Page 40 of Out of the Storm

“Whenever I’m in Niles. Gary’s funny. In a stupid kind of way.”

Christ, that was the perfect description for Gary.

“Well...” Jeff trailed off and raised both of his eyebrows expectantly rather than elaborating. Hopefully Brandon would catch his meaning.

“Whaaaaat?” Brandon said before cackling. “You and the Graham Cracker himself? I thought you hated that station.”

Jeff shrugged.

“Wow, there’s a story there, and I really want to hear it, but I need to get back to the pretzel stand before there’s a riot.”

“For pretzels,” Jeff deadpanned.

“Everyone loves a salty treat.” Brandon smirked. “You would know.”

Jeff let go of the mop, not even flinching from the clatter it made when it hit the floor, and then started to shove Brandon backward out of the restroom.

“It really isn’t fair that you’re allowed to manhandle me like this,” Brandon said.

“Out.” Jeff shoved Brandon through the threshold, nearly throwing him over the bright yellow Caution sign.

“Ow, the violence.”

“Baby,” Jeff taunted before the door swung shut. He laughed a little to himself, though, as he turned around and headed back over to the mop bucket to pick up the mop. Then he got back to work.

Maybe fifteen minutes later, after Jeff had finished cleaning the men’s room, he gathered up his cleaning supplies and headed out of the bathroom. He started toward the janitor’s closet to put away the mop and such but stopped in his tracks when he happened to glance out at the food court. Gary was sitting at a table not too far away, concentrating on some paperwork.

Jeff’s heart did some funny flip-flop in his chest, and he changed direction, walking over toward Gary while rolling his mop bucket with him.

“Hey,” Jeff said as he neared the table.

Gary looked up with the biggest smile Jeff had probably ever seen. “Hey, Billy Boy!”

“Grading?” Jeff asked, nodding toward the papers.

“Yup. Boy am I behind on this stuff. I think this exam is nearly a month old. You know, I wonder what could have changed in the last month to make me too exhausted to look at these sooner.”

Jeff’s cheeks warmed as he fought back a smile. “Mystery.”

“I thought I’d review them here because then I’d be able to see you too. I’ve been missing you. In-person you, I mean. Phone you, eh, I could take him or leave him.” Gary was still positively beaming, though, and Jeff loved it. “I hope you know I’m kidding.”

“Missed you too, radio man,” Jeff replied, his entire face now on fire.

“Geez, well, if we miss each other so much, maybe we should spend some more time together. I, uh, thought I might endTell Me S’moreearly tonight so that I could head over to Mel’s. She’s having some people over. Like a party, but, you know, not nearly as exciting as the ones on TV considering there isn’t one of us still under twenty-six. And a couple of us are over thirty. Us olds need our beauty sleep.”

“I’m not old.”

“Oh, wait, you’re . . .”

“Twenty-eight.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow,” Jeff repeated in a teasing tone.

“So, wanna come with me?”

Shifting his stance, Jeff rested some of his weight on the mop while he considered Gary’s offer. He definitely wanted to spend time with Gary, but he wasn’t too keen on spending time with other people, especially random ones he’d never even met. But Gary was putting up with a lot for him, intimacy-wise. They’d onlybeen whatever the hell they were for a week, but, God, poor Gary had tried to hold Jeff’s hand before they’d even confessed to liking each other, and Jeff had probably shattered him a bit with that stupid reaction of his. If he hadn’t been so fucked in the head, the two of them would have probably been humping like rabbits by now. He owed Garysomethingfor being understanding.

---