GENRE: Gay Romance
LENGTH: 5,857 words
RATING:

Peter Lamont and Mark Trainor met as freshman in college. They separated to go to different law schools, but promised if, when they turned thirty, they weren’t attached or married, they would get back together again. Over the years, they met up time and again, keeping their friendship alive and well.

Recently, Peter turned thirty. Now for Mark’s thirtieth, Peter has planned a progressive dinner at the restaurants on the refurbished pier. Will the lovely sunset, twinkling lights, and excellent food set the scene for their reunion? Or will one of them decide to renege on the promise?

EXCERPT:

“Our second step back in time leads to the Good Samaritan Shelter.” Peter gestured to Soup It Up Café as Mark groaned.

A waiter wearing an apron with an oversized logo seated them. They were surrounded by a country kitchen themed space with red and white checkered tablecloths, pottery dinnerware, recycled wood walls, and dried herbs hanging in bundles overhead. It was much busier her than at Mama Mia’s. But then, it was now early dinner hour.

Although the Soup It Up décor wasn’t like Good Samaritan’s food kitchen and shelter, the crowded tables and jostling crowd were. Unlike Good Samaritan’s these diners weren’t smelly men and occasional women off the streets who stood in line to eat each evening. This place reeked of family.

“Hey, I was going through my do-gooder phase,” Mark protested. “Because of you, I might add.”

“Your grudging, complaining, growling do-gooder moment I think you mean,” Peter added. “You showed up, what? Three times. The first time after a day of drinking when you could barely stand and called me to come bail you out.”

Even though Soup It Up wanted to be upscale and trendy with its kitchen antiques and deliberate homey smell, the noise level screamed big, vocal family at the holidays. There might have been ambient music, but no one could hear it.

Peter and Mark huddled closer together so they could talk and hear each other.

“Hey, I was trying,” Mark protested. “Besides, my bad mood and drinking were all your fault. That morning, I’d been to see the shrink you convinced me to visit. A shrink who ‘drilled down’ into my unhappiness at getting dumped a second time by my scumbag boyfriend. I was drowning my sorrows, including my shitty taste in men and my incredible stupidity in thinking a man who cheated once wouldn’t actually do it again.”

Mark grimaced. “I know, I know. You warned me not to take him back. And I got mad at you. Sorry to have been such a loser friend.”

Peter held up his hands in a defensive gesture as they were served the soup of the day. The herbs hanging from the hooks overhead might be decoration, but by the delicious smell, they could tell the chef used them well in his creations.

“Not a loser. Eternally hopeful. Eat up. This looks delicious.”

Both men tucked in as if they hadn’t had canapes a few moments before.

“I might remind you, you agreed to see the shrink, Mark. And, you told me you felt better afterward.” Then Peter grinned, his trademark dimples and twinkly eyes making Mark feel as if he wasn’t being blamed or shamed. “Well, at least you told me you felt better after I came to your rescue at the soup kitchen. You even said the experience with your ex and with the shrink had made you want to give back to the community. So you decided to help out on the serving line at the shelter.”

Mark sighed.

“Yeah, okay, I know you think I’m a quitter and a loser.” He held up a hand to stop Peter from speaking. “Not your turn to talk now, okay?”

At Peter’s nod, Mark continued, his voice empty.

“I just hadn’t found the right way to help others. My way to help. Standing in a serving line and watching man after man walk by getting a bowl of soup, roll, butter, and drink didn’t make me feel like I was really helping. All it did was remind me over and over that there but for the grace of God go I.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

“My turn to talk now?” Peter asked.

Mark dunked his roll into the broth.

“Yeah, I guess.”