When the Right One Comes Along

By Paul Alan Fahey

Philip Noland is in his late thirties when his best friend, Jonathan, contracts AIDS. In an effort to maintain some control over Jonathan’s illness, Philip becomes his caregiver and go-between with the hospital doctors.

The mid-1980’s are a time of uncertainty and ignorance about the disease. Hysteria reigns supreme. Actors are reluctant to kiss gay costars because they believe saliva carries the virus. Others worry about sharing dishes and silverware. To add to the mix, what medical science doesn't know about this devastating illness could fill a condom the size of the Hindenburg.

Philip is not GQ gorgeous. He’s the first to admit it. But he never gives up on his search for a soul mate, someone to complete him. In spite of the growing warnings about safe sex, Philip continues to look for Mr. Right, often in all the wrong places.

Then he meets Joshua. Is Philip’s journey finally over? Or does fate have something -- or someone else -- in mind for him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: May 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781611523706

Paul Alan Fahey

Paul Alan Fahey, author of the writer’s resource, The Short and Long of It, and the Lovers and Liars gay wartime romance series, is also edited the 2013 Rainbow Award-winning nonfiction anthology, The Other Man: 21 Writers Speak Candidly About Sex, Love, Infidelity, & Moving On. For more information, visit paulalanfahey.com.

Book preview

When the Right One Comes Along

By Paul Alan Fahey

Published by JMS Books LLC

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2012 Paul Alan Fahey

ISBN 9781611523706

Cover Photo Credit: Kirill Zdorov

Used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

Cover Design: Written Ink Designs

All Rights Reserved

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

* * * *

When the Right One Comes Along

By Paul Alan Fahey

Table of Contents

Part 1: Jonathan

Chapter 1: Playing Doctor

Chapter 2: Night Sweats

Chapter 3: Sleepy Time Bears

Chapter 4: French Kisses in White Rooms

Chapter 5: Grasping at Straws

Part 2: Jim

Chapter 6: Small Expectations

Part 3: Joshua

Chapter 7: No Exchange of Bodily Fluids

Chapter 8: Them Watching Us Eat Them

Chapter 9: Show Business

Chapter 10: Que Sera, Sera

Chapter 11: Everybody Looks Different in a Gay Bar

Chapter 12: All Through the Night

Chapter 13: Vivian, Mark, Benton, & Clay

Part 4: Donald

Chapter 14: Sooner or Later They All End Up at the Elephant

Chapter 15: Journeys End in Lovers Meeting

Part 1: Jonathan

Chapter 1: Playing Doctor

The cold salty air swept through the open restroom door and seeped under his stall. Philip pulled his jeans and briefs up to his knees. He heard someone coming and leaned back, waiting until the door next to him closed and the lock clicked in place. Seconds later, a tennis shoe moved under the partition; up and down it tapped on the cracked tile floor. Philip leaned in closer. He ran his finger around the glory hole. A brown eye with a slight scar underneath stared back at him. Jesus. Jonathan.

Uh—huh, Phil. It’s me.

What the hell, Philip said.

Okay, just give me a second here.

Philip heard Jonathan moving around, a belt buckle scraping the floor. He turned and saw two feet facing him, an erect penis sliding through the hole. No way, Jon. Put that damn thing away!

Come on. It’s my birthday.

I don’t believe you.

Is too.

Is not.

Philip laughed.

So, I’ll bake you a cake.

You will? Jonathan said.

Sure.

Their childish banter continued until Philip took his palm and pushed Jon’s erection out of the hole and back into the adjacent stall.

Behave yourself, Philip said.

Me?

Uh—huh.

In here? Jonathan said.

Especially in here.

Why?

Because I’m in here.

Oh, right, his friend said, but I’m horny as hell.

Then you know what to do. I’ll wait for you in the parking lot. Philip pulled up his briefs, buttoned his jeans, and left Jonathan to his own devices.

* * * *

Later in Philip’s apartment they laughed about the incident. Jonathan sat on the couch with a mug of hot coffee. Philip lounged in a leather chair across from him.

I didn’t know you did that, Jonathan said.

What? Cruise restrooms?

You always seemed so above all that. So smart and intellectual. I couldn’t even imagine you beating off.

Wrong on all counts, but— Philip stopped and looked away.

What? Jonathan put his mug on the table and leaned forward, concerned. He told Philip he prided himself on being a good listener, someone his friends could count on whenever they needed him. Even his tests for a learning disability at the community college confirmed he had an auditory-verbal learning style and good judgment for social situations.

Philip began slowly. I thought you didn’t like me, I mean—

I didn’t, Jonathan said. "Not when we met. I thought you were such a snob. Who reads things like Jane Eyre these days? Who even likes her?"

Mr. Rochester.

Touché. See what I mean? You’re full of those literary allusions. You can be snooty and kind of, oh, what’s the damn word?

Conceited, egotistic, pompous?

Yeah. Those are pretty good ones.

So you’re saying I’m all that.

Maybe at first, but once someone gets to know you well—

They hate me.

No, Jonathan said, they see there’s quite a lot there.

Gee, thanks. Like knowing I make regular visits to bathrooms with glory holes.

Especially that. Jonathan giggled and gave Philip an air kiss then went over and sat on the arm of his chair.