just a pretty face and good body.”
“I know that now. Back then, I wanted to be talented and famous. I had hopes. Now, I’m talking about managing a strip club. Can we bury the hatchet of that old fight? Start over fresh? I did try to patch things up with you. Reach out. I thought you were punishing me at first and maybe I deserved it. If we can’t fix it, can we forget it? We’re both a hell of a lot older now. Maybe, I’m not mature, but I’m not young. If you don’t love me, maybe, we can be real friends instead of this crazy standoff.” Ken tossed the empty pill bottle in the trash then grabbed his coffee.
The silence sent a shiver up his spine. Avery quiet always made Ken worry. Ken had to say something else. “Drink your coffee before it gets cold.”
* * * *
Avery sipped his coffee. “I thought you were trying to rub it in. You always had other men. Showing them off. When you’d talk to me and try to reach out…I thought it was a set up or a slip. I figured you’d remember why we didn’t work.”
“We’re both fucked up.” Ken smiled. “I screwed up both of our lives. I’m sorry. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, and I ruined it. Now, I’ve probably ruined the friendship.”
“What?” Avery couldn’t believe his ears.
“Don’t worry. We can both keep working. I’ll take the manager thing and keep my stripping to your off-nights so I won’t torment you with my body. I won’t come begging for you to take me back or do anything to embarrass or annoy you. We can be professionals, if not friends.” Ken looked around. “I’ll even treat for breakfast. Let’s go out for waffles. Peace offering for my excessive confessions and pity party.”
“Stop yammering. I’m the only man you’ve ever loved?” Avery asked.
Ken’s blue eyes glistened. “True.”
“But you won’t beg me to come back?” Avery asked.
“I don’t want to make a scene or make you uncomfortable at work.” Ken shrugged.
“What about now?” Avery folded his arms.
“Now? Now what?” Ken blushed.
“Do you love me now ?” Avery stepped into Ken’s personal space.
“I never stopped loving you. No man since has measured up or even come close. They were like the pain pills, taking the edge off. My career wasn’t going where I wanted it to. I remember our fight was about the damn auditions I was always obsessing over. So stupid.” Ken leaned in. “But you deserved a better guy who wasn’t so damn needy.”
Avery shook his head. “You were depressed, and I didn’t see. Damn. Some boyfriend I was.”
“No. Not your fault. Mine. I was the drama queen who always needed attention. I need people to prove they loved me. I couldn’t trust. I needed a big display. A ton of energy for my ego. You’re right, I wasn’t happy with me. No one else stood a chance.”
“Do they now?” Avery asked.
“Don’t you tease me. I’m clearing the air. Maybe, we can be better friends. I don’t expect you to still love me. You’re functional and well-balanced. You can find some nice guy and get a dog.” Ken rubbed the back of his neck.
“My grandfather didn’t want me taking over his business because I was gay. I understand what you went through better than you think.” Avery pulled Ken close. “Stop dodging me. You said you’ve been trying to patch things up for years. Do it now.”
“Do what?” Ken looked down.
“Tell me what you want.” Avery had to hear it.
Ken smiled and stared Avery in the eye. “You’re the hottest man I’ve ever dated.”
“Not even close.” Avery laughed.
“It’s a start. Listen!” Ken ditched his sling and put his arms around Avery’s neck. “I’ve never loved anyone but you. I didn’t think I was good enough or smart enough to keep you. I always knew my looks would go, and I’m not going under the knife. I kept dreaming because I wanted my dad to be wrong, but he was wrong. I taught guys to dance, to act and to carry themselves in a business that
“I know that now. Back then, I wanted to be talented and famous. I had hopes. Now, I’m talking about managing a strip club. Can we bury the hatchet of that old fight? Start over fresh? I did try to patch things up with you. Reach out. I thought you were punishing me at first and maybe I deserved it. If we can’t fix it, can we forget it? We’re both a hell of a lot older now. Maybe, I’m not mature, but I’m not young. If you don’t love me, maybe, we can be real friends instead of this crazy standoff.” Ken tossed the empty pill bottle in the trash then grabbed his coffee.
The silence sent a shiver up his spine. Avery quiet always made Ken worry. Ken had to say something else. “Drink your coffee before it gets cold.”
* * * *
Avery sipped his coffee. “I thought you were trying to rub it in. You always had other men. Showing them off. When you’d talk to me and try to reach out…I thought it was a set up or a slip. I figured you’d remember why we didn’t work.”
“We’re both fucked up.” Ken smiled. “I screwed up both of our lives. I’m sorry. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, and I ruined it. Now, I’ve probably ruined the friendship.”
“What?” Avery couldn’t believe his ears.
“Don’t worry. We can both keep working. I’ll take the manager thing and keep my stripping to your off-nights so I won’t torment you with my body. I won’t come begging for you to take me back or do anything to embarrass or annoy you. We can be professionals, if not friends.” Ken looked around. “I’ll even treat for breakfast. Let’s go out for waffles. Peace offering for my excessive confessions and pity party.”
“Stop yammering. I’m the only man you’ve ever loved?” Avery asked.
Ken’s blue eyes glistened. “True.”
“But you won’t beg me to come back?” Avery asked.
“I don’t want to make a scene or make you uncomfortable at work.” Ken shrugged.
“What about now?” Avery folded his arms.
“Now? Now what?” Ken blushed.
“Do you love me now ?” Avery stepped into Ken’s personal space.
“I never stopped loving you. No man since has measured up or even come close. They were like the pain pills, taking the edge off. My career wasn’t going where I wanted it to. I remember our fight was about the damn auditions I was always obsessing over. So stupid.” Ken leaned in. “But you deserved a better guy who wasn’t so damn needy.”
Avery shook his head. “You were depressed, and I didn’t see. Damn. Some boyfriend I was.”
“No. Not your fault. Mine. I was the drama queen who always needed attention. I need people to prove they loved me. I couldn’t trust. I needed a big display. A ton of energy for my ego. You’re right, I wasn’t happy with me. No one else stood a chance.”
“Do they now?” Avery asked.
“Don’t you tease me. I’m clearing the air. Maybe, we can be better friends. I don’t expect you to still love me. You’re functional and well-balanced. You can find some nice guy and get a dog.” Ken rubbed the back of his neck.
“My grandfather didn’t want me taking over his business because I was gay. I understand what you went through better than you think.” Avery pulled Ken close. “Stop dodging me. You said you’ve been trying to patch things up for years. Do it now.”
“Do what?” Ken looked down.
“Tell me what you want.” Avery had to hear it.
Ken smiled and stared Avery in the eye. “You’re the hottest man I’ve ever dated.”
“Not even close.” Avery laughed.
“It’s a start. Listen!” Ken ditched his sling and put his arms around Avery’s neck. “I’ve never loved anyone but you. I didn’t think I was good enough or smart enough to keep you. I always knew my looks would go, and I’m not going under the knife. I kept dreaming because I wanted my dad to be wrong, but he was wrong. I taught guys to dance, to act and to carry themselves in a business that
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