Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

he let go. "Sorry," Cory said. "Obviously, tonight won't be easy for me. To be honest, I struggled with asking you to go, but I really need the support. Lora has some family thing she has to attend out of town. And, I'm still really raw, so going it alone didn't feel like a good plan, either. Still, I hardly want you to see me as some needy guy, all weepy and clinging on our first date. Oh shit, I'm rambling." Cory rolled his eyes. Could he make things any worse?
    TJ reached out a hand and gently brushed tears from Cory's cheeks. "I'm honored you asked me. And, I'm happy to help out a friend."
    Cory felt his heart skip. He was very tempted to step back into TJ's arms and forget about the whole thing. But, he knew he'd regret it later. "Thanks for being so great about this." His smile felt a little wobbly and his face was hot. "Shall we go, then?"
    "Absolutely." TJ led the way, stopping to grab his keys and wallet off the hall table on their way out the door.
    "How's Bogo doing?" TJ asked as Cory started the car and eased them away from the curb.
    "He seems to be doing great. I told you he chewed the wrap off, already, didn't I?"
    TJ chuckled. "Yes. I wasn't expecting him to leave it on. As long as he isn't chewing at the stitches yet, it should be fine. But, they will begin to dissolve in the next couple of days anyway."
    "So, far, he's just licking at it a lot, keeping it clean. The incision looks good." Cory said.
    "Fantastic. I'd like to come by and take a look tomorrow."
    "Gee, another excuse to see Dr. Delicious," Cory teased, getting his balance back. "Let me think. Hmmm? We can probably work you in."
    TJ gave him blank stare and pushed his glasses up again.
    Cory shook his head. "You really aren't comfortable with flirting, are you? What's with that?"
    TJ cleared his throat and rubbed his hands on his thighs. He squirmed in his seat a bit. Cory wasn't sure he was going to answer at all. Finally, he said, "Well, I'm from a small town in North Carolina where being out is sort of like asking for a beating. So, in high school, I concentrated on my grades and tried hard not to notice guys at all."
    "What about college? Surely, NC State has a large LGBT community."
    TJ smiled, "Yes, and I dated my fair share of them as an undergrad. But, I made the mistake of getting involved with my advisor in vet school. I thought he was the one. But, apparently he liked to trade favors for grades. That's when I realized that if I wanted to make it through at the top of my class, and keep a decent reputation, I needed to keep my private life private and very far away from my professional life."
    "Oh," Cory said. He couldn't help but wonder where that left him.
    "Anyway," TJ went on. "I didn't have time to date much by the time residencies rolled around. So, it's been a while for me. I'm out of practice."
    "Oh, well then," Cory smiled and winked, "I'm happy to help you practice."
    The smile TJ gave him made him feel warm all over. Cory relied on small talk for the rest of the short drive to Wildwood. When they crossed the bridge over the Iowa River, TJ whistled softly. "Wow, this is lovely." He scanned the area, taking in the forest that lined the water's edge. "It's breathtaking."
    "Welcome to Wildwood," Cory said. "Best little neighborhood in Iowa. I'd kill to be able to afford a house here." Cory looked at the lovely homes that lined Raven's Road. "I really love that place," he pointed to Hazel's, a teal colored Victorian home on the corner of Raven's Road and Wildwood Avenue. He waited for the light to change then made a left turn towards The Broussard Center. "It's owned by Hazel Brennan. She's a trip. I'll introduce you to her tonight."
    "Love the color. It looks like she runs a shop there."
    "Yep. She sells metaphysical supplies and gifts and the like," Cory waited for TJ to scoff. He was pleasantly surprised when he didn't.
    "Interesting," was all he said.
    "I'll have to take you to Organically Thrown Pizza one night, too." Cory said, as they passed it. "They make fantastic hand-tossed pizzas."
    "I'd like that. Looks like everything's closed up tight, though."
    There were notes on all the doors. "Everyone's at The Broussard Center tonight. This is a tight-knit community. No one would miss the big annual fundraiser."
    "That's really nice," TJ said.
    Cory parked the car along the street a block down from Greene Beans coffee house. The parking lot at The Broussard Center was probably already full. He turned off the engine and