He focused on the floor for a few beats, pushed his glasses up, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Hayden, my God, I am so sorry. I left early, but there was an accident right in front of me, and of course I had to stick around for the police. I didn’t have your number or I would have called you.” Neal’s words came out in a rush.
From the prep area, Steffie mouthed, “Yes” and pumped her fist.
Hayden spun around so fast he lost his balance and would have fallen sideways had he not grasped the counter for support.
“Whoa,” Neal said and darted forward. He reached across the counter and grabbed Hayden’s hands firmly in his own. “I thought for sure I wouldn’t get here before you closed up, and you’d leave thinking I was one of those creeps who made a date and didn’t show.”
“I don’t think you’re a creep,” Hayden managed to say.
Neal laughed. “Good.” He looked at his watch, then turned and motioned to the door. “Do I need to wait outside or…?”
“No! Uh, I mean, it’s okay for you to wait inside. I should be done by nine thirty at the latest.”
Once the door was locked, he and Steffie set about cleaning the coffeehouse and preparing for the morning shift. Twice Hayden ducked out of the back room to tell Neal he’d only be a few more minutes. Really he wanted to assure himself Neal was there and Hayden hadn’t passed out while jogging this morning and was dreaming the whole thing.
Finally done with the chores, Hayden slid across the wet floor and skated into the employee bathroom to change. Back out in record time, he tugged his shirt straight and asked Steffie, “How do I look?”
“Almost there.” Steffie held a thin can in one hand. She piled some product into her other hand and ran it through Hayden’s hair, making some adjustments here and there. “Perfect.”
“I’m ready?”
Steffie, nodded, smiled, and washed the hair product off her hands. “Go get ’em, tiger. Call me if it goes badly. Or great. Oh, just call me. I’ll want details.”
Hayden rushed back out to the main part of the coffeehouse. “Hi.”
Neal stood up and made no attempt to hide how he looked Hayden up and down. He smiled broadly. “You look amazing.”
“Really?”
Nodding, Neal said, “Really.” He held out one arm, then laid his hand on Hayden’s back when he moved closer. “Shall we? I love your outfit.”
“You look great too,” Hayden said. Now that he was actually with Neal and going through with their date, he took the time to get a much better look.
Neal wore a taupe shirt Hayden was pretty sure was silk. No tie, and the top few buttons were undone, allowing a little hint of hair to peek out. The cut of the shirt accentuated Neal’s broad shoulders, and his sleeves were rolled up, exposing sinewy forearms. His lightweight gray trousers were just tight enough to show off muscular thighs and a very nicely formed ass. The only piece of jewelry he wore was a stainless steel watch Hayden thought was a Breitling. It likely cost more than Hayden made working at the coffeehouse in three months. Hayden felt skinny and geeky, too young and unsophisticated, beside him.
“My car is parked a few blocks in the opposite direction of our dinner. Your choice, walk or ride?” Neal asked. He put his arm around Hayden and rubbed his shoulder a few times before putting both hands in his pants pockets.
“It’s a beautiful night,” Hayden ventured.
Neal glanced up at the sky. “Walk it is, then. It’s only a few blocks this way. I think they have a patio for dining.”
They strolled down the sidewalk. Despite his earlier feelings of inadequacy, Hayden felt comfortable with Neal. The walk gave him a chance to get some clean, fresh air into his lungs and clear his head. His insides were more settled, and the tense feeling in his chest dissipated.
When they reached the bistro door, Hayden’s panic ratcheted back up. The people inside were sharply dressed, even the ones in casual attire and jeans. They had designer bags and expensive, tasteful jewelry. Hayden might not have been able to afford such things, but he saw enough at work to know many of the labels.
What the hell was he doing here trying to blend in wearing a simple Henley, Chucks, and off-the-rack department-store jeans?
Neal must have sensed Hayden’s hesitation because he picked then to put one arm around Hayden’s back, squeezing his shoulder for a few seconds. He moved his hand lower and rested it between his shoulder blades. “Would you like to try the patio or eat inside?”
“Patio. It’s so nice out tonight, and I’ve been cooped up in the coffeehouse since one.”
Neal stepped up to the hostess desk and said, “Two. A table on the patio, please.”
Hayden saw Neal put one hand on the desk and the woman there smiled and asked, “Will fifteen minutes be all right?”
He couldn’t see the denomination, but Neal had very discreetly given the young woman a folded bill that obviously made her very happy.
Neal smiled warmly, slipped his hand into his pocket, and said, “That would be perfect.”
“If you gentlemen would like to wait at the bar, there’s plenty of room.” The hostess nodded toward a large wooden bar with brass trim. She handed Neal one of those disks that would light up when their table was ready.
“Thank you.” Neal turned to Hayden. “Shall we?”
Hayden smiled and ducked his head as they walked to the bar. He’d never been in a place like this. A few people were very obvious when they looked at him and Neal with raised eyebrows. He could practically read their thoughts: He was interested in nothing but the man’s money and was probably a hired escort, and a few other judgments that became less polite as Hayden mentally scrolled down the list. A young woman with a man easily twice her age caught his eye, winked, and offered him a thumbs-up.
Turning tail and running crossed Hayden’s mind. The problem was he really liked Neal and had the impression Neal was genuinely interested in him. He kept asking himself over and over if he would find Neal so appealing if he were a factory worker or worked in retail or tended bar. Hayden kept coming up with the answer yes.
Neal moved a tall chair out from the bar and swung it around for Hayden before taking a seat in the next one over. “Do you like wine?”
“Um… I-I guess. I haven’t had much and don’t really know about many kinds. My family isn’t much for wine.” Hayden laughed nervously and ran one finger over the edge of the bar. He could simply go to the bathroom and slip out the back door. A quick glance around the restaurant convinced him that might not be possible since the men’s room was in plain sight of the bar.
Neal smiled, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. He chuckled softly, reached over and stroked the back of Hayden’s hand a few times. “Would you try one of my favorites if they have it here?”
Hayden kept his ass firmly on the seat and nodded. He realized Neal would be deeply hurt if Hayden snuck out. Memories of the emotions he’d experienced when he thought Neal had stood him up flashed across his mind. Not following through with dinner would be just as bad, if not worse. He took a deep breath. “I’d love that, thank you.”
Neal ordered. He leaned back in his seat and smiled broadly when the wine he’d requested was indeed one the bistro bar carried. “I have loved this wine for years.” He nodded to the bartender when two glasses were set in front of them.
Hayden took his glass and hoped it wasn’t too obvious how his hand shook. He sipped the wine and raised his eyebrows. The dark, red liquid was smooth, fruity, and filled his mouth with the most delicious combination of tastes he’d ever experienced. “Wow.”
Neal laughed. “That was my reaction the first time as well. I’d had wine, the sort you get from a grocery store, but never anything of this quality.”
“When did you try this for the first time?” Hayden asked, delighted to find something to talk about.
“College graduation dinner with my grandmother. She promised me if I graduated with honors, she’d buy me the best meal I’
d ever had,” Neal said and took another sip from his glass.
“Where did you go?”
Neal smiled softly. “A place in Paris. My grandmother was well-off.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I owe her a lot more than some travel and a good meal. In my family, certain things were expected. Get an education, marry a nice girl, carry on the family business.”
“And that wasn’t what you wanted?”
“Well, first of all I was hiding the fact I am gay from my parents. They found out when I was fifteen. I had a brother who was nearly ten years older than me, and—”
“Was?” Hayden ventured.
Neal nodded. “Yes. We were on our way home from a football game when we were jumped, and he died from the injuries a week later. Gay bashing. Crappy thing was he wasn’t the one who was gay.”
“Jesus. That’s….” Hayden shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you. As I said, I was fifteen, and he was my hero. I started skipping school, getting into fights, boosting cars, and hooking up with all sorts of the wrong people.” Neal stopped and sipped his wine. “How I survived the AIDS epidemic I’ll never know. Sheer luck. And of course, I finally got caught. My parents were away, so the police contacted my grandmother. I was over eighteen by then. She let me sit in that jail and cook for a few days. Probably had to pay off the entire town to do it. When she came to get me, she told me I had a choice. Come out of the closet, get my act together, stop feeling sorry for myself, and go to school and study whatever I wanted as long as I did well at it.”
Hayden smiled. “So, scared straight.”
Neal shrugged. “I wouldn’t go that far. I’m still gay, but it got me going on the right path in life. I studied architecture, not business, and was much happier.”
“How’d your parents take the coming out of the closet part?”
“Not great. I don’t think my grandmother was excited about that part of me either, but she knew something about being forced into a life she didn’t want, so she did her best to understand.”
Hayden took another drink of the wine and made a go on motion with his hand. “Yeah?”
“Another story for another time. I have to have something to keep you coming back,” Neal said and laughed. The disk flashed green, and Neal held it up. “Our turn. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry!”
Hayden had another bout of insecurity as they were seated at their table. He picked up the menu and stared at it, not knowing what to do. He’d always been taught to choose a midpriced meal when he was someone’s guest. Before he could stop the words, they tumbled from his mouth. “There’s no prices.”
Neal peeked over the top of his menu and Hayden could tell by the way his eyes crinkled again that he was smiling. “I think these types of places do that so your meal isn’t ruined by the indigestion caused by it being overpriced.”
Hayden managed a small smile. He took another drink of wine to try and steady his hands and calm his nerves. Then the thought crossed his mind that he should slow down on the wine on a basically empty stomach. “They have an interesting selection.” The truth was he didn’t know what half the items listed were. There appeared to be foods like burger sliders and chicken bites, but they were doused in spices and sauces Hayden had never heard of before. Even the salads were made of exotic ingredients.
“I’ve read some reviews online that said the food is very good, even if they use pretentious words to describe a cheeseburger. I have to confess to an ulterior motive for suggesting this restaurant. I’m always on the lookout for places that have a diverse menu to take clients. Being Hindu I don’t eat beef or pork, but I can’t exactly ask clients their dietary needs in regards to religion. So, I suggest meeting places with online menus and plenty of protein choices.” Neal smiled when the waitress arrived and inquired if they were ready to order. “I don’t know about you, but I love a good chicken burger. I’ll have the blackened Boursin burger with chicken instead of beef please, roasted apples, and baked potato with creamed spinach. Oh, and could we get an order of spinach fondue as an appetizer?”
The waitress nodded. “Absolutely.” She turned to Hayden, pen poised over her order pad.
“Um….” Hayden’s panic came charging back stronger than ever.
“Do you need a little more time, sir?” The woman sounded pleasant enough, but Hayden couldn’t shake the feeling that she was mentally mocking him for being so unsophisticated.
“You know, the rack of lamb looks good too. I can never decide,” Neal said and laughed. “How about we get that as well and share?” He winked at Hayden. “Could I add a bottle of the Bouchard?” He held his glass up, and the waitress smiled, gaze slipping to Hayden for a brief second.
“I’ll have your wine sent right over, sir.”
Hayden nodded. “And the grilled asparagus slaw.” He added the first side dish that swam into focus. “Thank you,” he said in a small voice once the waitress had left.
Neal smiled, leaned back, and took another sip of his wine. “Tell me about your family.”
Hayden sighed. After hearing about Neal’s grandmother, he was sure his family would sound boring. “My parents live in Wisconsin. They spend a lot of time working. I’m the middle of five siblings.” Now didn’t that sound as dreary as possible?
“And yet here you are in Greensville. It must truly have been fated that we meet.” Neal took another sip of wine.
Hayden adjusted his glasses and glanced around. “This was where the best automobile design possibilities were. The university is well known in the industry. So I came here.”
“I am very happy you landed here. Remind me to make a donation to that school,” Neal said. A bottle of the delightful wine arrived, stopping their conversation again while it was uncorked.
Hayden leaned back in the chair and relaxed when the thought hit him that Neal was trying as hard to impress Hayden as he was Neal. “I worked really hard to get where I am. I didn’t want my family doing it for me.”
“One thing I understand is being dedicated to your work and not using your family name.” Their order arrived, stopping their conversation for a few minutes. Neal refilled Hayden’s wineglass while Hayden spent a few minutes dividing up their meals so they each had some of all the dishes.
“Thank you for suggesting we share,” Hayden said softly. He ventured a glance up at Neal while he passed one of the plates to him.
Neal waggled his fingers. “Don’t be chintzy with the baked apples.”
That made Hayden laugh outright; he held out a spoonful of the apples. Neal smiled as he swallowed them, licking a bit of juice from his lower lip. Hayden’s cheeks heated. That wasn’t the only part of Hayden to get warmer.
All too soon their dinner was finished, and the best date Hayden had ever had was nearing a close. Neal paid for their meal, and they left the restaurant. There were very few people on the street now since it was approaching midnight. Neal rested his hand lightly on Hayden’s back while they walked back to the coffee shop.
“My car is parked in the back.” Hayden pointed out the direction. He envisioned Neal whisking him off to some secluded little nest for a night of torrid lovemaking. Through their entire dinner, Hayden’s cock had been warm and semihard. He adored the way Neal had made him feel as if he were the only person in the place.
Once they were off the main street, Neal took Hayden’s hand and held it with enough firmness to make him feel secure but not overwhelmed. When Hayden’s car came into sight, he was back to feeling inadequate, and a bit embarrassed, in a heartbeat. Certainly Neal would realize how out of Hayden’s league he was and move on to someone who would be more his type, socially and economically.
“Your car is a real classic,” Neal said. He ran one hand appreciatively over the car’s hood before he turned and leaned against the side, preventing Hayden from escaping his humiliation by getting inside and speeding away.
Scuffing the toe of his Chucks along the ground, Hayden shrugg
ed. “It’s a lot prettier on the inside. I like the classics and having something to work on.”
Neal took both of Hayden’s hands. “I’ve always liked Chevys. They’re well-made cars. It must be satisfying being able to do the restorations.”
Hayden blinked at Neal. This guy continued to impress Hayden with his kindness. Despite his obvious success, he was down-to-earth. Stepping forward, Neal let go of one of Hayden’s hands and slipped his arm around Hayden’s waist, gently tugging Hayden against him.
Hayden sighed deeply and relaxed against Neal. He enjoyed the feeling of Neal’s arm, strong and sure, around him. Without giving it any thought, he leaned forward and pressed more firmly against Neal, shivering slightly when he felt Neal’s hard cock through the material of his trousers.
“I think that was one of the most delightful dinner dates I’ve ever had,” Neal murmured. His other hand cupped Hayden’s face, and he used his thumb to caress Hayden’s cheek. “We never decided what day would be best for the car show.”
“I… um….” Hayden was distracted by Neal’s warm breath on his skin.
Neal dipped his head and licked along Hayden’s lower lip a few times before capturing him in a kiss. At the same time, he pulled Hayden even more tightly against him and ran his hand slowly up and down Hayden’s spine. Hayden opened his lips, inviting Neal to go further. He took that invitation, running his tongue over Hayden’s a few times. When Hayden trembled, Neal’s embrace tightened even more.
Like dinner, their kiss was over far too soon. Neal rubbed Hayden’s arms a few times and sighed. “I think it’s time I called it a night. But”—he held up one finger—“not before we decide on our next date.”
“I can get away from the coffeehouse Friday. I have some things to take care of at the university. I work from there part of the week, but I can do that early and be done by eleven or so,” Hayden said.
High Test Page 4