“No.Only AJ will get this treatment, your wife is safe, don’t worry,” I say, still feeling embarrassed about being caught.
“I’m glad I get special treatment,” AJ says next to me.I pick up the flowers in one hand, take his hand in the other, and lead him to the kitchen.
Unsurprisingly, I don’t have a vase to put the flowers in, but I do have a made-to-look-vintage water jug type thing.It’s probably only meant for display purposes, but for now it serves a purpose.
The bright pink roses look vibrant against the white jug.I kiss him again and say thank you.It’s the first time anyone has bought me flowers, and despite what the alpha male macho men say, guys like getting flowers too, no matter their sexual orientation.I place them on the kitchen windowsill, and I feel AJ’s large frame wrap around me.He spins me around into another kiss.
“How about we take another run around the park, followed by a coffee?”he says, rubbing my arms tenderly.
“But what if we are photographed?What a scandal.”I hold a hand up to my mouth in mock shock.
“I’m hoping for it,” he says.
“It’s true what they say about you.Youarea bad boy.”
“And yet, I have not heard you complain about it.Moan out loud in certain situations, yes, but never complain.”He presses his lips onto mine, and my hand gravitates to his ass.
“If you’re going to be all gay everywhere now, can you at least put up a sign or something?”Trish says, walking in and swilling her glass under the sink before placing it on the drainer.
“This is my house and besides, you’re gay too,” I say, not rising to her bait.
“You do know you’re rising to her bait, right?”AJ says, unhelpfully.
Trish laughs, and embraces me in a hug.It’s strange.Nice, but strange.Like being hugged by a slightly friendly alligator.
“AJ and I are going out for a run, then grabbing a coffee, wanna join us?”I say, pulling away from the embrace before she turns feral again and snaps my head off.
“As much as I love a good run, like I said, Mel will be over soon and we won’t have time for running.If you know what I mean?”she says, with a wink.
“I know perfectly well what you mean.You’re as subtle as that Norse God.”
“What?What Norse God?”Trish says, her face scrunching up in confusion.I side-eye AJ, and he looks just as confused.
“Low-Key,” I say.
“Fuck off,” she says, smacking me in the arm.“You really want to date him?You really want to risk your football career for someone who tells lame jokes?AJ, please, consider getting out while you can.”
AJ sidles up to me and literally lifts me up, places me on the counter, and plants a kiss on my cheek.“He’s perfect and I wouldn’t change him for the world.We will, in fact, change the world, though.”
“For fuck sake, you’re as corny as him.You’re made for each other,” she says in feign disgust before breaking out into a smile.“I’m happy for you both.”
“Me too,” I say, and kiss him on his perfect cupid bow lips.
We enter the park ready for our run, and without Trish here there will be no burpees, so I’m looking forward to it.Due to uswantingto be seen, we don’t have any disguises, and it doesn’t take us long to be recognized.Soon enough, mob mentality takes over.When a group of people swarm over something, it gets the interest from others; even if they don’t know what’s going on, they want to be part of it.AJ and I exchange smiles as people take selfies with us and some people thrust things at us to sign, which we have no problem doing.The more approachable we are, the better this will be in the end.I even manage to smile at the people and not just AJ.
“Hey, can you do a pose where it looks like you’re fighting?”One guy with unkempt hair and bits of lunch around his mouth says.
I glare at him.So much for my nice smiling attitude.
“Instead of that,” AJ says, stepping toward him, and putting his arm around his shoulder, “how about I give you five free tickets to the next City game.”
“No.I’m a Union fan.City sucks,” the unkempt man says, and I have to say, he’s starting to piss me off.Ungrateful shit.AJ and the man stare at me, expecting me to say something.I scowl instead.
It’s an overcast morning, the sun is threatening to give us all a good time, which is most certainly why a lot of people are in the park.I notice an ice cream van and pull AJ’s arm, indicating for him to follow me.As we stride up to the van, with a small gang of people following behind, I step up to the driver and say, “How much to make this an open ice cream bar?”
His eyes shoot up to his thinning hairline, and he whispers a number to me that I know is inflated, but I don’t care.“Everybody,” I shout, my voice cutting through the air, “this ice cream van is now free for the rest of the day, courtesy of AJ and me.Please enjoy.”It doesn’t take long for word to get around, and soon enough, a queue is formed.The man gives me a thumbs up, and AJ and I continue our run.
“Nice thing you did back there,” he says, matching my pace.
