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Cadillac Time Machine

by K. Vale

Based on characters from the book “Forever is Now” by K. Vale

copyright Kimber Vale

“Just keep ’em closed.” Chance Ralan turned the wheel of the black Cadillac Escalade and pulled into the crowded parking lot. He shot a glance at his husband, Alex, in the front passenger’s seat. The red paisley scarf covering half his face made him look like a bandit with bad aim.

“You tied a bandanna over my eyes, Chan. What could I possibly see?”

“Oh, don’t act like you never cheated at Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Everyone did.” Chance yanked the shift into park and pulled the key out of the ignition. “We’re here!”

“So, I can take this off?”

“Nope. Not yet.” Chance hopped out and jogged around the back of the vehicle. He opened Alex’s door and leaned over to unbuckle the seat belt, placing a quick kiss on his man’s lips as he did.

“Come on.” He took Alex’s hand and led him out of the truck. “Careful with this step.”

“If you were hoping for some kinky Valentine’s shit, you really should have cleared your plan with me, first.” Alex shivered in the frigid February night and Chance wrapped an arm around his back. The frozen pond outside the lit-up building made him wish they could have done this in June for the full effect.

But then it wouldn’t be a Valentine’s Day present.

“You’d be in your birthday suit for kinky shit, babe.” Chance swept a hand under the hem of Alex’s pea coat and grabbed his ass through the perfectly pressed wool of his tux. “Just another minute.” He pushed open the front door and pulled Alex into warmth. He led him through the lobby and finally stopped.

“Now?”

“Now.”

Alex pulled the scarf off and gazed around, his brow scrunched together while he ran fingers through mussed black-brown hair.

“What?” He cocked his head at the huge sign over the entrance to the Crystal Room. It read “Prom 2003: A Night to Remember.”

“I did my homework. That was the theme.” Chan took Alex’s hand and yanked him toward the door like a kid leading a parent into a toy store.

They stepped inside the function room festooned with purple and silver balloons, streamers, and tablecloths. At least a hundred people were there dressed in tuxedos and extravagant gowns. They stood and clapped when Chance and Alex walked in.

“What did you do?” Alex slowly shook his head as he took it all in.

“We missed it. So I made a do-over.”

Glen Palmer waved at them and Alex waved back, still shaking his head. His eyes widened as he scanned the room full of classmates from their senior year.

“We did our own thing, Chan. It was cool.” Alex turned to him, a bewildered smile on his gorgeous face.

Except it wasn’t cool, for so many reasons. Chance didn’t have the balls to admit who he was back then. Sure, they’d hung out secretly that night ten years ago, but just a few weeks afterward Alex’s dad caught them together and Chance had run like a chicken shit.

He spent nine years reliving and regretting, so maybe he’d paid his dues, but he was so excited to give Alex this little piece of their youth finally done right—out and proud.

“Is that Tara Bleaks? And that looks like…Jeremy! Jeremy Castiglione!” Alex scratched the back of his head and waved with his other hand. A general look of amusement was shared by nearly every prom attendee, but they gave Chance and Alex their space.

“Yup!” Chance took their coats and threw them over a vacant chair. “Plus some spouses you’ve never met. I tried to convince people to go with their original prom dates, but most of them didn’t like the idea.”

Alex gave him his wry, raised eyebrow stare. “You’re joking, right?”

“Yeah, rude, huh?”

Alex laughed and rolled his eyes. “You can’t do that to people. If I’d taken Heather Phillips like my mom tried to arrange, I’d be here with her, you dope.”

“Oh, no. That would mess with the time-space continuum.” Chan squeezed Alex’s hand tight. “That’d be like stepping on a prehistoric butterfly and turning the future world into a Lovecraft book. Let’s dance.”

“Babe, you didn’t really invent a time machine, you know.”

“Most of these women crammed themselves into their old dresses, with a few obvious exceptions.” Chance tilted his head toward a table of has-been cheerleaders who’d apparently traded their pom poms for bon-bons. “They’re playing 3 Doors Down, ‘Here Without You.’ It was Audioslave when we walked in. The DJ has my express orders to play nothing but music from ’03 or earlier. Yes, we’ve gone back in time.” He gave Alex a cocky grin.

“I’m pretty sure the real thing was heavy on the pop and dance music.”

“Yeah, well, when I fund the prom, they play only the shit I like. And I didn’t invite anyone I really hated, either.”

“What a catty bitch you are.” Alex laughed, his sapphire eyes sparkling under the shimmering lights of the disco ball above them.

“Mmm. And you love me anyway.”

“Yes, I do.”

Alex wrapped his arms around him and Chance melted against his perfectly tailored jacket. “This was really sweet, Chan. Now I’m feeling a little inadequate about what I got you.”

Chance stretched up to lock lips for a moment. “Don’t worry. You know what happens on prom night, don’t ya? You’re not gonna get off easy.”

“Isn’t that exactly what happens on prom night?”

“Oh, yeah…well, you know what I mean.”

“I have an idea. Thank God you didn’t rent a limo. I’d be up all night paying you back.”

Chance pulled his cell out of his jacket pocket. “Hold that thought…limos…limos…” He scrolled over the search results.

“Guess I’ll need a cup of coffee or two.” Alex laughed and leaned down to kiss him again.

John Mayer’s “Your Body is a Wonderland” came on. Alex grimaced.

Chance smirked and pulled him closer. “Shut up and just go with it.”

With a laugh and a pinch of Chance’s ass, Alex did just that.

The night was everything their prom should have been, with the added bonus of ending the party at their own house, greeting by their giant, doofy dog, and falling together into their shared king-sized bed. No way could their senior prom ever have been half as good.

“No! Watch out for the butterfly!” Alex mumbled in his sleep.

Chance placed a kiss on his temple and another on his cheek before he settled against Alex’s naked chest. “No changin’ this now, babe. Don’t worry.” He pulled the covers up around them both and closed his eyes.

—————–

Check out these other February Flash Fiction Blog Hop Participants:

14th: Jena Wade and Heloise West

15th: Amelia Bishop  and Mina Kelly

16th: Kimber Vale and Shiloh Saddler

17th: Eva Lefoy and Azalea Moone

18th: Dakota Trace, Jade Crystal, and Crane Hana

19th: JT Hall and ND Wylders

20th: Evelise Archer , Kate Lowell, and Skye Jones