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    Homme for the Holidays
    Homme for the Holidays
    Homme for the Holidays
    Ebook82 pages57 minutes

    Homme for the Holidays

    By Jonathan Penn

    ()

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    About this ebook

    A story from Boughs of Evergreen: A Holiday Anthology

    HOMME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
    by JONATHAN PENN

    Cade Bishop is finally on the mend from a traumatic event that happened almost five years ago. That healing didn't really start until last April, when he met Alan Troxler.

    Alan has problems of his own, but he's noticed over the last eight months that the more time he shares with Cade, the more easily he's able to put his troubles to rest.

    They're traveling together to Asheville, North Carolina to renew a Christmas tradition that was an important part of Alan's past, and to introduce him to Cade's parents - one of the few worries he hasn't been able to let go.

    * * * * *

    ABOUT BOUGHS OF EVERGREEN

    Boughs of Evergreen is a two-volume collection of short stories celebrating the holiday season in all its diversity. Penned by authors from the UK, the USA, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, these are tales of the young and the not-so-young from many different walks of life.

    Themes of family, friendship and romance take readers on a journey through some of the major holidays, both past and present, including Thanksgiving, Advent, St. Lucia Day, Hanukkah, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Yule, Christmas and New Year. In each we find at the very least hope, and often love, peace and happiness.

    Proceeds from sales of this anthology will be donated to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization [USA] providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBeaten Track Publishing
    Release dateDec 1, 2014
    ISBN9781909192973
    Homme for the Holidays
    Author

    Jonathan Penn

    Jonathan grew up in The South. While new to the world of writing, he has been inventing tales for at least fifty years. He was probably also making stuff up during the two years prior to that but, as this was his pre-verbal period, there's no evidence one way or the other. An armchair linguist, he has taught himself to ask, "Where is the bathroom?" in seven languages. He gardens, and enjoys red wines, theatre, cooking, singing and, of course, writing. Jonathan reminds himself every day how fortunate he is to have shared the best and worst of the last thirty-three years with the man of his dreams. He loves hearing from readers, so please add reviews at Amazon and Goodreads, and feel free to email him and friend him on Goodreads and Facebook.

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      Book preview

      Homme for the Holidays - Jonathan Penn

      Boughs of Evergreen

      A Holiday Anthology

      HOMME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

      by

      Jonathan Penn

      SMASHWORDS EDITION

      * * * * *

      Copyright 2014 Jonathan Penn.

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      * * * * *

      This novel is a work of fiction and the characters and events in it exist only in its pages and in the author’s imagination.

      * * * * *

      Cade Bishop is finally on the mend from a traumatic event that happened almost five years ago. That healing didn’t really start until last April, when he met Alan Troxler.

      Alan has problems of his own, but he’s noticed over the last eight months that the more time he shares with Cade, the more easily he’s able to put his troubles to rest.

      They’re traveling together to Asheville, North Carolina to renew a Christmas tradition that was an important part of Alan’s past, and to introduce him to Cade’s parents - one of the few worries he hasn’t been able to let go.

      * * * * *

      Acknowledgements

      Boundless Gratitude

      for the constant and unerring benefaction of

      Al, Deb, Joanne, Kaje, Margitta, Ofelia,

      and Tami (or Pati, as she’s known to some).

      Special thanks to Guillaume Loup,

      who helped Cade bone up on his conversational French.

      ***

      Cover Image:

      Spruce Tree- Drops of water by Tim Rains,

      used under CC BY 2.0 / Rotated from original

      Christmas Carol Attribution:

      Oh, Holy Night

      Original lyrics by Placide Cappeau (written in Roquemaure, France, 1843)

      Melody by Adolphe C. Adam, 1847

      English translation by John S. Dwight, 1855

      This work lies in the public domain.

      * * * * *

      Table of Contents

      Return

      Reminiscence

      Regret

      Reunion

      Repast

      Recognition

      Rejoice

      Renewal

      About the Author

      Boughs of Evergreen – A Holiday Anthology

      * * * * *

      Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,

      Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.

      —John Howard Payne, (1791-1852)

      * * * * *

      Return

      Screech! Screech! Screech! Screech!

      Cade Bishop’s eyes flew open as his hand flew to the alarm clock, stopping the infernal racket. He lay still and quiet for a while, studying the ceiling. He’d been dreaming about the night four years ago that changed his life forever. For more than a year after the attack, the nightmares had been violent, terrifying, and regular as clockwork. They’d faded over time, to the point where that gruesome experience rarely invaded his sleep. This one hadn’t been a nightmare, but it hadn’t been pleasant either. His heart rate slowed as indecipherable wisps of the dream faded from memory, and he gladly let them go.

      The sound of a nearby breath caught his attention, and he smiled. Now that was pleasant. He freed his other hand from the sheets and rolled over to plant a tender kiss on an exposed shoulder. Alan? He got a gravelly groan in response. He gave the shoulder a gentle bite. Alan. Time to get up.

      Hrgh! Alan rolled onto his back and crossed his forearms over his eyes. Is this one of your little jokes?

      Not a joke. Come on, we’ve got to get moving.

      Mmmm. Alan rolled back onto his side and pulled a pillow over his head.

      Alan! Cade climbed out of bed, came around the other side, and ripped back the covers. Hey, this wasn’t my idea. He took Alan’s hand and tugged hard enough to shift him to the edge of the mattress.

      Alright. Alright! Alan sat up and blinked, then squinted. You know, the day I left the service, I swore I’d never get up at oh-dark-thirty again. But for you— A ferocious yawn ripped through him, stretching his mouth and his arms wide. When it released him, he looked up at Cade and sighed in resignation.

      Cade pursed his lips, then blew a flirty kiss at Alan. I’m going to take a minute to freshen up. Can I trust you to get dressed while I’m gone? Everything’s laid out.

      Yes, Dear, Alan singsonged as he swung his legs over the side and stood up.

      Cade stepped toward the bathroom, keeping an eye on Alan as he went—suspicious that he would slip into bed again the moment his back was turned. He brushed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face before returning to the bedroom. Alan was gone, and so were his clothes, so he took that as a good sign. He dressed, then emerged into the great room, and found Alan in the entryway, wrapped in his parka, the hood pulled low over his face. He was leaning his head and one shoulder against the front door, gently rocking back and forth.

      Oh, Alan. You look pitiful.

      Please pity me! Alan turned a woeful pout on Cade. Why am I up when the sun isn’t?

      May I remind you again, sir, Cade said, with playful formality, this was your idea? We are leaving at this insane hour so we have time for you to treat me to a Buildwell House Christmas before we go to my folks’ place for dinner.

      Oh yeah. That. Alan groaned. I guess I did this to myself. He groaned again.

      Let’s just bite the bullet and do this, shall we? Or, whatever it is you big, strong Marine types say?

      Alan snapped to attention, gave a crisp salute, and roared out, Oorah!

      "Yeah. Hooray, or

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