“Look at you,” I say. “You know you don’t have anything toprove, right?”
“I’m not trying to prove anything.” He glances around and stepsaway from the box. “I just think you deserve someone who wants to show you off,and I want to show you off.”
He kisses me, a gentle kiss at first, but he wraps his armaround me and pulls me close. I enjoy the sensations that race through me. Hesure does know how to make up with a guy.
After we get off work, we swing by McDonalds for some burgers, scarfthem down, and head on to the theatre, AMC at Phipps Plaza. We recline in thered cushioned chairs, keeping a tub of popcorn between us. I keep waiting forothers to arrive, but after the movie begins, we quickly realize we’re the onlyones here.
“Did this movie get the worst reviews ever or what?” I ask.
“Right?”
I pull up Rotten Tomatoes on my phone and see that it has atwo-point-three rating. “Oh, fuck.” I show him the page.
“Shit. I should have checked.”
“You kidding?” I ask. “I’m kinda even more excited about seeingit now.”
The movie’s horrendous, but in the best possible way, keeping uslaughing all the way through it. And that no one else is here makes theexperience even better since we’re able to make fun of it the way we would ifwe were lounging on his couch. As we leave the theatre, I’m in tears fromlaughing so hard at Reese’s impression of Zac Efron in a scene where KristenStewart had to give him CPR after he tried to eat ten fire-hot buffalo wingsthat he thought were going to rupture his stomach.
“I can’t believe that just happened,” I say.
“I know. We’ll have to go to the movies more often.”
We exchange a look. I see the eagerness in his eyes, and I cantell that he really would enjoy getting to share another movie with me.
“Boss-man?”
I recognize the voice, and we both turn sharply. Tyler headstoward us, holding a bag of popcorn as he walks beside a woman I assume is hiswife, Shelley. Two kids tail behind them.
Shit.
We were having such a good time, so of course, something had tocome and fucking ruin it.
“Hey,” Reese says uneasily.
As Tyler glances between us, I realize why I shouldn’t havepushed for this. There’s a knowing look in Tyler’s eyes. It’s clear he’s notconfused about what’s going on between us, and I’m worried as ever. It’s niceknowing Reese can’t lose his job over it, but it sucks that Tyler could tellthe other guys, and they could give him hell.
“Sorry,” he says after an extended pause. “Reese, Jay, this ismy wife Shelley.” He makes an introduction and chats about the movie they’reheading to see.
“Jay, I know I invited just you, but both of you guys can cometo dinner next week, if you want,” he says, and I’m stunned. Who would’vethought that the guy I had the most issues with when I first started working atthe warehouse would be the most understanding about who we are?
I keep checking Reese’s expression as we talk, and gradually hestarts to relax. And so do I.
When Tyler and his wife continue to their movie, I glance atReese uneasily. I’m curious to see what he thinks about what just went down.“All good?” I ask.
“Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he admits. “But now wehave to have our first dinner as a couple. Damn.”
“I’m sorry it’s going to be going around the office, though.” Iassume Tyler will tell some of the guys. So even though he’s okay with it, theguys who aren’t will find out and probably give Reese a hard time about it. Notonly will they potentially think less of him for being gay, but they’ll wonderif I’ll receive unfair treatment because of our relationship.
All those things Reese was worried about.
I wait for him to acknowledge his concern on our way to the car,but he changes the subject back to the movie. Clearly he doesn’t want toconsider the consequences of what just happened, which I totally understand.
We head to his place, discussing the movie some more. Chucklingas we talk about some of the funniest parts. He parks at a frozen yogurt shop.
“What are we doing?” I ask.
“Treating my man the way he deserves to be treated.”
