Page 94 of Heart

George looked at May, beaming. “I’ll get a mop.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, sipping her wine. “The fucking coolest.”

* * *

Mikey arrived a little after six with a giant bouquet of red and white roses. May and Ginger were out front rolling silverware and lighting candles.

“Hey, sweetie,” May said, in her flowing, bohemian garb. She gave him a hug and took the flowers. “Here, let me get these in a vase.”

“Thanks, sweetie. Hi, Ginger.”

“Hi, Mikey.” She was replacing a dark candle container with a lit one. Mikey was struck with how radiant she looked in the candlelight, dressed casually in jeans and a thick pullover sweater.

“You both look so beautiful,” Mikey said. “And you smell great, May.”

“Yeah? Good. Tell your boyfriend that.”

“What? Why?”

“Never mind. Do you mind if I split these into three arrangements for the tables? We’ll move the poinsettias up by the bar.”

“Your call. I have no idea. George just asked me to swing by House of Flowers for a pickup.”

“Perfect. He’s in the kitchen with Zac. Go give him a big kiss.”

* * *

When he opened the kitchen door, Mikey fully expected to see both George and Zac busy laboring over hot stoves and sweating over last-minute details. Instead, he found a pristine kitchen, like something out of a magazine. George was leaning against a counter looking at his phone, and Zac was at the island cutting a large piece of dough into smaller ones, shaping them, and putting them on a parchment-covered baking sheet.

George looked up. “Hey there. I was just texting to see where you were.”

Mikey went to George without speaking, embracing him with a lingering kiss. When they parted, George was flustered.

“My, what brought that on?”

“I felt like it. And May told me to. She also told me to tell you that she smells great.”

George squeezed him again. “You’re the one that smells good, Mikey. Like vintage Polo.”

“It’s all I had at the station.”

“Well, I like it. Old-school. And you look great in that Christmas-y plaid flannel and those tight jeans.” He slid his hands down and his ass a quick two-handed squeeze.

“Uh—” Zac pointed toward the office door. “—do you two need to step in there for a minute? I’ll cover.”

“No.” George winked. “We can wait... but it is tempting.”

Mikey laid his head on George’s shoulder. “It’ssogood to be here. Today was crazy.”

“Well, you’re off now. And you’re here... with me. And we’re going to eat, drink, and have some fun with friends.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “And then we’re going to go home and fuck like monkeys.”

“I’d like that, George.”

“I thought you might.”

They kissed again, Mikey leaning heavily, pinning George against the kitchen counter, mashing their faces together.

“The offer is still good,” Zac said.