Page 39 of Out of the Storm

“Jeff, I . . .wow.”

“It’s late. I’ll call you tomorrow night. If you want.”

“Do I need to continue to tarnish my reputation by spreading incorrect nonsense on my program first?”

“No. I’ll call.”

Grinning like a fool, Gary shifted in his seat, excitement buzzing through him. Gosh, he could barely sit still.

“Okay,” he said, and he cleared his throat. “I, uh, I had a lot of fun.”

“Me too.”

“Goodnight, then, Jeff. Jeffrey. Sleep well.”

“Night.”

Gary hung up. And for the next couple of minutes, he just stared at the phone, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Chapter Eight

Jeff

So, now Jeff had a sex buddy. Or something.

He plunged his mop back into the bucket of cleaning solution and continued mopping the floor in the bathroom of the food court, smiling to himself as he replayed the entire last week in his mind. Since the night he’d watched Gary host his silly radio show, he and Gary had talked every single evening, just like they had before, only now they had phone sex too. Gary was so fucking accepting, so fucking nice. Jeff could barely believe Gary was okay with this stupid arrangement they had. What were they? Boyfriends? Not really. And yet, they weresomething. Intimacy from afar? Intimacy without crippling bouts of panic as a result of being touched? Miracle of miracles.

As Jeff stuck the mop back into the bucket again, he heard the unmistakablewhooshof the bathroom door swinging open behind him. Annoyed, he turned his head to see who it was. Hadn’t he put up that yellow sign? Couldn’t these mall patrons read?

But it was only Brandon.

“Hey,” Brandon said, coming up beside him and leaning against one of the separators between the bathroom stalls. “Wanna come outside with me? I need a smoke.”

“Nope. I’m finishing in here, and then I’m leaving.”

“Ah, is your shift really over so soon?” Brandon complained. “Damn, well, I’ll be bored out there by myself. Guess I’ll stay here. How’re things?”

Plopping the mophead on the floor, Jeff kept his eyes fixed on the tiles. Ever since he and Gary had become masturbation buddies or whatever they were, he’d been hiding from Brandon. Because he and Brandon had known each other since they were seven, and somewhere between seventh and eighth grade, Brandon had acquired the ability to read Jeff’s mind. It was only a matter of time before Brandon would see through whatever bullshit answer Jeff might come up with and say something like—

“Holy shit, I know that look.” Dammit.“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Glancing up, Jeff sighed and said, “Kinda.”

Brandon’s mouth fell open. “Fuck, it’s beenyears! I thought you were heading for the seminary, honestly. What happened? Who is it?” he asked, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Probably because he wanted to tease the hell out of Jeff for his choice of mate, regardless of who it was. “Tell me, man!”

“It’s nothing serious.”

“Come on. I have five minutes left in my break, and instead of smoking a cig, I’m here watching you clean the men’s room. At least make it worth my while.”

“Isn’t seeing my beautiful face enough for you?” Jeff asked with a fake smile.

“Even though you look less miserable than usual, no, it isn’t.”

“Okay, fine,” Jeff relented, pausing his mopping. “Do you listen to WKBR?”

“Gary Graham?”

“Yeah.”

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