“Isn’t Thomas the one who is supposed to be nervous?” She picked at her cuticle and rolled her eyes. “It is Thomas, right? Do you call him Tom? Tommy?”
“I’d never.”
Ben looked around the expansive park, eager and terrified about Thomas’s arrival. He’d suggested they go get dinner or drinks, but Lara, in her infinite need for adventure, suggested they head to the park for a picnic. She even offered to make the charcuterie board, which left Ben with little grounds to protest. He arrived early because he wanted to warn her to play nice, and it looked like she’d already been there for hours. The largest blanket he’d ever seen sprawled across the low sloping hill on the west end of the park and she’d laid out boards of meats and cheeses, and three plastic glasses for wine.
“Don’t say it like that. I’m sure he calls you Ben, not Benjamin.” Lara worked at loosening the screw top on the bottle of red wine she’d no doubt carefully curated for the event.
“Nobody calls me Benjamin,” he reminded her. “Except you when you’re being a jerk.”
“Would you let him if he wanted to?” she asked.
“Let him what?” Thomas asked from behind him. Ben straightened and turned his head to the side, only to be met with Thomas’s profile as he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss against his cheek.
“Call him Benjamin,” Lara offered, finally getting the cap loose.
Thomas rubbed his hands down the front of his thighs and sat down on the blanket so close to him their thighs touched. He tipped his chin down toward his shoulder and leaned close, his voice barely louder than a whisper, “Do you want me to call you Benjamin?”
Up until that moment, he hadn’t.
But…
“It’s up to you,” he rasped.
Thomas kissed his shoulder and shifted his attention to Lara. “Is this the part now where you ask me about my intentions with your friend?”
Lara smirked, pouring wine into the three glasses. “I’m not concerned. Ben is a big boy and can take care of himself.”
“Thank you,” he grumbled.
“It just seemed appropriate that we officially meet since we’re clearly the two people Ben spends the most time with.”
Thomas leaned forward and held out his hand. “I’m Thomas. Nice to meet you.”
“Lara.” She shook his hand and then passed him one of the glasses of wine. “So, what’s your favorite color?”
“Are you serious right now?” Ben grabbed the last glass of wine and hoped the alcohol would be enough to make him stop wanting to murder his best friend.
“It’s a fair question.”
“Dark blue,” Thomas answered, not missing a beat.
“Movie.”
“Vertigo.”
“Season.”
“Winter.”
Lara raised her lip in disgust. “Why?”
“I like the cold,” Thomas answered.
“Also why?”
“Because I like fireplaces and warm blankets,” Thomas said.
Ben leaned against him, resting his hand on Thomas’s thigh.
