7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Mars

“Look, I know how much you hate having to reduce the size of the Samhain celebration, but I really think it’s the best choice this year,” Ziva said.

She was right on both counts. I didn’t like it, and it was the best option.

“I know you’re right. And it’s not just because I lost a bunch of supplies for the witch balls I’d been planning as an activity. The truth is, I should’ve scaled back my plans even before that. With it being on a weeknight, attendance probably won’t be great. Last year, when it was on a Friday, everyone was able to take their kids trick-or-treating before coming here. This year, we can’t hold it as late since people have to work the next day.”

“I’m sure it’ll still be well-attended,” she insisted.

“I hope so. I’m going to try to get replacement supplies, but if not, we can still have great food, the drum circle, and a fire in the chiminea.”

“Have you ever thought about having the celebration somewhere other than here?” she asked.

“I mean, sure. My mom suggested multiple times that we have it out at the ranch, but I don’t expect people to travel over an hour to get there.”

“There are a lot of places closer than the Wildflower Ranch. I bet if you put out a message to the community, someone with a farm or ranch just outside the city limits would be willing to let us have it there. We could even have a bonfire.”

“Possibly, but it’s a little late for that this year, so we’ll just have it here like always.”

“We could always—” Ziva’s thought was cut off by the sound of the front door chime.

“We’re in the tea room,” I called out. “If you need any help or have any questions, just let me know.” I turned back to Ziva. “Anyway, what were you saying, Ziva?”

She laughed. “I have no idea. Something about Samhain.”

“I just came to check the place out,” Mika said, stepping into the room.

“Mika! I’m so glad you did.”

“This shop is just as awesome as you said.”

I pushed my chair back and stood. “Well, let me show you around.”

“Oh no, that’s not necessary. I can tell you’re busy, and I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Not at all. Ziva, this is Mika. Mika, Ziva. I met him at that charity softball game I went to with Steven.”

“Nice to meet you, Ziva,” Mika said.

“We’re just making plans for the Samhain event at the end of the month, so you aren’t interrupting anything at all,” I assured him.

“Samhain? That’s like Halloween, right?” Mika asked.

“Yes, Samhain is on the same day as Halloween. We honor all traditions here at The Chrysalis Moon, so whatever you call it is fine. And how you celebrate—or don’t—is fine, too. Now, do you know what it is you’re looking for?” I asked.

Mika shook his head. “I have no clue. I figured if I’m going to be burning a candle, I should choose one that not only smells good but maybe has some other kind of meaning, too. But I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“No problem. What are some things you’re working on right now? Are you hoping for prosperity, calm, and focus, or maybe you’re looking for a little love?” I grinned at him.

“Well, all the above, I guess. But mostly I think peace and calm would be good. I don’t know if you heard about what happened to Andy’s car or not.”

“I don’t know any of the details, but I heard someone set his car on fire.”

“Yeah, it was a bad deal. There was this guy bothering me at Kirby’s during Daddy/boy night, and we thought it was probably him. Then we didn’t know if he was targeting Andy or if he might come after me, too. It was just really scary. Turns out, the guy wasn’t even in town when it happened, so it had nothing to do with me whatsoever, but I still can’t quite shake that feeling.”

“Sounds like you could definitely use some calm.” I handed him a light blue candle meant to promote calm and serenity. “And maybe a little protection as well.” I handed him a black candle. “Now, I don’t mean this candle will keep people from breaking into your house or grabbing you in a dark alley. It’s not that kind of protection. It protects your energy and allows you to feel peaceful regardless of your circumstances.”

“Those sound perfect.”

“So, this guy that was bothering you at Kirby’s… you need to be careful, Mika.” I didn’t want to scare him, but I had a bad feeling.

“Oh, Andy’s Daddy, Jesse, took care of that. The guy’s not allowed in Kirby’s anymore, so I feel pretty safe going there. Do you ever go? I don’t remember seeing you.”

“Not very often. I’m just so busy, and my ex hated the club, so we never went. I mostly hang out with Steven and Roxy, and they wouldn’t exactly fit in at a gay club. Though Steven’s offered to go more than once and act as my wingman.”

“You know they’re having a costume party on the Friday after Halloween, right? You should totally come.”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin with a costume. I used to have one, but now I don’t have anything I could use.”

“Yeah, Andy told me about the fire at your house. That’s a real shame. If you need anything, just let me know.”

“No, I’m in pretty good shape right now. I have all the basic necessities, and I’m staying with Steven’s dad.”

“Oh, he’s hot.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, tell me about it. I’ve had a crush on that man for as long as I can remember, and he’s only gotten better with age.”

“Well, maybe you don’t even need to go to the club if you’ve got a hottie like that at home.”

I shook my head. “Straight hottie who has no idea I exist outside of being Steven’s annoying best friend.”

“Well, maybe you should do something about that.”

“Did you miss the straight part?” I asked.

“Well, that’s a real bummer,” Mika said.

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, if you’re not getting any at home, you should totally come with us to the costume party. I’m sure we can come up with something for you to wear. We’re about the same size.”

“You know what? I think I could use a little fun right about now. And I have some time, so I’m sure I can come up with some kind of costume.”

Mika’s phone buzzed, and he glanced at his wrist. “Oh, I’ve got to go. I should’ve known better than to stop in when I only had a few minutes to spare.”

“Okay, let me check you out and get you on your way.”

Once I checked Mika out and he’d left, I went back to where Ziva was sitting at the table, working on the Samhain plan.

“How are we doing?”

“I’m just about done,” she said. “I took what we did last year and pared it down a little like we talked about. We’ll still have the drum circle, and you can make that harvest soup you like because people might be hungry after trick-or-treating. But I think that’s about it. Honestly, Mars, I think that’s enough. We just had the fall drumming, and everyone had a chance to participate then.”

“I know you’re right. We’ll see how this goes this year, and maybe we’ll only do something big for Samhain when it falls on the weekends. I don’t want people to feel like they have to choose between their kids’ Halloween celebrations and coming here for Samhain.”

“That makes sense to me,” she said.

“Okay, well, if you feel like you have this under control, I think I’m going to head out early. I want to make dinner for Sam as a thank you for letting me stay.”

“I think that’s really nice. And you know what they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“Is it? I thought it was through his dick,” I said, and she chuckled.

“Well, y’all are pretty simple creatures. That’s why I stick to women.”

“Hey, what’s wrong with simple?” I laughed and stood up, kissing her on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Once in my car, I turned left toward the grocery store. On the way, I called Steven.

“Hey, Mars, what’s up?”

“I was thinking I’d make dinner for your dad tonight as a thank you for letting me stay.”

“Oh man, that’s really nice of you. But Roxy and I already have plans tonight.”

I grinned and rolled my eyes. Good thing I wasn’t inviting them. Not that I said that to him. “Yeah, that’s a shame. I guess it’ll just be me and your dad then. But I wanted to check if he’s allergic to anything. I was thinking of making that creamy shrimp linguine, but I want to thank him, not send him to the hospital.”

“Nope, the man loves shrimp. If you ever want to see him really put away some food, take him to an all-you-can-eat shrimp night.”

“Good to know. Just wanted to be sure.”

“So, how are things going over there?” he asked.

“Pretty good,” I said, turning into the supermarket parking lot. “I’m at the store, so let me go grab all the ingredients. I want to have it ready before he gets home.”

“Sounds good. Give us a little more notice next time. You know Roxy and I both love that creamy shrimp linguine.”

“I will.” I hung up the phone and headed inside the supermarket.

Samuel

I came home just a few minutes earlier than usual. Mars’s car was in the driveway, but when I went inside and called out his name, there was no response. I walked through the foyer into the kitchen and stopped to take in the view. Mars was wearing a pair of gray pants—the tight, stretchy kind he wore when doing yoga.

I knew I shouldn’t stare, but he had on a pair of headphones and was clearly listening to music with a serious beat. He was chopping and stirring, shaking his booty to the rhythm. It concerned me a little that he hadn’t set the alarm, and because of the headphones, he didn’t hear me come in—but I could chastise him for that later. Right now, I was just enjoying the show.

He put the wooden spoon he was stirring with up in the air, waving it around in a circle, singing the chorus of a popular song. A smile spread across my face. Fuck, he was adorable.

He spun around in a circle, completely lost in the music until he saw me standing there. He yelped and brought his hand up to his chest.

“Samuel, you’re home.”

“I am, and the house smells fabulous,” I told him.

He quickly turned back to face the stove, but not before I saw the blush coloring his cheeks. “Glad you think so. I asked Steven if you were allergic to shrimp, and he assured me that, not only are you not allergic, but you’re quite a fan.”

“That is true. I do love some shrimp.”

I stepped up behind him, peeking over his shoulder to see what he was cooking, and he looked up at me.

“Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes if you want to get cleaned up.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” I told him, heading to the bedroom. I took a quick shower, tossed on a pair of sweats and a comfy shirt, then joined Mars at the table.

“I hope you like it,” he said nervously.

“If it tastes half as good as it smells, I’m sure I will.” He’d prepared a shrimp and pasta dish with some absolutely delicious-looking, crusty garlic bread.

He was watching me nervously, waiting for me to try it, so I wound some pasta around my fork and took the first bite of what might be the best shrimp and pasta dish I’d ever tasted. “Mars, this is absolutely delicious. I had no idea you could cook like this.”

A grin spread across his face.

“The number of dishes I make really well is pretty limited. Truth is, I was never much of a cook, at least not until my ex wanted me to learn. So, basically, I make just a few of his favorites, and that’s about it.”

“So I have him to thank for this delicious meal, then?”

“Oh, heavens no, he hates shrimp.”

I knew things hadn’t ended well between them, but I could tell by the pure enjoyment Mars got out of making a dish the other man hated that there was a story there. I couldn’t help but be curious. Fortunately, Mars was eager to tell me, so I didn’t have to ask.

“He says they’re bottom-dwelling water bugs and that they’re nasty. But I love them. And because he didn’t like shrimp, he never wanted me to eat it either. So, right after he left, I made it my mission to learn to cook the very best shrimp dishes.”

“Because he hated them?” I asked with a chuckle.

Mars shrugged. “Because he hated them and because I was through letting someone who only cared about himself decide what I did or didn’t do. But still, I’m glad you’re enjoying my spite dish.”

“Spite shrimp? Who even knew that was a thing?” I asked with a laugh.