doing this in front of all my neighbors.”
“No problem, babe.”
“And quit calling me that. We’re not together anymore.”
Mason couldn’t help but notice that Todd didn’t help him carry in the groceries he had balanced in his arms, didn’t even offer. He just followed Mason up the long staircase to his thirdfloor apartment. Mason could feel Todd’s disdain for his living space seeping through the T-shirt he was wearing and coating his back.
“This is me.” Mason gestured to his door and put the bags of groceries down before he fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked it. He hated Todd in his new place, the place that had been just his and didn’t have any of the bad residue left over from everything that had happened between them in Seattle.
“Cute place.”
Mason rolled his eyes. “You’re not good at lying. It’s not your humungo condo on the lake. That will never be me. I happen to love it.”
“Sure thing, babe.”
“Jesus, Todd. Don’t you listen? I asked you not to call me that. You can call me Mason. Or nothing at all.”
“What’s got you all in a huff?”
Mason sputtered. “You! What are you doing here, Todd? We broke up . And how did you find
me? I never gave you my new address.” For a reason.
“Jeez. A guy drives forever to Butt Wipe, Egypt to give his boyfriend some awesome news and he gets his head bitten off. You’ve changed, Mase. I don’t think this town is good for you.”
Mason sighed. “You’ve made that abundantly clear. How did you find me, Todd?”
Todd shrugged nonchalantly. “You work at the hospital. I’m a surgeon. The nurse at the front desk can’t tell a gay guy if her life depends on it. I flirted a little, she gave me your mailing address.”
Fucking Phyllis. “That’s great, Todd. Sounds a lot like stalking to me.”
“Listen, I just came to tell you that the neurosurgery program has a late opening. They’re even willing to let you make up the prerequisites while you’re in the program, based on my endorsement.”
Todd had gone through the neurosurgery program at the University. Even when Mason had been planning to be a doctor, that was never what he had in mind. Couldn’t tell Todd that. Todd wanted Mason to go to med school, to get a flashy car and an even flashier condo. It was like he was embarrassed to be seen with some mere nurse. Being gay was fine, as long as he had the right well-educated arm candy at his side.
“Why are you so intent on this, Todd? I told you already I’m not going to go to med school.” Or change my hair, or buy different clothes, or quit hanging out with my “redneck breeder friend. ” Todd had nearly gotten Mason to change everything he was before Mason stepped back and realized what was going on.
“We both know you’re not meant for this hick town, baby.”
“Mason.”
“What?” Todd looked confused.
“I said call me Mason, and I’m done here. I
think it’s time for you to go.”
Todd advanced, attempting to put his arms around Mason. “I drove down here to spend the weekend with you. I miss just hanging around in bed with you, relaxing.”
Todd must’ve had a different memory than he did. All they ever did in bed was fuck, and then Todd would be up and showering and off to his next social function that he inevitably dragged Mason to. Or else on his side of the bed “too hot and sweaty to cuddle.”
“Well, calling ahead would’ve been nice. I have a date in a few hours, and I’d like time to get ready.”
Todd scoffed. “What, you’re dating the one other small town gay guy? How sitcom of you.”
Mason was going to reply before he remembered that there was no winning with Todd. You just had to get away. “You need to go. I am going to go take a nap, and you’re not coming with me. Walk down the stairs, get in your car, and drive. I don’t want you coming back here again.”
“Jesus. I don’t like the new you at all.”
“That’s just because I’m not doing exactly what
“No problem, babe.”
“And quit calling me that. We’re not together anymore.”
Mason couldn’t help but notice that Todd didn’t help him carry in the groceries he had balanced in his arms, didn’t even offer. He just followed Mason up the long staircase to his thirdfloor apartment. Mason could feel Todd’s disdain for his living space seeping through the T-shirt he was wearing and coating his back.
“This is me.” Mason gestured to his door and put the bags of groceries down before he fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked it. He hated Todd in his new place, the place that had been just his and didn’t have any of the bad residue left over from everything that had happened between them in Seattle.
“Cute place.”
Mason rolled his eyes. “You’re not good at lying. It’s not your humungo condo on the lake. That will never be me. I happen to love it.”
“Sure thing, babe.”
“Jesus, Todd. Don’t you listen? I asked you not to call me that. You can call me Mason. Or nothing at all.”
“What’s got you all in a huff?”
Mason sputtered. “You! What are you doing here, Todd? We broke up . And how did you find
me? I never gave you my new address.” For a reason.
“Jeez. A guy drives forever to Butt Wipe, Egypt to give his boyfriend some awesome news and he gets his head bitten off. You’ve changed, Mase. I don’t think this town is good for you.”
Mason sighed. “You’ve made that abundantly clear. How did you find me, Todd?”
Todd shrugged nonchalantly. “You work at the hospital. I’m a surgeon. The nurse at the front desk can’t tell a gay guy if her life depends on it. I flirted a little, she gave me your mailing address.”
Fucking Phyllis. “That’s great, Todd. Sounds a lot like stalking to me.”
“Listen, I just came to tell you that the neurosurgery program has a late opening. They’re even willing to let you make up the prerequisites while you’re in the program, based on my endorsement.”
Todd had gone through the neurosurgery program at the University. Even when Mason had been planning to be a doctor, that was never what he had in mind. Couldn’t tell Todd that. Todd wanted Mason to go to med school, to get a flashy car and an even flashier condo. It was like he was embarrassed to be seen with some mere nurse. Being gay was fine, as long as he had the right well-educated arm candy at his side.
“Why are you so intent on this, Todd? I told you already I’m not going to go to med school.” Or change my hair, or buy different clothes, or quit hanging out with my “redneck breeder friend. ” Todd had nearly gotten Mason to change everything he was before Mason stepped back and realized what was going on.
“We both know you’re not meant for this hick town, baby.”
“Mason.”
“What?” Todd looked confused.
“I said call me Mason, and I’m done here. I
think it’s time for you to go.”
Todd advanced, attempting to put his arms around Mason. “I drove down here to spend the weekend with you. I miss just hanging around in bed with you, relaxing.”
Todd must’ve had a different memory than he did. All they ever did in bed was fuck, and then Todd would be up and showering and off to his next social function that he inevitably dragged Mason to. Or else on his side of the bed “too hot and sweaty to cuddle.”
“Well, calling ahead would’ve been nice. I have a date in a few hours, and I’d like time to get ready.”
Todd scoffed. “What, you’re dating the one other small town gay guy? How sitcom of you.”
Mason was going to reply before he remembered that there was no winning with Todd. You just had to get away. “You need to go. I am going to go take a nap, and you’re not coming with me. Walk down the stairs, get in your car, and drive. I don’t want you coming back here again.”
“Jesus. I don’t like the new you at all.”
“That’s just because I’m not doing exactly what
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