Page 47 of Solid Foundation
He grinned, wide and genuine. “Yeah. I wanted to stay here. Are you mad?”
I weighed my words carefully as I sprinkled cheese on the nachos and slid them into the oven. “No, not at all. But… what if he’s right? What if therearen’tenough opportunities here?”
His smile widened. “That’s the best part. Have you heard of Rainbow Spectrum TV?”
I shook my head. “Not even a little bit.”
“They’re a queer-centered media outlet. They approached me last week about the possibility of setting up a station here. Local news and weather, entertainment, some syndicated shows, and even public access programming. They asked me to consider an executive producer position.”
“Seriously? Why didn’t you say something last week?”
He shrugged, but the huge smile on his face looked anything but casual. “Didn’t want to jinx anything. But that last call, the one I just got off of, was with the heads at Rainbow Spectrum in LA. We were finalizing everything. I’m officially going to run my own station, right here in Port Grandlin.”
“That’s…” I was stunned into momentary silence. “That’s amazing.” I pulled him into a bear hug and squeezed him tightly. “I’m so proud of you. Does this mean you’re here permanently?”
Max pulled back and met my gaze. “There will be some travel, for sure. But yes. I’m staying right here. Permanently. If you’ll have me, that is.”
I pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The following day was a Saturday and when I woke, Max was gone, his side of the bed cool and empty. I sat up and looked around in confusion before checking my phone for a message. Sure enough, there was a text from Max waiting for me.
Max: Got up early to run a few errands. Back before noon. Get yourself ready. We’re going out to celebrate.
I didn’t know what he meant by celebrate, but I got up, showered, and pulled on a pair of shorts and a comfortable T-shirt, hoping I looked celebratory enough.
True to his word, Max returned home just before noon, bursting into the house and calling my name before he realized I was practically right in front of him, watching home design shows on the couch.
“Hey,” I said, swiveling to look at him. “How were your errands?”
“Delightful, thank you.” He kicked off his shoes and flopped on the couch next to me. “You don’t look celebratory.”
“You didn’t tell me where we were going,” I protested. “What are we doing to celebrate?”
He grinned at me. “Today is the Port Grandlin Pride party. It’s down by the river.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Pride?” It wasn’t something I’d ever gone to and I was worried I wouldn’t fit in. Ididwant to give it a try, though. I’d always been secretly envious of those who could go and be their whole, unapologetic self, and as I was solidly in my mid-forties, I felt like it was time for me to do the same.
He shoved my shoulder gently. “Come on. You’ve never been, right?” When I shook my head to confirm his suspicion, he kept going. “You’re going to have a great time. Go get dressed.”
I stood, sighing affectionately. “What do I wear?”
He looked me up and down and chuckled quietly. “Anything other than cargo shorts and a T-shirt too big for you.” I opened my mouth to protest but he kept going. “How about those jeans that cling to your ass and a tank top that shows off your arms?”
I rolled my eyes, but I did as he suggested and changed clothes. Max did the same, putting on his favorite jeans, a black pair that looked like they were practically painted on, and a sheer silvery top. The sight of him in skintight denim and a see-through shirt made lust pool deep in my gut and I reached for him, pulled him close, and captured his mouth in a deep, long kiss. By the time I released him, Max was clearly as hard in his jeans as I was, both of us panting and breathless.
“How about we skip Pride and stay home to celebrate your new job instead?”
“Tempting,” he murmured. “But no. We’ve got places to be.” He shoved me away playfully and left me standing alone in our bedroom. “Come on. Let’s get a move on.”
With a reluctant sigh, I followed him, praying for mercy in the form of a quick visit to Pride before coming home and getting him on his knees. We stepped outside into the warm summer day and got in my truck to head toward the riverfront. Pride tookplace in the shopping district on the edge of the Grandlin River, the town closing off the area to traffic so people could safely wander around on foot. I parked several blocks away from the shopping district and as we walked, Max took my hand in his. I squeezed his hand and smiled. It was nice to feel like I’d finally found my person, and I was relieved he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. I hadn’t expected that to happen to me—ever—and yet, there I was.
We meandered down to the riverfront, following the crowds of people flocking to the party. There was a stage set up with live music, vendor booths lining the street, and on the corner by the entrance was a group of people with “Mom Hugs” and “Dad Hugs” on their shirts. It warmed my heart to see several college-aged kids waiting for hugs.
I was a little overwhelmed by the cacophony of sound, riot of colors, and the crush of bodies everywhere, but I soon got in the spirit of the thing, picking up a tiny pride flag and a pronoun pin at one booth and letting a drag queen “lei” me at another. At some point, Max led me to a tent toward the end of the aisle we were on and he flashed a badge at someone as we stepped in. It was somehow quieter in the tent, there was a long table in the back with refreshments, and there were standing tables for guests.
“What’s this?”
Max grinned. “The production company sent me VIP passes as a thank you for the work we’re about to do together. I figured we could hang out here if we get overwhelmed.”
