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“It’s really nice,” Cameron agreed, still rubbing the table’s surface. He pulled his hand away when noticing that he was being watched.

That didn’t dissuade Anthony from continuing to stare. Cameron was terribly handsome. His eyebrows were darker than his hair, which really made his blue eyes stand out. And they were so kind and honest. His features were on the thicker side of fine, his teeth perfect and straight. Cameron had a kissable mouth, that was for sure. Anthony was still staring at those lips when they reshaped into a smile.

“You should probably look at the menu,” Cameron said wryly. “I’m not on it. Yet.”

Anthony was sure he turned pink enough to match his mother’s shirt, but he didn’t feel ashamed. Not exactly. Just like the hurried lunch they’d shared at school, he felt oddly comfortable in Cameron’s presence. But he did as requested and browsed the menu, relieved to see so many options for fake meat. He wasn’t interested in things like tofu and falafel. He missed eating dead animals and wanted to get as close to the experience as possible.

They both chose the black bean burger. Cameron opted for onion rings instead of fries. Being vegetarian didn’t mean you were forced to eat healthy, thank goodness. Although the side salads included with their meals were also delicious. They cleared their plates while chatting happily about whatever came to mind. Anthony wasn’t pleased to see the check when it arrived on their table. Not because of the price. He simply didn’t want the experience to come to an end.

“I know it’s the most generic place you can bring a date,” Cameron said. “But we still have time to see a movie.”

“I don’t think anything good is playing,” Anthony said.

“I don’t really care,” Cameron replied. “I figured a nice dark cinema would be the ideal place to hold your hand.”

“Check please!” Anthony said. But not too loudly, because of course they already had it.

They ended up watching a movie calledSchool Ties, motivated only by the fact that it starred Brendan Fraser, who they both agreed was cute. They should have gone withThe Mighty Ducksinstead, becauseSchool Tieswas about a man who gets accepted into a prestigious school but has to hide the fact that he’s Jewish.That hit a little too close to home. The worse matters became for the main character, the tighter Cameron gripped his hand. Not in fear, as it turned out. Anthony glanced over at him to see that Cameron’s expression—cast in the blue light radiating from the screen—was reassuring instead of afraid. He seemed to be saying, “We’re in this together.”

Anthony liked that. Especially the thought of them being together. He hadn’t just been lucky enough to meet another gay guy who went to his school. He’d found one that he could imagine falling in love with.

CHAPTER 21

October 10th, 1992

Cameron was buzzing when they left the Silver Screen Cinema and slowly began the walk home. The night had been a massive success so far, although he hoped it would end a certain way. That had everything to do with Anthony’s pink lips, which were always slightly downturned until he smiled. How good it would be to kiss them! He was sure that he’d be allowed. Cameron wasn’t insecure about his appearance, but he’d never felt as attractive as he did tonight, and that had everything to do with the way Anthony looked at him.

He did plenty of staring himself. Anthony’s emerald-green eyes were filled with an emotional depth that Cameron yearned to dive into. His figure was slender, the skin of his hands remarkably soft. Cameron wanted to press those palms to his mouth before placing them elsewhere on his body. The increasing magnetism involved more than just his physical appearance. Anthony had a wild streak, from the punky style to his unusual taste in music, that Cameron didn’t possess. He felt so normal by comparison, and yet for some reason, Anthony seemed just as intrigued by him. Although there weresomequirks of Cameron’s personality that he wasn’t ready to reveal quite yet. They were walking down a residential street when they passed a pile of trash on the curb. Along with a dozen black trash bags, someone had disposed of unwanted furniture, including a broken chair, a dinged-up lamp… and a nightstand. That was what caught Cameron’s eye. He rubbernecked as they passed and did his best to move on mentally, but he couldn’t resist.

“Just a second,” he said, doubling back.

The nightstand was an elongated cube with a drawer that had been tossed aside and a cabinet door that was barely hanging on by a single hinge. Thick paint covered most of its surfaces, along with frantic crayon scribbles. Cameron did his best to inspect the nightstand from a distance. The drawer especially, which was upside-down and trapped between two trash bags, but atleast he was able to see bare wood on its underside. The orange streetlights made it hard to be certain, but he thought he detected red undertones.

“Uh,” he said, glancing over at Anthony, who seemed puzzled by his behavior. “I just need to check something real quick.”

Cameron waded into the trash, feeling especially classy when a group of drunk college kids walked by and laughed. He forgot about them as soon as he was close enough to grab the drawer. He turned it over in the light. Sure enough, the wood had the right tint.

“This is great!” he exclaimed, looking at Anthony in his excitement.

“Yeah,” his date said playfully. “Why’d we bother with dinner and a movie? We could’ve spent the whole night here!”

Cameron returned with the drawer in hand. “This is mahogany,” he explained, angling it so Anthony could see. “Notice how the grain is swirly? And the dark lines against the reddish hue?”

“Huh,” Anthony responded, clearly confused by his enthusiasm.

“Here,” Cameron said, thrusting the drawer into his hands. “Do you feel how solid it is? But it’s not too heavy.”

“Yeah, I guess. Is this wood rare or something?”

“You won’t find any mahogany trees in Kansas. It only grows in tropical climates.”

“That’s cool,” Anthony said, trying to hand the drawer back to him.

“Hang on to that,” Cameron said, stepping over more trash so he could reach the nightstand. He inspected the insides, which weren’t painted. Then he lifted the entire thing to assess its heft. He could handle carrying it, but it would be a long and awkward walk home. Unless he had help. He looked to Anthony, who was frowning at him. Probably. Those downturned lips… Maybe he should come back for the nightstand later. But what if someone else found it first?

“This was a beautiful piece of furniture when it was new,” Cameron tried to explain. “I bet it’s turn of the century. I’d love to restore it.”

He took the drawer from Anthony and slid it inside thenightstand. When he closed the cabinet door, it stayed in place despite being loose. Already the nightstand looked nicer. To him anyway.