“Let’s open the champagne,” Bo suggested.
“Yeah,” said Ralph. “This coffee’s terrible.”
“Don’t be dissing my instant coffee now.”
“Instant’s fine. I need cream.”
“Well, you’re out of luck there.”
Ralph gave Bo a lascivious leer.
“Ew, that’s gross.”
“OK,” said Ralph. “Just put it in my mouth then.”
Epilogue
One week later...
They moved in together after that fateful snowy evening in Ellicott City. They drove separately to Towson the following weekend, managing to get the remainder of Bo’s belongings and furniture into their two pickup trucks. Dale arrived home from work just as Bo was leaving a check on the kitchen counter for him.
Ralph and Dale exchanged awkward pleasantries, Ralph relieved with it being the tailend of their excursion. Bo tucked the check into Dale’s shirt pocket, making sure to take Ralph’s hand in front of him as they went through the front door.
“He didn’t give me that eat shit look he usually does,” Ralph said, once they were back in Falls Church. They were on the couch, Trixie doing figure eights at their feet.
“No, that was the look of defeat. Now, not only are you a more successful salesman in his eyes, but you also have me.”
“It’s kinda sad. Don’t you think?”
“It is. But he brought it on himself. Neither of us instigated this, my dear. It’s all on him. And, I must say, one week in and I’m still pretty goddamned happy with the way things turned out. How ‘bout you?”
“I couldn’t be any happier. I have a reason to come home now. No offense, Trixie.” Ralph reached down and stroked the cat’s back. “No more searching the bars. No more meaningless sex. No more disappointment. I feel like you’ve given me a future, Bo—one Ibelievedwas out there, somewhere. I was just having a helluva hard time finding it.”
“Same. Kinda. I was already in one future, but not happy. And though Dale’s screwing around may have prompted me to leave, you quelled any doubts about my decision and validated feelings I had for you all along.”
“Wow. I’m awesome.”
Bo shoved him back into the couch’s corner. “There’s that ego.”
Ralph grinned. “Let me stroke yours then. My sexual appetite is beyond sated with you, hot stuff.”
“Good. I’m still a horn dog for you too, bossman. So, let’s meet in the bedroom in a half-hour. First, I’m gonna check that leak you’ve been bitching about under the kitchen sink.”
“Can I watch?”
“You want to see if I have plumber’s crack, don’t you?”
“I want to lick your plumber’s crack, maybe get a monkey wrench out and loosen up that hole.”
“Uh, that’s not how that works, but I like the way you think. Maybe the sink can wait a while.”
“Or we could just do it doggy style, on the kitchen floor.”
Bo thought about it. “I’m kinda partial to furniture now.”
* * *
Six months later...
