Doug smiled as he swallowed a bite of mint chocolate chip. “He’s really cute.”
Corey sighed. “Yeah. He knows it, too. Got me by the balls.”
Doug laughed. “Did you get my text?”
Corey nodded.
“Think you’ll go down tomorrow night?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”
“I could go through your closet and find you something to wear,” Doug said.
Corey laughed. “I don’t need any help in that department. I look good in anything.”
“You can bring Zach.”
Corey gave Doug a pointed look and rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Dad. You don’t have to over-sell it. If I feel like it, I’ll go to the show.”
Doug nodded. “The bass player is a friend of Jairo’s. He’ll be there with his boyfriend and a bunch of friends.”
Corey’s eyes widened. “Jairo who hates me? Oh, wow, now I
really
want to go. I suppose Stewart is going, too. You want to round up a few more of my exes? They can form a line and take turns smacking me in the face.”
“Nobody hates you,” Doug said. “I’d really like it if you’d go.”
Corey’s expression softened just a hair. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll think about it. How are things with Stewart?”
Doug had to struggle not to flinch, instead making his body language casual as he leaned back in the chair. “He’s good. He’s been really busy with work.”
Corey laughed. “Please. That’s not what I meant and you know it. I know you guys are together.”
Doug set his ice cream down on the table. He sighed, resting his arms on his thighs. “A year ago my life blew up, and everything I thought I was, everything about how I expected my life to be was just...gone in in instant. I had to start from scratch, mentally, physically, emotionally.” He chuckled. “
Financially
. Everything required a reboot. It’s been a long time since I’ve been happy, Corey. I didn’t think I ever would be again. But with Stewart...I am. Happy.”
Corey shifted toward Doug, curling one leg under him, resting his elbow on the back of the couch. He stared at Doug thoughtfully for a long moment before speaking. “I’ve been exactly where you are, you know. Where you were. My life blew up once, too, in the past. I had to crawl out from the bottom and rebuild everything.”
Doug nodded. “Will you tell me what happened?”
Corey shrugged, casting his eyes down. “From the time I was a kid I wanted to be a psychiatrist. I could always tell when someone was...troubled. I found I had a talent for getting them to talk. And it seemed to make them feel better. So I worked my ass off, and got into med school.” He sighed, fidgeting with the hem of his pants. He looked at Doug and grinned, but his expression showed a flicker of pain. “Twas not to be, I’m afraid.”
“What happened?”
Corey laughed. “Well, the term they used was ‘psychotic break’. The term I use is ‘revelation’. I don’t want to rehash everything. But in the end, I got booted from school, lost a lot of friends, had to start from scratch and try to have faith in myself. Like you said, everything I thought I was, and was going to be, was gone in an instant.”
Doug nodded. “Things rarely turn out the way we expect, do they?”
Corey belly laughed. “Not lately, Doug. Not lately.”
Doug chuckled. “But you’re happy? With Zach?”
“Zach.” Corey grinned. “Zachary has the most
amazing
energy. It just flows over me like...like I don’t know what. But when we’re alone together, I have the best time. It’s like when I’m with him, I don’t need anything else. I’ve never felt that way before.”
Surprised, Doug raised his eyebrows. “Wow.”
“He’s far too young for me of course. I’m sure he’ll dump me eventually.”
Doug laughed. “Optimism. Good.”
“Yeah, you should talk,” Corey said. “When I met you, you were a festering ball of negative stink.”
“How’s my energy now?”
Corey scowled. “Annoying. I can feel your happy love vibes, it’s disgusting.”
“Thank you. Do you want to watch Thor?”
Corey glanced at the screen. “Um...” He scratched the back of his head. “Yeah okay, fuck it, I’ll watch it again.”
Doug hit the remote, starting the movie. “Don’t tell me what happens.”
“Don’t worry,” Corey said. “I won’t tell you how Thor dies.”
“He better not die, I’m gonna be pissed.”
They picked up their ice cream and watched the movie in companionable silence. Doug could hardly believe he’d pulled it off, making peace with Corey. When he’d gotten home that night he’d been convinced it was a lost cause.
But things rarely worked out the way you expected. Once in a while, they worked out even better.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Binomial Theorem was one of two bands playing, the opening band now onstage. The nightclub was packed, so they weren’t able to get a table, instead hanging out in a cluster near one of the bars. Jairo was there with Rod, Isla and Madison, and at least five other people that Doug didn’t know. The mood was festive and Doug was feeling good, smiling every time he heard Stewart’s deep, hearty laugh.
Stewart was a few feet away having a conversation with Madison, who as it turned out, he knew, as he’d installed new plumbing in her house awhile back.
“Hey Cranky, your man is hot,” Jairo said, sidling up to him.
“You think so? That’s not what you said the first night we saw him.”
“Ha, yeah.” Jairo laughed. “I had the sun in my eyes that night. In the form of a tall blond with killer abs.”
Doug grinned. “I might as well warn you, the
sun
might show up tonight.”
Jairo’s jaw dropped. “Corey’s coming here?”
Rod had just walked up, and now he looked back and forth between Jairo and Doug. “Who’s Corey?”
“You don’t want to know,” Jairo said.
“Corey’s my upstairs neighbor and my boyfriend’s ex-boyfriend who slept with Jairo once because they had an open relationship but it didn’t mean anything and Jairo loves you very much.”
Rod huffed out a laugh.
“You asshole!” Jairo said, giving Doug’s shoulder a shove. “You’re turning into your brother, Wyatt, he never knows when to shut his trap. I should...” Jairo paused, staring into the crowd. “Speak of the devil.”
Doug turned and spotted Corey and Zach coming through the crowd. Doug waved, and Corey turned and headed in their direction. Corey looked like a supermodel in cream colored slacks and a tight, silky black shirt.
Zach looked good as well, wearing jeans and his usual muscle clinging tee shirt, but he also looked terrified, trailing behind Corey like a spanked puppy.
“You slept with
him
?” Rod muttered, watching Corey approach. “I’ve never felt so ugly in all my life.”
Jairo patted Rod’s cheek. “You’re beautiful and you know it.”
“Hey,” Corey said when he reached them, eyes on Doug alone. “You remember Zachary.”
“Yeah,” Doug said. “Hi, Zach.”
Zach finally stepped out of Corey’s shadow and eased forward. “Hi, Doug.”
“This is Rod,” Doug said. “This is Corey and Zach.”
“Hi.” Corey shook Rod’s hand.
“Hey,” Rod said, shaking his hand stiffly.
“And you remember Jairo.”
Corey smiled and nodded politely.
“Hey, Corey,” Jairo said. “How’s the jackhammer?”
Corey laughed, and Rod’s mouth fell open as he looked at Jairo.
“Don’t worry,” Doug said to Rod. “He’s not talking about his cock.”
“How have you been, Jairo?” Corey asked.
“Good, good. And you?”
“Not bad. This is my boyfriend, Zach.”
Jairo reached over and shook Zach’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“What do you want to drink?” Zach asked Corey. “I’ll go up.”
“Rum and coke,” Corey said, giving Zach’s shoulder a squeeze. “Thanks.”
“I’ll go with you,” Jairo said. “We haven’t gotten around to braving the bar yet.”
Zach and Jairo went to the bar to fetch drinks, and Corey stared up at the band, hands in his pockets. He was stiffer than Doug had ever seen him, his usual vibrant confidence missing.
Then Doug noticed Corey stealing wary glances at Stewart, who still talked with Madison over at the other end of the bar.
“Corey.”
He turned. “What?”
“Please go say hi to Stewart and get it over with so I can unclench my butt.”
Corey smirked at him. “He can just as easily come say hi to me.”
“Okay.” Doug took a sip of beer. “Pussy.”
“Seriously?” Corey said. “You think you’re gonna manipulate
me
? I invented that shit.”
“Pussy.”
Corey smirked. “Fine. I’ll go say hi to Stewart.”
“Thank you. You can kiss him, but no tongue.”
Corey shook his head and made his way over to Stewart. Doug watched as they greeted each other, first with awkward feet shuffling and slaps on the shoulder. Then they embraced, hugging each other tightly for several seconds before stepping back. Madison and Isla hovered by, gazing at Corey with interest, and Stewart moved on to introductions. Corey visibly relaxed once the distraction of other people was added to the mix.
“I don’t know how you can handle that.”
Doug turned to Rod, who he’d forgotten was standing beside him. “Handle what?”
“Your boyfriend being tight with his ex.” He laughed. “Joking with Corey about not using tongue and all that? You’re far more understanding than I could ever be.”
Doug shrugged. “You gotta trust someone sometime. They’re either gonna fuck you over or they’re not. Can’t live in fear, and all that, or you’ll miss out.”
“Well, I admire your worldview,” Rod said. “I for one don’t want Jairo anywhere
near
that guy.”
Doug watched Zach, armed with two drinks, skirt through the crowd toward Corey. When he reached him he handed Corey the drink, stepping deliberately in front of Stewart, giving him his back.
Stewart glanced over at Doug and grinned. He rolled his eyes, pointing at Zach behind his back.
“Yeah, well, you’re not the only jealous one here tonight, Rod. I think Zach’s got you beat by a mile.”
Jairo returned with two drinks, handing one to Rod. “This place is crazy, that bartender was totally ignoring me. I had to wave a hundred dollar bill just to get her attention.”
The opening band had left the stage, and they all looked up as Binomial Theorem was introduced to wild cheers from the crowd. The band stepped on stage in their geek chic ensembles and readied their instruments. The singer took the microphone off the stand. “Hello, Boston!”
As the night wore on and the music took over, their varied friend groups melded and mingled. Corey charmed everyone he met, as well as acquiring new friends and fans among people in the crowd. Corey’s confidence seemed to have returned, and Doug started to feel like things were...almost normal again. The players had shifted around on the chessboard, but everyone was still in the game.
And he felt happy, especially with the way Stewart kept resting his arms on Doug’s shoulders when he leaned in to speak in his ear, periodically kissing him fast on the mouth.
By the time the band went off stage, Corey had gathered a posse that included Jairo’s friends plus a few new recruits, and announced he was having people back to his place for after-party drinks. Doug looked at Stewart. “You want to go?” he asked softly.
“Not particularly,” Stewart said. “But I get the feeling I’ll be making too much of a statement if I don’t. Can we make a deal?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll stay at your place tonight. But I only want to have one drink upstairs. Then we’re out of there.”
“Deal,” Doug said. “You okay with this? Handling it okay?”
Stewart grinned, tugging Doug in by his belt loop. “Are
you
handling it okay?”
“Yeah,” Doug said. “I’m okay. But are you?”
Stewart nodded, pulling him closer. “I’m having fun with you. Everything else is just noise.”
****
Corey’s apartment was crazy with music and drunken laughter. The king himself sat propped on the arm of a chair in the living room, above the crowd. Jairo, surprisingly, was getting along with Corey, who’d made a point of showing Rod the ridiculous beefcake poster on his bedroom closet door once they arrived.
Corey reaching out to Rod while simultaneously poking fun at himself had done the trick, and Rod and Jairo both warmed up, and were now among the group sitting around Corey, laughing easily with the other guests. Doug suspected Corey knew exactly what he was doing, having sensed Rod’s discomfort. It was Corey, after all; probing other people’s emotions was his thing.
Even Zach seemed to be having a good time, hanging out with other guests instead of staying fused to Corey’s side. Zach was likely secure in the knowledge that he’d be the one sharing Corey’s bed once everyone left.
Stewart finished his one drink then gave Doug the signal, so they bid goodnight to everyone and made their way down the stairs. As Doug unlocked his apartment door, the other door at the top of the stairs opened, and Corey stepped out. “Hey, hang on.”
Stewart and Doug watched him trample down the stairs to the foyer. “What’s up, Corey?” Doug asked.
“I know you guys are off to bed, but can I have just one minute?” He paused. “With Doug?”
Stewart’s eyebrows rose.
“Do you mind, Stewart?” Corey asked.
Stewart shook his head. “Nope. Take your time.” He smiled at Doug and went inside the apartment, shutting the door.
Doug frowned at Corey. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Just wanted to...” Corey leaned in and grabbed Doug’s face, surprising the hell out of him.
Then Corey kissed him, long and deep on the mouth.
Doug was so surprised he didn’t have time to process it, the press of soft lips, a quick lick of tongue. A shiver of pleasure mingled with shock zinged through his body, then Corey broke the kiss, stepping back.
Doug stumbled slightly, senses reeling.
“Don’t worry,” Corey said. “That’s the last time I’ll ever kiss you.”
Doug let out a breath. “What...the hell...was that for?” Doug wiped his mouth, lips still tingling from the kiss. “Why?”