Snowflakes and Song Lyrics

by Hank Edwards

  “Did you park your car at the airport?” Rex asked.

  Will shook his head. “I couldn’t afford that many weeks of long-term parking.”

  Rex bowed and waved toward the car. “May I offer you passage to your homestead?”

  “Why, thank you,” Will said and handed his luggage off to the driver for stowing in the trunk. “But the way you said it makes me feel like I’ve about to head out on the Oregon Trail.”

  “You will not die of dysentery,” Rex said as he allowed Will to climb first into the backseat. “At least not today. No idea what you get up to on your own time.”

  The drive from the airport to his apartment building had never gone so fast, and before Will realized it, he was stepping out of the car.

  “Now I know your home address,” Rex said with a smirk. “I’ve added it to room 327 at the Williamsville Inn in my mind.”

  “You remember my room number?” Will asked as the driver set his bags at his feet and discreetly returned to the car.

  “I remember a lot about these last few weeks, Will Will Johnson,” Rex said. He quietly sang, “Merry Christmas, darling,” and leaned in to give Will a sweet kiss goodbye on the lips.

  Will smiled stupidly as Rex got back into the car. He continued to smile as he watched the car move off down the dark, snow-covered street. His lips tingled, and his brain seemed stuck in a loop of screaming, Rex Garland kissed me!

  Most definitely the best Christmas Eve in the holiday’s history.

  He laughed up into the snow falling from the dark, cloudy sky, then grabbed his bags and let himself into his apartment building.

  13

  Will’s phone buzzed on the bathroom counter, and he glanced down at it, then smiled.

  “Let me guess,” Carter said. “It’s from Rex.”

  Will pulled his attention from his phone and back to Carter’s reflection in the bathroom mirror. Will stood behind him, reaching over his shoulders to work on tying Carter’s festive bowtie. But he couldn’t quell the smile from seeing Rex’s name on his phone. “Yeah. It’s from Rex.”

  “Where is he spending his Christmas Day?” Carter asked. “Some big fancy music industry party?”

  “No. He’s really not like that. He’s got plans with his sister and her family,” Will replied as he finished with the bowtie and stepped aside. “There. You’re all set.”

  Carter assessed his appearance in the mirror. “You’re the best. How the hell did you learn to tie a bowtie? I don’t remember you going through a college professor phase.”

  “I missed that phase,” Will said, picking up his phone. “I think it was more during my lack of dating and addiction to YouTube videos phase.”

  “That’s funny, I thought you said YouTube and not Pornhub.”

  Will laughed but didn’t look at Carter, focusing instead on Rex’s text message: Merry Christmas, Secret Songwriter. Thanks for making yesterday a Christmas Eve I’ll always remember.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile like that,” Carter said, cocking an eyebrow at him in the mirror. “Did he send you a dick pic? Show me!” He stepped up beside Will, wide eyes fixed on the screen of his phone.

  Will laughed and held the phone to his chest as he walked out of the bathroom. “It’s not a dick pic. I didn’t meet him on Grindr, for God’s sake.”

  In the living room, Will stood by the small artificial tree he’d setup before leaving on his trip and typed out a response: Definitely one I’ll never forget. I have to keep reminding myself it really happened.

  Carter stepped into the living room and assessed his tree. “I’m glad you already had your tree up, though it’s not really up to snuff for the tree of a gay man. We’ll work on that for next year. No trip to see your folks today?”

  Will adjusted a handblown glass ornament. “I like my tree just fine, thank you. And no, no family visit today. I called them last night and told them what a crazy day of travel it had been, so we made plans for me to go see them next weekend.”

  “Smart. Think you’ll get some more gifts because they’ll miss seeing you?”

  “Doubt it.”

  “Too bad.” Carter looked at the tree once more. “So what are you going to do? Just hang out here by yourself all day?”

  Will shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, sure. It’s pretty nice, actually. I’m usually in a car driving over icy roads to visit my folks or something. Today I’m wearing pajama pants and a hoodie and eating whatever I want while watching whatever I want.”

  Carter pouted. “I want that now, too!”

  Will laughed. “But you’ve got someplace to go, based on this bowtie.”

  “Yeah, some fancy brunch one of my Grindr regulars invited me to.”

  Will frowned. “You have Grindr regulars?”

  “Well, you know, once you get familiar with the moves of one or six of them, it’s pretty nice to be able to get a date whenever you’re in the mood.”

  “I’ll have to remember that.”

  “Do you really like your gift?” Carter asked.

  “Boxers with obscene messages printed on them? I love them. You know I like to be secretly dirty around people. Did you like the ornament I got you?”

  “A burly lumberjack with a beard and a big package? Absolutely.” Carter smiled and waggled his eyebrows. “You are a secretly dirty person. I like knowing that about you while everyone else thinks you’re the clean-cut, innocent guy.”

  “Looks can be deceiving.”

  “They certainly can.” Carter studied him a moment. “It’s nice to see you so happy.”

  “Thanks,” Will said. “It’s nice to feel this happy.”

  “That makes me feel good. Come here.”

  Carter pulled him into a strong hug. Will breathed in the subtle spritz of cologne mingling with the scent of Carter’s shampoo as he returned the hug. Before he stepped back, he kissed the side of Carter’s neck and said softly, “I love you, Cartier.”

  “I love you too, Big Willie.”

  They stepped apart just as Carter’s phone buzzed. “And there’s my ride.”

  “He’s picking you up here?”

  “Yeah. I Ubered over here and gave Mason your address.”

  “Hmm, thanks?” Will said.

  “He’s cute,” Carter said as he headed for the door. “Once I’m done with him, you might want to try him on for size.”

  “I’m not the secondhand shop for your Grindr castoffs,” Will said, trying to act insulted but unable to keep from laughing.

  “Not when you’ve got the hottest gay singer in the country lighting up your phone and your gonads.” Carter gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before hurrying out the door.

  Once Carter had departed, Will started the water for a hot bath. While waiting for the tub to fill, he trimmed his beard and mustache and shaved the lower part of his neck and upper portions of his cheeks. He had to stop several times, though, because he kept wrinkling them as he smiled while thinking about the day before.

  With his beard trimmed and cleaned up, Will got in the tub and thought about Rex as he soaked. When his fingertips wrinkled, he dried off, then dressed in sweats and headed for the kitchen, humming the song he and Rex had written together.

  Can I pretend you’re mine for Christmas?

  Can I wish for you this Christmas Eve?

  All I want from Santa is your kisses

  Can I pretend you’re mine for Christmas?

  He slid a frozen macaroni and cheese dinner into the microwave and turned on the TV, selecting a mushy Hallmark Christmas movie. Once he’d settled in with his food and a beer, his phone buzzed, and Will smiled when he found another text from Rex.

  Merry Christmas! How are your parents?

  Will felt a thrill of excitement at the fact he was receiving another text from Rex Garland, then forced that thought aside. This was Rex, who wanted to be treated like any other guy Will might be interested in. So Will wrote him back: I ditched my parents and have taken a hot bath and am
eating a macaroni and cheese frozen dinner, drinking a beer, and watching a Hallmark Christmas movie.

  Rex wrote back almost immediately: I don’t know if I’m envious as hell or falling in love. Movie title, please.

  Will stared at the text a moment. Falling in love? What the hell? No. It was just a saying; it couldn’t mean Rex was actually in love with Will. That was crazy. They’d just met. Like, literally just met the day before.

  But you helped him write his song, a hopeful voice whispered. That allowed him to get to know you as well.

  Gathering his thoughts, Will sent back the title of the movie and was surprised when a few minutes later Rex started texting him comments about what the actors were wearing and some of their lines. They exchanged funny comments for the rest of the movie, and once everything wrapped up sweetly, they sent the same text simultaneously.

  Sigh!

  Rex said he had to go eat dinner, and Will clutched his phone to his chest as he watched the beginning of another Christmas movie. Was this really happening? It was difficult to believe this was his life and not some gay Christmas romance movie. He tried not to get too excited about it all, but hearing from Rex on Christmas Day while the man was spending time with his sister and her family made Will feel as if Rex was invested in continuing whatever might have developed between them the day before. Or, actually, even further back than that.

  Early into the next Christmas movie, the macaroni and cheese had its way with him, and Will dozed off with his phone on his chest. It buzzed an hour later, bringing him up from a deep sleep. He looked around in confusion, then remembered he was in his own apartment, and Rex had been texting him. Picking up his phone, he found two more messages from Rex.

  Have you finished your dinner? Feel like some company?

  Also, do you think this latest Hallmark couple are both wearing wigs?

  Will snorted a laugh. Looking at the television, he decided Rex might be onto something.

  He wrote back: Definitely wigs. And I’d love some company. Who should I expect?

  While he waited on a response, Will pushed up from the couch and got busy picking up the place. He stacked the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, wiped down the countertops and sink, and then hurried down to the hall to his bedroom. Throwing open the double closet doors, he surveyed his clothes as a cold pit formed low in his belly. Denim and khakis. Why did he not own anything decent?

  Will returned to the living room and picked up his phone. There was no response from Rex, and he tried to push down a strong sense of disappointment. Tendrils of the feeling snuck past his defenses, and as he headed back to his bedroom, phone in hand, Will’s doubts fed off that disappointment and thrived. Had Rex come to his senses and decided he shouldn’t see Will on Christmas Day? Had Rex’s sister told him he was being crazy, acting so wrapped up in someone he’d just met? Or maybe Rex had heard from an old boyfriend and realized Will was just an average guy, overweight and stuck in a middle-class life.

  To turn his mind away from his doubts, Will went through every article of clothing in his closet. In the very back, he found an outfit Carter had given him for Christmas the previous year. Carter was much braver in his fashion choices than Will and liked to buy clothes for Will he would never buy for himself. Will laid the outfit on the foot of his newly made bed and stepped back.

  The pants were navy with a paisley pattern and made of wool. The button-down linen shirt was solid green. It was all tied together with a green-and-red plaid bowtie.

  Will held the pants up against himself.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever worn any article of clothing made from wool and with paisley on it.”

  He checked his phone again—still no response from Rex—then stripped off his sweats and pulled on the paisley pants. They were a very tight fit, and he had to suck in his gut to get them fastened and zipped.

  His hoodie went off next, and he pulled on the shirt. The linen was incredibly soft, but it was another athletic cut and felt tight around his belly. He shrugged into the shirt and fastened the buttons. It was kind of uncomfortable because it was tight, which the mac and cheese and beer contributed to. Minutes later, he’d knotted the bowtie and looked himself over. It was a nice outfit, but he liked wearing looser-fitting clothing.

  He cleaned up the bathroom and made one more pass through the living room and kitchen. Everything seemed to be in order. Now he just needed to hold his breath for however long Rex stayed so he wouldn’t risk splitting the seams of his clothes.

  But what if he spends the night?

  Will’s stomach gurgled nervously at the thought. How the hell was he going to handle things if Rex wanted to have sex? There was no way Will could or wanted to turn him down, but he’d be a nervous wreck the entire time.

  “Stop it,” he scolded himself. “One thing at a time. Just enjoy hanging out with him. If he even shows up. How long ago did he send that text?”

  Singing on the street outside started up as Will reached for his phone, and he paused. It was a man’s voice, and he was playing guitar as well. Will smiled as he recognized the voice and the lyrics. It was Rex, standing outside his apartment and serenading him once again with their Christmas song.

  Will opened the window and leaned out on the sill. Rex looked casual and handsome in his winter coat and bright orange stocking cap as he stood on the sidewalk, looking up at Will as he played guitar and sang.

  There was so much Christmas romance wrapped up in that moment, Will thought his heart might explode.

  Once Rex finished the song, Will clapped along with several people who had been walking by and who had stopped to listen. Rex laughed and bowed, then called up to Will, “It’s better when I know which window is yours.”

  Will laughed. “I’m glad to hear that. Come on up. I’m on the third floor.”

  Rex arrived at Will’s door, even more handsome than Will remembered. He stepped into the apartment and turned to look Will up and down, his eyes going wide as he took in the outfit.

  “Damn, you look really nice,” Rex said. “Did I interrupt you heading out? I can leave.”

  “No interruption. I’m staying home all day. I just—I don’t know—felt like dressing festively, I guess.”

  Will shrugged and tried to keep his breathing under control. But it was difficult with Rex right there in his own apartment.

  “Hell, my version of festive is this Christmas sweater and sweatpants.” Rex took off his coat and held his arms out.

  Will laughed as he took in the sweater depicting a scene from the ice planet in The Empire Strikes Back along with dark green sweatpants.

  “You do look festive,” Will said. “And comfortable.” He put a hand on his belly and took a shallow breath. “I’m thinking I may follow your lead.”

  “Please do,” Rex said, then lifted a six-pack of beer out of a paper grocery sack. “Care for a beer?”

  “That sounds great. I’ll be right back.”

  Will sighed with relief when he worked his way out of the shirt and pants. He hung them back in the closet, then selected a sweater with Yoda wearing a Santa hat and pulled on flannel house pants with a snowflake pattern. When he returned to the living room, he found Rex sitting on the couch watching the Christmas movie Will had left playing.

  Rex smiled when he saw him. “Now you look comfortable. And festive. Oh my God, you have a Star Wars Christmas sweater too?” He pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. “I’m swooning.”

  Will sat on the opposite end of the couch and lifted the beer Rex had opened for him. It was cold and delicious, and he smiled nervously. He had no idea what to say or even how to begin a conversation. What had happened to him that Rex would even want to know about?

  “Your folks must be missing you,” Rex said.

  Will shrugged. “Maybe. I think they were relieved as well. They worry about me driving there and back in one day, and now we can plan out a better time for me to visit.”

  “Still, I’m sure they miss you,” R
ex said. He put his head back and looked at him. “I know I did.”

  “What? No. How could you? We barely know each other.” Will had to look away from those gorgeous eyes and take another drink of beer.

  “I really like what I do know about you,” Rex said and shifted a little closer on the couch. “I like it a lot. And I want to get to know even more about you.”

  “Not sure there’s anything exciting enough to tell,” Will said, hating the defeated tone in his voice but unable to stop it.

  “Are you kidding me? You’re wearing a Star Wars Christmas sweater, like me. You’re living in Boston, and I will be too.”

  Will turned to look at him. “You will?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be staying with my sister and her family between tour dates.”

  “Oh. That’s great. I mean, it’s great you’ll have a home base with family.”

  Rex smiled. “It is. And someone else here in town I want to get to know.”

  Will couldn’t push back the strong surge of hope that rose inside him. “You do?”

  “I really do. I haven’t felt a connection like this with someone since my childhood best friend. I’d like to date you, if that would be okay with you. I’d like to see if this would work out given more time.”

  “I’d like that, too,” Will said. “But it’s hard to believe.”

  “Yeah, it’s weird, I know,” Rex said with a nod. “But I think we could make it work if we both really want it to.”

  “Okay, sure,” Will said.

  “And I didn’t come over here for some Christmas Day booty call, either,” Rex said, holding up his hands as if in surrender. “I only wanted to spend time with you, watching movies and hanging out. Let’s see where things take us.”

  “Okay, sure,” Will said, nodding back. “I was definitely not planning on sex since I ate mac and cheese and am drinking beer.”

  “Oh? Is there a food item or beverage I should keep an eye out for that could tip me off?”

  Will laughed and blushed. “Well, it wouldn’t be frozen dinners and beer that make me feel bloated.”