Diplomacy

wide.
    “Nice to meet you, sir.” Still shaking Lucas’s hand she turned to Jack again. “Fraternizing with the Brits, I’m sure you have lots of important things to talk about?”
    She was clearly fishing. Lucas was the first to answer. “Yes, ma’am, but all classified, I’m afraid.”

    D i p l o m a c y | 81

    Luckily for them, Reverend Wallace was less enthusiastic and soon pulled his wife aside. “Mr. Ambassador, we’ll leave you in peace now, I’m sure you are a very busy man!” and then to his wife, “Let’s go, Clarice, can’t you see these men have important business to discuss?” Both men watched the older couple leave the bookstore. Lucas heard Jack sigh as soon as they closed the door behind them and he put his hand on his lover’s. “That was close.”
    “I don’t believe you. Classified! You made us sound like spies,” Jack answered, almost visibly shaking.
    Lucas chuckled. “Well, we couldn’t very well tell her the truth!” Jack looked around to make sure no one was watching them, but the store was empty. He wrapped his arm around Lucas and pulled him close. “I’m sorry, I just got nervous.”
    Lucas pulled back a bit. “They can’t tell just by looking at us, you know.”
    Jack closed his eyes, sighed, and smiled. “Yeah, I know. Let’s go.” OVER by the ‘Grote Markt’ in front of the City Hall, there was a stage set up, and a large crowd was watching an unknown music group.
    The cafés around the market were packed, so they bought drinks at one of the stalls and moved into the crowd. The Caribbean music was colorful and people were singing along. Lucas spotted a slightly less crowded space near one of the small potted trees at the side of the square and grabbed Jack’s hand to lead him through the crowd. Jack felt as if all eyes were trained on them, but when he looked around, he realized people weren’t really paying attention.
    As they claimed the open space, Jack was also surprised to see a lot of people with their arms around each other and not just straight couples.
    He had seen men strolling hand in hand around the streets earlier, too.
    Moving a little closer to Lucas, who stood in front of him watching the music group, he snaked his arms around his lover’s waist and hooked his thumb over the band of the young man’s jeans. Lucas smiled and looked over his shoulder. There were two men standing a little bit away from them and they were not hiding that they were a couple, even kissing briefly at the end of a particularly romantic song.

    82 | Z a h r a O w e n s

    “They are very liberal here, aren’t they?” Jack whispered in Lucas’s ear.
    “Oh, I don’t know about that. The sun is shining, happy music playing,” Lucas answered with a broad smile. He moved a little closer, making Jack flinch. “Don’t worry,” Lucas whispered, “I’d love to kiss you right now, but I know we can’t.”
    Jack smiled shyly, recovering his composure. “Well, even if I wasn’t married, I couldn’t see myself doing this with you in the States either.”
    Lucas returned to his place in front of Jack again and grabbed his hand to wrap it around his waist. “This is nice too, and nobody can see that,” he whispered matter-of-factly.
    Jack let himself relax. The crowd was packed together so his closeness to Lucas didn’t look suspicious. Most people were looking at the stage anyway, and this way he could feel Lucas’s delicious body close to his, smell the conditioner he used, and the Grey Flannel aftershave he had put on just before they left the hotel room.
    “Why don’t we grab an early dinner and then go back to the room, okay?” Lucas suggested, leaning back a little and looking over his shoulder.
    Jack was beginning to think the Brit could read his mind.

    THE small restaurant Lucas had chosen was in one of the side streets around the cathedral. Smells of garlic and coriander came from the kitchen and there was an outside terrace, surrounded by some potted shrubs. There was only one small table left in the corner, forcing the two men to share a rather narrow bench, something they assured the waitress they did not mind at all.
    After they ordered falafel and pita dishes, the waitress brought a tray full of small cups of different sauces.
    “Ooh, garlic sauce!” Lucas beamed, but then his face changed.
    “Okay, how about either we both eat it or we don’t eat it at all.” Jack dipped his finger in and licked it. “I guess that’s settled.” At