A Vinnie and Ethan Thanksgiving: Part II

Happy Thanksgiving or Happy Thursday to one and all! I hope everyone is having a terrific day. I decided to post the second part of Vinnie and Ethan's Thanksgiving story today. I hope you like it. Backstory, actually. On this day, they like to remember how they came to be.

Everybody be safe and be happy, I'll see you in a few days!

A Vinnie and Ethan Thanksgiving: Part II

Two other detectives relieved us about eleven o’clock. They were picking their teeth and patting their bellies and talking about what great dinners they’d had when they told us we were free to go. We informed them nobody had entered the premises during our watch, and nobody had left. Nothing to report. So naturally, we had to file a lot of paperwork to that effect. According to Ethan—who’d talked to our supervisor, Anderson Riley—that could wait.

I could live with that.

I wasn’t sure about the rest of it, though. Now we had no excuse not to have that talk Ethan said we needed to have… and why was I nervous? Maybe because I’d been kissed for the first time by a guy I couldn’t stand.

Or was it because I could stand him more than I was willing to let on? And just maybe I was attracted to him, whether I wanted to admit it or not? And I had no idea what to do about it.

“How about we grab something to eat and go back to the motel?” Ethan suggested. He might as well have added “and  talk” because those words were sure as hell hanging in the air between us.

I wasn’t sure I could eat, or even wanted to. My stomach was tied up in knots, and every time I thought about that kiss, butterflies were added to the mix. It was both exhilarating and terrifying.

“I could use some coffee,” I finally replied.

“Coffee it is. We can always get something for later, as long as it doesn’t require reheating.”

“Or refrigeration,” I added. The motel we were staying at wasn’t exactly the best, but I assumed it was cheap, and for what we needed it for, it worked. It had no refrigerator and no microwave. Not even a coffeemaker. But I’d noticed that the TV which was chained to one of the few pieces of furniture in the room did have a porn channel. Shows where their priorities. lay.

We stopped at a convenience store, got what we wanted, and drove in silence to the motel. It wasn’t until we’d gotten inside and securely locked the door, removed our guns, and settled down on our respective beds with our coffee that the conversation began.

Ethan stared over the top of his coffee cup at me, across the gulf which separated us. I could feel every beat of my heart as he looked into my eyes. Without a word, he rose and bridged the few steps to my bed, then took a seat, facing me. I didn’t exactly tell him to go away. At that moment, I had no idea what I wanted. Or how I felt.

This was the thorn in my side, remember? The pain in my ass named Ethan Thorne. But when I tried to think of the reasons why I disliked him so, I found I couldn’t think of a one. I couldn’t tell if I had my dick to blame for that… or my heart. To be honest, I’d never been in this situation before, nothing even remotely like it.

And I was scared.

We stared at one another for what felt like forever, but was probably just a minute or two. His eyes were so blue. I’d never seen eyes so beautiful before. He reached for my hand and gently held it in his.

“Vinnie, I know we got off to a rocky start somehow…”

“You could say that,” I cautiously admitted.

“If I’ve ever done or said anything to upset you, I apologize. I sure never meant to,” he continued. “Have I?”

“Have you what?” My brain wasn’t working very well at the moment, and I was all too aware of my racing heart. Surely he felt it? He held his fingertips just on my pulse.

“Said or done anything to upset you,” he repeated. One thing I had to admit, he never got mad, never grew impatient with me. He was never anything but nice. So why did he annoy me so?

I took a deep breath, trying to chase the butterflies away. “No, not that I can think of.” I hoped my voice didn’t sound as shaky to him as it did to me.

“I’m glad.” He leaned a little closer to me, dropping his voice. “I guess you figured out by now I’m gay, right?”

I nodded.

“Am I safe in assuming you are too?”

I nodded again.

“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”

“Never.” My voice sounded far away, more like a whisper. “Have you?”

“Once,” he admitted. “A couple of years ago.”

“What happened?” I asked in spite of myself. Why did the idea he’d been with another man bother me? It shouldn’t have. It was none of my business.

“I liked him. He was nice, a very sweet guy… but he wasn’t the one.” Ethan’s blue eyes bore into mine, and I didn’t know what to say to that.

“You know, Vinnie, I always wondered how I’d know when I did meet the right one. How would I be able to tell? Would there be some sort of sign, or what? I knew that guy was the wrong one, but I was also afraid I’d never meet Mr. Right.”

“And did you?” I asked, wanting to know and yet afraid to know. “Ever meet Mr. Right, I mean.”

“I did,” Ethan said solemnly. “The day I met you.”

I was stunned into silence for once in my life.

“When I saw you, and then when I found out you were going to be my partner, I just felt the truth. I knew you were the one I’d been waiting for. And I wanted to be with you, even if you didn’t seem to like me very much.”

My cheeks grew warm at his words. “I was an asshole,” I admitted. “A total jerk to you. Why didn’t you just tell me to fuck off?”

“I’d never do that, Vinnie.” He leaned even closer. One hand still held mine, the other caressed my cheek. “Do you really hate me?”

I shook my head, not trusting my voice.

“Then why…”

“Because you scare me.” My admission surprised both of us.

“But why, baby?”

Oh God, I was drowning in his eyes, falling into them, and I realized with a start that I liked what I saw. Very much.

“Because… because I’ve never felt like this before.” I couldn’t believe I was saying this to him. I was Mr. Sarcastic. Mr. Never Let Anyone Close. The classic loner. When had I changed?

He kissed me then. Softly. Gently. Just a tiny kiss. But it was enough to fill my soul with a warmth I’d never experienced before.

“I’m glad,” he said.

“Do you think it means you’re the one for me too?” I asked

He cupped my cheek, and I melted into his touch.

“I hope so,” he said. “I’d like to find out, would you?”

“I would.”

“Good.” He smiled at me, and my heart beat faster. Maybe what I’d thought was hate was really love, and I just hadn’t recognized it. Not like I’d had any experience with it before.

“Let’s start over, shall we?” he suggested. “Wipe the slate clean, okay?

”

“Okay.”

His eyes held a glint that might have been mischief, as he released my hand and held his own out to me. “Hi there. I’m Ethan Thorne. How do you do?”

“How do you do, Ethan Thorne. I’m Vincenzo Delarosa.”

“Vincenzo,” he repeated, and I liked the way my name rolled off his tongue.

“You can call me Vinnie,” I said.

We wrapped our arms about one another and kissed… nothing more… for a long long time. Eventually we curled up together in my bed and went to sleep.

And that is how Ethan and I began….

Wednesday Briefs: A Vinnie and Ethan Thanksgiving Part I

Happy Hump Day everyone! And to those in the US, it's almost Thanksgiving, so a lot of people will be off the rest of the week, including yours truly. Yay! And if it's Wednesday, it must be time for some flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our best flash fiction every week, between 500 and 600 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

This week, since it's almost Thanksgiving, I thought I'd write a little bit about Vinnie and Ethan. As you may have noticed, I love these guys lol  Marshall and Lee (whom I also love) will be back next week. I hope you enjoy this, and I do plan on writing more, but it may not happen until after Thanksgiving lol  I'm going out of town Thursday, but I'll be back!

Vinnie and Ethan weren't always in love, of course. I don't think Vinnie even particularly liked him at first! So, let's take a peek at the way they used to be! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they're up to. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

A Vinnie and Ethan Thanksgiving, Part I

Ethan Thorne, I decided, was a thorn in my side—no pun intended—and had been ever since we got out of training. Whoever had the idea of teaming me up with that pretty boy should have their head examined. As soon as the holidays were over, I intended to ask for another partner. I knew better than to try any sooner. The office staff let it be known that any extra paperwork they received would be “accidentally” buried, and probably not see the light of day until the new millennium. Since I didn’t intend to be around then, I realized he was going to remain my problem until at least the start of the next year. And then he’d be gone so fast, it would make his pretty head spin.

Happy New Year, Ethan, here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?

It was Thanksgiving Day. We were working a case in Duluth, Minnesota, a suspected kidnapping. The weather was cold, but nothing I wasn’t used to, coming from Joliet, Illinois, which is just south of Chicago. Thorne was a Southern boy—I think he said Atlanta—and while he didn’t complain about it, I could tell he was cold. And hard.

That didn’t come out right. I meant hard, like tough.

Yeah, sure I did. I wasn’t looking at him, honestly I wasn’t. But we ended up having to share a motel room—another damn office snafu, but one I could do nothing about. And the man wasn’t shy about parading around in his underwear. Or a towel. Was it my fault he was built for days? So what if I noticed? I wasn’t blind.

Okay, scratch all that. Focus, Vinnie, focus!

The kidnapping victim was twenty-five, which made him older than either of us. Thorne was about my age, twenty-one. The victim came from an affluent Duluth family. It was believed he’d been taken strictly for monetary gain. A ransom demand had been received, asking for a million dollars, and the parents were even now putting the money together.

 Luckily for us, the kidnappers weren’t overly bright, and we’d gotten a lead on their whereabouts. We sat outside the suspects’ house, on a quiet street in residential Duluth. We weren’t leads on the case, but we were the unlucky schmucks who caught surveillance.

My cup runneth over.

“I bet your family will be sorry to miss you,” Ethan commented. He sat behind the wheel, while I’d been relegated to the passenger side. For some reason, he had this need to always drive. A habit I intended to break him of. Well, I would if we were going to stay partners. It probably wouldn’t be worth my while for the short time we’d be together.

I grunted noncommittally. “Don’t have any, what about yours?”

“They understand,” he replied, and fell silent.

Our binoculars were trained on two men inside the house. They’d ordered take out a while ago, and it had just arrived. They were setting everything out on a coffee table in the living room. Looked like a turkey dinner. They also had a bottle of whiskey, and had been hitting that pretty good all afternoon. Lot of food for two people, while we were relegated to what we’d brought with us, which wasn’t hot, and certainly wasn’t turkey. In the meantime, the temperature was plummeting as the sun dropped lower and lower into the sky.

Damn, this was boring. But then no one ever promised surveillance would be fun.

“They look awful relaxed, don’t you think?” He broke the silence.

“Yeah. Liquor will do that to you,” I snarked. “Too bad we don’t have any.”

“If we did, think it might make you like me any better?”

Where had that come from? I lowered my binoculars, which were trained on the suspects, and turned to my partner, mouth dropping open.

Ethan was smiling, but I could swear I saw something wistful in his eyes.

I mumbled something I’m not sure was even slightly intelligible.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Again, I was amazed. This was probably the longest personal conversation we’d ever had, which wasn’t saying much. Most of the time, I discouraged anything beyond subjects relating to work. I thought he’d understood. Guess not.

“What makes you think I’m gay?” I blurted out. Sure, I was, but how did he know? I’d never had a boyfriend, never been hit on by anyone. At least, not that I was aware of.

“Wishful thinking, maybe?” Again with those eyes. I found myself getting lost in all that blue. To my horror, I was also sliding closer to him. And were my lips parting, almost expectantly? What the hell?

I put the brakes on that right quick, ducked down as if I was picking up an imaginary something. Being clumsy though, I managed to overreach, and ended up with my head in Ethan’s lap, to my horror.

Damn, he was hard.

I scrambled back into position, painfully aware that I had an erection myself, which fact I’d done my best to ignore. I grabbed the binoculars and stared at the house.

“How about them Cubs?” I said the first stupid thing I could think of.

“Vinnie, it’s November. Baseball season’s over.” Ethan gently removed the binoculars from my shaking hands, and suddenly our mouths were fused, and the most incredible sensations were rocketing through me.

This was it. My first kiss. With Ethan Thorne, of all people.

By the time he drew back, I was shaking like a leaf and breathing hard. I was thinking… hell, I don’t know what I was thinking. My body was sending out definite signals, though.

“When we get done here, I think we should talk, Vinnie,” Ethan said. I darted a glance at him. I could tell the kiss had affected him too.

I didn’t trust my voice, so I nodded. We raised our binoculars to our eyes once more.

I had a feeling this was a Thanksgiving I’d never forget.

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

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Wednesday Briefs: Don't Look Back #39 (7.6)

Happy Hump Day one and all, and welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Briefs! We bring you flash fiction for your entertainment, stories between 500 and 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts!

In Don't Look Back, we wrap up the Thanksgiving celebration with Marshall and Lee and Roy, and join them as they give thanks for what they have. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they're up to! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Don't Look Back #39 (7.6)

Lee slid a reassuring arm about Marshall’s shoulder. Marshall appreciated that he didn’t try to make light of his fears, or treat him like a child, but as an equal. Neither did he sweep the unpleasant subject under the rug and out of sight. Lee was one who faced things head on and dealt with them.

“Keep looking,” he said to Roy, who nodded. “We don’t even know we have a reason to worry. There’s no reason to think she even saw that video, but we can’t be too careful, either. I’d feel a whole lot more comfortable if we could get that thing pulled off the Internet. Is there a way of finding out who posted it?”

“Probably, but I’m afraid we’ll draw more attention to ourselves if we put up a fuss about it,” Roy replied, “then if we do nothing.”

“Well, one good thing,” Marshall spoke up.

“What’s that?”

“She can’t come to Burnham without sticking out like a sore thumb.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Roy agreed.

Lee hugged Marshall close before he kissed him, then rose to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I need to check on dinner.” He headed toward the back of the house. Marshall rose too.

“Need to start the macaroni and cheese, get it done.”

“I’ll come with,” Roy said amiably, reaching for his bottle. He followed Marshall into the kitchen and watched him start a pot of water to boil.

“Roy, did you ever meet her?” Marshall found he couldn’t seem to not think about her, so gave up the effort.

“No, we never did meet. I kept my distance once I found her. There wasn’t any need. I had an operative who did. Said she was from the school district, checking up on you because you weren’t registered for school.”

“Bet she said I was homeschooled, didn’t she?” Marshall’s voice held more than a little contempt.

“Yep, that she did.” Roy took a long drink of his beer before continuing. “We couldn’t press the point. Afraid we might spook her. Couldn’t take the chance of losing you. Don’t know what Lee would have done if we had. He was… I never saw anyone so intent and so lost at the same time. He was like a man possessed. No way was he going to fail. He never gave up hope of getting you back, and he made me believe too."

“That’s when you became friends, isn’t it?”

Roy nodded. “Yep. Spent a lot of time together, except when he was in Burnham, getting your life ready. See what I mean? He had faith we’d find you and bring you back. He loves you so very much, always has.”

“And I love him that much too,” Marshall said softly. He turned his back to Roy for a moment. He poured salt into the boiling water as he brought his roiling emotions under control then added a box of elbow macaroni. “I knew she was lying when she told her boyfriends he was dead. I don’t know why, but I knew he was out there somewhere, searching for me.” He fell silent and stirred the pasta. Turning to the microwave, he put seven minutes on the kitchen timer, then looked back at Roy.

“Do you ever miss being a PI?”

Roy shook his head. “Not really. I like being sheriff. And I like being here with the two of you. What more could a man ask for?” He winked at Marshall. Marshall couldn’t help but grin.

At that moment, he heard the back door, and then Lee entered the kitchen. His face was flush from bending over the smoker. In one hand he held a fistful of red blossoms. Marshall recognized them instantly. Oxblood lilies. Sarah, from across the street, had brought them the bulbs as a gift, and Marshall had watched her place them in both the front and back yards. She told him they practically planted themselves, and he’d been fascinated by the idea.  Marshall wondered why Lee was carrying them now.

Marshall heard Roy clear his throat. “Gotta see a man about a horse,” he mumbled before he made a hasty exit.

Lee approached Marshall, held the flowers out to him.

“Are those for me?” Marshall asked, surprised.

“Absolutely. Want to put them into something and set them on the table? Thought they’d look nice.”

Marshall had set the kitchen table for the occasion, with their best dishes and silverware, and a tablecloth. “They’re beautiful, thank you.”

Lee leaned toward him, and their lips met in a gentle kiss. Marshall read the message in Lee’s beautiful dark eyes. Don’t worry. I’m here. Always.

Once everything was done, the turkey rested and carved and everything set on the table, the three men took their places. For some people, tradition demanded a grace be said before every meal. While they didn’t follow that particular precept, on Thanksgiving, they had their own custom of giving thanks for what they had.

“Okay, I’ll start,” Roy said, as they looked toward him expectantly. “I’m thankful for my life here in Burnham, for being the sheriff, and for the mostly beautiful weather we have.”Marshall chuckled. “Most of all, I’m thankful for having the two best friends a man could ask for, the best men I know.”

Marshall and Lee raised their beer bottles in acknowledgement of Roy’s heartfelt words, and they each drank to him.

“Okay, I’ll go next,” Lee offered. “I’d like to give thanks for how successful the business is, and for the good life we have here in Burnham. For Roy, who helped me get my heart back and gave me back my life. And Marshall, who is my heart.”

Choked with emotion, Marshall managed to say, “I’d like to give thanks for my life, and for Roy, who’s an awesome friend and an incredible person. And most of all, for Lee, my love, my heart and soul, for always.”

They lifted their bottles in unison. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

to be continued

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What I'm thankful for

Good morning and happy Thursday! To those of you in the US, Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a day given over to remembering those pilgrims that were among the first to come to this country (not counting the natives who were already here), in order to make a new life in a new land. They gave thanks with a large feast, to which they invited the natives who'd helped them survive. In homes across the country, this feast will be reenacted in a modern way, with friends and family, and much eating. Thanksgiving is a holiday much given to eating. A lot of preparation for a meal, but one dear to the hearts of many. Also, football watching, and parade watching, although I confess I don't generally participate in either.

But beyond the food, the important thing is to give thanks. To reflect on what you have, to be grateful for the people in your life, and for your life itself. No one's life is perfect, but then again, what is perfect? If you spend your life always thinking about what  you want to have and not realizing what you already have, what sort of life is that?

First and foremost, I have my children, who love and support me. Michael, Katie, Sarah and Chris. I couldn't ask for better children. They are my pride and joy, each and everyone. I would never change anything that came in my life before, for that would change having them, and that I would never do. Everything happens for a reason; they are my reasons. I love all of you more than mere words can convey.










I am thankful for the many friends in my life - you know who you are. You keep me centered, you make me smile, you make me laugh, and you keep me going. More importantly, you put up with me, and that's not always an easy task. Friendship is a two way street, and I hope to keep those avenues open for a long time to come. You are the family that accept me and understand me. Blood does not always a family make. Outside of my children, I don't have the acceptance of my family, but dwelling on that is pointless, so I don't. I cherish the family I've been blessed to find in my friends, and I am thankful to each and every one of you.

I don't live in a mansion but, seriously, who does? Not a lot of people. Mansions are highly overrated. And while it has its flaws, there are people who have no home who would think I live in a wonderful house, especially compared to having no shelter at all. So I am grateful for my home and what I have in it, and for the car I drive, and because I never go hungry, and I don't have to sleep on the streets or seek shelter from inclement weather. I have a home, with my daughter, and two cats. I am very grateful for all of them.

I am grateful to live in a country where great things can happen, where I can speak my mind (even if there are people who don't want to listen), and not worried about being put in prison for doing so. This country isn't perfect either, far from it, but people working together can fix anything.

I am grateful to be working and paying my bills, even if I am looking for more permanent work. But everything does happen for a reason, and that too will happen. I am grateful for my ability to write, for I love writing more than anything, and hope to become self-sufficient as a writer some day in the not so distant future. I am grateful to those publishers who have believed in me and given me the opportunity to show what I can do. And I am grateful that I am learning how to self-publish as well.

I am grateful to all my readers, and I hope that I can keep on pleasing you for many years to come. Thank you for your support, and for your many kind words and shared feelings. Keep them coming, please!

So now my wishes for the future: I wish that people would love one another, and accept one another for who they  are. Yes, we're all different, but underneath we're all the same. We live, we hope, we love. We should all be free to do so. To express ourselves in our own ways. To respect the rights of others and do no harm to them. I wish that we could all live together in harmony and celebrate our differences, appreciate our similarities, and enjoy life for what it is. Help those that need it. No one should be homeless or hungry. Children should not lack for food or education. We have the power to change these things, right these wrongs. So let's do it.

My favorite song ever is The Impossible Dream, from Man of La Mancha. I feel that it embodies what I think and how I feel. Especially these lines:

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

Thank you for this day, for my life, and for the people in it. Never stop trying to do what's right, no matter how hard it might seem, no matter the obstacles in your path.

Thank you all for reading this. Have a wonderful day!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie