One Night

"Oh yeah, I meant to tell you, I sorted your flights to LA."

Jeez, that had been one hell of a change of subject and way out of left field. One minute Micah was discussing buying more land for the vineyard, and the next, his sister hit him with flights from Rochester.

"I didn't say I was definitely going," Micah responded quickly. Damn it, every year Abbey brought this up in front of witnesses. He never had a chance to argue back. Alex, his brother-in-law, looked up at him from the piles of papers on the desk with an expression of sympathy, but didn't join in to defend or to encourage. He clearly knew to stay out of things when his wife was set on something.

"You say that," Abbey pressed, "but when push comes to shove, you always end up getting on the flight, and then you have fun."

"But I thought with Rosie having the baby and all... Doesn't that put a different spin on it?" The words tumbled out of him in a rush of defense. He really thought this year, with his other sister just having gifted the family with a new baby girl, and thus unable to work, he could get away with not going anywhere. There was so much to do here, grapes to grade, the new pages on the website to change...

"Seven nights is all. You need to get away, meet up with your friends and take the vacation, network with the winey-type people."

"You won't be able--" he started to protest, but Abbey held up her hand to stop him.

"We'll be fine. It's all taken care of. We've discussed this already. Alex is taking a break and will be here every day working with Zach." She indicated her husband. Alex was still very quiet but lifted his hand and waved it in agreement.

"We'll talk about this later." Micah huffed. Surely, even though she said she had sorted the flights, she couldn't have booked everything yet? She seemed to read his mind. Damn sibling connection.

"Flights are booked--ROC to LAX, with only one stopover. I booked you into the hotel where they are holding the conference. It's right on the beach, and I got your room upgraded. It's got a hot tub and shower with all kinds of fancy settings. Just what you need."

"But--"

"All you need to find is a hot man when you're there and you'll be all set."

"Abbey--"

"I'm not discussing this with you."

"I'm a grown man. Alex, tell her." Micah pleaded for support, but if anything Alex slumped lower in his chair.

"Yes you are. A grown man who needs a damn vacation," his sister said firmly.

Later as the evening was rolling in and smudging the sky with a purple-gray, Micah stood at the fence, looking out over his grapes, feeling blindsided and completely out-maneuvered. He sensed Alex walk up and stand next to him. Alex would have known what Abbey and Rosie were planning and even though Alex and Micah had been friends since grade school, he couldn't be angry with the guy. His sisters were very persuasive.

The two men stood in companionable silence for a while until Alex cleared his throat. Micah could sense the other man grinning from where he stood. Micah's week away was a standing joke and almost word for word he could guess exactly what his best friend was going to start in on. He wasn't wrong.

"So your gay ass is going to the beach for your annual tail-chasing trip." Same old, same old, every year.

Micah huffed. "If you weren't married to my sister, I would take you down right now." There wasn't really a lot of heat in Micah's tone; he was waiting for the rest of the same old joke Alex made every damn year.

"Did you put lube and condoms on the house grocery list?"

"Fuck off, Alex."

"It's okay, buddy. Leave it to me and I'll get Abbey to add them."