Yes (20 page)

“I can’t. I’m going to a party with Bartley.”

Matthew froze. “Excuse me? I thought you were done with him.”

“It’s not like that. He’s going to introduce me to a friend of his who makes furniture and owns a shop in South Austin. I’m looking for a carpentry class while I’m here.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to be a carpenter.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Okay. That’s true I suppose. Can I come along?”

“Matthew, don’t get that way.”

“What way?”

“Jealous and possessive. It doesn’t suit you.”

“Sorry. I just know how much you like him.”

“Liked. Past tense. I can tell you right now, with 100 percent certainty, that Ryan Parker is never going to date Bartley James. And speaking of finals, when is your first one?”

“Tomorrow,” Matthew said.

“Then focus on school right now, not me. We’ll have plenty of time to hang out and see where this goes after the semester ends. Have you finished your porn paper yet?”

“No. But that can—”

“It can’t wait,” Ryan insisted. “Besides, I told you, I don’t like to rush into things. We’re going to the concert on Tuesday, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Me too.”

“Good. Then let’s have fun. Don’t spoil it by turning into a clingy chick.”

“Ouch. That was uncalled for. Since when did you turn into a misogynistic douchebag?”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” The first customer had yet to arrive, so Ryan put his arms around Matthew and kissed him. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Taking over La Tazza has been…. I’m on edge. Can you just trust that I like you?”

“I’ll try, but it’s hard when you call me a clingy chick.”

“I’m sorry. Really.” Ryan kissed him again. Matthew wrapped his arms around Ryan’s waist and tightened his grip. Ryan pressed his forehead against Matthew’s and said, “Are we good now?”

“We’re good. And you might be a little right. I do this when I like someone. I’m impulsive. I rush in and fall hard. But I need to focus on school. This is my last semester, and I don’t want to fail anything.”

“You’re not in danger of that, are you?”

“No, but if I start blowing things off, I could be.”

“I’m not going to let that happen.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” The first customer of the day walked in, and Matthew stepped out of their embrace. “I’ll get this one. Did you notice I’m getting better with the machine since you taught me how to drive a stick?”

“I noticed.”

“Your uncle said that would happen.”

B
USINESS
PICKED
up quickly after that. Matthew put on the new Dime Box album, and they served a steady stream of customers throughout the morning. Then, around ten o’clock, Bartley walked in. He had a bounce to his step and a thousand-watt smile—both of which made him look like a kid again. He waltzed up to the bar and slapped his hand on the counter. “Good morning, boys. And what a fine one it is.”

“What’s gotten into you today?” Matthew asked.

“I am in love.”

“Really?” Ryan said. “Did you talk to Uncle Ian?”

“I did. Yesterday. I finally got up the courage to tell him how I feel, and turns out, he feels the same way.”

Matthew elbowed Ryan in the ribs. “I told you.”

“So when he gets back to Austin, I’m going to lock him in a room, jump his bones, and not let him out for a week. Ryan, the next time you talk to your grandmother, please ask her to get well soon. Very soon.”

Ryan knew he had to feign ignorance of Bartley’s conversation with Ian. “But what about…?”

“That’s not an issue. Let’s just say your uncle and I are in the same boat.”

“Why didn’t you say something Friday night? You let me blabber on like an idiot.”

“Because I wanted to tell him first.”

“What are you two talking about?” Matthew asked.

“Nothing,” Ryan said.

Bartley hesitated for a moment but then said, “Your uncle was right. It’s not a dirty little secret. Matthew, Ian and I are both HIV positive.”

“Oh. Okay.” He turned to Ryan. “What’s the big deal? I dated a guy who was poz once.”

“You did?”

“Sure. I know some dudes are total assholes about it, but not me. Especially these days, with Truvada and all that. Michael Lucas is on PrEP, and his boyfriend is poz. They don’t even use condoms. Of course, since Lucas is a total top, that reduces his risk, but still.”

“Well,” Bartley said. “He’s a total top in front of the camera. Who knows what he does behind it.”

Matthew put his arm around Ryan and grinned. “That’s fantastic news, Bartley. There must be something in the air.”

“Are you two…?”

“After you blew Ryan off Friday night, he realized I’m much better looking and practically threw himself at me.”

“I did not throw myself. Well, maybe a little.”

“I knew it,” Bartley said. “I told Ian you two were adorable together. We should go on a double date when he gets back.”

Matthew squeezed tighter. “That sounds like fun. What do you think?”

Ryan feigned a grin. “Sounds like a blast. Can’t wait.”

Bartley’s smile grew even wider. “I stopped in to check about the party this afternoon. Matthew, you don’t mind if I borrow him for a few hours, do you? I’m going to introduce him to my carpenter friend, Luke.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“You’re welcome to join us.”

“No,” Matthew said, removing his arm from Ryan’s shoulder. “Finals start next week, and I have a paper to finish. Thanks for the invitation, though.”

“Can I get a double skim to go, please?”

“Sure,” Ryan said as he turned toward the machine. “Coming right up.”

“Are you any good at trivia?” Matthew asked Bartley.

“I’m not bad. I have a lot of facts stored in my head. Why?”

“I’m putting together a team for Jeopardy Pursuit Night on Thursday. I need six people, and I only have five. Would you like to join us?”

“Sure,” Bartley said. “I’ve always wanted to do that. Who’s all on the team?”

“Me, Ian’s friend Mark, two friends of Ryan’s, Jeremy and Sam—who we’re kind of setting up on a blind date—and my best friend, Cecilia. She’s the smartest person I know.”

“I would love to join you.”

Ryan set the latte on the counter. “That’s four twenty-five.”

Bartley pulled out two five dollar bills. He handed one to Ryan and put the other in the tip jar. “You can add the change to that as well. Ryan, how about I pick you up at Ian’s house around six?”

“That works. I’ll see you then.”

“Fantastic. Matthew, if I don’t see you before Thursday, good luck with your paper and finals.”

“Thanks. Tell Ian I said hi the next time you talk to him.”

“I’ll do that. I’ll probably call him tonight, though he never answers his phone. He must leave it on vibrate or something. Anyway, I’ll see you both later.”

A
T
NOON
,
Sam came in for his first training shift. Matthew and Ryan greeted him with bro hugs. Then Ryan took him into the office to sign some tax forms. He gave Sam a general tour of La Tazza, and Matthew walked him through the menu. He proved to be a quick study and made an excellent cup of espresso on his first attempt.

“I hate you,” Matthew grumbled.

While Matthew and Sam worked the counter, Ryan spent the afternoon catching up on some bookkeeping. At four o’clock, he left Sam in Timothy’s hands and walked out to the parking lot with Matthew. “What’s the plan for Tuesday night?”

“Can you drive?” Matthew asked.

“Sure. Or I’ll pick you up and you can drive. How did Sam do?”

“Fantastic. We have a lot in common. The girls love him. He could do this job with one hand tied behind his back, but he’s got no filter on his mouth.”

“He should fit right in,” Ryan said. “Hopefully he can upgrade his living arrangement soon.”

“He said that’s his first priority. Now that he’s got a second income, it shouldn’t be hard to find something. I’m off tomorrow, so I’m gonna take your advice and spend the day studying and working on my paper. Then I have my final in the evening.”

“Good luck.”

Matthew kissed him. “Thanks. Enjoy your boring party with Bartley.”

“I’m glad you’re okay with that now.”

“Well, he’s clearly not into you, and you’re clearly into me, so….”

Ryan laughed. “There’s nothing more attractive than a man with confidence.”

T
WO
HOURS
later, Ryan was sitting in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal when the doorbell rang. He crossed to the foyer and opened the front door. “Come on in. I’m just finishing up dinner.”

Bartley still had his smile set to megawatt. He followed Ryan into the kitchen and gestured toward the cereal box. “That’s dinner?”

Ryan sat down on his stool and pushed the box across the island countertop. “See for yourself. Five whole grains and ten essential vitamins. Cereal is health food now.”

“Don’t you know bullshit when you see it?”

Ryan ate another spoonful and swallowed. “I just got off the phone with Uncle Ian about ten minutes ago.”

“Really? How’s he doing?”

“Good. He was pretty excited about your phone call yesterday. You’d better not break his heart, or you’ll have me to answer to.”

“Don’t worry. I’m glad you listened to me about Matthew.”

“He’s a great guy.”

Bartley took a seat on the other stool. “You don’t sound very enthusiastic.”

“Well, he wasn’t my first choice.”

Bartley looked uncomfortable.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I’m happy for you and Uncle Ian. You guys will make a great couple. I hope.”

“Well, we haven’t even gone on a date yet, so it’s a little premature.”

“Maybe. But I can see it in your smile, and I could hear it in his voice. You two are into each other—that much is clear. Besides, you’ve probably had hundreds of five-minute conversations over the past year that add up to more than you realize. Uncle Ian doesn’t give free sandwiches to just anybody.”

“How did you know about that?” Bartley asked.

“Hmm, I… I don’t remember. Matthew must have told me about it. I think he saw the whole thing.”

“I have to admit, it feels good—having something to look forward to. My life has been pretty grim these past few months.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. I haven’t been able to talk to anyone yet, but I want Ian to be the first.”

“He’s a good listener and super supportive. He helped me a lot when I came out to my parents.” Ryan spooned the last of the Cheerios into his mouth and then drank the remaining milk straight from the bowl. He got up, set the bowl in the sink, and said, “Okay, I’m ready to go.”

T
HEY
GOT
into Bartley’s Jeep and headed to South Austin. When they arrived at the party, a hundred guests already filled the house. The entrance off the porch led to a long central hallway. There was a drawing room on each side in front. On the right, the drawing room preceded a dining room and the kitchen, and on the left, a library and small guest bedroom. Luke and his wife managed to blend contemporary design with Colonial décor, mixing paintings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with modern sketches and random portraits, all to spectacular effect.

“Bartley!”

A towering man approached them and wrapped Bartley in a bear hug. Ryan figured he stood at least six foot five and maybe even taller, with a full beard and a jovial, booming voice. When the man released him, Bartley turned to Ryan and introduced them.

“Luke, this is the young man I was telling you about, Ryan Parker.”

The next thing he knew, Luke swept Ryan up until his feet left the floor. When he set him back down, he held Ryan at arm’s length and looked him over. “So, Ryan Parker, Bartley tells me you want to be a carpenter.”

“I think so. I’d like to check it out, at least. I think I’d be good with my hands.”

“Let me see.” Luke took Ryan’s hands into his own, which were almost twice as big. He turned them palm up and inspected the fingers. “They look a little pretty to me. We’ll need to rough them up a bit. Look at mine.” Ryan stared down at Luke’s hands and touched them. There were scars and protruding knuckles, and the skin felt like sandpaper. “Those are the hands of a carpenter. I host a workshop on Thursday afternoons in the store. Only three students at the moment, but that means you get lots of personal attention. And I only charge thirty-five bucks a lesson, plus the wood for your projects. Sound like something you’d be interested in?”

“It sure does,” Ryan said. “That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”

“Everyone works at their own pace, but you’ll learn a lot from the other students too.” He pulled a card out of his shirt pocket. “Here’s my number and the address of the shop. Two o’clock on Thursday. You only have to pay for one week at a time.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there on Thursday, for sure.”

“Excellent. Now, walk around and enjoy the house. There’s wine and cheese and other snacks in the dining room on the right. My wife is a chef, so make sure you try everything. I can’t pronounce most of it, but that’s because I was raised in a trailer park. Bartley, don’t forget to show him the upstairs.”

“I won’t. Thanks for everything.”

Luke turned to a tiny female guest and picked her up in a hug. Bartley led them to the food table, where he introduced Ryan to Mrs. Luke, a gorgeous black woman with long cornrows pulled into a ponytail. She gave them an introduction to the hors d’oeuvres, distinctive for their fusion of classic French and soul food cuisine.

Bartley and Ryan strolled through the rooms and took in the extensive art collection. Ian wanted to hold Bartley’s hand and tell him how handsome he looked in his blue shirt. He wanted to continue their conversation from the day before, when Bartley told Ian that he missed his smiling face. But he knew Ryan couldn’t do that.

In the east drawing room, a large black-and-white drawing caught Ryan’s eye. With a thick charcoal pencil, someone had sketched the portrait of a stunning young woman in a spring dress. In the bottom left corner was an inscription.