Finding Elliot

Excerpt From: Finding Elliot

Riverside, Texas

Tuesday January 1, 2008

“Elliot!” David pushed one last time and shuddered as he came into the condom in short bursts. The relief was as explosive as it was short lived.

“What the fuck?”

The stranger’s voice brought David back to reality. Shit, this wasn’t Elliot, the man he still loved. This was some stranger he’d picked up at the Riverside New Year’s party. They’d had a good time, but now he couldn’t even remember the guy’s name. He closed his eyes for a moment. The situation was too embarrassing for words.

“I’m sorry.” David pulled out, dealt with the condom and donned his clothes as quickly as possible. Thank God it was mostly dark so he didn’t have to look the stranger in the eye. “I’m really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have agreed to this.”

“I’ll say!” The stranger switched on a bedside lamp, trying to cover himself with the sheet at the same time.

The light made David look up. The only similarities with Elliot were the man’s dark curly hair and his deep blue eyes. Nothing else about him looked right, and David couldn’t for the life of him explain why he’d gone with the guy. Trying to forget Elliot was as close to an answer as he could come. Considering he’d been doing that for years, without even a trace of success, only made the situation even more pathetic.

“I’m really sorry.” David cringed at his inability to say anything more sensible. He’d had his share of encounters in clubs, even the occasional visit to a stranger’s apartment, but he’d never actually said Elliot’s name when he was with another man.

“Look, I know this is only a one-night stand. But we did exchange names and I sort of expected you to at least remember that.” The stranger sat up and raked a hand through his short curls. “It’s not a real problem for me, but I think you need help. You’re still hung up on this Elliot guy.”

David nodded. He’d gotten the message loud and clear this time. He couldn't say or do anything to make this situation better so he left the bedroom, grabbed his coat from the back of the sofa in the living room and hurried out.

What had he been thinking? He closed the door of the stranger’s apartment behind him, made his way down the stairs and got into his car. The new year had started only hours ago. It was still dark and he was still alone. He shook his head as he drove along the deserted streets of his hometown. At twenty-two he should have known better than to expect another one-night stand to be the solution to his problem, no matter how attractive the guy had seemed.

He was still hung up on Elliot, even five years after they’d been forcibly separated when Elliot’s parents had moved away from Riverside. He’d never heard from Elliot again and hated to admit how much that still hurt. He hit the steering wheel with an open hand and the pain was almost a relief. He wasn’t one to make New Year’s resolutions, but this was different. There wasn’t anything he could do on New Year’s Day, but as soon as it was over, he was going to get help.

* * * *

The next morning, David stood in front of the office of Russiter Investigations, his woollen coat pulled tightly around himself. He hoped that his friend Peter would arrive soon so he could step inside the office building. The cold January air was crisp enough to make him shiver, even though there wasn’t much wind.

“David Lear, what a surprise to see you here this bright and early.” Peter’s voice came from behind him. “Must be urgent or else you’d have come at a more civilised hour.”

“You’re right, it's urgent.” David shook hands with his former high school classmate and college buddy. He watched him unlock the office door and switch on the lights before following him inside, carefully closing the outside door behind him. “You may not agree, but please hear me out. And don’t laugh.”