[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Kyle to arrange them in half-hour appointments and send them down to the salon.
He ended up being booked so deep Marcus had to arrange with Kyle for him to come
back the next day. The care-center manager showed up too and had to instill some rules
about how many people could be in the salon at a time and personally arranged Frankie s
www.samhainpublishing.com 115
Heidi Cullinan
assistants from the care-center staff, as suddenly the defunct salon was the only place
anyone wanted to be. Frankie declined to leave for dinner, not even letting Marcus get
him something from the café, insisting he was fine with whatever they were serving on-
site so long as it wasn t made of cow. Since the evening meal turned out to be meatloaf,
the cook whipped him up a turkey sandwich and a side salad, which honestly was such a
relief after all the chili that it tasted like it came from a gourmet chef to Frankie.
When he finally climbed on the back of Marcus s snowmobile to ride back to the
cabin, it was after enduring a crush of goodbyes from his legion of adoring fans and
making many promises to return the next day and give everyone a turn in the chair. His
last glimpse of the care center featured Mimi Gardner sitting in a chair by the faux
fireplace, upright and prim and beaming as she preened for her envious friends.
It was one of the best days Frankie had ever had in his life.
This was all before, when they got back to the cabin, Marcus pulled him into the
corner, kissed him hard and held him in a tight embrace.
I haven t seen her that happy in years, Marcus whispered after kissing him again.
She was radiant. Absolutely radiant. You did that, Frankie that was you.
That had been Frankie, and he wasn t even going to be bashful about it. I can t wait
to go back tomorrow. I almost hope they total my car so I have to earn enough money to
buy a new one before I go home.
Speaking of that. Marcus pulled back enough that he could look at Frankie as he
spoke. Jed got your car out of the ditch and into the shop. Needs a little bit of body work
and a new belt that he says had nothing to do with the storm, and you ll be ready to go.
Though he did say it looked like you weren t keeping up on your scheduled
maintenance.
Frankie snorted. I don t do scheduled maintenance. I got that car for five hundred
dollars, and when it dies I ll spend five hundred dollars on another piece of shit. Cars are
not something I waste time or money on.
Marcus gave him a severe look. If you re going to be driving up here, even only
around Duluth, you need a reliable car.
116 www.samhainpublishing.com
UUL
Let it Snow
This is what my father keeps telling me. It s just that I d rather spend my money on
other things, like clothes and hair products and tools for my station at the salon. He
realized what it meant, that his car was fixed or would be soon. The joy ricocheting inside
of Frankie leaked out like air from a balloon. When did he say he d be done with my
car?
A couple days. Marcus s hands slipped to Frankie s waist. That said, the roads
only just now got their first pass with the plow, and that second storm is heading in
tomorrow morning. We also still don t have a fuel truck, and when we do, the mayor s
talking about rationing that for generators. The Minnesota DOT isn t recommending
travel on any of the northern highways, either. They re not officially closed, but they re
emphatic about emergency traffic only for now. Plus he has to order the belt.
Frankie smiled, his mood lifting a bit. In that case, I can hardly leave tomorrow.
Thank God.
Marcus smiled back, his own crooked and shaded with wickedness. I d say
anything before Sunday is optimistic at best.
Heart rushing up into his throat again, the thrill of the day and the promise of several
more just like it made Frankie giddy. Oh, Marcus. I had so much fun today.
Me too, Marcus said, and brushed their lips together.
The crackle of the fire and the murmur of Arthur s and Paul s voices in the kitchen
were the only connections to reality. Frankie shut his eyes and drank in the moment. He
wished he could stay. He wished it harder than he d ever wished anything in his life.
Marcus stroked his hair. Don t think about leaving. Like you said, we have a few
days. Let s enjoy them.
Okay, Frankie agreed.
They went to bed early that night, and though they had sex, it wasn t half as intense
as it had been the first few times because they were both so tired. They came together like
a sigh, reconnecting after a big day. It felt like the way sex would be if they were able to
be together long term an extension of their relationship, a reconnection at the end of the
day before they went to sleep.
www.samhainpublishing.com 117
Heidi Cullinan
A few days, Frankie thought as he drifted off. He vowed he d make every minute of
every hour count.
118 www.samhainpublishing.com
UUL
Chapter Twelve
The next morning when Marcus woke at six thirty, Frankie was already up and
making breakfast. He d started the generator on his own Arthur had showed him how
the day before and was working away at the stove. As Marcus shuffled into the kitchen,
Frankie smiled and handed him a cup of coffee.
Good morning. He kissed Marcus on the lips and went back to flitting about the
kitchen, looking radiant and eager. I only need a quick shower and ten minutes to get
ready, and I can head back into town. I know they didn t make my first appointment until
nine, but I wanted to get in there and clean up, do some sterilizing of equipment and
maybe put up the Christmas decorations Kyle told me he d find.
Sure. I ll hurry up getting ready.
Frankie waved a hand at him. Oh, finish your coffee. It s early yet. I m just being
an eager beaver.
Yes, he was, but Marcus doubted Frankie knew how much his enthusiasm meant to
the women he was selflessly giving his time to. Though as Marcus and Frankie came
through the main doors of the care center at eight, even Marcus was surprised at the
reception waiting for them.
Marcus had anticipated the women, but some of the men had arrived too, wanting to
see what was going on. Most notable, though, were the family members from the
community who stood behind the ladies with appointments younger men and women
clutching their mothers and grandmothers shoulders. Some of them looked eager, but a
lot of them looked slightly wary, as if they weren t sure they should trust whatever this
was that was going on.
If Frankie was surprised by it all, he didn t say anything. He greeted everyone
cordially, going up to women he d seen the day before and complimenting them, telling
Heidi Cullinan
them they looked even more beautiful than he remembered. There was a moment of
tension when women who d already had their turn insisted they needed touch-ups, but
Frankie smoothed that over, promising he d teach the staff how to replicate some of his
tricks and that, weather permitting, he d be back the next day as well. Waving, he
disappeared down the hall, turning down everyone s help, even Marcus s, promising he d
be ready at nine.
Not sure what else there was to do, Marcus went into the dining hall to have
breakfast with his mother.
She did look lovely, and she smiled right away when she saw him, touching her hair
and blatantly fishing for compliments. While she had to ask several times what Frankie s
name was, she remembered his service to her with a clarity that made Marcus feel warm
and relieved. She seemed aware too that she had been the first of the women to receive
Frankie s highly prized services, and she enjoyed this fact immensely. In fact, she was so
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]