by Kyle Baxter
“Yes.” Robert clapped. “I want to see them again before they go back to Riverdale.”
“Edgedale,” Joel corrected, watching the older man pull on his slip-on shoes.
“Whatever. Let’s go. Maybe we can even score some Molly.” Robert jumped up but Joel only stared at him. “I’m kidding—” Robert gave him an exaggerated eye roll. “Mostly.”
“I am not letting you out of my sight, you old queen.” Joel snickered and, getting up, straightened his shirt. “Let’s roll.”
❖
“This can’t be right.” Joel checked his maps app again. The address Enrico sent lay only a few blocks away. They’d make it there in minutes. But it was at the rooftop venue in the Village he liked so much. How did they arrange this? He bit his lip. It’s so expensive.
They got off the elevator and walked through the empty top floor, then up the short flight of stairs to the roof. Everyone from Five Points was here, congregating in little clusters around the rooftop garden. The waiters were on one side, culinary on another, and office at the bar—naturally. But the groups were fluid, with people breaking off and joining or circulating through the others. Robert probably could find Molly if he wanted.
Everyone cheered a pretty young woman on stage, apparently the entertainment for the night. She sang an amazing cover of “Defying Gravity” from Wicked off of a karaoke machine. His closest friends, Larry, Enrico, Alex, and his lover David, all made a boisterous little cluster by the bar. Even their newest employee, Mark Elmer, was there, and he barely knew Alex.
“That girl needs to be on Broadway.” Alex pointed her out to Robert after hugging them both.
“I think she is.” Robert glanced over as she accepted applause. “I think she was in The Lightning Thief.”
“The Percy Jackson musical?” David’s jaw went slack. “Hey, how was it? I so wanted to go.”
“I adored it.” Robert took his martini from the bartender. “I saw it three times. How did you get her?”
Alex and Joel looked at each other and said, “Larry.” They all laughed. Larry, the sometime actor and stage door johnny, knew everyone in theater in New York.
“Guilty.” Raising a hand, Larry came over and gave both Joel and Robert a kiss on the cheek. “And just who is that?” He pointed to a dark-haired guy hanging out with the culinary crowd. “He’s gorgeous.”
“That’s my little brother. He just got in town,” Enrico said and pinched Larry in the stomach. “You keep your hands off!”
“Ouch,” Larry yelped. With a scowl, he rubbed his side and left to rotate back through the different groups.
Joel kept a watchful eye on Robert. He was almost beaming he was so happy. All of his ducklings were here together. Throwing Alex a goodbye party, and a real one this time, was good for them all.
Looking up, Joel saw Alex’s partner David climb up on stage. He stepped up to the mic and belted out “With Arms Wide Open.” Joel hoped no one expected him to get up there. Singing was not his forte, as his roommate liked to remind him.
Larry reappeared just then and asked Alex, “Creed? Really?”
“I know, right? David has such straight boy taste in music.” Alex ran a hand through his mop of wavy brown hair and applauded and whooped, “I love you, babe!”
“I’ve got to tell you, Alex, that is one handsome man you have.” Joel smiled and leaned closer. “Does he strip?” Seeing a good-looking guy strip would not be the worst thing to happen tonight.
“Please don’t tempt him,” Alex said seriously. “Hey, did you speak to my aunt yet?”
“Yes, she told me to call her Mama. Does everyone call her Mama?” Joel asked, making Alex laugh. Finished with his beer, Joel set the bottle on a coaster on the bar. “She scolded me! She told me to be sure to dress warm tonight.”
“That’s Mama Capili. You should consider yourself adopted.” Alex put an arm around his shoulder and kissed Joel on the cheek. That was nice. This was good, and he was glad he came.
After a few minutes, he stepped away from the happy group and took a turn around the roof. One area was blocked off by latticework panels trimmed in shrubbery. Something lay behind it. Hmmm . . . a surprise for later? He looked back to Enrico and Alex. What do those two have up their sleeve?
The rest of the rooftop was open and airy. Twinkling lights lay strung through all the greenery. Probably done at the last minute, but in the dark, you couldn’t tell. This is THE place.
He took a deep breath and let it out. The sky was clear, and looking up, he wondered if his lover was also gazing at the stars. Hang on. I’m coming.
After going back to the bar, Joel settled on a barstool and ordered a beer. Enrico moved in beside him as Alex went onstage to congratulate his better half. They’re so cute together.
Enrico poked him in the shoulder. “Now let me ask you something. Real talk.”
“Okay?” Joel narrowed his eyes at him. Here we go. I knew something was up.
“How are you doing—really?” Enrico asked, taking a sip of his Chardonnay.
“He’s a little heartbroken,” Robert spoke up from Joel’s other side.
“I think so too.” Enrico looked around Joel to Robert. “He deliberately avoids talking about you-know-who. And I’ve asked countless times.”
“He’s like that at home too,” Larry added, stepping in from the wings. “It’s so Lifetime movie dramatic.” He reached a long hairy arm across Robert and grabbed a cocktail napkin off the bar.
“Me?” Joel pointed at himself and turned his head to each of them. “It’s okay. I’m just a little sad, but that’s okay. I have a plan now. I’m okay, you know?”
“No, tell us,” Larry demanded.
Robert took his arm. “Look, we’ve been trying to give you space, let you open up.”
“But you can’t not talk about it.” Enrico poked him in the chest again as Alex and David rejoined them. Alex put his arm around Enrico’s shoulders as he said, “You went through a lot, an actual terrorist attack.”
“You’ve been back two weeks and you don’t talk about it—to anyone,” Larry said. “I know. I called your mom.”
“You called my mom?” Joel’s eyes went wide.
“She’s my auntie, Jo Jo.” Larry raised an eyebrow. “I can call her whenever I want.”
“Are you still in love with him?” Robert demanded.
“Of course I am. Was that in doubt?” Joel squawked. How was that in doubt? “I bought a plane ticket to Europe to go after him.”
“You don’t talk about him.” Larry squirmed, almost jumping up and down. “You avoid talking about him.”
Damn, they had him. It was an intervention of sorts. He took a deep breath and let it out. “Yes, I am still in love with him. I never thought I’d meet someone like Freddie, okay? A genuinely good man who liked me. Me! After Seth left, I felt worthless for a long time. And yeah, that was probably affecting me physically, my oversleeping. But now . . . ? Now I know I’m not worthless. I went through . . . a thing, but I made it out the other side. I can’t explain how I know this, but I do. I know I will see Freddie again, somehow.”
“You sound like a hopeless romantic.” Robert kissed his cheek.
“No, not hopeless . . . hopeful,” Joel said with a little smile.
Alex and David shared a glance. “Romancing the Stone!” They high-fived.
Ugh. Joel turned back to the bar. They really are perfect for each other. He checked his watch and calculated the time difference between here and Etreustein. Maybe once I rescue Freddie, we can stop in London on the way back and see Maeve.
Alex squeezed in next to him and ordered more drinks for the group. The bartender said something Joel didn’t understand, and Alex grunted. “Why does everyone think I speak Tagalog?”
“Because you should know how to,” Enrico scolded behind them. “You’re half-Filipino.”
“Yeah, but how do they know?” Alex asked, flummoxed. “Besides, I really only know the cuss words.”
/> “I can vouch for that.” David leaned over toward Joel. “My son Eric’s picked up cuss words in Spanish, Armenian, and Tagalog. His teachers are so happy.”
“Ignore him,” Alex said. “Now, about this Prince Charming of yours. He really swept you off your feet, huh?”
“You’re in loooOOve,” Robert teased in singsong.
“Scheiße.” Joel put a hand up to his head. “I really should’ve left today.”
“Well, we couldn’t let you do that.” Enrico leaned closer, a glint in his eye. “Because if you left, then this would be a whole lot less fun.”
He was about to protest—Joel was hardly the life of the party—when Larry grabbed his arm. “Come on.” He led him to the far end of the roof and the area obscured by the latticework. Two of their cooks, Angel and Billy, pulled it aside. To Joel’s amazement, there stood a full-size Hermes à la Sandale, or at least a really good copy. At the statue’s feet was an edelweiss pressed in a thin transparent protective sheet.
“What is this?” He picked it up and stared at it, dumbfounded. Then he heard the starting notes of “10,000 Hours” play through the sound system. He froze. No. “What’s going on? This is not funny.” Anger flashed behind his eyes as he glared at his roommate. Why on earth did he tell him that was now his and Freddie’s song? Bitch!
Larry almost giggled, which, coming from the big guy, was amusing. He did not look like someone who giggled. Joel turned around and his mouth fell open. He felt the blood drain from his face. In front of the stage, in camouflage cargo pants and an olive-colored T-shirt, stood an unshaven and unkempt Prince Frederick. It was his Freddie. He staggered, but Larry steadied him.
Freddie!
Tears welled in his eyes and he ran to him, nearly jumping into the shorter man’s arms. Frederick hugged him tight and spun him around. Joel heard cheers from all around him. This was all a setup. Bastards!
“What are you doing here?” Joel ran his hands over Freddie’s face when he set him down. He scarcely believed his eyes. “How are you here?”
“I came to see you.” Frederick grinned like a madman.
But the phrase felt like a cold knife in his chest. “This better not be a . . . I don’t know what?” Bittersweet tears stung his face. “I’m glad to see you, but I can’t take another goodbye. I’m not saying goodbye to you again!”
“Listen to me, Spider Boy.” Freddie took Joel’s head in both hands and looked him deep in the eyes. “I’m not dropping in and leaving. I’m not letting you go ever again.”
Joel teetered and, trembling, stammered, “But I was coming to find you? I bought a ticket and everything. I was—”
“I know,” Freddie said. “Enrico, Alex, and I had to hastily arrange all this before you got antsy and bolted. I know how you love to storm off.”
That was why Enrico and Alex frantically talked him down this afternoon. Bastards! I love them. “But how . . . I don’t . . . I can’t . . .”
“Come, let’s go talk.” Taking his hand, Freddie waved to the others. “We’ll be back.” The groups whooped and hollered as they walked away.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Testify
Frederick led Joel behind the statue of Hermes and to a bench near the edge of the roof overlooking the Village. A bottle of Pinot and two glasses waited for them. Joel looked around and realized this was all planned. That was why Alex and Enrico didn’t come to Movie Night. They really did have a lot of setup to do.
The night air was crisp and cool on the roof. Mama Capili was right—he needed a jacket. Fair point to her. Manhattan’s summer stickiness had yet to set in, and as the lights twinkled in the bushes, Midtown rose in the distance in monumental magnificence. His jaw dropped. It was stunning.
“What happened?” Joel feared getting his hopes up. His finger clung tight to the edelweiss in his hand. “Tell me what happened with you.” He searched Freddie’s eyes, trying to pull the information from them by force of will.
“After lots of training and meetings, and still more training and meetings, I decided that I am fundamentally not suited for the job of king.” Freddie poured them both a glass and set them on the small table in front of them. “I was a good trooper, but I’m not so good at being a monarch.”
“That’s a shocker.” Joel looked skyward.
“The mouth on you.” Freddie kissed his lips playfully and pulled him into an embrace, squeezing him tightly. “I missed you so much.”
Freddie tried to pull him into a deeper kiss, but Joel resisted. “No, I can’t . . . I have to know: do you have to go home? And how did you work this all out? What happened?”
Freddie’s voice grew soft. “I am giving up the throne.”
“You’re giving it up?” Joel shot up. No, that was a bit Julia was doing. He tried to pull away, but the prince kept a hold of his hand. “I’m so confused. Freddie, you can’t. You’re the crown prince. They need you . . . You can help people. And they need your leadership.”
“They will get help. They will have good leadership, just not from me. The crown is going to my sister, Astrid. Really, as it always should have done. It will take some doing, but we believe we can convince my father to allow it.” Freddie patted the bench, and Joel sat down again.
“It hasn’t happened yet?” Joel asked. “Then why are you here?”
“I had to come get you. I’m lost without you, Joey.”
Joel gave him a quick kiss, then pulled back. He had to understand all this, what was happening. “Who is this ‘we’ you’re talking about? You and Astrid?”
“Yes, and Luc. We’ve already talked to the rest of the royal family. Karl and even Mother are on board with our plan. In fact, Karl was in on the scheme from the start.”
“That is a big change.” Joel took a long drink of his wine. “Is Luc with you?”
“Yes, as is my security. I am still crown prince—for the moment.” Freddie pointed over the edge of the building and down to the street. Through the trees, Joel saw the faithful retainer, Luc, leaning against a dark sedan, nursing a coffee and talking to a street queen. A black SUV sat behind the sedan, and Joel saw several black-clad security guards walking—patrolling—the street.
“We’ve already contacted sympathetic parties within the king’s Privy Council,” Freddie said, smiling. “Next week, we sit down with the king.”
“What if he refuses?” Joel was stupefied, but giving Astrid the throne was the obvious, perfect solution. “I mean, I thought a woman couldn’t ascend to the throne in your country.”
“My father can change that. He can amend the Hausgesetze, the House Law governing the right of succession.”
“And you think he’ll just do this?” Joel snorted. “Just change years of tradition for you. I did some reading up on it since I’ve been back, and he’s not the most progressive of rulers.”
“No, he’s not, but I believe we can—no, we have to—convince him to step into the twentieth century—”
“Twentieth-century?”
Freddie scowled at the interruption. “Bear with me. They’re still one century behind. It is progress, not perfection. I will give Father dear the option of having an out, queer monarch, one hopefully married to another man, or he can have a woman on the throne. Not just any woman, but a daughter he loves—who’s also incredibly capable. Being the leader of a conservative nation, and a man out of time himself, I expect it will be very difficult. But with luck and perseverance, I think he will ultimately acquiesce to having a queen as our next ruler.”
Joel could not suppress his snort.
“You know what I mean.” Freddie pinched his stomach, making him flinch.
“Just like that?” Joel thought about it. “Have a few meetings and it’s all over?”
“Oh God, no.” Freddie took a sip of his wine. “The discussions with my father will be a train wreck. That’s one of the reasons I came for you. I need your help and support.”
“My help? What can I do?” Joel eyed him carefully. “Do
you want to rub his nose in our relationship?”
“If that’s okay . . . Astrid and Karl are going to quit squashing the rumors and news stories about us. They will let them ride.” Freddie took a deep breath. “I realize it’s a lot to ask, but there’s no way of avoiding press if we are to have any future together.”
“I know.” Joel took his hand and squeezed it. “I expected that, to be honest, but as long as we’re together, we’ll be okay. I just have to warn my family.”
Freddie pulled him into a deep kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Joel said. “You’re giving up a lot. Are you sure this is what you want? Is it really the right thing?”
“Yes, my country deserves a better ruler than me, someone smart and capable . . .” Freddie’s voice lowered. Before Joel protested, he continued. “My people deserve a ruler who wants it. That person is Astrid. Even my father cannot argue that. He’s just stuck in an old-school misogynist mindset.” His head bowed. “It’s an embarrassment that it didn’t go to her in the first place. Gott, Etreustein has so much growing up to do, and Astrid can get us there. And since she has three children, the future of the crown is secured. It’s a win-win all around, and I can go back to being the afterthought.”
“Hey.” Joel grabbed his face and looked him right in the eye. “You are not an afterthought.”
“I just meant—”
“I know. I understand.” Joel made his voice firm and clear. “But you are not an afterthought. You are wonderful and kind and I love you very much.” There was the sweat on top of Freddie’s chin; Joel missed seeing that. He rubbed it away with his thumb.
“I love you too.” Freddie kissed him again.
“You think it can really be that easy?” Joel searched his eyes. He felt like there was something Freddie hadn’t told him.
“No, it won’t be easy at all.” Freddie took a long breath and squeezed Joel’s hand. “But I do have a plan B to threaten my father with.”
Joel let out an oooh. He knew how Freddie was in a fight. “Okay, what’s the plan B? Do I get to throw another Molotov cocktail?”