by Shawn Bailey
Tory called on her. “Yes, Tierney.”
“Have the schedules been finalized?”
“Not yet,” Tory said. “We had to rework them to include Vizio, but I promise you you’ll all get ample stage time. In the meantime, I want all of you in the studios working on new songs so we can release new CDs by all of you. We’re going to do some music videos, too. Your PR person and web managers will be keeping your fans abreast of what’s going on and building up the frenzy so they will all want tickets. We’re also ordering new merchandise for everyone to be sold up until the night of the performance.”
Gerard Tyler raised his hand. “Will there be other events leading up to the concerts? You know, like fan signings and guest spots on news and talk shows?”
“Yes,” Tory answered. “You guys won’t get much sleep from here on out. Blame yourself for being so popular.”
Several people laughed at Tory’s joke.
Brenton sighed. A couple of months ago, he was thinking about retiring. Now it looked like he’d have to put that on the back burner for a while.
“Are things still in the works for the upcoming Asian tour?” Jonas asked.
“Yes,” Tory answered. “Everything has been finalized for it, and between both of these big events, we still have to get some of you ready for the Grammy Awards. You all wanted to be stars, and I’m just trying to make it happen for you.”
Brenton tried to sneak a peek at Jonas. The young star seemed to be deep in conversation with his younger brother, Frankie. They were talking to each other between Tory’s tidbits. Jonas looked over at him once, smiled, and went back to talking to Frankie. Brenton put his attention back on his boss before he missed something important.
Another member of Cinnamon raised her hand.
“Yes, Carla,” Tory said.
“When will our new costumes be ready?”
“That’s a question best asked to your fashion coordinator,” Tory said.
“They’re almost ready,” Gerard said. “Now I have to work on the ones for Vizio. Oh my! Now I will have to kiss sleep good-bye.”
A lot of people laughed.
“Maybe you can talk Giovanni and his people to give you a hand since the two of you are so close,” Tory teased.
“Be ready to pay big for his services,” Gerard said. “He does not come cheap.”
“Throw in a good word for me,” Tory said. “I need a new suit, too. I’m thinking something in navy blue.”
“Will do,” Gerard said.
“Any more questions?” Tory asked.
No one moved. Brenton was surprised that everyone was taking this so calmly. This was a big deal, and at the last minute.
“If you have no more questions, I guess I’ll end this meeting and let you get back to your lives. Your managers should be getting with you soon with the rest of the details and your schedules.” Tory left the podium, ending the meeting. Several managers scurried out of the room behind him.
Brenton looked at his watch. He’d promised Jonas that he’d pick him up at noon. Jonas had been kind enough to text him the address earlier. Brenton already had it, but Jonas didn’t need to know that. He needed to get home and change. Luckily, he had made reservations at the restaurant for a private dining room so he and Jonas couldn’t be disturbed. He’d also taken the liberty of preordering a dietary meal for Jonas. That was one of the reasons he’d chosen this particular restaurant. It had a big menu, and Brenton was friends with the chef. Frankie had made sure he was well-briefed on what Jonas could and couldn’t eat. Jonas should be honored to have such a caring brother.
Brenton left the building ahead of the Kerrys, got into his car, and drove away from the building. On the way home, he stopped to pick up his suit from the cleaners, snacks, and beer to consume later while he wrote music. He’d wanted to get Jonas flowers but didn’t know if he was allergic to them or not. He thought about calling Frankie to find out but decided against it. By the time he made it home, he had enough time to shower, change, and leave again.
* * * *
“Are you nervous?” Frankie asked Jonas.
Frankie was seated on the bed in Jonas’s room watching him get ready for his lunch date with Brenton.
“A little.” He hadn’t been on a date since last Valentine’s Day, and that had been with Sean. He turned around. “How do I look?”
Frankie stopped messing with the teddy bear. “You look very handsome.”
Jonas hoped so. The black suit he had on was courtesy of Giovanni Bassett, and a Valentine’s Day gift from the designer and Gerard. It had been stowed away in his closet for a special occasion. He fussed with his hair. He’d put it in a ponytail and covered his head with a hat. The dark sunglasses helped to disguise his appearance.
“I’m thinking about cutting my hair,” Jonas announced.
“What? Why?” Frankie asked.
“New life, new look,” Jonas answered.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. It’s getting to be a bother taking care of it and trying to hide it. I’m going to donate it to Locks of Love.”
“How short are we talking?” Frankie asked.
“Like yours.”
“Then people won’t be able to tell us apart,” Frankie complained.
“Yes, they will. Your hair is curly, and you have blue eyes. Mine is straight, and I have brown eyes. I’m taller, but you have a bigger butt.”
“Very funny,” Frankie said sarcastically.
Jonas chuckled. He was in a good mood for a change, and Frankie hadn’t hung out like this with him in a long time.
“Do you know where Brenton is taking you?”
Jonas shook his head. “No. He said to wear a suit, so I don’t think he’s taking me to Burger King.”
“Just try to have fun. Brenton seems like a nice guy.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon for me to be dating?” Jonas asked.
Frankie shook his head. “Why should you lie around the house moping? I bet Sean isn’t sleeping alone tonight.”
“Don’t bring up that creature’s name,” Jonas said. “You don’t think Brenton is too old for me?”
“No. Adam is twelve years older than me.”
“That’s true,” Jonas said.
“Does he have a nice body?”
“Yes,” Jonas answered. “He gets no complaints from me. The man is so muscular he can lift me with one hand.”
The doorbell rang.
“That must be him,” Frankie said. “I’ll get it.” He scooted off of the bed and hurried out of the room.
Jonas heard the door open and Frankie greet Brenton. He took one last look in the mirror and then left his room.
Brenton looked at him and smiled. “Man, you’re so handsome. I wanted to bring you flowers, but I didn’t know if you’re allergic.”
“Thanks for the compliment, and yes, I’m allergic to most of them. Plants, too.”
“He does like jewelry,” Frankie said.
“I’ll remember that,” Brenton said.
Jonas led him to the door. “Don’t listen to Frankie. He’s just being funny.”
“You don’t like jewelry?” Brenton asked as they stepped outside.
“Love it,” Jonas said. “But we’re not at the jewelry stage yet.”
“There’s a jewelry stage?’ Brenton asked.
Jonas laughed. “Heck yeah. It usually comes with the admission of undying love.”
Brenton held the car door open for Jonas. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope,” Jonas answered.
He slipped into the car, and Brenton closed the door. Brenton hurried around and got into the front seat.
“Is this your car?”
“Yes,” Brenton answered. “It hasn’t seen the light of day in a long time. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, but at the moment, it’s driving the family van for me.”
“Why?” Brenton asked.
“That’s my job. I drive Kalen around.”
“Your youngest brother?”
“Yes, the kid is a model, and he has a very busy schedule.”
“How old is he?”
“Five going on fifty,” Jonas answered.
Brenton chuckled. “Kids nowadays are way smarter than I was at that age.”
“That’s true about Kalen, but we try to keep him grounded.” Jonas looked over at Brenton. “You look very handsome.”
“It’s the suit,” Brenton said as he drove out of the neighborhood.
Jonas disagreed with him. “Uhn-uh. It’s the man inside the suit. The green in the tie matches your eyes.”
“I have on sunglasses. How can you tell?”
Jonas chuckled wickedly. “I remember what your eyes look like. They sparkle when you smile.”
“Is that a good thing?” Brenton asked.
“Yes.” Jonas relaxed. Talking to Brenton seemed to take away his fears and inhibitions. He never expected that to happen so soon. He knew he’d just met the man, but it felt like they’d known each other for a long time.
Brenton reached over and put on some music.
“Old school. I like that,” Jonas said.
“You’re into oldies?”
“Yeah,” Jonas said. “Frankie, too. My mother used to play a lot of it when we were kids.”
“Is that the reason you’re leaving pop music behind?” Benton asked.
“You know about that?” Jonas asked.
Brenton nodded. “Yes. Pop music is nice, but rhythm and blues and soul are our roots. I like old school, even though my heart belongs to rock and roll.”
“Have you ever thought about switching over?”
“Yes,” Brenton answered. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately. You know, crossing over.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.” He looked out of the window. “You seem to know this neighborhood very well.”
“I should,” Brenton said. “I live nearby.”
“Really?” Jonas asked.
“Yeah, I’ll show it to you later.” Brenton made it to Saint Charles Avenue and headed for the interstate. They ended up in Metairie at a restaurant Jonas never heard of. Brenton parked, and they got out and entered.
“I have a reservation for two under the name Tremayne,” Brenton told the maître d’.
“Yes, Mr. Tremayne. This way,” the man said.
They entered the main dining room. The ambiance just took Jonas’s breath away. It was like a scene out of an old-world Paris restaurant, with red tablecloths, mood-setting lighting, black-and-white-clad waitstaff, and soft, romantic music. The place had a gigantic picture on one wall and images of France on two of the others. There were also marbled floors and a champagne fountain.
The diners were mostly older people, and from the way they were dressed and the jewelry they wore, Jonas deduced that most of them were probably rich and retired. He didn’t know such a charming place existed in New Orleans.
A waiter appeared, and the maître d’ went back to his post. The new guy was cute, with short, black hair and green eyes. He escorted them to another dining room. This one was smaller and more intimate. There were candles and fancy red dinnerware on the tables. He seated them.
“Thank you,” Jonas said.
“I’ll be back with your food,” the guy said and walked away.
“But we haven’t ordered yet,” Jonas said.
“I took the liberty of ordering in advance so we wouldn’t have to wait.”
“Ah, I appreciate that, but I’m on a restricted diet.”
“Yes, it’s taken care of,” Brenton said. “I do my research.”
Jonas frowned. The ordeal smelled of Frankie’s handiwork.
“Is something wrong?”
Jonas removed his hat and sunglasses and placed them on the chair next to him. “No, everything is perfect.”
Frankie didn’t trust him to order the proper meal. The waiter returned with the food. Jonas stared down at the blackened salmon smothered in crawfish sauce, yellow rice, and an assortment of steamed vegetables. The waiter had also brought him a spring salad with lettuce, tomatoes, chickpeas, and cucumbers and a bowl of French onion soup. He placed a basket of crusty rolls on the table and then served Brenton.
“It’s all sugar- and gluten-free,” Brenton said.
“Thank you.”
The waiter left, and a sommelier appeared to pour wine for them. He looked down at Jonas.
“How old are you, sir?”
“Twenty-two,” Jonas answered. He pulled out his wallet, removed his driver’s license and handed it to him.
The sommelier looked at it, then him, and then winked at Jonas.
Jonas blushed and put his license away while the sommelier filled both of their glasses and left.
“Do you get that often?” Brent asked.
“Carded?”
“No, winked at by handsome men.”
Jonas cleared his throat nervously. “Oh, you saw that?”
“Yes,” Brenton answered.
“Sometimes, but mostly by women.”
“You date women, too?”
Jonas shook his head. “Unless you count Jessica Peters.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?” Brenton asked.
“She’s one of the members of Cinnamon,” Jonas answered. “Tory always insists that we pretend we’re a couple when we at public functions.”
“Does she know you’re gay?”
Jonas shook his head. “I don’t think so, or if she does, she’s never mentioned it. How about you?”
“I’ve dated some women,” Brenton admitted. “Tory insisted.”
Jonas wanted so badly to ask Brenton about his relationship with Carson Hughes, but Frankie had told him not to unless he brought up Sean. Jonas said grace and then began eating his salad. It had a vinegar-and-oil dressing. The French onion soup was tasty, too. He sampled the fish. The crawfish sauce was seasoned to taste with cayenne pepper.
Brenton began eating his food, too. Jonas noticed that Brenton added pepper and hot sauce, but not salt. “Do you have hypertension?”
“Yes,” Brenton answered. “How do you know that?”
“Because you didn’t add salt to any of your food, and you seasoned your vegetables and fish with lemon juice.”
“I was diagnosed shortly after my eighteenth birthday, so I know a thing or two about dietary restrictions,” Brenton admitted. “But I’ve cheated recently since I’ve been back in the United States. I had Popeye’s chicken.”
Jonas chuckled. “You’re allowed one.” He finished off the soup and salad. “It’s been a long time since I just sat down and had a relaxing meal.”
“Not even at home?”
Jonas shook his head. “I’m usually coming in from picking up my youngest brother, or we’re discussing music or some aspect of work at the dinner table. Oh, and by the way, you’re invited to dinner on Sunday. Frankie won’t take no as an answer.”
Brenton stopped eating. “So soon?”
Jonas nodded. “Don’t be alarmed. It will be something informal—just family, unless you have other plans or don’t want anyone else to know about us.”
“No. I’m just surprised he thinks enough about me to include me for a Sunday meal,” Brenton said. “Are you ready to take our relationship up to another level?”
“We’ve already slept together so that has escalated what we have up a notch or two.”
“Then I’ll come,” Brenton said.
Jonas smiled at him. “Frankie is a great cook. I do believe he would be a chef if Adam wouldn’t have discovered us.”
“Adam Montgomery?”
Jonas nodded. “Frankie and I were homeless a few years ago. Our parents had died in a fire, and even though Frankie and I were both old enough to work, we couldn’t keep a job, not even a part-time one, because one of us had to look after our younger brother Kalen.”
“Wasn’t there any insurance money?”
“Just a little,”
Jonas said. “My mother had a small policy, but it barely covered their burials.”
“No relatives?”
Jonas shook his head. “My parents were both only children, and our grandparents on both sides are dead. If we have any family, they’re back in Sweden. Both my mother’s and father’s grandparents were from there. Adam tried hiring a detective to find some relatives, but so far, he’s come up empty-handed. So it’s just us to carry on the family name.”
“You mean it’s up to Frankie and Kalen because you’re gay.”
“Let me rephrase that. It’s up to Kalen to carry on the family name. Frankie’s gay, too.”
“Ooh,” Brenton said. “Don’t let Carson hear that.”
“Why?” Jonas asked.
“Because he’s been fanboying over Frankie since he met him. Maybe even before that.”
“Do the rest of your bandmates know you’re gay?”
Brenton nodded. “So does the whole world. Carson and I were once lovers, and we had a very messy public breakup.”
“Oh. Does Tory know?”
Brenton nodded. “He promised to cancel our contract if we didn’t find some way to peacefully get along.”
“Is he the one you needed the relationship book for?”
“Yeah, he cheated on me.”
“Bummer,” Jonas said. “But you guys do seem to be over it.”
“I am, but Carson has destroyed all of my past relationships.”
“Oh, thanks for the warning.”
“Will Frankie’s boyfriend be joining us for dinner?” Brenton asked.
Jonas nodded. “Yes, and he’s invited a few other close friends that we trust. If you date me, you date them, too.”
“I hope that doesn’t mean any past lovers.”
“No,” Jonas said. “I’m trying to put my past behind me.”
The waiter returned to the table and began clearing their table of the empty plates. “Are you enjoying your meal?”
Jonas looked down. He’d eaten everything while talking to Brenton. “Yes, the meal was delicious.”
“I’ll be back with dessert,” the waiter said. He walked away.
“We’re having dessert?”
“Yeah,” Brenton said. “It’s sugar- and salt-free.”
The cute waiter returned with what looked like cheesecake. Jonas loved cheesecake, but it was forbidden.