling. I know that.”

“You can say he’s here, Mom,” Aaron said quietly, shooting me a quick glance.  We’d talked about this.  “You just have to say it’s because he’s my friend.  Not the real reason.”

Beth cocked her head to the side.  “Well now, isn’t he your friend?  Your father is my friend.  That’s how these things work, you know.”

Aaron laughed, shaking his head.  “Yes, Mom.  He’s my friend.”  He paused and took a deep breath and looked me in the eye.  “But he’s so much more than that.”

I tried very hard not to blush at the emotion I heard in his words.

Errol chose that moment to interrupt, herd us all into the house, and make his own introductions.  I liked Aaron’s dad a lot, and had even before I spoke with him on the phone. He was a kind, jovial sort of guy, with a quick wit and quicker smile.  And he took command of the situation with an easy air that let me know he’d been managing his wife and son for a long time.

Aaron dropped his bag by the stairs, and I did the same, following the group into the living room.  When Aaron sat on the couch, he pulled me down with him, and I let him tuck himself against my body.  This was his family, and if he left the need to be in my personal space, I wasn’t going to question it.  Truth was, I wasn’t sure if it was all for my benefit.

Aaron was good at keeping the conversational ball rolling, keeping his mother from fixating on anything having to do with me, my career or family, and our love life.  Mostly I let the conversation wash over me, only half paying attention so I could answer when a questions was asked of me.

Eventually, Beth got up to start dinner and Aaron kissed my cheek and went to help her.  My nerves returned full force, being alone with Aaron’s dad. Especially with the way he was looking at me and smiling.

“What?” I asked warily.

“Nothing,” Errol said with a chuckle and a dismissive wave.  “I’m just looking at you. Thinking about how much you love my son.”

“I do love him” I said quietly but with all the passion I felt.  “More than I ever thought possible.”

Errol nodded, and then stood.  “I know that.  It’s there in the way you touch him.  The easy way you’re in each other’s space.  That can’t be faked.  No matter how good an actor you are,” Errol said with a grin, looking over his shoulder at me.  When I smiled back, he turned toward the mantel and picked up a small box.  Then he crossed the room and sat next to me on the couch.

“When I fell in love with Beth,” Errol began, his gaze on the box. “Her father sat me down.  Now the thing you have to know was that Beth’s father was a very stern German man, though surprisingly sentimental underneath.  He told me he came here with nothing but a few Deutsche marks in his pocket and a dream in his heart.  And he fell in love and married a beautiful woman.  And raised five beautiful children.  And he never, not once, took for granted their love.”

Errol paused then, and flipped open the lid of the box.  He tilted it toward me so the silver coin could catch the light.  It was a mark from 1930, polished so it gleamed.  Errol’s gaze was fixed on the coin.

“This was one of those coins he had in his pocket, and he gave it to me that day.  He said he could tell how much I loved his daughter just by watching us and that he wanted me to have this mark as a reminder that some sacrifices are worth it, when you do it for the ones you love.”

Errol’s voice was deep and soothing, and I found myself transfixed by his words.  I was so engrossed in his story that it took me a moment to realize that he was holding the box out for me to take.  My eyes went wide, and I looked at him in surprised even as I took the box.

“It’s yours now, Lucas.  As a reminder.  Because I know you’re going to love my son forever.”  Errol patted my shoulder with a big, warm hand, and then he stood and walked away.  I watched him go.  I couldn’t believe it.  I was humbled and touched by the gift, but even more so by the man’s words.

I don’t know how much time had passed before Aaron sat beside me and wrapped an arm around me.

“You all right?” he asked softly.

I swallowed and nodded, then closed the box and leaned into Aaron so I could put it in my pocket.  Then I turned to him.  I kissed him, softly and sweetly, and when I pulled away we were both smiling.

“Yeah, baby.  I’m just fine.”  Then I stood and pulled him to his feet, tucking him into my arms and holding him close.  I kissed his ear and then said softly, “I love you.  And I’m glad we came.”

Aaron’s smile made everything worth it.