Pick Up the Pieces

by Tinnean

  He chatted a bit, catching up on family news, then said, “Listen, Jill, I’m calling about the family picnic. I’ll be there, and I’d like to bring someone home with me. The thing is, I… uh… I think I’m going to need you to run interference with Dad for me. Um….” He paused, listening to something she said, and then took a breath. “Actually, Jill, he’s a guy. And he’ll be sleeping in my bedroom.” He was quiet for a moment.

  Shit. This was where she said no way, no son of mine is gonna be gay, even if Wills wasn’t her biological son.

  “Jill?”

  I couldn’t stop myself. I stepped back into the doorway. “What’s wrong?”

  For a long second his expression was tense, but then it relaxed into an easy smile, and he gave me a sign to let me know it was okay. “I… I’ve never felt this for anyone before. No, not even him.”

  Who “him”? Wills had never mentioned any “him.”

  “Theo means a lot to me.” I did? I relaxed and wondered if my grin was as sappy as it felt. “Yeah, his name is Theo Bascopolis. I met him when I was… visiting someone in George Washington Hospital a couple of months ago. He’s not working right now, and if my apartment wasn’t so cruddy, I’d invite him to move in with me.”

  I wouldn’t have called it “cruddy,” but it wasn’t as nice as this one. And why hadn’t I thought to ask him to move in with me before now? Well, that could be corrected. “If that’s all that’s stopping you, babe, you can move in here.”

  He flushed and looked like a little boy who’d suddenly realized there really was a Santa Claus. He got off the bed and came toward me, stopping when his stepmother must have said something.

  “Excuse me?” he said into the phone. “Oh, he’s more than nice. He’s….” His flush deepened, and he cleared his throat. “So, Jill… can you talk to Dad for me? Kind of prepare him? You know how he reacted when Jar decided he wanted to go Goth. This will make him totally lose his cool.”

  I came into the room and heard the faint sibilance over the phone line.

  “Uh….” He paused and listened, gnawing on his lower lip. Then he smiled, and I knew if he ever directed a smile like that in my direction, I’d be ready to slay dragons for him. “Love you more, Jill. Bye.” He hung up the phone and grinned at me. “Jill thinks you sound nice, Theo. She’ll let my dad know how things stand between us.”

  “Will he be all right with it, do you think?” In spite of the fact that it was a warm May day, I felt cold. What if it came to the point where Mr. Matheson gave his son an ultimatum—his family or me? I couldn’t expect Wills to choose me over them. How could I? I was just a rent boy—okay, a former rent boy. And on top of that, he’d only known me for a couple of months.

  “He will when Jill gets done with him!” Wills came to me and put his arms around me.

  “What am I missing here?”

  “Jill is going to make dinner for Dad.”

  “And?”

  “My stepmother is great, and she loves to cook. She’s got a shelf filled with cookbooks by Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck—she collects them. Not only that, but she has binders filled with recipes that she cuts out of newspapers and magazines. She really intends to try them sooner or later.”

  “That’s wonderful.”

  “You’d think.”

  “I don’t follow you.”

  “The problem is, she couldn’t find her way around a kitchen if her life depended on it. She can’t boil water without scorching it—” He smiled as if recalling a fond memory. “—and once she even burned spaghetti. That’s why we have a cook.”

  “I’m sorry, I still don’t get it.”

  “Jill has no idea. She’s the most wonderful woman in the world, but she has this blind spot—she really thinks she’s a good cook.”

  “Wills, I’m a good cook. I am.” That had always been a constant, even before Poppa had thrown me out.

  “Damn straight, you are.”

  “Will it work?”

  “If Dad doesn’t have to wind up getting his stomach pumped. He’s not stupid. As soon as he gets a clue that Jill intends to whip up something exotic, he’ll pay attention to whatever she has to say, and I’m pretty sure he’ll at least give us a chance.”

  “I wish… I wish my family had been as accepting. Oh, well, I guess if wishes were horses, I’d have a stable full.” And the last thing I wanted was to talk about my family. “Let’s have some lunch.”

  “Sounds like a plan. I’m starved.” He twined his fingers with mine and swung our arms gently as we walked into the kitchen.

  “Uh… Wills?”

  “Yeah, babe?”

  “How did you know my last name? I never told you.” And Vince didn’t know. At least I was pretty sure he didn’t know. As for Paul, he’d promised he’d never tell anyone.

  “You talk in your sleep.”

  “I… I do?” I handed him a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich—I used pepper jack for that extra kick.

  He took a huge bite and chewed enthusiastically. “Mmm!”

  I worried my lower lip. “What else did I talk about?”

  He swallowed. “Nothing. Mostly you just mumble.” He slanted me a look. “Except when you’re gushing about what a great lover you have.”

  “I… what…. Oh, you!”

  He leaned into me and kissed me. His kiss tasted of sweet peppers and jalapeños, and I sighed and decided to let my worries go worry somewhere else and just relish it.

  VINCE HAD been pleased with the job Wills had done, and as a reward, he’d given him the day off. We took advantage of it to have lots of make-up sex.

  But we knew Wills had work the next day. I’d have to make him a quick breakfast in order for him to go home, change into one of his nothing-special suits, and get to work. Right now he was wearing a black pocket T-shirt and jeans that drove me almost as wild at the 501s.

  This was getting old. “Wills?” I poured the batter for blueberry pancakes onto the skillet. He was getting my breakfast specialty.

  “Yeah, babe?”

  “Would you—”

  His cell phone rang, and when I recognized the notes as “Vincent,” I had to chuckle.

  “Yes, sir?” He glanced at his wrist, but he’d left his watch on the night table in the bedroom. “It will take me about an hour. I need to return home and— Yes, sir, I will.” He hung up. “I’m sorry, babe. I have to go.”

  “Pancakes!” Paul came in, pulling a T-shirt over his head.

  “They were for Wills.”

  “He doesn’t mind sharing. Do you?” Paul bared his teeth at him. He still hadn’t forgiven him for the misunderstanding.

  “It’s okay. I have to get going anyway.” He pushed away from the breakfast bar and padded out of the kitchen.

  “Sweets—”

  “Look, help yourself to the pancakes.” I patted his shoulder. I didn’t know how else to reassure him. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I just… I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “Thank you, Paul.” I gave him a quick hug and hurried to my bedroom. Wills was sitting on the bed, slipping on his Doc Martens. “Babe?”

  “I’m really sorry, Theo. Mr. Vincent wants me to come in early.”

  “Will you be able to come over tonight?”

  “Couldn’t keep me away.” He leaned forward and kissed me. “I have to run. See you later.”

  I followed him out of the apartment and down to the front door. Things were quiet. The ladies downstairs had probably long since called it a night.

  Wills paused at the door. “Want me to pick up something for dinner?”

  “No. I’ll cook. How does a rib roast sound?”

  “Sounds great.”

  “Wills—” I grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him in. I couldn’t take my gaze from his lips, which were parted.

  “Theo?”

  I tilted my head, brought our mouths together, and swallowed his sigh as I kissed him.

  He’d closed h
is hands on my hips, but after a blissful moment, he set me away from him.

  “I have to go. But I will see you later.”

  I CHASED Paul and Spike out of the apartment. They were going out for pizza and then would take in the latest Star Wars movie, Attack of the Clones.

  I got busy in the kitchen. Not only was I finally going to make him the rib roast, but bake him a cake as well.

  There was a song Ma used to sing when she was in the kitchen. I began to hum “If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked a Cake,” and laughed at how silly I was.

  HE WASN’T back as early as I’d hoped, but I forgave him, since he’d stopped at his apartment and brought a change of clothes with him so he could stay the night. But just as we were about to sit down to dinner, the phone rang.

  “You’d better pick it up, babe.”

  “We’re slaves to technology,” I groused, but I answered the phone. “This had better be because the world is about to come to an end, because if it isn’t, I’ll hunt you down, whoever you are, and do you grievous hurt.”

  There was a moment of silence, and then, “I take it this isn’t a good time?”

  “Geez, Vince.” But I knew any plans for dinner had just gone out the window. “Do you want to talk to Wills?” Although if he did, why hadn’t he called Wills’s cell phone?

  “No, actually, I wanted to talk to you. If you have a few minutes, I need a little help. I’m moving into the apartment.”

  “You are?” I covered the mouthpiece and said to Wills, “Vince needs some help moving.”

  He looked from the roast to the phone and then sighed. “Tell him we’ll be right up.”

  AFTER WE finished, Vince treated us to pizza, and by the time we got back, dinner had cooled enough to be refrigerated.

  “How about dessert?” I asked. Was I ever going to be able to dazzle Wills with a rib roast?

  “I always have room for dessert.”

  I made a pot of coffee and cut a couple of slices of cake. At least we could have that in the dining room.

  Wills took a bite of the cake. He stared at me in something like awe and then closed his eyes, moaned in pleasure, and literally demolished his slice.

  “God, this cake is fantastic!” It didn’t take him long to finish it. He wet his forefinger and gathered up the last of the crumbs. “What’s it called?”

  “Better Than Sex.”

  He paused with his finger halfway to his mouth. “Nothing’s better than sex, babe. Not when it’s with you.”

  “You realize that’s going to get you loved to within an inch of your life?”

  “Works for me.” He finished his coffee and made a production of stretching and yawning.

  I jumped up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him after me. It was early to go to bed, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I didn’t even wait for him to take off his clothes. I tore them off him myself and fumbled a condom on.

  Then I got him onto his hands and knees, pushed into him, and pounded unrelentingly against his prostate, jerking him off as well, until he exploded and filled my hands with his semen. I loved how responsive he always was to my touch.

  Afterward, while I was spooned up behind him, nuzzling the spot below his left ear that always made him fall to pieces, I murmured, “Wills? Are you awake?” I took his mumbled grunt as an assent. “I’ve been thinking, babe. Paul wants to go home, and I’m buying out his share of the house. He and Spike will be moving to California to live. I’ll be here by myself.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” I swallowed. “It sounds like you really don’t care much for your apartment… it isn’t the best, and it’s kind of dumb to keep it when you’re over here most of the time anyway. There’s plenty of room. We could convert one of the bedrooms into an office for you, and you can have your own bedroom too, for… you know… if we have a fight, and you need some space?”

  He started laughing, and I didn’t know whether to be hurt or not. Did he realize I was asking him to move in with me?

  “Theo, you’d better not give me that extra bedroom, because it will just go to waste.”

  “Huh?”

  “I don’t care if we have the world’s worst fight. If I moved in, it would take an act of God to make me sleep away from you.” He rolled over, wrapped his arms around me, and sighed.

  If he moved in? I pinched his ass. “Will you just please give me a straight answer?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” He stroked the long muscles of my back, down to the curve of my ass. “Yes, Theo. I’ll come live with you and be your love.”

  I hadn’t expected it to be so easy, since nothing had ever been that easy in my life, but I wasn’t about to question my luck.

  “When can you move in?”

  Chapter 19

  EARLY SATURDAY morning—too freaking early for my taste—Wills had me on a shuttle bound for Logan. It landed on time, and since we only had carry-ons, we went directly from the gate to pick up the rented Mercury Cougar.

  I let out a low whistle, and Wills grinned. “I love driving powerful, sporty cars.”

  “As opposed to that sedan you drive back home?”

  “Yeah.” He filled out the paperwork, and within ten minutes, he had the key and was driving us out of the airport.

  I knew he was a good driver, but it was a pleasure to watch him maneuver through the holiday weekend traffic. Half an hour later, he turned down a tree-lined street and pulled up at the curb.

  The house was beautiful: white with green shutters, two stories plus gabled attics, and chimneys at each end. The bay windows that looked out on the front yard were bordered by lilac bushes whose blooms were fading, and two ancient oaks stood sentry on either side of the walkway that led to the front door.

  “I’m gonna leave the car here so there will be room for the family to park.” He grinned at me. “We’re a mob. By this afternoon, cars will be lined up all the way to the street.”

  We got out of the car, and he popped the trunk so we could get our carry-ons. After slinging them over our shoulders, we walked to the rear of the house.

  “Wow. Oh, wow!” We were in the backyard now, and I was blown away. I thought the house the boys and I had purchased sat on a pretty big piece of property, but this was huge!

  It sported an Olympic-sized swimming pool, as well as a lighted tennis court. An oak even older and larger than the ones in the front shaded a quarter of the yard. A knotted rope hung from one bough, giving access to a….

  “Wills, a tree house?”

  “Yeah. It was mine, and now it’s Jar’s. Michael and I—”

  “Michael?”

  “Friend of mine.” He stared at the tree house, and I could tell something was bothering him. “We used to sleep out in it during the summer.” He slid a glance my way, happy now, and I wondered if I’d misread his expression. “I’m looking forward to sneaking out with you after everyone has gone to bed.”

  “We’re going to rough it? Remember, I’m a city boy.”

  “I’ll make sure the bears don’t get you.”

  “Bears?”

  “Just kidding, babe.”

  “You’d better be.” Something else caught my eye in the far corner of the yard. “What’s that?”

  “That’s what we call the Doll House. Dad built it when Marti was born.”

  “When she was born? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to wait until she was a little older?”

  “Maybe, but as I told you, she was the first girl born in the last five generations of Mathesons. Dad felt entitled to go a little overboard.”

  A little overboard? “It looks like it’s got two floors.”

  “Yeah. There’s a miniature working elevator, just like Barbie’s dream house, a bathroom with a Victorian tub, and even a kitchen with running water. That was how I learned to plumb a house.”

  “You can do that?” Well, of course he could. He’d done all that work getting Vince’s apartment in shape.

  “Among other things
.” The corner of his mouth curled in a grin. “I’m sure Marti will invite you to see it later.” He took my arm and led me toward the screened porch that ran along the back of the house.

  “This… this is amazing.”

  “Dad lucked out. When he bought this place twenty years ago, he got it for a song. You wouldn’t believe how run-down and neglected it was. It took a few years to get the house renovated enough to live in it, since he just worked on it a little here, a little there. He could have sold it at a massive profit, but he brought Jill with him when he was going to put it on the market, and she fell in love with it. He sold Uncle Jake his share of the business, and we moved here.”

  “And Wills hated it.” A woman who must have been in her middle to late thirties stood at the back door, smiling and holding it open for us. She was a strawberry blonde with the most gorgeous aquamarine eyes I’d ever seen. “He had to leave his friends and his school and his favorite baseball team behind. Hi, sweetie.”

  “Hi, Jill.” So this was his stepmother. We climbed the steps, and Wills leaned down and kissed her cheek.

  “And you must be Theo. I’m so happy to meet you. Come in, please.”

  “Mrs. Matheson. Thank you for having me here.” I handed her a lavishly wrapped hostess gift. The wrapping had cost extra, but I’d wanted to make a good impression on Wills’s family. “Wills mentioned how much you enjoyed cookbooks.”

  “Please, call me Jill. Thank you, I’m sure I’ll love it. Marti’s gone shopping with Alice for some last minute odds and ends, and JR is around here someplace. He said something about getting the blow-up stuff ready for the pool.”

  “Jill?” It was obvious to me that Wills thought something was wrong.

  She sighed. “Dad had to bring Deety to the vet. She broke her leg—Deety, not Dr. Morse—and Dr. Morse wanted to keep her over the weekend.”