Rafael Patino has a great life in Rain Valley. He’s a teacher at the high school, has a great group of friends, and enjoys the occasional baseball game. Other than the sporadic call from his drunken mother, he’s pretty content. He’s also been in love with his best friend Dustin for nearly a decade. Years of keeping those feelings under control are put to the test when they begin a summer project together. Dustin Vance builds furniture for a living, has just earned his pilot’s license, and has an amazing best friend. When he buys a 1976 Cessna Skyhawk, he asks Rafael to help restore it, then travel with him to Wisconsin for the largest aviation convention in the world. As they spend their days working on the plane, they begin to spend their nights together. Will they find love in the clouds, or will they stall out before they even take off?

Love in the Clouds

Hours later, they made their way to the Vintage Red Barn, where Dustin bought more shirts and a miniature pewter vintage biplane he planned on putting on the nightstand as soon as he got home. Afterward, they grabbed something to drink, then returned to the camping area. The sun had begun to set. Dustin didn’t want to admit it, but he felt a little tired. They’d gotten up so early, and mixed with all the excitement and being out in the sun so long, he had started to feel it.


“Hey,” he said, “let’s stop at one of the markets and get ice for the cooler and a few things to eat. Then we can hang out in the tent and wait for tonight’s air show.”


Raf agreed, so they made their way to the Red One Market North and bought ice, a bag of cookies, two bags of chips, soda, water bottles, and several sandwiches for later.


Dustin couldn’t believe the first day of his dream trip was almost over. It had more than lived up to his expectations and he couldn’t wait to see what happened next.


Chapter 62