Josh, a lonely trapeze artist, thinks he’s cursed. It’s an old family superstition. He can’t have sex on a day he flies or he’ll fall. Maybe that’s why he’s never had a steady boyfriend, though sometimes he dreams of one. In his show, a strange melody plays in the background. It follows him and surfaces from time to time on the street. When Josh’s uncle hears about the music, he tells his nephew to bring the old ring, passed down from generations since the time of the curse. Steve is a realtor who always reaches his goals, in sales or otherwise, and he moonlights as a dancer in an all-male review on The Strip. All his friends his age are married, and his best friend’s wife Genie wants to see him hitched, too. He’s a little bit challenged in the relationship department, though. He has some growing up to do, or maybe it’s his problem in bed, where he’s somewhat one-sided. Steve and Josh meet one crazy night when Josh breaks all the rules used to protect him from the curse. After that, he runs. If it wasn’t for Genie’s matchmaking, Josh and Steve might never see each other again. Though not yet ready for a boyfriend, Josh does need a realtor. What a good way for he and Steve to get to know each other, while Josh works up the courage to tell Steve about the curse. Still unaware of Josh’s problem, Steve falls in love with him. When Steve finds out about the curse thing, it’s a big disappointment, but he wants Josh anyway. There’s no doubt Josh is worth the wait. Maybe the curse isn’t real after all. Can lonely Josh overcome his fear of it? Can horndog Steve handle a curse? Is the answer in the ancient ring?

The Curse of Flight

Juice from the hamburger ran down Steve’s chin. He took his feet off the coffee table and reached for a napkin. Some got on his shirt. He grabbed another burger from the platter. What a pig he was. Genie scrunched her nose at the sight of it.


Dan was so cute. Her shoulder leaned into his. They made a sweet couple together, even if she did say so herself, sitting next to him on their couch. Steve got the armchair, all alone. If she had her way, he would sit on a loveseat too. He was her project. She had a mission to get him married. Everyone should be. Why she cared, she didn’t know. It made no sense, but she did. A nesting instinct perhaps, maybe something to do with the hormones, a side effect of pregnancy, like the nausea.


Dan put down his burger and pointed to the commentator on screen. “That interception reminded me of mine in the Reno game.”


“Yeah.” Steve didn’t bother to finish chewing first. “Except you made the score with yours.”


Chapter 14