Rainbow Blues (10 page)

He pulled into the parking lot. The Wheelhouse had been a staple when Zach was a kid and they frequently had Sunday brunch here as a family. It was a little old and a little run-down, just like Luke was. It also attracted a large number of elderly folk, who likely gravitated to it for the same reason he and his little family had been regulars: tasty, filling food that was reasonably priced and prepared by someone else.

Not that Luke was particularly extravagant now that he had a financial cushion, but The Wheelhouse was so average, he’d never bothered going back on his own. Zach loved it, though.

A quick scan of the parking lot confirmed Zach was already here. Luke was only a few minutes late. He had no intention of explaining to his son that he’d been on his knees blowing someone rather longer than he intended this morning. Not that he’d minded. Once he got up close and personal with Jimmy’s dick, it had seemed such a shame to rush things. Jimmy’s dick was….

“Excuse me.”

Luke blinked and stepped out of the way of a stooped, white-haired man with a walker. “Sorry.”

An unexpected chuckle threatened to escape. He wondered if Jimmy would find it funny that he’d almost gotten run over by an octogenarian on his way to Sunday brunch with his son because he was too busy fantasizing about Jimmy’s dick. But that was yet another thing he wasn’t going to explain to Zach. Hell, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to mention Jimmy at all. It was too new, too perfect, a soap bubble ready to burst if he did the wrong thing.

No, he’d wait and see how things went before he mentioned Jimmy to his son.

Once he stopped daydreaming, he made it to the door before the guy with the walker, and stood for a few minutes, holding the door open, until the old guy made his way along the heavily salted sidewalk to the entrance.

“Dad!”

Luke glanced around and saw Zach waving at him over a sea of blue hair. The Wheelhouse was busier than normal; there must have been some special church function that brought the oldsters out in droves. Luke refused to go for brunch—at The Wheelhouse at least—on any major holidays for that very reason.

Zach was tall enough that Luke was able to follow his progress across the room. When the sea of people parted, Zach hugged him.

“Hey. How are you?”

The moment Zach moved away, Ryan appeared and hugged him, too. “Oh, hey, Ryan.”

This wasn’t the first time Ryan had shown up to one of his and Zach’s weekends, but it had been happening more of late. Luke got the sense that Ryan was under some sort of stress and being around him and Zach eased it. He didn’t mind. Ryan was a good kid, for all the roadblocks his parents had put in front of him.

“You sure you want to stay? It looks like it could be a long wait.” Luke didn’t have any objection to spending time with his son, but now that he’d decided he needed to go bed shopping, he didn’t want to spend precious time simply waiting around in a room filled with too much echoing conversation to even talk to Zach.

“Nah, we got here like twenty minutes ago. We should be getting a table soon.”

“Kid, you’ve got an unnatural love for this place.”

Ten minutes later, Luke had a plate in hand, staring at the buffet offerings. He wasn’t a huge fan of buffets either, but the unlimited nature helped fill up a boy with a hollow leg. Or a young man. Zach’s metabolism hadn’t slowed a bit, not like Luke’s had.

Waffles. Had he burned off enough energy with Jimmy to have waffles? Meeting Jimmy gave him even greater incentive to not overeat, but he did love waffles. With real maple syrup. And chocolate chips. Whipped cream. Strawberry compote. All together.

“Hi, LJ.” Ryan had come up behind him, standing close enough to touch. But then, there wasn’t a lot of room to maneuver with all the people. If he wanted waffles, he should probably get in line or he’d be here all day.

He rubbed at his stomach with his free hand. Didn’t feel too plush, and Jimmy hadn’t minded, not based on how often his lips ended up there.

“Are you feeling okay?”

Luke snatched his hand away from his belly. “Uh, fine. Just trying to decide if….” So embarrassing. “If I should have waffles. Fruit might be wiser.”

“But not as much fun.” Ryan’s tone was playful.

“True.” Luke’s hand found his belly again and patted it. “But I gotta watch the waistline.”

“Oh, no you don’t. You’re in great shape.” Ryan’s emphatic tone held no doubt, and he turned his head to smile down at Ryan.

“Thank you. I appreciate that. Maybe a couple of waffles wouldn’t hurt.” Especially not if he was seeing Jimmy again tomorrow.

“Do it. I know you want it.”

Luke frowned. Jimmy had said almost the same thing this morning when feeding him his dick. Hearing those same words in almost the same tone of voice from Ryan was just wrong.

“Dad, I can’t believe you’re not all over those waffles. They even have chocolate ice cream today at the dessert station.” Zach strode over, plate overflowing with cholesterol-laden bacon and sausage while Ryan stepped back.

That solved that dilemma. Luke didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but he loved throwing just about everything on his waffles, especially chocolate ice cream.

“Then I’m going in.”

Zach and Ryan headed back to the table while Luke moved into line. While he waited his turn, his cell phone buzzed.

Enjoying brunch?

Luke smiled. He didn’t know why Jimmy thought he was fucking adorable. Jimmy was the cute one of them. He hadn’t expected Jimmy to contact him while he was busy with preparations for the matinee performance, but he was glad Jimmy had felt the need to connect. He set his empty plate down so he could reply; he’d never quite managed the knack of texting one-handed.

Waffles. Syrup. Ice cream. It’s all good.

Together? Yuck.

Don’t knock it until you try it.

I couldn’t eat that. Not unless you want a very fat Jimmy.

I think we could find a way to work it off.

Luke’s cheeks heated. It was one thing to think it, but quite another to see it on the screen.

Naughty, naughty. I’ll hold you to that. Tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

“If you’re just going to admire the waffles, move aside. I’m not getting any younger.”

Luke almost dropped his phone at the admonishment. He thought it might be the same old gent he’d held the door open for, but he couldn’t be upset. He
was
blocking the way, and the texts from Jimmy had put a smile on Luke’s face that wouldn’t easily be removed.

L
UKE
SLID
into his chair, plate piled high with waffles.

“That’s more like it, Dad.” Zach stole a chocolate chip from his plate, and Ryan smiled at him. “So, how was the play you went to see with Bennett? That was Friday, wasn’t it?”

Both Zach and Ryan had gotten along well with Bennett during their “man Christmas.” Zach had been thrilled to find out Luke made a friend at the Rainbow Blues and had been smug as shit once he realized his gift to Luke had paid out dividends. If things worked out with Jimmy, Zach would probably take credit for that as well, since Luke wouldn’t have met Jimmy if it weren’t for Rainbow Blues and Bennett.

“It was great. A lot of fun. You should go see it.” He glanced at Ryan, including him. He wasn’t sure if either of them could appreciate the core story. It had resonated so well with him, since it mirrored his own life, but maybe a pair of straight twentysomethings wouldn’t have the same visceral reaction.

The vibration in his pocket signaling another text made Luke’s smile even wider. It probably wasn’t from Jimmy, but the possibility that it might be made him feel as giddy as a teenager.

Ryan smiled back, before slowly biting into a strawberry. Zach, on the other hand, tilted his head.

“You look different today. Happier.”

Luke lifted a shoulder and tried to appear nonchalant.

“Are you seeing someone?”

Both he and Ryan froze, food partway to their mouths.

“Uh.” He didn’t want to lie to his son, but neither did he want to talk about Jimmy yet.

“Dad, it’s okay, you know. If you want to start dating, I’ll be fine with it. Honestly, I’d worry less about you if you were.”

Zach worried about him?

A memory of him on his couch right before Christmas flashed into his mind. Maybe his son had good reason to worry about him.

“I am happier, Zach. And I have you to thank. That Rainbow Blues group… well, it’s nice having friends I’ve got something in common with.”

“But what about a boyfriend? Bennett is good-looking and has a job.”

“It’s too soon to talk about boyfriends, and Bennett and I are friends only. Rainbow Blues isn’t a dating service.” Luke chuckled. Although he didn’t want to outright lie to his son, as a parent he had a hell of a lot of experience at half-truths.

Zach rolled his eyes. “I know it said that on the flyer, but c’mon. It seems ideal for meeting potential dates.”

Little did Zach know, Luke’s tastes in sexual partners didn’t run toward men like himself. Until he met Jimmy, he didn’t have a clear idea of what exactly his taste was, but he knew now, and it was a lithe, talkative actor.

“Maybe for some, but… but… I
was
thinking about dating again.”

Ryan gave him a wide smile. “And so you should. You’re still in your prime, LJ.”

“Thank you, Ryan.”

“You won’t have any trouble finding a man, Dad. I know it. And when you do, I want to meet him.”

Luke nodded. Zach had been supportive when he’d come out, but being supportive in the abstract was different than being confronted with the reality of a boyfriend.

“I’ll make sure I introduce you to any man I’m serious about.” Once again, dancing around the truth a bit. As soon as he was sure he and Jimmy had a future, he’d introduce them, and if this past weekend was any indication, it would be soon.

He scooped up a big bite of waffle and ice cream so he wouldn’t be tempted to set up a meeting with Jimmy now. Amazing, really, how ready he was to dive into a new relationship. Then again, he’d waited a long fucking time for the chance to be himself. There was no sense in waiting any longer to seize what he wanted out of life, and he got the idea Jimmy felt the same.

The conversation moved on to less sensitive topics, although Luke’s mind was never far from Jimmy and his planned shopping trip. Once the two boys went to the buffet for another round, Luke pulled out his phone and checked his texts. There were a couple from Jimmy, which he lingered over, pleased the matinee performance had gone well.

The one from Bennett was simply one word:
Details!

He laughed. He wasn’t quite ready to be that open with his sex life, but maybe Bennett could meet up with him after brunch, because he might not be able to easily set up his new bed on his own. King mattresses were big suckers.

Generalizations only! Can you meet up this afternoon?

Nope. Sister in town. Dinner/drinks tomorrow?

Nope. Date.

Details!

Later this week?

No matter how well things went with Jimmy, even if they found themselves wanting to spend every day together after such a short acquaintance, Luke suspected he’d be on his own most performance nights. Even Jimmy’s seemingly inexhaustible energy had to flag after a few days at his current frenetic pace.

Nope. Out of town job. Going to RB next Thurs?

Luke had only been to the one Rainbow Blues event, and he didn’t quite know what to expect, but they were indirectly responsible for him meeting Jimmy. More friends would be good, and he liked hanging out with Bennett. He’d played poker several times before but never attended a tournament.

Yeah. Prepare to lose.

Ha! I’m a shark! Let’s grab dinner together first.

Sure.

Luke didn’t want to give up the idea of a new bed to bring Jimmy home to, though. Maybe IKEA had some sort of service he could pay for to help set it up.

Zach and Ryan returned to the table, plates piled high, although Ryan’s food was far more health-conscious than Zach’s. Luke eyed them. Maybe he had some free labor right here.

“Say, if you guys aren’t busy, I was going to buy a new bed today. Maybe you could help me set it up, take the old one to the dump.”

Ryan wiggled an eyebrow. “A new bed?”

Luke tried desperately not to flush. Ryan hadn’t missed the connection between this errand and the earlier discussion about Luke dating. At least his own son still seemed oblivious.

“Dad, sorry, I’ve got another paper due. Can it wait?”

“Oh, don’t worry, Zach. I don’t have any plans this afternoon. I can help your dad.” Ryan smiled at him conspiratorially.

By sheer force of will, he refrained from rolling his eyes. The idea that his son’s friend was helping him get laid freaked him out a bit, but that wasn’t enough to prevent him from accepting Ryan’s help. Ryan wasn’t as strong as him or his son, but Luke was pretty sure he’d just need another set of hands, not Hercules.

“Thanks, Ryan, I appreciate it.”

After his date tomorrow, he’d be able to bring Jimmy over to his place.