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him. “I don’t know, Kevin. I thought we were just… friends again.”
    “That’s fine. Just so you know, I wouldn’t mind it being more.” He runs his hand up my arm, slides it behind my neck. His thumb tracing the line of my throat, he moves in close like he’s about to kiss me. “I think about that afternoon in my dorm room, the day before graduation. Do you ever think about that? Our first kiss?”
    My eyes drift closed, amplifying the warmth of his hand on the sensitive skin of my neck. Of course I think about that kiss. With him this close, the scent of him in my nose, his touch on my skin, I can almost taste him. When his lips press gently against mine, it takes everything I have to pull my head away.
    “Kevin… I can’t. You come here, you stay in a hotel for a few days, and you go home. You might sleep with someone while you’re here and have a good time— that works for you, and I’m not judging you for it, but I can’t be someone’s Mr. Right Now.”
    He closes his eyes and sighs, looking like he’s going to reply, but then Blake and Samantha come running into the kitchen and I’m reminded why our evening is being cut short.
    “I have to go back to the Drop so Jenny can come over here,” I tell him.
    “Will you drop me off at my hotel on the way?” he asks, resignation in his voice. “I have an early morning tomorrow.”
    “Of course.”
    I show Miriam where to find the guest rooms and the remote for the TV, and we say our goodnights to her and the kids.
    Kevin is so silent on the drive to the hotel, if I couldn’t smell him, I’d swear I was alone in the car. I pull up in front of the Haywood Inn and turn to say goodbye and apologize again, but stop short when I see the smile on his face.
    “Kev?”
    He reaches out a hand and brushes a fingertip down the length of my nose, then drops it.
    “Call me tomorrow, okay? I’ll come by and have a pint.” he says brightly, and a flush of relief washes over me. I’d been so sure he’d decide he didn’t want to see me again now that more was off the table.
    “Okay, sounds good. Good luck with the interviews tomorrow. I hope you find someone good.”
    He smiles. “Thanks. Me too.”
    And then, he’s gone.
    ****

Chapter Four
    January 7, 2014
    Kevin strolls into the Drop right in the middle of happy hour. Jenny, having spent a chunk of her day with her lawyer, is closing the bar, but I need to stay and see her through the post work-day rush. I give Kevin a little nod as he approaches the bar, and he smiles wearily. I pull an IPA for him and set it in front of him as he sits down. When he reaches for his wallet, I wave him off.
    “On me. You bought dinner last night, the least I can do is buy my old buddy a beer.”
    “Thanks.”
    “How’d the interviews go?”
    “Good. I think I have my HR manager. Still undecided on the sales manager, but I still have a few more interviews to go through for that position.”
    I nod. “Hiring is tough. Any chance of promoting from within?”
    “Nah, the sales team is a mess. If their sales had been stronger, they might not have needed to go looking for a buyer. Ugh, I don’t want to talk about work. Please tell me there’s a good gay dance bar somewhere in this town.”
    I laugh. “Yeah, but the scene over there won’t get good until about five hours from now.”
    “Come with me? It’ll be like old times.”
    Old times. Wingmen again. Getting all hot and bothered watching him dance, and then going home alone while he picks someone up. Oh, yeah. That sounds fun.
    “I don’t really…”
    “Oh, you really, really do. Come on , Nick.” He rolls his eyes and starts ticking things off on his fingers. “Dancing. Loud music. Sweaty bodies. Cute twinks and big hairy bears and flashing lights and boners for days. And if you don’t, you ought to. It’s called fun, and people have it sometimes.”
    “I have fun!” I protest.
    “Then come have fun with me.” He takes a swallow of his beer, then