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  “Do we need to tell anyone that we heard people shooting off fireworks?”

  “Let’s wait until we hear or see any more. It’s hard for anyone to do anything about it if we don’t know if it’s in the cabins people own, or the one’s George rents, or back on some trail, or over by my place. I know someone in the department that I can text.”

  We walked awhile in silence, listening for more. Then the sound of several bottle rockets whistling into the air. The pops reverberated and we looked in all directions trying to pinpoint the origin.

  “People don’t think about how easy it is to start a fire or how quickly it spreads. Everyone is supposed to sweep up pine needles and clear out brush, but who knows if anyone has made the progress they need.”

  “George usually hires people to clean up around the cabins…I don’t think I’ve seen anyone up this year. I’ll ask Josh if something is in the works.”

  Cody nodded and continued to look around, ready if the firework usage continued to figure out who was responsible.

  “I’m excited about the dinner with Josh and his boyfriend. I’m not even sure what really goes on at a dinner party. If my parents had people over it was always burgers and hot dogs on the grill, beer, and maybe a campfire. I have a feeling this is going to be more sophisticated. Do you need to worry about which fork to use?”

  I pulled Cody close to me, “No, silly. It won’t be anything like that. Yes, real plates and silverware—there will even be a tablecloth. But don’t worry about any fancy rules.”

  “I don’t know anything about art or books or documentaries…”

  “Most people just make things up anyway. Just be your charming self. Pretend like you’re just talking to me.”

  “Well, that usually leads to flirting and sexy talk—and then we end up in the bedroom.”

  I started to protest, but then realized Cody was right. “So, pretend you’re talking to normal people who have interesting things to say. Like Jim and Molly.”

  “Ah, so uncover Josh’s parents’ deep, dark, hidden secrets. Got it.” I hoped Cody could feel how hard I rolled my eyes at him in the dark.

  We approached the cabin and heard only silence, “I think the fireworks may be done.”

  “I hope so. I might just text my friend anyway. Maybe they can do a drive around to see if anyone is up.”

  Cody stayed on the porch to send the text and listen for any other signs of activity. I gave Beau some attention and then got a beer and a glass of wine and returned to the porch. “Mind staying up for a while? I’d like to sit out here with you for a bit.”

  “That sounds wonderful.” He took the beer and sat down in a chair.

  The woods were silent around us and none of the cabins in sight showed any light in the windows. It was as if we were all alone in the world. Cody continued to drink his beer and slowly settled back into the chair as the stress of the day drained from him.

  “I did want to talk to you about something…before the dinner with Josh and Ethan.” I could hardly believe the words ever exited my mouth. The last thing I wanted to do was to tell Cody anything about what happened between Josh and me.

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “Well, before we met and started hanging out—dating. We are dating, right?” The biggest fear of telling him was that I would have nothing to say but gibberish. I seemed to be dangerously close to fulfilling that fear.

  “Don’t be nervous. ‘Just be your charming self. Pretend you are talking to me.’” Cody used my own words to him against me but I could tell he was smiling.

  “So, I wanted to be honest about something…something that happened between Josh and me.”

  “I think I already know.” I was stunned into silence and sat there waiting for Cody to say more. He finally added, “You and Josh slept together, right?”

  I exhaled, “Yes. Well, fooled around.” Again, I searched for words, “Definitely nakedness, but some people have different definitions of what qualified as ‘slept together’.”

  Cody continued to drink his beer and remained silent.

  “I wanted you to know. It was right after I got up here. I didn’t even know he had a boyfriend…and never thought I would be finding one.” My chest tightened with the thought that Cody might be upset and want to end things between us. I had found a boyfriend with him and I liked him a lot.

  “That night he came to the bar and sat next to you. I knew that even if something hadn’t happened that he was definitely interested. I’m not surprised you hooked up. He’s pretty sexy and would have been my second choice.”

  The pressure in my chest lessened as Cody’s words reassured me that what seemed like a potentially devastating secret was not as big of a deal as I had thought it would be.

  “Has there been anything since?”

  That caught my breath again and I felt the urge to lie. “Yes. We kissed. That night he showed up at the bar. He caught up to me on the walk home and we kissed.”

  Cody stood up, shook his beer bottle to test if it was empty, and swallowed the last sip. He set the bottle down on the chair’s arm and walked next to my chair and leaned down. “Thank you for telling me.” He kissed me and surrounded me with a cloud of hops as he breathed.

  I stood up and grabbed him at the waist and pulled him close, kissing him back. Our tongues touched and danced.

  I reached down and unbuttoned Cody’s pants and slid the zipper open. We walked towards the rail and then slid his pants down so he could lean against the wood bare ass. His cock was erect and I knelt before it. I took him in my mouth and he gasped as I slid down to the base of the shaft and back vigorously. I gagged a bit but forced myself to continue, eyes growing wet as the urge to pull back and cough intensified.

  “Alex…Alex…oh, god!”

  I continued to suck and work my tongue around the shaft.

  “I’m going to…oh…”

  Cody’s cum exploded in my mouth and his cock pulsed. I kept him inside me until he softened and I could taste no more cum. I pulled back slowly until he fell from my lips. I wiped the sides of my mouth of saliva and looked up at him.

  He touched my cheek as he looked down at me. “Now I’m at a loss for words.”

  I stood up and helped him pull up his pants. I pulled him into a hug and held him, grateful that he could not see the tears in my eyes. It was important that we both know everything. Sharing this piece was an important test to see how each of us viewed our relationship. Were we dating or was it something more? Were we boyfriends for sleeping together and casually connected or were we building connections for a lifetime?

  I had trusted him enough to tell him the truth and he responded with understanding. That was what I could only dream about.

  We collected our drinks and went inside the cabin. We eventually tumbled naked in bed. Within a few minutes Cody was snoring.

  I whispered, “I love you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I never settled on a theme. I looked for recipes that might spark the imagination for a play on words that would mean something for this quartet of gay men in the woods together. Nothing came to mind and eventually I settled on finding recipes of tasty food that would be easy to shop for when I went down to Payson.

  I also purchased an abundance of flowers that forced me to raid George’s house for extra vases that his wife used to use.

  “How come I’m not invited to this fancy dinner,” George asked as I stood on my toes to reach a vase on the top shelf towards the back of the cupboard.

  “Because we want to have fun. No grumps allowed.”

  I promised him I would bring down his own plate—two if he promised to be nice so Josh and Ethan could have a break. George just turned up the volume of the TV, no doubt sure I would be bringing him plenty of food regardless of his mood or actions.

  “You could host us for a dinner, you know.” Just because George had health problems did not mean he had to stop being social. “Or invite any old friends you have.”
>
  “I think you know all my old friends have killed themselves at the lake.”

  I pretended to ignore him and promised to return the vases in a couple days. “That is, unless I find any mysterious notes in these that send me digging into your past.”

  “Smart ass.”

  I spent the day cleaning the house in a vain attempt to clear out the dust that seemed to be constant friend. At any moment a car would go by or a four-wheeler and kick up a plume of dust that would blow right in. Everyone would have to make do with the small layer of dust.

  Cody arrived late afternoon directly from work. When we kissed, I could smell the hamburgers and fries that he had been serving for lunch. I pointed to the shower and slapped him on the ass. He reappeared fifteen minutes later with wet hair parted and wearing a t-shirt and sport shorts. “What can I do to help?”

  I pointed to the cutting board and the array of vegetables laid out. “Time to chop! The onion first and diced, please. Then rough cuts for the rest. It’s all going into a salad.”

  Cody got to work, remembering what was expected of dicing and rough cuts. He was taking to learning more about cooking. With Jim’s approval, he was starting to help out in the kitchen at the restaurant and learning from the cooks there.

  “So, what are we going to do tonight? Besides eat?”

  I took a drink from a glass of white wine I had poured just before Cody’s arrival, “Drink, of course.” He did not seem amused at my joke. “And talk, get to know each other. I know very little about Ethan actually.”

  “And if we run out of things to talk about?”

  “I’m not sure I’ve ever known a group of gays to run out of things to talk about. There are always hot men as a topic. Which celebrity we like to see shirtless and which ones we hope truly have nude pics circulating somewhere on the internet.”

  Cody nodded, but he did not seem impressed by this either.

  I walked over to a bookshelf in the living room and bent down to grab the items on the bottom shelf. “We’ve also got games. There’s Monopoly, Risk, Connect Four, and some decks of cards. Is this what you had in mind?”

  “Hmmm, maybe some cards, I guess.”

  I set everything down on the table. “I’ll put you in charge. If you’re looking for other games, you could run down and see if George has anything. I think he and his wife used to enjoy various strategy games.”

  “I don’t think I should go down to see George.” He collected the decks of cards from the pile, “This will do…if Josh and Ethan are interested.” He carried the board games to the bookshelf and put them back in their spot.

  “Why shouldn’t you go down and see George? Do you even know him?”

  “We know each other, but not very well. I don’t think he likes me very much.”

  I thought back to George’s comment about Cody. There was something between them. What could it possibly be? The George I knew was friendly to most. If he was not, there was a reason.

  I hoped the silence would prompt Cody to say more, but he did not. I decided we could delve into the ins and outs of the George and Cody dynamic on a different day when guests were not coming over.

  We set about preparing dinner and setting the table. I gave Cody direction when needed but he showed he was more comfortable in the kitchen than he had been earlier this summer. I kissed him, “Thank you for your help today. You’ve come a long way.”

  “I like it. I’ve even been trying to find some recipes that I want to make.”

  “Let me know when you want to be in charge.”

  He grabbed me around the waist. “Being in charge is my favorite.”

  “Sometimes you bottom.”

  “I’m still in charge then.”

  “Oh, really?” We laughed, held each other closely, and kissed. I would not have minded if the evening stayed just like this. Some socializing sounded fun, but an evening with Cody when he was not worn out from a double shift at the restaurant was very appealing.

  “Remind me to thank Jim for giving you the night off.”

  “He knows that any day now Molly is going to go into labor and he will need the extra help then. He might even call you into help.”

  “They did not really plan this well. It’s the middle of summer and their busiest time.”

  “Sales are up, too. Not just with people from the campground and cabins but people passing through on sightseeing excursions.”

  “Sounds like a lot of people who probably don’t know the do’s and don’ts of the forest.”

  “Jim was saying the same thing. He also has heard people setting off fireworks at night and reported a couple campfires that looked unattended. Luckily, there have been no fires that I have heard. All the locals get nervous this time of year. We’ve seen what life can be when there is a raging forest fire.”

  “It only takes one mistake to wreck everything.”

  Those were wise words not just about fire danger but also relationships. I disappeared to take my own shower and thought about my relationship with Cody. Telling him about what had happened with Josh was the right thing. Even if he had freaked out about it, the reaction would have been based on truth. I did not want Cody ever to think that I was holding back secrets.

  In the bedroom, I grabbed the shorts and short-sleeve button up shirt I had laid out earlier. I had put clothes out for Cody as well. He came into the bedroom and switched from his casual outfit to the new one. As we each dressed in the bedroom, I realized that this felt like what couples did—and it felt very right.

  “You keep smiling like that. Every time that I look over and you’ve been looking at me, you have a goofy grin.”

  “Just thinking how nice this is. You spend so much time here, it is like you live here. I like it.”

  Cody blushed and looked away. I hoped he felt the same way. I walked up behind him and put my arms around him. “It’s going to be fun tonight, I promise. And when our guests leave you can be in charge to do whatever you want.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Beau’s barking was the first sign that Josh and Ethan were approaching. I could see them coming up the hill from George’s cabin, dressed very much the same as the clothes I had picked out for Cody and me—cotton short and either a polo or a button-down shirt. The four of us ran the spectrum of summer pastels, stripes, and florals. Was this fashion or just a uniform for gay men at dinner parties?

  Ethan talked as they walked and grabbed Josh’s hand as an excited punctuation to his story. Josh smiled but seemed to pull free.

  I checked the oven to make sure dinner was cooking nicely and found everything on course. I glanced around the room—not everything was perfect, but it would do.

  “Come on in,” I said as Josh waved from the screen. “Welcome.”

  Josh and Ethan entered. I shook Ethan’s hand and he pulled me in for a hug.

  “Good to see you again. I can’t believe it took us so long to get together. Thank you for having us over.” He turned to Cody, “I’m Ethan.”

  “Cody.” They repeated the hug. All of my friends in Phoenix acted the same—a hug for a stranger even if they were meeting for the first time. Some even threw in a kiss on the cheek.

  Josh stepped forward for his round of hugs and then laughed when there was silence.

  “Wine, anyone?” When a social situation needed a little help, a glass or two never hurt anything. “I have some white chilled. I can open red, if you prefer. We also have beer.”

  “We also brought a couple bottles.” Ethan grabbed a bag from the floor that he set down when he entered. “Several bottles, actually. Open one of these—you’ll love it.”

  I checked the label and recognized it as a wine I usually saw a couple shelves above my normal brands. “This is good stuff. It will go great with dinner.”

  “Let’s pour some glasses,” Ethan walked me towards the kitchen. “I just can’t tell you how excited I am to have something to do tonight. What can I do to help?”

  “What have y
ou been doing to keep yourself busy?”

  “Well, after we close up the office, there’s Scrabble and Sudoku.” Ethan’s eyes grew wide, “I’m always so grateful that the crossword puzzle is usually done by the time we show up for dinner.”

  “George lives a wild life, doesn’t he?”

  Ethan laughed, “And his DVD collection could use a bit of an…update.”

  “He’s made me watch those westerns hundreds of times. Well, at least the first part of each movie. I’m sure you’ve noticed he falls asleep about halfway through.”

  “Like clockwork.”

  I looked back to Cody and Josh were still by the door. Cody blushed and waved Josh towards the living room and the couch. Ethan busied himself with opening the first bottle and raved about the wine. I grabbed the glasses and took a deep breath.

  “Cody, are you doing wine or beer?”

  “Beer, please.”

  Ethan nudged me with is elbow, “You need to work with him on that.”

  “It means there’s more for me.”

  “Truth bomb right there.” He set the uncorked bottle down and called to the living room, “Josh, you should start drinking beer, too.”

  We joined Cody and Josh with the drinks. Ethan jumped right in to drive the conversation learning more about Cody and me in a half hour than the two of us had learned about each other in weeks. Josh sat back and smiled as his boyfriend filled the time with questions, snarky retorts, and cackles of laughter.

  I asked Cody to help me in the kitchen and whispered, “Doing okay?”

  “Is he going to talk all night?”

  “Probably. You didn’t need to worry about what you were going to say after all.”

  Chapter Thirty

  I was grateful for the food to accompany Ethan’s near monologue throughout dinner. He had tired of learning about us and had launched into everything we should know about him but did not have the chance to ask.