Page 104 of Heart

“And yourshortcomingsin the bedroom—”

“Mysputtermilk?”

“Yes,” George chuckled. “Yourearly pearliesare connected to that.The more we’re together, the less it happens. I came first tonight if you didn’t notice. And we didn’t use any of that desensitizing stuff... or condoms.”

“I did notice. I thought maybe it had something to do with Christmas.”

“That may have played into it... a little.”

“So am I your light, George? Like Alec was to Tyler?”

He shook his head. “Nope. I have a different metaphor. You’re my heart, Mikey. When David died, I was convinced that my heart had gone with him and I would never get it back. But not only did you show me it’s still in here, you jump-started it.”

“I’m the mechanic of love.”

“And the most profound thing I’ve come to accept is that I’m the only one responsible for how I feel—Tyler further validated that tonight. The worst was long ago. I have to put it behind me and get on.”

“It’s hard though, George. Don’t beat yourself up.”

“I’m not. And I don’t know that my grief was as bad as his. He said he spent like five years that way, and with me, it’s only been two. But he also lived in remote Montana, where the opportunity for salvation could have been less available. He mentioned his horses giving him purpose.”

“And you had May.”

“Yep... and my passion for food sustained me too—life-support, if you will. But Mikey, you had the paddles. You’re the one that shocked life back into my dead heart.”

“So, now I’m Doctor Love.”

“It’s funny because it’s true.”

“Want me to take your temperature?”

“Yes, I do.”

“OK, but George... can I ask you something first?”

“Yeah. Anything.”

“When did you first know it was me?”

“Well, it wasn’t the phone sex, if that’s what you’re thinking. Although that played a big part.”

Mikey chuckled. “Really?”

“Yeah. It was so impromptu, and so far from anything in my experience. It stimulated me—mentally, I mean—reassured me I was alive and could connect with someone even if it was just on the phone.”

“So, that was the defib—” He struggled with the word.

“Defibrillation? Yeah, you could say that. Not when I knew I loved you though.”

“When was that?”

“The night of the soft-opening. You were with Ned. He was nice enough, but I wanted to break his neck.”

“WOW. Jealousy? Now, you’re kick-startingmyheart... my ego, anyway. If it makes you feel better, George, I kind of wanted to kill Fabio too.”

“You and me both. What a douche.”

“You kissed me that night, George. You were drunk.”