Chapter 16

The waiter winked at Nolan and left the table.Nolan watched his retreat before his eyes made their way back to the corner booth where the two men were now sharing a dessert.They were laughing as they playfully fed each other bites of gelato.No one in the restaurant was paying them any attention.There were no mean looks,no huffy protests.Two men were enjoying a romantic and playful meal together in public and the world had not stopped spinning.Nolan found himself wondering if being gay was really that big a deal.The men sharing their meal didn’t seem to think so.The waiter seemed pretty cool with flirting with another guy.

Nolan took a long hard appraising look at Ashley as she prattled on about herself while picking at her expensive feast and he came to the conclusion that Ashley was a dreadful person and he hoped he never had to spend another second in her presence.“Will you excuse me please?”

“I guess,but that’s very rude to get up during a meal.Hurry right back.”

Nolan gave Ashley a thumbs-up motion and got up from the table and looked for his waiter whom he tracked down near the kitchen doors.“Is everything all right with your meal,sir?”

“Oh,yes.Other than the fact that I’ve brought the wrong date.Here.”Nolan slipped the waiter a large amount of money.“I want to pay for our meal and I’d also like to pay for the couple over there in the corner.”He pointed to the laughing men.

“That’s very generous of you.”

“And the rest is for you.”

“Thank you,but I’m not sure I—”

“You have earned all that and then some.You gave me hope and that’s priceless to me right now.”

Nolan was almost giggling as he strode out of the restaurant and hopped into his car.He had made up his mind that he was going to swing by the apartment and pack an overnight bag,then he’d drive to Rick’s and see if he would ever forgive him for running out like that.But first he’d swing by Brickyard Pizza and pick up a large Hawaiian apology pizza.

The pizza took longer to get than Nolan anticipated so his nerves were on edge.He wanted to get on the road ASAP.It was already getting quite late and he didn’t want Rick to have gone to bed before he could get there.He rocketed into his apartment’s parking lot and sprinted toward his building’s front door.He was fumbling with his keys so he could just stab his key into the lock and not waste precious time.He had wasted enough time already and he hoped it wasn’t too late.

“Where’s the fire?”

Nolan let out a high-pitched scream and threw his keys in the direction of the unexpected greeting.Rick was quick to duck out of the way but the keys flew far across the lawn.

“What the fuck?”Rick said between gales of laughter.“You are so damned jumpy.”

“You scared the shit out of me,Rick!”Nolan cracked a smile before laughing himself.

“Oh,man.You should have seen your face!You were like…”Rick made a hilarious startled face.Nolan dissolved into laughter and had to sit down on the apartment steps.“And that sound!Have you ever let the air out a balloon reeeeal slow?”Rick plopped down on the next step down from Nolan.

“Piss off,man.Scaring innocent people like that.You’re a lunatic!”

“A lunatic who comes bearing gifts…”

“I’m listening.”

“If you have a minute to talk,I brought pizza.”

Nolan’s face split in a huge smile.“I’d love a chance to talk.I,uh,actually just bought a pizza and I was planning on running it out to you.”

“For real?Great minds think alike.”

“Yup.”The two men smiled at each other.Nolan felt his heart flutter.“But if you want to eat,you have to help me find my keys.”

“Oh,shit.Okay.You go back and forth and I’ll go up and down.”

“That’s what she said.”

“It’s a search grid,you freak!”Rick said with a smile.“Now hurry up.I’m starving!”

The keys were found within a few minutes thanks to the streetlights gleaming off the metal.After Nolan retrieved his pizza from the car the two men climbed the stairs to the apartment.Nolan handed Rick two plates while he sat about pouring them sodas.

Rick opened the top box and plated some pizza for both of them.“I don’t see Cameron.When’s he getting back?”

Nolan placed the cups on the table.“Now,don’t spit this all over me.”

Rick smiled.“Promise.”

“I don’t know where Cam is,honestly.I’ve been a pretty shitty friend lately.I don’t know what he’s been up to.I didn’t even think to ask.”

“Oh.I know the feeling.I’ve been a pretty shitty dad lately.I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

“No freaking joke.”

“Look,Nolan.I have to get this off my chest right now or I never will.I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?Why are you sorry?”

“I feel really gross about what went down.Like,I feel I took advantage of our friendship.I shouldn’t have flirted with you and I shouldn’t have let it go so far.I don’t want to be that guy.”

“It’s not like that.”

“It was pretty obvious it was just like that.You came out of that bathroom and you looked so freaked out.I knew right then that I messed up big time.”

“It wasn’t you that I was freaked out about.I was the one who kissed you,remember?”

“I’ll never forget it.”

Nolan blushed before continuing.“I liked that you liked me.I wanted you to like me.I wanted to kiss you.I really,like really liked kissing you.I just don’t think I’m gay.”

Rick’s brow furrowed and his expressive mouth contorted in unspoken dialog before he bowed his head and began picking at the toppings on his slice of pizza.

“Hey,look at me please.”

Rick raised his head and looked at Nolan with eyes gone watery around the edges.

Nolan borrowed a cue from the guys in the restaurant and slid his hand across the table.“Please get this clear in your mind.I’m definitely not gay in general but I’m for sure,without a doubt very,very gay for you.”

Rick’s eyes flashed in joy and his goofy grin grew.He squeezed Nolan’s hand.“What does that mean?”

Nolan stood up and walked over to the seated Rick,leaned forward and gave him an intimate but tender kiss.Nolan could feel his nerve endings come alive as Rick’s kiss sent tingles down his spine.Rick gasped as they parted only to reach up and grab Nolan’s head and bring him back down for more.He scooted his chair back and Nolan straddled him,his hands on the back of the chair as Rick’s strong arms wrapped around him.

“Tell me you mean it,”Rick said.

“Oh,I mean it.Come on.”