Page 43 of Love in Mission City: The Shorts

Isaac

I was so grateful the longest week of my life was at an end, I wasn’t even going to stress about not getting back to my home.

My other home.

The past week in my hometown burying my grandfather was an experience I was so happy I’d never have to repeat.The vicious old man’d been pretty much my only living relative, and now that he was safely in the earth, I could breathe.I’d inhaled a great lungful of air in Whitehorse, Yukon as I waited for the plane that’d bring me back to Vancouver.I’d stood on the deck of the ferry and inhaled the sea air as we made our way from the town of Tsawwassen on the mainland to Swartz Bay in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.I’d rolled down my window and let the cold winter air blow through my car as I drove to Tofino.To the only home I’d known for the past three years.

Now, though, the last leg of my journey was stymied.Just a boat ride.One brief boat ride out to Lennard Island.There I could stand on the edge of the cliff, breathe freely, and then settle back into my routine.And let my replacement take her well-earned time off.

Veronica covered me without a moment’s hesitation, but she had family to return to.She was on maternity leave, but said she needed a break from her seven-month-old son and her big lug of a husband.He needed to step up, since she’d be back at work in a few months.Her rotations would keep her away for one or two weeks a month, and he had to learn to cope without her.

Personally, I didn’t think he was up for the task, but maybe he’d matured with the birth of their son.I could hope.

And now these storms were delaying Ronnie’s return.

As if I needed even more guilt for interrupting her break.

The elevator ride was quick, and soon we found ourselves in front of room 303.

I swiped my card and pushed the door open, holding it so…shit, I didn’t even know the guy’s name…and Buddy could enter.I flipped on the lights because we needed them.

Three o’clock in the afternoon, and the room was shrouded in darkness.Little light came from the window.

I stopped short.

One bed.

Oh my God, this was every cheesy romance book I’d ever read.Two people.One bed.Forced to stay the night together.I should’ve let Mike find me another place.Except the lodge was on the list of approved accommodations, so I didn’t have to go through a lengthy process.I handed them my government card, and everything was arranged.

The guy handed me Buddy’s leash.“I gotta go.”

Go where?I recovered quickly as he dashed to the washroom.Ah, long drive from the ferry across the island.I knew this and had planned accordingly.

Buddy gazed up at me with soulful brown eyes.Beseeching me to…what?I’d never had a dog growing up.Then I was living in residence at the university.After that, back to Whitehorse until I couldn’t live with that hateful bigot any longer, and so I left on a string of assignments.I could get a dog now, but that’d mean more provisions to bring over to the island, and what if she didn’t like boats?

The flushing toilet pulled me back from wherever I’d gone.I unclipped Buddy’s leash, and he eyed me warily before planting his nose to the carpet and beginning his exploration.

The lodge had a number of pet-friendly rooms.Despite the care and diligence of the cleaning staff, ridding the room of all canine and feline scents would be impossible.

As I tossed my rucksack into the closet, the guy emerged.

“Yeah, so my name is Ben—Benjamin.Whitaker.”His blue eyes sparkled.“Okay, like, just please don’t call me Benjy.”

“Would never have dreamed of doing so.”I held out my hand.“I’m Isaac.”

He accepted it immediately.“Yeah, the guy said it.Cool name.”

I didn’t think so, but okay.I indicated his suitcase and pointed to the corner.Then I pointed to the closet.

His gaze settled on the bed.“Oh.”

“Yes.”I cleared my throat.“No big deal.I mean, we’re both grown adults.”

“I might snore.”

I tilted my head.“Might?”

“Yeah.I mean, my last boyfriend said I did, and I think he was just saying it to, like, piss me off, you know?He was a bit of a jerk.”He ran his hand through his brown hair.“No, he was a lot of a jerk.But he was a PhD student and so freaking smart that I just…well, you know…and with him being gay and…” His eyes widened.“Oh, crap.I mean, I probably should’ve said something before, right?I mean, you don’t seem like a homophobic type, but you might, I dunno, have religious beliefs or—”

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