the opportunity, who knew if he’d ever get such a perfect opening again? Hoping he wasn’t risking everything, Luke said, “I think we all have areas of our past that we’d like to make over. But that’s not the way it works. What we can do, though, is choose to learn from our mistakes and step out in confidence that the future is ours if we’re willing to take it.”
“You’re right. So let’s do that. Are you here alone this weekend?”
“Not anymore. I’m planning to spend the weekend with you.” And once again, Luke was almost blinded by the brilliance of Andrew’s smile.
Andrew jumped to his feet. “So let’s get our pizzas and plan what comes next.”
Chapter Two
Andrew knew this couldn’t be anything more than a weekend romance, hardly more than a one-night stand really, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t been this happy in a long time. He and Luke had talked and laughed for hours, long after the last of their pizza had gone cold and their iced tea warm.
Together they sat on the grass and watched as the first lot of fireworks burst in colorful and noisy splendor over the lake. All around them, children screamed with delight and lovers entwined their bodies and kissed. Andrew would have liked Luke to kiss him as well, but although they’d spent hours talking, he wasn’t sure whether they were quite ready for that step as yet.
Afterward, they walked through the crowds and bought chili dogs from the hot dog vendor, then ice creams from the bookstore. “What kind of a bookstore sells ice cream?” asked Andrew in confusion.
“The kind that wants to make money, I guess.” Luke laughed.
When Luke laughed his whole body laughed with him. His shoulders and chest wiggled in happiness and his blue eyes sparkled while his eyebrows rose up and then went down again. He was truly the most attractive man Andrew had ever known and Andrew wanted to spend the night with him desperately. He was almost certain that was the plan, but no one had actually said anything about it yet.
He’d booked a room in the town’s only hotel, but it was a very ordinary room. Still, it was private and had a bed and a bathroom. Of course if Luke was staying somewhere nicer that would be even better.
It was getting late, but the main fireworks display wasn’t until midnight, which was quite a while yet. Andrew wanted to suggest they go somewhere alone for a while, but wasn’t sure how to do it.
Luke must have read his mind because he said, “Let’s go for a drive up to the headland. As kids, we watched the fireworks from there once and had a fantastic view with only a fraction of the number of people around. It might be a lot more private. At least we could check it out. We’ll still have time to come back if it’s just as crowded.”
“Going for a drive to the headland would be nice anyway. Let’s do that.”
Andrew settled himself in the passenger seat as Luke pulled his car out onto the still-crowded Main Street. People were walking anywhere on the road as if it were a sidewalk, with no regard to the possibility of a car coming by. But Luke didn’t seem worried. He drove very slowly, letting everyone take as long as they wanted, and finally they were through the crowds and heading out of town up the hill. It wasn’t all that big a hill, and there wasn’t much of a lookout either, but most visitors walked up there at least once while they were staying at the lake.
They stopped briefly at the lookout and saw several carloads of young people who had evidently settled there to watch the fireworks. Luke just nodded at Andrew and they drove on around the hill and over the other side, then almost all the way down again, winding their way to the far side of the lake. When they reached the headland, there were a few groups of people right on the shoreline, including a party surrounding a large bonfire. Luke backtracked a little and parked beside a small grassy bowl of land that backed against the rocky
“You’re right. So let’s do that. Are you here alone this weekend?”
“Not anymore. I’m planning to spend the weekend with you.” And once again, Luke was almost blinded by the brilliance of Andrew’s smile.
Andrew jumped to his feet. “So let’s get our pizzas and plan what comes next.”
Chapter Two
Andrew knew this couldn’t be anything more than a weekend romance, hardly more than a one-night stand really, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t been this happy in a long time. He and Luke had talked and laughed for hours, long after the last of their pizza had gone cold and their iced tea warm.
Together they sat on the grass and watched as the first lot of fireworks burst in colorful and noisy splendor over the lake. All around them, children screamed with delight and lovers entwined their bodies and kissed. Andrew would have liked Luke to kiss him as well, but although they’d spent hours talking, he wasn’t sure whether they were quite ready for that step as yet.
Afterward, they walked through the crowds and bought chili dogs from the hot dog vendor, then ice creams from the bookstore. “What kind of a bookstore sells ice cream?” asked Andrew in confusion.
“The kind that wants to make money, I guess.” Luke laughed.
When Luke laughed his whole body laughed with him. His shoulders and chest wiggled in happiness and his blue eyes sparkled while his eyebrows rose up and then went down again. He was truly the most attractive man Andrew had ever known and Andrew wanted to spend the night with him desperately. He was almost certain that was the plan, but no one had actually said anything about it yet.
He’d booked a room in the town’s only hotel, but it was a very ordinary room. Still, it was private and had a bed and a bathroom. Of course if Luke was staying somewhere nicer that would be even better.
It was getting late, but the main fireworks display wasn’t until midnight, which was quite a while yet. Andrew wanted to suggest they go somewhere alone for a while, but wasn’t sure how to do it.
Luke must have read his mind because he said, “Let’s go for a drive up to the headland. As kids, we watched the fireworks from there once and had a fantastic view with only a fraction of the number of people around. It might be a lot more private. At least we could check it out. We’ll still have time to come back if it’s just as crowded.”
“Going for a drive to the headland would be nice anyway. Let’s do that.”
Andrew settled himself in the passenger seat as Luke pulled his car out onto the still-crowded Main Street. People were walking anywhere on the road as if it were a sidewalk, with no regard to the possibility of a car coming by. But Luke didn’t seem worried. He drove very slowly, letting everyone take as long as they wanted, and finally they were through the crowds and heading out of town up the hill. It wasn’t all that big a hill, and there wasn’t much of a lookout either, but most visitors walked up there at least once while they were staying at the lake.
They stopped briefly at the lookout and saw several carloads of young people who had evidently settled there to watch the fireworks. Luke just nodded at Andrew and they drove on around the hill and over the other side, then almost all the way down again, winding their way to the far side of the lake. When they reached the headland, there were a few groups of people right on the shoreline, including a party surrounding a large bonfire. Luke backtracked a little and parked beside a small grassy bowl of land that backed against the rocky
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