The Gus Diaries

Part 112

After the Valentines


 

“Hey, buddy. How’re you doing?”

A simple greeting can sometimes lead to a shit-load of trouble. That’s what happened a couple of days ago when I returned from a Valentine’s weekend visit to Jeff.

“I’m okay. What’re you doing here, Matt? I thought you’d be out with some cheerleader from Pitt.”

He raised his eyebrow and I almost laughed -- no one can do that as well as my dad... although Jeff and Pop come close.

“Or you might be out with some hottie from the basketball team.”

“Nah. I soloed this weekend, and now I’m interested in some platonic company for dinner.”

“So you decided to check out the Liberty Diner... for platonic companionship? Who the fuck are you trying to kid -- me or you?”

Matt held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay -- you got me. I’m here to check out the view.” He looked up and down the row of booths and leered at a couple of guys sitting on the stools at the counter. “I have to admit, it’s not bad pickins... especially at this table.”

I tilted my head. “I just came back from a weekend with Jeff. This is definitely not the time to hit on me.”

“Who said I was hitting on you? I’m just being socially appropriate.”

“How long have you been practicing that line?” I rolled my eyes. Matt was not who I wanted to spend the night with.

Dad and Pop were both working late and Uncle Michael was having a father/daughter night with Jenny, so I’d hoped to get some TLC from Grandma Deb. Instead, she’d taken the night off to spend quality time with Grandpa Carl. I hope quality time for them doesn’t mean what I think it does. That would be gross! But knowing Grandma, it probably did. I shuddered at the thought.

Despite my objections, Matt slid into the seat opposite me. “Don’t get pissy with me, Gus. I’m just looking for someone to have dinner with. My parents are out entertaining one of my father’s clients.” He scanned the room one more time. “Who knows, maybe while we’re having dinner, the guy of my dreams will walk in.”

I snorted. “In here. Oh well, it’s a free country. I guess a little company during dinner couldn’t hurt.”

“When does Jeffie boy come to visit next?”

“Unfortunately, he has a couple of tests and two mid-terms before his March break. He can’t visit until then. I’m hoping my dads will let me go to CMU one more weekend before he comes home.”

“That can be fucking rough. I promise not to hit on you. I learned that lesson the hard way.”

“Have you been hitting on anyone else lately?”

“I thought about going back to girls for a while, but had second thoughts when I got into Babylon a couple of weeks ago.”

“Holy shit!” I tried to keep my voice down, but my enthusiasm got the better of me. “I haven’t even been there -- at least not at night. My dad won’t let me go.”

“Why do you have to ask your dad? Just go -- the place is fucking amazing.”

“I guess you forgot, my dads own that place.”

Matt’s eyes widened. “That sucks!” He made the international gesture for a hand-job. “Without you there, more backroom fun for me.”

“No fucking way! You did not go to the backroom.”

“I can describe every inch of the decor, and show you the spot where some tall, dark hottie in leather pants sucked me off.”

I have to admit -- I was totally jealous. I’ve wanted to go dance at Babylon for years. The only time I’ve ever been there was early in the day with my dads.

A disciple of Kiki cracked her gum as she got close to our table. “Hey, you two cuties, what’ll it be?”

I couldn’t help reacting to her big red wig and crazy dangling earrings. “Tell me, Bibi, are you channeling Kiki, or my grandmother?”

She laughed so loud, half the diners turned to see what was going on. “Both of them, honey. They’re both my role models.”

Snickering, I continued, “You should tell them. I’m sure they’d be extremely flattered.”

“I just might do that. I could use a raise.” She held up her pen and pad. “So, what’re you eating -- or are you just here for the view.”

Matt coughed to cover his laugh. “I’ll have a burger, fries, and a Coke.”

“Make that two.”

“Coming right up, boys.” Bibi left us to place the order.

I looked around the room. “See anyone you like, Matt?”

“Not yet, but we haven’t even started dinner. The night’s still young.”

“I still can’t believe how little you study.”

“Pitt wants a great basketball team, but the courses aren’t nearly as hard as St. James’ were. I can get most of my work done during the day between classes.”

“You’re lucky. With Jeff’s practice schedule this time of year and his school work, he’s practically buried. When I do visit, we hardly have time to leave the room.”

Matt huffed, a big grin spreading across his face.

I threw a balled up napkin at him. “Asshole. You know what I mean.”

“I know that you must be getting enough to totally be able to resist my charms.”

Smirking, I shrugged my shoulders. “If you approach me in a couple of weeks it might not be so easy.”

“You’re so hung up on super-jock you’d probably rather get off in the shower than risk having some anonymous guy do it for you.”

Nodding, I thought of the last night Jeff and I were together. He fucked me so often, throughout the night, that I could still feel it -- and it was the best feeling in the world!

“Let’s just say, Jeff is worth the wait in between visits.”

Before we got any further, and my pants got any tighter as I remembered my night with Jeff, Bibi showed up with our dinners. She placed them in front of us. “Bon appetit, mes amis.”

We thanked her, and she quickly went to get another order.

Matt took a sip of his soda. “Where does she think she is -- France?”

Shaking my head, I grinned. “Nope. She and Kiki and my grandmother rented Julie and Julia last week. She’s incorporating Julia Child in her repertoire of role models.”

“She really is a total queen.”

“Yep. But it’s the queens that give this place character.”

“You said it, kid.”

I was enjoying dinner with Matt, and chomping on my fries, when I suddenly felt one get stuck in my throat.

I couldn’t breathe or cough. I banged on the table really hard and Matt got the message loud and clear. He jumped up from his seat and slid into the booth beside me. Just as he was about to begin the Heimlich Maneuver the fucking thing dislodged.

Matt pushed in next to me and handed me a glass of water to sip. He put his arm around my back as my breathing began to return to normal. “Shhh, Gus, you’re okay.”

I nodded and placed my head on his shoulder. It felt good. I had been pretty damn scared. Matt held me close and kissed me on top of the head. I remembered Hunter doing something like that once when I was a little kid. I was visiting him and fell off my bike.

Matt was stroking my head and whispering some joke about my gag reflex being off and recommending I practice more often with Jeff, when the bell announcing another customer’s entry chimed. Neither of us paid any attention... but we should have.

I discovered, too late, that it was Jeremy and his side-kick photographer. They’d gotten a great picture of Matt holding and kissing me.

Sometimes I have the worst damn timing on earth!

[TBC]
 

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