Of Love and Corn Dogs

 

 

Of Love and Corn Dogs is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by Parker Williams

Cover Art & Formatting by Author.Services

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States.

ISBN: 978-1-941841-47-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Contact the publisher for further information:
[email protected]

 

 

 

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following trademarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

 

Corvette (Stingray)
: General Motors, LLC

Golden Chicken
: Four Brothers, Inc.

Kendall-Jackson merlot
: Jackson Family Wines, Inc.

Mac
: Apple, Inc.

Macallan M
: The Macallan Distillers Limited.

McDonald's
: McDonald's Corporation

MIT
: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Corporation

NASDAQ
: NASDAQ, Inc.

Prada
: Prada S.A.

The Godfather
: Paramount Pictures Corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

Copyright

Acknowledgements

Of Love and Corn Dogs

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

Epilogue

Also Available

About the Author

 

With more money than he could spend in ten lifetimes, Darwin Kincade still couldn't keep death from stealing his lover. A little older and a whole lot wiser, flirting with his twice-a-week waiter is the perfect no-risk substitute for a real relationship. Until the night his routine is upended by the restaurant's newest employee.

 

Ricky Donnelly loves people. While being a server isn't his dream, he's good at it. When a grumpy man is seated in his station, Ricky sees there's more to him than he lets on, and when the man relaxes, he's actually sweet.

 

As the two men bond over a discussion about corn dogs—something Darwin's never heard of—he realizes how much he's missed out on in his life. He vows to open himself to new experiences—including, perhaps, a chance at finding love again.

 

Not wanting anything to muddy their blooming relationship, Darwin hides part of himself from Ricky. He likes the look in Ricky's eyes, unclouded by Darwin's notoriety. Unfortunately, the truth can never stay hidden, and when it comes out, Darwin may lose any hope of holding onto the future they've begun to build.

 

 

Darwin sat at his usual table and scanned the restaurant, anxious to see Roy, his favorite server. From the soft lighting of the candelabras that dotted the walls and the gleaming hardwood bar to the deep, rich brown carpeting, everything about Asiago screamed class. As the only five-star restaurant in the area, everything had to be the best. But Roy outshone all the glitz of the dining room. While Darwin knew Roy saw him as a customer, he secretly hoped that one day the waiter might realize he hadn't been coming for the food all these months.

He frowned when the young man who approached the table looked nothing like the raven-haired beauty Darwin had grown accustomed to seeing twice a week for the last six months. He tried to school his features to hide his disappointment, not wanting to hurt the slender blond with the wide smile who drew near.

“Good evening, Mr. Kincade. My name is Richard, and I'll be your server for this evening. Would you like to start with a drink?”

“Where's Roy?” Darwin growled. His cheeks heated when Richard stepped back, looking every bit the kicked puppy. Darwin winced. He knew better than to snap at people. He scratched his cheek before he glanced up. “I'm sorry. It's been a long day. Please forgive me. I assume Roy isn't working tonight?”

“Roy quit a couple days ago,” came the hesitant answer.

Darwin's gut clenched. He'd been coming to Asiago simply for Roy. Truthfully, the merely palatable food hadn't been a drawing point. Seeing Roy had become the highlight of his week, and now he was gone.

“Did he say where he was going?” A hint of whine escaped, but goddamn it, he'd been in lust with Roy.

“He and his wife moved to be closer to her parents.”

Nausea rolled through Darwin. He hadn't even considered Roy might not have been gay. Such a fool he was.

“Would you like that drink?” Richard asked hesitantly.

Darwin knew Asiago was one of the few places in the United States that had the drink he loved most. “Yes, please. A shot of Macallan M. Neat.”

Richard gasped and then covered his mouth. “Sir, that costs—”

“I damn well know the cost,” he snapped. “Bring me my drink.”

Once more Darwin's anger had gotten the better of him. Green eyes shimmered in the dim lighting, and Darwin worried the young man might break into tears.

“Again, please accept my apologies. It's been a rough day, and I should probably just go home.” He reached over and grabbed his briefcase, ready to stand, when Richard held out a hand and graced Darwin with a genuine and disarming smile.

“No, please. Stay. Let me get you that drink, okay? I'll let you know the dinner special when I come back. My grandma always said any day can be made better with a good meal.” Richard hurried off in the direction of the bar without waiting for a reply.

Darwin fumed at his lack of self-control. Not only had he made a fool of himself tonight, but he'd also hurt the feelings of someone he didn't know. Though Richard would be right to refuse service to Darwin, he'd run to get a drink. As much as he wanted to believe the attentive attitude came down to getting a decent tip, Richard seemed too genuine for that. Darwin sighed and put his briefcase back on the leather seat. His mother would be so disappointed in him.

A crystal glass thunked against the table, startling Darwin. The amber liquid rippled gently. Darwin picked it up and gazed into the glass. He'd thought about downing it in one go, relishing the burn that would inevitably follow, but he hated losing control. He took a deep, steadying breath.

“Richard—”

“Ricky.”

“Excuse me?”

“Most people call me Ricky. You can, if you want.”

Darwin smiled at him, hoping to convey his contrition. “Ricky, then. I'm very sorry. I'm out of sorts, and it's not fair to you that I'm being so…” Darwin looked for just the right word.

“Antagonistic?”

Darwin reared back in his seat and looked at the young man, who was now giving him a cheeky grin. He couldn't help but be put at ease by the gentle teasing. “Okay, we'll go with that.”

“I'm sorry I'm not Roy,” Ricky told him. “I'd only met him when I got hired here. He was a great waiter, and I doubt I can fill his shoes. If you prefer, I'll find you someone else.”

“No, I think you'll do just fine. Tell me about the dinner special.”

This time Ricky's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. “Tonight we have a truffle-braised tenderloin served with whipped dauphinoise potatoes and honey-glazed carrots.” In fact, as he recited the special, it became obvious the whole shtick had been practiced to death.

Darwin grinned. His turn to do a little teasing. “And what did you think of it?”

“Excuse me?” Ricky asked, obviously not expecting the question.

Darwin tapped his index finger on the table, feigning irritation. The adorable look of consternation on Ricky's face amused him. “I assume you tried it, so what did you think?”

Ricky bit the corner of one lip, then glanced around, before he leaned forward and whispered, “Honestly? I thought it was pretentious. Give me a corn dog any day.”

Darwin burst out laughing, which drew unhappy stares from the patrons at nearby tables. He didn't care. “What's a corn dog?”

“It's a… Well, it's…” Ricky blinked a couple of times. “You really don't know what a corn dog is? Seriously?”

“Well…no. I don't know that I've ever had one. Do you think they can make me one here?”

Ricky snorted. “Chef Michael thinks corn dogs aren't even real food. He claims he wouldn't feed them to his Pekingese. So, no, you definitely won't find corn dogs here.”

Darwin had to admit, he'd never really had a taste for Asiago's cuisine. And Ricky's certainty that a corn dog would be better had intrigued him. “Then can you tell me where to find your favorite one?”

“The best ones in town are at the mini-putt course over on Klein.”

“Mini-putt?”

Ricky shook his head. “You're kidding, right? How do you not know these things?”

Darwin sat back and grinned. Ricky had no idea who Darwin was, and he found the anonymity oddly refreshing. He leaned forward and put his chin on the palm of his hand. “I lead a sheltered life, apparently. So, if I want a corn dog, I need to go to the mini-putt place.” Ricky gave a slight nod, and Darwin chuckled. “Okay, I'll do that.”

He stood, picked up his briefcase and began to move toward the door when the manager, Louisa, rushed to his table. She scowled at Ricky, which had Darwin's teeth grinding.

“Mr. Kincade, is something wrong?” she asked quietly, obviously not wanting the other patrons to witness the discussion.

“No, everything is perfect. I like this young man,” he said, waving a hand toward Ricky. “He's refreshing.”

The condescending look Louisa gave Ricky told him she didn't agree. “If he's done anything to upset you—”

“Wait. Why would you think he upset me? If anything, I was the responsible party. Ricky did nothing wrong at all. He talked me into a nice drink, and that's all I needed for tonight.” He turned to Ricky. “I'll stop at the bar to pay for the drink. Thank you for a most entertaining evening.”

He reached into his wallet and peeled off two one-hundred-dollar bills, which he tossed on the table. “For your time and trouble,” he said to Ricky, then started for the door again. He turned and noted Louisa's body language—tense, with her gaze fixed on Ricky, who appeared nervous, and that didn't sit well with Darwin at all.

“I'm coming back Monday. Please reserve me a table, and note that I want Ricky as my server.”

If she'd had a mouthful of water, she'd have spit it everywhere. She jabbed a finger in Ricky's direction. “You want…him?”

Darwin narrowed his gaze. The manager's attitude, coupled with the helpless expression on Ricky's face had him feeling protective. “Yes. Is there a problem with that?”

She moved forward and put a hand on his back as she guided him to the door. Darwin forced himself to remain calm. He didn't like people touching him without his permission, and this woman had already gotten his dander up.

“Well,” she said slowly. “Ricky is on probation. He hasn't exactly been working out. He's slow and has been argumentative with customers.”

“Yet he was perfect with me. Perhaps the issue was the customers and not the server. Maybe you should consider that. I expect him to be here Monday. If he's not…”

Darwin left the threat unvoiced. Unlike Ricky, Louisa knew who he was and what he could do if he wanted. He left the woman standing there, huffing like a wild beast, as he stepped out of the restaurant into the cool Chicago night. He gazed wistfully back at the front of the restaurant while he called his driver. Roy was gone, but…Ricky seemed as though he'd be very interesting, too.

Roy had never engaged Darwin in conversation. He'd never been even remotely friendly. The only thing he really had going for him were his looks. Ricky had looks, too, but he also had panache.

Darwin looked forward to seeing him again.

The long, sleek limo pulled up a few moments later. A tall, slender man stepped out, dressed in a black suit and hat, and began to round the car. He frowned, no doubt wondering why Darwin had called him already.