Page 34 of Wrapped Up In You
We spent a pleasant afternoon exploring the shops on Main Street, walking hand in hand, pointing out this item or that in storefronts as we passed. Hayden picked up some sheet music in a little mom-and-pop music store, which looked like it also served area schools. Band instruments were on display alongside guitars and electric keyboards, and there was a small repair shop housed in the back. The selection of sheet music was small, but Hayden still found some things of interest while I plunked out a melody or two from memory on one of the keyboards.
I purchased a couple of new ties in a men’s clothing shop and contemplated a new sweater but ultimately decided against it. There were several shops owned by local craftsmen featuring handmade items we admired. In one shop, Hayden bought a necklace for his mom for Christmas, having put off his holiday shopping until the last minute, and in another, I purchased a handmade chess set for my father for his birthday next month.
By late afternoon, we were famished, having not eaten anything since our midmorning pastries. As far as we could tell, in addition to the bakery, the town’s only other dining establishments were a diner back off the highway, an ice cream shop, and a bar and grill. We both agreed that a beer and a burger sounded great, so we headed in the direction of Billy’s Bar and Grill, at the end of town opposite where we’d parked.
The hostess seated us in a booth off to one side, near the windows, giving us a pretty view of the snow-covered forest beyond. The restaurant itself was a combination of heavy wood and brass, with walls painted forest green, covered in photos and memorabilia from local high schools and the community college a couple of miles away. The U-shaped bar in the center of the space was surrounded by TVs, and since it was Sunday, all were tuned to football.
Our server greeted us, and we each ordered beers and double bacon cheeseburgers, his with tots and mine with fries, before settling back on either side of the booth.
A pall began to descend as I realized our day was winding to a close and he’d be leaving tomorrow. Typically, on a Sunday, I’d be dreading going to work the next day, but on this particular Sunday, it was the loss of Hayden I was dreading.
I reached over and grabbed his hand, holding it across the table. He looked at our joined hands, then up at me, his eyes widening in surprise. “Is this okay?” We’d been holding hands all day. I wasn’t sure why it would bother him now.
“Yeah.” He squeezed my hand. “It’s more than okay. You just don’t seem like a ‘hold a date’s hand in a restaurant’ sort of guy.”
“I’m not, really.” I shrugged. “But I like holding yours.”
He rewarded me with a shy smile, something I’d seen more of in the last day or so. He’d always appeared so confident, the life of the party at family gatherings, but just between us, he had shown a vulnerable side. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. I wanted him to be free to be himself with me, for him to show me all his amazing facets, but I also hated to see him doubt himself. To doubtus.
“Today’s been a good day.”
“Yeah, it really has.” He smiled wide, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“I want to keep seeing you when we go back to the city. I think there’s something between us, something more than sex, that’s worth exploring.”
His cheeks flushed above his scruff. “I’d like that too.” He ducked his head, fiddling with the cardboard coaster. He abruptly put it back down as our server arrived with our beers. We each took a long pull, and I sensed he was gathering himself to ask something. “So, are we, like, boyfriends?”
Warmth spread through me at his question. I hadn’t really thought about labels, per se, but I liked the idea of being exclusive. Of being able to call himmine. “Yeah, if you’re okay with it?”
“Um, yeah. I’d love that, actually. I’ve never had a boyfriend before.”
“What? How is that possible?” Everyone loved Hayden. He was hot as fuck. How was it possible he’d never had a boyfriend?
He shrugged, setting his beer back down after taking another drink. “I don’t know. I came out in high school, and it wasn’t a big deal. I never really dealt with bullies about it or anything, but there weren’t a lot of other out kids at school, so I only did a little light dating. Never anything serious, mostly just fumbling around in the back of a car. In college, there were a few guys I went out with more than once, but again, it was never anything serious, mostly just sex.”
I hated thinking about him having sex with anyone. It made me want to punch someone.
“You’re scowling.”
I deliberately relaxed my features. “I don’t like thinking about you with anyone else.”
He laughed. “Did you think I was a virgin when I got here?”
“Obviously not, but I also hadn’t given any thought to your dating history.”
“I didn’t like seeing you with Rebecca,” he countered.
“How many times would that have been? Three or maybe four if you count the rehearsal dinner and wedding?”
“Probably. Didn’t like it any of those times. I might have had a small”—he pinched his fingers together with just a tiny bit of space between them—“tiny, minuscule-barely-worth-mentioning crush on you in high school.”
“Oh realllllyyy.” I drew the word out, teasing him. I was delighted with this bit of information.
“I was seventeen, so you were what? Twenty-five? You were like this super smart, hot, older guy. I knew it was never gonna happen, but it didn’t stop me from imagining it.” God, that was both hot and embarrassing at the same time. He shrugged. “I was over it by the time you married Rebecca, but still. I never did like seeing you with her.”
Our server brought our food, pausing our conversation.
He stole one of my fries and stuffed it into his mouth, then proceeded to drown his burger in ketchup. It continued to amaze me how things I once would have rolled my eyes at were now so adorable. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. I was still rolling my eyes, but now it was in a good-natured sort of way.
