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

He turned off the bathroom light and went into the hall. When he got to the den, they both were looking at him, plus Taco. What was up with that? He sat in his place.


“When was the last time you went out on a weekend?” Genie didn’t waste any time.


“I don’t know. It’s been a while.”


“And you’re still doing the real estate thing during the day?”


“Yeah.” Taco ran up and put a paw on his foot.


“How’s that going? Isn’t it too much?” She raised an eyebrow.


“It’s fine.” Taco jumped up and sniffed his crotch.


“When was the last time you went on a date?” She leaned in.


“A date?” This one surprised him. She was getting warm, drilling down.


“Yes, a date. It’s not a trick question.”


The dog curled up on his lap. “I see a guy once in a while.”


“No one steady.” No one more than once. Josh had been the last. There wasn’t anyone else since then, but he didn’t want to tell her that.


Chapter 16