The city had gotten to be too much for me. I had inherited a block of building in this town, and had decided it was time to move back. The town was growing again after decades of decline, and now people, like me, wanted to get out of the city and live a quieter, if not simpler, life. So I sold my successful wedding florist business and large house, and I left.
The block of buildings was, of course, across the street from the church. It only had two tenants -a beauty shop called Nadine's (the biggest and busiest business downtown besides the drugstore) and a tiny fabric/yarn store called The Knit 'n Needle. There were two other empty storefronts, so I turned one into a florist and the other into a little coffee shop. Upstairs above them was a small apartment -the perfect size for just me.
The flower shop was usually busy only if there was a local funeral or wedding; however, the coffee shop was a big hit, especially with the clientele and stylists at Nadine's. I hired an older lady who lived down the street to help run it, but even it had lulls when I'll have to find things to occupy my time. I decided to beautify the block --bright paint, window boxes and urns of flowers, fancy trashcan, benches, and just whatever my gay mind could conceive.
One Saturday morning, I was out doing some weeding and plant care when I noticed the church had a new groundskeeper. The old pastor had his brother-in-law's landscaping company do it all, so when the pastor left so did his brother-in-law. Now, Rick had hired someone new.
I didn't actually notice the change until Nadine walked up to me while on her smoke break.
"You seen that new eye candy?" She asked me between puffs.
I looked around eagerly, still holding a handful of mulch.
"Who? Where?" I asked her. "Oh, you must be talking about me," I said sarcastically, giving her a comical grimace.
"No, dumbass, over yonder at the church. He'll be coming around the corner in a minute."
The buzz of the riding lawn mower got louder and it soon came into sight. Driving it wearing some chucky retro headphones and tapping his hands on the steering wheel was a muscular blond twenty-something year old. He wore a plaid shirt without sleeves, khaki shorts and hiking boots. He had a backwards cap on under the headphones and sunglasses.
"A backwards cap and sunglasses?" I questioned. "Why doesn't he turn it around right?"
"Keeps his neck shaded," explained Nadine, "Or that's what my son tells me."
"Oh. Okay, that sounds like a reason."
"Lookee at him sitting on that mower like some cowboy stud," Nadine said almost purring.
"Nadine, calm yourself. He looks about the same age as your son," I admonished her.
"Hell, I'll make him Frootie Loops for breakfast and spank his ass if he wants it. Mama likee," she joked.
"Nadine!"
"What? Okay, well, let us girls know if he gets naked," Nadine said about to throw her cigarette butt onto the pavement. I pointed at the new cigarette disposal by the new metal trashcan. "I forgot we've done got fancy around here," she laughed. "Remember, if he takes his shirt off and you don't tell us, I'm coming to pull petals off your pansy."
"I don't have pansies planted," I corrected her. She pointed at my crotch and winked. "Oh, I gotcha."
Nadine came back out for another cigarette just as the hunky guy had pulled off his shirt, stuffing it in his back pocket while he used the grass trimmer. He had a muscled tight torso and no hair anywhere on it. His skin had a golden tan, a white tan line peeking out from his low-riding shorts.
"Yum yum," muttered Nadine. "I really like a smooth muscled man. I bet he even shaves.....down there," she said staring at the guy and also making a circle with her cigarette near her crotch.
"Damn, Nadine," I turned to her, shocked.
"Well, all those young hot guys do it. I run a beauty shop. I'm hip and cool."
"They don't say 'hip' or 'cool' anymore, Nadine."
"Oh, fuck it, whatever," she replied, watching the guy gyrating his hips and moving his head in time to the music in his headphones. "I just want him grindin' them hips while holdin' me as tight as that weed eater."
"Uh-oh," I said as Rick came outside of the church with Mildred, owner of The Knit 'n Needle. She pointed at the guy and then shook her finger at Rick. She got very animated, then turned to walk across the street. Rick walked over to the guy. He turned the trimmer off and pushed back his headphones as Rick got his attention. Rick talked and the guy didn't seem happy. The guy pointed toward the sun and said something to Rick. Finally, Rick said something before walking back toward the church. The guy laid the trimmer down and put his shirt back on.
"Thanks, Mildred!" Nadine yelled to the older woman as she went into her shop. Mildred ignored her. "I bet the only satisfaction she gets is when her twisted knickers rub her cooter the wrong way. Okay, I got to go," Nadine said to me, "Party's over. I got a haircolor coming in soon anyway." She disposed of her cig and slouched away.
I took off my gloves and walked inside myself. While, I washed my hands, I heard the door chime.
"I'll be right there!" I yelled out.
I turned the corner and there stood Rick. He must have seen me outside. He gave me a smile.
"How's it going?" he asked.
"Well, me and Nadine are upset the show is over," I said flatly.
"What?" he asked, puzzled. I pointed out the window to the guy. "Oh, you mean Stephen."
"We thought his name was Magic Mike."
"Yeah, Mrs. Potter thought so too," he said jokingly. "She doesn't think naked or half-naked bodies should present themselves at church or church grounds." I rolled my eyes. "But anyway..." he paused. I gave him an unenthusiastic look. "Anyway, I just wanted to come over and apologize if I did something the other night to make you feel uncomfortable."
"Oh, no. It was me. I mean, I just had to work on something here at the shop," I lied.
"Well, okay, if that was all it was," he said relieved.
"No!" I shouted and slapped my hands hard against the counter. "Alright, I was a bit shocked and surprised when the pastor of the church across the street kissed me...well, it was more than just a peck on the cheek... and you wanted to play with my cock. Don't deny it; I know when a guy wants to fuck. I've been to that rodeo a few times and have the t-shirts."
"Uhm," he stammered. "Well, Jack....uhm....I...uhm..."
"Why didn't you just tell me you're gay? I told you and you were all like 'Oh, it's cool', then just changed the subject. Damn, man." I looked furiously at him.
"It's a long story. It's complicated," he told me, shaken.
"Yeah, it always is."
