A Different Light Read online

  Once they were in the family room, Mac took his seat at the end of the couch closest to the kitchen. Setting his ankle on the other knee, he turned, facing Bennett who sat at the opposite end.

  “How have you been? I haven’t seen much of you this week.”

  “I wonder why that is?” Mac replied, quirking his eyebrow up.

  “Yeah, about that. First, let me say I know why you were mad. A friend helped me see what a judgmental asshole I was being.” He paused, took a deep breath, and continued. “I feel terrible. I honestly never realized what I was doing.”

  Mac scoffed, he couldn’t help it. How could someone not know they were looking down on people and judging them? He crossed his arms over his chest and glared. He was not letting Bennett off that easy.

  “I know it sounds stupid. Someone who has been taught to analyze and scrutinize being so absolutely blind to their own faults. I still don’t understand how…I mean I’ve been doing this for years. Shit, it’s one of the reasons that I never liked you when we were kids.” Bennett looked up at him with eyes filled with regret. Mac wanted to rail and yell and just not give in. He wanted to make Bennett suffer through his guilt. But…that wasn’t who Mac was.

  And damn, the look on his face was both heartbreaking and sincere.

  Mac turned away, looking across the room at the cold fireplace. He wanted to work this out with Bennett, but he didn’t want to seem like a pushover to him or anyone. “You hurt me. I’ve never been inclined to forgive people who say shit like that. Not that many have come back realizing the error of their ways, mind you.” Mac shifted in his seat, turning back to look at Bennett. Bennett’s eyes hopeful. “I knew you were a snob, I just didn’t know it went bone deep with you.”

  “I can see why you would think that and why you have that impression of me. I judged you for being the stereotypical bad boy without really knowing you. Even as kids. I know that was one of the reasons why we butted heads so much. I thought you were just a cocky asshole who thought he was better than me.” Bennett paused before admitting, “I didn’t truly know you.”

  “No, you didn’t. Not many did to be honest.”

  “I want to get to know you, Mac. The real you.”

  Fuck. Bennett went straight for the gut punch with his words. His voice held such hope and want, Mac wasn’t sure he could respond with the right words.

  Before he could think of a good response, Bennett continued, “But Mac, you don’t really know me either. You’ve judged me and jumped to the worst possible conclusions on occasion. Maybe we could try to try again? Without our judgements?”

  Mac never had the right words when it counted the most. Bennett seemed to always have so many. He said the only thing that came to mind.

  Holding out his hand for Bennett to shake, he replied, “Hi. I’m Mitchell Alexander Campbell, the third, aka Mac, I’m a Sagittarius, I like long rides on my motorcycle, annoying my best friend Allie, going camping, and working with my hands.” and then he winked.

  Bennett’s laugh sounded more like relief than joy. Shaking Mac’s hand in return, he added, “Hi, Mac. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Bennett Cole, I’m a…I have no idea because astrology is fake, my best friend is Jaden, camping ewww, I love nerd inspired boxers, and…,” Smiling, Bennett paused, his face flushed before he continued, “I think I need a hands-on demonstration of how much you like working with your hands.”

  Mac laughed long and loud, not expecting Bennett to be so brazen with his flirting but loving this side of him.

  “I think you need help with your pick-up lines there, B.”

  “I’ve got game. You wait and see.”

  “Looking forward to it.”

  They chatted for a bit more about Bennett’s progress over at the house, and Mac didn’t tell him that he already knew since Danny reported back to him about it. No sense interrupting. He enjoyed the back and forth between them. Glad to finally have it back to somewhat normal.

  It seemed like each time they butted heads over something one of them did, they came back to this place. Mac was hoping that it would get better, and that maybe they’d come to a time that they wouldn’t have these blow ups anymore.

  He opened the front door for Bennett an hour later, turning on the porch light, it had gotten cooler and it was dark since the town didn’t have street lights this far out.

  Bennett paused on the front porch at the top of the steps before turning back to Mac. “I’m glad that…I like when you call me ‘B’.” Then Bennett was walking away, down the stairs and across the yard, calling a goodnight over his shoulder.

  That man was full of surprises. Some bad ones, sure. But Mac thought there was probably a lot more good ones lingering below the surface, just waiting to grab Mac’s heart.

  Waking up on Saturday morning to the pelting rain and thunder, Bennett thought a relaxing day of some reading would happen automatically. It had been something he enjoyed all his life. But that day, after showering, eating, and rinsing out his coffee cup, he sat in the big lounge chair in the living room cuddled up with a pillow on his lap and all he felt was…restless. A constant poke, poke, poke in his mind and legs to move, to do something.

  He blamed the near constant work he was doing around the house with the painting followed by the hours of research he was doing to familiarize himself the project at his new job. Of course, that’d been broken up a bit by the few meals he shared with Mac.

  They were better after their talk on Monday. His apology giving them a fresh start. Nothing was perfect, they were still learning who each other was.

  For example, two days after the apology, they ended up arguing once again but this time it wasn’t because of Bennett. No, it was because some bug had gotten up Mac’s ass.

  They’d been fine. Talking and laughing all morning as Bennett painted in one of the bedrooms and Mac was in the one next door laying the new laminate hardwood floors down. Then Mac had gotten a phone call from god knew who and had come back not the same Mac. Bennett was getting the idea that there were two Mac’s. The cocky-ass Bennett had grown up with and the one that loved to laugh and talk about camping and his job.

  Bennett tried to joke with him after that, and instead of Mac laughing, he growled at him, calling him Princess in a way that Bennett did not like. It wasn’t teasing and intimate. Instead of feeling special in Mac’s eyes, he felt like a kid getting chastised. The same way Mac had made him feel as a teenager.

  But again, the next day Mac had ended up apologizing to him after Bennett had given him the cold shoulder. Bennett swore Mac had perfected the puppy dog eyes because that was what eventually broke Bennett down enough to tell Mac how he’d made him feel.

  Well…not completely. Not the special part, because he was still trying to figure that part out for himself.

  After he finally chucked the papers from work back in his room to read later, he climbed in the rental car and made his way through White Acre.

  The town was small with only one mom and pop grocery market and some small restaurants. Unfortunately, there were no other stores to shop in unless you needed to go to Fred’s hardware store, which he didn’t.

  As he drove through the town, he was still amazed, just as he’d been the day he arrived back, that it hadn’t changed much. The long stretch of road that ran from one end of town to the other was only broken up by some houses and lots of woods.

  How the town managed not to get developed by now was beyond Bennett.

  He saw Allie’s bike shop right after he passed the small bank. He was going to stop and say ‘Hi,’ but he realized they didn’t really know each other. She was Mac’s friend and Bennett had only met her the one time. It would be odd for him to stop. She’d probably think something was wrong with Mac or more than likely think he was a little weird.

  Bennett ended up eating at the local diner, he used to love to eat there. He sat at the booth along the left wall by the front window. As soon as he took a seat, a waitress placed a menu down on the table.


  “Good morning. Do you want any coffee or something else to drink? Pasha has this new iced coffee she’s trying out on people.”

  Bennett remembered Pasha. She was the first person to own a diner in town that lasted more than six months. And she was an outsider—as some liked to call her back then. Not just because she had a Polish accent but because she and her family weren’t from White Acre. Her husband and kids had moved to town only weeks before she opened the place.

  He remembered coming in and eating breakfast with his parents as a teenager and Pasha coming over, talking their ear off about her young son. She was always so friendly. Bennett was glad she still owned the place.

  “I’ll just take a regular cup of coffee, thanks.”

  The waitress walked away and he picked up his menu. It was the same as it’d always been. The menu itself may have been updated but the contents were exactly the same. His mouth watered with the idea of tasting what used to be his favorite place to get breakfast.

  When the waitress came back, he placed his order for French toast, double bacon, and scrambled eggs.

  He’d been looking down, shoveling the yummy food into his mouth when someone said his name.

  “Bennett Cole? Is that you?”

  When Bennett looked up, it was to see his one-time “friend” Keith. The same Keith that had left him out in the woods. The same Keith that had apparently used him for years and probably laughed at him behind his back.

  Bennett didn’t know what he was feeling. There was too much to pinpoint one thing. He immediately felt cold and warm, floaty and weighted, the need to run and the need to stand up for himself.

  He took a moment to gather himself. Bennett would not let this guy get to him. Keith started to look a little uncomfortable since Bennett hadn’t said anything in his panic.

  “Yeah, it’s me.” He kept his voice as even as possible. Giving no trace of emotions. Bennett didn’t want Keith to think he could affect him after all this time. And maybe it would help move this along quickly.

  Keith looked unsure as to how to continue. Looking around the diner before he finally started, his voice taut with nerves, “I heard you were back in town. Been meaning to stop by and see how you’ve been.”

  Bennett didn’t know what kind of reception Keith thought he’d get, but his original friendly dialogue implied that it wasn’t the one he was getting, for sure.

  “Keith, what it is you expected to happen here?” Bennett paused, looking right into his eyes before he said, “I mean we haven’t seen each other for over ten years. You remember that, don’t you? Ten years ago was the night you, my so-called friends, left me in the woods where I was assaulted and nearly killed. No thanks to you.”

  Keith looked like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was. People were whispering, staring at the two them with rapt attention. But Keith stood his ground, so Bennett guessed that was something. Keith tried to whisper to Bennett, but he wasn’t having that. Keith approached him in public, he could deal with the consequences.

  “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you. Could you speak up?” Bennett asked, loudly.

  Keith’s face had gone red, probably from either anger or embarrassment. “I know what we did was wrong. We shouldn’t have done that—”

  “Done what exactly, Keith? Leave me? Use me for the nearly two years we were ‘friends.’” Bennett made the air quotes when he’d spoke. “Can you be more specific?”

  “Man, come on. We were just kids. We didn’t know you were going to get beat up.”

  “If all you have to offer are more excuses, you can go.” Bennett turned back to his food, no intention of eating since his stomach was a big swirling rollercoaster, but Keith didn’t need to know that.

  “You’re right. Being kids is no excuse. I’m sorry for all those things. I’m sorry you got hurt because of my actions.” Bennett looked back up at him as he continued. “But I’m glad you got out of this town. You were always bound for bigger things than you ever got here. I’m just sorry it had to be because I was an asshole as a kid.” Nodding once, Keith turned and walked away.

  Bennett watched as he was met at the door by a young woman with dirty blonde hair and a baby carrier on her arm. Keith grabbed the baby from her and kissed her cheek. She looked concerned as she placed her hand on his arm. Maybe Bennett had come across too mean, maybe Keith had changed to be a better man, but he couldn’t regret his words. They’d been a long time coming.

  Feeling drained and empty after the exchange, he finished his meal, paid, and walked up the sidewalk of the small strip mall the diner was in. Not much to see other than the sub place he’d eaten at a lot as a teenager, a hair salon, the post office, and a new gym that hadn’t been there before. Bennett just walked and breathed in the fresh morning air. It was hot, the humidity of the day gaining strength, but the quiet, even in the center of town, helped clear the emotions that the meet up had brought on.

  By the time he was back at his car and on his way home, four hours had passed and he basically walked around the whole center of White Acre. Some people stopped him to say hello. Like one of his old elementary school teachers, Mrs. Wolfe, who gained a bunch of wrinkles and gray hair but was still just as sweet as she was when he was a kid. Andrea Colt—who was apparently Andrea Faith after getting married—who he sat next to in every homeroom from kindergarten until he left due to their last names being next to each other in the alphabet, and Scott Brooks the boy he’d had a crush on for his whole ninth grade year.

  Bennett left the house because he was bored, but after the run in with Keith and the all-around peopling he did, he just wanted to go home.

  Bennett looked at Mac’s house as he passed before turning into his own driveway. It looked like he was home since his garage door was open. Bennett debated whether he should walk over and say, “hi.” It was around dinner time though; so he walked into his own house. Dropping his keys on the kitchen table, he went straight to the fridge to see what he had for food.

  It was basically empty, if he didn’t count the six-day old Chinese food and milk. There wasn’t much else to do but go back out and get more take out. He wasn’t much of a cook, mostly because he hated the clean up afterward, so his once more than adequate skills had steadily slipped to mediocre at best.

  Grabbing his keys, he walked back out of the house. As he walked to the car, he couldn’t help but wonder what Mac was doing. Maybe he wanted to eat some Chinese or even some pizza with Bennett. It couldn’t hurt to ask.

  Before Bennett thought better of it, he walked across the lawn onto the path that lead to Mac’s front door and knocked.

  What Bennett hadn’t expected was for Allie to answer the door.

  “Hey, Bennett. What brings you over here?” Allie always looked like she was so happy and comfortable in her skin. Bennett wished he had half her confidence.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize Mac had company. I’ll just go.” Before he turned to leave, Allie grabbed his arm and pulling him into the house. She was strong for someone so skinny.

  “I’m not company, and you don’t have to leave because I’m here. He ain’t fancy like that.” She laughingly replied.

  “It’s okay, really. I was just coming to see if he had dinner plans. I have go to get food anyway, and I was just going to pick some up for him too. Obviously, he has plans with you, so I’ll just go get my food.”

  Mac came walking out of the doorway that led to the kitchen, surprise registering on his face. Bennett really should’ve thought this through better. A text would’ve been smarter.

  “Hey, B. Everything alright?” Mac asked.

  “Yeah. It’s fine. I’m fine. I was just telling Allie that I—”

  “Bennett, why don’t you eat dinner with us?” She turned to Mac before talking again. “Mac, he has no food at home and was going to get takeout.”

  “Oh, no. Come on, B. Eat here with us. We’re just cooking some BBQ shrimp on the grill.”

  Bennett hated feeling l
ike a third wheel. No one liked feeling like that. “No. You guys have plans. I’ll just go.”

  “B, we see each other all the time. This isn’t ‘plans.’ This is Allie inviting herself over so that someone else has to cook for her. Please, stay.”

  Bennett looked from one hopeful face to the other before nodding his agreement. They ended up on the side portion of the wraparound porch, lounging on the patio furniture. What used to be a wraparound porch, anyway. Part of it looked like it had been taken down since it no longer wrapped all the way around. He couldn’t see around the back of the house from where they stood. “What happened to the porch?”

  Allie got a twinkle in her eye and raised her eyebrow at Mac. Which Bennett found to be a strange reaction to a question about the porch.

  “I removed part of it when I built a new addition about five years back.” Mac replied.

  “Oh. What was the new addition for? I mean the house is pretty big for just you.”

  “It’s just a sorta sunroom.” Mac was trying to be vague. Bennett could tell. He tried that trick a few times in his life.

  “A sorta sunroom?”

  “Yeah. So, uh…B, what did you do today? More painting?”

  Bennett recognized the change in subject, and he’d take it, only because Mac was clearly uncomfortable about whatever that room was. Maybe it was some kind of kinky bondage room.

  And didn’t that send a little bit of a tingle right to his cock. Not that Bennett was into that sort of thing, but Mac tying up him up…that he could get into.

  Deciding to stop thinking about that when he couldn’t do anything about his growing dick, he tuned back into the conversation Mac and Allie were having.

  “Come on, Allie, you need to get out and Danny is a nice guy.” Mac was standing over the grill, occasionally flipping and moving the skewers the shrimp were on. Bennett was happy to see the corn cobs on there too. He hadn’t had homemade BBQ in forever, since he was only able to get it in restaurants where he lived before. Typically, he’d only been able to get it at restaurants.