mostly old guys clustered at the bar watching one of the big screens. Angelo gestured toward a booth, and Corey sat.
“What do you want to drink?” Angelo asked. “I’ll go get it.”
“Whatever’s on draft,” Corey said.
Angelo nodded and went up to the bar.
Corey watched him, admiring the cut of his shoulders in his shirt and curve of his ass in expensive-looking slacks. It was only a cursory admiration, but it was hard not to notice Angelo was great looking, with that naturally bronze skin and those intense blue eyes. Not that Corey was interested. He didn’t flirt with straight guys, and even if he did, this was not a flirting kind of scenario. Plus he was loyal to Zach, more determined than ever to make the relationship work.
Zach had come by the day before and spent the afternoon with Corey before staying over, and seemed to have gotten over being pissed off at him the night before. But Zach was acting strange, quiet, and a bit too agreeable. He’d even offered to invite Doug and Stewart for a barbecue sometime, which Corey supposed was his way of letting him know he was done with the jealousy thing. But still, it felt odd. Zach’s entire demeanor seemed to have changed overnight, and he’d spent the evening quietly fused to Corey’s side, saying very little. But when they’d gone to bed, Zach had pounced on Corey, making love to him like his life depended on it, his passion almost desperate.
Corey supposed this meant their talk on Saturday had gotten through to Zach. Which was good to know. He’d been skeptical there would be any change, but Zach seemed to be willing to meet him halfway, and that gave Corey a sense of calm he hadn’t felt in some time, which probably had much to do with the calm he felt right now, even though he was about to confront this thug shrink. But Angelo seemed willing to talk like an adult, so Corey was in turn willing to give him a chance to make his case.
Angelo returned with two draft beers, and set them down before sliding into the booth seat across from him. Eyes shifting around the bar, Angelo took a sip of beer, avoiding Corey’s direct stare. After setting the beer down, Angelo ran a hand over his short dark hair, and his high forehead creased when he finally looked at Corey. “So tell me what exactly you’ve been doing with my Uncle Len.”
“No, no,” Corey said. “You don’t get to start this conversation. Unless you start with an apology.”
Angelo’s nostrils flared as he let out a breath through his nose. “All right. I apologize. For myself, and for Tommy. My cousin presented me with a certain picture that day. A picture I’m not sure was accurate.”
“I accept your apology.”
Angelo’s eyes widened. “You do?”
“I’m a reasonable guy. But I’d like some assurance that your cousin has gotten all his rabies shots and is done with his little crusade against the faggot masseur.”
“Oh, yeah.” Angelo stretched back against the seat, eyebrows pinched. “I’m gonna talk to him. After I call Uncle Len. I’ve got a colleague in town, a counselor who sometimes deals with gay and lesbian issues, particularly for those coming out later in life. Like Uncle Len.”
Surprised, Corey leaned forward, tilting his head. “Is this to help Leonard?”
“Of course. Why else would I do it? He’s family.”
“I’m just concerned after hearing your cousin’s rant the other day. This therapist is not one of those that wants to try and cure Leonard of his homosexuality, I hope.”
Lips pulling back in a grimace, Angelo huffed. “No! Nothing like that. It’s to help him figure things out, to deal with his stress. Look, I can smooth things over with Tommy, I told him I was gonna try and find someone for Len to talk to, and he was okay with that. He just doesn’t want it to be you. I hope you’re not gonna be stubborn about this, because that’ll make things much harder, for everyone involved.”
“Stubborn?” Corey laughed. “Angelo,
“What do you want to drink?” Angelo asked. “I’ll go get it.”
“Whatever’s on draft,” Corey said.
Angelo nodded and went up to the bar.
Corey watched him, admiring the cut of his shoulders in his shirt and curve of his ass in expensive-looking slacks. It was only a cursory admiration, but it was hard not to notice Angelo was great looking, with that naturally bronze skin and those intense blue eyes. Not that Corey was interested. He didn’t flirt with straight guys, and even if he did, this was not a flirting kind of scenario. Plus he was loyal to Zach, more determined than ever to make the relationship work.
Zach had come by the day before and spent the afternoon with Corey before staying over, and seemed to have gotten over being pissed off at him the night before. But Zach was acting strange, quiet, and a bit too agreeable. He’d even offered to invite Doug and Stewart for a barbecue sometime, which Corey supposed was his way of letting him know he was done with the jealousy thing. But still, it felt odd. Zach’s entire demeanor seemed to have changed overnight, and he’d spent the evening quietly fused to Corey’s side, saying very little. But when they’d gone to bed, Zach had pounced on Corey, making love to him like his life depended on it, his passion almost desperate.
Corey supposed this meant their talk on Saturday had gotten through to Zach. Which was good to know. He’d been skeptical there would be any change, but Zach seemed to be willing to meet him halfway, and that gave Corey a sense of calm he hadn’t felt in some time, which probably had much to do with the calm he felt right now, even though he was about to confront this thug shrink. But Angelo seemed willing to talk like an adult, so Corey was in turn willing to give him a chance to make his case.
Angelo returned with two draft beers, and set them down before sliding into the booth seat across from him. Eyes shifting around the bar, Angelo took a sip of beer, avoiding Corey’s direct stare. After setting the beer down, Angelo ran a hand over his short dark hair, and his high forehead creased when he finally looked at Corey. “So tell me what exactly you’ve been doing with my Uncle Len.”
“No, no,” Corey said. “You don’t get to start this conversation. Unless you start with an apology.”
Angelo’s nostrils flared as he let out a breath through his nose. “All right. I apologize. For myself, and for Tommy. My cousin presented me with a certain picture that day. A picture I’m not sure was accurate.”
“I accept your apology.”
Angelo’s eyes widened. “You do?”
“I’m a reasonable guy. But I’d like some assurance that your cousin has gotten all his rabies shots and is done with his little crusade against the faggot masseur.”
“Oh, yeah.” Angelo stretched back against the seat, eyebrows pinched. “I’m gonna talk to him. After I call Uncle Len. I’ve got a colleague in town, a counselor who sometimes deals with gay and lesbian issues, particularly for those coming out later in life. Like Uncle Len.”
Surprised, Corey leaned forward, tilting his head. “Is this to help Leonard?”
“Of course. Why else would I do it? He’s family.”
“I’m just concerned after hearing your cousin’s rant the other day. This therapist is not one of those that wants to try and cure Leonard of his homosexuality, I hope.”
Lips pulling back in a grimace, Angelo huffed. “No! Nothing like that. It’s to help him figure things out, to deal with his stress. Look, I can smooth things over with Tommy, I told him I was gonna try and find someone for Len to talk to, and he was okay with that. He just doesn’t want it to be you. I hope you’re not gonna be stubborn about this, because that’ll make things much harder, for everyone involved.”
“Stubborn?” Corey laughed. “Angelo,
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