Snow Follies

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan

ERIC HANLEY didn’t often talk to a car, but sometimes circumstances called for the practice. He spoke in a soft tone and praised his sister’s baby for climbing the hill without too much trouble. Hill. Who was he kidding? He just lied to this car. It was a mountain, and a steep one at that. He hoped it was the last one until he got to Flagstaff. He realized now that he should have at least looked at a map, but it was a straight shot from Phoenix to Flagstaff. One road, no turns. Eric’s six-foot-two frame was shoved into his sister’s compact sedan. He felt like he was folded in half. Shannon’s transmission had gone out when she was in Phoenix last month, her mechanic took his sweet time fixing it, and Eric said he would bring the car back when he moved to Flagstaff. He had let Shannon take his truck back up the hill with her. He missed his truck. At least this would be the last day he would have to accordion himself into this car. The moving men had packed his apartment this morning and put all his belongings in storage until he found a house. Eric had spent the last semester teaching a special physics class at Arizona State University. He liked ASU, but the desert was just not for him. He had been living and teaching in North Carolina for the last five years and felt like he needed a change, and that his sister lived in Arizona had made up his mind. He hadn’t realized how big Arizona 2

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan was, and he thought that Shannon and he would be closer. When he had been offered a tenured position at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, he’d jumped at the chance. He was looking forward to spending the holidays with his sister in his soon to be hometown. Flagstaff—thirty-five miles. Finally. He should be there in a half an hour or so. He was always late, no matter what he did… alarms, setting clocks ahead, or people calling him. His sister just expected him late (or told him an earlier time). The clouds that were forming over the mountains concerned him. The forecast called for a couple of inches. It had started to snow as soon as he climbed out of the Verde Valley. The flakes at first were coming down slowly and gently. Now the snow was getting thicker and the wind was starting to blow. At the Stoneman Lake Road exit, there were Department of Public Safety cars, lights flashing, with the officers pointing people to a gravel “chain up” area. What was a chain up area? He pulled up to the officer and rolled down his window. Eric was stunned by what he saw. The man before him was gorgeous. Midtwenties, strawberry-blond hair, hazel eyes, and just the right amount of freckles across his nose and cheeks, which were blossoming with color in the cold wind. “Sir. You need chains to go any farther north.” “Chains?” It sounded kinky to say it like that to a man in uniform. “Yes, sir. For your tires. To drive in the snow. Do you have any?” Eric looked at the man’s coat and saw his nametag said C. Gallagher. “Officer Gallagher, to be honest, I have no idea what they are.” 3

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “Well, then you are going to have to turn around and go back down to Camp Verde and get some, or come back tomorrow after the roads have been plowed.” “This is my sister’s car and she lives in Flag. Would she have them?” Officer Gallagher barely kept his eyes from rolling. The people coming up from the valley during the winter set his teeth on edge. He smiled instead and said, “Why don’t you pop the trunk, and I’ll take a look.” Eric pulled the lever for the trunk and stepped out of the car. He rounded the side just in time to see the officer take a gray plastic box out of the trunk labeled “tire cable chains.” “These need to be installed on the front tires. Take your time. I’ll come back and check on you later.” Eric turned and watched as Officer Gallagher walked away to direct the traffic that was coming down the interstate. Eric shook his head and stood there, not quite knowing what to do. He didn’t even know what chains were, and now he was supposed to install them? He opened the plastic box, took out the contents, and read the instructions. It didn’t look too hard. The cables needed to be laid out on the backside of the tire. Great. Good thing he had long arms and big hands. The snow was a little bit higher in the back and he had to scoop away the snow to level it out. He was practically lying under the car. He scooted out from underneath and tried to stand. He grasped the door handle on the car for leverage and pulled. Thank goodness, the hot and hunky cop wasn’t looking in his direction. Eric was still sitting on the ground, and his glove was no longer on his hand. His glove was so wet it had frozen on the outside, 4

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan hence no grip. He was a scientist, he should know these things. He rolled over so he was on his knees and slowly stood up. The snow was now falling so hard he had to wipe it off his face. Eric gripped the cables and managed to get the top clasp to snap together. The bottom was a little harder because of the snow. When he had the first one done, he actually did a little jig in celebration. He was not going to let the weather gods spoil the day. Cameron Gallagher was keeping an eye on the desert rat. He looked like he was getting the hang of putting the cables on. Cameron watched as the man put both hands up in the air and danced a little. He sure did look proud of himself. Too bad he wasn’t done. Cameron went back to his truck and got his thermos of coffee. It was a good way to break the ice. Here was someone that he wanted to get to know better. His replacement had arrived and he wanted to make sure this guy was on his way before he left. The thermos of hot coffee he had in his car was offered to the weary traveler. “Thank you. My hands and face feel like they’re frozen.” “It’s the wind. It’s really blowing today. I see you have the cables on. Let me check them and make sure they’re tight.” He squatted next to the front tire and pulled on the cables. The tensioner still needed to be fastened, and he did that in five minutes for both tires. He stood up and faced the desert-dweller. “You hadn’t set the tensioners. Your celebration was a little premature.” Eric was startled to hear the officer say that he had watched his dance. Maybe he could blame it on the weather? “Oh, I wasn’t dancing. I was stamping my feet and shaking my arms to get the blood 5

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan circulating.” Cameron looked at him in disbelief but did not call him on it. “Okay, you’re all set. Just remember that you can only drive thirty miles an hour or so. Take your time. You’ll be in Flag in about an hour. Do you need to contact anyone?” “Oh, shit! My sister is probably freaking out. Thanks for reminding me.” “Go ahead and make your call. I’ll follow you after you start out to make sure you’ll be okay.” He hoped that sounded like what a police officer would do. He had never gone this far for a motorist, but he was attracted to this man and he wanted to extend their time together. He looked at the traveler as he spoke on the phone to his sister. He was tall, had a regular build, black hair and blue eyes. He had the look of an Irishman, and Cameron had always been attracted to that. He looked to be in his thirties. Cameron liked older men. They did not seem to have the angst that his contemporaries had. It seemed like men his age only wanted to get laid every weekend by someone new and then wondered why they were alone. Cameron actually wanted to date one person at a time and find someone to spend his life with. “Shannon, I’m fine.” Eric looked at the officer standing not two feet away and rolled his eyes at the phone. “I’m at Stoneman Lake Road. About an hour. I have my very own police escort. Okay. I will.” He closed his phone and smiled at the officer. “My sister is a bit of a worrywart. You would think I was twelve instead of thirty-two. I guess I’ll always be her baby brother. I’m Eric, by the way.” He put his hand out and Officer Gallagher shook it. They looked at each other, their hands lingering just a couple of 6

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan seconds too long. Both wished they were not wearing gloves. “I’m Cameron. Nice to meet you.” They released each other’s hands and stepped back. “Sergeant Gallagher! You better get going. They are going to close the road at dark until tomorrow morning,” his replacement came over and told him. “The snowplow is about five miles ahead so you should be good to go.” “Thanks, Peterson. I’ll see you back at the station once the crews get the road closed. Has the alert gone out to ADOT?” “Yes, sir. The crew should be here any time. We’ll let one last group go when the snowplow comes back. We should be back in by six or so.” Eric looked at his watch. It was four-thirty now. They had to stand out in the snow for another hour and a half? He had new respect for the officers up here. “Well, I better get going. I’ve never driven in the snow before.” “You what?” “I’ve never driven in the snow. How bad can it be? I can only go thirty miles an hour.” “Jeez. Okay, you are the last of this group to leave. I’ll follow you into Flagstaff. If you start to skid, steer in the direction your car is pointing, not away. If you start to feel uncomfortable at all with the drive, just pull over, and I’ll take you in the rest of the way.” “Okay. I will, and thanks. You’ve been really kind to a stranger.” Eric got into the car, started it up, and drove off at ten miles an hour. 7

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan Cameron chuckled to himself. The next hour was going to be a long one. Cameron climbed into his police-issue Blazer. He had four-wheel drive and snow tires. He could drive quite a bit faster than thirty, but he wanted to make sure Eric got where he was going. Once he got on the road, he did something he shouldn’t. He put Eric’s license plate in the computer. He knew the car was Eric’s sister’s, but he didn’t expect the name that came up in response to the license search. Shannon Riordon. She was his neighbor down the street, who was quickly becoming a good friend. That was her brother? She’d said he was a physicist and a nerd. The man he met today might be a rocket scientist, but he was definitely not a nerd.

* * *

“I

HAVE finally arrived!” Eric called as he stomped his shoes on the

welcome mat. “Uncle Eric! Uncle Eric!” was the answering call. His twin sixyear-old nephews came barreling into his legs, almost knocking him down. “Mommy was worried ’bout you. She said am-turs should not drive in a blizzard. What’s an am-tur, Uncle Eric?” “It’s amateur. It means a person who is unskilled in a particular activity. I think your mom was saying that I have never driven in the snow before.” “Eric. I’m so glad you’re here. I was getting worried. It’s been an hour and a half since we talked on the phone.”

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Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “The wind was so bad that I pulled over at Mund’s Park. I told you not to worry. I had a police escort. He helped someone who had skidded off the road. They didn’t have any chains and were trying to get down the hill. I just waited at the country store until he came back. For a while there, I thought he had forgotten about me. It isn’t blowing as much, but it’s really snowing hard.” Shannon had a cup of coffee waiting for him. She knew he had to be cold and tired. “I was nervous when I saw the time but I didn’t want to call because I didn’t want you to talk on the phone while you were driving. So I cleaned the kitchen twice while I worried.” Eric rolled his eyes at his sister but felt a rush of warmth, also. They were three years apart and had spent most of their childhood at odds with each other. He remembered some knockdown drag-out fights. He still had the bite mark scars on the back of his hand from one such occasion. He was glad they seemed to have put that all behind them and were very close now. She made him tell the whole story and he did, cute cop and all. He told her how handsome Sergeant Gallagher was, how he had been in the right place at the right time, how he was straight, and Shannon realized he was talking about her friend, Cameron. Eric was practically gushing. Shannon interrupted Eric’s story. “What makes you think he isn’t gay?” “He’s a cop, for one, and secondly, my gaydar didn’t go off at all.” “Well, you need to take it in for a tune-up because Cameron is gay.”

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Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “You know him? Why didn’t you tell me? Is he single? How old is he, because he seemed really young?” “Let me go start some more coffee. I have a feeling this is going to be a long talk.” When she came back with two mugs of coffee, they sat together and talked. Shannon told him what she knew about her neighbor. Eric started to get starry-eyed. She had to wave her hand in front of his face to get his attention. She laughed and told him he had it bad. She even teased him about calling Cameron and telling him her baby brother had a crush on him, which led to pillows from the couch being thrown at each other. It felt good to be like this. They spent the rest of the afternoon inside as the unpredicted storm rolled in and the snow fell.

* * *

THE next couple of days passed in a blur. Christmas with two rambunctious six year olds was an adventure. The boys, Sean and Ian, were up at six on Christmas morning shouting that Santa had come. The boys ripped through their presents, one of which was a Wii. Eric, Shannon and the boys played for hours. Once Sean had swung the Wii remote really hard, and it slipped out of his hand and hit Eric right in the nose. It wasn’t broken—it didn’t even bleed—but it hurt, and there was a small bruise on his cheek. Eric sure did sleep well as the kids just wore him out. They were missing their dad, Randy, who was called up for active duty in the Arizona National Guard and was in Iraq. Eric was glad to be here for them.

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Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan * * *

THE day after Christmas, Shannon knew that in order to get anywhere, they were going to have to shovel the driveway. It was buried in two feet of the white, powdery stuff. Eric and the boys layered up and went out to tackle the beast. The driveway was not exactly level, so he had the boys working closer to the house and he was at the lower part. They had been out there for an hour when Shannon came out with hot chocolate. They took a fifteen-minute break and were soon shoveling again. Eric was in the rhythm of shovel and toss over his shoulder, when a voice asked how it was going, causing Eric to turn and slip on the ice. He could feel himself falling but there was nothing to grab onto. The last thought he had was, This is going to hurt. When he opened his eyes, he was staring at a pair of hazel eyes that seemed familiar. The face came into focus, and he was looking at the concerned countenance of Sergeant Gallagher. He was leaning over Eric, and his hand was supporting the back of his head. “I’ve got you.” Eric just groaned. Why did he have to fall in front of him? “You slipped on the ice and cracked your head pretty good on the ground. You’ve got quite a lump back here. Do you want to try and sit up?” “How many people are watching?” “No one but me and the boys.” “That doesn’t seem too embarrassing,” Eric replied, tongue firmly in cheek. 11

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “Sean, go inside and get your mom for me, would you?” Cameron and Eric were left alone. Cameron looked into Eric’s eyes and asked, “Are you sure you’re okay? I can run you to the hospital if you want me to. Head wounds are tricky.” “My head hurts but I’m not dizzy or anything. Just feeling like a fool.” “Nothing to feel foolish about. Walking on ice is an art form. Just walk like a penguin.” “A penguin.” “Yeah, go watch them on the Internet. They are professional ice walkers.” “I’ll do that. I’ll try to stay out of trouble because this is the second time you’ve had to help me.” “No problem. I enjoy meeting new people.” “Probably not clumsy desert rats, though.” “I don’t know about that, some of you can be pretty entertaining.” “That’s what we’re here for… smiles and giggles.” “If you can make sarcastic comebacks, I think you’re doing okay. Let’s get you inside to rest.” “Thanks again, Cameron. I appreciate your help.” “Oh my God! What happened?” Shannon asked as she slid down 12

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan the driveway. “He slipped on the ice and fell. Hit his head on the ground. Good thing I was walking by,” Cameron said. She told them both to follow her into the house. Shannon was not someone you refused. She fussed over Eric, leading him to the couch, pointing at it and ordering him to lie down. She came back with an ice pack and an ironic remark about ice being the cause and the cure of the bump on the back of his head and then went back into the kitchen to make some coffee. Cameron sat down on the chair across from the couch. Cameron looked at Eric, leaned forward, and pushed a bit of hair back from his eye. “How’d you get this bruise on your cheek?” “There was a small incident with a six year old and a Wii.” “Seems like you’ve had a rough couple of days.” “You know what? It’s worth it. Sean and Ian are great boys. I love being around them. I probably won’t have my own kids, so being an uncle is great.” Cameron did not even pretend to not understand. “I know what you mean. When you’re gay you just assume that you probably won’t have any.” They continued their conversation in a low tone. The fire was crackling in the background, and the boys were playing upstairs in their rooms. Shannon came in with coffee but backed out when she saw them together. They were leaning into each other and looked spellbound. Both of them. Hmmm… maybe her baby brother had found that certain someone. She liked Cameron, and he was an upstanding guy, just the kind of guy her brother needed. 13

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan Shannon was upstairs gathering laundry to put in the washer. She stopped in the boys’ room and began to put their clothes in the basket. Ian asked her a question. “Mommy, you know how you said that Uncle Eric likes boys and not girls?” “Yes?” “Are there other boys that like boys too?” “Yes, there are. They're called gay. Why?” “So that means that Uncle Eric will get married to a boy?” “Maybe someday that will be possible. Right now two boys can’t get married in Arizona.” “Even if they love each other?” “Even then.” “That’s dumb. Right, Sean?” Sean just nodded as he always did when his brother asked him if he was right. “Maybe the law will change and then your uncle can get married.” “He needs a boyfriend first. Like Aunt Terry. She had a boyfriend and then she got married. We got to be in the wedding, remember, Mommy?” This past June, Randy’s sister Terry had gotten married, and the boys were the ring bearers. It was the highlight of their summer.

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Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “Yes, I remember. Now get this room cleaned up, and then dinner will be in a little while.”

* * *

AN HOUR later, Shannon stuck her head in the living room and asked Cameron if he wanted to stay for dinner. He looked over at Eric and nodded his head. Dinner was a lively affair, with the boys keeping up a steady stream of conversation. Cameron and Eric found out they liked the same kind of movies but disagreed on how the state should take care of its deficit. Shannon watched the two of them. They seemed to be getting along very well. Eric and Cameron cleared the dishes after dinner. Shannon shooed them out of the kitchen, telling them to go and play with the boys to tire them out. All four of them went to the family room and played bowling on the Wii. When Shannon came in an hour later, she found the twins asleep on the couch, and Eric and Cameron in an intense contest. Cameron was on his last frame, and he needed a spare to beat Eric. He swung the controller back and then forward, missing the spare by one pin. Eric jumped up and began to dance. It looked familiar to Cameron. He’d done the same dance in the snow after putting on his chains. Cameron smiled at Eric. He looked so cute doing that. “Eric, you are such a dork! You would think you’d have a new victory dance by now. That’s the one you made up when we were little.” Shannon felt the need to embarrass her brother. Eric put his arms down and flushed a lovely shade of pink. 15

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “I thought it was a great dance. It looked even better in the snow!” Cameron joined in on the teasing. “Oh, look! The twins are asleep. I better take them upstairs to bed,” Eric said, changing the subject. He picked up Ian and motioned to Cameron to pick up Sean, and together they went upstairs, changed the boys into their pajamas, and tucked them in. They paused at the door after shutting off the light, and looked back at the sleeping angels. They both thought of things that might never be. Cameron stood on the porch after saying good night to Shannon and thanking her for dinner, and asked Eric if he would like to go out for coffee sometime. Cameron knew the answer before Eric spoke because his face lit up and his smile was blinding. “I’d like that,” was the quiet reply. Cameron bid him good night and walked home.

* * * “ ARE you sure you want to do this? I mean, you hit your head a couple of days ago.” “I am not twelve any more, Shannon. I’m fine. I don’t even have a headache and the goose egg is gone.” “All right, then. Let’s go, boys. Time for sledding!” Sean and Ian yelled and ran to the garage to get in the truck. “Eric, I think I should drive. You’re new in town and I know where to go.” “I need to learn and it will be fine. Besides, it’s my truck.” Shannon rolled her eyes. Boys and their toys. “Okay, so head out of town and the sled hill is on the left.” 16

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “Everyone buckled up?” “Yes. Uncle Eric? Is Mr. Cameron going to be your boyfriend?” Eric almost drove off the road at that question. “Why do you ask that?” “Because he looks at you like Daddy looks at Mommy.” “He does?” “Uh huh.” “Eric,” Shannon tried to interrupt. “Did he say anything, Ian?” “Eric! You need to turn here.” Shannon tapped him on his arm. “No, he didn’t to me. Sean, did Mr. Cameron talk about Uncle Eric?” “Great, Eric. You missed the turn. I told you I should drive. Now make a U-turn here.” Shannon might as well have been talking to a brick wall. Sean finally spoke up. “Mr. Cameron said something ’bout a damsel in a dress. What’s a damsel? Do they wear dresses?” Shannon finally punched Eric in the arm. “Eric! You need to turn around. We are going to end up at the Grand Canyon at the rate you’re going.” “Ouch. Okay, I turned around. Jeez. Tell me where this hill is 17

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan again. And Sean, I think he said I was a damsel in distress. Great. He thinks I’m an idiot who can’t take care of himself.” Shannon interrupted with “All right, we’re here. Time for sledding!” The twins started to cheer, and they all tumbled out of Eric’s truck. The boys ran to the top of the hill and Eric followed with the sled. “Hurry up, Uncle Eric!” He chuckled and walked a little faster. At the top of the hill, Eric sat on the saucer and sat one boy on each thigh. Then he pushed off. They went flying down the hill, laughing, and fell off at the bottom. Shannon was busy taking pictures. The boys made Shannon and Eric take turns sledding with them. Two hours and a thousand trips up and down the hill later, the boys finally said they were cold. Shannon and Eric immediately loaded them up in the truck and started home. One mile from home, there was a car pulled over to the side of the road. Eric parked behind it and got out to see what the problem was. He walked up to the car, and the woman inside rolled down her window. “My tire blew out. I was trying to call AAA, but I can’t get a signal.” Eric took out his phone and looked at it. He didn’t have a signal either. That’s when the baby in the back seat started to cry. “Why don’t I change your tire for you?” The woman was hesitant. She was alone and somewhat fearful of a stranger. Eric could tell she wanted the help but her instincts were yelling “stranger danger.” She was about to tell him okay when another man’s voice asked if there was a problem here. Eric whipped around to see who had snuck up on him and was stunned to see the 18

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan frown of Sergeant Gallagher. Eric began to stutter, “I… I… her tire blew out, and I offered to change it.” Why did he feel like he’d done something wrong and had the compulsion to explain? The frown was not leaving Cameron’s face. “Ma’am? Are you all right?” As Cameron finished asking his question, Shannon was at the woman’s door. “What’s going on?” “I’m fine, Officer. I was going to take up this nice man’s offer,” the woman replied. “Kathy? Hey, I didn’t recognize your car,” Shannon said as she walked up. “Shannon. Thank goodness. This is a rental. Mine is in the shop.” “This is my brother, Eric. He just moved up from Phoenix. Why don’t you bring the baby and come sit in the truck while the guys change your tire?” Cameron finally smiled as he and Eric looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Women. “Let’s get going. It’s cold out here.” “What’s with the frown?” “That was just the cop face. Sometimes I forget I have it on.” “You had me scared there for a minute. I felt like I was in the principal’s office.” Cameron had quite a few comebacks for that one, like “I could be 19

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan the principal and you can be the naughty student,” but he let it go because he didn’t know Eric that well yet. Great, now he was blushing. Thank goodness it was cold outside and his cheeks were always red in the cold. They worked well together and finished in ten minutes. They walked back to the truck to tell Kathy they were done, and Shannon suggested everyone come back to the house for hot chocolate. Kathy agreed, but Cameron said he had to get back to work. Shannon insisted he could take a fifteen-minute break, so he called dispatch and told them. As soon as they arrived home, Shannon went into hostess mode. “Boys, take off your wet clothes and put them in the laundry room. Cameron, give me your coat. I’ll throw it in the dryer while you’re here and it will be toasty when you leave. Let me start the kettle, and hot chocolate will be ready in five minutes.” The four adults stood in the kitchen, drank their hot chocolate, and made plans to get together on New Year’s Eve. Cameron had volunteered to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so unless there was an emergency, he had New Year’s Eve and Day off. They all agreed to go to the Pinecone Drop downtown together. Kathy said her husband would go too. Cameron thanked Shannon for the hot chocolate and said he needed to get back, and the twins were sent to retrieve Cameron’s coat from the dryer. He thanked Shannon again and gave a long glance at Eric before he left. Sean said, “See, Uncle Eric? Mr. Cameron just looked at you. I think he wants to be your boyfriend.”

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Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan Shannon and Kathy looked at each other and started to giggle. “Eric and Cameron sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G—” “Shut up,” was all the comeback that Eric could think of.

* * *

S HANNON decided she'd had enough. It had been two days; two days of Eric moping around the house like a schoolgirl whose crush wouldn’t talk to her. It was driving her crazy. She had tried to explain that as a cop, Cameron’s schedule was not set and he worked all kinds of weird hours. She asked Eric if Cameron had his number, and he said no. How was he supposed to call? Eric and the boys got in the truck and decided to go grocery shopping. Eric wanted to pay Shannon back for letting him live with her until he found his own place. She kept saying she wanted him there, that she liked having a man in the house while her husband was gone, and Eric was enjoying his time with his sister and his nephews. The closest store, Basha’s, was right down the hill from where they lived, and he pulled into the lot and parked. He helped the boys out, told them to find a cart, and in they went. Eric was going to make fajitas for dinner. They headed back to the meat department to pick up some beef and chicken. Rounding the corner a little too fast, they crashed into another cart. Eric began to apologize and realized he was looking into those hazel eyes he could not forget. Cameron was in his uniform. “Hi, Cameron. Sorry for not paying attention to where we were going.” “No problem. Hey, Sean. Hi, Ian. How have you guys been?” 21

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “Good. Uncle Eric has been playing with us, but Mommy got mad and told us to go to the store.” “How come your mom was mad?” “She said she was tired of Uncle Eric mooning around the house waiting for you to call.” “Really? Uncle Eric was mooning?” Cameron was looking at Eric when he said this. He’d wanted to call but had been working a double shift. He was just on his way home. “That’s what Mommy said. Are you going to be Uncle Eric’s boyfriend?” “Cameron? I was just on my way to your place,” said a man who walked by. He was about six feet tall, had dark blond hair, and looked great in the jeans and leather jacket he was wearing. He had overheard Cameron talking with the two boys and wanted to put this new man in his place. Apparently, Cameron was his. “Derek? I thought you were going to call first?” “I just thought I would take a chance on you being there. I was going to pick up a bottle of wine. Maybe we could make a night of it.” Eric had heard enough. No wonder Cameron hadn’t called. He was seeing someone already. God, he was a chump. He thought that he and Cameron had a spark going. Guess not. “Come on guys, we need to finish shopping.” Eric steered the boys around Cameron and his “date.” Cameron tried to stop them, but Derek started talking about 22

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan what they should have for dinner. Eric just started walking faster. His face must be beet red. He didn’t know whether to feel mad or foolish. His sister was always telling him that he was a little naïve about people. Although she had been encouraging him with Cameron. Eric hurried the boys along and they finished shopping. He avoided looking for Cameron, and thank goodness, they did not run in to him again. He must have left with Derek. Arriving back at the house Eric, Sean, and Ian carried in the groceries. Eric began to put them away and make dinner. Shannon remarked that he was being very quiet. While he was cutting the steak and chicken into strips and placing them in a bowl that contained marinade, he told Shannon about the chance meeting in the store with Cameron and Derek. “I didn’t know he was seeing someone. We’ve only been friends for a couple of months, but he never mentioned dating anyone.” “Well, Derek was picking up a bottle of wine and was planning dinner. Sounds like more than friends to me.” When Eric said the name Derek, he made a sourpuss face. Shannon laughed on the inside at his grade-school antics. Cameron had never mentioned anyone named Derek. The boys were right when they said that Cameron had been looking at Eric. It was a look of longing and lust. Shannon had seen it herself. “Maybe you should go see Cameron and ask him what’s going on.” “Right, so I can be rejected face-to-face. Look, he didn’t call. That’s man-speak for ‘I’m not interested’.”

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Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “Eric, I’m sorry. I thought he was a really nice guy.” “Yeah, me too.” “I have some boxes that need to go to the post office. Randy and his men wanted Christmas cookies. They’re going to be a little late, but I bet they’ll still eat them. Why don’t you take them and get your mind off things?” “All right.”

* * *

AFTER waiting in line for thirty minutes, Eric finally sent the packages on their way. He came out of the post office, noticing that it was beginning to snow as he got in his truck, and turned the key. The engine did not turn over. Eric put his head on the steering wheel. He could not believe this. His battery was dead. He tried to start the truck again. Nothing but a bunch of clicks. He got out of the truck and opened up the hood. He made sure the battery’s connections were good and that everything looked all right. “Need a hand?” Eric banged his head on the hood of the truck looking up because he knew that voice. It was Cameron’s voice. He must have hit his head harder than he thought, because Cameron was busy getting it on with Derek. Cameron stood there, smiling. Eric really was a damsel in distress around Cameron. Seems like every time he was in trouble, there was Cameron coming to his rescue. 24

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “What are you doing here?” “I went to Shannon’s to find you to explain about Derek. She said you were here.” “You don’t have to explain. We’re not going out.” “I want to explain because I want to go out with you.” Eric blinked. “Okay, in that case, I’m listening.” “Derek is someone I dated a couple of times. He just doesn’t get the message that I don’t want to go out with him. He left a CD at my house, probably so he would have to come back to get it. That’s why he came over. That’s it. I have no interest in him. You, on the other hand, I am interested in.” Eric smiled. “Really?” “Really. I’m sorry I didn’t call, but not only did I forget to get your number, but I had to work a double shift. Flu season.” “Let’s trade numbers now so we won’t have that problem again.” They gave each other their numbers, and then Cameron turned to him and said, “So what’s the problem here?” “My battery seems to have died. But I have jumper cables in the back. Let me get them.” Eric opened the back door to the truck and lifted up the seat. The well was clean and empty. He was going to kill Shannon. Why did she take all his stuff out of the truck? He poked his head around the corner and sheepishly said, “Sorry, no cables. Shannon must have taken them out.” 25

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “That’s okay, I have some. Let me pull up so we can hook up the batteries to each other.” Cameron pulled his Jeep to the front of Eric’s truck. It was an old CJ-7, and it had a three-inch lift. Eric immediately felt jealous. “I didn’t know this was your Jeep. That must mean you live in the red brick house on the corner.” “Did Shannon point out my house?” “No. I noticed the Jeep. I’ve been lusting over it for these last couple of days.” “All I had to do was show you my Jeep and it would have been a done deal? Jeez. You’re easy.” Cameron laughed. He got out the jumper cables and hooked up the two batteries. “Okay, start her up.” Eric turned the key, and his truck started right up. Cameron unhooked the jumper cables and began to put them away. He looked like a teenager with the snow in his hair; his eyelashes seemed to sparkle as they were beginning to ice over. Eric looked at Cameron through the windshield and decided he could grow to love that face. He shook his head. Love? Eric spoke before he lost his nerve. “Are you busy tonight?” “Well, I was planning on going to this guy’s house and convincing him that I was interested in him, but I could cancel. What do you have in mind?” “I was making fajitas for the family. Can I ask you to join us?”

26

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan “So can this be considered a date?” “Sure, if you want it to be.” “Oh, I want it to be.” “Great! I need to get to the auto parts store, so how about an hour?” “I’ll be there. Later.” “See ya.”

* * *

S HANNON and the boys retired after dinner to their rooms, leaving Eric and Cameron alone. They sat out on the back deck even though it was cold and there were still some snowflakes falling; they had a propane heater to keep warm and it was quiet. They spoke in low tones, learning about each other. Eric found out that Cameron was twenty-nine, not in his mid-twenties as he thought. They talked about everything from daily things that had to be done to dreams that they had never spoken aloud before. Cameron realized that Eric was what he had been looking for. Was it too soon to tell? He kept it to himself that night. Little did he realize, but Eric was thinking along the same lines. Around nine-thirty, Cameron said he should be getting home. His cat was probably hungry, and he needed to rest up for tomorrow night; it was New Year’s Eve and they were going downtown. Eric glanced at his watch, surprised that they had been talking for about three hours. They went inside and Eric offered Cameron a cup of 27

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan coffee to warm up so he could walk home. He really didn’t want the night to end, but he understood that Cameron had to be tired from his double shift. He put the coffee in a Thermos-style cup and walked Cameron to the door. Both hesitated at the door, not quite ready to say good night. Cameron was just about to ask Eric if he wanted to come back to his house, when a small voice said, “Uncle Eric? Sean is scared. He says there’s a monster outside.” “Okay, buddy, I’ll be right there. Go on up with Sean.” “He’s such a baby sometimes. I told him there are no monsters.” Cameron squatted down to speak to Ian. “You shouldn’t call Sean a baby. Different things scare different people. I’m sure you are scared of something.” “I don’t like to go up into Jake’s tree house. The ladder is wobbly.” “See? I know that Sean loves to go up there. So no more baby talk, okay?” When Cameron stood up, Ian looked at both of them and said, “You’re under the missytoe. You have to kiss.” They looked at each other and then at Ian. They leaned forward and pecked each other lightly on the lips. Ian clapped and then tugged on Eric’s hand, saying that Sean was waiting for them. Cameron said good night and opened the door, gave Eric one last longing glance, and left. Eric sighed and locked the door. He took Ian’s hand and they headed upstairs to banish the monsters for Sean. 28

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan

* * * “ MOMMY , do you think that Mr. Cameron wants to be Uncle Eric’s boyfriend?” “I don’t know. Why?” “They kissed last night under the missytoe.” Eric came into the kitchen right as Ian was finishing his sentence. The light blush that took over his face was very becoming. “Really?” She looked over at Eric and saw his blush. She definitely needed more information. “Why were you down here?” “Sean was scared of the monsters, but Uncle Eric made them go away.” “He did? That’s great. Sean? Did Uncle Eric help?” “Yes, Mommy. The monsters are scared of Uncle Eric.” “Does that mean the monsters are gone for good?” “Hope so, Mommy.” “So, now that the monsters are vanquished, let’s hear more about kissing under the mistletoe.” Eric interrupted at this point. “Let’s not hear about that.” Shannon just laughed and let it go. She would get the details tonight at the Pinecone Drop. 29

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan They spent the rest of the day making a New Year’s banner for the boys because they were staying home with a babysitter. Shannon and the boys received a phone call from Randy. They only spoke for about fifteen minutes, but they were so happy to hear from him. Shannon went to her room after the phone call to be alone, and Eric distracted the boys with a game on the Wii. Shannon came back about an hour later, eyes puffy but in control of her emotions. Eric just hugged her and did not say a thing. She was grateful for that. She missed her husband and worrying about him was starting to take its toll. She was eternally grateful that Eric was here and that he was staying with them until he found a house. She secretly hoped it took a long time. The doorbell rang at eight-thirty and the boys ran to the door shouting, “I’ll get it!” They stopped at the door and asked who it was. “Kathy,” came the answer. The boys looked to their mom, she nodded, and they opened the door. Kathy, her husband Jack, and their daughter Isabella came in. They all exchanged hellos and went into the kitchen. The girl who was going to babysit for them lived three houses down, and Jack went to walk her down. While he was gone, Eric’s phone rang. It was Cameron. He had been called into work and would have to meet them downtown. “Hannah’s here,” Shannon said as Jack and Hannah came in the door. The boys loved Hannah and always looked forward to her coming over. Shannon knew it was because she played games with them, let them stay up late, and eat all the junk food they wanted. She figured it was only occasionally so it was not going to hurt anything. “Hannah! Hannah!” They boys ran to her and threw their arms around her. She hugged them back and said hi to Shannon and Kathy. She 30

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan went to the baby carrier and picked up Isabella. “Wow, look at her. She is getting so big!” She tickled the baby’s stomach and made a silly face. Both the baby and the boys laughed. The adults chuckled as well. “Okay, boys, come give me a kiss.” Sean and Ian ran to their mom and kissed her goodbye. “Now, you boys mind Hannah. You can stay up until midnight, but then I need you to go to bed. Hannah, help yourself to what is in the kitchen. I’m having pizza delivered in about an hour. It’s all paid for. Night, Sean. Night, Ian.” “Night, Mommy,” they both said at the same time. The adults all got into Eric’s truck and they headed downtown. They were lucky and found a parking space reasonably close to the town square. They had a live band playing, and all the bars were open and serving. They stayed at the square because they figured it would be the easiest place for Cameron to find them. It was around ten o’clock when Eric’s phone finally rang. “Eric?” “Yeah. Are you going to be able to make it?” “Actually, I’m over at Altitudes. I have a table. Have everyone come over here.” “That’s great. It’s so crowded here we can’t sit down. We’ll walk over. We’ll be there in about ten minutes or so.” “Okay, see you then.” The five of them sat and enjoyed appetizers, champagne, and a good time for the next two hours. Cameron and Kathy only had a sip each of the bubbly as they were driving, but the laughter still flowed. Shannon looked over at Eric and Cameron and noticed that they were 31

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan holding hands. She smiled. Then she asked about the kiss beneath the mistletoe. All heads swung in their direction. Cameron laughed and said, “What? It was a little peck. There were innocent eyes watching.” “So can we assume it would have been more?” “Shannon! Knock it off!” Eric was clearly embarrassed by his sister’s prodding. “Maybe tonight at midnight I can make it more than a peck,” Cameron said. He was not at all embarrassed that he wanted to kiss Eric. At a quarter to twelve, they walked back to the town square. The Pinecone Drop was at the Hotel Weatherford and was actually the second one of the night. They first dropped a pinecone at ten so that families with small children could go. The one at midnight was the big event, though. “10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Happy New Year!” Auld Lang Syne began to play, Cameron had Eric in his arms, and he was kissing the daylights out of him. Jack and Kathy were much more circumspect and kissed and then hugged Shannon. Jack took both the ladies in his arms, and they all began to dance. The crowd was singing. Eric and Cameron were still kissing. Finally, Shannon tapped on their arms and told them to get a room. “Good idea.” Cameron grabbed Eric’s arm and pulled him away. “Leave us the keys!” 32

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan Eric tossed the keys to Shannon and told her not to wait up. Cameron and Eric rushed to the Jeep and raced off to Cameron’s house. As they arrived Eric got out and grabbed Cameron as he exited the Jeep. He could not wait even another minute. While they were in front of Cameron’s kissing, snow began to gently fall. Neither noticed. Cameron finally broke the kiss and led Eric to the front door. Once inside, the clothes began to come off. Cameron was walking backward with Eric attached to him at the lips. They stumbled their way through the house and up the stairs until they reached Cameron’s bedroom. Crossing the threshold, the men looked at each other and then took off their shoes and socks. Eric sat down on the bed to remove his pants, and Cameron stopped him. He looked into Eric’s eyes and laid him on the bed. They lay together, kissing each other. Hands were exploring. The frantic pace slowed, and the touches became tender, gentle, and loving. “Before we go any further, I want you to know that I think you are someone special,” Cameron whispered. “I think you are the person I’ve been looking for. I know it’s only been a week since we met, but I know.” “I feel the same way. I’m falling in love with you.” Cameron took Eric’s face in his hands, stroked his cheeks, and kissed him. Eric responded and things began to heat up once more. Their gazes locked and then eyes slowly closed as they kissed once more. The rest of the evening was spent making love. They came together as if they were meant to be. Eric held onto Cameron all night, even in sleep. The snow gently fell all night. 33

Snow Follies * Chelle Dugan The next morning, Eric got out of bed to look out the window. The sun was out, and the landscape was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. It sparkled beautifully. Cameron’s arms came around him from behind, and he kissed Eric on his shoulder. “Penny for your thoughts?” “I was just thinking that I am so looking forward to this year. I was nervous to move here and start over, but I’m not nervous anymore. I can’t wait to start my new year, with you.”

34

Got Mistletoe Madness?

The Dreamspinner Press 2009 Advent Calendar is available at http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com.

CHELLE DUGAN is the mother of two children and lives in the Southwest. She has been an avid reader her whole life but had never written her own stories until she fell in love with Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain. Her first stories were brought to life with help from her long-distance friend Terry and her daughter, as well as Chelle’s love for little mountain towns and snow.

Snow Follies ©Copyright Chelle Dugan, 2009 Published by Dreamspinner Press 4760 Preston Road Suite 244-149 Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Cover Art by Paul Richmond http://www.paulrichmondstudio.com Cover Design by Mara McKennen This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ Released in the United States of America December 2009 eBook Edition eBook ISBN: 978-1-61581-327-8