The enchanted triangle m.., p.1
The Enchanted Triangle (Merlin's Grove Book 3), page 1
Also by Mark C. Wade
Stand in Need of Comfort
Uniform Fantasies
Merlin’s Grove Series:
The Overlook (Book 1)
The Track Coach (Book 2)
THE ENCHANTED TRIANGLE
Copyright © 2017 Mark C. Wade
All rights reserved.
No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Under no circumstances may any part of this book be photocopied for resale.
This is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental.
The Enchanted Triangle
Mark C. Wade
For the people at my first cakewalk.
You were an inspiration.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
About the Author
Chapter 1
Alex unwound the white apron straps from his body. The front had swipes of gray from the charcoal and grime of the kitchen. Grease streaks covered other parts where Alex had wiped his hands. The apron had become a canvas of bizarre modern art made from food.
Alex hated it when they put him on kitchen duty. He’d been hired at the Merlin’s Grove Grille as a server. That was where he flourished. He could turn up his boyish charm and sway his scrawny hips to an excess of tips from women and men alike, often to the dismay of a nearby wife. Oh how he loved to fluster those men.
But as the years went on, Alex had turned into a staple of the diner, able to pick up pretty much anyone’s shifts. He just didn’t make as much while hidden from view.
The stench of sweat and grease nauseated him, and he rushed out of the kitchen as soon as that last order had been filled. The dishwashers would have to deal with the rest. He couldn’t complain too much. The extra shifts let him collect overtime.
Alex had the next day off, and he decided he needed a night out to take his mind off of everything.
“See you later, Tony,” he called to the other end of the kitchen before skipping out the door.
A small group of stragglers were hanging around the nearest streetlight. Alex heard the voice of Jules ring out.
“I hear they haven’t slept in the same bed for a whole month!”
Heat rose to Alex’s chest. He needed to say something—to put the town gossips in their place. He didn’t care who they were talking about; it was none of their business.
But he’d been working on his temper, and so he did what he’d been taught. Alex took a deep breath and counted to three. The anger passed, and it was replaced by a calmer sentiment. If he had yelled at them, that only would have given them more gossip to spread.
One of the men laughed and said, “So much for gay marriage.”
Chuckles burst from several of them.
No! One, two, three. One, two, three. But he couldn’t let that one go. The red heat had made its way to his face, and he felt it simmer there for a moment.
Alex strolled up to the group.
He said, “Hey! You don’t know anything about it.”
They all spun to face him, and Jules walked to the front.
She said, “Do you even know who we’re talking about?”
“No. But that’s beside the point.”
“Actually, it’s the same thing you just accused us of.”
Alex hung his head. It was kind of true.
He said, “But you’re making generalizations about gay people by prying into a single couple’s private life.”
They all burst out laughing again.
The man that made the comment said, “Sorry. It was kind of an offensive joke, but we weren’t talking about people. We’re talking about Old Joe’s dogs. The two males have been inseparable for years. Now Betsy gets brought in, and everything changed.”
“…Oh.”
Alex was so embarrassed. He knew he should’ve just walked on and ignored them. His temper always got him into trouble. He tried to act like he hadn’t made a fool of himself and said, “Continue on.”
Then he turned and walked away, pushing all of it from his head.
The embarrassment faded as he walked. The incident couldn’t hold back how great Alex felt. The satisfaction of working hard through a dreaded night brought on a high, and Alex momentarily felt on top of the world.
He strolled through the Town Center on his way home, a smile plastered on his face.
It was such a beautiful night. There were no clouds in the sky, and the quiet town of Merlin’s Grove gave off little light. A million stars shone down on Alex, and he did a quick twirl in the middle of the square. A whoop came from someone on a nearby bench. They watched the magnificent Charter Oak sway in the gentle breeze.
Alex’s good mood dwindled as he got home. His studio apartment reminded him that he was going nowhere fast. His job paid the bills, but there wasn’t much room for promotion. His furniture had all been scrounged from people desperate to get rid of it on Craigslist.
But that was another story.
He hopped in the shower and scrubbed the night from his skin; he had a man to find and not much time to do it. Alex left the apartment almost as soon as he got there and headed straight for the one haven in his rural, small town: the Knightcap.
Alex spent the past several months watching the Knightcap pick up. He was the type of customer to blend in at the edges. Ben, the owner, was observant, though. Ben knew who he was, but didn’t make a big deal out of it. Alex considered himself a regular and knew all the regulars, but many still didn’t know him.
Alex sipped at his seven and seven in the back corner and watched the crowd flow around him. He longed for someone special to walk in, but he’d settle for a hookup in the meantime.
A tall and lanky guy walked in. Alex assumed he was around thirty years old. He had jet black tousled hair. Alex liked that. He couldn’t see himself with someone that took their appearance too seriously. Life was too short to spend hours every day making sure every hair was in place.
He watched the guy go up to the bar and order a beer. He had a cute, rounded face, despite the rest of him being all skin and bones. Alex squinted through the dark room.
What’s that?
The guy set something on the high-top table in front of him. The more Alex looked, the more sure he became of it. The guy had set a rose in front of him. Had he brought his own decoration? Weird. Alex liked that.
Seize the day. That’s what young people were supposed to do, right? Alex strolled around for a moment. He tried to act like he was looking for a place to sit, like he hadn’t been there for an hour already.
He slid into the chair across from the guy, and the guy replied with a kind smile. Alex instantly felt better.
Alex said, “Hi. I’m Alex.”
“Sebastian…but people just call me Seb.”
Alex nodded. Odd. Seb looked a bit more nervous now that Alex was up close. Seb’s hand shook as he brought the glass to his lips.
Alex asked, “So what’s something interesting about you? I hate asking new people what they do, as if that’s even remotely interesting.”
“Oh. I thought you knew what I did. Didn’t Kara tell you?”
“Who?”
Seb gave Alex a strange look before saying, “Um. This can’t happen.”
“What can’t happen?”
“You’re trying to flirt with me or pick me up or something.”
Alex scrunched his face to convey his confusion. Seb didn’t pick up on the body language, so Alex asked, “Why are you here exactly?”
“I’m meeting someone for a blind date. You came over and sat down so deliberately, I thought you might be him.”
“But how would I even know it was you if we’ve never seen each other?”
Seb pointed to the rose. Now Alex understood. He wasn’t decorating the table with his own flower. That didn’t make sense anyway, even for a weird person.
Alex smiled and said, “Ah. It’s like You’ve Got Mail.”
“It’s like what?”
“You’ve Got Mail. You know, the 90’s rom-com starring Tom Hanks.”
“Oh. I’ve never seen it.”
Alex stared at the guy. Sure, it wasn’t really their generation’s movie, but it was a classic. How could he not have seen it? Alex was almost glad this wasn’t meant to be.
A strange hip-hop sound came from nearby. Alex looked around to find out what it was.
Seb said, “Sorry. That’s me. I knew I should have turned it off.” He tapped his phone and answered it anyway, despite the a
Really? Alex couldn’t believe this guy. He felt that stored anger begin its rise again, and that internal struggle to not say anything. The last thing he wanted was to be known as the kid who made a scene at the Knightcap. He’d never live that down.
Seb’s face turned a bright red.
He said, “Oh, God! That’s terrible. I’ll be right there.” He jumped up and rushed out the door.
Alex didn’t even have time to ask what was wrong. He plopped his head into his hands. Everyone always told him he was young, but being twenty-five and never having had a serious relationship was getting old.
He felt cursed. This type of thing always seemed to happen to him. Things would be going well, and then mysterious forces outside his control ended things before they could really begin.
Alex almost believed the stories of magic and curses in Merlin’s Grove just because of how aptly it described his own life.
Then a new guy walked in. Alex turned away to try to avoid unwanted attention. The guy was just about the exact opposite of Alex’s type. He wasn’t exactly fat, but he definitely had a few extra pounds on him. He was older, maybe even forty. His black hair had speckles of gray scattered throughout.
But worst of all, he looked like the type to meticulously obsess over his appearance. Every hair was in place, and some sort of product made sure it stayed that way.
He wore a fancy suit, and his tie was still pulled into a tight knot. There wasn’t any looseness or crinkle in his appearance after a full day of work. Even his step had an overconfident and stiff quality to it.
The guy walked up to the bar, and he ordered a cranberry juice with no alcohol in it. Alex wasn’t even looking in the direction of the man anymore. Why would the guy come to a bar and not get a drink?
Alex chastised himself for being so judgmental. This was the only place for gay people to hang out. People who didn’t drink were allowed, too.
Alex waited a bit, willing the guy to find a different seat, but then it happened. The curse struck again. He sensed that solid body slide into the chair next to him. Alex turned to look at him.
He had a goofy smile on his face, and Alex almost let his guard down.
The man said, “Hey. So you’re Sebastian? Kara told me your name. I’m Daniel, or Dan, or whatever.” He let out a nervous laugh. “You’re so cute. I didn’t expect that—sorry. I’ve never done this before.”
Alex stared at the rose on the table. Why had he not gotten rid of it? He had to put an end to this immediately.
“Um. Actually, you’ve got the wrong person. I—”
“—Oh.” Everything in Dan’s demeanor fell, and Alex felt bad for the guy. “You don’t have to lie. I know I’m not conventionally attractive. The rose gives it away. I was happy you picked it. I got to feel like I was Tom Hanks for a moment.”
Dan picked the rose up and quoted from the movie with a perfect Tom Hanks impersonation.
“Is this a red rose? No, it’s a crimson rose. Something you read about in a book, no doubt.”
Dan took the rose and stuck it in his mouth sideways, as if about to tango.
Alex felt his heart skip a beat. Dan had managed to transport him to a distant reality, where romantic comedies were real.
He suddenly felt like if he were a different person, the curse would lift.
He wished he didn’t do it, but Alex said, “Sorry. That’s not what I meant. All I wanted to say was that people call me Seb.”
Alex watched Dan’s face. Did he know? The word “Seb” felt strange on his lips. Surely Dan had noticed.
Dan took the rose from his mouth and set it back on the table.
He said, “Seb. I like that.”
Chapter 2
Alex ran his fingers across the grains of the hard, red wood of the table. The weak light above glared off the polished surface, and he could see Dan settle into his seat from the reflection.
Alex started over with the same prompt for his second date of the night.
“So tell me something interesting about yourself.”
Dan said, “I’m not sure there is anything interesting about me. I’m a workaholic banker, and I know it.” He motioned to himself. “I don’t leave any time for exercise or hobbies or dating. I came here straight from the office even though I went in this morning before nine a.m.” Dan shook his head as if this disgusted him.
“I see.”
“I’m trying to change all that, starting with actually dating.” Dan squinted at Alex. “You look younger than I expected. I thought Kara said you were thirty-five.”
Alex panicked for a moment. It was his second chance to come clean. He needed to take it.
Dan swayed a bit to the beat of the music. He mouthed the words to himself. Alex watched in fascination. There was something both calming and exhilarating about Dan. The way he engaged in conversation was so all-encompassing.
When speaking, his brown eyes locked onto Alex’s, and Alex felt for a moment like he was the only person that mattered. The entire room disappeared when they talked. Only then did he realize how much of a tangled game of deception most other guys played while talking to him.
Despite what he had said about being an isolated workaholic, he seemed quite happy. Alex wouldn’t have guessed this straight-laced banker knew the words to this pop song or watched romantic comedies. A deep urge filled Alex with the desire to know this man better.
Dan stopped for a moment and smiled. He asked, “What?”
Alex shook his head and said, “Nothing. You were into the song. I liked watching.”
Dan’s face flushed.
“Sorry. I really like it for some reason. I didn’t even realize I was doing it.”
Alex said, “Don’t apologize.” Alex hoped Dan had forgotten about the age comment, but now he locked eyes again, attentively waiting for a response.
Something inside of Alex screamed at him to not ruin this. Dan might not be his type, but he was beginning to think that was a good thing.
Alex heard himself say, “I just look young for my age.”
Alex didn’t recognize himself. He was not the type to lie. He probably could have dropped it, and Dan would have forgotten to ask again.
Dan said, “Oh, you’re lucky. I look old for my age. I’m only thirty-five as well, but many think I’m older because I’m graying.”
“It’s kind of hot.” Was that even true? Alex decided it was. Something about Dan’s older virility awakened a long-dormant desire inside of Alex.
Alex could tell this direct of a comment embarrassed Dan by the way he suddenly looked away.
Alex switched topics.
“So what’s up with the juice? Are you in AA or something?”
Dan’s hearty laugh filled Alex’s soul with warmth. He was beginning to think Dan was the first genuinely nice guy he’d met.
Dan said, “No. It’s pretty much the opposite. I’ve never even been drunk. I’ve put work above everything else. I guess I’ve always worried that if I consume even a little, it will impair my faculties and I won’t be able to do my job as well. Is that weird?”
Alex said, “Kind of. But I like it. It’s different. Everyone is so the same all the time.”
Dan peered into Alex’s eyes, and it made him a little uncomfortable.
He said, “I hate to be blunt, but are you actually interested in me? I don’t want to waste either of our time. I won’t be offended, but please don’t string me along just to be nice.”
Alex said, “What? Why would you think that? I would be lucky to date you. I’m just a nobody. I wait tables at the Merlin’s Grove Grille around the corner. I’ve lived here my whole life. You seem genuine and nice and you’re rich and successful with whatever it is you do. You’ve probably even traveled the world.”
“Yeah. But look at you. You could probably get anyone in this bar tonight. You look young and have a great body still.”
“Looks aren’t everything.”
It was a cliché, and Alex wasn’t even sure he believed it. Dan brought his face close to Alex’s. Alex took a sharp breath in, and Dan kissed Alex quickly.
“Seb, thank you for saying that. You just made my night.”
With the chaos of the night, he had almost forgotten he was pretending to be someone else.
