Page 38 of Mr. Frosty Pants
“I thought it was because he was the only parent who wasn’t actually home in the evenings since he had to work at Vreeland’s until it closed most nights.”
Joel smirked. “That helped too.”
“Do you still play bass ever? You were good.”
“I was okay,” Joel agreed fondly. “But I didn’t really love it. Sometimes I play around on electric guitar with Becca just for fun, but it’s been months since I touched the thing. I sold my bass guitars. My writing takes up most of my free time, and I like it better in terms of a hobby that pays.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t have to rely on anyone but myself. A band requires cooperation. I had no idea how good our little group had it—you know, how well we got along—until it was over and I started playing with some other local bands for fun. Talk about a nightmare. Infighting, jealousy, posturing. It was exhausting. I was happy to step away.”
The rest of their meal went by easily enough, their conversation having turned to memories of old times. The “whatever happened to so-and-so?” topic took up the better part of an hour and by the time the waitress asked if they’d like dessert, Joel had entirely sobered up.
“I’m good,” he said, shaking his head. “Really, you’ve spent enough.”
Casey didn’t give a rat’s ass about the money, but he still wanted to go ice-skating, and he figured he’d save the fight for the entrance fee on that instead. “I think we’re finished. I’ll take the check when you’re ready.”
The waitress nodded, and Joel excused himself to the restroom. Casey fished out his wallet and paid the bill while he waited for Joel’s return. The music had changed to a particularly well-done jazz rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and he wondered if it was the Dexter Gordon Quartet, too. He’d have to ask Joel.
He couldn’t get over how easy the date felt—how right. When he’d been with Theo everything had seemed like work. Conversation never flowed. The jokes hadn’t tripped off his tongue. He’d never been sure of what to say, or even who he truly was when he was with Theo. Hell, even the fucking had felt like work, what with Theo being a demanding bottom who always acted like Casey just wasn’t trying hard enough.
But everything with Joel was easy. Even when he was being a grouch or acting like he didn’t really want Casey around, it was easy. Casey knew what to say and how to say it. He knew who he was and who he wanted to be when he was with Joel. And he knew that deep down, underneath the sometimes-dismissive gruffness, Joel absolutely felt the same. He had to. There was no way it could be so easy for Casey and be hard for Joel.
Speaking of hard for Joel, he couldn’t help but wonder if the kiss he’d been promised would lead to more. If it did, he’d take his time, make it good. It was an honor to think he might get to be the first person to ever be with Joel like that. Casey wanted to make it perfect for him. Special.
“Ready to go?” Joel asked, standing by the table with his hands shoved in his jacket pockets, the colored lights strewn around the ceiling reflecting on his face and his arrow-shaped mouth lifted up in a gentle smile.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Casey rose and followed Joel through the crowd by the bar and out the front door to the cool night on Market Square to find more fat snowflakes falling all around.
Lo and behold, some of them were sticking.
Chapter Twelve
“Isaid I’dwatchyouskate.” Joel frowned at the ice skates Casey thrust at him.
“And I ignored you.”
“You do that a lot.” The two of them sat on one of the benches around the rink.
“Only about things like this.” He’d never ignore Joel when it came to something serious. But ice-skating? He knew Joel wanted to go, deep down inside.
“We should probably have a come to Jesus about consent at some point,” Joel said, lifting a brow. “Especially if you’re going to kiss me again later.”
Casey grinned. “I promise to honor every single ‘no’ or ‘stop’ you utter in that context. Swear on my soul.”
“You better,” Joel grumbled, crossing his arms and looking away toward the popcorn machine by the food trucks.
“I swear.”
Joel nodded and then moved back to the topic at hand. “These people are extortionists. Twenty bucks to rent the skates and three dollars for a bag of popcorn? Insane.”
“Come on. Skate with me.”
Joel snarled his lip. “I don’t know how.”
“Oh.” Casey’s tummy flipped over. Joel was always adorably irritable when he was insecure. “Well, it’s… I’m not going to lie and say it’s easy. But you can hold on to the side, and I’ll stay with you. You can lean on me.”
“That’ll look gay.”
