Captain Stellar Read online

  R.J. Sorrento

  Captain Stellar

  Captain Stellar Series - Book 1

  First published by R.J. Sorrento 2019

  Copyright © 2019 by R.J. Sorrento

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

  First edition

  Editing by Charlie Knight

  Cover art by C.J. Tanuan

  Proofreading by Charlie Knight

  This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

  Find out more at reedsy.com

  For the Everyday Heroes

  Contents

  Acknowledgement

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  About the Author

  Acknowledgement

  This book is a labor of love and a dream come true. It takes a team to self-publish a book, and I am thankful for each of you.

  I am grateful to my husband for supporting me every step of the way. You listened to all my hopes and fears, and I can never thank you enough for believing in me.

  My sister has cheered me on since day one. Your enthusiasm was my fuel as I roughed it through the first draft. Thank you for giving me the strength to see it through.

  Thank you to my daughters. You are my inspiration to pursue my dreams. Both of you make me proud every day.

  I have two friends (you know who you are) who know about this book. Thank you for encouraging me during the ups and downs.

  Thank you to my parents for teaching me that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. Your love and guidance mean more than I could possibly express.

  This book would not be in your hands without Twitter. To the writing community, especially the LGBTQ+ writers, thank you for welcoming me with open arms. I have made friendships that mean so much.

  Julie M, thank you for taking a very rough draft and providing constructive feedback. Your encouragement meant so much.

  Thank you to my critique partner, Becca. Your questions and comments challenged me and brought my book to a new level. Your love for my characters meant so much and kept me writing.

  To my editor and proofreader, Charlie Knight. Working with you was a joyful experience. I truly appreciate your enthusiasm and support. Your feedback and suggestions pushed me to my limits in the best way possible, and I am so thankful to have found you.

  To C.J. Tanuan, the illustrator/cover artist. Thank you for taking a chance on my tweet asking for a cover design. Working with you was an absolute delight. You brought Cal, Fernando, and Rita to life with your beautiful skills. Seeing their faces for the first time was surreal and magical. The cover is stunning, thanks to your hard work.

  Finally, what is a writer without readers? Thank you for reading my small offering to the LGBTQ science-fiction world. I hope you enjoy the ride.

  Chapter 1

  August 2009

  One more pill. Another shot of vodka. For a moment, Fernando felt pure bliss as the music on the beach pulsed through his chest. Yet, there was nausea in the pit of his stomach. A feeling of dread he did his best to ignore.

  “Fernando!” Margo shouted. “Do you have any more pills?”

  He shook his head, his wavy dark hair shifting with the movement. “I took the last one.”

  She rolled her eyes and frowned, until the DJ at the concert played a new song and turned her mood around. “Mi favorita.” She jumped in the air, her long black hair moving with her body.

  Fernando chuckled, enjoying a buzz as he watched his sister dance, so carefree, so happy at fourteen. He had never been so joyful at her age, two years ago. His only moment of clarity had been realizing the desire he had to kiss a man, wondering how it would feel to be wrapped in a strong embrace.

  His nausea returned as the ecstasy and alcohol permeated his body. He stumbled when he tried to dance next to his sister and the beat of the electronic music pounded in his skull, sweat beading on his forehead.

  The sand beneath his toes felt like glass piercing his skin. He reached out to Margo to steady himself and felt the sharp stab of a needle in the back of his neck.

  He heard his sister scream as he fell into darkness.

  August 2019

  Cal blinked and stretched long, muscled arms, staring up at the white ceiling in his bedroom. He picked up his phone to shut off the morning alarm blaring in his ears, jerking up when he saw the time. He had hit snooze too many times.

  Cal jumped out of bed, nearly tripping over the pairs of jeans, books, and camera equipment strewn across the carpeted bedroom floor. No time to shower, so he combed short blonde hair with his fingers and threw on his uniform. He grabbed his hard hat, sunglasses, phone, and wallet before running out of his room to the staircase.

  “Mom, why didn’t you get me?” Cal shouted as he rushed down the stairs to the kitchen where his mother, Valerie, was nursing a cup of warm coffee.

  “You’re 22 years old. I’m sure you can figure out when to wake up for work.” She kept her eyes on the phone screen, probably checking her Twitter feed.

  “Whatever.” Cal had no time for a chiding from his mom. He loved her, and he appreciated that she didn’t charge him rent to live at home, but once she started on a lecture, there was no stopping her.

  “I made you a sandwich for lunch.” Valerie stood and adjusted her black scrubs. She pulled her long blond hair back into a ponytail. “I have a new patient to evaluate this evening. Enjoy your dinner with Jin tonight.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Cal gave her a quick hug, grabbed the brown bag, and dashed out the front door. He hopped down the concrete steps and took in a deep breath before sprinting.

  Cal ran to catch the bus. He used to jog every morning, but ever since starting a full-time construction job, he was too tired for a rigorous routine. His new job had become his fitness program with heavy lifting and other physical demands. What he missed about college was spending evenings at the gym. It gave him a chance to unwind, focus on nothing but exercises.

  Although there were the occasional distractions of bulging biceps and low grunts.

  The bus was almost in reach; he choked on the exhaust fumes and heard it slow to pick up a passenger. Cal stopped in his tracks, trying to catch his breath. He was better at jogging t
han sprinting, and he was beginning to realize that construction work did not help with his aerobic exercise.

  “Wait for me!” Cal cried, waving his arms. The bus stalled, and he let out a sigh of relief. He dashed over and climbed the steps.

  “Thank you for waiting, you don’t know-”

  “Sit.” The fifty-something driver with a sour expression on her face shifted in her seat. “That’ll be the last time I stick around for you.”

  Cal sat near the front, glancing out the smudged window. Stretching his neck to one side, his found muscles were stiff. He slumped into the seat, folding his arms and settling in for the ride.

  * * *

  Thirty minutes later, Cal walked onto the city construction site that had been home base the past week. A fraying orange fence marked the perimeter, a skeletal building with wide support beams standing on the site. Cal learned last week they were building a multi-level restaurant with a café on the ground floor.

  “Bolden! You’re late. Again.” Rick glared as he watched Cal try to sneak into the site undetected. He pulled up his pants by the belt, fighting a never-ending battle of up and down caused by the spare tire around his middle.

  Cal blushed. “Sorry, boss. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I haven’t heard that before,” Rick huffed. He lifted his hardhat and wiped sweat away from his bald head. “You’re lucky I’m short one guy, or else you’d be done here.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re a hard worker, but you can’t get it together. I’m putting you on probation for now.”

  Cal looked at his black boots. “Okay, I get it.” Damn oversleeping. He considered getting a second alarm clock that would force him to get out of bed to turn it off. He regretted that he didn’t put much effort into being on time for work, but Rick never took it easy on him. Cal wasn’t the only guy to show up late, but he was usually the only one to get caught.

  “I need someone to work an hour overtime today and seeing as you missed an hour this morning…”

  “But I’ve got dinner plans tonight.” Cal protested.

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass. You’re working. You’ll be late for dinner like you were late for work.”

  Cal let out a deep breath after Rick walked away. Working with this construction company was a necessary evil: good money, terrible boss. And now he’d be disappointing his boyfriend. Again. He went to pull out his phone to text Jin he would be running late for dinner tonight, but a co-worker handed him instructions for the day’s job.

  “Dude, you’ve got balls trying to use your phone after showing up here so late.”

  Cal tightened his jaw, wishing his co-worker would mind his own business, and put his phone away. “Whatever, man. Let’s get this shit done.”

  * * *

  Sweat soaked Cal’s body and his back ached. He longed for a refreshing shower after four hours of hard work under the unrelenting August sun. Leaving the construction site, he found an empty bench a few feet away. He set his hardhat on the bench, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Cal scarfed down the peanut butter and banana sandwich from his brown bag.

  A well-built man carrying a black duffel bag who looked as if he lived at the gym walked by and smiled at him. “Is this seat taken?” He pointed to the bench, his navy blue shorts clinging to toned thighs.

  Cal shook his head and opened his bottle of water to wash down the sandwich.

  “You’ve been working hard, huh?”

  Cal glanced at the chestnut-haired man, his skin tan but with an artificial orange tint. He was handsome, resembling a model from a toothpaste commercial with his smile of perfect white teeth.

  “Uh, yeah.” He kept his eyes on the cracked sidewalk under his feet.

  “I don’t mean this to sound creepy, but I’ve seen you working here the past couple weeks on my way to the gym. Can’t help noticing you.”

  Cal shrugged his shoulders. The man didn’t appear to pose a threat, so Cal sat and finished his water as he spoke.

  “Guess you’re used to the attention.” He looked away, rejected by Cal’s silence. “Every woman is checking you out.”

  Cal blushed. “I’m not interested in them.”

  “I didn’t think you were.”

  “Don’t get your hopes up.” He smiled, thinking of Jin, who could be mistaken for a Korean pop star with his spiky black hair and striking eyes. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “Not surprising. I figured someone as gorgeous as you wouldn’t be single,” the man said. He shrugged and stood. “If you ever change your mind…” The man pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to Cal. He picked up his duffel bag and left.

  Cal peeked quickly at the business card before dropping it into the brown bag, which he tossed into a trash can before heading into the construction site. He took out his phone and found a few minutes of his break remained. He started a text to Jin, warning him he would be late for dinner.

  “Bolden, get off that damn phone before I crush it under my boot,” Rick yelled.

  “Dammit,” Cal muttered. He locked his phone, sliding it back into his pocket before he could hit send.

  The sun burned hotter on his skin than it had this morning and he stretched sore arms to ready himself for the strenuous work ahead. There was no chance of a light workload with Rick’s eyes burning a hole through him.

  “Look alive, Bolden. Break time is over, and I expect you to earn that paycheck for the overtime,” Rick glared.

  “Yes, sir.” Cal held back a scowl. If he closed his eyes, he could taste the juicy cheeseburger from his favorite diner. He imagined Jin’s gentle voice, which always had a way of making him feel better. With Jin on his mind, the afternoon would go much smoother despite his tired limbs and aching back. In a few hours, they would be together.

  Chapter 2

  Cal’s shoulders were on fire after a long day at work. Rick stuck him with the most heavy-duty tasks for showing up late. In these moments of pain, he had regrets about dropping out of college to chase his dreams. He didn’t need to work in construction to become a photographer, but it paid so well. Besides, his aunt had connections with the company, and he didn’t want her to think he didn’t appreciate the strings she had pulled so he could have a reliable job. For now, if he wanted to follow his dreams, he also had to deal with the pain. He tapped his foot as he kept his eyes peeled for his stop.

  He hopped off the bus at his stop and jogged to the nearby restaurant where he knew Jin was waiting. Jin was often waiting for him, and although he rarely complained about Cal’s frequent tardiness, it didn’t make Cal feel any less bad about it. His feet ached, but he ran even faster.

  “Jin, I’m sorry-”

  “Oh, there you are. I was wondering if you were gonna show up at all,” Jin huffed.

  Cal slid into the booth and wiped away a few crumbs on the seat from the previous customers. His stomach rumbled when the aroma of greasy burgers and salty fries in the air reached him. “I had to work overtime, and-”

  “Save it, Cal,” Jin shifted in his seat. “I left class early and drove over an hour just to eat at your stupid favorite diner in the suburbs.”

  “If I didn’t have to work over-”

  “You two ready to order?” an older woman with cherry red hair interrupted them, a pad of paper and pencil in hand. Her face was weathered and weary, brightened only by the shocking pink blush on her cheeks and eyelids under penciled on eyebrows.

  “Can you give us a minute?” Cal asked.

  “No, we’ll order now.” Jin grabbed the menus and handed them to the waitress. “I’m starving, Cal.”

  “Okay.” The waitress looked from one man to the other. She snapped the pink bubblegum in her mouth a few times as she stood at their table.

  “We’ll both have the number five. Thanks,” Jin ordered before the waitress walked away.

  “How did you know I wanted a bacon cheeseburger with curly fries?” Cal teased.

&
nbsp; “Because you always do, no matter how many times you look at the menu.” Jin allowed a small smile.

  “I’m sorry.” Cal took Jin’s hand and squeezed before letting it go.

  Jin let out a sigh and carded a hand through his jet-black hair. “I hate eating in the suburbs. The people in that corner booth were staring at me like I was some North Korean spy while I waited for you.”

  Cal chuckled. “Well, if you’re a spy, I’m in a world of trouble. I’ve already told you all of my secrets.” He rubbed his shoe against Jin’s ankle under the table.

  Jin shook his head, his dark eyes softening. “You’re lucky that you’re ridiculously handsome and charming.”

  Cal replaced his hand on top of Jin’s.

  The waitress returned with their meals on a round black tray, chewing away at her gum. She tried not to stare at them holding hands, but her eyes widened.

  Jin cleared his throat in response, and Cal moved his hand away quickly. Jin looked down as the waitress plopped their burgers and fries on the table. She walked away to wait on another table before asking if they needed anything else. Cal fidgeted with the fries, his cheeks flushed.

  “Like I said before, I hate dining in the suburbs.” Jin stared at Cal pointedly.

  “Well, tomorrow night, we’ll be in the city for Nessa’s birthday party. It’s at Gracie’s Piano Bar in River North.” Cal hoped a night out in the city would make up for being late and picking the wrong place for dinner.

  “I can’t go with.” Jin took a small bite of his cheeseburger.

  “Why not?”

  “I have a huge pharmacy exam at the end of the week. I need to study every night so I can ace it.”

  “You never have time for fun anymore,” Cal groaned as he sank into the booth.

  “I’m a student pharmacist, Cal, I’m not fun,” Jin tried to joke. “And besides, Nessa is your best friend. She won’t care if I can’t make it, and you’ll still have a good time.”

  “Yeah, but Nessa’s boyfriend will be there, too, and she’ll want to hang with him. I was hoping we’d get to party together like we used to.” Cal looked down and played with one of his curly fries, sliding it through the ketchup puddle on his plate. They had done nothing exciting since Jin started school earlier in the month.