flick.
B RANDON WAVED a cheerful good-bye to his last customer of the day before locking the front door. When he turned back to me, he dropped the upbeat shopkeeper facade and gave me a shy sideways glance.
“I’m sorry.”
I didn’t say a word. We had an agreement, and he’d gone back on it. He deserved to stew in a little remorse as far as I was concerned. I looked down at the paperwork I’d been busy with earlier as though I found it much more interesting than his lame apology. But Brandon hadn’t really done anything wrong. My mother was tenacious. I should have called her and filled her in about my new job myself. I set myself up for the embarrassment and guilt she seemed to represent by being a coward. I loved my mother, but I hated feeling like a failure. I wanted to fix my life and then invite her in. When would I get a clue? That’s not how things worked with Mara.
“I held her off for as long as I could but you know how she is.”
I nodded and raised my eyebrows at my oldest, dearest friend. When I rolled my eyes a second later, he knew he was forgiven. He lunged and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist before planting a sloppy, wet kiss on my cheek.
“Eww.” I swiped at my cheek theatrically.
“I love you, Lukey. Never doubt it!”
“I know, I know. I love you too. And yeah, I get it. She’s….”
“She’s Mara. She’s big, brash, bold, and beautiful, but… she really is worried, which is the only reason I faltered. I apologize. A million times over. I figured if she saw you quick-like, she could set her mind at ease and stop fussin’. Do you think it worked?” Brandon gave me a hopeful look and perched his cute behind on the stool behind the register.
“No. Not at all. Whatever. She’s just exhausting.”
“Be grateful for her, Luke. You are so damn lucky to have all that love in your life.”
“I know,” I sighed tiredly.
“Good! Help me clear up the teensy mess I made in the stockroom. While we fold pillow cases, you can tell me what you were brooding about earlier.” Brandon waltzed away, swinging his ass in a flirty manner that made me want to remind him I wasn’t one of his many admirers, and the odds I’d tell all were above average, anyway.
Except I couldn’t. Not this time. I promised I wouldn’t say a word. As I followed him into the stockroom, I realized this wouldn’t be easy. Brandon wasn’t an ordinary friend. He was like a brother to me. I trusted him with my life. We told each other everything. It wasn’t a matter of sharing juicy gossip, although we did that too. It was a matter of helping each other process and keep perspective in a world that didn’t seem to get us.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“What’s on your mind, sugar? Tell me about the job. All about it!”
I picked up a stack of pillowcases and began folding them meticulously. I made sure to line the seams just so as I launched into a boring monologue about picking out tile. I couldn’t even try to embellish my tale. I almost put myself to sleep listening to my monotone account of the various subtleties to be found in the Carrara marble samples I’d gathered.
“Luke?”
“Hmm?”
“You are the world’s worst actor. Ever. Give it up. Something is definitely on your mind, and the fact you are trying to throw me off track is suspicious to say the least. Bring it on. Let’s hear it.” Brandon’s right eyebrow was raised practically to his hairline while the other stayed in place. It was a cool trick. But it meant he was serious. Since he didn’t do serious often, I gulped and bit at my lip.
“You can’t say a word.”
“I would never!”
“I’m deadly serious, Brandon. I prom—”
“Luke! You’re freaking me out. You know you can trust me! What happened?”
I did know I could trust him. Michael didn’t know that, however. Oh fuck. I swiped my fingers through my hair in frustration and looked back at Brandon. He was sitting on the corner of his desk
B RANDON WAVED a cheerful good-bye to his last customer of the day before locking the front door. When he turned back to me, he dropped the upbeat shopkeeper facade and gave me a shy sideways glance.
“I’m sorry.”
I didn’t say a word. We had an agreement, and he’d gone back on it. He deserved to stew in a little remorse as far as I was concerned. I looked down at the paperwork I’d been busy with earlier as though I found it much more interesting than his lame apology. But Brandon hadn’t really done anything wrong. My mother was tenacious. I should have called her and filled her in about my new job myself. I set myself up for the embarrassment and guilt she seemed to represent by being a coward. I loved my mother, but I hated feeling like a failure. I wanted to fix my life and then invite her in. When would I get a clue? That’s not how things worked with Mara.
“I held her off for as long as I could but you know how she is.”
I nodded and raised my eyebrows at my oldest, dearest friend. When I rolled my eyes a second later, he knew he was forgiven. He lunged and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist before planting a sloppy, wet kiss on my cheek.
“Eww.” I swiped at my cheek theatrically.
“I love you, Lukey. Never doubt it!”
“I know, I know. I love you too. And yeah, I get it. She’s….”
“She’s Mara. She’s big, brash, bold, and beautiful, but… she really is worried, which is the only reason I faltered. I apologize. A million times over. I figured if she saw you quick-like, she could set her mind at ease and stop fussin’. Do you think it worked?” Brandon gave me a hopeful look and perched his cute behind on the stool behind the register.
“No. Not at all. Whatever. She’s just exhausting.”
“Be grateful for her, Luke. You are so damn lucky to have all that love in your life.”
“I know,” I sighed tiredly.
“Good! Help me clear up the teensy mess I made in the stockroom. While we fold pillow cases, you can tell me what you were brooding about earlier.” Brandon waltzed away, swinging his ass in a flirty manner that made me want to remind him I wasn’t one of his many admirers, and the odds I’d tell all were above average, anyway.
Except I couldn’t. Not this time. I promised I wouldn’t say a word. As I followed him into the stockroom, I realized this wouldn’t be easy. Brandon wasn’t an ordinary friend. He was like a brother to me. I trusted him with my life. We told each other everything. It wasn’t a matter of sharing juicy gossip, although we did that too. It was a matter of helping each other process and keep perspective in a world that didn’t seem to get us.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“What’s on your mind, sugar? Tell me about the job. All about it!”
I picked up a stack of pillowcases and began folding them meticulously. I made sure to line the seams just so as I launched into a boring monologue about picking out tile. I couldn’t even try to embellish my tale. I almost put myself to sleep listening to my monotone account of the various subtleties to be found in the Carrara marble samples I’d gathered.
“Luke?”
“Hmm?”
“You are the world’s worst actor. Ever. Give it up. Something is definitely on your mind, and the fact you are trying to throw me off track is suspicious to say the least. Bring it on. Let’s hear it.” Brandon’s right eyebrow was raised practically to his hairline while the other stayed in place. It was a cool trick. But it meant he was serious. Since he didn’t do serious often, I gulped and bit at my lip.
“You can’t say a word.”
“I would never!”
“I’m deadly serious, Brandon. I prom—”
“Luke! You’re freaking me out. You know you can trust me! What happened?”
I did know I could trust him. Michael didn’t know that, however. Oh fuck. I swiped my fingers through my hair in frustration and looked back at Brandon. He was sitting on the corner of his desk
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