Chapter Five
Ru woke up at noon that day, somewhat sore and pretty jet-lagged from all the traveling. He’d have to go back to Diego tomorrow to meet with his producer, who wanted to see the songs he’d just finished. But when he woke up to the text from Adam asking for a date, he nearly sprung from the bed with excitement.
He dashed into the living room and across to Tommy’s room. Tommy was still asleep, sprawled on the king-sized bed, having fallen there in an exhausted heap after they got home so late. Ru couldn’t wait another minute to tell him. So he climbed on the bed and shook his best friend. “Tommy, wake up.”
“Is the building on fire?” Tommy asked without opening an eye.
“No, but I will set it on fire if you don’t wake up. Adam texted back. He wants to go on a date.”
Tommy rolled over and yawned. One eye popped open, and his hair stuck up everywhere, which just made Ru laugh. “Stop laughing at me, you goon. You’re interrupting my beauty sleep to tell me you have a date. Awesome. Come back in an hour.”
“Beauty sleep?” Ru cracked up even harder, feeling more normal than he had in months. He leapt off the bed and dug through the bedside drawer until he found the huge compact he knew would be in there beside all the condoms and unused breath spray. “Look at how beautiful you are.” Ru aimed the mirror at him so when Tommy opened his eyes he was looking right into it.
Tommy nearly fell off the bed. “Damn, you’re mean. I told you I need my beauty sleep. See what happens when you interrupt it? I look like a troll.”
“Smell like one too.”
Tommy flipped him off but crawled up to a sitting position on the bed. “Okay, so talk. Pretty blond boy and date, right?”
“Yeah, we’re going for pizza later. I’m going to take him to Dimitri’s. I can’t believe this is happening.”
A grin split across Tommy’s face. He reached over and messed with Ru’s hair. “See. Just takes time is all. Be patient. Don’t push the kid. Maybe this will be good for you. A new start.”
“There’s only one problem.”
“Don’t tell me you need new shoes?”
“With your closet across the hall? Not a chance.” They wore the same shoe size, so even though Ru couldn’t fit into most of Tommy’s clothes, he could still borrow a nice pair if he needed to. “I gotta go back to Diego tomorrow to meet with Herb about the two new songs I finished. He’s probably going to want to record them right away.”
“So you tell your boy that you can hang tonight and will get back together with him when you get back in town.”
“He’s going to think I’m blowing him off.”
“Not if you do it right. And for God’s sake, don’t screw him or anything on the first date.”
Ru frowned at his friend. “Don’t be a jerk. You know Kris was the only guy I was ever with.”
“I do. I also know that this guy totally turns you on, and you’ve been without for six months. That’s a long time. I’d be itching for it by now. Just go slow, okay? Starting with sex is never a good way to keep a relationship going.” Tommy reached out and hugged Ru. “Now get off my bed. You’re almost naked. Shoo, get some clothes on or something.”
Ru jumped off the bed, pulled his boxers halfway up his chest, and walked off with a funny expression like he was some sort of super nerd. Tommy’s laughter followed him across the condo. Ru spent the rest of the afternoon going through his clothes trying to decide what to wear. He did end up borrowing shoes from Tommy, but picked a pair of jeans and simple long-sleeved T-shirt for the date.
A dark shirt, Ru decided after staring at his stomach for several minutes. He’d never have flat abs with definition like Tommy or AJ or even Dane. It just wasn’t in the cards for him. He could do a million crunches every day and still look like the Pillsbury doughboy. How many magazines had he seen with pictures of him looking huge compared to the other guys, or claiming he’d put on weight?
And then there was AJ. AJ, Mr. Perfect, who made sure he was photographed often wearing little to nothing. Yet the label had lectured Ru about wholesome standards. Didn’t matter that AJ, and even Tommy for that matter, had a new girl on their arms for every premiere, every red carpet event or award show. And Dane said inappropriate things all the time to reporters because he didn’t have a filter for his very chaotic brain.
Ru glared at his reflection, wondering if he should spike his hair and put on some eye makeup. People hit on him in the clubs when he went out that way. Somehow he didn’t think Adam would appreciate that side of him so much, the fake spotlight version of him.
“You look good, kid. If your pretty blond boy doesn’t like it, then he’s not the boy for you.” Tommy came into the room and smiled in the mirror at him.
“I want him to like me. Not how I look or that I sing, or am famous, or have money, but me.”
“Well I think you’re off to a good start.” He held up a piece of paper. “So I looked up your pretty blond boy. Name is Adam Corbin, average student, average kid in general, it looks like. Doesn’t have any criminal record or even anything on his school records that says he’s any sort of crazy guy or madman looking for fame. Parents are married, registered Democrats, which is the norm in this state. They are Jewish, looks like from his dad’s side, and have a medium income for their area. Dad’s an accountant. Mom’s a buying coordinator for a minor retailer. Adam is an only child, who seems to have only running and football listed as extracurricular activities.”
“You researched him?” Ru cried.
“Of course. You didn’t think I was just going to let you go out with some guy without looking into him, right? In case you’ve forgotten, you’re famous and people are hella crazy out there.” Tommy rubbed Ru’s shoulders, trying to ease some of the tension out of them. “And after the crap Kris pulled, well, let’s say that no one else is going to get away with that bullshit.”
Ru let go of the anger and tried to think it through. Tommy was right. He really should have been more careful. He’d just been so excited that he hadn’t thought ahead. Instead of debating on clothes all afternoon, he should have been on the computer and the phone, checking out Adam, ensuring he was safe. Hell, if he’d been smart, he’d have called Katie to do it for him.
