Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 9

you something first."
    "What's that?" Cole asked confused.
    The smirk on Michael's face managed to be wicked and playful at the same time. He slowly lowered his gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Do you plan on wearing those pants or do you maybe have a pair of fuzzy bunny ones you could wear instead?"
    Cole didn't hesitate to give back as good as he got. He rose from his chair and winked at Michael before turning to walk into the house. He paused at the doors and spoke over his shoulder. "I was thinking more like a pair of shorts and my muffin shirt that says 'It's better on top'."
    Of course, that mental image was locked and loaded in Michael's brain the rest of the day.
    ****
    They started their day walking through quaint shopping districts filled to the brim with beach-themed knickknacks, clothing and souvenirs. Cole usually liked to walk around town first thing in the morning because most tourists were still sleeping and the streets were quieter. He wasn't a complete introvert. He just didn't feel secure around a lot of people. He knew a therapist would tell him it was because he needed to deal with his past, but he had shoved all of that into a tidy little box and he couldn't risk letting it out.
    Sleeping in and coffee on the deck meant it was later than usual by the time they had gotten into town that morning and the sidewalks were more crowded than Cole was accustomed to. Being with Michael somehow made it better though. They strolled through the town while Cole pointed out some of his favorite places to eat and occasionally asked if Michael wanted to look in any of the stores. They had stopped to pick up a gift for Michael's mom and a T-shirt for his sister that had an "I heart my big brother" logo on it.
    Michael talked a lot about his family, and growing up in Ohio. He talked about his mother's nurturing strength and his father's death. He mocked irritation when telling Cole about his baby sister. It was clear he loved them very much. "What about you?" the question Cole had been dreading slipped from Michael's lips. "You have any brothers or sisters?"
    Cole felt his stomach knot up. "Uh, yeah. I've got two older brothers. They live in Pittsburgh with my parents."
    "Hey, that's not too far from me. If you're ever in town with them, I'd love for you to come visit my hometown."
    Cole took a deep breath and let it out. He may as well be honest with Michael. He just hoped it didn't change the way he saw him. "Yeah, uh, I haven't seen or spoken to my parents or my brothers in, like, eight years. They didn't exactly approve of my 'lifestyle'."
    Michael put his arm around Cole's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. "Sorry, man. That's got to be hard." He couldn't imagine parents capable of turning their backs to their flesh and blood but knew it happened all the time. It made him angry just thinking about someone treating Cole so poorly. "I'd never be able to do that to my kid. They're really losing out too because you're an amazing person and they'll never know you."
    Damn, Cole thought, it feels so good having Michael next to me, touching me. He had expected him to be disgusted, but not with his parents, with him. He felt vindicated at Michael's anger with his parents. Most people just felt sorry for him but didn't want to get too involved with a guy who had such a fucked up history. He slid his arm around Michael's waist and squeezed back. "Thanks. That means a lot to me. Now let's grab something to eat from my favorite little bakery and decide what we're going to do with the rest of our day."
    They sat on the sidewalk at a little wrought iron breakfast set enjoying fresh croissants and orange juice. When Cole asked Michael if there was anything in particular he wanted to do, he had responded, "Not really. I googled the island for ideas, but nothing really jumped out at me. The Barnegat Lighthouse could be cool." That was the only suggestion Michael had made. He really wanted Cole to take the lead and show him the island as he enjoyed it.
    The rest of the morning and afternoon had been one of the best either of them had ever had. They took turns picking songs from each other's playlists on the drive. They talked about their jobs, their favorite sports teams, a little bit of anything and everything. The tour of Ol' Barney had been interesting, and the view out into the harbor was picturesque. They had hiked through the part of the wildlife reserve that was open to the public and ended up back in town washing down