The Adonis of Weho (24 page)

“Anything wrong?” Smith asked, leaning against Reese’s back.

“Yes. You.” Reese took out his mobile phone and dialed.

“Hello?”

“Mom? We’re at the restaurant. Are you here yet?”

“Yes. We’re at a booth in the east dining room. We told the hostess we were expecting you.”

“She’s…” Reese looked back at Smith, who gave him a curious gaze in return, then Reese checked the hostess again.

“She’s useless.” Her sites were locked on Smith.

“I’ll send your father to get you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” He flipped closed his phone and tried to draw Smith away from the entrance to look for his father.

“What’s happening?” Smith asked.

“My dad is coming to get us. They’re already seated in the dining room.”

~

Adonis tried to acknowledge all the strange stares. He said through his teeth, “Aren’t you overdoing it a bit, Dad?”

“Huh?” Reese leaned close, his arm around the small of Adonis’ back.

“Nothing.” Adonis faced Reese, hoping to avoid all the attention.

“There he is.” Reese grabbed Adonis’ hand and led him to a smartly dressed man in his fifties with full gray hair, wearing designer eyeglass frames, waving at him.

“Hi, Reese.” The man gave Reese a hug and peck on the cheek.

“Dad, this is Smith Gold.”

Smith extended his hand. “So nice to meet you, sir.”

“Well!” The older man shook Smith’s hand vigorously.

“Very nice to finally meet the man who is going to marry my son.” He shot Reese a sly look.

“All right. Don’t start on me.” Reese nudged his father.

“Where’s Mom?”

“I’ll show you.”

Adonis glanced at the tables as he passed. Everyone was staring at him. He tried to ignore it and again cursed his father for making him some ridiculous mortal superstar. It wasn’t exactly low profile when needing to stay invisible was the point. The room was crowded and white bench seats faced each other in cozy booths. The walls were textured with vertical lines and lit from a recessed lighting at the seam of ceiling and wall. Plain artwork depicting red abstracts were hung wherever there was not a window. And there were windows in every other booth, creating a sunny airy feel to the room.

Adonis noticed an attractive woman with long brown hair and bright clothing waiting at one of the booths, seated behind a dark wood table. Her expression altered the moment she and Adonis met eyes, and Adonis knew immediately which side of Reese’s family the god blood came from.

“Mom?” Reese went to make the introductions.

“Wings?” she said, her eyes wide. “He has wings!”

“Oh shit.” Reese nudged Adonis into the booth first, scooting him over as he sat down.

“What, Iris? Wings?” Reese’s father asked as he sat next to her.

“Mom…” Reese held up his hands to quiet her.

“Iris?” Adonis asked, “Are you the daughter of Elektra and Thaumas?”

“Reese?” she asked, looking very upset. “What on earth is going on?”

Reese glanced at Adonis in distraction and asked, “Who?”

“Iris.” Adonis pointed to a pin on Iris’ shirt. “The rainbow. That’s her symbol.”

“That’s PFLAG.” Reese looked back at his mother. “I can explain.”

“Peeflag?” Adonis tilted his head.

“Reese? What’s your mother talking about?”

“You can’t see them, Ben?” Iris pointed.

Reese batted her hand down. “Mom!”

“May I get you anything to drink?” A young waiter approached them.

Adonis sat straight and tried to get over the confusion. No one spoke and they all stared at the poor waiter as he stared back. “No? Do you need another minute?”

Iris said quickly, “I’d like a martini, please.”

Ben looked at her. “You never drink.”

“Let her, Dad.” Reese shook his head.

“I was going to get us a bottle of wine…”

“Okay…” Reese wrung his hands nervously.

“Oh, look. They have ambrosia here.” Adonis pointed to a drink in the menu. “I’d like the Justin, please.”

Reese rubbed his face appearing to be anxious. “What did you just order?”

“Stoli blueberry and Red Bull.” Adonis pointed to the item on the menu. “See? They named it Justin. How bizarre.” Adonis looked up to smile at Reese’s parents and caught them both giving him intense gazes. It set him back and his smile dropped.

“One for me too. Dad? Forget the wine.”

His father looked as flustered as the rest of them. “Just water. I have no idea what I want.”

“I’ll be back with your drinks.”

Iris did not look happy. “What the hell’s going on here, Reese? What is he?”

“Iris!” Ben seemed appalled by her behavior.

“Mom…”

Adonis rested his arms on the table to speak to her on a serious level. “Iris. I’m Adonis.”

“Adonis does not have wings.” She mimicked his posture.

“He does if he has a wicked step-mother.” Adonis peered up at the ceiling timidly.

“What the hell are you two discussing?” Ben leaned closer.

“Adonis?”

“Oh God, just shoot me.” Reese slouched in the seat.

“Don’t even joke about that.” Adonis gave the area another scan in paranoia.

“Reese, you better tell me what’s going on before I scream.”

“Mom!” Reese sat up in alarm. “Calm down. Sheesh.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down when you bring a man with wings to meet us and tell us you’re marrying him next weekend.”

“Wings?” Ben asked, “Did she just say Smith has wings?”

“You can’t see them?” Iris asked her husband. “Ben, they’re enormous white wings. You seriously can’t see them?”

“Mom!” Reese repeated and tried to quiet her.

Adonis sank emotionally.

~

Panic didn’t begin to describe how Reese was feeling. The last thing he expected was for his mother to have a problem with Smith, wings or no wings. She had been so understanding about his being gay.

Just as he was about to give her a piece of his mind, the waiter appeared, setting down their drinks.

Reese sat back and gave his mother a look that could kill as he waited.

“…and water for you.” The waiter set a glass of water with lemon in front of Ben. “Can I let you know our daily specials?”

Reese tried to split his attention from the waiter to his mother to Smith, who was sinking low in the seat beside him.

“We have panko crusted trout, served with an asiago cream sauce, which comes with steamed asparagus with parmesan shavings and mashed potatoes.” He smiled. “And for Smith Gold we have hot chicken wings skewered with an arrow.”

“What?” Reese gasped and felt sweat break out on his forehead.

The waiter appeared surprised and repeated, “I said, and our special wood fired pizza is barbeque pulled-pork with smoked mozzarella.”

“That’s the one.” Smith pointed to him. “Pork.”

The waiter nodded and asked, “Does everyone else need a moment?”

Ben said, “I’ll have the halibut.” He handed the waiter his menu.

Iris looked over hers. “The penne shrimp.”

“And you, sir?” The waiter looked at Reese.

Reese was so nervous he didn’t even know if he was hungry.

“Um. Just give me the special pizza.” He picked up his drink and threw it back in one gulp. “And another one of these.” He handed the waiter the glass.

“Very good.” The waiter took the menus and empty glass, and left.

“Are you driving?” Ben asked.

“No. We walked from Smith’s house.”

Iris crossed her arms and looked annoyed.

“She looks just like Joan Collins when she does that, doesn’t she?” Smith said, “You’re a pistol.”

“Someone better start talking.” Iris stared directly at Smith.

“Let me.” Smith put his hand on Reese’s leg, giving him a glance before he did.

Reese nodded.

Smith held up his drink and finished it the same way Reese had, then set it down. “Iris.”

“Yes,” she responded flatly.

“I am desperately in love with your son.”

Reese was disarmed completely and put his arm around Smith’s upper back, ironically, leaning on his crazy wings. Smith continued, “He and I are meant to be. There is no question he is my forever mate.”

Ben said, “I should have ordered a martini.”

Reese put his finger to his lips to shush him, then caressed Smith’s hair gently.

“There’s no way to explain love, Iris.” Smith rested his elbows on the table again to speak softly in the noisy room.

“What we look like, what we are, whom we love—these are all out of one’s control in matters of Eros. No matter what I am saddled with,” Smith peered up at the ceiling and scowled, “your son has seen through my defect to the real me.”

“And who is the real you?” Ben asked, appearing bewildered. The waiter brought out a basket of bread and Reese’s drink. Ben said, “I’ve decided to have a martini.”

“Very good.” The waiter picked up Smith’s empty glass.

“Another round for him too.” Reese pointed to Smith. He nodded and left.

Smith resumed his conversation. “Listen to me, Iris. You two are all we have as far as family supporting us.”

“Is it any wonder?” She sipped her drink.

Smith pointed to the rainbow pin. “You respect diversity.”

“Yes.”

“Then why should you reject me simply because of my flaw.”

Reese watched his mother digest the information.
Yeah, but,
Smith…wings? That’s too much for anyone to accept, isn’t it?

What he thought, and what he said, were not the same thing.

“Mom, I love him no matter what.”

Ben rubbed his jaw. “What am I not getting here? What flaw?

The guy is prettier than Trudy.”

Smith looked to Reese for an explanation.

“My sister.”

He nodded. “Thank you,” he said to Ben and returned his attention to Iris. “What’s it going to be, Iris? Are you going to join the army out to tear us apart? Or be an ally?”

“When Reese said you were from Greece, I didn’t think he meant mythology.”

Ben choked on his sip of water.

“Yes. We’re a mixed couple.” Smith grinned. “Real and imagined.”

Iris cracked a smile. “So you’re just a figment?”

“See for yourself.” Smith extended his hand.

She touched his fingers, noticing his engagement ring—the band of gold with a crescent shaped diamond set in it. Reese held his breath. What if Smith was just a hologram?

What if he wasn’t even real?

Smith brought Iris’ hand to his lips to kiss.

“Wow.” She laughed. “Welcome to the family, Smith.”

Grinning devilishly, Smith gave Reese’s thigh a squeeze.

“Don’t flirt with my mom. It’s icky.”

“She’s lovely. A goddess indeed.”

When Smith looked up, Reese spotted the waiter with their fresh drinks and another man holding a tray of their food.

“Right…” He began setting things on the table. “More of Justin for the hunk with wings…”

Reese gasped and looked at the waiter who grinned at him.

“Martini for the gentleman.” He placed it in front of Ben.

“And your food.”

Reese leaned on Smith to whisper, “One of yours?”

“Yes. That’s Dionysus. He’ll get us all drunk.”

Sitting back as the food was served, Reese caught the waiter’s wink.

Chapter 19

Adonis walked out of the restaurant holding a tipsy Iris around her waist.

“You didn’t have to pay, Smith.” She leaned against him.

“Who carries that much cash?”

“It’s a magic bag. I just keep reaching in and more green comes out.” He looked over his shoulder to see Reese speaking to his father behind them. Though it was nearing ten, the area was well lit by street lights and a full moon. “Where did you park?” Adonis asked.

“Just around the corner.”

He felt her caressing his wings gently and wished his own mother was this kind. Maybe she was. He didn’t get to know Myrrha very well. His childhood was a colossus-sized mess. His mother had slept with her father to get pregnant. Another story mortals would ban no doubt if they thought it through. Taboos—

mortals’ number three obsession behind numerics and semantics. They met up at a black Mercedes where Adonis and Iris stood holding each other affectionately.

Ben said, “I think the whole family can make it. I spoke to Trudy and Jake and they had nothing planned this weekend and the kids are out of school for summer.”

“Very good.” Adonis hugged Iris.

“Hey, don’t make me jealous.” Reese laughed.

“You?” Ben chuckled. “She’ll be thinking of your fiancé as she’s banging me.”

“Dad!” Reese choked.

Iris said to Adonis, “You’d think he’d be used to that language. Did he tell you what he writes? Pure gay smut. Love it.”

Adonis laughed. “I’ve yet to read one. I intend to. The dirtier the better.”

“You’ll have to excuse my parents, Smith. They’re children of the sixties.” Reese rolled his eyes.

“Yes. I know what they are. I loved that era in American history. Orgies were all the rage.”

Iris smiled at him sweetly. “You’re a find, wings and all.”

Adonis caught Reese looking at his father for his reaction. Ben threw up his hands. “She sees wings. Maybe you’re my son’s guardian angel.”

“He’s mine!” Adonis released Iris and went for Reese. When they kissed, pecking lightly, Iris said, “You can do better than that, Reese.”

“Time to go.” Ben scooped Iris up and walked her to the passenger’s side. “So you’ll make all our flight arrangements and hotel reservations?”

“We have a wedding planner.” Adonis held Reese close with one arm around his waist.