by Trina Solet
What Miles really wanted was to give Gavin a different kind of gift, something that screamed, "I want to be your boyfriend." But that could easily backfire, plus he couldn't afford much. His gift budget was pretty much blown. This photo album was a gift that wouldn't break the budget or set off any alarms with his skittish future lover.
As soon as they stepped out of the store, Miles texted Gavin with an update, "Mission accomplished."
Gavin texted back that he would come and meet them and Miles smiled. That was an unexpected treat. He thought they would be heading back now and he would then go home alone.
"Your dad is coming to hang out with us. We better make sure he doesn't see his gifts," Miles told Benji.
Worried, Benji looked at the bag Miles carried. "Don't let him look."
"I won't," Miles said and held on to the bag protectively.
"What did you get?" Gavin asked as soon as he joined them.
After giving his dad a quick hug, Benji came to stand between him and Miles. He held his arms out to block his dad from coming any closer and said, "No peeking."
"You can't see these, but Benji can show you what he has in his bag," Miles told Gavin.
"It's a marshmallow snowman. We got it at Candysaurus," Benji said. "Can I eat him?"
"OK, but you have to share." Gavin leaned over close to Miles as they walked. "Don't let him eat that whole thing," Gavin begged him.
"Hey, Benji are you going to share the snowman with me and your dad?" Miles asked.
"OK," Benji said and pulled it apart until it tore in two. Now he stared at the two halves, not sure how to divide it in three.
"You can just give half to Miles," Gavin told him.
"Told you he didn't like sweets," Benji said.
Miles picked the bottom half, which didn't really look like anything more than a round marshmallow blob. He offered it to Gavin. "Want a bite?"
Gavin only laughed as he dodged the unwelcome offer.
"You made Dad laugh. Do it again," Benji said, encouraging Miles to torment his dad.
"Maybe later. We don't want him to overdo it," Miles said. When he saw that Benji was ready to bite the head off the snowman, Miles turned away and buried his face in Gavin's shoulder. "I can't watch."
"Let's stop here," Gavin said and pointed at the door of Turner Thrifts. As a cash strapped college student, Miles was no stranger to the place and many like it. Gavin looked in through the window. "I think they might have some new arrivals."
Following his gaze, Miles saw that he had zeroed in on the book section. "You've got to be kidding me. You are around books all day," Miles said as he and Benji followed him inside.
Gavin wasn't kidding though. He couldn't wait to go digging through the piles of used books. "Why don't you and Benji have a look around? Then meet me back here. I'll be the guy with a stack of books in my arms."
"OK then. We'll leave you to it," Miles said and went off with Benji, leaving Gavin to his book bingeing.
After passing up some pots and pans, Miles and Benji found an isle they liked. It had toys as well as random, fun bric-a-brac. Miles was eying a cookie jar in the shape of a penguin. He was about to point it out to Benji when Miles heard him start to cry while calling out, "Momo, Momo."
Miles got down to crouch in front of him. "Hey, little guy, what's going on? Did something scare you?"
Benji clutched at his sleeve and pointed at a teddy bear on the shelf that was too high for him to reach, and said, "Momo."
Before he could figure out why a stuffed toy was making Benji cry, Miles wasn't surprised to see Gavin running over. Parents hear everything. Gavin looked grim, tamping down any alarm he felt hearing his little boy cry. Once he saw the reassuring look Miles gave him, Gavin took a deep breath and came over more calmly. He picked up Benji in his arms and tried to figure out what was going on.
"What's wrong, Benji?"
Sniffling while Gavin put his glasses on top of his head and wiped his tearful face, he told his dad, "I found Momo."
"Who's Momo?" Gavin asked as he put the glasses back on Benji's face.
"I think it's that bear," Miles said and got the stuffed animal from the shelf. The bear was caramel colored and had a price tag tied around his foot.
"Momo," Benji called out and reached out for him. Miles handed it over and Benji hugged the toy to him.
"Momo was your bear?" Gavin asked.
"I lost him. I couldn't find him anywhere," Benji said and he looked heartbroken.
"We found him now," Miles told him.
Benji nodded and clutched the bear tightly. From the look on his face, Gavin would have given his right arm and a million bucks to buy him that bear, but it only cost him two bucks. Benji was so happy. They bought the bear right away but then stayed to pick up some books and that penguin cookie jar.
As he walked Gavin and Benji home, Miles was surprised to be invited to join them. "I'm coming up?"
"If you have time, we'd like you to help us celebrate. This is Momo's special homecoming," Gavin told him.
"You have to," Benji insisted.
"And since it's a special occasion, we'll order pizza," Gavin decided as they waited for the elevator.
Pizza was ordered on the way up, but as soon as they got inside the apartment, Gavin had another task lined up. "While we're waiting for pizza, I think Momo could use a bath," he told Benji.
Since he had only just been reunited with him, Benji wasn't eager to give up Momo. Gavin wasn't about to let him cuddle with a thrift store bear without getting him clean first though.
"Everyone has to take a bath some time, even Momo," Miles pointed out as Benji gave up his treasured bear reluctantly.
With Benji following close on his heels, Gavin took the teddy bear to the kitchen sink.
"You're washing Momo by hand," Miles said seeing the bear get all sudsy while Benji looked on, craning his neck. Miles picked him up and sat him down on the kitchen counter next to the sink.
Gavin smiled at his little boy and kissed the top of his head. "I don't dare put him in the washing machine. I might risk a few spins in the dryer on low so he'll be ready for Benji to take to bed with him."
"I guess taking him to bed is non negotiable," Miles said looking from Gavin to Benji.
Later on, after Benji was in bed with the bear that had dried just in time, Miles stood around in Gavin's living room. He wasn't sure if he was staying or going. That was up to Gavin, but he did wonder about their thrift store find.
"Momo 2.0," Miles said. "Do you think there is any way that might be Momo 1.0?"
"It isn't likely but who knows," Gavin said with a sad smile. "From what Benji said when I was putting him to bed, he used to have a bear that looked like that one, but it got lost when he was moved around in foster care."
"Good thing you have an incurable book obsession. Going into that thrift store was a stroke of genius," Miles told him.
"I'm glad you were there, even if I don't want to lean on you too much. It felt good," Gavin said and looked shy abut it.
"You can lean on me. Why not? I'm sturdy. Go ahead, test me out," Miles said and bumped him with his shoulder.
"Yeah. You're not so bad," Gavin said and kissed him on the cheek.
"Now you're starting to appreciate me. Keep up the good work," Miles said.
"So while you're here, do you want to watch TV with me and make out on the couch?" Gavin asked.
For a minute Miles was speechless and happy. Instead of giving an answer, he just threw himself into Gavin's arms.
Chapter 11
On the day they found Momo, another ill advised impulse landed Gavin in Miles' arms again and left him horny and unsatisfied when he left. Gavin had no one to blame but himself. He found Miles irresistible. He could still remember how he felt when they were wrapped around each other, kissing and grinding on his couch.
Gavin was at the bookstore, trying to dispel those memories when he saw Miles coming in through the door with his arm thrown over anot
her young guy's shoulders. The guy was slim, attractive, not very tall, and Gavin was ready to strangle him. Ignoring Gavin's murderous glower, Miles greeted him cheerfully.
"Look, I brought you business. This is my roommate, Darren. He was curious about you. I told him he could meet you but the price was he had to do some of his Hanukkah shopping here," Miles said.
"Nice to meet you," Gavin lied and shook Darren's hand.
As he did, he found himself thinking that this guy was way too good-looking to be living with Miles. OK, that wasn't the most sane thought he ever had, but there it was nonetheless. And Gavin had always imagined himself to be a rational, coolheaded sort of guy. Now that self-delusion was shattered just because Miles had his arm around some guy.
They went off to look around the store together, with Miles acting the salesman in his usual, hectoring way. As they walked around, the two stood too close and laughed too often for Gavin's liking. Every time they were out of his sight, he was ready to go over and break them apart.
Unreasonably jealous but unable to push the feeling aside, Gavin looked away from them. He had the urge to pull Miles away from that guy, get between them, stake his claim. Why the hell not? What was left to stand in his way? Hadn't his self-restraint already crumbled to nothing? Why not walk over there, grab Miles and kiss him, make everything crystal clear to this Darren and the whole world.
That was insane and the last thing Gavin would do. Still, the impulse was there, as was the nagging thought that maybe he was so worried about their friendliness because he knew he wasn't right for Miles no matter how desperate he was to hold onto him.
After Darren did his shopping and left, Miles grinned at Gavin triumphantly. "See, I'm good for business." Noticing his weird mood, Miles peered at him intently. "You are being distant. What happened? You aren't having second thoughts about me again, are you?"
Gavin turned the question around on him. "What about you? Any second thoughts?"
"Me? I didn't have first thoughts. I'm not the one dragging my feet. You are," Miles said and leaned over the sales counter so he could glare at Gavin.
"I don't see how you can be ready for this. A package deal, me and Benji..."
"I just am. I know what I want. And I told you that I would prove myself to you. Then you'll see for yourself," Miles vowed.
"You shouldn't have to do that. Why not go out with someone young and uncomplicated, like your roommate?" Gavin asked though the idea of it made him feel sick.
"Why should I settle for some copy of Darren? Why not Darren himself? He did ask me out when I first moved in with him and he hadn't met his boyfriend, JJ, yet," Miles bragged.
"And?" Gavin asked, irritated all over again now that he knew Darren really did have designs on Miles, and it wasn't all in his head.
"I agreed to go out with him," Miles said then stopped for effect. "But only as friends."
"He must have been crushed," Gavin said though he didn't feel sorry for Miles' roommate one bit.
"Why would he be?" Miles said with a shrug.
Gavin didn't think that needed explaining. "Because you rejected him, obviously."
Miles laughed. "No. He was fine. It was no big deal to him."
Gavin frowned skeptically. "I find that hard to believe."
"You think I'm all that, and a guy would be devastated if I fenced him into the friend zone?" Miles asked with a wicked grin.
Gavin opened his mouth then bit back his answer. "I guess I might have given away something there."
"Did you?" Miles said and peered at him, challenging him to say more.
"I can't imagine anyone not being crazy about you, and I was jealous when I saw you and Darren together," Gavin confessed in an irritated voice.
"Oh, man. You are a piece of work."
"Sorry. But you two seemed like a much better match and brought back my doubts about us. They are always just under the surface I guess."
"But you just can't resist me," Miles concluded rightly.
"Pretty much."
"Maybe you should stop messing around, be a stand up guy and ask me out."
Gavin smiled. "OK. Would you go out with me?" He tried to say it like it was no big deal, but his heart raced and his voice grew husky with emotion.
"Any time. Anywhere," Miles told him and leaned over the counter for a kiss.
"I'll talk to my friend Bruce to see if I can schedule a playdate for Benji and Marvin. Bruce is Marvin's father. He will enjoy hearing that we're dating. He likes nothing better than being right. Bruce manages a furniture store and his son is a few years older than Benji. Basically he's my evil twin."
"This Bruce, he's not good looking or anything, is he?" Miles asked, narrowing his eyes at him.
"Depends on what you like," Gavin told him enigmatically.
"That kind of answer doesn't put my mind at ease at all."
"Maybe I want to keep you on your toes," Gavin said. He liked that the shoe was on the other foot now.
"Well, my best friend, Candice, is a real looker. Ask anyone," Miles told him. "Straight up gorgeous. None of this 'depends on what you like' bullcrap."
"I'm real worried now," Gavin said mocking him, but he was actually really nervous, not about this Candice though. He was taking a major step egged on by a bout of jealousy. Once the thought occurred to him that Miles might start seeing someone else, the possibility became too real to him. He realized he couldn't let that happen, he couldn't let anyone steal him away.
He didn't want to leave an opening or some other guy would make his move. On a spur of the moment, he was taking this thing with Miles from an impulsive makeout or two to real dating. And the fact was that with Benji in his life, he wouldn't start dating anyone unless he was considering getting very serious. Whatever his misgivings, in his heart, he knew he couldn't let Miles get away.
Two days later, the playdate for Benji was arranged and he was eagerly waiting for Bruce and Marvin to come and pick him up. They were going to dinner and a movie first then to the mall. The little guy was sorry that he was going to miss out on spending time with Miles.
"It's not fair. I was friends with him first," he kept saying.
When Bruce and Marvin came by the apartment to get him, Benji told Gavin, "Say hi to Miles."
"I will," Gavin assured him.
"From me," Benji said.
"Yes. I got that," Gavin told him while Bruce scowled at him.
"Both father and son are smitten, and I haven't even met this guy," he complained.
"He's coming here," Benji tattled.
"Then we'll wait..." Bruce started to say.
Gavin cut him off. "You will not."
"Why not? Uncle Bruce and Miles can be friends too," Benji said. He was so sweet.
"Your dad is afraid I'm going to steal him," Bruce told him.
Suddenly Benji grew serious and fixed Bruce with a sharp gaze from behind his glasses. "You better not. I was friends with Miles first. Me and Dad."
Marvin sighed and spoke up for the first time. "Dad, you're gonna get in trouble and then we're gonna miss the movie. Let's go." He was six, with dark, curly hair and wisdom beyond his years.
"Check that out. The way my kid looks out for me," Bruce said and gave Marvin a bear hug.
"Me too," Benji said and raised his arms for a hug.
Bruce opened his arms for Benji to join their bear hug, but Benji shook his head and snubbed him. He jumped into Gavin's arms instead. Gavin held him tight then set him down and straightened his glasses. "Now you look nice. Have a good time," he said to Benji, who gave him a big grin.
"You too, Dad."
Once they were gone, Gavin felt like this date was bound to go well. After all Benji had given it his blessing. Despite that, while he waited he couldn't sit still. Finally there was a knock at the door, and Gavin felt a surge of excitement like he had never felt before a date until now. But then again, this was a date with Miles. It couldn't compare to any that came before.
Going to open
the door to him, Gavin took a deep breath then said hi to Miles. As he tried to step out of the way so he could come in, Miles didn't let him. He threw his arms around him and kissed him. He sure knew how to greet a guy.
"As you see, I'm ready to go," Gavin told him once he could speak. He had one arm around Miles as they stepped in and he finally closed the door. "Bruce and Marvin already took Benji to dinner and a movie. Later I'll pick him up from the mall."
Miles took a step back and looked him up and down. Gavin still had to put his jacket on before they headed out. Maybe that's why Miles was eyeing him so critically. "What? No tie? You look spiffy anyway," Miles said running his fingertips over his crisp, button-down shirt.
Gavin put on the suit jacket to match his black slacks and returned the compliment. "You look nice too." No matter what he wore, Miles couldn't help but look good.
"I look the same as always," Miles scoffed. He continued more apologetically. "I wish I could dress up for you, but I don't really have date clothes. This is it unless you want to see me in my job interview shirt, which I only wear for jobs I don't actually want to get."
"I'll pass. And that's the same jacket you wore when you worked for me, isn't it?" Gavin asked as he watched Miles take a seat on the arm of the couch. That leather jacket was such a familiar sight. Gavin expected to see it whenever he saw Miles, like it was a part of him.
Miles smiled enigmatically at that. "The very same one."
"What?" Gavin asked squinting at the smile that lingered on Miles' face as well as the funny look in his eyes.
"This jacket is special. It was the first thing I bought with the money I got working for you," Miles told him and his eyes shone. "And guess which thrift store I got it from."
"No."
"Yup. The same thrift store where Benji found Momo."
"Damn," Gavin said and touched the jacket almost reverently.
