AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The Goodman Theater
The Loop
Simon supposed the rest of the night was perfect, as well. Ben seemed to enjoy both the restaurant they ate at and the play afterward. Simon, however, couldn’t have said what he’d ordered for dinner, much less if he’d liked it. All he could see was Ben, and his happiness fed something inside of Simon more crucial than just his stomach.
Ben had been beautiful to Simon from the first sight of him. Ben had seemed almost ethereal as he and Hudson had carried him into the Prince building. In the hospital, even with hollow cheeks and shadowed eyes, Ben had been lovely, although in a Victorian tubercular way. Then he’d gotten fluids, proper meals, comfort, and healing and Ben had blossomed into a handsome vitality.
Now Ben was back to beautiful, but it was a devastating sort of beauty, at least for Simon. There was a dearness in all of Ben’s features that wrung Simon into a helpless tangle of emotions. The thought of Ben’s not being in his life, under any circumstances, was impossibly bleak. He might as well go work for Jeff until his heart gave out for good.
After the play, as they walked to where Hudson had the car idling, Ben took Simon’s hand and squeezed it. “Thank you,” he said.
Simon gently squeezed back. “Whatever you’re thanking me for, it was absolutely my pleasure.”
Ben laughed lightly. “I’m thanking you for everything, I guess. But especially tonight. It was the kind of evening I always dreamed about. Especially when I was still with Momma and had no hope it would ever happen to me. Thank you, Simon, for this memory. I won’t ever forget it.”
Hudson, apparently deciding to be a smartass, got out of the driver’s side of the car and hurried over to the rear passenger door to open it.
Simon gave Hudson a sardonic look. “You’ve never opened my door for me before.”
Hudson gave Simon an annoyed look. “Who said I’m holding it for you?” With a slight bow and a flourish of his hand, Hudson shepherded Ben into the car, then he trotted back to the driver’s side, leaving Simon standing beside the car and Ben laughing inside it.
Simon got in the car with as much dignity as he could muster then closed the door once he was seated. He said, “You’re both terrible. I don’t know why I put up with you.”
Ben laughed so hard he snorted.
Hudson shook his head. “Oh, you know you love us.”
Which was, of course, the absolute truth.
27
Ben Breaks Simon In
Tuesday, December 19
Simon’s SUV
The Loop
As they drove home—or rather back to Simon’s home—Ben looked out the car’s window, watching as snow began to fall. It swirled in the cones of light cast by the streetlamps, reminding Ben of the snow globes he had made in school one year. His Momma had made him throw it away as soon as she’d seen it, but until then he’d loved shaking it and seeing glitter swirl through the water that surrounded a small, plastic snowman.
Everything looked and seemed magical—the kind of magic he’d heard described but had never experienced himself. Magic was the only explanation for his presence in that car with a man like Simon. Forgetting entirely about his wealth, which Ben still hadn’t been able to wrap his head around, Simon was gentle and sweet and generous and kind. His money was the main thing that marred Simon’s perfection. Ben was more than halfway to loving Simon, which was scary, but had Simon been an ordinary person who also had a job, and too many bills, and not nearly enough of everything they wanted, Ben thought his heart would’ve been long since irrevocably lost to the man.
Ben could see the two of them in an alternate life, living in a shitty apartment that would’ve nevertheless been perfect because it wastheirs.They’d watch Netflix instead of going to see live theater. They’d walk hand-in-hand to the L in the snow instead of being driven around by Hudson. There would, in fact, be no Hudson, unless he was the neighbor in the apartment across the hall. It would be comfortable and a dream come true for Ben, but then he remembered Simon’s heart and the dream fell apart.
Without thinking about it, Ben reached for Simon’s hand and took it in his. He didn’t want to lose Simon, not ever, and that was a terrifying thought.
Once back at the house, they opened the door and were enveloped in the smell of baking vanilla and chocolate and sugar. Simon drew Ben with him to the kitchen, where Roberta was baking Christmas cookies.
“You boys have a good time?” she asked, not looking up from the cookie she was icing.
“Very much, yes,” Ben said.
She looked up to smile at him then her eyes went round. “Ben, look at you!”
His own eyes went wide in response. He looked down, wondering if he’d dropped food on his shirt or tie. “What?”
Roberta laughed. “Baby, you look handsome, that’s all.” She glanced over at Simon. “And happy,” she added. “Would you like some cocoa? And I suppose I could spare a cookie or three.”
