Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Oh, Jesus Christ. “Do you want that motherfucker back?” I ask, making a right turn.
“What?” This makes Gary jerk upward into a straight position. “No!”
“Good. He’s a stuck-up dickhead. You can do better.”
“By better, you mean like you?”
“Yes, exactly like me. We make a hot fake couple.”
We both laugh, and it helps relieve some of the tension.
It doesn’t take us long to arrive at Two Urban Licks. When we do, I drop the car off at the valet and meet Gary on the sidewalk. His eyes are a little wider than they were in the car, and I have a feeling the reality of this is starting to hit both of us.
What is going to happen at this dinner? How long will it tie us together? And how fucking ridiculous will we look if what we’re doing gets out?
“We got this,” I tell him. “We’re in it together.” And then I lace my fingers with his and hold his hand. As I open the door, I realize this is the first time I’ve held a man’s hand like this.
***
Gary takes a drink of his Chardonnay and sets his glass down. “Oh my God. Les Mis is incredible! I can’t believe you don’t like it! I don’t know if I can continue this friendship with you.” Gary playfully turns his back on Steven’s partner Raymond. They became best fucking friends in about two seconds flat—which is a good thing. I know that, but hell, they’re going to like Gary more than they like me. That’s a little scary since Gary is temporary.
“Uh oh,” Steven says.
Raymond laughs. “I didn’t say I don’t like it. I just think it’s overrated.”
“I feel like I don’t even know you right now.” Both Raymond and Steven chuckle at Gary this time. He’s a fucking hit. Reaching over, I wrap my arm around him and squeeze his shoulder.
“It’s okay, baby. I know it’s your favorite, but remember, we all have different tastes and that’s what makes everyone special.” Really, I had no fucking clue it was his favorite until Raymond brought the subject up. “I’ll see it with you anytime you want.”
“Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity.” Gary looks my way and smiles. We haven’t talked business at all yet tonight. I haven’t wanted to be the one to bring it up, but I have to admit, I’m feeling a little on edge. It’s obvious they’re having a good time, though. The conversation hasn’t slowed at all, and Gary has played his role well. There’s a part of me that thinks if this happens, it will be because they like him so much, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Thankful, obviously, but there’s a little twist of discomfort there too.
Steven asks about family. I tell them I’m the oldest of three boys, and my parents and siblings are all in Atlanta. It’s not a subject I’m real excited to discuss, and the nerves eating away at my gut just spread more. The last thing I want is pity. If I get this investment, I don’t want it to be because my parents—well, mom and stepfather—want nothing to do with me because I won’t deny who I am. I want it to be because they respect the work I do and have faith in my ability…or I guess because they think I have a boyfriend they like.
“What about you, Gary?” Steven asks. I feel him briefly tense up and wonder what that’s about.
“My mother and father are just outside the city, up in Ashwood County. I have one sister.” I didn’t know that about him. He also probably didn’t know about my brothers. It makes me realize that, in a lot of ways, we’re still strangers. We live in the same complex and were thrust together into this partnership, but we don’t really know anything about each other.
This shit could go really fucking wrong.
More than that, I realize I’m curious about the set of his shoulders when family was mentioned. Does he love theater or just Les Mis? Why the hell is he like Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to sex?
Gary and Raymond break off into their own conversation. Steven watches his partner for a moment, and I can see the love and devotion for him in the way he looks at him. It makes me shift in my seat to look at Gary. He’s smiling bigger than I’ve ever seen him smile, talking animatedly with his hands. Raymond reaches over and touches his hand and laughs at what Gary said.
I’ve never seen this side of him before, though I guess I haven’t seen most sides of Gary. It makes me curious about him, makes intrigue dig its claws in a little deeper. For some reason, I want to know more about him. What makes him tick?