Guys on Top 02 - Guys on the Side (25 page)

Doug nodded and set down his beer, picking his jacket up.

Tommy charged toward Corey, but Dewey blocked him like a brick wall, stepping in front of him. “You need to calm down, friend,” Dewey said.

“I’m not your friend, fuck face. Get the hell out of my way. It’s him I want to talk to. Corey, you think you can fuck with my family? Think again!”

“Cut the shit, Tommy!” Angelo shouted, his face flushing. “Back off, we’re leaving.”

“Not until I kick this fucker’s ass.”

“You can try,” Dewey said, moving in close enough to Tommy that their chests bumped. “But you’ll have to go through me first.”

Tommy glared at Dewey, his nostrils flaring. For a moment Corey was sure there would be punches thrown, but Tommy stepped back, his face crumbling, and for a moment it looked like he was going to cry.

Tommy turned to Angelo. “What is
wrong
with you?” He shook his head. “You break my fuckin heart, Angelo,” he said, then pushed through the crowd toward the door.

Corey watched Tommy leave the bar, then let out a long sigh. He looked at Angelo, who stared toward the door.

“Hey,” Corey said.

Angelo turned and met his eyes.

Corey smiled. “You okay there, Fredo?”

Chuckling, Angelo said, “I’m sorry.” He winced at Dewey. “I don’t know what else to say. I’m really sorry. And embarrassed.”

“It’s okay,” Corey said. “Don’t sweat it.”

Angelo nodded. He stared at Corey, still wearing that anguished expression. “I’d better go.”

Corey nodded.

Angelo held his eyes for another long moment, then turned and moved toward the door. Corey watched him until he left, then turned away, bending over with his palms on the edge of the pool table.

Doug patted his shoulder. “You all right?”

Shaking his head, he said, “I have a question. Did you guys ever get shit when you were younger for being gay?”

“Yeah,” Dewey said. “All the time. High School was a nightmare.”

Corey straightened and looked at Doug. “You?”

Doug shrugged. “Some, yeah.”

Corey found his legs were a bit unsteady, the adrenaline rush from the potential conflict having its way, so he moved to a nearby chair and sat.

“Why?” Dewey asked. “Didn’t you?”

Corey looked up and laughed. “No, actually. Never. Kids used to give me shit because I was tall.”

Doug laughed. “Because you were
tall
?”

“Yeah.” Corey nodded. “I reached my height early, at like fourteen. I was this beanpole, towering over everyone else. They called me Lurch and Gumby and shit. But that’s it. That’s all the bullying I’ve ever received.”

Doug sat down in the chair beside him. “Why are you telling us this?”

Corey glanced at Doug, then looked up at Dewey. “I’ve never had to deal with a Tommy before. Never been hated just for my sexuality.”

Dewey nodded. “It doesn’t feel good, does it?”

“No.” Corey shook his head slowly. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Shake it off,” Dewey said. “It’s just the way things are with some people.”

“I’m not worried about myself,” Corey said. “I can handle it. But what about Angelo? I’ve been living openly gay for years. But this shit is all new to him. I can’t even imagine what it’ll be like for him if he...”

“If he keeps seeing you?” Doug said.

Corey nodded, sighing.

“What, you think he’s gonna bail out now?”

“That’s the problem. I have no idea. I’m supposed to be making him dinner at my place tomorrow night. But now? After Zach yelling at him this morning, and then this shit with Tommy?” He looked at the floor. “Not even sure if he’s gonna show.”

“Maybe you should give him more credit,” Dewey said. “He seems like a good guy.”

Corey stared at the floor, his heart aching in a way it hadn’t done since he first met Stewart. “He’s not just a good guy. He’s a great guy.”

Dewey squatted down in front of Corey. “Hey. Asshole. You’re a great guy too. If Angelo wants to let you slip through his fingers, then guess what? He’s not so great after all.”

Corey grinned at Dewey, then looked at Doug. “What do you say we cut out the teen drama shit and play some pool?”

Dewey stood. “Sounds good to me. You break.”

Corey stood, wiping his hands, as though he could brush away the events of the past twenty minutes. “Okay.” He started gathering up the balls on the table. “I’ll break.”

They resumed their Sunday afternoon socialization, and no one mentioned Tommy Nardovino for the remainder of the day. Or Angelo. But Angelo never left Corey’s mind once, despite his attempts at distracting himself.

“I’ll break.”

The words kept repeating in his mind, taking on new meaning the more he thought about Angelo. With all Corey had endured lately, Angelo had dropped into his lap like a ray of hope, something good to counteract all the bullshit with Zach. And Corey had dared to believe Angelo might be that elusive thing he sought, the thing that would make him happy.

He thought about Tommy’s parting words.

“You break my fuckin heart, Angelo.”

Tommy Nardovino would get over his issues with Angelo eventually, Corey hoped. And Corey hoped that he himself would be able to shake it off, as Dewey had said.

But he wasn’t sure he’d be able to shake it off so easily if it was
his
heart Angelo ended up breaking.

Chapter Seventeen

Corey opened the fridge and peeked at the salmon he had marinating. He wasn’t sure whether to put it in the oven or not, because it was now after seven and he hadn’t heard a
word
from Angelo all day.

It wasn’t necessarily a harbinger of doom that Angelo hadn’t called to confirm their date. Corey, after all, hadn’t called him either. It was a kind of preemptive pride that’d prevented him from picking up the phone. If Angelo had decided not to pursue this thing they’d started, then Corey didn’t want to be the loser calling up to ask if he was still interested. Angelo should have to be the one to call. After what happened at Bernie’s yesterday, Angelo should have called.

Corey also grudgingly acknowledged that it was probably pride making his mind insist this potential blow-off had to be about Angelo’s used-to-be-straight status and subsequent cousin drama yesterday. Because if it wasn’t about that...well, Corey wasn’t used to being slighted by men. He was used to being pursued vigorously, and not having to do the brunt of the work.

But he wouldn’t mind doing the work with Angelo, if the guy was willing to meet him half way. Angelo was worth it, and Corey hadn’t felt this connected to someone in so long and where the hell
was
the fucking dude, anyway? He couldn’t at least call?

“Oh what the fuck.” Corey slammed the fridge door closed and moved to the kitchen table, sitting down with his phone out. “This is fucking stupid.” He wasn’t one to play games, and he wasn’t one to sit around checking his phone every five minutes to see if some guy had called.

Another ten minutes passed, and Angelo was officially late. Corey decided enough was enough, and didn’t bother to mask his irritation when he finally texted Angelo.

‘
Hey, Dumbass, are you still coming over or what? It would be polite to let me know
.’

Sent. There. Being an asshole helped Corey not to feel like such an asshole. Waiting around like a fucking chump.

His phone quacked with an incoming text. Steeling himself, he picked it up. It was Angelo, responding.

‘
Hey, Dumbass, I just pulled up outside your house. It would be polite to come down and greet your dumbass guest
.’

Corey grinned, sighing in relief.

Trudging down the stairs, he opened the front door just as Angelo was coming up the steps onto the porch, holding a brown paper bag. “Hey,” Angelo said. “Sorry I’m late, that wine shop on the corner was crazy crowded for a Monday night.”

Corey took the bag from him. “Yes, people around here like their wine. Thank you.”

His gaze breezed over Angelo, and his gut lurched pleasantly. Angelo had made an
effort
. He wore nice brown slacks with an olive green silk button down shirt that gave his complexion an added glow, eyes like gems set against his beautiful skin.

Corey had opted for an ‘I didn’t try too hard’ white button-down with jeans, but as Angelo’s own gaze traveled over him, he was pretty sure it had hit the mark.

“You look great,” Angelo said. “Are you gonna invite me in or am I on probation for being late?”

“I’ll give you a stay of execution because you look so fucking hot. Come on in.”

As he followed Corey up the stairs, Angelo said, “Did you think I was gonna blow you off?”

Corey chuckled as he led Angelo into his apartment and closed the door. “After yesterday? I’ll admit I wasn’t so sure. Come on in, take a load off.”

Corey moved to the kitchen counter and set down the wine.

Taking a seat at the table, Angelo said, “After yesterday, I wasn’t sure you’d still
want
me to come.”

“Really?” Corey pulled out a bottle of red and a bottle of white from the bag.

“Yes, really. Oh, and I wasn’t sure what you were making so I brought both red and white.”

Corey turned to face him. “I think we need a drink for this conversation.” He held up the bottles. “Red or white? I’m making salmon.”

Angelo gave Corey
the sex smile
, and it warmed him to his toes. “White, please.”

“You got it.”

They were silent as Corey uncorked the wine, poured two glasses, then moved over to the table. He set Angelo’s glass down, then sat down across from him.

“Thank you.” Angelo took a sip, eyes on Corey. “I nearly choked on my own tongue when I saw you at Bernie’s.”

Corey smiled slightly. “I can imagine. I had a similar response. Especially when I saw your cousin.”

“Eek. I am so sorry about that. Please apologize to your friends. I’ve never felt like such an ass in all my life.”

“Please,” Corey said. “It wasn’t your fault. Besides, just that morning I put you in the unfortunate position of meeting two of my angry ex-boyfriends in a ten minute stretch. You think I didn’t feel like an ass?”

About to take a sip, Angelo paused, lowering his wineglass. “Two?”

Corey nodded. “Zach and Stewart.”

Angelo blinked, nodding. “So that’s why Stewart had a key to your apartment. He’s your other ex.”

“Ah.” Corey chuckled. “Yeah. I forgot you didn’t know about Stewart.”

“He’s a good-looking guy,” Angelo said.

“He is.” Corey nodded.

Angelo smiled, but it was only slight. “Is he...does he...come around here a lot?”

Corey laughed, tickled by the vague undertone of jealousy. “Stewart is Doug’s boyfriend. They’re moving in together.”

“Oh, really?” Angelo’s eyes widened. “Oh, that’s...wow.” He frowned at Corey. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Corey said. “It’s weird, I know. Or it should be. But it really isn’t anymore.”

Angelo smiled. “You have an interesting life.”

“Too interesting sometimes,” Corey said. “So what happened after you left the bar? Did you get to talk to Tommy?”

“Yeah.” Angelo shook his head. “I know this will come as a shock, but it didn’t go well.”

Corey laughed. “Angelo,” he said, “I am sorry that happened. I know you weren’t prepared for...well, that. Can I ask...what was said between you? I mean, does Tommy know about...you know. He seemed a bit more rabid than the last time I saw him.”

“He does now,” Angelo said. He sighed. “He asked me point blank after we ran into Dewey. I couldn’t lie to him. I didn’t expect that reaction, though. I grew up with the guy. I feel like I don’t even know him anymore, though. He freaked me out.”

Corey winced. “I’m really sorry.”

“Not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?”

Angelo scowled. “No! Of course not. Why would you say that?”

“I just don’t like this feeling. Like I’m responsible for causing a wedge or something.”

“You’re not. Tommy did that. All on his own. When I caught up with him outside the bar, I tried to get him to talk reasonably about this. But he hit me below the belt. Hard.”

“You mean that figuratively, I assume.”

“Yeah. The knockout punch was, ‘Thank God your father isn’t alive to see this.’”

“Oh, man. He brought your dead father into it.”

Angelo nodded. “After that he spent a good five minutes telling me in great detail how disgusting I am, and then he left. I’m sure the entire family has heard about it by now.”

Corey took a sip of wine, feeling more uncomfortable by the second. “I’m sorry. I know you weren’t ready for that. Nowhere
near
ready.”

“I’m a big boy, I can handle my family. And I’m
trying
to understand Tommy’s reaction. He’s only just coming to terms with Uncle Len’s situation, which is all tangled up with his hurt over his parents splitting up, and now he finds out...well, about you. And me.”

“Yes, poor Tommy,” Corey said. “Now he’s thinking everyone around him is turning into gay pod people and the world’s gone mad and yadda yadda. I better put the fish in.” Corey got up and went to the fridge.

He hadn’t meant to be short with Angelo, but he wasn’t keen to continue this particular conversation. He feared it would lead to an airing of Angelo’s doubts about what was happening or not happening between them. Not only was it way too soon to have that particular conversation, but Corey wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it right now.

“Can I help with anything?” Angelo asked.

“Nah,” Corey said. “Everything’s prepped, just gonna shove these in the oven.”

“Okay. If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.” He got the salmon in, then went back to the table, picking up his wine.

“What was it like for you?” Angelo asked. “Coming out, I mean.”

Ah, shit. He’s still on it
. Corey was already crazy about Angelo, and he wanted him to be comfortable, wanted them to continue seeing each other. But despite the reassurances Corey had offered poor confused Leonard during their many massage sessions, he was in no way equipped to be anyone’s ‘coming out’ life coach.