Guys on Top 02 - Guys on the Side (24 page)

Corey cackled. “I did do that, didn’t I? I’m an asshole.”

Doug saluted with his coffee mug. “But you’re our asshole.”

“Everything feels different with Angelo,” Corey said. “I’m in virgin territory here, and you can take that both literally and figuratively. I’m not sure how to proceed with him.”

“Maybe you should just be yourself. That’s who caught his interest in the first place, after all.”

Corey huffed. “I was myself with Zach. Look how that turned out.”

“Not well,” Doug said. “Because deep down, Zach didn’t like who you were. Does Angelo?”

Corey thought about the past twenty-four hours, and a smile crept onto his face. “You know what? I think he does.”

“Then maybe you’re his Krispy Kreme.”

Corey nodded. “I kind of hope so. Because I’m starting to think maybe he’s mine.”

Doug smiled widely. “So what are you doing today?”

“I don’t know.” Corey pulled his phone out. “I should probably invite Dewey out for Sunday beers or something to make up for bailing on our karaoke mission.”

Doug waved a hand at him. “Dewey was fine. He and his pompoms ended up accompanying Jairo singing ‘I’m Too Sexy’ and it was a big hit. There was a lot of disturbing hip gyration going on. Dewey
was
pretty worried about you, though. He chilled a bit when I told him I’d spoken to you. And I had to prevent him from giving Zach a piece of his mind, because I really didn’t want to see your ex-boyfriend get beat up by a bearded cheerleader. It would have been too weird.”

“I’m not used to people
worrying
about me like this. Stewart read me the riot act before he left this morning.”

“Well, Stewart and Dewey have known you longer than I have,” Doug said. “And from what I could gather, you bailing on karaoke was kind of a big deal.”

Corey laughed. “Yeah, they know I enjoy being center stage. So you moving more shit over to Stewart’s today?”

“Nah, he’s gotta work, and I’ve still got some time. Plus Anna wants to show someone the apartment this afternoon, so I’m gonna make myself scarce. Thank God she didn’t schedule the showing for this morning. Can you imagine? With the cops here?”

“Hey, we should go shoot pool or something. I’ll call Dewey. What do you think?”

“Sounds like a perfect Sunday.” Doug rubbed his chin. “I’ve gotta shower. And uh, you should too. I don’t know if you’ve looked in a mirror today, but there’s something going on with your hair that I really don’t understand.”

Corey laughed, scrubbing his scalp with his fingers. “It’s all that fucking hair gel Dewey put in it last night. That, and a lot of rolling around in bed.”

“Ha, yeah. So it was good?” Doug cocked an eyebrow, grinning. “With Angelo?”

Corey nodded. “Yes. But I’m not giving you details.”

“Oh, come on! Since when do you not kiss and tell?”

“Since right now. And please don’t make any more Italian food euphemisms.”

Doug pointed at him. “Hey, those euphemisms were good.”

Corey stood. “Yeah. So was Angelo. But since when do you want to hear about stuff like that? You usually cover your ears and sing really loud when I try to torment you with the details of my sex life.”

“It’s different this time,” Doug said. “Angelo’s a straight dude. Or...he was. I’m intrigued.”

Corey grabbed his jacket off the chair. “He’s not a
unicorn
, Doug. I’m gonna go shower. I’ll be down later to get you.”

“Okay, but if I win at pool you have to give me one detail about your night with Angelo.”

“Nope.”

“Not even one?”

“Nope.”

Doug frowned. “Damn. This is a whole new Corey.”

Corey waved and left Doug’s apartment, trudging up the stairs to his own.
A whole new Corey.
That was exactly how Corey felt this morning. New.

And it suited him just fine.

Chapter Sixteen

Once back at his loft, Angelo changed his bed sheets, smiling when he got a whiff of Corey’s scent before stuffing them in the washer. After that he got in the shower, but didn’t bother turning the water to cool this time. He was done denying his feelings after what happened last night. Anything that felt
that
good could not be bad for him.

In his job he’d spent countless hours trying to help clients who were hesitant to follow their passions and live the life they really wanted to, due to outside influences or peer pressure. To second guess his own nature would be the height of hypocrisy.

Even so, he wasn’t ready to go door to door telling his friends and family about Corey. He didn’t share many personal details with them anyway, and this thing with Corey was still way too new.

He was still mulling that over when he got out of the shower, then once back in his bedroom, he checked his phone to find a text from his cousin Tommy.
Tommy, Jesus
. Now that would be an awkward conversation if it ever came. He opened the text and read.

‘
Thanks for taking such good care of my dad, I owe you one. Can you go out for a beer today?
’

Angelo frowned at his phone, thinking about it. Spending the afternoon with his cousin, who tended to spout anti-gay rhetoric more often than not lately, might not be the best thing for his current state of mind. But he did want to make sure Tommy had smoothed things over with Uncle Len, and aside from that? Angelo was in a great fucking mood, so what the hell, why not go out and have some fun?

‘
Sure, when and where?
’

Tommy replied instantly.

‘
I dragged you out here last week. I’ll come to you this time. Bernie’s Pub, couple hours from now?
’

Though he’d never been there, Angelo had passed Bernie’s Pub several times; it wasn’t far from Corey’s place. He texted back. ‘
See you there
.’

****

Angelo belly laughed when Tommy’s dart went astray and hit the wall instead of the board.

“Screw you, Angelo.” Tommy laughed as he pulled the dart out of the wall.

Angelo took a sip of his beer. “Try again. And I’ll try not to laugh this time.”

“Yeah, right.” Tommy stepped back and lined himself up in front of the board again. “I’m sure you won’t try too hard.”

Thrilled that Tommy thus far hadn’t mentioned anything about gay brainwashing and such, Angelo was having a great time at Bernie’s Pub. He didn’t even mind the raucous Sunday afternoon crowd, or the loud music pumping through the sound system, even found himself tapping his foot. He hadn’t thought he was depressed in the past, but realized now he hadn’t felt this upbeat in a very long time.

Tommy took another shot at the dartboard and hit a bullseye this time.

Angelo clapped. “Nice!”

Dressed in faded jeans and a brown Jack Daniel’s tee shirt, Tommy threw his arms up and did a little dance. “Who’s laughing now, suckah!”

“Hey, Angelo, right?”

Angelo turned around, blinking at the man who’d spoken his name, a chubby redhead with a goatee, holding two full draft beers as he stepped away from the bar. Angelo recognized him from somewhere, but his mind drew a blank. “Hey,” he said anyway. “How you doing?”

“Good.” The man smiled and tilted his head. “You have no idea who I am, do you?”

Angelo laughed. “I know you, I know I do.”

“Dewey,” he said. “We met at Corey’s place the other day.”

Angelo nearly dropped his beer, but recovered himself.
Oh, shit. Dewey
. The one who’d brought Corey the letterman jacket. “Hey, yeah, Dewey.” Angelo glanced over at Tommy, who was bobbing his head to the music as he stared up at a football game on one of the many screens.

“You live around here?” Dewey asked.

“Yeah.” Angelo nodded. “Not far.”

Tommy approached them, still head-bobbing. He nodded at Dewey. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Dewey said. “I’m Dewey. I’d shake your hand if I had a free one.” He grinned, holding up the two beers.

“Double-fisting, excellent. I’m Tommy, good to meet you.”

Dewey turned to Angelo. “I heard you got Corey out of there last night after the whole Zach-attack. Thanks for that, I would have done it myself but I didn’t even see him leave.”

Tommy’s brow lowered, but he remained silent as he looked at Angelo.

“Yeah.” Angelo cleared his throat. “It was no problem.”

“Speaking of Corey, I gotta bring these beers over. Nice to see you again. Good to meet you, Tommy.”

“You too, Dewey,” Angelo said.

Something like panic crawled up his throat.
Corey’s here?
And Tommy’s gaze was following Dewey as he made his way through the crowd.

Every instinct told Angelo not to turn around and look. But accepting the inevitable, he finally glanced over his shoulder. Across the sea of bodies in the far corner of the bar, Dewey approached one of the pool tables, and handed a beer to Doug. Corey was bent over the table with a pool stick, lining up a shot.

And Tommy was staring that way.

Fuck
me.

“Angelo?” Tommy said. “Is that who I think it is over there?”

Closing his eyes, Angelo sighed and turned to his cousin. “Yeah, I know. Don’t start anything, okay?”

Tommy frowned at Angelo. He glanced over at the pool table again. “That’s Corey Stengel.”

“I know.”

“What the hell was that fat fuck talking about? You saw Corey last night?”

Angelo nodded, his pulse swishing in his ears.
Settle down, Angelo. You can handle this. Just take a breath
. “I did,” he said. “I saw Corey last night.”

Tommy stared at Angelo for a long time, saying nothing. Finally he raised his eyebrows. “And?”

“And what?”

“What do you mean ‘and what’? Why did you see fucking Corey Stengel last night?”

Angelo glanced toward the pool table, just in time to see Dewey speaking into Corey’s ear. Corey looked quickly up, and Angelo swallowed hard when their eyes met across the room. Corey’s mouth fell open for a moment, looking as stunned as Angelo felt. Corey’s gaze darted to Tommy, then he quickly turned away, leaning over to speak with Dewey.

Angelo turned his body so that he faced the bar again.

“Angelo?” Tommy stepped around in front of him. “Why won’t you answer my question?”

“Just...let it go, Tommy, okay? It’s not a big deal.”

And there it is
, Angelo thought with a touch of shame.
The first denial
.

“Were you talking to him about my dad?”

Angelo drained his beer, ignoring the question. He couldn’t outright lie to Tommy. He wouldn’t lie. But he had no idea what to say.

“Angelo? Talk to me, you’re freaking me out right now.”

“He invited me out, okay, Tommy?”

“
Invited
you out? What the fuck does that mean?”

Angelo finally met Tommy’s eyes. Taking a deep breath, he said, “I’ve been spending some time with Corey. He’s not a bad guy, Tommy. He’s not what you think he is, he’s not a conman.”

Tommy’s face scrunched into a grimace. “So what, you’re
friends
with that fucking fruitcake now?”

Angelo shrugged. “I suppose. You could say that, yeah.”

Tommy pointed a finger in Angelo’s face. “And you tell me he doesn’t brainwash people? What the fuck, Angelo? You know how I feel about that douchebag, why would you do that? Why would you be...hanging out with him, for fuck sakes?”

“I like him, Tommy, okay? And it’s not your business who I choose to spend time with.”

Tommy huffed out a laugh. “What are you a fucking queer now?”

Angelo’s gaze shifted to the floor. He said nothing.

“Angelo!” Tommy’s voice rose. “
Look
at me.”

****

“I’m sorry,” Dewey said to Corey. “How the hell was I supposed to know he wasn’t out?”

Corey’s heart was beating a mile a minute, though he tried to remain casual. And tried not to look over at Angelo again. And his cousin.
Fuck
. “It’s not your fault, Dewey, don’t worry about it.”

Doug approached. “What’s going on? I hear gossipy whispers.”

Corey sighed and shook his head, taking a sip of beer. “Angelo’s here. With Tommy.”

Doug’s eyebrows shot up. “What? Where?”

“
Don’t
look,” Corey said. “Let’s just get the fuck out of here. Dewey mentioned me seeing Angelo last night. And Tommy heard him.”

“I didn’t know he wasn’t out!” Dewey said. “I met him at your apartment then Doug told me you left with him last night, I just assumed!”

“Oh, shit,” Doug said to Dewey. “Yeah. That’s Angelo the straight dude.”

Dewey’s mouth fell open. “Straight?” He looked at Corey. “He’s straight?”

“It’s debatable, but it doesn’t matter. I want to leave now.”

“You’re not even gonna go say hi to him?” Doug asked.

“Yeah, right. With his asshole cousin here?”

“So what? You’re gonna pretend you don’t know him?” Doug said. “Fuck Tommy, you have every right to speak to a man you...” Doug lowered his voice. “A man you
slept
with last night, for God sakes!”

“Doug! This is Angelo’s decision. I’m not gonna drag him out of the closet when he’s not ready, and I don’t want any trouble. I think having police at my house once today is quite enough. Come on, I want to leave.”

“Yeah,” Dewey said. “Good plan, but I think it’s too late for that.”

They all turned and spotted Tommy coming toward them through the crowd. Angelo pushed after him, shouting, “Tommy! Stop!”

“Oh, great.” Corey clenched his teeth. “Time for the live entertainment.”

Dewey stepped in front of Corey like a bodyguard.

Shoving through the crowd, Tommy approached the pool table, his lips curled back in a sneer as he gazed up at Corey. “You!” He pointed. “I thought I told you to stay away from my family!”

“Tommy, step back!” Angelo grabbed his cousin’s shoulder, but Tommy shrugged him off.

A thousand wiseass remarks wanted to leave Corey’s lips, but when he saw the anguished expression on Angelo’s face, he opted to stay silent. He glanced at Doug. “Let’s get out of here.”