Life in Fusion (25 page)

slide open on a rail. Each section collapses onto the other, then

tucks into the wall.”

“Pretty nifty.”

“We should go peek outside while we have the chance.”

I turned to look for Mom and Dad once more and found they

were already deep into a conversation with Del and Uncle Pete.

“Guess they won’t miss us.”

I let Wade lead the way. He politely weaved a path through

the crowd, making sure to say hello to each person who caught

his eye. He had an artful way of being kind and courteous while

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181

maintaining a demeanor that let people know that it wasn’t the

best time to approach him. I found that impressive. No one ever

seemed to suffer hurt feelings at his hand, at least when it came

to social settings. Work was a whole other animal. I knew how

grumpy he could get when things weren’t up to snuff with the

lodge. And had firsthand experience of his impatience with a

student who didn’t progress as quickly as he felt they should on

the ski slopes.

He wasn’t perfect, but I sort of enjoyed his imperfections in

a weird way. They were manageable and if nothing else he was

consistent. I’m sure I came off like part of a three-ring circus in

comparison. I was the ball juggling act. I knew he found me, and

all my balls, charming and endearing now, but I worried he might

not in a year’s time. Let’s face it, most people liked the circus, but

they wouldn’t want to live with it.

“Wow!” I said, rounding the corner and stepping out into the

courtyard area off the back of the building.

There were large umbrella-like outdoor space heaters spread

out every few feet along the perimeter, and a roaring fire in the

large round fire pit that sat in the center of the brick and stamped

concrete patio. Off in the distance, in the middle of the huge

park-like setting, sat a white gazebo, lit up with clear Christmas

tree lights.

A brook cut a path across the land to the right with several

foot bridges that stretched over the gurgling stream, giving people

access to both sides. There were Adirondack style chairs set up

throughout the grounds, creating random seating vignettes. And

all the tree trunks were up-lit, creating a soft glow due to the

slight haze of a fog developing.

“It’s pretty.” I noticed a second bar to my left, built into the

patio area, that was already surrounded by townies. Small speakers

hung under the eaves, piping the live music outside.

“Care to take a walk?” Wade asked, sporting a half grin.

“I suppose,” I said, glancing back inside. “If you think it’s

alright to skip out on our own party.”

182 Ethan Day

“There’s plenty of time for that.” Wade took my hand and led

me across the courtyard into the grass. “We’ll line up dutifully for

the meet and greet later.”

“Are you being serious?” I asked, enjoying the softer cushion

of earth that was now under my feet. “We really have to do that,

like some sort of processional?”

“The whole point of this was for you to actually meet

everyone,” Wade said, his hand tightening around mine.

“Sure, but in a fun party-like atmosphere. We’re not royalty,

dude.” It was nice, the music fading the farther away we went.

The fog seemed to be enveloping us, as if to say, welcome. “I may

be
a
queen but I’m not
the
queen.”

Wade led the way up the few steps into the gazebo, taking the

beer out of my hand and placing his next to it on the bench that

stretched along the circumference. “Pity we can’t just enjoy a few

quiet moments, huh?”

“That your way of telling me to shut it?”

“Pretty much,” Wade answered.

“Always the gentleman, huh?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” Wade shrugged, meeting my gaze as he took

me in his arms. “I feel safe in saying the guy that was fucking your

brains out an hour or so ago, was most definitely no gentleman.”

I gave him a quick kiss. “I really liked that guy.”

Wade laughed. “You did, huh?”

I nodded. “He was smokin’ hot.”

“In that case.” Wade returned the favor granting me a quick

peck. “Shut the fuck up.”

I gasped, feigning shock. “Wow…so fucking rude, dude. You

should treat me with a little more respect.”

He shook his head at me while pulling my body into his. We

started to slow dance and I felt silly all of a sudden, but I couldn’t

for the life of me figure out why. It finally dawned on me that I’d

never slow danced with a man before. I’d done the whole prom

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183

thing in high school with Brenda Blackman. And I’d done the

bump and grind on the dance floors of clubs countless times,

even once with Wade during the weekend he met my parents.

I grinned, remembering that evening.
That was hot!

I couldn’t say for certain what the song was as we could barely

make out the melody from where we were. But I quickly fell into

the rhythm of us, sliding my arms around his waist. I started to

tell him I was diggin’ it, then stopped myself, realizing he likely

already knew. I put my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes,

wishing we’d done something as simple as this tonight, instead of

the madhouse that awaited our return.

The fog had wrapped around us, creating a golden hued mist

in the light from the gazebo. It was like being locked away from

the rest of the world, cocooned. I pressed my nose into his neck

and inhaled. Wade smelled so good, familiar yet still exotic, or

possibly just erotic. This was something I could do indefinitely, I

thought. I resisted the urge to once again tell him that, tightening

my grip around his waist for a moment instead, hoping the

message made it through loud and clear.

We slowly made our way back toward the party after a few

other couples wandered out to the gazebo, breaking up our

party for two. Wade had introduced us, and I pulled out the giant

piece of paper in my head and placed four slash marks on it.

With any luck those four wouldn’t feel the need to line up in the

processional later for a second intro. It was in that moment that

I had the bright idea of introducing myself to as many people as

I could, whittling down the list as much as possible.

“Well what do you know,” Wade said, stopping in his tracks.

I followed his sight line, searching for what he was staring at

with that goofy ass grin on his face. That’s when I spotted Gabe,

pacing back and forth at the edge of the courtyard. He glanced

up, spotted Wade and I, then shoved his hands in his pockets

and stood there. Wade patted the small of my back before gently

nudging me forward.

We stopped in front of Gabe, who was doing a somewhat

spotty job at making eye contact.

“Hi,” I said, hopeful he wasn’t about to be an ass.

“Really happy you came, Gabe.” Wade was still smiling from

ear to ear. I knew it was because he was happy for me.

“Thanks Wade,” Gabe pulled a hand out of his pocket, like he

was maybe going to offer it to Wade, before allowing it to dangle

lifelessly at his side. He never had been very good at apologizing.

“I appreciate the invitation—fairly certain I didn’t deserve one.”

“You’ll always be welcome here, Gabe.” Wade placed a hand

on my shoulder. “I think I’ll give you two a few moments?”

“Thanks.” I nodded that I was okay being alone with Gabe,

no one needed to worry about his safety.

I stared Gabe down, trying to make him as uncomfortable as

possible until Wade disappeared inside the building.

186 Ethan Day

“I know you’re pissed, and you’ve every right to be,” Gabe

said.

I sort of fell into him, wrapping him up in a big hug. I smiled,

hearing him laugh into my chest, my chin resting on his curly

mane of thick black hair. He was mumbling a muted apology,

saying he was sorry over and over as I continued to hug the life

out of him.

“You’re here…finally,” I said, once he pulled away from me.

“You completely ruined the last twenty-four hours for me, by

the way.”

“I’ve been a real shit, I know.” His forehead scrunched up.

“I…I’m still worried that this is a mistake, Boone. I’m afraid for

you, being cut off from everyone up here. Regardless of my own

fears, I had no reason to ostracize you the way I did.”

“That hurt, Gabe.”

“I’m a shit, I know.” He sighed. “I can’t lie and say a lot of

it isn’t personal, either. I always imagined us being together until

the bitter end. You moving away—”

“I never imagined my life where I didn’t see you on a daily

basis either, Gabe. It’s the only sucky part of all this.”

“He deserves a chance, if for no other reason than you like

him.” Gabe nudged his head back in the direction Wade had

gone. “I never gave him one.”

“I really think you’ll love him if you’d give him a chance.”

Gabe straightened himself up. “Let’s not go overboard, here.

He is stealing my best friend away from me.”

I smiled, feeling particularly lucky to have so many people

who liked having me around. “Okay, so I could totally learn to

live with your toleration of his existence.”

Gabe laughed. “That I could do…for you.”

He sighed, as if it had been painful for him to give that up.

I shook my head while wrapping my arm around his shoulder.

“How ‘bout a drink?” I asked, leading him back toward the

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187

community center.

“Please tell me you’re not drinking,” Gabe said, slipping his

arm around my waist.

“Just beer,” I said, rolling my eyes when he gave me the look.

“Isn’t that how this whole thing got started?”

“No,” I said, scoffing at him. “Irish whisky was responsible

for that. Beer is completely innocent and let me just say that beer

does not appreciate the insinuation.”

Gabe laughed, resting his head on my shoulder. “My sincerest

apologies, beer.”

“Beer said it will have to get back to me.” We got in line at the

outdoor bar. “You have wounded beer and it must now go lick

its wounds.”

“I no longer feel bad for beer if it’s able to lick itself,” Gabe

said.

“That is so unfair,” I said. “You can lick yourself.”

“Not in any of the good places,” Gabe quipped.

“I’d be willing to lick you in the good places,” a voice said

from behind us.

Gabe and I spun around and I immediately smirked, seeing

Chip standing there wearing jeans, a partially un-tucked skin

tight green Lucky Charms t-shirt, and a black corduroy jacket,

accessorized with an illicit grin.

“Why is it every time I see you, something dirty is coming out

of your mouth?” I asked, shaking my head at Chip. “And thanks

for taking the time to dress up for the party.”

“Oh sure, blame me.” Chip placed a hand on Gabe’s shoulder,

slowly massaging him with the pad of his thumb. “For all you

know, I only ever say dirty things when you’re around. Maybe

it’s actually your fault, and you just bring out the animal in me.”

He looked down over his ensemble and shrugged. “I put on a

jacket.”

“You’re blaming me for your innuendo issues?”

188 Ethan Day

“Seems plausible,” Chip added.

“Then why are you molesting my friend with your thumb?”

“The better question is why is your friend allowing me to?”

Chip asked, all but licking his lips, looking like the hungry wolf

out of a children’s fairy tale.

Gabe shrugged Chip’s hand off his shoulder, turning bright

red. I could tell Gabe was flustered, since his mouth was open

but nothing was coming out of it, aside from hot air.

“Your name, sexy?” Chip asked.

“Gabe meet Chip,” I said, grinning evilly. “He’s the bartender

who got me drunk on those Irish coffee’s…you know, on that

fated night all those months ago...that lead to me having sex with

Wade. Without Chip none of us would likely be here right now.”

Chip’s smile faded slightly, as Gabe was now looking him up and

down with disdain.

“So this whole gay mess is really all your fault?” Gabe asked,

hands now on hips. “Well I hope you’re really happy with yourself,

pal.”

“It brought us together, didn’t it gorgeous?” Chip asked,

trying to regain the ground he’d lost, thanks to me.

I was about to throw in another fifty cents, considering my

two-cents worth had exploded in Chip’s face so beautifully, when

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and began shoving on

Chip to get his attention before he said anything lewd in front of

the Mayor. I straightened myself up as if readying for inspection.

“Hi Mayor Nelson!”

“How are you Boone?” he bellowed heartily, greeting Chip

before shoving his hand at Gabe and introducing himself. “And

it’s Gordy, remember?”

“Of course,” I said. “So nice to see you again, sir.”

“I was hoping I might steal you away for a few minutes,

Boone?”

“Oh well, I would love to Gordy, just let me get my friend