Page 24 of Jack Frosting

“To be honest,” I continued, “I haven’t thought about Christmas much. I just try to get through every week as it comes.”

“Christmas is my favorite holiday. There’s nothing else like it.”

“You must get a lot of new clients right after. Resolutions and all that.”

“Henry’s on a breakaway!” Jack yelled.

I stood up immediately, found him racing towards the goal, and crossed my fingers and toes. Henry had been practicing so much. A score would really increase his confidence. He pulled back to shoot and–

“Did it go in?” Yes!

“He did it! He scored!” Jack yelled in my ear and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, squeezing me against his body.

Instinctively, I finished the gesture and pulled him towards me for a hug. I realized two things fairly quickly. This was the closest I’d been to him since finding him on the floor of my playroom, and my chin didn’t make it over his shoulders. He was a lot taller than I thought.

After a few seconds–it felt like way too long of a hug–I backed off and tried to act normal. There was no other way to describe him. He was as happy as a puppy for Henry. His huge smile was beautiful and once I watched Henry’s team embrace him in celebration, my smile matched his

Jack smelled good too.

It was going to be a challenge to resist him.

EIGHT

JACK

I checked my hair for the third time and discarded the scarf I had chosen. This might all be a charade to help Henry accept his possible crush on a theoretical boy easier, but I could still look good.

It was a bit of a surprise that my Grindr date was taking me ice skating, but kind of coincidental since Henry had come into his own with hockey. All it took was that goal last week and another yesterday and he seemed like a different player on the ice. His mood had seemed to improve as well.

I checked the weather on my phone and tossed the scarf over my shoulder. It looked like I might need it after all. Clayton was in the kitchen when I came up the stairs.

“You going out?” he asked.

“It’s not past my bedtime yet.”

“Another date?” He tried to keep his tone casual, but it somehow felt like a loaded question.

“Yes.” I crossed my arms, waiting to see where this was going. I didn’t have to wait long.

“Do you really think it’s safe to just…get into cars with random guys?”

“You’re such a dad.” I shook my head. “This is how people date now. Plus, if I don’t drive, then I can drink!”

“What?!” He stood up, pushing the chair halfway across the room.

“I’m kidding! Have a good night.” I left before he could say anything else. “Don’t wait up.”

It seemed that by helping Henry see gay men could be open and do normal things like date, I had possibly made Clayton a little jealous. I wasn’t going to lie to myself. That felt kind of good.

As soon as I got in the car, all good feelings vanished. I tried to smile, but his body odor was overpowering. My olfactory system was going to suffer, but helping Henry–and now making Clayton a little jealous–was worth it.

Once we got out of his car, I could breathe again, but he was a talker. I barely got a word in the entire date, and by the time I got back home, I knew Henry was already in bed.

I feigned a bathroom emergency–hopefully that had a secondary bonus of turning him off the idea of asking me out again–and dashed up the front walkway and onto the porch. Turning to wave–I wasn’t totally without manners–I didn’t notice the door open behind me, so when I went to feel for the doorknob, I grabbed something else.

Clayton’s crotch.

“Jesus!” I pulled my hand back. “You scared me! What are you doing out here?”