Keep Swimming

KEEP SWIMMING

Kade Boehme

Table of Contents

Dedication
             
5

Acknowledgments
             
6

Prologue
             
7

Chapter 1
             
11

Chapter 2
             
15

Chapter 3
             
21

Chapter 4
             
25

Chapter 5
             
30

Chapter 6
             
38

Chapter 7
             
48

Chapter 8
             
55

Chapter 9
             
63

Chapter 10
             
68

Chapter 11
             
75

Chapter 12
             
79

Chapter 13
             
86

Chapter 14
             
94

Chapter 15
             
102

About The Author
             
108

More Titles By Kade Boehme
             
109

Trademarks
             
110

Keep Swimming

Copyright © July 2014 by Kade Boehme

All rights reserved. This is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Editor: Tina Adamski

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Published in the United States of America

This is a work of fiction. While may include actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning

This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. For adults
18+ ONLY
, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

What They're Saying About
KADE BOEHME

Gangster Country

“
The story sucked me in from the start and I couldn't stop reading. The depth of emotions just captured me. I felt the nail-biting tension. I hung on Kade's every word.”

— Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews

“This book will throw you a few curve balls and the twist at the ending floored me. The flow of the writing and the story was steady with all the OMG moments placed perfectly.”

— MM Good Book Reviews

             
A Little Complicated
“Perfect for readers looking for missed chances and fate.”

— USA Today Happily Ever After Blog

“This book was a refreshingly funny read with just the right amount of angst to remind you that you are reading a Kade Boehme story.”

—
The Novel Approach

             
 
Where the World Ends

“
This is a story of unexpected and somewhat forbidden love. A story of secrets. A story of prejudice and its effects on the unsuspecting. It’s a story of forgiveness and standing up for what is right. It’s a beautiful, heartwarming story that I’m grateful I had the chance to read.
”

—
   
Joyfully Jay

For B.

Jackie. You. I wouldn't have made it, no way no how, without you. I couldn't have begged for a better sister.

Wendy. I don't think I ever have the words to thank you. You've been a constant for so long, I'd be lost without you.

L.C., thanks for the hugs and the random late night FaceTimes and lunches and for just being you.

Tina, thanks for rockin' it out. You're a gem. Princess loves you.

Mel, nobody cheers me on like you. You make me smile and keep me going. Thanks for everything.

Mon. <3

Last but not least, The Readers. Dear God, the Readers, Reviewers, Bloggers, fellow authors. You've all made this such an amazing journey. You let me do this job I love, inspire me every day to keep going, and I couldn't ask for better readers—readers who aren't just people who buy my books but who are also my friends. You all mean the fucking world to me.

Four Years Ago

No, he did not want to answer the door. No, he did not want to put pants on or be sociable. He did not want to think about anything beyond the Britney song on the radio or the beautiful sonogram picture he’d just put on his refrigerator next to the picture of his mother. But whoever was knocking on his front door continued their insistence that he do just that with their incessant rapping.

He wandered over and slung the door open.
Oh, yay.
Marshall’s father. Why now? Why today? “Manny, what are you doing here?”

Manny smacked Cary with his newspaper. “This tone. Take it with someone else. I’m here to see my son, of course.”

That smarted. Cary winced. “He’s not here.” Cary turned and walked back to the sofa, where he'd set up camp. There were two day old tissues, a pizza box, and an Xbox remote with his name on it.

The whole house smelled of dust and emptiness. And unwashed man. He’d get his act together by Monday, he swore it. But this long weekend before the opening of his store was his only chance to enjoy being a slob-- a newly-single, soon-to-be-grown-up slob. Yeah, he knew he was supposed to be a grown up already, but with a business of his own and a child on the way… any delusions he had of still being fancy-free were officially at an end. Come Monday, the first day of the first fiscal year of The  Barkery by the Bay, he would officially be a responsible adult.

“Are you not my son?”

Cary’s head snapped in Manny’s direction. “What?”

“I didn’t realize my relationship with you ended because Marshall decided to be a boob.”

“
A boob?” Cary blinked. “How… 1960s of you.” He may have cracked a smile. Not that he’d call it a smile, but... anyways.

“
In case you hadn’t noticed, I was a child in the ‘60s. Pardon an old man if his vernacular isn’t up to snuff.”

Cary snorted and fell onto the couch. “We’ll let you slide this once.”

“I’ll remember to write the local news to report this wonderful reprieve which His Highness has granted.” Manny shoved at Cary’s legs, forcing him to sit up and move over. “How are you, Cary?” When Manny’s palm rested on Cary’s knee, he felt the beginnings of the first tears since Marshall had packed his things three days earlier.

He cleared his throat. “Um, no disrespect, but what’re you doing here?”

Manny harrumphed. “What am I doing here, he asks?” Another harrumph and some shifting around on the messy couch was a not-so-subtle hint he was not pleased. “I can’t check on one of my boys?”

“
Well, I’m assuming…”

“
What happens when you assume?”

“
Huh?”

“
Don’t say
huh.
You sound uneducated. The correct answer is ‘You make an ass of U and Me.’”

Cary blinked. “Okay, seriously. Why are you here?”

“To check on you, of course.”

“
Shouldn’t you be checking on your son?”

Manny’s glare silenced Cary. “I am.”

Cary felt a scalding tear run down his face. “But he’s not here. He…”

“
He left. I know.”

“
Then why are you really here?”

“
Stop being so obtuse, Cary. You think you sit in on my triple bypass and I just throw you aside? That’s not how this old man works. No matter what Marshall does, you are still my son.” When Cary snorted, it was all tears. Manny gathered him in his arms, hugging tight.

“
That’s right. Get it all out. You got your heart hurt. You gotta let it out.”

“
Why are you being so nice to me?”

“
Because, while I understand—grudgingly so—my son’s reasons, that understanding is not enough that I discount what he’s done to you.”

“
It hurts.”

“
So I’ve heard.” Manny pulled Cary in closer. He had no idea why this man was affording him such kindness. But crying on another person, feeling another human’s skin was too much to say no to right now. So he wept.

“
You’ll get through this, son. It’s unfair and I wish I could fix it, change it, but you’re a good man. You deserved better than this. I just hope you’ll accept that I want to be around and that I’d love to still be Opa.”

“
Why should you?”

“
Why should I what? Be allowed to?”

“
No.” That had never crossed Cary’s mind. “Why should you want to? I don’t get it.”

Manny got in Cary’s face, sitting again and staring with dull green eyes into Cary’s. “Because family doesn’t forget each other, son. We just don’t. I think of what happened with you and Marshall like a divorce. Things may not have worked out, the situation changed, but you didn’t lose me as family. A piece of paper didn’t make me your family, nor would another piece of paper have made me cut an ex-wife out of my family. I know I’m rambling, but…

Cary wasn’t too proud to fling himself at the old guy, hugging his neck. “No. I.. I get it. And I appreciate it. I’m just so sorry.”

“
Hush bubeleh. There’s no need. Just get that grandson of mine safely into this world, take care of him…” Manny teared up, placing a palm on Cary’s cheek. “And don’t forget me, okay? I’d love to be around. If you’ll allow me.”

“
Always.”

“
And do not forget, even when they’re a pain in the ass, children are a gift. No one will love you like them. And you will never love anyone like you love them. It just wasn't my son’s dream to have a child. You have been excited about it from the beginning. Don’t lose your dream, just adjust to make it look different.”

Cary’s body went rigid. He couldn’t help feeling the need to scream, but he held it in. Marshall had certainly forgotten the dream easily enough. Now… God, now Cary was twenty-four years old and headed toward single parenthood. How did hets do this so often?

“I’m gonna do my damnedest to make that little boy happy.”
Little boy.
The final straw that had triggered Marshall’s jealousy, his resentment. Cary closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had a son on the way, one he’d be supporting on his own, as well as a surrogate who had medical needs. While she would still be on Marshall’s insurance and Marshall had assisted with earlier financial obligations, Cary would need a second job and he’d have to throw his back into getting The Barkery by the Bay open. “Thanks for coming Manny, but I’ve got a  business to get off the ground.” In his head he was already making lists, thinking about Marshall’s final piece of business advice, given on his way out the door:  “
Hire a manager.”

Manny beamed at him. “That’s my boy.”

*****

“
This is the one.” Heath patted the hull of the 46-foot yacht. The boat that he’d been researching, looking at for months. He was so close to the day he could afford to buy it, he could taste it. He’d been dying to get off the rigs since he’d started the job. He couldn’t deny being a driller on an oil rig was damn good money, especially as a single man with nothing but his dick and time on his hands, but the work was a bitch and he was ready to move at a slower pace.

“
Yessir,” the owner, Cary’s retired boss and friend, Larry said. “She’s in beautiful condition. 950HRS on 8V92s.”

“
Nice,” Heath's best friend Kyle said before disappearing below deck. He reappeared after a few minutes, whistling in appreciation. “Sleeps six down there. Think of the parties we could have on this bitch.”

Larry laughed as Kyle bounced up and humped the rails. That was Kyle. A twelve year old trapped in the body of a twenty-two year old. Heath just shook his head. “As I was saying,” Heath continued, turning to Larry, “I’ll be using it mostly for fishing charters. I’ve gotten the licensure, now I’m just rounding up the last of the cash for you.”

Larry gestured for Heath to follow him back up to his beach-front home. He was selling the Bertram because he’d recently upgraded to a 55 footer. Basically, he had more money than God. Heath wasn’t complaining, because the yacht
was priced
fairly, and it had some great upgrades.

“
I’ll take the first half now, and hold it for you, then. Let me get a receipt for you,” he spoke over his shoulder as Heath and Kyle followed him into his McMansion. “I’ll just run to the office and grab that agreement we drew up.”

“
Actually, I’m only lacking the last $10k.”

Larry smiled. “That’s great news. You’re a friend. I don’t mind knocking that last bit off for you.”

Heath held up a hand. “No, man. We settled on one-sixty-seven, that's a good price, and I’ll get you the whole nut.”

Larry put his hands up as if in surrender. “Okay, calm down boy. I just thought I’d throw you a bone. You’ve been working your ass off for this since I’ve known you.” Five years they’d known each other, five years of itching to strike out on his own, have a boat of his own and kick back. Living his life on
his
terms for the first time since he made one mistake as a teenager.

“
Thanks, Larry. But I want to give you the full amount. I appreciate the thought.”

“
You always were a stubborn son of a bitch, Cummings. Good to see your dreams finally coming true.”

Heath couldn’t agree more. He knew he still needed one more boat, though. Kyle would be running this one for him while he continued to work a few more years on the rigs. Two boats and they’d be able to pull in good money, be a real fleet rather than a couple of drunks with a boat.

“Me, too, man. Me, too.”

“
Let’s get you that receipt.” And with that Larry headed off to his office. Within moments he was back with the receipt and the legal sales agreement stating the terms of payment of the final ten grand. Heath signed on the dotted line with a flourish, and shook Larry’s hand.

“
So what are your plans for the business? Gonna live like this one day?” Larry asked, spreading his arms, presenting his stately home like a game show host.

Heath looked around, snorting. “No, not quite.” Larry had been able to retire from his post as an engineer on the rig because he’d been a miserly son of a bitch who’d saved every penny and invested well.

Larry laughed. “Not looking for riches, huh?”

Heath shook his head. “Nope, I just want a dog.”