Sutter's Bay Box Set

Chapter 1-1

Sweet Reunion

Chapter 1

Jason Sweet hated being back here.

For the most part, the suburb where he’d spent his first eighteen years of life had not been particularly interesting or malicious. It had just been ordinary.

The first twelve years had been entirely uneventful. He had a mom and a dad like everyone else he knew, and a brother and a sister. If the average family consisted of two-point-two children, he guessed he was the point-two in his house.

After he turned twelve, he’d figured out the truth about himself. When all his friends went gaga over bras and panties, he felt nothing. Well, not entirely true. He got excited over the guys getting excited. But he kept this revelation inside.

He’d only been back in Sutter’s Bay for a week, called back to spend whatever time he had left with his terminally ill mother. Maybe after all this time he could heal the rift between the two of them. Even if it took her dying to force him to confront their issues.

He had some other unfinished business to deal with, too, and that’s why he was here.

Jason stood in front of Jefferson High School, surprised how much it had changed in fifteen years. It was fenced in now while it hadn’t been when he attended. The school resembled a prison.

He glanced at the paper in his hand. Daniel Yarrow was supposed to be teaching in classroom forty-three.

Go.

He wanted to walk through the gate of the school and to that class. Really. But it wasn’t as easy as he’d thought before he drove over from his mother’s house.

Jason had kept his homosexuality a secret from everyone until he turned sixteen. Even then it had been his best friend and classmate, Danny, who’d made the first move. For two years, Jason and Danny had kept their relationship hidden. But then the summer after high school it had all become a total disaster.

A car honked near him, pulling him out of his memories. He shook his head, opened the gate, and limped into the yard at the front of the school. The damn left leg bothered him, but he ignored the pain. According to his doctors, it would probably never go away completely.

He walked past the first three buildings, looking for the building housing forty-three. It was after regular school hours, so not many kids lingered and nobody seemed to pay attention to his presence.

The September afternoon breeze coming off the ocean was cool and Jason wished he’d brought a sweatshirt or something. He spotted the door for Danny’s classroom and gimped his way over to it. He rubbed his leg, wincing at the pain. He supposed he should have brought his cane with him, but he hated looking old and feeble. Thirty-three shouldn’t feel so old.

He listened outside the door, hearing raised voices. Jason smiled, recognizing a line from Romeo and Juliet. He tapped once and then opened the door to the classroom.

A group of high school students gathered at the back of the room. Some sat in chairs, others on desks, and one boy and one girl stood holding and reading from several sheets of paper. Leaning against a chalkboard, slim arms crossed in front of his chest, was Daniel Yarrow. Danny.

The group glanced his way when he entered. The kids looked merely curious, but Danny stared, his eyes wide with shock. He straightened and cleared his throat.

“Um, that will be all for today. We’ll pick up where we left off after school tomorrow, but meet in the auditorium.”

The teens eagerly rose and immediately started chattering to each other. If they thought their instructor cutting rehearsal short odd, they didn’t say.

They shuffled past his position by the door, once more giving Jason curious looks as they filtered through the door and outside to freedom.

Though he couldn’t tear his gaze from Danny’s face, Jason waited until the door closed behind the departed kids before he spoke.

“Hi, Danny.”

“Jason.” Danny walked across the classroom and stood before him. “When…I didn’t know you were here in Sutter’s Bay.”

He didn’t answer immediately. He just stared. The boy he’d loved had become a beautiful man. Danny had always been gorgeous. Pretty, even. Fifteen years hadn’t changed that. Back in high school Danny wore his dark wavy hair long, to his shoulders, but now it curled just under his ears. He still had the same peaches and cream complexion, the same soft green eyes and long killer lashes. And the lips. Plump and so kissable.

Jason swallowed, his balls tightened, and he fought to control his reaction. He tore his gaze from Danny, willing his c**k to behave. When he glanced back at the other man, he thought he had himself back in control.

“Yeah, I just got back a couple of days ago. My mom…” His voice faltered, stopped.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Danny’s look was sympathetic.

Jason nodded. “Hey, I can’t believe you’re teaching drama at our old school.”

Danny smiled. His smile was so sunny and warm it lit up the whole damn classroom. “Hard to believe, huh? Well, I did always have a flare for the dramatic though. At least I put it to use.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. I just thought I’d come and ask you if you wanted to have dinner with me tomorrow night.”

The other man shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“Oh.” Jason took a step back. Of course, someone as gorgeous as Danny probably had a boyfriend. Maybe even a husband, though he didn’t see a ring. Their relationship had ended fifteen years ago. He’d even had a couple of boyfriends during that time.

Danny’s hand rested on Jason’s arm. “I’ve got the rehearsal with the kids tomorrow night. It’s a long one. We’re putting on Romeo and Juliet in a couple of weeks. But, tonight?”

He’d promised to have dinner with his mom. “Do you think you could come to the house? We’re not going to have anything fancy. I think we’re just going to have take-out.” He hesitated. “You can even bring your boyfriend.”

“I’m not seeing anyone, Jason,” Danny said softly. “I had a boyfriend, but we broke up a couple of years ago. What time should I come over?”

Jason knew he shouldn’t be so damn happy Danny was unattached. They’d spent a lot of years apart and just because he came back to Sutter’s Bay didn’t mean Danny was going to be receptive to anything starting between them. Hell, Jason had made the decision to breakup with Danny when they were eighteen. It hadn’t ended well.

“Six-thirty all right?”

Danny smiled. “Sure, see you then. It’s good to see you again, Jason. You look really good.”

Jason smiled back but he knew his smile was strained. He turned and walked to the door, conscious of his limp. He heard Danny gasp.

“What happened?”

Jason stilled and sighed. He turned to face Danny. “I got shot during a robbery. Hit me in the leg and the stomach. My partner got shot, too. I was lucky I lived. Hal died.” His heart raced, remembering that day. “I’m retired from the force now on permanent disability.”

Danny nodded. “I didn’t know. That’s—I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too. See you for dinner.”