Chapter Nine
~Nolan~
Not that I couldn’t understand Bailey hiding the fact that he was gay, even though nowadays being gay was quite acceptable and admittedly also very much taboo to many, it was the fact that he kept it from the people closest to him. Family shunning a child because of their sexual preference was wrong on so many levels, but Bailey was no longer a child.
At the youth center, I worked with troubled teens that, in most cases, had been thrown out of their family homes because they came out of the proverbial closet. Kids left to survive in a cruel world all on their own, with many questions and no one to go to, that’s where I came in with help and advice. It also helped that they knew I too was gay and had a story or two of my own.
Somehow, I had to convince Bailey to come out. The idea of having a relationship with Bailey while the entire time he was living a lie bothered me. I wasn’t willing to become his dirty secret, the whisper in the dark, or the formidable truth.
“You with us, Nolan?” Diane asked, shaking me from my thinking.
“Yeah.”
After signing a six-page contract, I placed Diane’s fancy gold pen on top and slid it to the opposite side of the table, watching while Pete and Jeff signed on the dotted line as well. It was official, in five days we were heading to Rainbow Cove Resort, for an all-inclusive two-week long work-cation and I couldn’t wait. Every year during hiatus, the station sent us on a paid vacation, with an assignment, of course. This year just happened to be at the resort of my dreams.
Rainbow Cove was a gay resort on an island in the Caribbean for couples only. Our job was to go incognito as couples for the purpose of rating them, as well as gathering together enough information for an exclusive to start off our next radio season.
“Jeff,” Diane, the station manager directed her conversation by swiveling her chair to face him. “You and Pete will be bunking together. Remember, you’re supposed to be married. I expect there won’t be any difficulty pulling that off. I’m leaving the details of your married life up to you because quite frankly, I don’t care. Just don’t blow your cover.”
“No one is going to believe I’d be married to this wanker, can’t I bring along someone else?”
“Not this time. The budget won’t allow guests. It’s you and Pete or I’ll find two others on the crew to take your place.”
Jeff held up his palms and sat back, trying to fade from Diane’s view. “Okay, but I’m the husband, he can be the little woman.”
What an ass, I almost thought out loud.
“What about my wife?” the whine in Pete’s voice reverberated between the glass walls of the office. Diane gave him a lazy eye brow raised gaze, she did not look overly impressed at all. “I don’t want to leave Mandy all alone.”
I suspected it was Diane’s time of the month. I know that sounded sexist, but the entire station could set their watches to the precise moment that Diane went from sweet and lovably polite, to the wicked bitch of the west coast on Prozac. She was one scary bitch and sharing a small space with her tonight was no carnival ride. Smile and nod graciously, I kept chanting in my head as the arms on the clock crawled towards each minute.
“Look at my face and concentrate on what I’m about to say,” Diane pointed her finger to her own face and whirled it in a circle. “This look? It means I don’t care. Not one fuck is given. This trip is for the good of the station, don’t think of it as a real vacation, think of it as your job. Your wife will have to manage on her own. Promise her something pretty. Do the dishes for a week, whatever you have to.”
“What about him?” Pete pointed over to me, his level of child-like questioning not as high-pitched as Jeff’s, yet just as annoying. “He can’t go alone on a couple’s only trip.”
Going alone would be better than having to fake a marriage with either Pete or Jeff. I would quite literally go out of my mind listening to their infernal complaining day in and day out for 14 days.
“That’s a problem I meant to address before now,” Diane sucked her bottom lip between her teeth while she thought. “You don’t have a significant other, right? Do you know someone you can take with you, a friend, a brother, cousin? All expenses paid of course since the crew won’t be tagging along.”
“Hey!” Pete whined.
“Shut it, Pete.” she warned.
Immediately, I thought of Bailey. Hopefully he could take two weeks off, but again maybe not. It wouldn’t hurt to ask. The notion of Bailey and me together at a resort, sharing a room and a bed, sent an immediate tremor racing to my dick.
“I may know someone,” I casually announced. “I’ll step outside and give him a call.”
“Be quick,” Diane grumbled, as she refilled her coffee cup from the carafe on the center of the table.
I closed the boardroom door behind me and watched as Pete waved his hands emphatically, like an Italian grandmother attempting to get his point across. He was not happy at all.
Let me explain.
Last year, we went on a yacht for a week to interview Thomas Mason, a world-renowned hypnotherapist specializing in behavior therapy. He claimed he could change a person’s behavior pattern through hypnotism in three short sessions, stopping them from smoking, overeating, drinking, etcetera. We were asked to bring along a guest. Myself, I came alone since there was no significant other in my life at the time. Pete brought the wife and Jeff brought the flavor of the month, a hot little number who carried her massive makeup kit with her everywhere she went. Her name skipped my mind, but she was very entertaining to say the least.
“Up All Night, how can I help you?” Bailey asked, his cheery tone instantaneously relaxing my tense nerves.
“How would you like to spend two glorious weeks enjoying the sun and the white sands at Rainbow Cove Resort in the Caribbean? All expenses paid with the hottest guy you know.”
“Chris Hemsworth?” Bailey shouted into the phone, “Hell, yeah!”
“Oh, you’re hilarious. Stop, my side is about to split,” I growled derisively into the phone, while holding back a laugh. “Never mind, I’ll just go to the Caribbean and soak up all the sunshine, swim in the cool clear water, and eat fabulous island food without you.”
“Aww, come on, you know I’m kidding,” Bailey chuckled, and I could see him in my mind’s eye smiling into the phone. “When?”
“Five days?” I clenched my teeth and crossed my fingers.
“Sure,” Bailey acceded. “What the fuck. I haven’t gone on a vacation since… God only knows when.”
“Seriously, just like that?” I queried, fingers still crossed.
“Why not?” I could almost see his shoulders shrug, he was the epitome of all things laidback. “Sierra and Nick can manage the shop without me for a few weeks. Besides, Parker was asking for more hours, this will work out ideally for everyone.”
“Great. I’ll tell my boss,” I said, throwing Diane the thumbs up when I noticed her watching me through the glass wall. “I’ll explain everything over dinner, my treat. That is, after we move my sister’s couch. Pick you up at six, tomorrow night?”
“Okay, but I get to pick the restaurant.”
“Okey dokey.”
“You did not just say, okey dokey,” Bailey laughed, something I could listen to for a lifetime. “My grandad used to say that.”
“Fuck you,” I tittered before hanging up.
The next night, we dropped by my sister’s place before dinner and moved the dreaded couch. She wasn’t home yet so Bailey lucked out not having the awkward meeting of a family member to contend with. Though, I knew Connie would love him.
At dinner, I explained the work-cation to Bailey, telling him how we were playing the part of a married couple and we worked out a few minor details.
“So, we have been married for two years,” Bailey corroborated. “Just celebrated our anniversary and this is going to be like a second honeymoon. What if someone asks how we met?”
“We tell them the truth, that we met when I came into the coffee shop,” I took a forkful of cheesecake and held it to Bailey’s lips. “Open. We live in my house, and I work at a youth center, they don’t need to know much more than that.”
Bailey’s mouth opened and I sat watching as he allowed the cheesecake to mellow on his tongue before he swallowed and licked his lips. He had beautiful lush lips. I nearly bent across the table to taste them, holding back as Bailey fed me a spoonful of his French-vanilla pudding.
“How do we know Paul and Jeff?”
“We don’t. We will act as if we just met them on the island,” I told him. “The farther we can stay away from those two, the better. If they don’t kill each other by the end of two weeks, I’ll be amazed. Diane got them a room in the hotel, we’re booked into one of the private huts. Here, I’ll show you.”
I took a folded brochure from my pocket and fanned it out on the table, moving to the chair at Bailey’s side with my tonic water and lime.
“Paradise,” Bailey crooned. “I better do some shopping before we go. I’m going to need new shorts and t-shirts. I wonder what’s better, sandals or runners?”
“It’s the Caribbean, it’s going to be hot. I’m taking sandals.”
“Nolan,” Bailey said, as he offered another spoonful of pudding, licking his own lips as he watched me eat from his spoon. “Thanks for taking me.”
“You’re the only person I want to take,” I told him with a wink. “And don’t thank me, the station is paying.”
“Still,” Bailey nudged my shoulder. “It’s going to be fun spending time together.”
Goosebumps swam over my arms just thinking about the kind of fun I was looking forward to with Bailey, just the two of us.
“I predict great things are going to happen on this trip.”
~
Small grass roof huts sat on columns a foot or so above the water lined along the shore of the island. Each with its own private dock just a few yards from the sand and surrounded by a wraparound porch and crystal-clear water. A gentleman dressed in a white linen shirt and matching trousers greeted us, as well as two women dressed similarly with clipboards and a basket of keys. They read off names from a list, each couple picked a key from the basket and were then being directed off to the side. Excitement crackled in the air as each couple whispered and grinned, sharing private conversations.
“Nolan and Bailey McAllister,” the host called. We stepped forward and directed Bailey to choose one of the few keys left. “Hut 15, a very nice choice gentlemen. End of the row to your right, there are no other huts to impede your view of the spectacular sunrises.”
We had elected not to use my last name, just in case there was the rarest chance someone might recognize it. If our cover was blown it was adios amigos, we’d be on the next plane out of there, since press and paparazzi were not permitted.
“Great,” Bailey stepped back to my side and leaning into my ear. “Is it just me, or does this fucker give you the creeps the way he watches me?”
“Hmm…” I acknowledged, when I noticed the host watching Bailey in a way I didn’t care for.
As to somehow enforce ownership, I took Bailey’s hand in mine, yanking him closer into my side. I wanted it made clear that there was no doubt Bailey was with me.
“Welcome, friends,” the man spoke with a strange accent I couldn’t quite decipher, and at the speed of a garden slug. “My name is Deval, and I am your host. In each hut, you will find a map of the island, two walkie-talkies, and an assortment of fresh fruit and beverages, which will be replenished each day. Room service is available from six am until midnight. Be our guests to roam the island, there is much to see and do. We have two restaurants and a bar with dancing offered each evening, as well as two fresh water pool areas as an alternative to the salt of the ocean. A personalized agenda will be delivered to your huts tomorrow morning. We do ask that in the event you are unable to attend any of your spa sessions, that you please call at least three hours in advance.” He swiped his hand out towards the huts. “Make yourselves at home and enjoy your stay at Rainbow. Oh, and should a major storm threaten, we have sufficient space for you all in the hotel, but I do not see there being a problem in the near future. Forecasts call for the most perfect weather since Rainbow Cove first opened its doors. Again, enjoy.”
As if with intention, Deval turned his head to face us and smiled directly, with balls the size of a canal horse, at Bailey. I was not impressed one iota and set my brow with an unwavering glare.
“Hey,” Bailey pointed. “What the hell is Jeff doing here already? I thought they were on the next boat to the island.”
“They are,” I affirmed as my eyes followed the direction Bailey was pointing, but I could not see Jeff anywhere. I thumbed over my shoulder to the boat thirty or forty yards off of shore. “You’re seeing things, my friend, that’s their boat coming now. Can’t be sun stroke this fast, maybe all the fresh air is fucking up your eyesight?”
“Must be,” Bailey poked his elbow into my ribs. “Come on. Let’s go see this spectacular hut.” Bailey made quote signs with his fingers when he said spectacular with an accent, as we followed the others along the shoreline.
The warm, salty breeze off of the water felt welcome on my skin as we walked onto the wooden dock leading to our hut. On the outside, it looked minimal like twigs tied together creating walls in an octagon shape with large grassy palm leaves covering the roof. Once inside, it told an entirely different story. Our eyes automatically rose to the ceiling of the open roof where a gigantic fan sluggishly turned, making the temperature ever so slightly lower because of the shade. The walls allowed in the smallest amount of light, it was amazing.
“You should get some of this mesh shit for your bed at home, it would look cool,” Bailey said, draping the bug netting over his head like a bride’s veil and talking through it. “I hope this bed will hold the two of us.”
All furnishings were made from heavy rattan with the same bug netting over the glassless windows that looked out at the ocean. Large overstuffed chairs outlined a five-foot square clear glass floor in the center of the room. A door in the far corner pulled at my curiosity. Inside was the washroom with a simple flush toilet, pedestal sink and an open shower without a roof, it almost felt like it was part of the outdoors. “I can shower under the stars,” I chuckled.
“Nolan, you have to see this it’s in-fucking-credible!” Bailey called.
Bailey was lying on his belly looking through the glass floor, the water giving off a turquoise glow, reflecting subtle streams of light off of the interior walls. We could see the sandy ocean floor below and small shells and rocks. The columns that the hut was housed upon were caked with crustaceans. A few colorful fish swam about. I smiled at the way Bailey enjoyed himself like a child at times and didn’t give a shit that anyone saw. To feel that free.
“Feel like taking a walk around the island?” I asked. Bailey rolled onto his back and held up his hands. I yanked him to his feet and kissed his forehead. “We should find the map.”
“On the bed,” Bailey pointed. “With the walkie-talkies. Do you think we really need to carry those?”
“I guess we better,” I back stepped Bailey to the side of the bed. “Whatever would I do if I lost you?”
“Smooth talker,” Bailey laughed. “Let me have a quick pee and we’ll go.
He disappeared into the washroom leaving the door open while he peed. It was nice that he felt so comfortable around me.
“Holy shit, did you see this shower? We could have fun in here.”
I rolled my eyes without responding. Bailey was certainly going to be my downfall, while trying to maintain a certain amount of decorum and fashioning a romantically memorable trip for Bailey. Maybe not tonight, perhaps not even tomorrow, but one night soon, I was going to plan a night that Bailey would never forget.
“Ready,” Bailey announced as he stepped out from the washroom while drying his hands and tossed the towel on the end of the bed. “Or should I change?”
“You look fine,” I assured, taking his hand and gave him one of the walkie-talkies.
The breeze off of the ocean caught his hair, tossing it around lightly. He brought his hand up and combed his fingers through it before taking his shades from the V-neck of his shirt and slipping them on. I could watch him all day. The most menial of tasks seemed wonderfully theatrical when it was Bailey performing them.
“What?” Bailey asked when he caught me staring.
“Nothing.” My mouth curled into a smirk as I put on my own sunglasses, my eyes spanning over him from head to toe. He was one fine-looking hunk of a man.
“Maybe I should put long pants on,” Bailey said, looking down at his shorts.
“Maybe you should quit worrying about your wardrobe and enjoy the fact that we’re on vacation. Keep walking,” I said, while forcing him to keep up.
“Bossy bitch,” Bailey narrowed his eyes and burst into laughter.
“You have no idea.”
The sun heated to scorching hot levels the closer it drew to midday, it promised a sticky end to the day though the breeze disguised it well. We purchased a few more bottles of sunscreen in the small gift shop/grocery store, as well as after sun lotion and a box of chocolate covered Jujubes Bailey insisted he couldn’t live without. He was cute, how could I resist?
We explored a small chunk of the island in only a few short hours. The restaurant and dance club were closed and the one pool we passed by was so busy with scantily clad sunbathers, that neither Bailey nor myself felt the need to join them. Instead, we found two loungers on a quiet part of the beach in a nice shaded area. We ordered a few fancy cocktails from a waiter who appeared out of nowhere just before we removed our shoes, buried our toes in the sand, and closed our eyes.
“Pooker,” a nauseating voice whined from somewhere behind us. “Perspiration is running down my back. I need a shower. Take me back to our hut. I simply can’t take another minute of this insufferable heat.”
“It’s a tropical island, Simon,” a second voice chimed, immediately drawing my attention. “You knew it was going to be hot.”
“Fine, you can be such a beast,” the whiney voice huffed. “Then take me for a swim so I can cool off, and not in the pool with all those gross sweaty people. I can only imagine what’s floating around in there. Urgh, the thought makes my skin crawl. Just look at the goosebumps.”
“Stop being such a drama queen, Simon. The pool is chlorinated.”
“So, now you want me in a pool full of deadly chemicals? My skin is going to shrivel up and peel right off of my body on this dreadful island.”
“This place was your idea.”
“The brochure said nothing about excruciating heat.”
“Then we better get you into the hut before you melt into a pile of goo.”
“You’re being mean, Pooker.”
There was an eerie familiarity in the second voice, forcing me to sit up and look over my shoulder for the vendor. But the voices had trailed off, the surf of the ocean muffling the direction they disappeared into. I looked over at Bailey potentially sleeping and gave my head a shake. I must have been dreaming. I was hundreds of miles from home on an island in the middle of the Caribbean, and I was hearing voices from my past.
“I don’t know about you,” I jumped when I heard Bailey’s voice. “But this fresh air is making me hungry. Want to see if the restaurant is open yet?”
“Yeah, okay,” I mumbled, still searching the landscape.
“What you looking at?” Bailey followed my line of view.
“I thought I heard…” No, I wasn’t going there. “Nothing. Let’s go eat.”