Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 9

Philadelphia and all of that city's rich culture. They spent Monday touring Independence Hall and Valley Forge. They ate lunch in the Gayborhood district and bought some books by their favorite authors at Giovanni's Room. That night they had both collapsed exhausted into bed. Tuesday was more of the same and included a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo and the Adventure Aquarium.
    "I can see why you settled in this area. There's so much to see and do. I love city life. I'm not sure I would know what to do with myself if I didn't live so close to Cincinnati," Michael had told him yesterday when they were lazing around his apartment trying to recover from all their adventures. "I really want to show you it sometime. I know it might be a little early to start making plans, but I was hoping to ask you if you'd come to Ohio for Thanksgiving."
    Cole was glad Michael had brought the subject up. He didn't want to seem too needy or clingy, but he desperately wanted to see Michael again soon. "I don't see why not. It's not a real busy time at the bakery so I should be able to take the time off. I'd love to." Maybe it was just Cole, but he thought the rest of the day felt lighter somehow, knowing he and Michael would be together again in a month.
    Michael awoke with a start. Cole was shoving at his shoulder, and his ears were being assaulted by a shrill beep, beep, beep. "Time to make the doughnuts," he rasped out with his morning voice.
    "Doughnuts, no. $4,000 wedding cake, yes."
    They rode to Cole's bakery, coffee mugs in hand, in excited silence. Cole was nervous about Michael seeing his bakery, his baby. He wanted Michael to approve of his business and his work. This was also the first time he would introduce Michael to people who mattered to him. He had very few friends, but he would count every single person who worked for him among them.
    He drove Michael by the front of his building so he could see a street side view of the place. The building was brick, and long glass windows lined the front along the sidewalk. The sign that spanned the length above the windows was a retro design Cole really liked. It was striped vertically in alternating light robin's egg blue and gray. Sweetmeats was spelled out in a funky retro font across the center between a black and white tiered cake and a pink frosted cupcake. You could see inside to a small bistro style dining area, and brightly lit cases of pastries and cupcakes and such.
    "Wow," Michael exclaimed. "This is yours?? It's great Cole! Absolutely fantastic. I love your sign, but I bet I could have done better," Michael teased.
    "Thanks. I loved this old building and really wanted to give the place a fun old-time look. Maybe I'll hire you to design me a better logo when I start my chain of stores across the U.S. Let's park and head inside. I know the owner, and I bet he'll be glad to give you a personal tour."
    Of course, they weren't the first ones to arrive. Cole's second in command, Zach, was filling in for him this week and had started making fresh pastries and cakes at five a.m. He opened the back alley door and stepped into his home away from home. The kitchen was large and open. The only color in the space besides stainless steel was the bright lemon yellow walls and a row of candy apple red commercial grade mixers. Cole liked his work space streamlined and organized.
    Cole swept his arm out like Vanna White. "So this is where I spend most of my time. Not a very glamorous life but I don't have to wear a tie, and I work with a great group of people."
    Michael took it all in. He knew how passionate Cole was about his work, and he was so thrilled to be sharing this with him. "I love it! Look at all this stuff. It must be so cool to be able to move around and work with your hands. That's the one thing I don't love about my job. I spend most of my time behind a desk."
    "Yeah, it's great. Come on. Let me introduce you to Zach."
    Michael was surprised when Cole led him over to a baby-faced young man who was busy swirling icing on top of what looked like giant cinnamon rolls. "Hey, Zach," Cole called out to him, "how's it going?" The tiny kid reminded Michael of a kitten backed into the corner by a Rottweiler. He put the icing down but didn't answer Cole's question and apparently, Cole didn't expect him to because his next words were, "This is my boyfriend, Michael. Michael, this is Zach, a good friend of mine and the man who keeps this place going without me."
    It took Michael a few