Chapter Text
“So, Mister Shields—”
“—Please, call me Jarrick.”
“Right, Jarrick. This is your second foray into the Mills of Madness series, correct?”
“That’s right. I’ve mostly stuck to films with more…romantic intent—”
“—down here, Jarrick—”
“—and while this one comes with a love interest, the fantasy element pretty well overpowers that. Not that I’m all that upset about it.”
“Look at the camera, please.”
In Connor’s honest opinion, Chloe is being a damned saint right now. While he’s set to take pictures during the interview, she’s actually the one asking questions, and the famous movie star they’re here to interview has his mind entirely elsewhere. Much to Connor’s chagrin, it’s on him. There’s a camera crew there filming the entire interview, but he keeps glancing over at Connor, and he keeps lilting his words and hinting and making innuendos so shamelessly that Connor almost can’t stand it.
And he knows that Chloe is aggravated because not only is her interview going to wind up being a total flop because this guy can’t get his head in the game, but he can’t stop making eyes at Connor, and he and Chloe happen to be best friends.
Connor is taking pictures from about Chloe’s three o’clock, so he can see the way her eyebrow is furrowed with wrought nerves. Instantly, he wishes he could take over so that she could get herself a break.
The good news is that the interview measures just about all the contact both Connor and Chloe have to have with the guy, and that after today, he’s off to start filming and won’t be at the venue any longer. After spending several moments in the interview with what Connor has only decided is the least tolerable human on the planet, he has a feeling he and Chloe were given the extra couple of days at the resort as an apology for being given such a job.
It also makes so much more sense now why other reporters didn’t take this one. Connor and Chloe are still working their way up the ranks, and as a result, they’re pretty green about the whole process. They’d been none the wiser about the potential of one Jarrick Shields being officially the most aggravating, entitled, gross, selfish celebrity out there, and here they are now, having to put up with him for lack of a better term.
He’s still giving Connor goo-goo eyes, even as Chloe lilts out a very frustrated, “alright, I think we’re done here!” and closes her notebook. As she stands up, Shields does the exact same thing and makes his way up to her.
“It’s been a pleasure, Miss Kamski,” he closes, extending a hand out to her. Chloe looks the polar opposite of interested in shaking his hand yet again, but she does so nonetheless.
“Pleasure’s all mine,” she grunts blandly, eager to release his hand until she sees that he’s now moving in on Connor.
“You as well, Mister Stern,” Shields greets, but rather than extending a hand out, he takes one of Connor’s into his own and holds it in his palm. He does this really gross thing where he runs his thumb over the top of Connor’s hand and stares down at it.
“Don’t you have a plane to catch?” Chloe barks through gritted teeth as she extricates Connor from the hold and promptly stands before him. “Movie filming and all that.”
“I’ve got a few hours on me,” Shields responds around a shrug, to which Connor can literally feel Chloe’s rage building.
“Then go have a few drinks at the bar,” she retorts, visibly irritated. “We’ve got work to do.”
Getting away from the man is as simple as that for the moment, and it’s a breath of fresh air. Don’t get Connor wrong—Shields’ gaydar was on-point in knowing that Connor’s into men, and he himself is relatively attractive, but his forward nature and the fact that he was literally dripping with overconfidence had been a quick turn-off for the young photographer.
On top of that, Connor is with his best friend. He definitely does not hook up with random strangers (even famous ones) when his intent is to enjoy the beach with Chloe and maybe get a few margaritas in the process.
“What kind of name is Jarrick, anyway?” Chloe questions as she and Connor head down the hallway toward their hotel room. “Sounds like something that would pop up in one of those Ridiculous white people names articles you find when you’re high and just randomly typing things in on Google.”
Connor genuinely laughs. Chloe’s level of passion for the situation is sweet, and she’s also making a good point.
“It definitely makes him come off as exactly how smug he really is,” Connor responds. “Thanks for batting him off of me earlier.”
Chloe shrugs. “What’re friends for? Besides, I know you’d do the same if it were me he were all-but sexually harassing.”
“Please,” Connor scoffs. “You’ve got more class than me, I’ll give you that. I’d have probably gotten arrested socking him in the face. You, on the other hand, have this magical way about you where you can tell them to piss off without actually saying it.”
“Uncle Elijah taught me that,” she reminisces with a warm smile. “Kill ‘em with kindness.”
“You’re going to have to teach me that one soon,” Connor says as he unlocks the door. It swings open, and he finds there’s a piece of paper on the ground. He already has an idea of what it is, and judging by the fake gagging coming from Chloe, she does too.
Sure enough, Connor opens up the slip on the ground and finds himself staring at none other than Jarrick Shields’ phone number and a little note about his availability in the future. He promptly balls the paper up in his fist and makes his way to the kitchenette trash, dropping it in there.
“Can we go to the beach?” Connor decides to question, his expression riddled with exasperation.
--- --- --- --- ---
Connor is a relatively body-conscious person. He’s never been crazy about walking around shirtless, let alone in swim trunks at the beach. But he aches to get out and dip his toes into the water, so he compromises by way of wearing a nice pair of knee-length trunks and keeping his white button-up on.
It’s not like he thinks he’s unattractive or anything. He’s just that guy, you know? The one who burns like he’s suddenly underneath a magnifying glass, peels, and doesn’t carry so much as a hint of a tan after the fact. His skin has always been doomed to be a near-ghastly pale color, and as a result, even Chloe doesn’t complain when she sees he hasn’t left himself utterly bare for the public to see.
“Good,” she teases as they’re about to head out the door, “don’t give Mister Shields any room for the imagination.”
Connor just gives her a playful shove as they leave.
The resort they’re staying at is extremely private. The only reason Connor and Chloe had gotten access to it was because the company they work for had supplied it (probably as a generous thank-you for putting up with someone they knew was going to be incorrigible). Either way, the beach isn’t crowded with tourists. There are people there, sure, but it’s not a struggle to find a place to sit, and unlike your typical beach, there are deck chairs and umbrellas already laid out for people to use at their leisure.
Chloe immediately takes up one of them, flagging down a staff member for a margarita. Connor laughs as she flashes the guy ID, and then starts toward the water. He’s been itching to dip his feet in all damned day.
This time of year, it’s not as hot as it could be in South Florida. Connor wouldn’t know by experience since his entire upbringing has taken place in Detroit, but he knows for certain that if he’d chosen the summer season to be down here, he’d probably be burning up right now, even in a white shirt. Right now, the water has just a little bit of a twinge of cold to it—enough to make Connor retract his foot for a split second—which contrasts starkly with the mid-eighty-degree weather.
Connor doesn’t plan on full-on taking a swim, though. He just wants to admire the water. It’s crystal clear, to the point that he can see the sand and the tiny shells beneath. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen water so pure, and especially not in the Midwest. Lake water is much more murky and gray-green. What he’s looking at right now is the stuff of daydreams.
He drops down into a sitting position right at the edge of the tide with his feet just within the line of the water. It’s entertaining to watch it wax forward and wane backward, carrying sand with it in ways that nearly pulls Connor’s feet further down into it. In fact, it’s relaxing. Nature is relaxing.
Connor reaches out and plays with the wet sand with his fingers. The sand is fine, even in wet clumps. It feels so much different than he’d expected.
They get a day and a half of this. A day and a half of the beach and the resort and alcohol. A day and a half away from Detroit and Amanda and everything else at home. Connor thinks he needs the break, and judging by how eagerly Chloe is sipping at her margarita beneath her fancy umbrella, Connor gets the feeling that she too needs it. He smiles a little to himself.
“You’re going to get sucked into the water if you let the tide carry you like that.”
Connor’s esophagus suddenly feels shorter at the sound of that voice. Fighting back a grimace, he turns his head to acknowledge none other than Jarrick Shields standing next to him. Good god, can’t a guy catch a hint?
Connor immediately moves to stand up, with the obvious intention of getting away from a much-too-friendly celebrity who probably thinks he’s entitled to what and whoever he wants, but said celebrity reaches out and catches his forearm.
“Careful. Don’t fall, now.”
Connor pulls his arm free from Jarrick’s grip and wrinkles his nose at him. “I’m fine. It’s not like I can drown at this depth.”
“You can drown in a teaspoon of water, Mister Stern.”
Ugh. This dude probably thinks he’s being all kinds of sexy right now or something. Connor is quite honestly not feeling any of it. Frankly, he wishes the guy would just hurry up and get on his plane and get the hell out of the general vicinity of this resort.
“I’m…pretty sure I’ll be fine,” Connor responds, taking a step back.
Jarrick doesn’t move to close the distance between himself and Connor, but his next words make it obvious he’s still not catching the hint. “Do you maybe want to go grab a drink before I fly out? My suite’s got a bar in it and everyth—”
“—Babe!” An unfamiliar voice is followed by a hand clapped onto Connor’s shoulder, and when he glances over to acknowledge the voice, he finds himself staring into a pair of vibrant eyes, one blue and one green, on a freckled face with a smile that displays perfect damned teeth. The man touching Connor’s shoulder right now is so beautiful it hurts to look at him, and quite honestly, he can’t stop staring. “There you are!”
He’s just about to open his mouth and question what’s going on when those eyes glance quickly to the right and then back at him. Connor follows the gaze to see Chloe watching, and he instantly knows what’s going on.
“Yeah, uh, sorry,” Connor responds, flashing the other man a nervous smile. “I got distracted by the, uh, the water, you know? It’s—”
“—Pretty, right?” The man agrees. “I told you you’d like it here, babe. Anyway, the others are looking for us.” Said man glances to Jarrick and mocks surprise. “You’re Jarrick Shields! Cool! Enjoy your flight back!” He then takes Connor’s wrist and guides him back toward Chloe.
As Connor is being led back to his friend, he glances over his shoulder at the celebrity who had been getting far too comfortable with him, and he sees the look of realization on the man’s face. While Connor has no idea who this gentleman who had just saved him is, he’s not exactly mad that he’s had to play boyfriend to the dude in order to escape Shields.
The man releases his hand once it’s just himself and Connor and Chloe.
“I literally watched him set his big wolf eyes on you,” Chloe groans in disgust. “And this guy happened to be around, so I enlisted in his help.” She flashes the man a smile and claps him on the shoulder. “Thanks, Markus.”
“Markus?” Connor glances at the man a little sheepishly, before he nods his head and sticks a hand out awkwardly to shake. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Connor.”
The aforementioned Markus eagerly takes Connor’s hand and gives it a firm shake, before he returns both his own hands to his hips. “Had no idea Jarrick Shields was that gross of a person. Sorry you had to find out the hard way. In any case, it really is nice to meet you too.”
Markus is beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that Connor really has no idea how to talk to him. He’s not stupid—he knows that he doesn’t have to have a certain way to talk to anyone, but Connor’s strong suit has never really been getting to know new people. He can take pictures of them and talk them into a good light or pose for photography purposes, but if he’s being social solely for the sake of being social, that’s where everything starts to crumble. He’s never been good at it.
“Yeah, same…”
But it isn’t like he doesn’t want to get to know the guy. Hell, this dude had basically pretended to date Connor in order to get some leech of a guy off his back, and Connor doesn’t even know whether he swings that way.
He reminds himself in his own thoughts that it doesn’t matter, because he and Chloe are only here for a few days, so this guy will just have to be let go just like any other good fish that happens to live a thousand miles away.
“Where are you guys from, anyway?” Markus suddenly questions, his expression the very example of curiosity. Connor feels almost a little small underneath his eagerness. He’s very obviously the polar opposite of Connor, in that he’s not afraid to talk to people whatsoever.
“Detroit,” Chloe responds eagerly. Thankfully for Connor, she’s just as extroverted as Markus seems to be. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks around. “We’re here on a gig. I’m a reporter, and Connor here is my partner-in-crime who also doubles as a photographer.”
“By that,” Connor interjects, “she means I only do photography. You wouldn’t want me to interview you—that’s not my calling.” A nervous laugh follows his words, and internally, so does more embarrassment. What the hell kind of response even was that? Connor is genuinely so bad at it.
“But he’s a damn good photographer,” Chloe decides to add, shooting Connor something of a pout. He knows she doesn’t like that he discredits himself so much, and she always makes it obvious by turning her blue eyes to him in almost scolding. She’s ridiculously good at the silent scold, honestly. Connor feels smaller just by looking at her that way. “You should see his portfolio.”
“I wouldn’t mind if he had it available,” Markus responds, shooting Connor something of a reassuring smile. Social cues aren’t Connor’s strong suit, but he can tell in looking at Markus that those words are as much a way of telling him it’s okay to relax around him as they are genuine curiosity to know more about his photography. He feels a little warmer looking into that gaze. “In the meantime, why don’t you guys come hang out with my friends and I? I promise you, the margaritas taste just as good underneath our umbrella as they do under yours.”
Connor hesitates, before he lets out a nervous laugh. “I could go for a margarita at this point.”
Chloe outright laughs. “That’s the spirit!”
--- --- --- --- ---
As it turns out, Markus’ friends are just as friendly and open-minded as Markus is. North comes off initially as a little abrasive, but Connor quickly learns that it’s just a part of how she is. She’s actually extremely funny, and among the rest of them, she’s the first one Connor relaxes around. Josh and Simon are both friendly and eager to get to know Connor and Chloe, and Connor quickly learns that the former is a bartender who has more than a few different drink suggestions to offer them, and by the end of a five-minute conversation, Chloe has already made plans for them to get together and have a few drinks tomorrow night.
Which is a whole other thing. Apparently, Markus and his friends are all on a vacation as well, with the intention of getting away from their own home city and spending some time together. They divulge the fact that they live on the east coast, but not Florida, so the water is different but the beach life is something they’re very familiar with. It makes Connor feel a little out of place until North promises to break him in by the time his and Chloe’s weekend is up.
Connor can tell in watching the way Markus and his friends interact that they’ve got about the same dynamic as Connor and Chloe do. They’ve probably been friends all their lives as children and through high school, and they probably endured college together. They’re likely inseparable, but they also give off the vibe that they enjoy making new friends. They have more than just embraced Connor and Chloe into their group, even if it’s just for the weekend.
Connor isn’t the best at social situations, so it comes as a big relief to him that he’s fallen so naturally into conversation with them.
“So you guys are still growing, then?” Simon questions, sitting back in his own beach chair. “How long have you been partnered together?”
“We’ve been friends all our lives,” Chloe explains, flashing Connor a warm smile, “and when we went to college, we doubted we’d be able to work together, so it’s kind of a miracle that we’re partners right now. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Yeah, that’s incredible,” Markus agrees nearby, sitting at the foot of Simon’s chair. “Most friends don’t get that lucky. I’m happy for the two of you. Assuming one of you aren’t always getting sexually harassed by clients, how are the gigs normally?”
Connor laughs nervously, scrubbing at the back of his neck with his hand. “We’ve gotten pretty small gigs most times. Getting to interview Jarrick Shields was a once in a lifetime kind of thing, and it could give us the signal boost we really need.”
“So you took it knowing he was a piece of dog shit,” North theorizes nearby, but Connor quickly shakes his head.
“We didn’t know he was like that, no. Looking back, we should have suspected there was a reason nobody else in the company wanted to take on the task.”
“On top of that,” Chloe continues, “I’m pretty sure they bribed us with the weekend vacation as a formality. Shame that he’s a jackass, because he sure is pretty…”
Markus laughs a little, before he turns his attention to Connor. “How are you holding up, anyway? He was really pushy.”
Connor laughs nervously. “I’m alright. He’s gone, so I don’t have to deal with him all weekend.”
“Good!” Josh joins in. “Then that means you can deal with us! I was serious about having drinks tomorrow night. So what do you guys say? Want to meet us out here again tomorrow afternoon? Say…two?”
Chloe and Connor exchange glances briefly, before they turn to regard the other group of friends. “That sounds good to us,” Chloe responds with a shrug. “In the meantime, now that neither of us are sick to our stomachs, we’re going to go get something to eat.”
“Thank you for helping me out, Markus,” Connor adds in a bit awkwardly as he and Chloe stand up. “You didn’t have to, but you did it anyway.”
Markus shrugs. “It’s no problem. I didn’t see how else a guy like that was going to get the hint.” He flashes Connor a smile that threatens to make his knees weak, and then rests his hands on his hips. “Anyway, we’ll see you guys tomorrow. Enjoy your night!”
“Check out the balcony view of the water at sunset,” North suggests as Connor and Chloe are about to dismiss themselves. “It’s gonna be one of those things you’ll never want to let go of.”
Connor doesn’t doubt that for a second. His camera is sitting in his room somewhere, and he thinks that maybe he’ll take pictures of said sunset as proof. He really is talented with a camera, after all. The sunset would be a great addition to his portfolio.
As he and Chloe make their ways back to the hotel to wash the sand off their bodies, Connor is lost in thought. He can’t quite remove the events of the day from his mind. And now that he’s away from the other group, his mind is on Markus. The one who had feigned being his boyfriend in order to shake off a persistent celebrity jackass. The one with the too-pretty mismatched eyes and the flawless smile, whose hand had found its way onto Connor’s shoulder so naturally that it was almost as if it belonged there.
Connor’s stomach does a backflip at the thought of Markus and Josh inviting them to hang out again the next day. Socially, he’s always been the more awkward type, but Markus just draws something natural out of him. Don’t get him wrong, he was nervous as hell at first, but by the time they’d finished hanging out for a bit, he’d felt as if he had nothing to worry about.
He doesn’t speak clear until he and Chloe get to the hotel. Chloe requests the first shower and Connor just shrugs his shoulders as he makes his way into the room.
Apparently, they’re going to have ‘real’ margaritas tomorrow evening. Josh boasts his bartending skills like he was born to do it, and if he’s half as passionate about it as Connor and Chloe are their own line of work, Connor has a feeling that he’s going to be onto something. He’s looking forward to reuniting with the group and not just enjoying some drinks, but getting to make new friends.
Which is saying a lot, considering this is Connor Stern.
Chloe doesn’t spend long in the shower. She comes out in the middle of shrugging a shirt on. She’s sporting short shorts and knee-length socks. She runs a brush through her hair as she speaks up. “You’re off in left field today. Got your mind on something in particular?”
Connor just shrugs. “It’s been an interesting day, is all.”
“I’ll say,” Chloe agrees. “But at the very least, you’re done with Captain Jackass. And his prettier stand-in—the guy who saved your life—is now asking for your company, so relax.”
Connor doesn’t respond, and Chloe gasps dramatically, launching her brush right past him and onto one of the two beds. “I knew it! You’re already getting all in your feelings about him!” She doesn’t stop even as Connor gapes at her. “In your defense, he really is pretty. Those freckles are downright sinful.”
“Don’t get too excited about it,” Connor responds around a scoff as he gathers up some clothes, himself. “We don’t live anywhere near each other.”
“Well, I wasn’t suggesting you marry the guy,” Chloe snorts, “I think you’re doing that to yourself already.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Connor retorts as he heads into the bathroom and turns on the shower.
“You’re ridiculous!” Chloe argues. As Connor steps into the shower, Chloe follows him into the bathroom. He hears her hop up onto the counter, where she’ll undoubtedly sit and talk to him while he washes up. “The point is, he’s a cute boy, and even if you two never speak again after this weekend, you should enjoy your time with him. Trust me, Con, he wants to do the same with you.”
Connor isn’t so sure he believes those words. With Markus’ friendly, warm attitude and his stupidly good looks, he could have anyone on the planet. Connor finds it hard to believe he’d, even for a weekend, find interest in the quiet photographer who hasn’t quite figured out how to socialize properly.
“I suppose we’ll see,” Connor responds after several long seconds of hesitation. “It is really fun talking to him…”
“There you go,” Chloe replies warmly. “Just feel it out for now and go there. In other news, imagine how your mother would be shitting herself right now if she knew that not only is her son finally making it big and getting to stay at a fancy resort, but he’s still a photographer!”
Connor’s mother, one Amanda Stern, has spent the past several years disagreeing fervently with her son’s choice to go into photography. ‘That’s not a career, it’s a hobby,’ she had barked at him even as he went to college for it. Why she still continued to help Connor pay for his education is beyond him, but now that he’s gone on his first real, big job with Chloe, he may be getting somewhere closer to showing her that he’s making enough money to call his dream a career.
At the same time, calling her and telling her he’d been getting sexually harassed all day would just give her another excuse to tell him to leave the field and go into something more solid. Connor loves his mom, but it’s hard to call and talk to her about anything anymore because of her obsession with his future, or what she personally sees as a lack thereof.
“She’ll see one day,” Connor replies, his tone more thoughtful than he’d intended. “Either that, or she’ll get used to it. I’m doing just fine.”
“You sure are,” Chloe praises.
Connor is certain half his self-confidence comes from her. He probably wouldn’t be where he was right now if not for her.
--- --- --- --- ---
Most of the evening beyond that is spent in the hotel room. Chloe buys them a case of wine coolers and Connor fronts the bill for their sandwiches, while the two of them sit on Chloe’s bed and go through photos and interview footage sent to them by the camera crew. Chloe is beyond frustrated, and for good reason.
Shields really had been absolutely the worst person to interview. Even in the photos Connor had taken, he looks visibly distracted. The interview footage is…not good. There’s no way they’re going to be able to give this to their editing team.
About midway through the third cycle of the footage, Chloe breaks down and decides it’s time to call said editing team. Connor and Chloe have done enough work with this team that they know them by name, so they’re in both their contacts.
As the phone clicks and Tina picks up, Chloe puts her phone on speaker and sets it down. “Hello, Chloe. How’s the trip going?”
Chloe groans aloud. “Tina Chen, you did not tell me this man was a big, sexually-harassing jerk. Is that why nobody else would take this gig?”
They both hear Tina sigh over the receiver. “I’m sorry. He’s hard as hell to deal with. I was so excited that you actually took the job that I forgot to warn y—wait a second…he harassed you?”
Chloe swallows down a drink of her wine cooler. “He harassed Connor! That’s why I called you, actually—because going through all this footage, I’m not sure any of it’s viable. Most of the shots are him getting distracted eye-sexing my best friend instead of answering his questions. I’m embarrassed and frustrated, and I really don’t think this is gonna look good for either of us.”
“Okay, okay,” Tina replies quickly over her end of the phone. “First off, we all know what an interview with him looks like, because he’s just never been any good at them. So if you’re worried about sending that footage over, you can have faith that my team and I will make it look like magic—we’ve done it before. Second, I’m already part of the way through an email to his manager about the sexual harassment. Is Connor okay?”
“I’m alright,” Connor replies. “He was a jerk, but I’m more worried about how this is gonna reflect on Chloe and I too. This was supposed to be our big break, after all…”
“That’s where I come in,” Tina answers, and in her defense, her voice really is confident. Connor feels a little reassured hearing it alone. “Think of this as a personal achievement—you two survived an interview with the infamous Jarrick Shields. That’s going to look good as hell on your record, because most of us in the biz known what kind of guy he is. Just enjoy the rest of your vacation, why don’t you?”
Chloe scoffs. “Alright, will do. We’re counting on you, Tina.”
“Take pictures of the beach!” Tina answers. “I’m jealous as hell that I don’t get to enjoy it with you!”
Chloe hangs up and turns a reluctant sort of smile to Connor. “Well…I dunno about you but that made me feel a fraction of a percent better about this whole thing.”
Connor nods. “Actually, yeah. So long as we don’t lose work because of this guy, I’m content.”
“According to Tina, we won’t,” Chloe muses, sounding a little more relieved by the second. “But still…what a jerk. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Connor nods again. “I’m fine, Chloe. Despite earlier, I’ve had a good day. Thanks for sending Markus to help me out back there.”
Chloe just laughs. “What’re friends for?”
By later that evening, Connor has had enough wine coolers to give him a decent buzz, and Chloe has sent off the interview footage and passed out on her bed. She’s dead to the world, but Connor himself just isn’t ready to sleep. He can’t shut his mind off—never has been able to on trips like this. The hotel is comfortable and Chloe’s presence is a relaxing one, but Connor has always been the last one to fall asleep.
After peering out over the balcony like North had suggested, Connor decides he wants to walk the beach. There’s next to no one outside right now, so it’ll just be himself and the waxing and waning of the tide, and that sounds like the perfect way to wind down so that he can finally get some sleep.
It’s much cooler outside at night, and the ocean breeze almost brings a chill to the air. Connor’s button-up mostly manages to take the bite out of the air, though. It’s almost pitch black this far out, with just the faint glow of the distant resort to show Connor the difference between sand and sea. He walks just a few feet away from the tide, his gaze focused on the water as it washes up, and then promptly backs away seconds later.
This late at night, with no beachgoers around to scream or splash around in the water, the tide is all Connor hears, and he can’t help but find that he’s enamored with it. He hadn’t thought to bring his camera out here, but he decides that tomorrow night, he may come out and take some pictures after he’s done hanging out with Markus and his friends.
“You’re out here late.”
Connor initially thinks he’s hallucinating, because there’s no way he just heard Markus’ voice right after he’d found himself thinking about the guy. Still, he pivots toward the sound.
Markus looks the very picture of a movie love interest. He’s sporting a loose white tee shirt that billows in the wind and does little to hide the obvious tone and muscle of his abdomen. He’s wearing long khaki shorts, and despite how dark it is, Connor can see the blue and green of both his eyes as if it’s the middle of the day. The sight quite honestly takes the breath right from Connor’s lungs.
“I should say the same for you.” Connor’s retort is so natural that even he is shocked by it. He really is a lot more comfortable around Markus than he is most new people he meets. He’s tempted to blame it on the fact that they’d pretended to be dating for a few seconds in order to get Shields off of Connor’s back.
“I needed some quiet,” Markus answers honestly, shrugging his shoulders. Connor waits for him to join him at his side, and the two start walking along the tide together. Markus tucks his hands into his pockets as he keeps speaking. “My friends invited more friends and it turned into a full-on party at our hotel room. Got kind of crazy, so I dipped. What about you?”
Connor laughs breathily. “Chloe got tired from working and fell asleep on me. I got bored, so I came out here. In other words, the polar opposite of your situation.”
Markus returns the laugh. “So you’re implying you need more company?”
Connor’s smile in return is a nervous one. “I may be, if you’re implying you’ll keep me company.” He thinks back to the discussion he and Chloe had had about how he’d been crushing on Markus. Normally, he’d never be able to talk like this around any guy, but Markus just…talking to him is so natural. It really is too bad that they live so far away from one another.
“You don’t seem intent on competing on who can drink the most beer, so I think I can handle you,” Markus replies, smiling Connor’s way.
The tide washes up, and Connor takes a deep breath of the ocean breeze before he speaks up. “Don’t let me fool you. I’ve had two whole wine coolers and the buzz is coming on pretty strong right now.”
“Oh shit,” Markus feigns surprise, “I’m dealing with a straight alcoholic. What am I going to do?”
They both laugh, and it’s genuine, relaxed laughter. Markus makes Connor feel a little like he’s walking on the tide rather than the sand.
“So…what’s Detroit like?” Markus questions, breaking the silence that has followed their laughter.
“It’s…” Connor ponders the question, before he finally speaks up. “It’s fascinating, historically. I’ve lived there my entire life, so I can’t say for certain if the other things about it are any better than the rest of the country, but I like it. It’s not as hot as, say, South Florida, though…” He turns his attention up to Markus. “What about the east coast? That’s where you’re from, right?”
Markus nods. “Virginia Beach, actually. I love it there, but despite the name, I don’t really spend a lot of time out at the oceanfront.” He shrugs his shoulders. “The beach here is prettier, but would you believe me if I told you I’m not really a big fan of the ocean?”
Connor frowns—genuinely frowns. “I would never have guessed. Right now, you’re the very picture of a guy who owns a beach house and goes on walks along the water every single night.”
“What?” Markus laughs again. “Well, no, that’s definitely not me. What I really like is flying.” He turns his gaze up to the sky. “In a different life, I’d be a pilot.”
“Really?” Connor is genuinely surprised. “What do you do in this life?”
Markus pauses briefly, before he shakes his head. “Nothing too crazy. I paint. Everything from commission work to just whatever pops up in my mind.”
“Commission work?” Connor tips his head, confused. “Like murals?”
“Yeah, actually,” Markus replies. “I’ve got a whole underpass painted back home. You’ll have to come see it some day.”
Connor’s stomach does a backflip at the implication behind those words. “The next time I just happen to be in Virginia Beach, I’ll have to come take a look.”
Markus pauses, before his smile broadens and he lets out a sigh. “I’d like that. And maybe you can make it famous by taking pictures of it. What do you do with that, anyway?”
“Mostly interview work,” Connor replies. “I work with Chloe on just about everything, but I do catch myself hopping on my old blog from high school every so often and posting a few things there. I’ll probably do the same thing with that beach view North told me to take a picture of. I need to do that, huh?”
“You haven’t taken a picture of it yet?” Markus looks genuinely shocked.
“We were busy when we got back to the hotel,” Connor admits. “Had to send our footage off to the editing team. Which, by the way, the footage was crap. Jarrick Shields doesn’t know the first thing about how to behave in an interview.” He knows he sounds a little perturbed. “We barely got any direct shots of his face, and all his answers were thickly drenched in innuendo.”
“So he’s more gross than just the guy who hits on you at the beach, then,” Markus observes, his own face contorted in a frown. Connor finds that he likes it better when Markus is smiling, but the deep contemplation on his face looks damn good, too.
“Yep, basically.”
“What a waste of talent,” Markus scoffs. “He’s a brilliant actor, but he apparently thinks with something other than his brain outside of his work.”
“And then it ruins my work,” Connor adds. “Jerk.”
“Seconded.”
Connor doesn’t realize how long he’s been out walking with Markus until the other man pulls his phone from his pocket and takes note of the time. They’ve been strolling along the beach, talking, for hours. It’s nearly three in the morning, and if they’re going to hang out again tomorrow, they’re both going to need to get some rest.
They’ve talked about just about everything. Markus spent a good half an hour listening to Connor rave about how he likes the way the ocean breeze feels and smells, and then he himself talked about his first time learning to swim. They discussed food and colors and even the hotel chain they’re staying at. It had felt so utterly natural that Connor had almost lost track of location altogether.
Markus and Connor keep walking alongside one another clear until they reach the hotel lobby, where Markus finally dismisses himself. Not before thanking Connor for letting him hang around, of course.
“I’m looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow,” he tells Connor as they go their separate ways, and Connor genuinely feels warm at those words. His stomach does yet another backflip.
When he gets back to his hotel room, Chloe is still fast asleep. He washes the sand off his feet and then crawls into his own bed. His mind is utterly wired and he genuinely doesn’t think he can fall asleep. But then, he turns his gaze up to the sky and remembers what Markus said about wanting to be a pilot. A single jet stream catches his eyes through the gap in the curtains, and suddenly, he’s so tired he feels like he couldn’t stay awake if he tried.
Markus could be a pilot if he wanted, right? Connor already has a starting point to their next conversation figured out by the time sleep finally takes over.
--- --- --- --- ---
He immediately regrets sleeping with his face to the gap in those curtains when he wakes up to a beam of sunlight glaring right into his eyes in the morning. He can faintly hear Chloe’s voice rousing him too, so he turns over and pulls the blankets over his head.
“I had a long night…let me sleep.” It wasn’t a bad thing, but it’s the perfect excuse to convince Chloe to let him have another couple of hours before he has to get up.
“Not a chance, Connor,” Chloe retorts, wrenching the blanket off of Connor’s head. “I ordered us breakfast, and on top of that, Tina pulled an all-nighter! You’ve got to see what she came up with.”
Wait…what? Connor doesn’t think enough time has possibly passed to edit footage like what he and Chloe had been forced to send over. There’s no way she’s already done making that garbage fire of an interview actually look like something usable.
“I know she’s good at what she does, but I doubt it’s really finished…” Connor mumbles as he finally sits up. Chloe is sitting next to him in her pajamas, her laptop already out and open. She’s got a videoclip attachment to an email open and ready to play.
“Tina’s a freaking miracle worker—that’s all I’m gonna say.” She clicks the play button and sits back, giving Connor complete access to the screen.
Sure enough, the interview looks nothing like the sham Connor had expected it to be. Tina Chen is a master of editing, apparently, because she’s somehow managed to escape all the frustrating parts where Shields would flirt or glance up at Connor and make it look like he has an ounce of professionalism in his body. The interview looks like…a genuine one. In fact, Connor sort of lights up at the sight.
It’s not nearly as long as they’d hoped it would be, but every question Chloe asked has an answer. It’s just minus all the times she’d had to ask for him to focus on her or answer the question. It’s…quite honestly incredible. And to add the cherry on top, it doesn’t even look like Tina had to trim any of the files down. She’s just that good.
“I’m going to pretend that’s actually how the interview went,” Connor comments almost excitedly, as he hops off the bed and starts for the bathroom to brush his teeth, “and that’s going to be cause for celebration when we go try out Josh’s mad bartending skills today.”
Chloe straight up giggles. “I knew that would wake you up!”
She’s right. Connor just needed some good news. He definitely wasn’t looking forward to returning to Detroit and getting ‘you tried’ looks from all their fellow reporters. And now, with the help of one amazing Tina Chen who deserves the biggest, fanciest, shiniest award, maybe Connor and Chloe will stand a chance at being able to get their hands on better gigs from here on out. Connor isn’t sure whether or not to say ‘screw Jarrick Shields’ or thank him.
In any case, he can barely stomach his breakfast, he’s in such a good mood. He manages to eat some eggs and toast, and then starts rooting through his clothes to find something to wear to this evening’s drinking night. Yeah, they’re meeting at the beach, but Connor has a feeling none of them are going to spend their time out there once they’re reunited. Markus had expressed the previous night that he wasn’t crazy about being out at the beach, and Connor gets the feeling his friends are relatively the same about it.
Besides, Josh was so excited about showing them what proper drinks tasted like that they’ll probably go straight for their hotel room.
Speaking of that previous night, Chloe does manage to get some answers from Connor about what happened. She’d been under the impression that he too had fallen asleep when she had, so it’s understandable that she doesn’t get why he would consider the previous night a long one. But when he tells her that he went for a walk on the beach and that Markus showed up, she’s even more excited than he is.
Why she doesn’t just have a crush on Markus herself is beyond Connor, but then again, maybe she sees something between the two of them and doesn’t want to get in the way…
Wait, no. Connor can’t think like that. If he does that, then he’s going to get all downtrodden when the two of them have to go their separate ways.
Of course, Connor Stern was going to go and get attracted to someone he absolutely couldn’t have. He supposes after this it’s back to being socially awkward and okay with the perpetual loneliness he’s lived in for so long.
By the time afternoon rolls along, Connor and Chloe are buzzing with excitement. They don’t have any more work to do, and while they have to fly back to Detroit in the morning, they’re going to make the best of their last remaining night of vacation. They’re going to enjoy the South Florida hotel site to its fullest now that they don’t have to dwell on any interviews gone wrong or bat away any persistent celebrities.
Markus and his friends look just as happy to see them. North all-but throws her arms around Connor in a hug, and Simon and Josh are quick to regale them on all the drink mixes they bought in preparation for tonight. Apparently, it’s not just margaritas on the menu, but oddly enough, Connor isn’t all that upset about it. How long has it been since he let loose and got drunk with anyone, anyway? And no, he’s not referring to wine coolers.
As expected, they’re immediately directed up to Markus and his friends’ hotel room. It turns out that the four of them got a couple of suites together, and Connor doesn’t even allow himself to try and imagine how much it cost to get the place. He also doesn’t want to think about how his new friends may be utterly loaded, because his vacation ends tomorrow and he doesn’t even get to be halfway loaded.
In any case, the suite is only two bedrooms, but North explains as Connor and Chloe look about the area that she and Simon stay in the suite next door. Their balcony is much larger and peers directly over the beach, which Connor finds himself beyond enamored with. He was smart enough to bring his camera along this time, so he picks it up from where it hangs around his shoulder and snaps a couple of pictures.
“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” North questions next to him as he lowers his camera. He’s still mesmerized by the sight, but he nods his head anyway and turns a calm smile toward North. “Just wait until the sun sets. Then you’re really going to want to break out that camera.”
The balcony sits in a bay-window-esque structure where it juts out in a round arc from the sliding doors. It sits off to the side of the living area, and Connor has a feeling that after a few drinks, he’s going to come out here and enjoy the buzz. He’s suddenly very grateful that Josh decided to show him what real cocktails taste like.
The group enjoys a sandwich a piece before Josh decides to get started on drinks. It’s just past four in the afternoon by this time, so Connor supposes it isn’t too early to partake. He requests a margarita, and Josh upsells him a strawberry one, to which he accepts. Chloe quickly jumps in on that one, too, to which Josh laughs.
The drink is…ridiculously good. Connor sips from the rim of the glass, and the bite of the salt combined with the sweetness of the strawberry is damn near perfect. He hums pleasantly, before he swallows the beverage and glances up at his new friend. “You should really have a career in this.”
“I work as a bartender back home,” Josh responds. “At the most popular gay bar in town.”
“I’d like to say he’s exaggerating just for the sake of knocking him down a few pegs,” North adds nonchalantly, “but it really is pretty damn popular. Lines all the way out the door almost until closing time.”
Connor raises an eyebrow. “I bet the tips are good, then.”
Josh just smiles. “They surely are.”
Connor doesn’t typically drink. He’ll have a few wine coolers with Chloe from time to time, but he’s usually quick to opt out of nights like this one. However, Josh makes so many different good cocktails that he can’t bring himself to stay away from the stuff. He starts out trying a few different flavors of margarita, and the next thing he knows, he’s ordering amaretto sours. The drinks are so sweet that Connor doesn’t realize he’s getting drunk until he’s already there.
Nor does he realize that the sun is setting until North flags him over. Despite being inebriated, Connor still takes a damn good series of pictures, before he decides he wants to linger out here. The sun is almost completely set by the time someone else comes out and breaks the silence.
“You really like this view, huh?” Markus’ voice questions as he moves to lean against the balcony, his gaze turned out to the horizon. He smells faintly of whiskey, so Connor knows he’s probably a little drunk, himself.
Connor simply shrugs. “I’m just trying to soak it up while I can. I have to head back to Detroit tomorrow morning, so…” He drifts off there, but soon draws his attention back to Markus. “I can’t believe you don’t like this stuff.” At the look of confusion Markus gives him, he rushes to explain. “The sand, the sea…beaches, you know? This view is insane.”
Markus smiles. “It really is something. It’s not the views I don’t like, though.”
Connor cocks his head. “Then what don’t you like?”
Markus just laughs. “Sometimes, it’s crazy during tourist season, so I could easily complain about that. But actually, the sand drives me up the wall. It gets everywhere, Connor.”
Connor laughs in response. “I’ve heard that!”
“And if you don’t wash the saltwater off before it dries on you, it burns like hell.”
“I’ve heard that, too.”
“Also, we’re swimming in a toilet for fish.”
Connor just stares at Markus for a few moments, before he bursts out into laughter. “Okay, so you have a lot of reasons.”
“I’m passionate,” Markus teases in response, “what can I say?”
“Well,” Connor turns his gaze back down, still smiling, “you seemed to do alright last night when we were walking together.”
Markus shrugs. “That’s because we weren’t swimming.”
“Maybe,” Connor replies, before he draws his gaze back up to Markus once more. “Why’d you pick a beach vacation in South Florida, then?”
It surprises him how quickly Markus gestures behind him, to the living area where the party is still very much alive and can be heard through the glass door dividing it from the balcony. “They did, actually. They won me over when they told me they wanted to see the water. You know, the closer you get to the Equator, the more beautiful it gets.”
“I can understand that,” Connor agrees. “Lakes are murky. This water is the opposite. Also, the ocean just has a smell to it I can’t quite get enough of.”
Markus scoffs. “It sounds like you’re the one who needs to be owning a beach house and going on long walks every night.”
“Don’t tempt me!” Connor teases back in response. “I’d do it if I could!”
The sun has long-since descended over the horizon by now, but Connor can still make out the sheepish look on Markus’ face as he speaks up again.
“I know this seems odd after all this…beach-shaming, but do you want to go on another walk with me?”
Connor smiles lopsidedly at those words. “Beach-shaming.”
“Was that not what I was doing?”
“It was definitely what you were doing.” Connor moves to stand upright. “But I’d love another walk.”
This is the stuff of romance novels. The unlikely couple meets on a beachside vacation and bonds over the sound of the ocean spray, with their hair and clothes billowing in the wind. They take long walks on the shore and everything about the world starts to make sense.
Except, in the novel, they would move mountains to stay together. The last day of vacation would approach soon enough and they’d find some way to get their famed beach house on the water and live happily ever after.
Connor dramatically fantasizes about it while they walk out toward the shore yet again. While he knows such a thing is light years away, it’s a nice mental picture to have with the ocean literally within walking distance. He doesn’t dare voice any of this to Markus.
“So…You like Josh’s drinks then?” Markus questions, most likely just trying to find a way to break the silence. Connor finds he appreciates it.
“I don’t drink a lot,” Connor answers honestly, “but I think that I like his drinks more than the ones that were being served out here yesterday. He’s good at what he does.”
“I think so too,” Markus agrees, before he tucks his hands into his pockets. “I think he’s going to miss showing off to you guys when you leave tomorrow, though. And I think North especially is going to miss you. She took a shining to you.”
“I took a shining to her, too,” Connor admits warmly, his hands folded over his chest as he walks. “She’s really funny. I also like how much she and Simon argue, because you can tell they actually love the hell out of each other.”
Markus scoffs. “We’re an unusual family.” He shrugs his shoulders and turns his gaze down to Connor. “But hey…at risk of sounding really forward, I’m going to miss you guys too when you leave. It hasn’t really been much, but I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent together.”
Connor just smiles in response. “I have, too. If I’m ever in Virginia Beach, I’ll look for that mural of yours—”
This really is the stuff of movies, Connor observes, as he chooses that particular moment to forget the learned concept of balance and his leg catches behind the other. He doubles forward, stretching his hands out in preparation to catch himself, but something stops him.
Markus’ arm is warm, and also toned. Connor feels it over his chest, as well as a strong grip holding him by the shoulder. For several milliseconds, Connor pictures what it might be like to be all snuggled up in that hold. For, y’know, longer than the several seconds it normally takes for someone to regain their balance from a trip.
“You okay?” Markus questions, and Connor notices as he peers up with no small amount of embarrassment that Markus is laughing at him. He lets his eyes fall shut and releases a sigh.
“I am,” he manages before he rights himself and keeps walking. “Definitely had too much to drink, I believe.”
Markus’ gaze doesn’t leave him. “Do I need to walk you back to your room?”
Connor laughs softly. “Maybe.” He doesn’t exactly want to stop walking with Markus, but he also doesn’t want to be too hungover before tomorrow’s flight out. He’s really in for it already, what with being several dozens of thousands of feet in the air after a night of heavy drinking.
That in mind, as Markus places a hand on the small of his back and guides him back toward the hotel, he goes along for the ride. It takes everything he has in him not to lean over and slide an arm around Markus’ waist in response.
When they finally reach the hotel, Connor directs Markus to his floor and stops at the door. Behind it, that room is empty, and Connor already feels a little lonely at the thought. Markus pulls him out of his thoughts though, gesturing down to the camera still hanging around his neck.
“Take a picture,” he says simply, to which Connor cocks an eyebrow. “Of us. You know, for memory’s sake.”
Connor swears he feels his heart jump out of his throat. He fumbles for his camera, his cheeks suddenly flushing bright red. “You sure?”
“Of course I am,” Markus replies around a wide grin. “Unless you plan on posting it on your high school blog…then, I may be swayed to think otherwise.”
Connor can’t help but scoff there, before he moves to stand alongside Markus and raises the camera up. Markus throws an arm around his shoulders, and they both smile widely. Connor snaps a couple of pictures, and then lowers the camera once more.
“Thanks for that, Markus.”
Markus just shrugs. “Thank you, actually. It’s gonna suck to not be able to see you after tomorrow.” He reaches out and gives Connor’s shoulder a squeeze. “Seriously…you’ve got to come to Virginia Beach one time, okay?”
As he disappears down the hall, Connor feels a little sick. It’s not a bad sick, though. It’s a giddy, pleasant sick. The kind that makes him wish he had stayed around to experience more of it.
However, it’s time for him to get some rest. So, very reluctantly, he unlocks the door to his room and shuffles inside.
--- --- --- --- ---
Goodbyes suck.
And Connor didn’t even think to take Markus’ phone number down. Or North’s. Or Josh or Simon’s.
He’s pouting about it while the plane taxis its way out to takeoff, his gaze focused out the window almost irritably. Next to him, Chloe has just downed a handful of ibuprofen and is nursing her own hangover. This is going to be a very long flight, and neither of them seem all that compelled to take it.
The pilot announces over the speaker system that they’re second in line for takeoff, so they’ll be in the air soon, and Chloe groans aloud.
“I’m never drinking again,” she whines, before she turns and slumps against Connor. Connor turns his head to regard her and lets out a sigh, himself. “You had a lot last night, didn’t you?”
“Too much, I think,” Chloe replies, shaking her head against Connor’s shoulder. “Definitely more than you, considering you went back early. North was practically losing her mind about how Markus walked you back. She went on and on about how cute the two of you were walking in the sand…which, by the way, we could see from the balcony. Nice trip, Connor.”
“Ugh…” Connor glares out the window again as the plane shifts forward and the pilot instructs the attendants to prepare for liftoff. “Of course I’d be the one to trip in front of him. I was able to blame it on the alcohol, but jeez…”
“Oh, I’m sure he has plenty of people tripping in front of him, honestly.” Chloe laughs, but it dies off into a groan, and her next words are spoken weakly. “I mean, have you seen the guy? He practically belongs in a museum.” Her grip on the armrest becomes tight. Connor recalls briefly that she hates taking off, so he reaches a hand out and takes hers into his own.
“Plus, he’s famous by descent.”
Connor cocks an eyebrow at her as the plane jolts forward and picks up speed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Duh, Con…he’s Carl Manfred’s son!”
The plane steals away the shocked exclamation that escapes Connor’s lips as it leaves the ground, and the horror he suddenly feels is lost in the sky.
For the past two days, Connor has all-but flirted with the son of a very famous artist, and the entire time, he had no idea. He couldn’t possibly get any more embarrassed. Suddenly, the picture he’d taken the previous night feels more like visiting someone at a convention than taking a picture with a good friend.
Don’t even get Connor started on the whole pretend boyfriends part, either.