“Well, aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes on a Sunday mornin’,” she beamed looking between the two of them, cheeks flushed from running about between the busy tables.
“Morning Tilly,” Henry replied with a smile. No matter how his day was going, it always took a turn for the better when he saw Tilly.
“Don’t youmornin’me, young man,” she winked at Henry. “Where were you Friday night?” She planted her hands on her slim hips, an expression of mock offense on her face.
Colton looked from Tilly to Henry, startled by her accusatory tone, but Henry smiled at him knowingly. It was all in good fun.
“I’m sorry, Tilly. Something came up and I couldn’t make it.”
“Well, I’ll let you off the hook this time, as you were probably out saving lives. But me and Vernon are expecting you next Friday, no excuses.” She waved her right index finger at Henry in a subtle warning before she directed her attention at Colton. “That goes for you too, young man,” she said pointing her finger directly at Colton. “Now, eat your food before it gets cold.”
“C’mon, Tilly,” Henry grinned. “You can play tough all you want, but I heard from reliable sources that you’re cooking chicken noodle soup again this morning…” He winked at her tauntingly and Colton looked questioningly between the two of them.
“Aww, will you hush now. You ain’t too old yet for an ass whooping, sweetheart, so I’d be careful if I were you,” she laughed heartily.
Before Henry could offer a fitting reply, she was off again, humming to herself. Henry couldn’t help but burst into laughter as he looked at Colton who resembled a fourth grader who’d just been sent off to detention.
“That’s Tilly in a nutshell,” Henry laughed. “No use putting up a fight, she’ll only hunt you down. She’s all bark and no bite, though. That noodle soup of hers? She cooks it every Sunday morning for the elderly at the nursing home,” henry chuckled. “And as soon as she found out that my gran has a game of bridge every Friday night at the Senior Citizen Center… Well, then I became a regular Friday night dinner guest.” He laughed again, blue eyes beaming brightly.
Henry’s infectious laughter transferred to Colton, who chuckled as well, and Henry felt a light flutter in his stomach. He winked at Colton, before he took a napkin from the dispenser in the middle of the table. It had been a long time since he’d felt this lightness in his body. Not since Chad, if he was being honest.
“Well, it looks like we have to go then, if we don’t want to be banned from the diner,” Colton smiled.
“Yeah.” Henry’s reply came out almost as a whisper and warmth spread across his cheeks at the thought of going to Tilly’s house with Colton. “Looks like I have a date for the first time in two years,” he blurted.
Colton almost choked on his scrambled eggs and looked nervously at Henry. Then he looked down at his plate of food as he mumbled,
“Look man… I’m not like that. Not that there is anything wrong with it. It’s just not my thing, if you know what I mean…”
Henry of course knew what Colton meant, and it wasn’t like Colton had given him any indication that he was anything but straight. Still, he couldn’t help feeling a tinge of disappointment in his chest. And that made him irritated ? mostly at himself for getting his hopes up to begin with.
“Like what?” Henry asked deciding not to let Colton off the hook without actually saying the word. “Scrambled eggs are not your thing? Or is it the coffee? I know Tilly makes it kind of strong, but it can’t be any worse than what they served you overseas…”
“That’s not what I meant…” Colton shifted uneasily in his seat as he met Henry’s gaze across the table. He looked lost. Just like that, Henry’s annoyance evaporated like morning dew on the lawn on a hot summer day. In its place, Henry felt nothing but sympathy for the other man. Softening his voice, he nodded in understanding.
“Yeah, I sort of figured. You mean, you’re not into guys? You’re not gay.”
Colton didn’t exactly look relieved by Henry’s bluntness but continued, nonetheless. “Yeah… I mean… I like women.”
It almost sounded like Colton was asking him a question. Like he wasn’t sure himself. So, Henry decided to put the guy out of his misery.
“Look, Colton. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. Who you prefer to sleep with is nobody’s business but your own. I was just teasing. I mean, was I flirting with you? Yes. Do I think you’re hot? Fuck yes. I mean, look at you. Who wouldn’t? Is it the end of the world that you prefer women? No. The real question is if we’re going to have a problem with me being gay. So, are we?” Taking in a deep breath, Henry clenched his hands on each side of the plate with his untouched breakfast.
“No, of course not. I mean, I’m not a homophobe or anything,” Colton replied, squirming in his seat.
“Well, you are something alright,” Henry mumbled with a knowing smirk.
“Sorry, what?” Colton looked confused, cheeks reddening.
“Since we don’t bat for the same team, but I kind of like you anyway, you’ve officially been friend zoned, sweetheart.” Henry grinned at him and winked.Lay off the winking,he cursed himself.If you’re going be friends with the guy, you have to lay off with the flirting. And with the sweetheart too while you’re at it. Boundaries. Those are good.
“Okay,” Colton scratched his neck, a red tint coating his cheeks. “I didn’t know that was a thing with you city folk, but sure…”
Henry picked up his fork and rearranged the scrambled eggs on his plate. Of course, Colton was straight. Why wouldn’t he be? Henry tried to ignore the sinking feeling that had settled in his stomach during their conversation. He just had to get past this ridiculous crush or whatever it was.
Only, it wasn’t ridiculous, was it? It was overpowering and all-consuming and… yeah, he needed to stop this. Right now. It was stupid to feel disappointed about something that was never anything to begin with. He wasn’t going to go down the road of unrequited love. He wasn’t going to fall for a straight guy. That would just earn him a whole lot of heartache and that was the last thing he needed. Pushing away the sting of disappointment in his chest, Henry looked at Colton and tried to erase the slight tremble from his voice.
“It is. A thing. Okay, now that that’s settled, can we eat?”
