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Oliver’s smile was wide and sharp. “I think I can live with that. Come on, I’ve brought my car and I’m fairly sure I won’t kill us on the way.”
“That,” Gabe said as he was pulled to the street, “does not bode well.”
* * *
Oliver managedto get them to the restaurant in one piece and utilized the valet to avoid the mess which was beach-side parking. The queue to turn the car in was long, but they’d arrived fifteen minutes early. Oliver handed over the keys, waiting on the curb for Gabe, and was startled into a smile when Gabe grabbed his hand, twinning their fingers together.
“This okay?” Gabe asked quietly.
“More than.” Oliver squeezed back a little as they followed the wandering crowd to the front doors of the restaurant. It was full of people, groups of families and couples on dates, all milling around waiting for their names to be called. Oliver managed to elbow his way through to the host desk and gave his name. “Oliver Sasaki, reservation for two. We’re a bit early, I know.”
The hostess looked at her computer screen, then nodded. “It should only be about ten more minutes. You’re welcome to the bar if you want to grab a drink though.”
Oliver looked at Gabe who gave an encouraging nod, so he pulled his date along to the semi-packed bar. They found a couple of stools near the end, where a massive TV was perched, but it was on mute, so they’d have a chance to talk.
“Gin and tonic,” Oliver ordered from the perky bartender. “Whatever you’ve got that’s top shelf.”
“Whatever local lager you have on tap,” Gabe put in.
They received their drinks and settled into their chairs as a group next to them shouted loudly when one of the players on screen made a foul shot. “You ever get into the whole sport thing?” Oliver asked, squeezing his lime into the drink.
Gabe shook his head. “Nope. I’ve been accused plenty of times by friends of not having school spirit because I refuse to go to the games—especially during our undergrads. But it’s not my thing.”
Oliver laughed a bit as he sipped through the small, black straw. “I was forced into it. Footie, and rugby for a while. Just my school teams though. Leo was better at it than I was, but my mum thought it might pound some hetero back into me. Unfortunately, when I got caught blowing the footie captain after the game, she realized it hadn’t worked.”
Gabe, who had been taking a drink, choked a little. “Oh my God, are you serious?”
With a wide grin, Oliver nodded. “He was bi-curious, I offered to help sate it. We got off with each other a few times before he decided he was straight. Married some girl right out of sixth form. Shame, too. He was very good looking.”
Gabe chuckled a little, shaking his head. “Never any good when your boyfriend goes straight on you.”
“Oh, he wasnotmy boyfriend,” Oliver clarified. “Didn’t really have one of those in school. Or, well…ever.”
Gabe’s eyebrows shot up. “Ever? As in never once?”
Letting out a slow breath, Oliver leaned toward him a little, elbow resting on the bar top. “Never once. Does that…is that… a deal breaker? Red flag?”
Gabe bit down on his bottom lip, brows furrowed in thought. “Is it because of your sibling?”
“Partly.” Oliver said cryptically. He wasn’t sure he was entirely ready to talk about his mother’s heterosexual conditioning this early on. “Partly because having a boyfriend when I was younger was…frowned upon. In my home. The habit sort of carried itself with me. Then I started university, and no one ever really caught my fancy long enough.”
Gabe was looking at him carefully, and his hand snuck out, pressing it over Oliver’s knee. “What about now, though? Because really, it’s only a deal breaker if you’re just looking for a quick fuck. I’m not into that.”
Oliver smiled very softly, his head shaking just a little. “No worries there, mate. I don’t offer a night of cuddling if I’m only in it for a shag.”
With a small chuckle, Gabe removed his hand, curling it back around his beer. “Do they really call it a shag in England?”
“Yeah,” Oliver replied with a small laugh. “They do. You’ve no idea how many times I get asked about that. But…are we alright, then?”
“Yes,” Gabe said, and winked at him. “We’re just fine.”
A few moments later, they were called to their table which was on the second floor of the restaurant, in front of the massive, floor-to-ceiling windows. Gabe’s eyes widened, and Oliver couldn’t help his smile.
The pair sat, and Gabe shook his head as he picked up the menu. “You weren’t kidding about trying to woo me with posh things, were you? Is this how the better half live?”
“Better half,” Oliver said with a snort. “I’ll have you know I’m very humble and almost never do things like this. But you asked for it, if you recall.”
Gabe blushed a little, hiding his face behind the menu, but Oliver could see the sides of his eyes crinkle with a smile. “So, what’s good here?”
