Love Him Free (On the Market #1) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,33
by passing his dog off to the kid from the host stand for the day, then perusing the town. Nearly everything was accessible on foot, and he found a little blacksmith shop that was closed for the afternoon, but had some of the stuff on display in the front window. It wasn’t lacking in kitchy little tourist shops either, but a lot of the places looked homegrown, like they’d been around since the start of Cherry Creek.
Even the old building with faded stucco and cracked roof tiles that bore a sign for the Cherry Creek newspaper seemed to fit. Behind the foggy glass he saw the hustle and bustle of people, and he wondered what it would be like to call a town like this home.
He didn’t think there was much Deaf community to speak of—but in all honesty, he hadn’t really integrated much back in Malibu either, after getting into film. He wondered if he could find some sort of peace in this little valley surrounded by the Rockies. He didn’t want to hope, but he couldn’t help it.
He was careful to avoid the bakery’s storefront, knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist going in, but knowing Simon was close was a comfort to him. And he enjoyed that people didn’t just stare. The staff at the little diner on the corner didn’t bat an eye when he used his notepad to order food, and later in the afternoon, the barista working the coffee counter in the little bookshop knew enough for thank you and you’re welcome.
He got back to the Lodge and found the first brother he’d met working the desk again. He looked a bit out of his element, but he smiled up at Rocco and looked like he meant it. Rocco wasn’t a stranger to dealing with hearing people who had no background in sign, but he was starting to feel a little tired.
He waved at the guy, then tapped out on his phone and handed it off. ‘What’s your name?’
The guy grimaced in apology. ‘C H A R L I E.’
Rocco spelled it back, then made a C which was easiest. ‘Where’s a good place to take someone on a date?’ he typed on his phone.
Charlie’s mouth formed a very faint smirk, and he grabbed some of the hotel stationary to write out his reply. ‘Is it Simon?’
‘Your brother has a big mouth.’
He liked how Charlie laughed with his entire body, his eyes crinkling—showing both age and youth all wrapped up into one man who looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. ‘Yes, he does. James like to start drama. But he’s also dating Simon’s brother. Anyway there’s a couple of decent restaurants that aren’t too far from here. Kind of our version of five-star dining. One of them is co-owned by this guy, Tristian, who has a YouTube channel.’
Rocco wasn’t a fan of any medium with shit captions, and YouTube was too hit or miss. But Charlie looked proud of his celebrity local, so Rocco grinned and signed, ‘Great, thanks,’ mouthing along.
Charlie offered, ‘You’re welcome,’ that looked like he’d been trying to brush up, and Rocco didn’t hate it.
Maybe by the time he was done, some of the town would be proficient. Hell, it was more than most of the people he’d been working with for over a decade had done. The thought was a bitter pill, and he walked off with a wave before his thoughts could turn dark. He had a date to go on, and a farmer’s market to peruse, and an adorable man to seduce.
It felt like Cherry Creek got darker faster than most of the places around the state, but Rocco had a feeling it was the way the mountains loomed around them from all sides. He didn’t mind it, it had a sort of romantic feel to it when he pulled his car into the little parking lot in front of the bakery. The neon open sign was off, but he saw the door was cracked open, and he swiped sweaty palms as he reached for the handle and stepped in.
He never liked being in stores past their closing. His mom used to take him shopping for hours, and when the overhead lights started to dim, his irrational child’s brain convinced him they’d be locked in til morning. He’d cry and scream loud enough to humiliate her, and after the fifth time he’d lost his absolute shit in a Dillard’s, she stopped taking