Along Came You

  “Along Came You”

  An MM Gay Romance

  Jerry Cole

  © 2020

  Jerry Cole

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is intended for Adults (ages 18+) only. The contents may be offensive to some readers. It may contain graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations. May contain scenes of unprotected sex. Please do not read this book if you are offended by content as mentioned above or if you are under the age of 18.

  Please educate yourself on safe sex practices before making potentially life-changing decisions about sex in real life. If you’re not sure where to start, see here: http://www.jerrycoleauthor.com/safe-sex-resources/.

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner & are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Products or brand names mentioned are trademarks of their respective holders or companies. The cover uses licensed images & are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any person(s) that may be depicted on the cover are simply models.

  Edition v1.00 (2020.11.04)

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  Special thanks to the following volunteer readers who helped with proofreading: Earleen Gregg, Jim Adcock, RB, Big Kidd and those who assisted but wished to be anonymous. Thank you so much for your support.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Peter

  “I give up on men. They all suck. How the fuck do you date them?” Rosa asked as she threw her hands up in the air.

  “I just sort of prefer them, but I just went through a breakup myself.” I handed her a glass of wine, and she drank half of it, making me wince. “Okay, Rosa. Slow down. We’ll get some pizza and wings, maybe watch some movies?”

  “Okay.” My beloved best friend ended an engagement of six months recently after finding him cheating on her in their bed. She was staying in my loft for the time being until she found something else.

  “Ordering. Have some more wine, but let’s not have a repeat of Chloe’s wedding. Okay?”

  “Shit, no. I was so sick after that. Who has whole bottles of wine available for guests?” Rosa groaned, pulling back her dark blue hair into a top knot.

  “I think most people have self-control,” I joked once the order was placed.

  “I am not going to get wasted on you. I’m upset. I’m pissed, but I don’t need to be hungover on top of that.” She gave me a weak smile. Her brown eyes were red from crying, and I pulled her into a hug.

  “Have you spoken to Adam?” She asked, pulling away to look at me.

  “That shit is over. I don’t need anyone that can’t decide if they want to commit to me after five months.” I grabbed a beer from the counter. “I have plenty to do. I have clients coming at me from all sides.” I was a content writer, and business was picking up.

  “That’s great. I know that the agency will need me to work a lot of hours, so that will be a great distraction.” Rosa worked for one of the most successful ad agencies in New York. “You’re cool with me staying here, right? I haven’t had a lot of time to look around.”

  “My futon is all yours.” I had a large living room with an open kitchen and a smaller bedroom in the back.

  “Thanks. I wish I didn’t move into his place. I liked that apartment,” Rosa groaned, walking across the room to look over Manhattan. “I want one of these.”

  “One might come up. I think you’re doing great at the agency. You could do this.” I heard the buzzer and hurried to my phone. Picking it up, I heard the delivery driver and let him up. I pulled some cash out of my pocket as I opened the door, handing it to him when I heard footsteps in the hallway.

  “Hey, Pete,” Jimmy greeted me, handing me the big bag of food. “You in there, Rosie?”

  “Yes. I hope you brought a lot of food,” she called out as he chuckled.

  “Breakup. It’s nasty,” I murmured as he nodded. He knew Rosa and a few of our other friends, so he’d hear about it soon enough. “Keep the change.”

  “Thanks, buddy. Take care of her.” Jimmy turned to leave, and I closed the door. I went to the kitchen for plates, bringing them and the food to the couch. Rosa sat down, and we dug into the meal.

  We talked about work to get away from the topic of men, eating ourselves sick. Rosa finished one more glass of wine, dropping her head back on the couch. “I am so glad it’s the weekend. This week sucked.”

  She caught her guy Monday with the other woman. They’d been engaged for two months and were beginning to plan the wedding. She got off work a bit early, deciding to go out to dinner with Jake for a change. When she walked inside, the screams from the bedroom made it clear to her what was going on. Rosa headed right back there, going off on them as she grabbed some stuff. She threw the ring at Jake, telling the girl that it might fit her if she still wanted his shitty cheating ways.

  I had to give it to her for that.

  My situation was more straightforward than that. I dated Adam for five months after meeting him at a coffee shop, and we seemed to be getting serious, then I found him on a dating app. Rosa and I were both into monogamous relationships and always joked that it was too bad that we didn’t want to get together.

  That was not meant to be.

  Rosa fell asleep on the couch halfway into watching Ten Things I Hate About You. We were both Heath Ledger fans, mourning each anniversary of his death. I wasn’t insulted that she fell asleep on me, knowing how draining her week was for her.

  I covered her with a blanket before shutting the lights off. Everything was locked, so I went into my room to slip on some lounge pants, lying back on the bed. The window was always cracked, and I listened to cars and voices down on the busy street. I loved everything about this place but wondered if I’d ever find love. There were so many people in New York City,
and I seemed to meet all the losers.

  Hell, I thought that my best friend found happiness and look at her.

  Chapter Two

  Peter

  Rosa woke up late the next morning, apologizing to me as soon as she realized where she was.

  “It’s fine. Want some breakfast? I was thinking about grabbing some bagels.” I smiled as she looked around the sunlit room.

  “Yes. Coffee, too. I don’t want to be a total waste of space today,” she said, and I ruffled her hair on the way out.

  “It’s Saturday. We have nothing that we need to do.” I locked the door with my key, jogging down six flights of stairs. I walked through the small foyer, heading out to the street before breathing in the crisp Fall air.

  The city was alive today. I felt it in the air. I grinned as I headed left to the small deli we favored over any chain coffee shop, ordering two everything bagels with cream cheese and large cups of their French roast. It was a favorite morning treat when we had a little time to enjoy it, and I vowed to buy it for Rosa every day to make her smile.

  She sat at the table with her feast, looking a bit better. “Do you have work today?”

  “I always have something to work on but let’s relax today. We can take in a movie and go out to dinner. Anything you want.” I grinned at her.

  “Have I ever told you that you’re the best friend a girl could have?” She smiled at me as I tilted my head.

  “Right back at ya.”

  “I think a movie sounds great. We can go to that theater that has reclining seats and eat tons of popcorn—no lame-ass romance movie. I want horror or action. I want to be like a guy today.”

  “Sounds good, even though I’m not that kind of guy. We can both fake it.” I laughed, reaching for my coffee.

  We both got ready and caught an afternoon showing of the new horror movie that everyone was raving about. It was brutal and odd, with a dig at the boyfriend that made Rosa cheer. Luckily, she wasn’t the only one, and I wasn’t as embarrassed as I couldn’t be otherwise.

  “You cheered that on?” I asked Rosa as she chuckled.

  “Hell, yes. He deserved what he got.”

  “Stay away from the old apartment. I don’t want you to end up in jail.” We both laughed and walked down the street.

  “Oh, look. It’s the old rink that my mom used to take me to. I can’t believe it’s still here.” She pressed her face to the glass, taking it all in. “They had the best hot chocolate here. Want to get some? I think there’s hockey or at least a free skate. They’re so much fun to watch.” Rosa looked at me as I eyed the old glass door. This must have been used well before MSG was built, and it paled in comparison.

  “Sure. I’ve never been to a place like this.” I laughed, and she rolled her eyes.

  “So sorry it’s not that overpriced place you call an ice rink. The hockey is great here.” I opened the door, and we walked in, surprisingly seeing two rinks. One did have a small game going, while the other one looked like a little kid taking lessons.

  “Let’s get your damn hot chocolate and sit down. Maybe these guys will be pro someday.” I walked her to the snack bar, and we ordered two drinks from the teenager working behind the counter. She handed us two cups of steaming chocolate, adding extra whipped cream at Rosa’s request. I eyed her as we walked to the bleachers to take on a minor league hockey game. “Really, woman?”

  “I drank it like that when I was little. I loved it so much.” She picked a seat under a heater, and I took in the action on the ice. I liked that men of all ages played and looked like they were having fun. It wasn’t the professional game that I loved, but this was fun.

  I watched the goalie block a few good shots, getting into the game. “This is a great alternative to a pro game. It’s a lot cheaper at any rate.”

  “Yeah. It’s a fun day,” she said, and I pictured a little Rosa skating on the other rink. “Have you tried ice skating?”

  “I have, but I wasn’t great. I decided that was enough of that. I’ll just watch it.” I laughed as she shook her head at me.

  “Let’s try it sometime,” Rosa begged, as I rolled my eyes.

  “Not today,” I replied, seeing a burly guy skate across the ice to make a goal. I caught a glimpse of his face earlier, and he had some gorgeous structure and eyes that were a mix of a whiskey color and honey. I appreciated the idea of being this close a lot more now, leaning forward for a better look.

  “See something you like?” Rosa asked, trying to follow my gaze.

  “Drink your hot chocolate,” I told her, making her laugh. It was a great sound, and I wrapped an arm around her. “Number twenty-five is a bit of a hottie. What are the chances he’s into men?”

  “I’m sure that gay men play hockey, as well as other sports. Talk to him after the game,” she suggested as I pushed the idea away.

  “Today is our day. I’ll just enjoy the view.” I kissed her cheek, turning my face back to see the guy watching me from the bench. I grinned at him, reaching for my cup as he looked away.

  We finished the game, tossing our cups away on the way out. I watched as the team headed back to the locker room to change, telling Rosa that I was fine to leave.

  I could revisit this later.

  We went home, where I made a stir fry for dinner. Rosa ate, passing out on the couch halfway into our movie. I covered her with a blanket, going into my room to get some work done. I turned on some music, finding the current project and the details in my folder for the client.

  I got into the work, finishing up and sending it off. Stretching, I stood up and went to get a beer, smiling at my best friend. It might be crowded around here, but I’d let her stay as long as she needed to.

  I knew that she would be busy at work starting Monday, and that would be a great distraction. She could move forward with this. Rosa could take time to find a place that suited her. I didn’t need any money from her since I did okay, plus I wanted her just to focus on herself.

  We both had the following day off, and I went with Rosa to get the remainder of her things at the apartment. It was empty, so we worked quickly. Rosa wanted nothing to do with Jake. She had no reason to keep in touch since she threw his ring at him when she left him. Once it was empty of her things, she was finished.

  The sad thing was that it was clear someone female stayed there that wasn’t Rosa. There were new products that weren’t hers, and the bed was unmade. I saw the hurt in her eyes as she packed her things into a duffel bag, making me want to kill him. He asked her to marry him after a year together, and he was the one that ended it in the most chicken shit way possible. He tossed her aside, and I liked the guy when I met him.

  I took her back to my place, and we stored things as best we could. It was late afternoon by now, so we ordered Indian food for dinner and vegged in front of the TV. She went to work at eight the following morning, so the reality was kicking in. I usually got up early, to begin with, so I could keep a normal schedule. I was going to make some coffee for the morning and send her off with a smile.

  I had to run to the store that night for creamer, leaving her to shower for the following day. Walking into the grocery store, I grabbed a few things and threw them into my basket before pausing in front of the dairy case.

  “Were you at the rink yesterday?” A male voice asked me, making me turn to look to my right. Low and behold, it was number twenty-five from the ice.

  “I was. Were you playing?” I asked as if I didn’t know.

  “Yeah. I was. Did you enjoy yourself?” He asked with a smirk on his face. Apparently, he saw me smiling at him.

  “I did. My best friend used to skate there as a kid, so we checked it out. I’m a massive NHL fan, so it was a good time.” He grinned at that confession.

  “Rangers or Islanders?”

  “Rangers. I cheer them on every year,” I replied as he nodded. He had thick, tousled dark blonde hair and was muscular and delicious looking. His face was chiseled with a few bruises I assumed c
ame from the game. “Do you just play for fun?”

  “I wanted to go pro, but I had an injury in college. That ended that, so I started teaching and playing here to handle the addiction.” He frowned, and I sensed that it hurt a lot to do that. “I coach in the summer at a camp for kids as well. I’ll always love the sport.”

  “That’s admirable. Some would be bitter,” I murmured as he shrugged. “I’m Peter. Peter Hensley.” I offered my hand, and he shook it.

  “Owen James.” I smiled as I felt the heat from his touch pass over my skin. “You play?”

  “No. I stick to watching,” I laughed as he flashed me a crooked smile that made me weak. His teeth were straight and white, making me smile.

  “So, best friend?” He said in a low voice as I nodded.

  “Yep. She’s not my type.” I knew that he was interested, but I might as well state my case.

  “In that case, can I have your number?” He was bold, and I liked it.

  “I’ll put my number in your phone. He handed it to me, and I noticed that it was unlocked. My ex had every possible block on his that he could think of. I entered my name and number into the contacts, then sent myself a text, so I’d have his number. He’d be the one calling me, though.

  “Thank you. I’ll call you soon, but feel free to stop by the rink any time. There’s a schedule on the website, and I play for the Timberwolves.” He smiled, and I returned it.

  “I’ll check that out. It was great meeting you.” He nodded, and we stared at each other for a moment. When he cleared his throat and walked away, I felt adrenaline rush through me.

  Adam who?

  I grabbed two creamers, adding them to the basket before I walked on the clouds to check out. I was all smiles, seeing him slip into a Jeep Cherokee that was black and shiny.

  I loaded my stuff into my Accord, heading home to tell Rosa all about it.