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  Meant For Each Other

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Copyright © 2010 D.H. Starr

  Edited by Allison Jacobson

  Photography and cover art by Les Byerley

  Electronic book Publication Meant For Each Other November 2010

  This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ai Press, 10435 Green Trail Drive N, Boynton Beach, FL 33436

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/)

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  Meant

  n Fo

  F r Each

  c Other

  D.

  D H

  . .S

  tarr

  Dedication

  To Ally Blue. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my emails and for encouraging me to keep writing and never give up. You are an inspiration. To my readers, if you want a great read, you should buy her books. I’ve recommended several on my website.

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank Sedonia Guillone for seeing the promise in this book, Les Byerley for capturing the essence of this book in such a tender, compelling cover, and my friends and family for having patience with me as I worked around the clock revising this book to make it as strong as I could.

  I’d also like to thank all of my cyber friends, fellow authors, aspiring artists, and genuinely cool people who have encouraged me and shared their own work as well.

  Trademark Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Acqua Di Gio: GIORGIO ARMANI S.P.A., Milan, Swiss Branch Mendrisio Better Homes and Gardens: Meredith Corporation

  Blackberry: Research in Motion Limited

  BMW: Bayerische Motoren Werke

  Budweiser Light: Anheuser-Bush, Incorporated

  Captain Morgan: Diageo North America, Inc.

  Coke: Coca-Cola Company, The

  Dewar’s: Bacardi & Company Limited

  DOW: (DowJones): DowJones Trademark Holdins LLC

  DSW: DSW Shoe Warehouse, Inc.

  Fidelity Investments: FMR LLC

  Goldman Sachs: Goldman, Sachs & Co.

  Grey Goose Vodka: Bacardi & Company Limited

  Lemon Grass: World of Good Tastes, Inc.

  Levi Strauss: Levi Strauss & Co.

  Marlboro Lights: Phipps Morris Inc.

  NASDAQ: Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc., The

  New York Sports Clubs: TSI Holdings (IP), Inc.

  Newbury Comics: Newbury Comics, Inc.

  Palm Pilot: Interactive Toy Concepts, Ltd.

  Pomme Frites: Pomme Frite, Inc.

  Rosemount: Foster Brands Limited

  Skype: Skype Limited

  Spandex: Macpo Enterprises Corp

  Squeeze: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

  Starbucks: Starbucks USA Brands

  Stolichnaya Vodka: Spirits International B.V.

  Third Eye Blind: Stephan Jenkins Productions, Inc.

  University of New Hampshire (UNH): University of New Hampshire Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones Company, Inc.

  World Poker: World Poker Association, Inc.

  Yellow Pages: Telcom Directories, Inc.

  Author Note

  To learn more about D. H. Starr and his books, visiting his website at www.dhstarr.com or follow his blog at www.dhstarr.blogspot.com.

  D.H. Starr

  Meant For Each Other

  Prologue

  June, 1995

  Craig Harper dashed out of his final class. It was the last day of his freshman year in high school. He rushed to his locker, emptied all of his things into his book bag, and ran to the front entrance of the school. Not stopping to say goodbye to any of his friends, Craig had one thing in mind—get outside and to Jeremy.

  Jeremy Finn was waiting for him by the bike rack. Craig skipped out of the school, tripping over his feet and nearly cracking his head on the cement steps. A few students around him chuckled as they stepped aside to avoid being taken down along with him.

  He grabbed the railing just in time, avoiding a nasty fall. Righting himself, Craig glanced over at Jeremy who shook his head in amusement.

  “Shut up.” Craig scowled.

  “What? I didn’t say anything.” Jeremy walked over to Craig and they headed to their homes which were about ten minutes away. Best friends since two, they had been in every class together, all the way back to being enrolled in the same daycare.

  The last day of school had always been a high point for the two of them, but Jeremy was moving across country to Arizona the next day. The summer, which had always been the best times of their lives, now threatened to be long and lonely. Neither of them spoke about Jeremy’s move as they headed up the hill to their affluent neighborhood homes in Newton, just west of Boston.

  Reaching Craig’s home, they dumped their bags on his front porch and ran to the small oval park which separated their houses. They could see each other’s front doors from across the park and had once devised a makeshift phone with cans and yarn. It was one thing to link neighboring homes, but to steal about two hundred yards of string and wind it through trees and across streets had stretched their parents’ patience beyond the normal limits. Each of them had been grounded for a week when a neighbor complained the string got caught in their car wheels.

  Running into the park, they grabbed at each other’s arms, trying to win their race to the biggest tree in the park, the tree they had climbed ever since they could reach the lowest branch—The Love Tree, hearts with initials inside and arrows piercing them adorned just about every inch of visible bark.

  Jeremy grabbed Craig’s arm and yanked with all of his might, causing Craig to lose his footing and to fall to the ground with a crash and a grunt. Lithely grabbing the low hanging branch with one hand, Jeremy swung his legs into the air and pulled himself into a standing position.

  Craig stood up and brushed himself off. “You’re such an asshole.”

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  Jeremy laughed at him, his wide smile lighting up his face. “C’mon princess. This tree isn’t getting any younger.”

  Craig grimaced and hooked his hands around the branch, hoisting himself up so he stood next to Jeremy. Although Craig had a penchant for being a klutz, The Love Tree had lots of thick, sturdy branches and made falling rather difficult. A plush blanket of leaves covered each branch, quickly making them invisible to anyone who walked below them in the park or on the sidewalk.

  After they had climbed about fifty feet, Jeremy stopped and waited for Craig to catch up. “You want to stop here or keep climbing?”

  Craig could tell Jeremy wanted to keep climbing so he simply passed him, working his way further up the tree. After they climbed about seventy feet, Craig suggested they were high enough. He sat back, straddling a thick branch and leaning against the trunk.

  Jeremy followed closely, straddling the same branch and grabbing a smaller branch above his head for balance. A wave of sadness passed through Craig as he gazed at Jeremy. I don’t want him to move. He couldn’t recall one memory without Jeremy by his side. He was like a brother, but witho
ut any of the rivalry or aggravation so many of his friends complained about. Their friendship was one adventure after another, kind of like Jess and Leslie from his favorite book, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

  Except instead of the woods, The Love Tree was their secret place where magic and dreams became real. That and neither of them had died.

  Jeremy kicked him lightly on the shin, as if he could sense his sour mood. “What’s on your mind?”

  “It just sucks that you’re moving away. Really, really far away. It’s not like you’re moving a few towns over or even one state over. You are moving thousands of miles away.

  Jeremy remained silent, a thoughtful expression on his face. “It sucks big time.

  We’ll always be best friends though, right?”

  Craig tried to smile. Of course we’ll always be friends. He shrugged, his resentment at the situation still raw and painful.

  Regarding Craig, Jeremy’s finally smiled. He always managed to brighten a dark moment. “So instead of pouting, let’s make the best of this day.” Before speaking again, he stood and glanced around, peeking through the spaces in the leaves, seeing but not being seen. “Hey Craig, you ever give any thought to what you want to be when you grow up?”

  Craig stared at Jeremy as if he had lost his mind. “Why in the hell would I think about that? That’s like seven hundred years from now.”

  Jeremy laughed. “Yeah. But you’ve never given any thought at all to what you would like to be when you grow up?”

  Realizing Jeremy wasn’t playing some game and he was actually curious, Craig contemplated the question. “No. I haven’t picked out a job or anything, but I want to do something with computers and something creative; where I’ll be able to use my mind.

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  I’d be bored to death if I did something brainless or repetitive.” He lifted his gaze to Jeremy who simply nodded.

  “That makes sense. You’ve always been creative and experimental. You wouldn’t last long at a desk job or doing other people’s taxes.” Jeremy remained silent after his comment.

  Craig decided to break the silence. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

  Jeremy sat down on the branch once again. “That’s easy. I want to be a teacher. I want to teach elementary school kids.”

  The answer surprised Craig. “Really? Why would you want to continue with school once you finish? I can’t wait until I don’t have to go to school anymore.”

  Jeremy laughed. “I like school, Craig. I’ve always gotten good grades, made lots of friends…” Craig nodded. He already knew all of this. “But,” Jeremy went on, “when I think of school, mostly I think of you. We met the first day my mom dropped me off at daycare. That’s not really school, but it’s kind of the same thing. We have gone through everything together. I guess I associate school with my best friend and being happy.”

  Craig took in a deep breath as a lump formed in his throat. His heart thrashed inside his chest and the hum of blood rushing behind his ears momentarily drowned out all other senses. Jeremy had always been better at expressing feelings and emotions, but never something like this; so heartfelt and revealing. The fact he opened himself up, shared such an intimate thought, forced his sadness to the surface once again. Why does he have to move?

  Of course he knew the answer to the question. Jeremy’s grandmother was ill and needed her only daughter nearby to help care for her. Still, he had always pictured the two of them going through high school, graduating, and going to college together. With Jeremy moving and his plan obliterated, he had no idea what would happen in the future.

  As much as he didn’t want to talk about the move, they couldn’t avoid the topic forever. After a moment Jeremy continued in a quiet voice. “Craig. You are my best friend in the world. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you by my side.“

  A sense of relief filled Craig, knowing Jeremy struggled with the move too. His relief quickly shifted to concern. He didn’t want Jeremy to be upset, especially on their last day together. “You didn’t create the situation and we can’t do anything to change it.

  We’ll still call each other, and email, and we can talk using Skype. It won’t be so bad.”

  The lie didn’t even convince him.

  Jeremy frowned. “It’s not the same. I want to tell you something, Craig. You’ve been the one I’ve trusted with everything. You’re the first person I think of when I have a secret to share or if I’m upset about something. You’ve been the best friend anyone could ever hope to have.” Craig understood Jeremy wanted to ease his pain, but the words cut at him. “What I’m trying to say is that I love you, Craig.”

  Craig’s head snapped up. He loved Jeremy too, but had never dared to say the words fearing Jeremy might freak out and never speak to him again. His mind reeled, 3

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  wondering whether Jeremy meant he loved him as a friend or something more. He had realized his own feelings for Jeremy ran deeper than friendship, something that scared the shit out of him. Still, Jeremy had the courage to say the words. Craig needed to say the words or he would regret never having taken the chance to say how he really felt.

  “I love you too. You are the one who always sticks up for me when Dickhead Donald tries to beat me up. You’re the one who picks my sorry ass off the ground when I fall. That’s why I’m so bummed. I’m never going to find someone like you. It’s too late to start over.” Craig’s sadness intensified as the lump in his throat became larger and his eyes began to blur. He almost started crying, something he desperately wanted to avoid in front of Jeremy, and had to fight back the tears.

  Tenderness crossed Jeremy’s face and he reached his hand out, touching Craig’s cheek. Surprised, Craig almost lost his balance. He tightened his grip on an overhead branch and peered at Jeremy, whose eyes were fixed on him. No nervousness or hesitancy showed in Jeremy’s face as his hand remained on his cheek, slowly caressing.

  Without realizing what he was doing, Craig leaned into Jeremy’s hand as a tear escaped his eye and trickled down his cheek.

  Jeremy’s used his thumb to stop the tear in its track, cupped the back of Craig’s neck, and leaned towards him. He closed the distance between them and kissed Craig on the lips. Craig began to pull back, fearing Jeremy would get angry with him. How many times had he dreamed of kissing Jeremy? How many fantasies played out in his mind?

  Heat travelled to the spot where Jeremy’s hand touched him. The slickness of Jeremy’s tongue, sliding against his own, triggered tingling fingers of electricity throughout his body, sending currents along his skin and forcing blood to his groin as his penis hardened inside his jeans. A moment of panic took hold, but then Craig remembered Jeremy had initiated this.

  He allowed Jeremy to take the lead, relaxing as Jeremy put his other hand on Craig’s shoulder. What started as a chaste kiss quickly turned passionate. Jeremy ran his tongue over Craig’s lips and instinctively, Craig opened to Jeremy, their tongues exploring each other’s mouths.

  Jeremy’s mouth contained a hint of orange flavor, probably from lunch, but his scent was purely Jeremy. The fresh, crisp smell of spring air and new leaves wafted between them, causing his head to spin as Jeremy pulled them closer, deepening the kiss, pressing their lips tightly together. He had to grip the branch above his head to prevent them from falling.

  Jeremy’s hands roamed down Craig’s body, gently touching pectorals, brushing over nipples, and resting on his waist, leaving a tingling trail of excitement in their wake. Craig’s vision funneled until the only the two of them existed, nestled together high up in the branches of The Love Tree.

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  After a few minutes which seemed like years, they pulled apart and stared at each other. “Whoa.” Blood rushed to Craig’s head and he had to grab onto the branch with both hands t
o stabilize himself. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  Jeremy laughed. “You want me to take it back? I’ve wanted to do that for a while and I couldn’t leave without at least kissing you once. I really do love you, Craig.”

  Craig didn’t know what to say. Even though he had begun to question his feelings for Jeremy, he had never imagined actually kissing him for real. Now that they had kissed, he was amazed at how incredibly right it had felt. It was almost cruel. On the day he had to say goodbye, he discovered they could have been so much more than best friends. The discovery was bittersweet and the irony caused another wave of grief to pass over him.

  The moments ticked by. They remained silent as they shifted on the branch until Jeremy finally spoke. “Come on, we should probably get out of the tree. I’m sure our parents will be pissed if we’re late for the dinner they planned for us. Craig nodded in agreement and they worked their way back down the tree.

  The rest of the evening went by in a blur. Craig couldn’t stop thinking about his kiss with Jeremy. On the spare moments when he did push the thought from his mind, he remembered Jeremy had to leave the next morning which replaced the thrill from their kiss with depression. When they finished dinner, everyone hugged and said their goodbyes.

  That night in bed, Craig replayed the kiss over and over. Even as a first kiss, he knew no one else could have made him feel the way Jeremy had. In one instant, he realized how much he loved his best friend and had also discovered something much more important about himself. Tears began to stream down his cheeks and Craig flipped over, burying his head in his pillow, sobbing.

  The next morning, Craig woke up earlier than usual. His head was heavy from not having gotten a good night’s sleep, but he jumped out of bed anyway, threw on his jeans and a sweatshirt, and ran outside. Jeremy was just getting into his car.