************* Ordinary Love ************* Chapter 7 *************
Drew was waiting for the elevator to open when he felt someone tapping his shoulder. He looked behind his back and saw Clint giving him a huge smile. "Hey! Glad I met you here. I was going to go to your office later and ask you if you're busy tonight."
"I'm free," Drew said slowly as Clint stepped besides him. "Why?"
"There's this dinner thing later and I wondered if you'd like to be my date," Clint flashed Drew a smile.
"I...I don't know," Drew said with uncertainty in his voice.
"Come on Drew. I promise you you'll have a terrific time not to mention help out the homeless. It's a charity thing that my mom's club is throwing."
"That's pretty low," Drew looked at Clint in amusement. "Of course now, I can't refuse. With the dinner being for charity and all."
"Great!" Clint casually put an arm around Drew's shoulder. "I'll see you at lunch. Let's talk about the details then." Drew looked at Clint in surprise. He didn't only have a dinner date with him now; they're also going to have lunch together.
"Did you hear anything I've said?" Lisa looked at Nick worriedly. She, Nick, Joey and Drew were having a meeting in Nick's office just before lunch.
"Yeah," Nick said but he didn't look at her. He continued to look out the window. "I can't do this right now. Let's just talk later."
"If you say so," Joey said slowly as he stood up. Lisa and Drew also stood up.
"Drew," Nick swiveled his chair and faced them. "I'd appreciate it if you can stay for a while. I need to talk to you."
"Ok---ay," Drew said slowly. Lisa and Joey looked at Nick and Drew suspiciously before leaving the office. Drew sat back down on a chair and stared at Nick passively.
"I really had a good time with you last week," Nick said softly as he stood up and walked to the window. "And I'm not just talking about the picnic or the time we spent in Dayton. I like talking to you in the hotel and in the plane. Minus the meetings we had with our clients, I'd say that it was the best vacation I ever had."
"Nick, I---" Drew sighed out as he stood up also and looked at Nick.
"I know I'm asking a lot from you," Nick cut him off as he faced him. "Coming out from the closet will turn my whole world upside down. I'd gladly do that for you Drew. But I can't just pick up the phone and call everyone I know and tell them I'm gay and I'm in love with you. You can wait for me to work out the courage to do that, can't you?"
"I could Nick," Drew said softly.
"Will you? Will you wait for me?"
"Clint asked me out on a date tonight," Drew avoided looking at Nick's eyes. "He's charming, witty, handsome. And he won't mind kissing me in public or holding my hands in front of his friends."
"I..I can do that," Nick said in a feeble voice. "But not now."
"You know what I'd always dream about?" Drew said as he turned around. "I'd dream of walking along the beach with a guy. We'd stand in the shore, him holding me in his arms tightly as we watch the moon. He'd nibble my ears every now and then, whispering 'I love you' to me."
"I'm just afraid that I'd wait forever before we can do that Nick," Drew walked to the door and reached for the knob. "But for what's it worth, If I was just a little bit braver and a little bit crazier, I know I'll try to work things out with you. And while I'm crazy, I'm just not that brave. Sorry Nick."
Drew quickly opened the door with a jerk and walked towards the men's room. He was trying to hold back his tears. He quickly barged in the men's room and headed straight for the sink. He opened the faucet and washed his face with cold water. Then he grabbed some paper towels and dried his face.
"You guys have been acting weird," A voice behind him said. Drew looked up at the mirror and saw Joey walking up to him. Joey stood besides him and began to wash his hands. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Drew forced a smile as he looked at him through the mirror. "Just tired, I guess."
"Nick was very happy when you came back but now he's--preoccupied," Joey said warily. "Lisa and I are worried about him. He's never acted this way before. He's always calm and collected and unemotional when it comes to work. The only time he ever gets emotional is when his mom visits him."
"Why are you telling me this?" Drew tensed a little bit.
"I was hoping that you might know something," Joey shrugged his shoulders.
"Nope," Drew shook his head. "Don't know anything. Excuse me." He got out of the men's room hurriedly and proceeded back to his desk. He was kinda surprised to see Clint seeing in his chair.
"Hey!" Clint stood up and smiled at Drew broadly. "Ready?"
"Yeah," Drew nodded his head at him. "Come on."
"You don't mind if we drop by in Nick's room for a second, do you?" Clint said to Drew as he grabbed his hand and led him towards Nick's office. Drew didn't answer as Clint told Nick's secretary he wanted to see him. They were buzzed in a few seconds later.
When Drew stepped into the office, he saw Nick still standing by the window. Clint meanwhile walked towards Nick. Nick faced them and he could see the surprise in Nick's face when Nick saw him inside the room.
"Nick!" Clint hugged his sister's boyfriend. "How you doing? You going to mom's dinner thing tonight?"
"Uhhh....no, got some stuff to finish at home," Nick said slowly as he looked at Clint then at Drew.
"Too bad," Clint stepped back a little as Drew walked towards them. "Drew and I were hoping to see you there, right Drew?"
"Yeah," Drew responded half-heartedly.
"Huh?" Nick looked at them, lost.
"Drew agreed to me my date tonight," Nick slipped an arm around Drew's waist. "Hope you don't mind me dating one of your employees Nick."
"No," Nick responded quickly at him. "Why should I mind?"
"I hope you change your mind and come to the dinner party," Clint said to Nick. "Drew and I will leave you now. I got us a reservation at Cyril's and you know how it is at that place. You have to be on time or they cancel your reservation."
"Cyril's?" Drew looked at Clint in surprise. "Wait a minute Clint. When you said lunch, I thought we'd go down to the cafeteria or to the deli around the block or something. Cyril's is a little too expensive."
"I'm buying lunch remember?" Clint smiled at Drew. "Don't worry about it."
"I'm sorry but I can't help but worry about it, okay?" Drew didn't return his smile. "I don't want you spending that much money on me. I'd be perfectly happy having ham on rye with you down at the cafeteria than having some French food that I can't even pronounce right at Cyril's. I couldn't care less about the food. What I want is the company."
"I definitely have to get Rinoa something for setting me up on a date with you," Clint said as he gave Drew a quick hug. Then he pulled away and looked at Nick, "Bye Nick. And thanks for hiring such a wonderful guy."
"Stop that Clint," Drew said, as he became beet-red. Drew grabbed Clint's hand and led him out of the office.
"What the fuck is going on with you?!" Lisa almost screamed at Nick but Nick was still just looking out the window of his office, staring at the clouds floating in the sky. Lisa and Joey got back from lunch and they still found their friend depressed.
"I don't want to marry Fiona," Nick said softly.
"Duh?!" Lisa said sarcastically. "You have been saying that to us for years now!"
"I didn't want to marry her before because we were just forced into it by our parents and I didn't really love her," Nick sighed out as he faced them.
"And now?" Joey asked him quizzically.
"Now, I don't want to marry her because I'm in love with another person," Nick hung his head.
"What?!" Joey looked at him in shock.
"I knew it!" Lisa exclaimed out suddenly. "It's Drew, isn't it?"
"How did---?" Nick looked at her in shock and fear.
"Puh-leaze," Lisa looked at him sarcastically. "I've known you for far too long not to notice that. I mean, when Drew first came on board, you were a little hostile to him but then you suddenly warmed up to him. Then you made up that position for him and made him accompany you to Boston. Either this guy put a spell over you or you love him. Since I don't believe in magic then it has to be love."
"What's the matter then?" Joey looked Nick bewilderingly as he listened to Lisa and agreed with everything she said. "Don't tell me Drew doesn't like you. He'd be crazy not to fall for you."
"You...you're not disgusted at me?" Nick looked at them in disbelief.
"We've been friends for far too long for us to do that," Lisa walked over to Nick and gave him a hug. "And to tell you frankly the truth, we're not that surprised by what you told us."
"Yeah," Joey nodded his head. "I mean, come on. Fiona is one hot babe. The only reason we can think of why you don't like her is because you're gay."
"Thanks guys," Nick smiled at them weakly. "I really appreciate this."
"Now, what's wrong between you and Drew?" Lisa stepped back and looked at him quizzically. "And we want some straight answers this time."
"He said that he didn't want to be with me," Nick said in a whisper.
"I can't believe that!" Lisa shook her head vigorously. "I'm a lesbian but I find you extremely sexy Nick. Either Drew is straight or something is wrong with him."
"He said that he didn't want to hide our relationship from everyone," Nick faced the window again.
"Ohhh," Joey nodded his head in understanding. "Ummm..are you willing to come out Nick?"
"Yeah," Nick said softly. "But I can't do it right away. Fuck! Why can't he understand what I'm feeling right now?!"
"Can you understand what he is feeling?" Lisa touched Nick's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "We saw him and Clint downstairs and they look so happy together."
"We were happy together too," Nick said with a hint of doubt in his voice. "We talked for hours on end back in Boston. He seemed to really like my company then."
"You want us to help you get Drew?" Joey walked over to them.
"What?" Nick faced him and gave him a weird look.
"Let us handle this, okay?" Lisa grinned at Nick. "We'll make Mr. Matthews fall head over heels in love with you before the week in through." Nick began to laugh in amusement as he looked at his friends.
"What?" Joey looked at him bewilderingly.
"I just remembered what Drew told me," Nick said to them. "People around here call you guys my posse. I guess it's true." Then on a much softer voice he said, "Maybe I should tell my family the truth. You guys are okay with it."
"That's not such a good idea," Lisa shook her head. "You're our friend and you mean a lot to us. But they're your family Drew. I don't think they'd accept your news as well as we had."
"You're right," Nick said slowly. "God! I hate this!"
"Worry about them later," Joey tried to sound cheerful. "Let's plan on where you and loverboy is going on your first official date."
"Don't we have to worry about if he'd agree to go out on the date first?" Nick said to him.
"He will," Lisa said to him optimistically. "He'd be the stupidest guy on the planet if he gives you up."
*************** To be continued ***************
All comments and suggestions are welcome:
Email: sliders21@iname.com