CouchDays

AnovelbyJ.D.Lazerine

StorybyJ.D.Lazerine&RileyJohnson

Thisnovelisfor:

God
Mom
Riley
Jack
Alec
Samantha
Madeline
Kenzi
Michael
Steven
Aaron

Everyonesdying,
butgirlyourenotoldyet
EzraKoenig

BookOne
May7June15
2015

Chapter1

CoopStocktonwantedtobeaprofessionalgolfergrowingup.Hehadoneofthose
flawlessswingsthatwasjustmeanttobeontelevision.Coopwantedtoplayforajuniorcollege
andworkhiswayuptotheamateaurcircuit,buthissummerjobasagroundskeeperatMansard
PointResortturnedintoayearroundjobandeventuallyCoopwasmadetheMansardPoint
Resortsuperintendent.Idontthinkheslefttownmuchsince.
Hesatinfrontofmewithanimpeccableamountofburlytohim.Hisarmsandfacewere
seepedindustafewshadesdarkerthanafarmerstan.
Whatllitbe?
Surpriseme,hesaid.
IfetchedhimaBeefeaterandTonic.
YouwannaknowsomethingKiel?
Surething.
Youcantellalotaboutamanbywhatliquorhedrinks.
Isethisdrinkdown.Thebarwasstartingtofillup.Ihadtoraisemyvoiceabit.But
whatifamandrinksanything?
Cooptookahellofafirstsip.Justbecauseaman
can
drinkanything,itdoesntmean
he
should
.
Selective.
Quiteaniceratiowiththeginhere,Kiel,IcantastetheJuniper.

ThatshowImakeemforthegoodguys.
Well,whatllbeoftomorrowyouthink?
Ithinktheteesheetwillbepackedwalltowall.
Youreallythinkso?
Bestgreensinthestate.
Youhaventbeentomanytracks.
Afew.NotalotofgolfinMaine.
Butoutofthefewyouveplayed?
Isolemnlyswear.
Youreoneofthebetterones,Kiel.Hefinishedthedrinkandrequestedanother.If
youwantedtoswingbytheshacktonight,Igotsomegoodscotch.
Nothingsoundsbetter.Illgrabthatdrink.
JacksonHuntwalkedinwithsunglassesonhisfaceandanArmaniblazercoveringhis
Loungepolo.WeallcalledhimAce.
Fiveminuteslate,Isaid.
Hepoppedahandfulofaspirin.Theywentdownliketictacs.Upyours.Imroyalty.
Soberup.
Funny.Heopenedthedoortothebackstockliquorandgesturedmein.Idroppedoff
Coopsdrinkandfollowedhimin.Acewasthetypeofguyyoufollowedintoliquorclosets.
Hefoldedhisblazercarefully.Youwannaknowwhattonightis?
Is
that
tonight?
Hereachedforabottleofwhiskey.Coursesopentomorrow,isntthathowitworks?

IpromisedCoopIdcomeouttotheshacktonight.
Whynotboth?Acetookaquickpullandpassedthebottle.Itookasiporfive.
Wevegotbartomorrownight.
Wellbefine.Newserversaregoingtostopby,too.
Youhavingablowout?
Acereallylaidintothewhiskeyandwhenhewasdoneheshruggedofftheburnlikea
scholar.Parentsarestilllingeringaround.Gitmo.
So?
Yourhouseisaveryclosesecondtomine.
IthinkJamesandMariaharethere,Isaid.
Themorethemerrier.
Whattimecanyougetusoutofhere?
Ithinkitsjustthetwoofus,
Wellthatscool,Isaid.
Wevegotsenioritynow.Ilikeseniority.
Goclockin.
AcetookofftothebreakroomasIpartookinonemorewhiskeyandreturnedtomywell
tofindasmallcrowddriftinginasthebanddidtheirsoundcheck.IfoundCoop.Another?
Goodfornow.Hesetdownatwenty.Ihadntevengivenhimacheck.
Nonsense,Isaid.
Takeit.Seeyoutonight.
Theyrethebestgreens,Coop.

Youretheman,Kiel.
Hewasgone.Thecrowdwasatthebar.Sevenoreightpatrons.
VodkaTonic!
Whiskeysoda!
Whatyagotontap?
Whatsyourmostexpensivescotch?
Anyglutenfreebeer?
Acefinallyswoopedintopickupmyslackandwehadtheordersdishedoutinminutes.
Thecrowdmadetheirwayoutnearthestagesituatedoutsidethepatiodoornearthekitchen.
Haremsoften,fifteen,andtwentyenteredlikeclockwork.Therewereguitararpeggios,
sweepingandsmooth,peopledancinginanentanglementofjoyandintoxication.Atmidnight,
wewereatfullcapacityandthekitchenwasstillcrankingoutpizzas.Theindoordancefloor
andpatiooutbythestageoverflowedwithboisterouscollegedudes,howlsfromthe
middleagedmomsontheirgirlfriendgetaway,andtheclassymurmursofnestegggolfers
tradingfishingstoriesanddroppingoutdatedslanginanefforttoconcealtheirquesttoscore
someblow.AceandImanagedonlytwomoreliquorclosetmeetingsthatshift.WhenIfinally
clockedout,Ifoundhimbeneathacanopiedpicnictableneartheshoreline.
Youdowell?
Helookedup,afreshcigarettehangingtohislipsbyathread.Threeten.
Nice.
You?
Threetwenty.Enoughtopayoffallthetabsyoullstartinmynamethisweek.

Delusional.Acegotaroundtothelightingthecigarette.Therewerebagsunderhis
eyes,illuminatedbythecherry.So,whatstheplanforthenight?
~
AcedroveusacrosstheresortsgroundsinhisBeamerandwedroppedanchorinthe
parkinglotoftheexecutivegolfcourse.Irarelyplayedit,butithadanoldtimeyalluretoit.We
walkedfromtheseventeenthholeadinkylittlepar3withagreenbarelylargeenoughtofita
cartothefourteenthasnakypar4totheseventhandcameuponashackjustbeneathavalley
ontheedgeofthefairway.Weknockedtwiceandentered.
Comeoninnow.Coopledusintothelivingroomoftheshackhehadbeengivenin
lieuofasigningbonus.
Ace,itsbeentoolong,Coopsaid.
Dontevenrecognizeya,youoldbastard.Greensarein
fine
shape.Acesaid.
Youthinkso?
Imgonnatrytosneakinninebeforeworktomorrow,
Wewontbeableto,Isaid.Theteesheetwillbepacked.Nowayanemployeeis
gettingon.
Youthinktheylllikethegreens?Coopasked.
Bestgreensinthestate,Acesaid.
Youguyshavebeenmyfavoritesforquiteawhilenow.What,fiveyears?
Myfourth,Isaid.
Third,Acesaid.Youbeendrinking?
Coopseyeslitup.Youwantsome?

Doesabearshitinthewoods?
Notinmywoods,saidCoop.HegrabbedadrinkforAceandthenwesatarounda
coffeetable.Hepulledajarfromasafeandsetitinfrontofus.Itwasfilledtothebrimwith
fluffynugsofpot,blueandlacedwithcrystals.Colorado.Greatspot.
Youevergooutandplayanymore?Aceasked.
CoopmadequickworkofconstructingajointandpassedittoAce.Putupthesticksfor
goodafewyearsback.Itwasmytime,Ithink.
Atleastyourrecordissafe,Isaid.
Nobodysshootingasixtythree,saidAce.
Theresthiskid,saidCoop,hisgazeofftowardsthewindow.Hesbeencominghere
everysummerontheweekendstopractice.Parentsputupamembershipforhim,andhesgota
scholarshipalready.Isawhisnameontheteesheetfortomorrow.
Asixtyfourisprettylow.Isaid.Asixtythree?Nothappening.
Thiskid,Illcallhimbyhisnamecausehedeservesit,butthiskidMichaelisgood.
Hesanatural.Hehadasixtysixlastsummer,andhewonstatethisyear.
Youshouldgooutandplay,Acesaid.
Icantplayanymore,Coopsaid.Ihadmyfun.
Acewasadamant.Youshouldenjoythosegreens.
Cooptappedhisfeetandsloucheddeepintohischair.Wesmokedtherestofthejoint
andhepolitelysentusaway.
~
HaveyoutwometKiel?

Wedid,Marysaid.Shewasfirminherfooting,anAmericangirlwithdoeeyesanda
countryclubsmile.Acewaspracticallybeamingather.
HemakesameanMartini,Acesaid.
Vodkaorgin?Maryasked.
Ithinkthatsuptoyou,Acesaid.
Cute,saidMary..
Doyoutwogotothesameschool?Aceasked.
Imnursing,saidAubrey.Herjetblackhairsatinabunandhergazewanderedtoall
cornersofthehouse.Ilikethehouse.Nicevibes.
Howaboutsomeshots?
Wehavetodrivehome,Marysaid.
Nobodysforcingyou.
Funny,Marysaid.Oneshotandthatsit.
ItsallIneed,sweetheart.
Wewenttothetableanddidshotsandtoastedtothenewstaffandgottoknowtheguys
alittlebitmorebeforeeverybodytrickledoutaroundhalfpastthree.Thenitwasquiet.
WeshouldgetbreakfastatSpirestomorrow,Acesaid.HeflippedthroughJamesand
Ismoviecollection.
YouthinkCoopcaresifthatrecordgetsbroken?
Itsagoodrecord,Acesaid.Butreally,IwantSpirestomorrow.
Yeah,wecangetsomebreakfast

Acedecidedon
TopGun.
Ilikedthemovie,butAcehadlittledesiretopaymuch
attention.HecarriedonaboutMaryforabitbeforepassingoutinaheaponthefloor.Hehad
gottenheraloneforafewminutesandfoundoutshelovedsofterclassicrockandtheoccasional
jambandandwishedtoliveonahouseboatwithherhusbandandagreatdanewhensheretired.
HewentonuntilIturnedupthevolumeontheTVandturnedoverforthenight.