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Ben almost laughed and wanted to ask Chaz if it looked like he’d ever set foot on a sports field. Instead, he shook his head and downed what was left of his drink, wishing to all that was holy he could have more. “I don’t. I was the nerdy guy who always got picked last for kickball.”
Chaz grimaced, then shrugged. “Nerdy guys are always the most freaky in bed, right?”
“Uh…”
“So, you off for Christmas? Oh, fuck yeah,” Chaz interrupted himself when the wings and beer appeared. He grabbed the pint and took half down in a single swallow.
Ben tried to steal a glance over his shoulder for Nova, but the bar was empty again. “Uh. Yes. I’m off for the winter holidays.”
Chaz grimaced. “Tell me you’re not one of those happy holiday guys. It’s fuckin’Christmas.”
He glanced toward the bathroom and wondered if they had an emergency exit that didn’t set off an alarm. “Uh. I’m Jewish,” he said absently. “And tonight’s the first night of Chanukah.”
“Oh shit. Is that the, uh…” Chaz covered his face and then began repeatedly bowing toward the table while letting out a too-loud, Gregorian-style chant. Ben had no idea what culture stereotype he was trying to offend, but he had no choice but to wait until he was done.
“No.”
Chaz shrugged. “Cool. Anyway. My parents live in Manhattan, so I’m headed up that way, but when I get back, we should look at doing a weekend thing together.”
“A weekend thing?” Ben asked, his eyes wide.
Chaz gave him a salacious up-and-down stare. “You could work on those abs a little, but I bet I could throw you around.”
“Oh. Um…”
Before Ben could say anything else, Chaz’s phone began to ring, an obnoxious chime that caught the attention of several people around them. He held up a finger as he answered. “Yo. Yeah, no, we’re good. Nah, he’s not ugly. He’s not hot, but I can work with it.”
“Holy shit,” Ben whispered to himself as Chaz actually winked at him.
“Yeah. I think we’ll probably make it to my place tonight.” He met Ben’s gaze and clicked his tongue.
“Actually,” Ben tried, but Chaz put his finger up again.
“Naw. Yeah, just leave me a few condoms and that grape lube. Cool, cool. Thanks, bro.”
Ben was seconds away from jumping up when a hand fell on his shoulder. He was so tense he almost punched whoever touched him, but he looked up into Nova’s face and wanted to suddenly cry from relief.
“Your apartment manager just called. There’s fire coming from your place, and you need to get over there right now and let them in.”
Ben leapt to his feet. “Are you joking?”
Nova’s face was dead serious as he shook his head. “No. And all your papers are there, Ben. You need to go. Run. I’ve got your tab.”
Ben’s eyes went a little misty with gratitude, and he didn’t even look over at Chaz as he broke away from Nova’s hand and bolted out the door. He wished more than anything he had a way of thanking Nova, but since his next date was also at the same bar, maybe he’d get a chance.
Nova might think they were even for what Ben had done, but Ben definitely owed him at least three dinners and a basket of fruit for getting him out of that situation. He drove home like there were actual flames licking at his heels, and when he collapsed in his bed, it was the sheer stress of the evening that sent him to sleep.
five
By the next morning,Ben’s rage was as hot as the fake fire that Nova had invented to get him out of the date. It was probably lucky for Aaron that he didn’t answer when Ben called, but Ben knew his scathing voicemail would do the trick.
He had half a mind to cancel the rest of the dates, but by the end of his last class, Ben’s temper had whittled down to a low simmer. He was hurt by the whole thing, and disgusted by Chaz, though not entirely surprised it had gone that badly. But a part of him wondered if Aaron had spoken to Chaz before setting up the date.
He hadn’t found any messages in the little DM folder, but what if they had talked? What if Aaron had done it to hurt him?
It wasn’t something he wanted to believe. He wanted to have faith his brother loved him enough that he understood a pretty face wasn’t the only thing Ben looked for when he was actually on the market.
But for as close as they’d always been, Ben wasn’t sure his brother actually got him. He didn’t think Aaron knew anything about his preferences or his hobbies apart from listening to podcasts when he wasn’t drowning in grading, and he probably thought Shake Shack was still his favorite restaurant, even though he’d outgrown that his sophomore year of college.
