Page 48 of Flowers To Give

“We somehow got through it without you,” Eneki smacks him on the arm. They both laugh and Eneki asks, “You just getting here? Need a drink?”

“Definitely,” Jeremy nods. He travels inside with his friend and his husband, chatting about their travels to Colorado and the scenery of the grand mountain scape.

The interior of the house has transformed from the austere livings of a grand ranch owner into something more akin to a frat house. Loud music bangs throughout the building, shaking the chandelier. People are layered up and down the staircases and strewn throughout the hallways. Jeremy and Eneki have to squeeze their way through a crowd of people in the hallway in order to get to the sitting room Jeremy had been lead to the night Clark had asked him to join him in Hawaii.

They’re walking to the bar where an actual bartender is serving people when someone grabs at Jeremy’s forearm. He turns to the touch and almost smacks his head into Clark. The actor is all dressed up in a flashy suit, whiskey tumbler in hand and ombre tinted sunglasses on, as he smiles wide at Jeremy and shouts over the music, “You made it!”

Feeling totally out of place, Jeremy gestures to himself - here he stands - as a response.

Clark’s hand is still on Jeremy’s shoulder, pulling him closer so his mouth is next to Jeremy’s ear and says, “I’m glad you’re here.”

Jeremy doesn’t have time to react or respond as Clark pulls away and steers Jeremy by the arm toward the bar. He cuts through the throng like butter and calls out to the bartender, “Another one of these!”

He guesses that he’s drinking whiskey tonight. Glancing behind him, he catches Eneki and Ryan blocked from the bar by a whole group of people waiting for drinks. Eneki catchesJeremy’s eye and shrugs to him. He touches Clark’s hand on his shoulder and leans in to say, “It’s good to see Eneki’s here!”

“Holy shit, Eneki’s here?” Clark spins around, smiling over the heads of people and waving, “Yo! Eneki! C’mere, man!”

Eneki all but carries the small framed Ryan through the crowd and to the front of the bar. Clark daps him up when they get closer and asks, “What’re you drinking?”

“Old fashioned and French seventy-five!” Eneki tells him.

Clark repeats the order to the bartender as she comes over to drop off the few fingers of high end whiskey served neat. Eneki pats Clark on the shoulder and says, “Thanks! Hey, Clark, this is my husband, Ryan!”

“Pleasure!” Ryan holds out his hand, “I’m such a huge fan!”

Delicately taking the fingertips, Clark kisses Ryan’s knuckles and says, “The pleasure’s all mine. I always love meeting a fan.”

“Is that why you and Jeremy are so close?” Eneki chuckles.

Clark’s smile falters, straining a bit as he leans in and asks, “What’s that now?”

“Cuz Jeremy’s your biggest fan!” Eneki laughs, “He’s seen every single one of your movies!”

Jeremy had been sipping at the whiskey when Eneki spills that little secret about him, nearly spitting out the top shelf liquor at the comment. He definitely chokes on it, coughing as he shakes his head but unable to speak as the whiskey burns his throat.

“No, it’s true!” Eneki keeps laughing, “I figured it out one day and even quizzed him! Dude, knows every film, no joke!”

Clark blinks and smiles, saying placidly, “Crazy. Hey! You guys want to head out back? It’s quieter there!”

The three of them follow Clark to the extensive back porch through an opened sliding glass door. As they make it outside, Clark tugs at Jeremy’s elbow and pulls him to the side. Hecatches his eyes and holds the gaze, asking outright, “Have you really seen all of my movies?”

Really uncomfortable, Jeremy dares to look away and shrugs, “What does it matter?”

“It matters to me,” Clark sounds way too serious, “Tell me. Have you?”

Jeremy stares at his feet, having some sudden urge to cry; like a child being caught with their hand in the cookie jar. He bites down on the inside of his cheek to stave off the wave of emotion, admitting by way of saying, “You’re a really good actor.”

Eneki comes up from behind Jeremy and pats him on the shoulder, “There you two went. Hey, Clark, beautiful place. Really something.”

“Thank-”

“Hey,” a man says from behind them, lightly touching the small of Jeremy’s back.

Jeremy turns and could fall over at the sight, “Merle.”

“Rezai! You made it!” Clark suddenly shifts gears and calls Merle by the director’s name.

Turning between the two, Jeremy scrunches his brow and tells Clark, “No, this is Merle.”