Chapter 7
Vince and Buck walked down the beach along the water.
"I can't believe I have to go to back to Oklahoma tomorrow," Vince said. "I really don't want to."
"Having too much fun in LA?" Buck asked.
"It's not that, Evan," Vince replied. "I have to go back to a job where my boss is my ex-boyfriend."
"Wait a minute," Buck said. "You were dating your Captain?"
"Yeah," Vince replied.
"Oh man," Buck said. "I knew you were dating someone on your team, I just didn't realize you were dating your boss. That's really bad."
"It's over," Vince said.
Vince looked off at the sunset.
"You okay?" Buck asked.
"When I was 16, Will and I drove from Oklahoma City all the way to Galveston," Vince said. "My parents and his parents were so mad at us when we came home. But I remember the good time we had."
"Oh yeah?" Buck asked.
"Yeah," Vince said. "The sunset looked just like this on the last day we were there. Little did I know that ten years later, Will would be dead."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Buck asked.
"I really don't," Vince replied.
A volleyball landed by Vince's feet. He picked it up and turned around to see a guy with blonde hair about his age wearing a white tank top and red swimming trunks.
"Can you throw me my ball?" the guy asked.
Vince threw the ball and the guy caught it.
"Nice catch," Vince said.
"Nice throw," the guy said.
BEACH HOUSE
Vince and the guy from the beach entered a beach house. They began kissing and Vince took off his shirt. The guy took his shirt off and they continued kissing.
"Let's go to my room," the guy said before continuing to kiss Vince.
Vince pulled away.
"I'm sorry," Vince said. "I can't do this."
"Why not?" the guy asked. "I thought you wanted this. Am I not your type?"
"Oh no," Vince said. "You are totally my type. Like, wow! You are so my type!"
"Then why don't you want to do this?" the guy asked.
"It just wouldn't be right," Vince replied. "I've got to go. I'm so sorry."
Vince took a Lyft to the hotel where Jackson and Angie stayed. He then went to the hotel room door and knocked. Jackson opened the door and Vince came into the room and hugged his cousin tightly, breaking down.
An hour later, Vince and Jackson sat on the hotel bed talking.
"The sunset remined me of the time Will and I went to Galveston," Vince said. "That was actually ten years ago today."
"I remember that," Jackson said. "Your parents almost killed you."
"Yeah," Vince said.
Vince lied down.
"Oh, Jackson," Vince said. "I don't know if I can go back."
"Just because Will is gone doesn't mean you should run away," Jackson said.
"It's not just that," Vince said. "How can I work for someone I was having sex with? You were right. I made a terrible mistake."
"You'll see that it will be okay," Jackson said.
DALLAS/FORT WORTH AIRPORT- NEXT DAY
Vince, Jackson, and Angie sat at a gate waiting for their connecting flight to Oklahoma City.
"Okay," Vince said. "I have to go to the restroom really quick."
"Hurry," Jackson said. "The plane is about to start boarding."
After boarding the plane, Jackson and Angie waited in their seats for Vince. After a little bit, a flight attendant stood in the front aisle."
"Okay, everyone," the flight attendant announced. "As we prepare for our ascent…"
"Wait!" Jackson said. "My cousin isn't on the plane yet!"
"I'm sorry, Sir," the flight attendant said. "Your cousin will have to take another flight."
Meanwhile, Vince walked up to an information desk.
"May I help you?" a flight attendant asked.
"Yes please," Vince replied. "I accidentally missed my flight."
"Okay," the flight attendant said. "Where are you headed."
"Oklahoma City," Vince replied. "I'm going home."
"Oh man," the flight attendant said. "I just hate going home after trips."
"Yeah," Vince agreed.
"So a one-way ticket to Oklahoma City," the flight attendant said.
"Actually," Vince said. "I don't want to go home yet. Do you have any tickets to Austin?"
THE END