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

“I’m only asking because I care.” She said it so serious, her voice uncharacteristically soft.


Steve leaned forward, hands on knees. “Do you really want to know?” Maybe he needed to talk about it.


“Yes, I do. I really want to know.” She leaned forward.


“Taco wants a walk.” Dan jumped up and looked for the leash. Taco found it.


Steve slapped his thigh. “Okay, I’ll tell you.” He caved. Might as well. She would find out anyway.


Taco lead the leash out of the room. Dan followed. “See you later.”


“We went to my place. It was unbelievable. I never experienced anything like it, and I started thinking, you know, maybe this was it, the real thing. Stupid me.” He knocked his head with his fist.


“There was something I always wanted to do when the right guy came along, write my number on his hand. I saw it in a movie. What was it?”


“They did that in The Music of Silence.”


“No, it was two guys.” He swallowed the rest of the hamburger.


Chapter 17