by J. P. Scott
“God, look at this one coming. I don’t think we’ve seen this guy before.” Cam leaned back in his chair to get a better look at the guy coming down the jogging path.
“Those abs,” Ollie said.
Patrick did look up and almost spit out his mimosa. The guy they were drooling over was Aaron. He was shirtless and wearing tiny red running shorts. He had been out for awhile and was glistening with sweat all over. Patrick bit his lower lip as he remembered making Aaron sweaty last night.
When the boys sat back down, Ollie looked like he was thinking about something. “Didn’t that guy sort of look familiar?”
Patrick panicked. How did Ollie know that he hooked up with Aaron last night? Then, after a moment, he realized that Ollie was throwing the question out to the whole group, not just him.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen that body before, but I’ll be dreaming about it.” Jeremy smiled and elbowed Ollie. “You know that means I’ll be extra excited later. Watch out.”
“Well, for those of you who looked at his face, did you notice anything?” The table was full of shrugs. Patrick sat quietly, wondering what Ollie was getting at. “He looked a lot like Patrick.”
Patrick laughed nervously. What was Ollie talking about? Aaron was cute and had a great body. “If you all worked a little harder, you could look like me, too.”
“No, not the chest and the abs and the zero body fat. He had that. I’m talking about his face. He looked like you. Different hair color and he had a deeper tan, but if I hadn’t known you were right here next to me, I would have thought you were the one out there running.”
Patrick tried to picture Aaron’s face. It had been dark, he had been slightly drunk, and he hadn’t been focused on that part of Aaron’s body. How close was this resemblance? Most likely, if he saw Aaron next to him, Ollie would realize he was wrong.
How often did people say they get told they look like this celebrity, or that famous person. Then, when there’s a side by side comparison, they simply have the same color eyes, or the same dimples. In actuality, they look nothing alike, or at best, have a similar and uncommon physical characteristic.
“There’s a doppelganger on the loose.” Patrick hoped to distract the group from further speculation. If there was a day that they ever met Aaron, he hoped they would also have forgotten about this conversation. He did pull out his phone and sent Aaron a text, “I saw you running today. Looking good.”
Aaron had looked good. Even better than Patrick remembered from last night. He reached down to adjust himself as his cock swelled.
“Who else has a doppelganger in the group?”
Cam rattled off a list of three movie stars that he said people often said he looked like. The group looked at each other and unanimously said, “I don’t see it.”
Four
When Patrick pulled into his apartment complex, he saw Ryan leaning against the wall near his front door. He groaned at the thought of having to talk with him. He just wanted it be over and for the two of them to go their separate ways.
“There you are. I was going to text you that I was here.”
“Why are you here?”
Ryan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I…I wanted to talk about last night.”
“I don’t think we have anything to talk about.”
“Oh, come on. I left the bar. Big deal.”
“You were also a jerk all night. Actually, for a while.”
Ryan sighed and rolled his eyes. “So, what? We’re broken up?”
“I think it’s for the best. We clearly don’t make each other happy.”
“That’s not true. I love you.”
Patrick could not believe what he was hearing. Neither of them had even come close to saying the “L” word. For Ryan to pull it out now was infuriating.
“We barely know each other. You don’t love me.”
He rolled his eyes. “You don’t know what love is.”
“Then you don’t want to be with me.” Patrick could not handle the emotional drama that Ryan was trying to get into. If he saw a flaw in Patrick, then so be it. Patrick had realized that there were flaws with Ryan, too. These flaws were clearly deal breakers on both sides.
“God, you’re exhausting. Can I just get my stuff then?”
“What stuff?”
“I have stuff in your apartment. I have a charger by the bed, some clothes in the drawer, and like…I don’t know…things I left behind.”
“God, come in and get your things.” He didn’t want to argue about inconsequential things with a guy he had only been dating for weeks. Patrick couldn’t even remember things he had left at Ryan’s. Were these things that important to him that he had to get them? They seemed like easy things to replace.
He unlocked the door and let Ryan in. He stood in the bedroom door as Ryan rummaged around the room and collected the few things that he thought were his.
“Is this really it?”
“Yes. We’re done,” Patrick said. He waived his arms towards the door. He watched as Ryan took his things and left. The door clicked closed. Ryan had not even had the emotion to slam it behind him. That spoke more about where Ryan’s heart really was than whatever he had said outside. Patrick did not know what Ryan wanted out of being boyfriends with him, but it must be something he knew he could find somewhere else with someone new.
What had Patrick wanted out of the relationship? Happiness. A best friend. Good sex. Did there need to be more? Was that different than what most people wanted?
He heard the chirp on his phone that indicated a text message. He looked at it, half expecting it to be Ryan saying that he forgot something and could he come back.
“Hey, handsome. I was out for a run. Where were you?”
Patrick smiled when he saw Aaron’s message. “Out at brunch with friends. There’s a great place by the jogging path. We enjoy the view.”
“I’m glad that I could give you a show.”
“What are you up to?”
“Just out of the shower. Was about to head out and run some errands.”
Patrick imagined Aaron naked, or wrapped in a towel. His hair damp and messy. A toothbrush hanging out of his mouth as he got himself ready for the day. Sexy but unaware of what he looked like to an admirer. Unposed. He loved to catch a guy in those moments when he did not know anyone was watching.
Working at the gym, those were rare moments. The guys that worked out regularly tended to spend as much time looking at themselves in the mirror as they did working out. Patrick did not blame them. They had spent countless hours at the gym and dieting to get the perfectly sculpted bodies. Looking at the result was motivation to keep going and stay dedicated. There were countless selfies for social media posts and thirst traps. These always had fake smiles and took several attempts to get the right angle and pose.
Whenever he worked with clients, the men and women who did not know their way around the gym or just what to do to achieve their goals, Patrick saw something different. They avoided looking at themselves in the mirrors, especially when they were first getting started. They did the exercises and often found themselves failing to complete. They were sweaty, disheveled, and uncomfortable. To Patrick, they looked beautiful because they were simply themselves. The moment they smiled when they realized they had done a complete set at an impossible weight was always an amazing sight.
“Want to do something later?” Patrick had hesitated before typing those words. Making plans this early after their hookup was against an unspoken rule in the gay community. Don’t look desperate. Don’t make him think you are lonely or needy. Cameron and Ollie always talked about the rules and how important it was not to break them.
The fitness world was all about rules, so it made some sense. There needed to be correct form. They body needed a certain amount of time to recover before it could handle another intense workout of a body part. Eating certain foods helped give the body what it needed for strength. Patrick understood all of that. However, most
of the rules that Cam and Ollie talked about did not have much value. Did their extra years of being out and dating really give them wisdom?
“I’d love to. Maybe grab a beer?”
“A drink and getting to know each other. Sounds amazing.”
They agreed to touch base in about an hour. Aaron did not need a lot of time to get his errands done. He did not know what was good and asked if Patrick could pick out a place. Patrick was already thinking about a few places that might be fun. Places that were not on Cam and Ollie’s approved list for where gay men drank.
Patrick busied himself with some of his chores. He started a load of laundry and then turned his focus on the kitchen which was in a constant state of chaos with his food prep. He was elbows deep in a sink of sudsy water, scrubbing some pans, when he heard his phone ring. From the ringtone, he knew that it was his mother. He dried his hand and answered the phone, putting it on speaker so he could keep working.
“Pat Darling, what are you up to?”
“Just doing some chores.”
“Oh, dreadful. Not the way to spend a beautiful day.” Chores had never been her thing. She did what she had to, but had chosen to marry a man who liked things neat and tidy and didn’t mind if he did the bulk of the work himself. Patrick’s father was a simple, quiet man who whistled while he puttered through the house after work each night, straightening, dusting, and vacuuming. His mother once said she simply had learned it was best to avoid making too big of a mess and, if doing a chore, try her hardest to do it the way his father liked it. She could spend all day cleaning, but he would rerack dishes in the dishwasher or redo the vacuum lines in the carpet.
“What are you up to, Mom?”
“Planning the most wonderful barbecue next weekend. Can you believe your father has been at the same company for thirty years? We’re having some of his coworkers over and some of the neighbors. You’re coming, of course.” The entertaining was all her responsibility. This is where she thrived. Freshly washed linens in the hall closet could be all in disarray and she would pay it no mind. But if there was a finely appointed table with a well-chosen theme, she was all over it.
Patrick loved his parents, but the thought of spending and afternoon making small talk with people his father worked with and their uninteresting neighbors made him groan inside. “What time?”
“Around two on Saturday. If you can stop by early to help with the final set up, I would appreciate it.”
Maybe if he came early and did the necessary chores, he could get away with providing an excuse of why he needed to leave the party early. “Need me to bring anything?”
“Maybe a couple bags of ice. There’s never enough ice for the coolers. I have everything else under control.” He imagined the dining room table was already covered with the start of decorations for the party. Throughout the week, she would begin to pull from cupboards, or even buy new, the plates, cups, tablecloths, and napkins that would be used. They would be cleaned and stacked for easy retrieval the day of the party. “And bring that boy you’ve been seeing. Ryan, is it?”
Patrick cleared his through. “Actually, Ryan and I broke up.”
“Well, that’s a shame, dear. He seemed…nice.” Patrick knew that she had not been impressed with his latest boyfriend. “It would be nice to see you bring someone. Any chance you can find a date?”
“I’ll try. No guarantees.”
“I just hate to see any of my guests show up as a party of one. Everyone invited is a couple. It’s just awkward.” Patrick did not think it was awkward to be alone at a party like this. The men and women generally congregated in separate groups. Who could tell if the complete couples were there?
“I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”
“And you can find yourself a date. Just promise he will be…presentable.”
“I promise, mom.”
They moved on to other topics. She did not really understand his work, nor had she ever set foot inside of a gym. She listened as Patrick gave updates on how things were going. He did the same as she talked about her shows that he had never seen and the committee work she did for a local charity. They may not really get what the other was talking about it, but they would talk several times in a week.
Patrick wondered if things would go well with Aaron this afternoon. If it did, was it too early to ask him to come to an event like this? To meet his parents? To be his date in front of all of those older, straight couples? If Aaron declined, Patrick would understand. What if he said yes? Was it a good idea to bring a near-stranger to a special event?
Ollie and Cam weren’t the only ones with rules. His parents had rules. Patrick knew what “presentable” meant to his mother. Dressed appropriately. No visible tattoos or piercings. Smiled, listened, and carried on a conversation. Introducing Aaron to his family early could be a little too much at an early point in a relationship.
On the flip side, if he was able to handle it and wasn’t bothered by it, what an amazing thing that would be. Hopefully, this afternoon he would see what kind of man Aaron was and know if there was a chance for good things going forward.
Five
They settled on a microbrewery. Patrick had thrown out the suggestion as a joke as they ticked through possible options. Most of the places that first came to mind were the kind of places that Ollie and Cam would like and were on the gay approved list. They had the right atmosphere, drinks, and eye candy. Beer and the bros that drank them were not.
The only time that Patrick ever drank beer was on a Sunday afternoon when he met the guys at the beer bust at one of the gay bars. The beer was cheap, tasted like nothing unless there was a squeeze of lime, and the point was to get silly while enjoying the sun and cute guys with their shirts off.
He arrived early, partially nervous for the date and partially excited to see Aaron again and spend some time. Patrick scanned the restaurant and decided that a high top in the bar area would work best. There were handfuls of guys sitting around the bar staring up at big screens showing highlight clips of that weekend’s games. He felt a sense of relief that there was not a current game on that would have drawn large crowds. That sort of schedule was not something he paid attention to.
“Here are some menus. Beers are on the front and food is on the back. I’ll be back with two waters.” Patrick nodded at the waiter and then turned his attention to the myriad of beers listed before him. He had heard of the types but had no idea what the different between a pale ale and a porter. Maybe coming here was a mistake. Aaron had sounded enthusiastic. What if he was a beer expert and Patrick ended up embarrassing himself?
“And I thought I was going to be the early one.” Patrick looked up to see Aaron sliding into the other stool.
“Hey, handsome.” Patrick blushed, “I guess I was a little anxious.”
Red spread across Aaron’s face as well. “Me, too. But that meant I couldn’t find my keys or two shoes that matched.” Aaron looked down at the menu and read intently. “What are you getting?”
“Um, I haven’t decided.” Patrick tried to make sense of any of the descriptions. “Honestly, I don’t have a clue what any of this stuff is.”
“Oh, I thought you knew this place.”
Patrick grinned, “Well, all the other options didn’t sound right, so I just threw this place out as a suggestion. I didn’t think you would choose this one.”
“Well, I have a confession. I don’t drink much beer. It sounded different and I thought you could teach me a few things.” They looked at each other and laughed.
“I guess It will be an adventure.”
The waiter arrived with the waters. “What can I get you guys?”
Patrick and Aaron looked at each other, wondering which one would speak up first. Patrick broke first and said, “We could use some suggestions. We’re newbies.”
“Hey, no problem. I’ve got you. I’m happy to get you a sample of anything that looks good. Or consider doing a flight. We have several listed at the bottom
…or I can put something together for you.”
Aaron looked at the menu and called out three choices for a flight. They looked over at Patrick. “Um, let’s see.” His eyes furiously scanned the menu, trying to remember what Aaron said and hoping to find three other beers that looked appealing.
“If you guys are trying different things, let me make some suggestions.” The waiter swooped in to save the day, sending Patrick’s hesitation. He made three suggestions, Patrick nodded, and the waiter moved on to other tables.
“I didn’t think beer was so tough to figure out.”
“It’s like the first time I ordered vodka at a gay bar. What brand? What flavor? Seven Up or soda? I’m sure it’s overwhelming until you figure it out.” Aaron smiled at Patrick across the table. “Let’s consider it an adventure. Either we will find something we like, or we will laugh about it for a long time to come whenever we see this place.”
A long time to come implied that Patrick and Aaron would still be together. That there would be more than just a first date. Patrick’s heart skipped a few beats with excitement.
Of course, it was too early to decide if there would be more than one date and if there truly was a connection between the two of them. They had only just ordered drinks. Patrick could think of dates he had been on that had turned sour quickly. Cam and Ollie had several dozen stories that they could share.
“Tell me about yourself.” Patrick decided he should steer the conversation to some substance. As he looked at Aaron, he could feel is mind and body returning to his memory of the bathhouse and how hot Aaron looked naked. Sex was always a good thing, but he didn’t want it to be the only thing between them.
“Life is pretty busy. I don’t really make much time for dates or even hanging out. I work full time as a phlebotomist while continuing to study for my RN.”
