Page 3 of Elemental Love
“Takeoff. I hate it. My stomach always stays on the tarmac while its contents journey in the wrong direction up my esophagus.”
“Ugh, gross!” Evrain groped in the pocket next to his seat and extracted a pristine paper bag. “Do you need this?”
Gregory opened his other eye. “No. But I could use a Bloody Mary. Where’s the trolley-dolly?” He jabbed at the call button.
“I’m sure he’ll be around in a moment. Give the poor guy a chance. He’s probably still strapped in his seat. I thought it was Coryn who didn’t like flying?”
“He loathes it, poor dear. I am entirely indifferent. It’s just the upping and downing parts that don’t agree with me. I have a delicate constitution.”
Evrain snorted. “Bullshit, Gregory. I’ve seen you down half a bottle of Jack alongside a pint of Rocky Road ice cream and that’s a combination that’s probably banned under international law. If it isn’t, it should be. You have a cast-iron stomach.”
“We have a wide range of beverages, sir, but that’s not a combination I can offer, I’m afraid. Nor would I advise it.”
Evrain, who was sitting in the aisle seat, turned to the air steward standing next to him. The man had a huge grin on his face and a trolley stacked high with miniature bottles of every type of booze known to man.
“Something we can be thankful for,” Evrain said. “Could we have a couple of virgin Bloody Marys please?”
“Make that one virgin and one fully confirmed slut,” Gregory grouched. “Which category do you fall into, sweetheart?” he asked the steward whose name badge declared him to be called Samuel. A pair of pretty hazel eyes sparkled.
“I can see I’m going to have trouble with you, sir.”
He was cute. Not Evrain’s type, but the sandy hair that flopped into his eyes was endearing.
“Behave, Gregory, or I’ll tell Coryn.” Evrain swiveled back toward the aisle. “He’s married, Samuel, and old enough to know better.”
The steward mixed their drinks and handed them over. “Call me Sam. I fully intend to grow old disgracefully myself. Perhaps you could give me a few tips?” The last remark he aimed at Gregory.
Gregory opened his mouth but Evrain jumped in. “Please don’t get him started, Sam. You’ll still be here in eight hours’ time and I’m sure the other passengers have need of your services.”
Gregory pouted. “Stop spoiling my fun, Evrain.”
“You’re sixty-five, not six, Gregory. You’re supposed to be keeping an eye on me, not the other way around.”
Samuel gave them a couple of menus. “Here are the choices for lunch. Please have a think about what you’d like and I’ll be back in twenty minutes or so to take your orders.” He pushed his trolley to the next row and began to chat to the passengers seated behind Gregory and Evrain.
Evrain wasn’t particularly hungry. He put the menu aside. “Why don’t you tell me something about my new home? I’ve done a bit of research on the net, but I’d like to hear about it some more.”
Gregory downed his drink in a single gulp. “Christ, I needed that.” He smacked his lips together. “You’ve stayed with Agatha dozens of times, you know the area pretty well by now I’d have thought.”
“It’s true I spent most of my school holidays with her, but she rarely took me out of Hood River. I’m going to be living in Portland, which I don’t know very well at all. I think I’ve been there twice. I’m starting a job with a company I interviewed forover Skype—and don’t pretend you didn’t have some influence over that, Gregory, because I know you did. What firm takes on a new graduate with no experience on the basis of a forty-five minute conversation?”
“One with a chief designer that knows talent when he sees it.” Gregory fiddled with his empty glass.
Skeptical didn’t even begin to describe how Evrain felt about that statement. “You can’t lie for crap, Gregory.”
Gregory sighed. “That’s Coryn’s fault. He always knows when I’ve been bullshitting him and he has this look.”
“Look?” Evrain cocked a quizzical eyebrow.
“You know. That whole narrowed eyes ‘tell me the truth or you’re sleeping on the couch’ look.”
“He makes you sleep on the couch? Even after how many years together?” Evrain chuckled. He loved the idea that Gregory had visited the doghouse, a place Evrain was all too familiar with.
“Almost forty years. Forty amazing, astonishing, unbelievable years. Something I hope you’ll have with someone one day, Evrain.”
Evrain was tempted to tease his godfather but the wistful, dreamy look in those normally cool eyes stopped him.
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to spend so many years with one person. Coryn deserves some kind of award for putting up with you for that long.”
