Wow, I will never be on time with these this year but given everything that happens I can be soft with myself about it.

I’m going to dive right back into These Haunted Hills. We left off with Josh outside Brendan’s cabin after a noise woke him up.

He could just make out how bleary eyed Brendan looked in the silvery light washing down from above. “Sorry, I was hoping I didn’t wake you.”

“What are you doing out here?” Brendan rubbed his face, still obviously mostly asleep, standing there barefooted in his boxers.

Josh pressed his fingers to his lips then inclined his head toward the woods. He hoped to hear another cry or some gekkering but there was nothing but the relentless sounds of night insects. He shrugged and joined Brendan at the door. “I heard something.”

“Sasquatch?” Brendan grinned.

“Absolutely.” Josh took his hand and guided Brendan back inside. “Partying with the Mothman.”

“I could almost believe you.” Brendan yawned then tugged Josh toward the stairs to the loft. “Foxes?”

“Yeah. They woke me up.” He tugged his boots back off before attempting the stairs.

Once in the loft they fell back into bed again, too exhausted for anything but lying there. Josh pulled the covers up over them then took Brendan’s hand again interlocking their fingers.

“I am sorry if I woke you.”

Brendan kissed him. “No worries.”

Another sound whispered along the roofline. Josh stared up at the ceiling, feeling Brendan shifting next to him.

“Was that a fox?” Brendan asked dubiously then added when Josh shook his head, “the wind?”

Running very late. You wouldn’t think someone trapped at home from her injuries for months would constantly be out of time but here we are. So I’ll just dive right back into These Haunted Hills.

Brendan and Josh have had their first night together. Josh heard a noise outside so he went to investigate.

At one point he and Brendan had crawled out the bed and put on pants so they could whip up a midnight snack without singing anything important. Josh tiptoed into the bathroom to grab his boots then eased his way out the front door. Sitting on the porch, he jammed on his boots. He resisted the temptation to get the flashlight out of the truck.

There it was again, the cry of a fox. He ached to actually go out there and seem them in person but it would be disruptive. Josh knew he’d have to rely on the cameras of give him what he needed. Besides, his legs were still nicely jellied from all the fun earlier in the evening. Above him the moon was beginning to set and soon enough false dawn would paint the sky in grays.

Hearing the soft creak of the door behind him, Josh whipped around

So I turned another year older this week with very little fanfare. My knee is being even slower to heal than I would have hoped and I’m feeling worn out. So without much delay have a bit more of These Haunted Hills.

I’ve skipped over the shower scene which went as most would have guessed, leading to them having a little shower fun. I skipped it because it’s not where I’d like it to be so have a little of the after glow.

Josh woke up momentarily disoriented. He’d been having the world’s best dream. What had awoken him? He strained to hear but only detected someone breathing soft and slow next to him. so that really happened. Of course he’d known it was real but the reality seemed so impossible, he couldn’t wrap his head around it. He’d slept with Brendan. Holy shit!

A cry in the night reached his ears, muffled by the cabin walls. So that’s what had awoken him. Josh grinned. Wide awake now and not wanting to disturb Brendan, Josh rolled out of bed. He hunted up his jeans and pulled them up sans boxers which were god knows where. Maybe still in the bathroom with his shoes.

It’s been one helluva week. I’m not looking forward to my birthday next week either. I’m pretty much over 2021. One good thing I did manage a deep edit on the first five chapters of These Haunted Hills. Picking up here with Brendan and Josh after Brendan has returned from Columbus

I’m sorry about leaving like that.”

Josh shook his head. “You don’t owe me an apology.”

“I do.”

“I know you’re hurting. I’d be a shitty human being if I didn’t make allowances for that.”

“You have no idea how much I appreciate that. Want to come in?”

Josh held his arms out from his sides. “I’m pretty dirty.”

“I do have a shower in there. I can mix us up something to drink.”

“Okay.”

The good news from the vascular surgeon is I still have good blood flow in my leg. The less good news is the orthopedic surgeon still has me on a walker (which is needed I agree) but maybe for another 6 weeks. Sigh. I should be editing this novel but I am having trouble motivating.

Picking up These Haunted Hills where I left off with Brendan freshly returned from Columbus waiting on Josh who’s been out in the woods near his cabin.

He eventually lost himself in the haunted world he was creating, not even hearing Josh’s approach until he was shockingly close. Josh waved, a bashful expression on his face as if he were sorry he’d startled Brendan. He wore jeans with the knees torn out and a T-shirt with a dragon sitting on a hoard of books with the words ‘book wyrm’ on it. He had twigs in his blond hair and a smudge of dirt across the bridge of his nose.

“Hey. You’re back. I almost didn’t recognize you.” Josh scrubbed a hand over his chin, leaving behind more dirt.