Chapter 15
15
MATT
Waking up to the sound of the door closing was not how I expected to greet this morning. Falling asleep with King in my arms after we made love was easily in my top three memories of all time. Number one will always be the day Mom introduced me to the family she worked for and I got to meet the little boy who would steal away the biggest chunk of my heart with a single smile. Number two is the last memory I have of my father. I remember him hugging me, telling me how proud he was of me winning the math tournament in second grade.
I thought King felt the same as I do. I’m not sure how much of last night was just my wishful thinking at this point, but I think it’s safe to say I’m not straight.
Understatement of the century right there.
Laughing, I half expect a bellboy to be pounding on the door telling me I have to leave now that the person paying for the suite has left. Isn’t that the way these things go? Wham. Bam. Thank you, Ma’am… well, Man .
Feeling like shit for being dumb enough to expect feelings from a bar hookup, I hop in the shower to at least feel like I’m getting something worthwhile out of this room. I’d never be able to afford a room in this hotel, let alone a suite, on my salary while I’m still paying off my student loans for my doctorate. Wrenshaw isn’t exactly an elite school, but if I can make tenure next year, maybe I could save up for a night at this place after a year or two.
After drying off using some of the softest towels I’ve ever experienced, I feel a bit grungy pulling on the clothes from last night. My eyes are itchy and dry, but I can’t do anything about my contacts until I get home. I don’t usually wear them to sleep in, but I left my glasses at the trailer. I wasn’t planning on staying out all night. Pulling my hair up to get it out of the way and hopefully prevent a tangled mess, I double check that I have everything.
Keys? Phone? Wallet?
Maybe searching the suite for things I might have left is a good excuse, but I know that I’m searching for a note or something. Something inside of my chest starts to hurt when I realize my cutie didn’t leave me anything. I meant nothing to him.
Pulling the covers back on the bed to make sure housekeeping cleans the linens, a scrap of shiny fabric falls to the ground. I feel a bit like a perv putting his panties in my pocket, but I feel like I deserve something to remember this night by.
Dejected, I leave the room and head for the door to the suite. Before I can turn the handle, an envelope is pushed under the door. It is labeled with my name, so I open it up, praying it’s not the bill for the room.
Lewis,
Last night was amazing for me and a one of a kind experience. And since it was one of a kind, I don’t want to ruin that memory. Please understand this isn’t a reflection on your skills because sweet baby Jesus, you are a sex god. If fate ever brings us back together, I’ll take it as a sign.
Thank you,
Your King
Tucking the note into my back pocket, I exit the suite. Not wanting to deal with anyone seeing my walk of shame, I use the stairs to go all the way down to the parking lot, bypassing the lobby. Climbing into my Elantra, I feel horribly out of place surrounded by the brand new Porsches and BMWs. God, he is so out of my league.
I’m a fucking idiot.
I just sit in my car, waiting for the defroster to clear the morning fog from my windshield and wait for my phone to power back on. It must have died on me at some point last night. The sound of the “Hello Moto” echoing through my silent car reminds me that I forgot to turn the radio back to the satellite radio instead of using the Android Auto to stream music.
Picking up my phone, I notice a couple new text messages from the guys I’ve befriended the last couple of weeks.
Spencer:
Hurt him and I’ll bury you
Clarence:
Call me when you get this.
Eli:
Don’t make me kill you. I have the connections to make you disappear
Clarence:
The SECOND you get this
Jax:
You should’ve picked a different starter dick
I’m completely lost as to what is going on. I thought everything was good when I left the club last night, so I hit the button to call Clarence. Wincing at the hour, I hope he’s a morning person because the sun is barely over the horizon.
“Thank fuck,” he says instead of a greeting. “I thought someone killed you. Not you, Theo. Go back to sleep, babe.”
I let out a chuckle as I drop my head back against the headrest. At least someone out there doesn’t want to kill me for some unknown reason.
“Why does everyone suddenly want to kill me?”
Clarence sighs dramatically and I hear rustling noises followed by what sounds like a door closing.
“Do you know who you took home from the bar last night?”
Horror shoots through me. “Fuck. Don’t tell me he isn’t single.”
“No. It’s nothing like that,” my friend hurries to reassure me. “It’s just that he is… Well, he’s a bit fragile even if he refuses to admit it. A lot of people love him and worry about him and his decisions when he starts exhibiting certain patterns.”
Thinking back on some of the recent conversations I’ve overheard since moving into the trailer, I have a feeling that I know what the connection is and let out a sigh.
“This is the roommate who is bipolar, isn’t it?” I ask, already knowing what his response will be.
“It’s more than just that,” he tells me as I hear a Keurig in the background. “Are you home? This is going to be more than a phone call if you think you might want more with him. If you’re content with just the one night, I have to ask you to pretend it never happened if you see him again.”
“I’ll be home in about fifteen minutes,” I tell him as I pull out of the parking space. “I want forever if he’ll have me. I don’t know why, but it feels like we’re meant to be.”
Clarence starts coughing on the other end of the call and manages to choke out that he will come over as soon as I’m home, so I rush as much as I can to get there. At the top of the hill, I glance over toward the house, hoping to see the Mini parked with the other vehicles. I tell myself it’s because I want to make sure he made it home safely, that’s all.
When I don’t see the car, I feel a tightness in my chest. He left so much earlier than I did. Why isn’t he home?
It takes a concentrated effort to turn left into the trailer park and head to the back where my home is. Pulling into my driveway, I notice a few lights get switched off in a hurry in the neighboring trailers. Instead of going in the back door, I walk around to my front door where Clarence is waiting for me with a cup of coffee and a look of pity.