Same Page in the Same Book 1,2, and 3 (of 15)
Title: Same Page in the Same Book
Pairing: Adam/Kris
Rating: R/NC 17
Warnings: language and m/m loving
Disclaimer: I do not own the boys or any other real life characters. This story is purely fictional and for entertainment purposes only.
Author’s Notes: This story was written for the Kradam Secret Valentine Exchange. It was for Amproof. I used the prompts: When Adam needs to excape, he goes to the last place anyone expects, Kris is a gardener (hobby or profession), meeting at a dog park, Adam really really loves Valentine’s Day, and blind date. I used all five in one form or another. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading. Feedback is always welcome. I had to break the story up into chapters to be able to post it.
Part 1
January 29th, 2012
Adam Lambert walked into the greenhouse, removed his sunglasses, and took a deep breath. It was his thirtieth birthday and he was feeling a little overwhelmed with his life at the moment. He was an international superstar who had just finished his second world tour. He loved making music and being a celebrity. He just needed a break sometimes.
It was hard for Adam to go out in public. He was easily recognized. He had discovered this greenhouse before his second tour. He loved to go there and just look at all the flowers and other plants. He had discovered that no one expected to see Adam Lambert at a greenhouse, so he was never recognized. Sometimes, he spent hours roaming around the place.
When Adam had woken up this morning, he had felt a little depressed. He was turning thirty. He was successful professionally. He had amazing friends and family. However, he didn’t have anyone to share his life with. He was a hopeless romantic, but he could never make a relationship work. His last relationship with Sauli had ended months ago. Despite their feelings for one another, they were from different worlds and long distance just didn’t work and neither of them was willing to give up their life for the other.
Adam’s first stop at the greenhouse was always the exotic plants. They were pretty and colorful. He smiled as he looked at them. He reached out and touched some of the petals.
“Can I help you with something?” A man asked from beside him.
“I’m just looking.” Adam responded as he turned to look at the man.
Adam smiled brightly when he saw him. He was shorter than him with brown hair. He had a crooked smile and a southern drawl. He was exactly his type.
“I’m Kris. Let me know if I can help you with anything.” Kris told him as he smiled and walked away.
Adam smiled back and continued to browse. A half hour later, he found himself sitting on a bench outside the greenhouse. It was something new that they had done since the last time he was here. Out back, they had planted a beautiful garden that had benches and fountains.
As Adam took everything in, he felt a few tears in his eyes. He didn’t know why he was crying. He just longed to be sitting there with someone. He wanted to be in love.
“Are you okay?” Kris inquired as he sat beside Adam on the bench.
“I’m fine.” Adam replied unconvincingly. Tears were streaming down his face.
“You don’t look fine.” Kris stated as he reached over and placed his hand on Adam’s shoulder.
“Today’s my birthday.” Adam told him as if that explained why he was upset.
“Oh.” Kris responded not sure what else to say.
“I don’t know why I’m crying. I have a good life…An excellent life actually. Living my dream. I have good friends and family. They’re throwing me a birthday party tonight, but I was just sad today.” Adam spilled to the stranger.
“Everyone gets sad sometimes.” Kris declared with a smile at Adam.
“I’m sorry about all of this.” Adam apologized.
“Don’t worry about it.” Kris told him as he withdrew his hand.
“This garden is beautiful. It wasn’t here the last time I was here.” Adam spoke to make conversation in the awkwardness that had surrounded them.
“Thanks. I designed it. I just started working here a few months ago. I design gardens on the side. The owner let me set up something out here. It brings in business for her and for me.” Kris explained with a smile as he surveyed his work.
“Well, it’s great. I just moved into a new place. I’d love to have something like this in my yard.” Adam replied.
Kris reached into his pocket and produced a business card.
“Give me a call sometime, if you want.” Kris stated as he handed him the card.
“I will.” Adam responded with a smile as he took the card.
Kris and Adam sat there for a few minutes. They stared at each other and smiled.
“I should be going.” Adam declared as he stood up.
“You didn’t get anything.” Kris spoke.
“I never do when I come in here. I’m hopeless with plants. I always kill them, so I just come here and look at them.” Adam explained with a laugh.
“You just have to know how to take care of them. Come with me. I know the perfect thing for you.” Kris replied as he took Adam’s hand and led him back inside.
Kris led him over to the cactuses. He smiled at Adam when they stopped in front of them. Adam smiled back.
“They are very low maintenance. You only need to water them when the soil gets completely dry. It should be every couple of weeks. They need fertilized every once in awhile. I can give you some time release capsules for that. You need to put it in bright light…southern facing windows are the best. Do you think you can handle all of that?” Kris questioned.
“It sounds easy enough. I guess I’ll give it a try.” Adam responded.
“Good.” Kris replied with a smile.
Adam and Kris looked at the plants. Kris helped him pick out a good one. When Adam finished selecting, they went up front so Kris could get him the fertilizer. He explained to Adam one more time about the proper care for a cactus.
“Thanks. How much do I owe you?” Adam inquired as he reached for his wallet.
“Not a penny. It’s on the house. Happy birthday, Adam.” Kris said with a smile and a wink.
Adam stood in shock for a moment. He couldn’t believe that he was getting a present from a stranger. He was also surprised that Kris knew his name. He knew that he hadn’t told him. It meant that he recognized him, but he hadn’t acted like other people did when they recognized Adam. They usually freaked out or asked for something. Kris had treated him completely normal.
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.” Kris whispered when he saw the concern and worry about being recognized.
“Thanks.” Adam responded with a smile as he gathered his things and left the greenhouse.
Part 2
January 31st, 2012
Adam had debated with himself about calling Kris. He thought Kris was attractive and nice. However, he didn’t even know if he was gay. He wanted to call and talk to him, but he didn’t want to be too forward.
When Adam couldn’t take it any longer, he decided he would call Kris and talk to him about a garden. It was the reason that Kris had given him his number in the first place. Besides, Adam really did want to have a garden out back.
“Hello.” Kris mumbled somewhat sleepily into the phone when he answered.
“Hi. I’m so sorry. Did I wake you?” Adam asked as he looked at the time.
It was ten o’clock on a Tuesday morning. He figured that Kris would be up by now.
“It’s okay. Is this Adam?” Kris asked sounding more alert.
“Yeah.” Adam replied.
“I was hoping you’d call.” Kris responded. Adam could hear the smile in his voice.
“You were?” Adam asked in astonishment.
Adam thought that Kris was interested. After a moment, he realized that Kris had probably just been hoping he’d call so that he’d get a job.
“Yeah…I was…” Kris started to say.
“I was just calling to see if you’d design a garden for me.” Adam spoke hurriedly.
“Oh…Um…Yeah that sounds good.” Kris replied. Adam thought he heard a little disappointment in his voice. “I could come and look at the space and we could talk about what you want.”
“Okay…When?” Adam inquired.
“I’m off from the greenhouse on Friday.” Kris answered.
“I can’t on Friday. I have a…” Adam started to say.
He almost finished with telling Kris that he had a blind date that he had been set up on by his friend a few weeks ago. He hated blind dates and he didn’t want to go, but he couldn’t back out now.
“Something else to do.” Adam finished lamely.
“Shit! That’s right. I do too actually. How about Saturday? I work until noon at the greenhouse. I could stop by afterwards if that works for you.” Kris suggested.
“Saturday will be fine. I’ll text you my address.” Adam told him.
“Okay. I’ll see you Saturday then.” Kris replied.
“See you Saturday.” Adam responded before hanging up.
For the next hour, Adam replayed the conversation over and over in his head. He analyzed everything that Kris had said. He really thought that Kris was interested in him. It made him not want to go on the blind date even more.
Finally, Adam resolved that he would go on the date. He didn’t think he’d have a good time though. He’d spend a few hours with the guy and then let him down easily. On Saturday, when Kris came over, he’d ask him out.
Part 3
February 3rd, 2012
On Friday, Adam headed to the dog park where he was meeting his blind date. He thought that it was a strange place for them to meet. He didn’t have a dog. He assumed that the guy did. He was kind of glad that they were meeting somewhere off the beaten path. He didn’t think that he’d get recognized at a dog park
Adam didn’t know who he was looking for. All that Ali had told him was that the guy was shorter than him and had brown hair. He had a golden Labrador retriever named Lucy.
As Adam entered the park, he scanned the area for his date. He saw a few guys that meet the description but they didn’t have golden labs. He saw a few golden labs, but their owners didn’t match the description. He was about to give up when he spotted a golden lab pulling her short, brown haired, southern owner into the park. He stopped dead in his tracks.
“Kris?” Adam asked as he approached him. Kris was the last person that he was expecting to see.
“Hey, Adam.” Kris responded with a smile.
He was here to meet a blind date and suddenly he hoped that his date was Adam. They only things he knew about his date were that he was taller than him with black hair and no dog. When he found out that his date didn’t have a dog, he thought that a dog park was a weird place to meet. However, his friend Ali had insisted that it was the perfect place.
As soon as the two men were close to one another, Kris’ dog began to pull on her leash. She was trying to get closer to Adam. Adam smiled at Kris and bent down to pet the dog. She nuzzled closer to Adam.
“She’s beautiful. What’s her name?” Adam inquired as he scratched her head. He hoped that it was Lucy.
“Lucy.” Kris answered with a smile of his own. He crouched down and ran his hand over Lucy’s back.
Adam started laughing. Kris looked at him questioningly.
“I’m sorry.” Adam giggled. “It’s just funny how things work out sometimes. When I called you the other day, I really wanted to ask you out, but I knew that I had this blind date coming up. I wanted to wait until after the date…after I’d let the guy down easily to ask you.”
“I was hoping that you’d ask me out when you called. I’m glad that I came now. I was totally going to stand my blind date up. I hate blind dates in the first place, but I was really dreading this one because I like you so much.” Kris rambled.
Kris stopped talking the moment that he realized that he had just admitted how much he liked Adam. He looked at Adam with worry on his face. Adam smiled brightly at him.
“I like you too.” Adam whispered.
Lucy started pulling on her leash and whining. Kris smiled and stood up. Adam did the same. They walked over the grassy area in silence. Kris unhooked Lucy. She took off running, but didn’t stray far from her owner.
“How do you know Ali anyway?” Adam inquired as they took a seat on a bench.
“I did some work for her boyfriend’s parents. I met her at their house one day. After talking to her for about five minutes, she declared that she knew someone perfect for me. I tried to get out of it. I thought she wanted to set me up with a girl. Anyway, then she told me that it was a guy. I still really wasn’t that interested. I don’t like blind dates and to be set up by someone that you don’t even know. I kept telling her no, but she a stubborn girl. I finally caved.” Kris explained.
“That’s my best friend for you.” Adam replied with a smile. “She knows how to get her way.”
“She really does. She used some kind of Jedi mind trick on me.” Kris joked.
Adam laughed. Kris looked at him and started laughing as well.
“I’m really glad she did though.” Kris stated suddenly serious. He reached over and held Adam’s hand.
“Me too.” Adam told him as he turned his hand over and laced their fingers together.
Lucy came bounding over to them. She put her head on Adam’s lap and looked up at him with big eyes. Adam smiled and gently pet her with the hand that wasn’t holding Kris’ hand.
“She really likes you.” Kris told him. “She’s not usually so friendly with people she doesn’t know. She’s not mean, but she usually just hides from them.”
“A big ferocious guard dog, huh?” Adam said with a laugh as he scratched her head.
“She’s a big baby. I mean I didn’t get her to be a guard dog or a killer or whatever, but I just thought that having a big dog would make people think twice about breaking into my apartment or messing with me on the street. Luckily, I’ve never had any trouble, but I’m convinced that if anyone ever did try to rob me, Lucy would hide or run away.” Kris explained as he affectionately rubbed her ears.
“You might be surprised. When I was little, we had a dog. She was just a little dog…a terrier of some kind. She was the sweetest dog ever. She was really gentle with me and my brother…even if we were rough with her. She was like that with everyone really. Anyway, one night some guy tried to break into our house. Misty…that was the dog’s name…she barked and growled and bit the guy in the leg. He took off without getting anything.” Adam told him.
“You hear that, Luce…Maybe there’s hope for you yet.” Kris said to his dog as he scratched her head and leaned down to allow her to kiss him.
Adam and Kris sat and talked while Lucy ran around and played. Kris admitted that he was a fan of Adam. Adam didn’t usually date fans, but Kris seemed genuine in his affection. Kris also told Adam that he played guitar and piano and sang a little. He was quick to point out that he wasn’t as talented as Adam and had no desire to make a career out of music. Adam told him that he’d love to hear him play and sing sometime. Kris blushed and told him that maybe he would someday.
After a little while, Lucy returned to the two men. She whined and did her best to get Kris’ attention.
“I think she’s ready to go home.” Kris spoke reluctantly as he attached her leash.
“Oh.” Adam replied sadly.
“Can I see you again?” Kris questioned as they stood up.
“Of course. I mean you are coming over to my place tomorrow, right?” Adam replied hopefully.
“Yeah. I mean I didn’t know if you still wanted me to or…” Kris muttered.
“I do want you to come over. I really want to put in a garden out back, but I also want to spend more time with you, so I figure it’s a win-win situation. We can have lunch together tomorrow.” Adam explained.
“Okay.” Kris responded with a bright smile. “I’ll see you around one then.”
Adam smiled back. They walked to the main entrance together. They said goodbye. Adam petted Lucy goodbye. They went their separate ways with big smiles on their faces.