Page 99 of Out of the Storm

Don’s hands on him, pushing him toward the bed.

“I’ll make it nice for you. I know how you like it.”

Jeff pushing back.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Where’s this coming from?”

Derisive laughter cut through the line, pulling Jeff out of the memory.

“Fine, sweetness,” Don said. “Just thought I’d ask. I know you like to pretend that I was the villain, but we both know you enjoyed yourself.”

Anger flooded Jeff’s veins, but even so, it wasn’t enough to push past the fear and shame that kept his throat tight. Fuck, how he wanted to tell Don that he hated him, that Don had fucked up his whole life, but he couldn’t seem to manage to make even a single word of it come out.

“I’ll let you be,” Don said. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

And then Don hung up. Jeff stood there, heart pounding, clutching the receiver like a pathetic wimp. He hadn’t even stuck up for himself.

What the hell was wrong with him? He hadn’t been like this before. He hadn’t been this spineless. Before.

Jeff cringed. It was as though his entire world had shifted on its axis the moment his head had hit that nightstand.

Letting out a breath, Jeff shakily replaced the receiver onto its base, but not two seconds later, it rang again, sending a fresh shockof fear shooting through his body, momentarily stopping his heart.

Knowing it could be Gary, Jeff forced himself to answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey.”

Relief nearly knocked him to his knees.

“Oh, fuck. I’m so happy you’re okay,” Jeff said.

“I must have sounded like shit there on the show, huh?” Gary said. And then Jeff heard him sniffle, and his heart splintered in two. “Sorry, I was upset. Iamupset. I talked to my mom and I think... I think I might have lost her. Probably Dawn, too.”

“Not me,” Jeff said, trying to keep his voice as level as possible to hide the fact that his mind was still spiraling from Don’s phone call. “Never me.”

“I know,” Gary said through a sob. Jeff’s eyes were starting to water too. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“Gare, should I come over?”

“Can you? Really? I know it’s late.”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll be right there.”

Even though Jeff was barely holding it together, he had to keep it in. He needed to focus on Gary first, and then, in the morning, he would tell Gary about Don’s phone call.

When Jeff was pulling up Gary’s driveway, Gary came outside onto the stoop. He’d probably been watching out the window. Jeff put the car in park and then let out a groan of frustration as he fought with his stupid seat belt. He couldn’t untangle himself fast enough. All he wanted was to reach his boyfriend, to hold him close.

Once he was free, Jeff practically launched himself out of the car and sprinted up the walkway, and the moment Gary was within reach, they threw their arms around each other before even saying hello. Gary kissed the top of his head.

“Let’s go inside,” Jeff said.

Just after the door shut behind them, Jeff turned to Gary and came face-to-face with the evidence of how very upset Gary must have been for hours. Not only was Gary looking exhausted—his face long and tired—but he was also a wreck. His eyes were pink,the skin around them puffy with little speckled red dots peppered underneath, and the patch below his nose was red and raw.

“Gare,” Jeff said, reaching out to touch Gary’s face. He caressed his cheek. “Tell me everything.”

With a sniffle, Gary nodded.

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