Chapter Fifteen

28. Date at the beach

Josh’s gourmet marathon ensues in spite of Justin repeatedly telling him, “Dude, you know you don’t have to do this.” Josh merely dismisses Justin’s attempts at politeness and continues to prepare wonderful meals for them, sometimes at his place, sometimes at Justin’s place. Justin eventually stops pretending that he doesn’t love the attention, and concedes to doing the dishes every night. His stomach announces its rave reviews night after night, and sometimes the following afternoons. It’s on one of those afternoons that Chris and Lance inquire about Josh and Justin having matching leftovers—in matching microwave containers—for lunch. Justin smiles and deliberately overstuffs his mouth with Josh’s African groundnut stew. Josh grins and makes for the soda machine. Joey watches, and then quickly changes the subject. Justin thanks Joey with his eyes, though part of him wonders what their 3 friends would say if they knew how much time he and Josh spend together. Somehow he thinks they’d understand. He hopes they’d understand.

**********

It’s Justin who finds out about the Cezanne exhibit, makes lunch reservations at Le Sourire, and buys 2 bottles of wine after an inadvertently drunken wine tasting. Josh smiles the entire day, and the next Saturday he surprises Justin with tickets to an Orlando Magic game and dinner at a new Asian-soul food fusion restaurant. Afterwards, when they’re sitting on a blanket in the sand at a secluded beach, looking up at the night sky, Justin looks over at Josh and can’t look away.

“What is it?” Josh asks after a few seconds.

“Nothing, it’s just…I’m having a really good time tonight.”

“Me, too.” Josh leans back on his arms and closes his eyes. The evening wind blows his hair into his face. Justin starts to reach for it, but catches himself.

“Yeah,” Justin sighs. He lies down on his back, hands behind his head, and stares up into space. “You make a great date, man,” Justin says, hoping that it sounds like a joke. Josh smiles at him, and then lies down on his side next to him, his hand propping his head up so he can look down at Justin.

“I do, huh?”

“You know what I mean,” Justin says, not meeting Josh’s eye.

“How many, um, dates have we been on so far?” Josh jokes, his eyes twinkling like the stars overhead. Justin shrugs. “I have 5 by my count.” Justin looks at him quizzically. “Today. Last Saturday’s foray into art and wine,” Josh says as he holds up 2 fingers. “Our ill-fated double date with Britney and Christina.” Justin nods, though he wonders if that night counts as a date between them. “The first night we went out to dinner and went to the piano bar afterwards.”

“Wasn’t that our first, um, ‘date?’”

“No. Our first date was…you know.” Josh looks down bashfully. “Powerbonding and basketball.”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s right.” Justin tries to sound nonchalant, like he doesn’t remember every detail about that night down to the toppings on the pizza. “So, five dates. What about all the dinners you’ve made us? And all the pizza and fried chicken I’ve ordered take out for us?” Justin jokes.

“Does that count? Were those dates?” Josh laughs.

“I don’t know! What’s constitutes a date versus, you know, just 2 friends attending the same public gathering?”

“Good question.” Josh lies down on his arm so his breath warms the side of Justin’s face. He stares at the blanket under his fingers as he thinks. “Well, it’s probably a date if only 1 of the 2 people pays for stuff. And it probably has to be out. You know, as opposed to in…like in someone’s house.” Justin nods and rolls on his side to face Josh. “Also, a date would be, like, something that a person wouldn’t do alone. Or…something. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Justin smiles and tries not to stare at Josh’s mouth. “I mean, well, it’s not like we can go by real dating standards anyway.”

“Why not?” Josh asks indignantly.

“Well, it’s not exactly like we’re…you know…and there hasn’t been any um…you know…there hasn’t been any nookie!”

“You’re right!” Josh laughs, clapping his hands as best he can while lying on his side. “If this were a real fifth date, we should have gotten to at least third base by now!”

“Exactly!” They laugh for a bit and settle back in to a comfortable silence, laying on their backs and staring up into the night sky. After a few minutes, Josh nudges Justin’s arm.

“You’re a great date, too.”

“I know.” Justin smiles up at the stars, then stretches out a little. When he feels a little sand on his fingers he rolls to his side, his back to Josh. “Do I have sand on me?”

“Just a little,” Josh says as he moves closer to brush a few grains from Justin’s back.

“Any in my hair?”

“I don’t think so.” Josh lightly rubs Justin’s curls before sinking his long fingers scalp deep. “You’re fine,” he murmurs into Justin’s ear.

“You know, um, it’s getting hot—I mean, the weather is…um…now that it’s almost summer, I’m gonna cut my hair again,” Justin stammers as he fights the urge to press his body back against Josh’s. “So get your jollies now while the getting’s good.”

“Aww! But I love playing with this hair,” Josh frets.

“It’ll grow back. And, um, you can still play with the peach fuzz…if you want.”

“Good,” Josh whispers and kisses Justin’s head. When Justin shivers he says, “You cold? Want the extra blanket?”

“No, I’m good.” Josh rubs his hand up and down Justin’s bare arms, feeling goose bumps. Before Justin can protest, Josh takes the extra blanket he’d been sitting on and lays it over Justin. “What are you—”

“Would you shut up? I’m being a good date.” Josh sits back on his heels and smiles as Justin rolls his eyes at his chivalry.

“My hero,” Justin snickers as he sits up Indian-style and wraps the blanket around his shoulders. He sighs and waits. Soon enough, Josh is puffing warm breath into his hands.

“Cold, C?”

“Ahem.”

“Yeah, it can get really cool at night when you’re next to the water,” Justin says with a yawn. “Oh, but you know that, you used to surf and shit, didn’t you?” Josh harrumphs and sits back, wrapping his arms around his knees and shivering a little. “Yep, suuuuure is nice under this thick, plush blankie. So comfy. And so roomy! I think I might even sweat—”

“Oh shut up!” Josh barks and quickly sits next to Justin, who laughs as he lifts an arm so Josh can get under the blanket. They giggle and snuggle together so they can share the blanket’s warmth. As Josh breathes evenly against Justin’s neck, Justin thinks the same thing over and over: If this isn’t dating, then I don’t know what is.

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