Wayne Gray

It's like a ... semi-sweet, nutty, sort of crumbly oat loaf with pockets of more sweet. Soooo good.

Holy crap. Okay ... this is GOOD. Even with my fumbling in the kitchen, this recipe is crazy good. Maybe it's because I don't get many things that taste like dessert, but yeah ... wow.

None. I don't have to be drunk to say yes to this story. It's a great concept, one that tim and I worked out over a week or so of back and forth messages. I really do think it'll be special ... and that it'll challenge readers. We want to challenge ourselves and those who read our work. Those are the goals.

tim and I want to try something serious and thoughtful. We both tend to write those sorts of stories anyway, and I want to see what we can do together on such a tale.

Wow. lol

I'm all in, tim. Let's do it.

That's right, folks. tim didn't learn his lesson the first time around with Trainwreck. 😄

Hehehe. I figure if I can't share things that make people laugh, then I'm taking myself too seriously. Can't have that.

tim shared his Apricot-Almond baked oatmeal recipe, and I thought ... "Yeah, there are eggs, cream and butter in it, but ... the oats and nuts will help with the cholesterol. It should be okay if I don't go crazy and eat half the pan. Okay, let's go to the store for ingredients!" Off I go. I spend forty minutes in total driving there, walking around with my barely acceptable "I don't care" hair, selecting stuff, then driving back home. Once back here, I begin the process of prepping the dried fruit and nuts. Then I put the dry ingredients together in a big bowl, while the wet ones and sugar are in the other. I'm very slow in the kitchen. I'm not afraid of it, I'm just plodding and methodical. One thing at a time is how I work. Music is playing, and I'm drinking a latte so, it's not exactly a bad time - I rather enjoyed myself, actually. Anyway ... another forty minutes go by before I'm done. I pour the dry ingredients into a 9x9 baking dish (as instructed) then pour the wet ingredients on top. By this point, I'm pretty proud of myself. I can tell, this is gonna be great. I turn to the oven, my dish of soon to be baking oaty deliciousness in hand. "Oh, shit. SHIT!" Our oven is broken. And I had literally spent almost an hour and a half gathering and preparing ingredients, only to remember the oven was busted right when I needed it. So ... now, two loaf pans of oaty unknown are probably not even close to the right temperature in an old, cantankerous toaster oven. Some days ... you just gotta laugh.

Aww, it's okay to cave. It was a nice little gathering, wasn't it? Friends, food, wine, awkward and revealing moments caused by said wine ... 🙂 I have an evil streak? I think you meant to say "creative conflict creation streak." Hehe. Though, to be honest I just am writing the characters and how they'd really react in these situations. We'll find out how Grant reacts to being nearly naked and snuggled up with Troy. You should get to work on those stories. At least ... until Sunday. 😛 Thanks for reading!

I love the comments. I read them over and again because they make me smile. Yeah ... this is a good group of people, and I do appreciate the comments. People spend time and careful thought on them, and I will always try to reply. The day after is gonna be interesting. That's coming soon. 🙂 Ohhh ... I cannot wait to get to the introduction of Grant's mother. She was a fantastic character to write, one of my favorites, actually. Yes ... that's gonna be a great time. Thank you for the comments. More to come!

There is kind of a recipe, isn't there? Smooth sailing - trial - make up - smooth sailing - trial - make up, etc. Well, I spent some effort to break that cycle in this story. I will say, specifically around the journal I worked to avoid predictability. Keep an eye on that, when the time comes for Grant to finally deal with it. Thanks for reading and commenting!

There was a one-ton elephant in room, wasn't there? Grant was too far gone to moderate himself, and everyone else got to see that on display. Sober Grant would have been horrified at his drunken behavior. Let's see how far along that Denial Cycle Grant is when tomorrow comes. Thanks, Tom!

I know there's nothing I can say or do to help ... but I wish that there was. I'm thinking of you guys. xo

It's not the noticing - it's the need to prove you've noticed. 😛 I'm kidding. I enjoy your brand of commenting. Most of the time. LOL

*Pantomimes innocence* Me? Evil? *giggles and rubs hands together* I grew up with a mom who did this. We were her runners, returning things when we couldn't afford stuff. It's horrible to be in that position. Grant is really just trying to help. If he announced that he was the one who helped her, that'd be one thing ... but he didn't. He just did it, got the little plug of feel good chemicals, then left. Hehehe ... I'm glad you find the story hard to resist. That's a good thing. Don't worry, you only have to wait until Sunday for the next chapter!

Thank you, KayDeeMac! Things do seem to be heating up a bit, eh? Troy is lusting after Grant, while Grant is awkward and flustered around Troy (sometimes). You've got the next chapter ahead of you. Why don't you go see if you're right? 😄

I know that I really enjoy reading and replying to comments. Well ... most of them. 😛 I like the beating around the bush comment. Maybe they already have caved, and you don't know it yet? You know ... you could just end that suspense. Go ahead ... read them. They're there, waiting for you. Maybe they have all the answers you seek! Hehehe ... We'll have to see if and/or when Troy finds out about the journal how that goes. Perhaps you're right ... "Ye haw!"

LOL. Wow. 😄

Late for work? Well that was horrible of me! 🙂 Yes ... they are a bit matchmakery aren't they? But they're good to and for Troy, not to mention welcoming to Grant. And you're likely right about that headache! Thanks for the comment, Parker.

It qualifies as a slow burn already for me. We're ten chapters in, and we just got to a drunken snuggle. But, hey ... that makes it more special when those barriers come down. Regardless of what's to come, you can guess that confusion will make an appearance. 🙂

Thanks, Danners. 🙂 Grant and Troy are beginning to realize that they have "something" in one another. It's undefined right now for them both, but they feel it. The restroom ... hehe ... yes. He had to piss, and he had to think about why he was upset. He didn't get far in his state, but he had just determined to be "normal," then threw something of a fit of jealousy immediately upon stepping back into the living room when he thought Troy was interested in some other guy. What will Grant and Troy look like in the morning? Well ... you'll have to wait until Sunday before that is revealed. But you and Ben are right - the truth is in the wine. 😉

Hehehe ... You're just waiting for that shoe to drop, eh? Not this chapter. But, I don't want to disappoint you, so ... 😉

Thanks, tim. 🙂 They are a family. They've chosen one another to be a part of their tribe, and hold each other dear. Thanksgiving here is a big deal for many. It was the biggest holiday for me growing up, as that's when our whole family came together. I miss that. It's nice to write them ... this little group. I wish I had them in my life, but telling their story will have to do.

I liked a few moments in the last two scenes. Grant having obvious issues with the thought of Troy dating someone, then snuggling Troy out in front of everyone and just not caring (thank you, wine!). Then in bed ... Troy is trying to be good, gentlemanly, and give Grant his space ... only to be snuggled hard by a drunken, lovey Grant. Yeah, I like that scene too. 🙂 Thanks for the comments!