Her hand patting slowed, somehow turning condescending. “I have access to the internet, too, dear.”
James shook his head, and his mom’s eyes crinkled around the edges. “I love you so much, sweetie. I’m happy to tell you more about the wonderful things I’ve learned from the youth online, but right now I think you need to get some sleep so you don’t look like a zombie for your date.”
James would actually prefer to avoid that conversation at all costs, so he hastily stood up and kissed her cheek. “I love you,” he said, and it was as easy as taking his next breath.
Maybe one day it would be like that with Leon, too.
“Are you ready for us to deliver your prince to you?” Aspen asked.
James did his best to balance the phone on his shoulder as he put the final piece of tape on the Happy Valentine’s Day sign he was hanging above Leon’s door.
“Are you not with him right now?”
“I am. Why do you ask?” Aspen said, smacking what sounded like gum directly into their phone.
“I was just wondering if you would say something that ridiculous in front of him.”
James hopped down from the step stool and began looking around for Yarmen. He was the final part of the gift, and James had worried about this most of all, given his lack of experience handling cats. He’d always wanted one, but his dad had banned all pets when James was a kid. Then his mom had gotten sick, and James hadn’t had the capacity to deal with taking care of three living things in their house when he was barely managing to take care of one. Now that his mom was better, he had begun to fantasize about getting a cat, but with how much time he spent over here, he didn’t want to saddle his mom with a pet.
Besides, depending on how things continued with Leon, it might be easier if they got a second cat as a couple; that way, they could introduce it to Yarmen together.
Anyways, first things first.
“Come here, sweet boy. Please be good for me,” James called, shaking the bag of heart-shaped treats he’d bought.
“Roger that. Ready to deliver your good, sweet boy,” Aspen said, and James choked.
“No, that’s not–” James sighed as he heard Aspen announce to Leon and Noah that it was time for them to go.
There was noise in the background that James was pretty proud of himself for recognizing as Leon’s voice.
“Oh…well, have you asked James to call you that?” Aspen said a little ways away from the microphone. “I’m sure he’d be happy to–okay, yes, we can talk about it on the drive back.”
The phone rustled, and Aspen’s voice came in much clearer. “Sorry, I have been informed that apparently you donotlike to put Leon on his knees and call him your good boy.”
There was more rustling, and James scrubbed a hand down his face to try to remove his blush.
All James’ efforts were for naught, though, because a moment later, Leon’s sexy voice rolled down the line and caused his cheeks to flame even hotter. “Darlin’? You ready for us to come back? It’s starting to sleet, so I want to let them get back across town, but I can always hang out in the lobby if you need more time.”
James finally found Yarmen curled up in Leon’s desk chair. He gingerly picked him up and carried him into the living room. “I’m almost done. I think I’ll be good to go by the time you get back.”
“I’ll see you soon, then,” Leon said, his smile carrying over the phone line.
“See you soon,” James said before tossing his phone on the couch. “Alright, Yarmen. We’re going to get you all dressed up for Daddy.”
He snorted to himself, remembering Hailey’s joke from Halloween as he tied a red bandana with candy hearts on it around Yarmen’s neck. They’d come so far since then. One of the items in the memory book was the label from the bag of chocolate-covered pretzels Leon had gotten for him at the end of the haunted house. They’d passed the bag back and forth between them as they sat on Leon’s couch, discussing their newly formed relationship. James wasn’t sure if any treat had ever tasted so good.
As he secured the knot and checked off the final item on his mental to-do list, there wasn’t anything left to do. The dinner ingredients and chocolate cake James had picked up on the way over were safely tucked in the fridge, all the balloon strands weretied out of Yarmen’s reach, and the decorations were affixed with several extra pieces of tape. He leaned against the kitchen island and tried not to chew too hard on his lip as he scrolled mindlessly through his phone.
Finally, ten or so minutes later, he heard a noise outside the door. He peered through the peephole and found Leon standing with his arms crossed, looking off to the right. He was wearing his leather jacket, a tight-fitting black T-shirt so tight James could see his piercings through it, and gray jeans. His hair was wet, his cheeks were flushed, and he was absolutely gorgeous, but he was also scowling, which wasn’t how James wanted to start their evening.
He pulled the door open in time to hear Hailey’s voice from down the hall say, “Was just curious what you–”
“No,” Leon said as he reached for the door handle, but accidentally grabbed onto James’ arm. He turned to look at James in surprise as James popped his head out the door.
Hailey and Trina were standing in the hall, holding their winter coats and wearing various articles of red and pink clothing.
“Hi, Hailey. Hi, Trina,” James said, but even he could tell his greeting was less enthusiastic than usual. He was nervous enough already about how tonight was going to go, and he wasn’t sure if his nerves could take on another Hailey adventure.
