Waiting for Mark Read online

  “Didn’t you try to get away?”

  “He kept me locked in a room with a guard. Once I asked him why he wouldn’t let me go. He said, ‘once something belongs to me it stays mine until I throw it away.’”

  “He sounds like a real prince. I gather you stopped trying to escape.” My baby has been through so much, it’s no wonder he’s afraid to love.

  “I couldn’t get away while he was free, he hardly ever left me alone but as soon as they arrested him, and I got out of the hospital, I ran. He’s out now, and now Jay’s going to tell him where I am and he and wants me back. Jay made sure he told me that he called Billy. I’m afraid. I’m going to have to run again. ” Mark shivered as if he were cold.

  “This doesn’t make any difference. The apartment is an ideal set-up for you. You have friends nearby. I also have a buddy in the local police department. Nothing will happen to you at my apartment.”

  “You think I’ll be safe?”

  “No one can make that guarantee, but the house has an excellent security system installed and I’ll arrange for either Zach, Keith, Mike or me to follow you home every night.”

  “You’d do this for me?”

  “I’d do this for anyone of my friends.”

  “Okay.” He looked away from Reggie. “I can’t tell you who I’m more afraid of, Jay or Billy.”

  Reggie turned Mark’s face to his. “Look, you got into this situation trying to help Bobby. That makes it the guys’ business. Don’t worry with their help, you’ll be okay.”

  “Who are the guys and why would they do that for me?”

  “The guys are the Ocean Township Champion Soccer Team of 2010, Bobby, Jason and the rest of my team and a couple of guys who graduated before us. I’m sure Jason or Bobby mentioned them. You’re Bobby’s friend and mine. Besides, you did Bobby a solid.” Reggie put his arm around Marks’s trembling shoulders and gave him a brief squeeze before quickly moving his arm away, not wanting Mark to think he was taking liberties.

  Mark cocked his head. His voice finally broke on a sob. “I can’t stay where I am, it would be too easy to get to me and Jay knows where I live…and work.”

  “He doesn’t know where I live, and here, at the club, we can guard you. When do you want to move in?” Reggie’s first instinct was to protect. He wanted Mark in his basement, like yesterday.

  “I don’t have much.” Mark sniffed.

  “Whatever you need, we’ll get.”

  § § §

  Oakhurst ~ Second Thursday in April before Easter

  For the first time in the two years, Reggie had hope. Although Mark still maintained he wouldn’t date him, Reggie, hoped that proximity would do what persistence couldn’t. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. The remodeling was finished. Reggie was surprised it took only a month and a half. Now he would have Mark downstairs in a beautiful apartment with rent so cheap, he wouldn’t want to leave.

  Reg called Jason and Jason told him the guys from both the soccer team and the club were still there bullshitting, so Reg asked Jason to take them upstairs and have them stay. He’d pick up De Lorenzo’s Pizza from Hamilton on the way home. He could heat it up in the commercial range he had installed in his kitchen when he remodeled the room. It would be his first real opportunity to use it, because since he moved upstairs he had mostly hung out at the club, eating his dinner there and talking to Mark. He was trying for friendship now, hoping that sometime soon Mark would see him, Reggie, not the money. He attempted once to move on and see other people, but that lasted one night, his heart was settled on Mark and wouldn’t be moved.

  § § §

  Mark was surprised how little time it took to move him into the apartment. It was gorgeous, he couldn’t believe he was getting it for five hundred a month. The apartment kitchen had premium appliances and all of the pots and pans already hung over the island. Reggie provided white Corelle square dishes and a plain stainless pattern, service for eight. There was also glassware, kitchen tools and serving dishes.

  The linen closet held soft sheets, the towels were labeled Egyptian cotton and there were two down comforters— one light one for spring and fall and a heavy one for winter. The shower had six jets and a separate hot tub, plus there was a full bath for guests. There was a mudroom with a front loading washer and dryer. The kitchen opened into a great room with an area set aside for dining. The dining table was round and sat six. Unlike his former apartment, it was even air-conditioned. The apartment ran the whole length and width of the huge home upstairs, so it was large, really too much for just him, but he intended to enjoy the space for as long as he could.

  There were two bedrooms, one of which was furnished as an office. The other was large and comfortable with a king sized bed and an easy chair, a dresser, a bureau and a blanket chest. Reggie put a fifty-inch television in the great room. He installed a pair of comfortable navy leather couches with four built-in recliners and a huge ottoman. It matched the sofas and with some trays on top served as a coffee table. The walls were done in a barely there lemon yellow and the floors were hardwood except for the bedrooms which were carpeted.

  The apartment had plenty of light from the French doors that led out to a small patio with stairs to the main deck and pool and double hung windows. There were solar garden lights and a security flood light in the back that operated with a motion detector plus an audible alarm. To Mark, the place was paradise.

  The guys were sitting around in the apartment waiting for Reggie to bring the pizza. Mark counted noses, Jason, Zach, Bobby, Keith, Bert, Jeremy, Jack Romano plus Mike and Richie from the club.

  Mark’s cell rang. “Hi, it’s Reggie, I just called Jason. He gave me your number. I told him to let the guys go upstairs, I’m bringing home pizza as a thank you to the guys for helping you move.”

  “You’ll have to tell me how much it cost you, so I can give you the money.”

  “No, this is my treat. You didn’t need all of those guys to empty one furnished efficiency apartment, so you shouldn’t have to pay for them to eat. They just used your move as an opportunity to reconnect.”

  “I can understand that, but I want to pay for the beer.”

  “Sure, pay for the beer, but send Jason to get the beer, I don’t want Bobby over at the Monmouth Bottle Shop, too many bad memories. I’ve ordered ten pies with all different toppings. You and Jason have keys to the house. Could you heat up the stove and we’ll warm them when I get back? Ask Bobby how it works.”

  “I have keys to the upstairs, too?”

  “Of course you do. That’s where the air conditioning and heating controls are located along with the two hot water heaters and electrical panels. In case of an emergency, you have to be able to get to them. That’s why I waited to rent out the apartment to someone I knew. I needed a person in there I could trust. The contractor told me it would cost a fortune to move all the mechanicals.”

  “I can’t believe you and your friends did this for me,” Mark said with amazement.

  “Don’t tell them I said so, but they’re a good bunch. Did Jack make it over there?”

  “Yeah, the dark, quiet one…”

  “He’s from the class of two-thousand-eight, we were on the team with him for two years. He’s a local cop. I figured you should meet him. If you want, you can tell him about Jay and Billy, then the cops will do drive-bys until Jay’s cooled off or realizes it’s an exercise in futility, and Billy moves on. I’ve got to run. Those pizzas won’t pick themselves up.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want anything for the pizza?”

  “Nothing, it’s all part of the friendly service, besides, the guys like to get together, and your move was just as good an excuse as any. There are only five of us left in town plus Jack from 2008. Everyone else got jobs in other states. I’m pulling into DeLorenzo’s, I’ll see you in thirty minutes. Ask Bobby to show you how to heat up the oven.”

  “Do you have keys to my place?” Mark asked with trepidation.

  “No, do
n’t need them. Jason has them in case you get locked out, but I thought you’d be more comfortable if I didn’t have them.”

  Mark blushed, thanking God that Reggie couldn’t see him. “I’ll tell the guys you’re on your way.”

  § § §

  The others left and Reggie and Mark were breaking up the pizza boxes to take out to the recycling. “I see you brought nothing but clothes and a computer. I don’t want to be nosy, but Jason made good money at the Sunset Club, yet Bert said you lived in a furnished efficiency and didn’t even own a toaster oven.”

  “I had a mother to support and a hospital bill to pay, it took me five years to get out from under. Now that I finally have some breathing room, Billy Cruz comes back,” Mark said with some heat mixed with despair.

  “Where is your mother now?”

  “Dead. She died of cirrhosis of the liver five years ago. I went to the hospital after Billy beat me up and once I recovered, Mom went to Central Shore and then on to hospice care. We had no insurance. It took five years to pay all the bills.”

  Reggie shook his head. “You could have declared bankruptcy, and no one would have thought any less of you for it.”

  “No, I pay what I owe. When I was eighteen, I tried to take the easy way out, Billy had money. After experiencing Billy, I became determined to take care of myself and not sell myself to some rich asshole for a comfortable life.” Mark sounded very bitter.

  “Do you think I’m a rich asshole?” Reggie asked, not knowing exactly how he wanted Mark to answer.

  “No, you’re not an asshole, but you’re still rich. I want no part of rich. Now that the hospital bills are paid, I’m going to start saving money to go back to school. I bought a used car to get to work. It doesn’t look like much but I’ve worked on it and it runs well.”

  Reggie was still stuck on the rich remark. “I’m not that wealthy anymore. My parents kicked me out once they found out I was gay. I still have Gramps trust fund, but it’s not as robust as you think. I depend on my salary to pay my bills, although I have no mortgage.”

  “You didn’t tell anyone you parents kicked you out.”

  “It was right after the New Year. I spent a few days here, then Keith got the placed alarmed for Bobby. I slept in my car for a while then Bobby found out and he let me stay here. After I had proved to the trustees that my parents did throw me out, they released my funds, so I was able to buy Bobby’s place.”

  “You were on the street? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have put you up.” Mark was incredulous.

  “Bobby just had the accident and lost his parents. He was devastated and needed all of our support. My problem was temporary.”

  “Bobby would have let you stay here.”

  “Bobby would have worried about me. Besides, Bob and Cora’s things were all over here. What if I broke something? Bobby said it didn’t matter, but I know it did. A lot of Cora’s antiques found their way over to Keith’s. When the time came, I received my money and Bobby sold me the property. I remodeled it so Bobby doesn’t feel like he’s walking over his parents’ graves every time he comes over. It’s all good.” Reggie shrugged.

  “So what do you plan to do with the trust fund?”

  “Nothing, now it’s for an emergency or for college for my spouse if that’s what he wants and for any kids I might have. The interest, I invest. Once I get my man, I plan to either adopt or do a surrogacy that is if they are interested in having kids. Do you need anything before I go upstairs?”

  “I have everything I need and then some. Thank you.”

  “Good night, then,” Reggie said as he went toward the outside door.

  “Reg, use the inside door, there’s no need to go outside.”

  “Okay, but lock it behind me. I don’t want anyone coming in from upstairs and surprising you. The door is steel and has a deadbolt. The gate to the backyard also has a deadbolt. The lock can be accessed from both sides. The key is on your keychain trimmed in red plastic, the keys to the upstairs have green tops, and the apartment, blue.”

  “I’ll make sure that I secure the gate.”

  “Okay, I’m going upstairs, get a good night’s sleep.”

  § § §

  Mark shook his head. Reggie is a nice guy, nothing like Billy, but Billy was sweet in the beginning too. He argued with himself. Reggie isn’t mean and you can see that. You’re staying away because you don’t want to be hurt again. It was easier when you just saw him as a rich kid who came into the bar, and threw around his money, but you know better now.

  The phone rang. “Hello?”

  “It just me, Reggie. I’m sorry but with you moving in today, I forgot. Bobby wanted to invite you over to his and Keith’s home for Easter dinner. The bar will be closed until seven, he plans on serving at one. All the guys will be there. Do you want to come?”

  “Are you sure I won’t make it so that he has too many at the table?”

  “Cora who was Bobby’s mother had a Lenox service for sixteen and Bobby plans to use every plate. So, no, there are never too many at Bobby’s table. I can give you directions.” Reggie chuckled.

  “Can I ride with you?”

  “Sure. We’ll speak before then. Goodnight again.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Well, you just stuck your toe in the water. Mark undressed, took a shower and got ready for bed. As he lay there on the comfortable king-sized bed, he wondered what Reggie was doing upstairs.

  § § §

  Reggie stretched out on his bed thinking about his new tenant. He was in love with Mark of that there was no doubt, but Mark didn’t see him, only his money. He’d give it all away, but that wouldn’t be fair to his gramps or his mother. Gramps worked long hours with Bobby’s dad to set up an unbreakable trust to make sure Reggie had security. Gramps knew he was gay and didn’t want Reggie’s father to hurt him because of it. Reggie’s father was abusive. Before Reggie got to be old enough and big enough to protect her, Reggie’s father regularly slapped his mother around. Reggie’s mother needed him to ride herd on his father by controlling the purse strings.

  The amount wasn’t as small as he made out to be to Mark, he had five million. However, what he said about its disposition was true, he wasn’t spending a dime of it unless there was an emergency, or he had a spouse or kids who needed to go to school. Half the interest on the money had to cover his parent’s living expenses and they spent every dime he gave them and were always grasping for more. He’d blown the budget he allowed himself on a place to live, but he was happy with the result. Now, Reggie wanted to make it on his own.

  It’s about time I supported myself. Look at Mark, he paid thousands of dollars of medical bills off rather than declare bankruptcy. I can’t take the easy way out anymore, not if I want Mark to love me and I want that so much it hurts.

  Reggie turned on his side, put his arm under the pillow and tried to go to sleep. He found it difficult with the man he knew he loved two floors away, but eventually he calmed and sleep came. Now that Mark was downstairs he felt better about indulging himself in buying such a large property. He had someone to share it with.

  CHAPTER TWO

  April ~ Friday, Easter Weekend

  Reggie took a chance and brought some coffee and croissants down to Mark on Friday morning. He didn’t have to go to work because it was Good Friday and he knew Mark didn’t have to be in until later that evening. He stepped outside, unlocked the gate and walked around the back to Mark’s door.

  He rang the doorbell and Mark answered, awake, but still sleepy-eyed. “I noticed that you didn’t have a coffee pot and I remembered you didn’t have time to buy groceries, so I thought I’d drop this off for you.” Reggie held a carafe of coffee, a carton of half and half, sugar and the box of warm croissants in a basket with a small jar of raspberry jam.

  “You can return the carafe and the basket tomorrow.”

  § § §

  Mark blushed. He couldn’t think of a thing to say. Reggie was kind. But, cynically, Ma
rk wondered if he’d be so accommodating if he didn’t want to take him to bed.

  “Is eleven-thirty all right for Sunday? I want to get there a little early to help. All of our friends will be there including the guys from the bar that have no family nearby, Kitty, Edith, Marla, and Olivia. They’re having dinner at one so that everyone who has to work Sunday night will be able to come.”

  “Jason told us about Kitty and Edith, but who are Marla and Olivia?”

  “Keith and Zach’s housekeepers, both are in their forties and never married.”

  “Are you sure that it will be okay with Bobby and Keith? It sounds like a full house.”

  Reggie leaned back against the screen door. “Bobby told me to ask you. You did Bobby a favor when that bastard Ricky showed up looking for Keith at the club. Bobby would kiss your ass on Main Street although he’s not likely to admit it. Were you aware that it was Jay who caused Keith to break up with Bobby in the first place? Bobby has good reason to hate Jay’s guts, never mind Ricky’s.”

  “So have I. And I only had to work with him. He was an acquaintance of Billy’s and offered to get me the job here when I ran into him five years ago after my mother died. I never knew what a prick he was until I came here and saw what he tried to do to Bobby. Okay, I’ll definitely go with you to Bobby’s. I wasn’t sure before but if you still want me and if I won’t make additional work for anyone…”

  “Of course we want you. They’ll be plenty of food and a few more dishes for the dishwasher doesn’t constitute an undue burden. Well, I just wanted to drop the coffee off for you.” Reggie handed Mark the basket and turned to leave.

  Mark hesitated, then said, “Why don’t you have some of this coffee with me? It’s early. Do you have to go to work?”

  “I’m off today. The company I work for gives us Good Friday and the first two days of Passover off from work. Passover starts Monday so I don’t have to work today, Monday, and Tuesday. I’d love to have coffee if you’re sure you don’t mind. I didn’t bring you the coffee to push myself on you.”