by Peter Styles
Nibbling on his lip, Wyatt picked up his cell phone and unlocked it. As he went to click on his email app, he hesitated. Should he really be doing this? I’ll have to check them eventually, Wyatt thought. But, as if through divine intervention, when Wyatt went to click on it once and for all, his screen turned to Lincoln’s contact picture. Lincoln was calling him. Not a moment too soon, Wyatt mused mentally. He couldn’t believe he had actually almost given into such childish impulses. Answering the call, Wyatt brought the phone to his ear, “Hello?”
“Hey, are you busy?” Lincoln asked.
“Not really. What’s up?”
“Well, from how well the video went, they want you to help with another assignment. If you would be alright with that?”
“I don’t see why not. Do they want me there, like, right now? I can get an Uber.”
“No, I’m going to come pick you up. The assignment is out of town, but not that far.”
“Sweet. I take it you guys are supplying the outfit?” Wyatt questioned, assuming they wanted him in their brands since he was going to be in whatever project they had planned.
“Of course. I’ll bring the clothes up to your place, and we can change before heading out. I’m actually on my way to you now. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
Wyatt hung up and flung himself onto the couch, sprawling out. He just laid there resting his eyes, waiting for Lincoln. He wondered where they were going for the project. Since it was out of town, maybe it was an event or concert? What shows took place on Tuesdays though? To Wyatt, the most logical reason would be to go to a restaurant. Why did they want him there for it?
Soon, there was a knock on the door. Wyatt pulled himself from the couch and walked over to answer it. He let Lincoln in, his boyfriend immediately handing Wyatt a bag of clothes to change into. They both dressed in the clothes selected for them. Of course, the clothes gave nothing away about what they were doing. Both of their outfits were fashionable yet ordinary. “Am I allowed to know where we are going?” Wyatt asked, as they headed out of his apartment.
“And kill the romance of it? Where is the fun in that?” Lincoln questioned.
Wyatt grinned at him, “Fair enough.”
They made their way through the apartment building and outside to Lincoln’s car. Wasting no time leaving, Lincoln drove toward the highway. Along the way, Lincoln and Wyatt chatted about their days and about the success of the video. It was all feeling very surreal to Wyatt, as though it was all some feverish coma dream. How had his life gone from a sarcastic, bitter loner, to an internet sensation with a dreamy, curly-haired man like Lincoln? For part of the ride, he even tried to figure out when he could have possibly fallen into a coma. Maybe he had as far back as the night the two of them met. Everything since then had been unbelievable after all.
As they drove along, Wyatt noticed they weren’t headed to another city, but out into the country. “What in the hell could you be dragging me to out here for?” Wyatt wondered aloud. Of course, Lincoln didn’t respond vocally but wore a smug smirk on his lips.
Eventually, they came to a stop at a recreational center. From there, there was access to a lake, hiking trails, fishing rivers and even a small park. He noticed just a couple of parking spots where Marcus, Diego and Maria were. “What exactly is going on?” Wyatt asked Lincoln, noticing all of the others in casual attire as well.
“We’re going on a hike,” Lincoln announced, before getting out of the car.
“A hike?” Wyatt questioned, climbing out after him.
“It’ll be good for you,” he cooed, pulling Wyatt into him by the hip.
“I just don’t understand why whatever we’re trying to market needs to be marketed at the top of a mountain…”
“We aren’t going to climb the entire mountain. That would be insane to do this late in the day. We’re just going to go to an overlook. By the time we get there, it’ll be sunset. We want to get some photographs there,” Lincoln explained, then cracked a grin, “If your chicken legs get tired, I’ll carry you.”
“Don’t tempt me with such luxury,” Wyatt chuckled. Holding hands, they walked over to the others and then all of them headed for the trail.
It wasn’t as bad as Wyatt had anticipated it being. He never worked out or did much physical activity, so he thought a hike would be grueling, which it definitely wasn’t. They all walked at a comfortable speed and chatter moved through the group. For the first time since Wyatt had been around them, the team wasn’t talking about a work-related issue, but rather sharing personal stories and jokes. It was such a different vibe from the way it had been at the office; a more relaxed, friendly energy. Wyatt enjoyed it as it made them all less intimidating. Every last one of them seemed to be a type-A personality, being driven perfectionists and competitive as hell. They could honestly all be a little much, so to see them so roseate was refreshing.
Wyatt enjoyed being in nature as well. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had been out of the city, let alone when he was last in the woods. If he had to guess, Wyatt would have to say it had been his freshmen year of college when he took a biology class for his prerequisites. He loved the scent of the pine and cedar trees, reminding him of childhood days spent on the playground and in the trees scattered along the edge. Wyatt had been a city-dweller his entire life, so his experience was limited. He tried to make the most of it, remembering every little detail. He would definitely have to eat his words from when they had first arrived and he fussed about going on a hike.
The sky was starting to dim, the shadows in the forest growing longer. They had to be getting close to the overlook. The trees began to thin as the incline grew steeper and more demanding. The cold wind whipped through the trees, causing Wyatt to pull his jacket tighter around him. An arm appeared around his ribs, Lincoln tugging him into his side. Wyatt smiled faintly, keeping close to him as they reached the top of the overlook. The ground began to level out, turning from dirt to rock. Within just a few steps, they were on the edge of the overlook. An endless pink sky with dark purple ripples and wispy blue clouds acted as a breathtaking backdrop to the hazy mountain line and lush forest beneath them.
Compared to the concrete jungle he was accustomed to, Wyatt was rendered speechless. He took in every color and detail, committing it to memory. The others in the group cheered and celebrated the triumph of getting to the cliff. Wyatt’s eyes shifted to Lincoln to find him not taking in the sunset, but gazing at Wyatt with glistening, tender eyes. A shy smile turned up the corners of Wyatt’s mouth. Lincoln dropped his arm from around Wyatt and grabbed one of his hands. They walked to the very edge of the cliff, Wyatt’s toes just an inch from the dropoff. He couldn’t help but look straight down, adrenaline shooting through his veins, knowing with just one misstep he would be a bloody pancake at the bottom of the cliff.
“Was it worth the hike?” Lincoln asked, squeezing his hands.
Wyatt glanced up at him, a broad smile dominating his face, “Definitely.”
“Good to know you aren’t allergic to exercise,” Lincoln chuckled, making Wyatt roll his eyes in response. Lincoln then hooked a finger under Wyatt’s chin and kissed him tenderly. Wyatt’s heart fluttered, overwhelmed by the moment. It was perfect. Even with the wind tossing his hair all around and making his cheeks feel numb, nothing could dampen the moment. Not even the quiet clicks of Marcus taking their picture.
Wyatt pulled away slowly, his eyes opening to lock with Lincoln’s. They both were smiling like fools. “Alright, you love birds. We need to get some pictures before we lose daylight,” Maria called over to them.
Looking over to them, Maria was laying out a game of yard dominos and Diego was crafting a small fire to set up an enamel coffee pot set. They worked fast, didn’t they? The couple walked away from the edge of the cliff, listening to Marcus’s instructions on where to sit. Maria and Diego actually joined in, sitting down across from Lincoln and Wyatt. Lincoln’s arm sta
yed around Wyatt as they played a game of dominos leisurely for the camera. Every so often, Lincoln would lean in and whisper something absurd in Wyatt’s ear to keep him smiling and laughing.
Once the coffee finished brewing, Diego passed around mugs to everyone. Marcus bounced around in the background, snapping photographs from all different angles. “Let’s get another of you two kissing,” Marcus called over, standing over Maria with the camera pointed at Wyatt and Lincoln.
Wyatt’s brow creased momentarily. It felt a little weird for someone to instruct him to kiss his boyfriend. Lincoln seemed eager for it, his lips pressing to Wyatt’s as soon as Wyatt faced him. Once Lincoln pulled back, Wyatt had to force himself to keep a straight face, knowing he was probably overreacting. They had come up there for a purpose, after all, to get pictures of them. Still, it just felt a little strange to be told to kiss for a picture. It was different if it was natural, but to force it felt almost like they were actually using the gay narrative to sell products. You’re over-analyzing, he thought to himself.
After a few more pictures, they had to get going so they could hopefully get to the parking lot before dark. Wyatt helped Maria pick up all of the domino pieces, placing them back in the bag she had carried them in. Once everything was put away, Wyatt’s eyes were drawn back to the sunset. He took in the vibrant pinks and purples for the last time before turning his back to it and quickening his pace to catch up to Lincoln. Instantly, Wyatt was trapped in his own head. For some damn reason, he couldn’t shake that kiss. Why was it getting to him so badly? Was it because he was afraid that was how people would view it? Or maybe misplaced guilt because he subconsciously thought that’s what they were doing? In all honesty, Wyatt wanted to just push it from his mind and forget about it. He definitely didn’t want to start any drama over something so small.
Apparently, they had spent too much time on the overlook, darkness falling upon them just halfway back. Instinctively Wyatt shuffled closer to Lincoln, and Lincoln wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Afraid of the dark?” Lincoln asked, humorously.
“No, but I am afraid of cougars, coyotes and bears,” Wyatt responded, flatly.
Lincoln’s arm tightened around his shoulders, “Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” Wyatt said, not very convincingly. Way to avoid drama, Wyatt criticized himself.
Lincoln cracked a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from any and all wildcats and bears. Fight them with my bare hands.”
At least Lincoln thought he was just genuinely afraid. In a way, it proved to Wyatt how absurd it was to be upset over something like kissing for a photograph. If it were something he should have gotten upset about, surely Lincoln would have been able to tell that was what was wrong. Why in the hell was Wyatt trapped in this endless loop of thoughts? He let himself smile at Lincoln’s comment, “My hero,” he cooed, in a mock southern bell accent.
Lincoln pressed a kiss to Wyatt’s cheek. The small gesture finally ripped Wyatt from the cloud he had been in. He knew for a fact that Lincoln wasn’t in their relationship to use being gay for profit. He had been so damn resistant to the idea of outing his character of Jack Brannon as gay. Lincoln’s coworkers, he thought, might have been part of the reason he had been so quick to get upset. They had all been more than supportive of Lincoln being publicly gay and had been eager to let Wyatt into projects. He supposed his pessimistic side had always been suspicious of it. They had been nothing but nice to him though, so he had no reason to think anything else was going on.
He stayed pressed to Lincoln’s side as the forest grew darker and darker, some of the others pulling their cell phones out and using the flashlight function. Thankfully, the street lamps in the parking lot started to become visible through the trees. “Made it all the way with no bear attacks. Isn’t that something?” Lincoln ribbed, giving Wyatt’s cheek another kiss.
“Us one, bears zero,” Wyatt laughed lightly, as they finally stepped into the parking lot.
As they approached the cars, Diego looked back at Lincoln, “You guys are coming back to the office, right?” he asked.
“Sure thing,” Lincoln nodded.
Back to the office? That late? When Lincoln and Wyatt climbed into the car, he didn’t hesitate to ask, “Why are we going to the office?”
“We’re going to have a meeting and dinner is being catered,” Lincoln explained, as he started the car and headed out of the parking lot.
“Thanks for alerting me,” Wyatt sarcastically commented.
Lincoln chuckled softly, “I’m sorry, I should have asked you and shouldn’t have assumed it was alright. Are you alright coming?”
“Of course. I just don’t like being bossed around,” he taunted.
“I can change that,” Lincoln winked, with a big grin on his lips.
Wyatt rolled his eyes and laughed. “Pervert.”
Chapter 12: The Proposition
The others had managed to beat them to the office, already inside the building by the time Lincoln pulled into the parking garage. The couple walked into the office, greeted by savory aromas that Wyatt immediately identified as Chinese food. He was so hungry from the hike that his mouth was already salivating just from the smell. Walking through the office, they made their way up to the conference room as they had the day before. Opening the door, Wyatt was immediately astonished at the spread before them. Containers of steaming hot food lined a table to the side of the room. And the conference table was filled with guests. Nearly every seat at the expansive oak table was taken—except for two.
Admittedly, Wyatt was a little overwhelmed. Why were there so many people at the meeting? Lincoln guided him to the two empty seats at the end of the table; Peter to Wyatt’s left and Maria on Lincoln’s other side. Wyatt's eyes lifted to scan the rest of the table. He was surprised to see Marcus and his assistant actually sat at the table, rather than fluttering about snapping photos from all kinds of angles. As soon as they settled in, the three caterers busied themselves with serving the guests. For the moment, Wyatt’s mind was taken from the guest list of the meeting to the food being served. A plate of gourmet lo mein with a portion of Mongolian beef, egg roll, and dumplings was set in front of him. He could hardly resist the urge to dive in and devour the meal, but he wanted to be respectful and wait for the others to start eating.
Thankfully, there was no grand speech or introductio; everyone began tucking in. Wyatt ate happily, savoring the exquisite cuisine and praying it didn’t ruin his taste for the take-out place he usually ordered from. “You’re going to spoil me with all this amazing food,” he commented to Lincoln. Every meal they had, had been masterfully prepared.
Lincoln chuckled, resting a hand on Wyatt’s leg under the table. “It’s something you have to get used to if you’re going to be with me,” he winked.
“As if it’d be a problem,” he snorted. “However, I’ll always have an undying loyalty to pizza and take-out.”
“You’re a man of class,” Lincoln joked, a warm smile spreading across his lips.
The dinner continued, constant chatter filling the room. Everyone seemed to be in a pleasant mood, with smiles and laughter being plentiful. Wyatt couldn’t help but wonder who some of the people even were. He recognized Lincoln’s team, along with a couple of people he had witnessed coming and going from the building here and there. The remainder of them were total strangers—and Wyatt didn’t understand why they wanted him at a meeting like this one. Maybe Diego hadn’t meant it as Wyatt himself was invited, but Lincoln was, and he was told that Wyatt could come as well.
After a while, their plates began to empty, and the caterers cleared the table. Each empty dish was replaced by a saucer of strawberry chocolate dumplings. Wyatt knew it clearly wasn’t a traditional Chinese dessert, but damn it looked good. Just as he grabbed his fork to dig in, someone was clinking a glass from the other end of the table. Looking over, Roland was standing. All eyes were on him, and he gave a charming, professional grin. “Tha
nk you all for being here this evening. I hope you all enjoyed your meals. Before we dig into dessert and part ways, I figured we better start the actual meeting.” In unison, the executives in the room let out half-hearted chuckles. “I’m sure many of you are aware, but for those who are not, Dual Lux’s stock went up eleven points today. Within the last twenty-four hours, eight businesses have contacted us, wanting to partner up. Our Youtube channel alone has had an influx of traffic, already procreating a few thousand dollars in revenue. My friends, we are on the cusp of dominating the advertisement world in social media. It is all thanks to the openness and willingness of our partner, Lincoln Prescott, and his partner Wyatt Frazier.”
The room erupted with applause, every pair of eyes going to Wyatt and Lincoln. Wyatt’s face flushed and ears burned, conjuring the best polite smile he could. Once it settled, Roland continued, “Lincoln has helped us pioneer this field of advertising for the past two years. Now, it seems as though we are starting a new chapter. One that may get a little political, but should work in our favor. We stand with Lincoln and Wyatt whole-heartedly. And we are excited to extend a formal invitation to Mr. Frazier to join our team permanently.” Before Roland’s words could fully register to Wyatt, the entire room was clapping and staring right at him. Join the team permanently? What exactly did he mean by that? “What do you say, Mr. Frazier?”
Was he offering Wyatt a job? Wyatt’s eyes shifted around the room, everyone waiting on his answer. “Can I sleep on it?” he called over to him.
Everyone laughed, as though what he had just said was hilarious. Wyatt was actually being serious. He didn’t want to answer that there in front of all those people. Not to mention he didn’t know what all it entailed to say yes, or even what the offer was. “Sure, pal,” Roland called back, still chuckling to himself. He went on with the meeting, going over figures and future projects.
