Nolan Mitchell's world has been turned upside down by his recent break-up with his girlfriend. Lucky for Nolan, his best friend and roommate Cam has a plan to cheer him up -- a weekend away from the pressures of college helping Cam's dad Rick with a building project.
Handsome and charming Rick Monroe is like no man Nolan has ever met. Nolan is drawn to Rick with an undeniable pull he never bothers to question until Cam jealously accuses Rick of wanting more from Nolan than just friendship.
Nolan finds himself thinking thoughts he never considered before and he's flattered a charismatic older man is paying him attention, regardless of the reason. Can Nolan put the opposite sex behind him and embrace the love of an older man? Maybe, but not if Cam has anything to say about it.
The pizza took longer to get than Nolan anticipated so his nerves were on edge. He wanted to get on the road ASAP. It was already getting quite late and he didn't want Rick to have gone to bed before he could get there. He rocketed into his apartment's parking lot and sprinted toward his building's front door. He was fumbling with his keys so he could just stab his key into the lock and not waste precious time. He had wasted enough time already and he hoped it wasn't too late.
"Where's the fire?"
Nolan let out a high-pitched scream and threw his keys in the direction of the unexpected greeting. Rick was quick to duck out of the way but the keys flew far across the lawn.
"What the fuck?" Rick said between gales of laughter. "You are so damned jumpy."
"You scared the shit out of me, Rick!" Nolan cracked a smile before laughing himself.
"Oh, man. You should have seen your face! You were like ..." Rick made a hilarious startled face. Nolan dissolved into laughter and had to sit down on the apartment steps. "And that sound! Have you ever let the air out a balloon reeeeal slow?" Rick plopped down on the next step down from Nolan.
"Piss off, man. Scaring innocent people like that. You're a lunatic!"
"A lunatic who comes bearing gifts…"
"I'm listening."
"If you have a minute to talk, I brought pizza."
Nolan's face split in a huge smile. "I'd love a chance to talk. I, uh, actually just bought a pizza and I was planning on running it out to you."
"For real? Great minds think alike."
"Yup." The two men smiled at each other. Nolan felt his heart flutter. "But if you want to eat, you have to help me find my keys."
"Oh, shit. Okay. You go back and forth and I'll go up and down."
"That's what she said."
"It's a search grid, you freak!" Rick said with a smile. "Now hurry up. I'm starving!"
The keys were found within a few minutes thanks to the streetlights gleaming off the metal. After Nolan retrieved his pizza from the car the two men climbed the stairs to the apartment. Nolan handed Rick two plates while he sat about pouring them sodas.
Rick opened the top pizza box and plated some pizza for both of them. "I don't see Cameron. When's he getting back?"
Nolan placed the cups on the table. "Now, don't spit this all over me."
Rick smiled. "Promise."
"I don't know where Cam is, honestly. I've been a pretty shitty friend lately. I don't know what he's been up to. I didn't even think to ask."
"Oh. I know the feeling. I've been a pretty shitty dad lately. I've had a lot on my mind."
"No freaking joke."
"Look, Nolan. I have to get this off my chest right now or I never will. I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? Why are you sorry?"
"I feel really gross about what went down. Like, I feel I took advantage of our friendship. I shouldn't have flirted with you and I should have let it go so far. I don't want to be that guy."
"It's not like that."
"It was pretty obvious it was just like that. You came out of that bathroom and you looked so freaked out. I knew right then that I messed up big time."
"It wasn't you that I was freaked out about. I was the one who kissed you, remember?"
"I'll never forget it."
Nolan blushed before continuing. "I liked that you liked me. I wanted you to like me. I wanted to kiss you. I really, like really liked kissing you. I just don't think I'm gay."
Rick's brow furrowed and his expressive mouth contorted in unspoken dialog before he bowed his head and began picking at the toppings on his slice of pizza.
"Hey, look at me please."
Rick raised his head and looked at Nolan with eyes gone watery around the edges.
Nolan borrowed a cue from the guys in the restaurant and slid his hand across the table. "Please get this clear in your mind. I'm definitely not gay in general but I'm for sure, without a doubt very, very gay for you."
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