Page 97 of The Fireman and the Flirt

“But you’re not his brother.”

“I know, but the man is a really good cook.” I swiped another chocolate mold from the platter. I’d heard that people gained weight in relationships. I was ready to join the club.

“Hey, can we talk about something serious for a second?” Cal asked. He looked over my shoulder to make sure nobody was coming into the kitchen.

“Sure,” I said, caught off guard by the tone shift. Cal and I weren’t the type of friends to have heart-to-hearts. Though, most of that was because of my whole keeping-people-at-arms-length schtick.

“Cary, I want to apologize to you.” A pained expression creased his face. I could tell he wasn’t putting on an act this time. “I’m sorry I believed that rumor about you and that I never questioned it.”

“It’s okay.” My New Year’s resolution was to finally put gearhead firmly in the past. “What made you think of this? Did Derek say something?”

I glanced over my shoulder. Derek was busy throwing Josh and Quentin onto the couch over and over.

“He did, and I’m glad he did. I feel terrible. When people would mention it, I always told them to shut up. But I should’ve gotten your side of the story. I really am sorry for hurting you, Cary. You got a raw deal, and I was complicit.”

A lot of people did a lot of terrible things in the wake of the gearhead story. Cal’s was minor. I was ready to move on.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Better late than never, right?”

He had a point. The fact that I brought it up to Derek all these years later meant it was still on my mind. It was a tiny point of contention that stood between us. A thin, yet sturdy wall. I was happy to watch it fall away, so Cal and I could strengthen our friendship. We might be brothers-in-law eventually.

A hand snaked around my waist, making me feel safe from the wreckage of the rumor.

“Mind if I borrow Cary? The ball’s going to drop any minute,” said Derek.

Cal gestured that I was free to go.

“Question, do we have to wait until midnight to kiss?” Derek asked.

“Nah. That’s for heteros.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, traditions be damned.

It was a bitterlycold January evening when I went over to Derek’s new house. It was still empty, but he wanted to get my opinion on furniture. He and Jolene were planning to move in that weekend.

The front door was unlocked.

“Hello?” I called out into the echoey house. Derek had heeded my strong suggestion to hire a cleaning service to do a thorough clean. The place looked brand new and much more spacious without all that junk piled high.

“Derek?” I called out. His car was in the driveway, yet silence greeted me.

This was definitely how horror movies started.

“In here,” he called from the main bedroom.

I walked down the hall and found a glow coming from the room at the end. I pushed open the door to find Derek stark naked on an air mattress surrounded by lit tea lights.

“You stole my trick,” I said.

His big, hairy body shimmered in the candlelight. His dick was half-hard and resting against his leg. (Yes, of course that was the first thing my eye went to. I was a gay man, after all.)

“I arranged for a family to come by in a few minutes. The father’s a pastor,” he said with a smirk.

“Perfect.”

“Clothes off, Perkowski.”

I didn’t need to be asked twice. I practically tore off my shirt. I could ruin one shirt. I had a colorful closet full of them. I kicked off my shoes and almost knocked over a side table with tea lights.

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