Love Means No Shame - Andrew Grey

at Raine and led the way outside and to the truck, and they headed toward town, laughing and enjoying themselves. Geoff knew he was going to be sad to see Raine leave. He drove through town and pulled up to a familiar restaurant that had a view of the lake. After telling the hostess his name, they were seated at a table near the windows.
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    “Geoff, this is so nice.” Eli was wide-eyed as he looked around the restaurant and took the menu from the hostess. “I’ve never been to any place like this before.”

    Geoff squeezed Eli’s knee to reassure him. “Just have fun and be yourself.” Eli smiled and opened his menu. Their server stopped by the table, explained the specials, and took their drink orders.
    Raine and Geoff ordered a glass of wine, and Eli ordered a soda.
They talked and laughed while they looked over the menu.
Raine was the first to set his down. “I’m having the perch.”
“I can’t decide between the salmon or the duck. What about you, Eli?”
Eli put his menu down. “I don’t really know.” He seemed a little overwhelmed.
Geoff leaned close. “Do you want me to order for you?” Eli shook his head. “I just don’t want to embarrass you if I do something wrong.” “You won’t, Tiger. Just relax and enjoy.” Geoff leaned close.
“There is nothing you could do to embarrass me as long as you just be you. Okay?”
Eli nodded and returned his attention to the menu. “I’m going to try the duck.”
“Then I’ll have the salmon,” Geoff said.
    The server came over and took their orders, returning a few minutes later with their drinks and salads. They talked and laughed together. Geoff kept an eye on Eli, who just seemed uncomfortable in an “out of his element, not sure of himself” kind of way.
    “Eli, look over there.” Geoff indicated a table with children.
“If they can eat here, spilling food everywhere, you have nothing to 167
Andrew Grey
worry about.” Geoff squeezed Eli’s leg again, and Eli finally seemed to relax.
    The server brought their entrees, which looked delicious. Eli did have some trouble with the duck but acquitted himself well in the end. The food was delicious and very filling. The server inquired about dessert, but they all declined. When the check arrived, Raine grabbed for it and slapped Geoff’s hand when he tried to take it back. “It’s the least I can do to say thank you to both of you for making my vacation so much fun.” The server returned, and Raine handed him his credit card.
    “Thank you, Raine.” After being nervous earlier, Eli now looked full and very content.
“Yes… thank you. That wasn’t necessary,” Geoff said.
“Yes, it was.” Raine signed the check. “So stop.” They got up and left the restaurant, saying good-night on their way out.
    Outside, it was just getting dark as they walked down the street to the truck. “Hey fags!” Geoff looked around. “Yeah, I’m talking to you, faggot!” Geoff and Raine spun around as three guys came up behind them. “We heard about you.” The three of them looked like just-graduated high-school football players, and Geoff was sure he’d seen them around town before.
“Eli, run to the truck.” He heard a squeak and saw Eli back away out of the corner of his eye.
    “We heard all about you. Is that the boy you been carrying on with?” Geoff didn’t turn around and started to back away. The men advanced on him. One of them grabbed Raine, holding him tight.

    “We heard all about you. Seems your relatives don’t like you carrying on with little boys either.” The guy closest to Geoff pushed him to the pavement, and Geoff curled into a ball just before he was kicked in the side and leg.
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Other people on the street stopped. “Someone call the police.” A few seconds later, Geoff heard someone speaking into a phone. “Let’s get out of here!” The three of them took off down the street at a run.
    When he heard the running, Geoff uncurled himself and tried getting up. His side hurt, but nothing appeared to be broken. It seemed his leg had gotten the worst of it. “Raine, are you okay?” The people gathered around had helped Raine up. “Yeah, I think so.”

    “Where’s Eli?” His leg hurt and was going to be black and blue for a while, but everything seemed to be working okay and the pain in his side was easing, thank God.

    “I think he’s by the truck.” Geoff saw Eli standing near the truck, looking like a