Mikey wasn’t in the mood for his negativity at the moment–nor, for that matter, for Tricia’s constant discussion of how hot Luke was–and so he basically threw them out of his hotel room.
“I’m meeting Luke,” he explained when they resisted him, “and I have to make sure I look good.”
They both looked skeptical, but did as he asked.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped out onto the balcony and gazed out on the spread of Moundsville below him. The Ohio River glinted off in the distance and, as tended to happen when he was back in West Virginia–which didn’t happen nearly as often as Mikey would like–he found his heart starting to beat faster, a swelling feeling of joy, of being home, filling him up.
He stood there so long looking at the city he used to call home he totally lost track of time. Only once his watch started buzzing did he realize he was already ten minutes late for his lunch with Luke.
“Fuck!” he swore. This certainly wasn’t going to help put Luke in a better mood.
Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?He thought.Why can’t I just have one thing go right when it comes to Luke Carter? Ugh. So much for freshening up.
He didn’t even bother telling Tricia or Damian. He just…left the hotel. Since Bob’s Lunch wasn’t that far away he decided to just walk,, as he made his way there he found himself thinking of a day, a decade ago, when he’d had lunch with Luke in that same restaurant.
God we were so young,he thought.I wish we could go back.
As soon as he walked into Bob’s Lunch he was hit by a wave of nostalgia so strong it almost swept him off his feet.
Then he saw Luke sitting in a booth, glaring at him, and uncertainty hit him again. Was this a really bad idea, or a really good one?
Mikey put on the smile he thought might work to charm Luke and strutted across Bob’s Lunch. He might have been one of the most famous people to have come out of Moundsville, but the thing about West Virginians was they weren’t going to just roll out the red carpet for anyone. It was one of the things he’d always admired about them, even as Damian was endlessly critical of the fact they didn’t show their hometown hero the adulation he thought he deserved.
He’d given up explaining it to him, just like he’d given up explaining so many other unique things about the Mountain State.
“I’m really sorry I’m late,” Mikey said, putting all of his charm into his voice. “I guess I got a little distracted at all of the beauty here. It doesn’t change much, but there’s something comforting about it, don’t you think?’
Luke wasn’t buying it.
“I’m just glad you finally decided to show up,” Luke said, continuing to glower. “I was just gettin’ ready to get out of here. You might not think so, but my time’s valuable too, you know.”
Mikey opened his mouth to apologize, but then snapped it shut. If Luke was going to be an asshole, then he wasn’t going to go out of his way to be nice.
Fortunately, the waitress came by to take their orders. She was full-figured and buxom, unlike the rail-thin women Mikey often saw in California, and he didn’t bother to hide his admiration of her as she walked away.
Okay, let’s not get carried away,he reminded himself.Things are complicated enough with Luke sitting across from you.
With a shake of his head, he turned his attention back to Luke, who was glowering even more fiercely than he’d been a moment before.
“Could you, I don’t know, maybe keep it in your pants long enough for us to get through lunch?” he growled. “Or is that really too much to expect from a ‘pansexual?’”
Now it was Mikey’s turn to get angry. Luke was certainly within his rights to be annoyed with him for being late and for, well, everything else, but he’d be damned if he was just going to sit there and let him shit over his identity. It never ceased to piss him off the extent to which people assumed being pan meant being a slut, if they were willing to admit pansexual was an identity at all.
To his surprise, though, Luke’s grumpy face actually softened a bit.
“I’m sorry I said that,” he said, swirling his Coke around in his glass. “It wasn’t very nice of me. I guess it wouldn’t hurt me to be a little kinder to you.”
“Gee, thanks,” Mikey said, rolling his eyes, and they shared a little laugh.
Strangely enough, it all felt…natural. Mikey felt like he was in high school and the two of them were sharing cheesesteaks and fries and milkshakes at this very diner, each of them drinking in the sight of the other as if they were the most beautiful things they’d ever seen.
Don’t get too used to the feeling,he reminded himself.And don’t pin your heart on Luke Carter of all people. He holds a grudge, and he’s not going to forgive you so easily, if at all.
“Just so you know,” he said. “The whole pansexual thing isn’t just an act. I’ve…I’ve had a few girlfriends over the years, and I’ve also dated a few guys, though always on the sly. Now, though…well, it’s nice, being able to live openly.”
Luke took a slow and deliberate sip of his Coke, and it occurred to Mikey Luke’s own coming out experience had been very different, and very scarring.
To his surprise, though, Luke didn’t mention it.
