Page 95 of Something Like Summer
“Another one for you,” hesaid, looking concerned.
Tim stepped out from behindhim. The last few years hadn’t been kind. He had circles under hiseyes and stubble covered his chin. Even his once-invinciblephysique had grown paunchy. He appeared vulnerable and uncertain,until he spotted Ryan. Then his face became a mask of fury that Benhadn’t seen since they parted as teenagers.
Oblivious of theirsurroundings, Tim and Ryan began shouting at each other. Ben staredin shock before shooing Brian away, promising to lock up. By thetime he returned his attention to the conflict, Tim had grabbedRyan’s arms and was shaking him and yelling. Ryan was alternatingbetween crying and shouting back.
“Let go of him!” Bengrowled, adrenaline taking over. “I said let go!” When neither manpaid any attention to him, he pulled on Tim’s shoulder. Tim roundedon him, eyes blazing before his face crumpled.
“That’s right, show himhow you treat me,” Ryan yelled, lifting the sleeves of his blackconcert T-shirt. His arms were bright red where Tim had grippedhim, but there were also bruises. “Did he do this to you, too?”Ryan demanded. “Is that why you left him?”
Ben turned to Tim, jawclenching, but his former boyfriend couldn’t meet hisgaze.
“I’m going to killmyself,” Ryan bawled, heading for the door. “I’m going to killmyself and leave a note blaming it on you!”
The door slammed, the glassshaking in its frame. The silence that followed was filled onlywith Tim’s heavy breathing. Ben could smell alcohol on his breath,much more than the theater would serve.
“I guess I should go afterhim,” Tim said.
“I guess youshould.”
Tim turned when reachingthe door.
“La Maisonette, tomorrow.Seven o’clock?”
Ben hesitated.
“Please?”
“All right.”
Tim slunk into the nightwearing a burden of shame. Ben was tempted to lock the door afterhim, but he didn’t. He still trusted Tim, still knew him. There hadto be a reason for everything he’d seen tonight, and he wouldn’t beable to rest until he found out why.
* * * * *
Tim was already at therestaurant, seated at a table and waiting. His appearance wasbetter than it had been the day before, face clean shaven and hairfreshly cut. He still didn’t look as though he’d slept recently.Ben sat, not knowing what to expect and warily noting thehalf-empty bottle of wine on the table.
“I’m sorry aboutyesterday,” Tim said, lifting the bottle. “Drink?”
Ben nodded. He didn’t planon drinking but he figured it was one less glass forTim.
“Is your boyfriendokay?”
“Ryan? Yeah, he says stufflike that all the time.”
“And do you react likethat all the time?”
Tim’s expression wasmiserable. “No! I never hit him. Nothing like that. We had a fightlast week, and I grabbed him just like last night. I don’t know myown strength sometimes, and he really knows how to push my buttons.Those were the only two times, but I’m afraid of what might happenif things don’t change.”
Ben didn’t know what tosay. He didn’t know Ryan or his history with Tim, and part of himwas unwilling to ask. If Ryan caught them here things would onlyget worse. Jace wasn’t thrilled with Ben being here either, but atleast Ben hadn’t kept it a secret. What could he do, walk away? Lethis last memory of Tim be of the broken man before him?
“All right,” Ben said.“Tell me everything.”
Tim had met Ryan at a bar ayear ago and they had everything in common. Both came fromwell-to-do families with distant parents. Ryan’s had turned theirbacks on him when he came out, eventually cutting him off from hiscollege tuition. Tim had supported him, but eventually learned thatRyan never attended the expensive classes he was paying for. Ryanhad little interest in anything other than partying, and Tim hadindulged him, joining in and feeling like a teenageragain.
“For a while things weregood,” Tim said. “Well, maybe not good, but entertaining. Then thelies started. First my wallet was stolen. I didn’t care about thecash, but the credit cards were a hassle. Part of me suspected, soI didn’t cancel them right away. Sure enough, they were used atRyan’s favorite clothing store. The brat even showed up in a newoutfit the next day. It’s not like he has a job or any other sourceof income besides me, so it couldn’t have been moreobvious.
“Then a friend of histurned out to be much more. I put an end to that, but it wasn’tpretty. I suppose it was karma for what I put you and Jace through.Every time I try to rein him in makes him act out that much more,usually by partying. Last week Ryan ended up in the ER to have hisstomach pumped. All he cares about anymore is drinking anddrugs.”
“Looks like you’ve beenindulging a bit yourself,” Ben said.
