Page 59 of Mr. Frosty Pants
Joel nodded.
“Well, then I thought I might as well get breakfast. So… eggs, sausage, doughnuts, and some cereal, in case you thought the doughnuts were too sweet. I grabbed another box of oatmeal since I knew you were out. Got the same kind. And then I couldn’t resist the Oreos since I know how much you loved them when we were kids.” He pulled out the rest of the food as Joel watched. “For tonight, I thought I’d pan fry some steaks and roast the veggies. The cake is for dessert, and the beer and wine are for whenever.”
“You must have spent a fortune.”
Casey’s gut twisted. He’d spent barely anything in his estimation, especially after acclimating to New York prices. How little must Joel be living on these days?
“Let me pay you for the oatmeal and half of everything else,” Joel said, wiping a hand over his upper lip nervously.
“What’d I say? You bring the tree and I bring the food, and we’d be even. You’ve got the tree?”
Joel nodded. “The one that cut me.”
“Well, then we’re good. And we’ll show that bitch of a tree. We’ll dress her right up in ornaments and bulbs, and she’ll never know what hit her.”
Joel smirked. “I love yo—that.” His dark eyes flicked up to Casey’s face and then down again. “I love that idea.”
“Right. I lovethattoo,” Casey said, but he jerked his chin toward Joel, hoping he’d accept the semi-declaration without a fuss.
Joel seemed eager enough to let his momentary slip of tongue fade away, so he started putting the groceries away. “This is too much, but I’ll take it. It’s Christmas, and you’re a pretty cute Santa. I guess I’ll pay you with sex later.”
Casey laughed. “Only if you don’t really mean it as a payment.”
Joel grinned wickedly. It made Casey’s blood race. “Oh, you know I’d do it for free.”
“Just checking. I don’t want you to feel obligated. That’s not what this is about.”
“I’m an asshole, remember? I wouldn’t have sex with you for groceries. I’d sooner catch my dinner in the lake. As I have before, and I will again.”
Casey frowned. The idea of Joel having to eat what he caught from the lake was awful.
Joel showed him around the kitchen. “The pans are there, the seasoning there, and potholders here. Let’s get a couple of beers open.” He grabbed the opener from a drawer. “Yee-Haw, dude? That brand’s too rich for my blood.” But Joel drank it, moaning sweetly when he took a big sip.
Casey’s heart flipped over, and he quickly tasted his own beer to cover it up.
At the kitchen table, they worked together to prep the veggies for roasting. Bruno was busy being adorable at their feet, casting his wide eyes up at them hopefully.
After Joel got up to grab a second beer, he sat across from Casey, studied him for a long moment, and then asked, “Why’d you tell RJ about us?”
“What?” Casey’s stomach caught. Joel didn’t sound angry exactly, but he did sound wary.
“He told Becca. She called me because I hadn’t told her myself. That’s the chain of events, in case you were wondering.”
“Oh.” Casey’s cheeks went hot, and if his ears could catch on fire, they’d be flaming.
“What did you say to him anyway?”
“Becca didn’t know?”
“She did, but… Yeah, she did.” Joel’s pale cheeks pinked up, and he took a long swig from his beer. “I guess I don’t mind. You didn’t say anything bad.”
“I thought… I mean, I thought he was trustworthy.”
“He probably is. Usually Becca’s like a steel trap. RJ tells her whatever, and it stays between them with no escape. But this time, since the gossip included me, and she considers me ‘hers,’ she let me know.” He shifted awkwardly, like he wasn’t telling the entire truth, but Casey didn’t know why. “She’s protective of me. Like a big sister who’s magically the same age or whatever.” He looked embarrassed to have a friend who cared about him.
“I’m sorry if I violated your trust by telling him what I did. For what it’s worth, I didn’t out you. He’d already figured out that you were gay a long time ago.”
“I know. It’s fine.”
