A Clean Break (Gay Amish Romance Book 2) (20 page)

“Uh-huh.” David found himself staring at Clark.

Clark frowned and patted his hair. “What is it?” He smoothed his palm down his shirt. “Don’t tell me I have a wrinkle.”

David tore his gaze away. “No. I’ve just never seen you dressed so…”

“Boringly?” Clark laughed. “My work uniform: slacks, dress shirt, tie, loafers. Rinse and repeat.” He touched the purple fabric tucked into his shirt pocket. “I attempt to liven things up with color, but when I tried anything that sparkled, shimmered or had an ounce of fabulousness, my boss was not having it.” He tapped his mouth. “No gloss either, although that bastard will take my Studio Fix from my cold, dead hands.”

David mentally scrolled through the ever-growing list of new words he was learning, but couldn’t think of what that could possibly be. “Your what?” He was trying to get better at asking when something didn’t make sense.

“Only the greatest thing ever created.” Clark opened his bag and pulled out a black plastic disc. He snapped it open and held it to David’s face. “You lift from the bottom and the sponge is in there, but I use a brush. It’s a mix of foundation and powder, so it evens out the skin tone and blots excess oil.”

David peered at the round mirror. “It’s makeup? For men?”

“Men, women, and those who have yet to decide. Here.” He pulled out a tube from his bag, from which a wide brush emerged. “Close your eyes.”

David did as he was told, and the hair of the brush wisped over his face, tickling his nose. It was similar to the barber’s brush, but much finer.

“Open.” Clark held up the mirror. “See how it just evens you out? Although you don’t need much. And that Isaac! His skin is so creamy I could put it in my latte. Must be all that clean living.”

David’s nose was less shiny, and his cheeks a little less ruddy. He couldn’t imagine wearing makeup every day, but it didn’t look bad at least. “Thank you.”

Clark snapped the Studio Fix shut and dropped it back in his bag. “Anytime. Even a strapping lad like you can blot. This is San Francisco, after all. Oh, and
mazel tov
! That’s Jewish for congratulations, but the rest of the world has co-opted it.” He pulled out a dark bottle with a golden label. “Champagne. Must be drunk cold, so put it in the fridge for a special occasion. Sorry it’s late—I’ve been meaning to get down here for weeks. “

“Thank you so much.” David took the smooth bottle and ran his fingertips around the foil on top. “I haven’t had champagne yet.” He went to slide it into the back of the small fridge squeezed in by the couch.

“Aww, I’m popping your cherry.” Clark waved his hand. “Never mind what that means. Anyway, just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing. My table is amazing, and I can’t wait to see the chairs. I can’t believe how quickly you got it done. If I’d ordered a custom table from anywhere else, it would take months. Months! You’re a miracle worker.”

David shrugged, but couldn’t help but smile. “I suppose I’m used to working quickly.”

“It’s that sexy Amish work ethic. Your parents taught you well.”

His gut twisted. June hadn’t had a visit from Anna again.
Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to me after all. Maybe she thought on it more, and she’s disgusted. If she knows the truth about me and Isaac, why would she ever want to speak to me again?

There was a singsong beeping, and Clark pulled out his phone with a sigh. “
Der Führer
. I swear he can’t go five minutes without me. Hold on a sec.” He stepped through the open door of the garage.

David could hear the murmur of Clark speaking, and he turned back to his work. But instead of picking up his saw, he stared at the block of wood as his mind whirled. Alan’s music thumped on, and David uncharitably wished Alan would just go away and shut up. His head whirled.

He found sometimes he could go for hours on end and not worry—especially when he was with Isaac. Then something would spark a memory, and the sinking sensation would return. He could tell himself a thousand times that he’d made the right decision, but with the guilt was a longing for his mother and sisters that bored into him like the distant, endless beat of Alan’s songs.

Every day he hoped for a letter. He’d finally mailed his, but there had been nothing in return. David shook his head, scattering a pile of nails and then picking them each up again. What did he expect? He could have written pages, but he would never be able to tell them the whole truth.

The nails dug into his palm as he squeezed them. He could never share what was truly in his heart. Never. And Mother didn’t even write to implore him to return home, and to the right path that would lead to heaven. Not that he could blame her after the way he ran like a criminal. Why should she care if he went to hell?

“How are you finding these new tools?”

The nails scattered as David jumped. “I didn’t hear you come back in.” He scooped them up one by one.

“My bad.” Clark pointed to the wall. “That’s smart with all the hooks. In the city we have to use every inch of space.” He ran his fingers over the sander. “I can’t imagine how you used to do everything by hand. No wonder you have all those muscles.”

David tried to ignore the last part, but his cheeks heated anyway. “I actually used some electric tools before, but it was a secret. I had a workshop with my English friend.”

“Do tell.” Clark clapped his hands, waggling his fingers. “Was this secret friend tall, dark and handsome like you? What else did you get up to? No detail too small.”

“Uh, we drank tea sometimes?”

“Before you manfully fucked each other’s brains out over a sawhorse?”

David had to laugh. “She’s a sixty-eight-year-old woman, so no.”

Clark wrinkled his nose. “That’s disappointing. But wait, wasn’t Isaac your apprentice?” He raised his eyebrows. “I bet you taught him a thing or two, right?”

Keeping his gaze down, David lined all the heads of the nails in the same direction as memories found him.
On his knees in the stall with Isaac’s cock throbbing in his mouth. Bending Isaac over the worktable. Shivering together in the makeshift shower, cleaning the sweat and seed off their skin.

“Say no more! Your lack of eye contact says it all. I bet Isaac—” Clark broke off. “Speak of the devil.”

His pulse spiking, David looked up to find Isaac in the doorway. He was wearing his new usual outfit—jeans, sneakers and a long-sleeved T-shirt. His light jacket was wrapped around his waist. As always, David’s heart skipped a beat and desire stirred when he saw him. He waited for the smile that always lit up Isaac’s face, but Isaac’s expression was shuttered.

“Oh. Hi, Clark.” Isaac nodded.

“Hey, munchkin! I was just checking out the new work digs. How’s school going?”

“It’s fine.”

David blinked in surprise. It was the least enthusiastic he’d heard Isaac be about school since he’d started. “Did something happen? You’re not usually out this early.”

“My classes for the afternoon are canceled because of a teacher meeting. It’s so nice that I thought we could go to the beach for a little while. But if I’m interrupting you…”

David frowned. “Why would you be interrupting?”

Isaac shrugged, jamming his hands in his pockets.

“You should absolutely take advantage of this weather. This is the first nice day in what,
months
? No fog, no damn wind, and the sun is shining? Get to the beach, stat. But bring a jacket. This is San Francisco, after all.” Clark sighed dramatically and slung his bag back across his chest. “I, on the other hand, must return to my cubicle prison. David, I can’t wait to get the chairs. You deposited the check no problem?”

“I did. Thank you again. You didn’t have to pay for it all up front.”

“Pish. All right, gentlemen. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. That leaves your options wide open.” He winked and put on his sunglasses, whirling out the door.

David didn’t wait to tug Isaac close and kiss him. He inhaled deeply, sighing as Isaac hugged him back. The familiar press of his body and the softness of his lips chased away any other thoughts as Isaac nuzzled David’s neck. While David was only shaving every few days, Isaac’s cheeks were smooth and soft. David ran his hands over Isaac’s back and down to his rear. “Mmm. Maybe we should just stay here,” he murmured.

Isaac laughed softly. “Very tempting.”

David pulled back and examined Isaac’s face. “Did something happen at school? You seem upset.”

“No. It’s just…” Isaac paused before shaking his head. “It’s nothing. Forget about it. Come on—let’s take advantage of the weather.”

David glanced at his half-finished project. “I guess I can take a break. Do you know how to get to the beach? I only know the buses to come here.”

Isaac pulled his phone from his pocket. “I have an appy thing that’ll tell us. Jen showed me how it works.”

“You’re sure you don’t need to be studying?”

“A few hours won’t hurt. Tonight I’m meeting up with Chris, Derek, and Lola for a study group.”

“Oh. Okay.” It was still odd to think of Isaac spending time with people David didn’t know. Also, he wasn’t sure what kind of name
Lola
was, but Isaac seemed to like her.
Not that I should judge anyone
.

“Did I show you the video Derek sent me? It’s another one on the YouTube. Did you know there are
millions
of videos there? This one was a dog playing basketball, and it was so funny.”

David smiled. “You showed me. It was great.” He’d learned how to text, email and talk on his phone, but that was it. He knew he should do more, but he didn’t like asking Aaron and Jen for too much help considering how much they’d already done. “It’s nice that your friends are showing you things.”

“They’ve helped explain so much stuff. You really have to meet them. I know you’re busy here, but I think they’re starting to wonder if you’re real.”

David laughed uneasily. It was silly to be so nervous to meet Isaac’s school friends, but what would he say to them? He spent his days in a garage making furniture. David doubted very much that they wanted to hear about wood grains. “I will. Soon.”

“I’m glad I told them I’m Amish.” Isaac ran his finger around the rim of his phone, eyes downcast and his smile disappearing. “Although I guess I’m not Amish anymore. Not properly English either. Something in-between.”

“What’s wrong?” He clenched his jaw. “Did someone say something to you?”

For a long moment, Isaac was silent. Then he whispered, “Mother and Father finally wrote back.”

Dread hooked through David. He took Isaac’s hand. “What did they say?”

“That I broke their hearts.” Jaw tight, Isaac drew his shoulders up. “That because I disobeyed them and the Ordnung, now I’m on this dangerous path. That I have to come home and yield to the Lord instead of worldly temptation. Of course they didn’t say a word about Aaron.” He exhaled sharply. “Not a word! I don’t know why I expected anything else. But I’d hoped…”

“I know.” He held Isaac close, wishing he could do so much more.

“They said I’m keeping them awake worrying I’ll go to hell. That I
will
if I don’t come back.” Isaac gripped David’s shirt. “They think that already, that I’m going to hell, and they don’t even know the truth about us.”

All David could do was hold on. He pressed kisses to Isaac’s head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. He wasn’t sure how long they stood there trembling.

Swiping at his eyes, Isaac stepped back and smiled humorlessly. “They sent a clipping from
Die Botschaft
as well.”

“Let me guess—it was a story about a person who’d gone into the world and died a horrible, miserable death.”

Isaac snorted. “How did you know? I’m sure they’re cutting out those stories every week now and saving them. I bet the kids are hearing them nightly.” He sighed. “I wrote them as well, but Mother and Father might not have even given them the letters. Or maybe they did, and Katie and my brothers hate me too.”

“They don’t hate you. I know they don’t.” The thought of David’s own sisters hating him was too much to bear.

Isaac twined their fingers together. “I don’t know what I’d do if we weren’t here together.”

“You’d have Aaron. Even if you didn’t, you’re so strong. You could do it.” He squeezed Isaac’s hand. “It’s me who’d be lost without you.”

Isaac brushed their lips together. “Good thing we have each other then.” He smiled tremulously. “Let’s go see the ocean.”

The Golden Gate Bridge soared to the heavens in the distance. They walked toward it along Baker Beach, the damp sand cold between David’s toes despite the heat of the day. Inhaling the fresh air deeply, he listened to the gulls sing. Here, there was no honking traffic or thumping music.

The beach was dotted with other people enjoying the day, but none gave them a second look. The sun was still high in the cloudless sky, and David wrapped his hoodie around his waist. He held his sneakers in his right hand, and after a few moments of hesitation, Isaac’s hand in the other.

The ocean was on their left, and Isaac stared as the waves crested and rolled over the shore. The rhythmic swells of the blue sea were something David didn’t think he’d ever tire of, but he found his gaze returning again and again to Isaac’s bright eyes and sunbeam of a smile.