In the middle of biting into a peach, Joey agreed with a mumbled, "Yeah."
"Yeah, messy," Bailey said as he wiped his little chin.
"Next we should get a watermelon," Matt said.
Joey was all for it, "A big one."
"We should drive to Schooner Point and get one at their market then have a picnic on the cliff," Matt said. He looked at Bailey enthusiastically then seemed unsure. "I mean, if you want."
"Sounds like fun," Bailey told him and Joey nodded with a mouth full of peach.
"But we have to go to the beach party," Joey reminded them. "There's going to be a big fire."
"That's tonight. We won't miss it," Bailey told him. It was the annual Bonfire Beach Bash and they were all going.
"We watched them setting up for it, piling up the logs," Matt said.
Bailey had gone to the party before. There was food, music, dancing. He wondered if he would get to see Matt dance.
That night, Matt, Bailey and Joey arrived at the bonfire beach party. They joined the lively crowd gathered around the crackling fire and enjoying the warm summer night. Joey stared at the fire so hard, amazed at how high it reached. Bailey was glad they had put up a barrier around it so he couldn't get any closer.
"I want to make marshmallows on it," Joey said.
"Those would have to be some big marshmallows," Matt told him and lifted him up on his shoulders.
"I'm so high and the fire is still bigger than me," Joey said.
From his vantage point on Matt's shoulders, Joey noticed the neighbor kids. Bailey took him over there, but Matt had seen some guys he knew and he went to say hi. Bailey wondered if that might be the last they would see of him tonight.
Hanging out with their neighbors, Bailey made sure not to look around to see where Matt was, what he was up to. He still noticed him talking to the same group of guys, but Bailey wasn't staring.
Sidling over to him, Chad asked him, "Where's the hunky manny?"
"He's out there somewhere," Bailey said like he didn't know exactly where Matt was.
"Oh, I see him. I guess you didn't notice him there," Chad needled him and Bailey wondered where his husband was so he could save him. "You two are inseparable these days. We always see you cavorting together."
"With Joey," Bailey told him.
"I'm sure you find some alone time," Chad said.
"My life is not as exciting as you seem to think," Bailey told him.
"Oh, no?" Chad frowned like he was now ready to feel sorry for him instead of taunting him. "Did you get shot down? You poor guy."
"I'll go get some food," Bailey told him because the pity was even worse than the innuendo.
Leaving Joey to hang out with the neighbor kids, Bailey went to get them some snacks and also to escape Chad. On the way, Matt joined him. "You know that guy?" Matt asked with a frown.
He didn't mean Chad obviously. Bailey didn't know who he meant until Matt pointed out a good looking guy in his forties. He didn't look familiar. "I don't know him."
"That guy can't take his eyes off you," Matt said. "Is he your type? Do you like older guys?"
Bailey wanted to deny it, tell Matt he was his type. "He's OK, I guess," he said noncommittally and didn't look in the guys' direction again. "Are you sure that guy isn't looking at you?" That seemed more likely, but Matt denied it.
"His eyes were glued to you," Matt said and he didn't look happy about it.
Matt kept glaring at the guy, and Bailey wondered if it was possible that he was jealous. If he was, that was extremely flattering and unexpected.
