Page 5 of Mama’s Boy

They arrived at the restaurant and Chase’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. “I’m sorry but I have to take this. It’s my mother and she had her first semi-date with Mr. Schwartz today. I have to make sure she’s all right.” Chase answered the call. “Hi, Mom.”

“How is your date going?” Chase picked up his fork and started to twirl it in his fingers.

“Fine. We’re at dinner.” Chase almost dropped the fork. His mother never asked about his dates.

“That’s good. I’m glad you’re happy. You deserve it.” Chase put the fork down.

“Remember, so do you, darling, so do you. I’ll let you get on with your evening.”

Chase hung up the phone. “It seems everything went well. She’s going to see him again.” Chase smiled, happy for his mother.

“And will you be seeing me again?” Rowan asked, teasing.

“I hope so.” Chase gave him a sincere reply.

* * * *

They ate fresh bay scallops done in a butter wine reduction sitting on a wide veranda looking out over the inlet.

Roman arranged it so that Chase sat next to him rather than across, so he could hold Chase’s hand between courses.

I don’t know what it is but I really like him.

Although I want to make love to him, I want to do it when we are actually making love instead of fucking.

“Do you want more wine?” Rowan asked as he picked up the bottle to pour out the last glass. “I’m driving.”

“It is a lovely Riesling.” Chase smiled.

“Yes, it is and I wouldn’t want it to go to waste.” Rowan poured the last of the wine into Chase’s glass.

They lingered over a shared Napoleon feeding from each other’s forks. Rowan didn’t want the evening to end.

“Do you have to be up in the morning?” Rowan grabbed Chase’s hand and kissed his wrist. Chase blushed.

“I thought maybe we could take a walk on the boards to rid ourselves of some of this dinner.” Rowan looked down into Chase’s eyes.

“Sounds perfect.”

* * * *

Sunday Morning

Chase’s mother called at nine the next morning. Chase groaned. He and Rowan had walked the boards and sat on the benches talking until two and he wasn’t quite ready to get out of bed yet, but duty called.

Chase picked up the phone. “Hello, Mom.”

“I hope I didn’t wake you up or disturb you.” Chase chuckled at the idea of his mother contemplating him having an overnight guest.

Chase got out of bed and padded into the bathroom. “Mom, can I call you right back? I just woke up and just so you know, I’m alone.” Chase did his business and went down the hall to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. As soon as he had his first cup, he called his mother back. “Mom, it’s me.”

“I know who it is. I’ve been listening to your voice for twenty-nine years. So, how was your date?”

“I had a nice time. We went to the beach and it rained midafternoon, so he took me to his house to watch the Yankees play Baltimore. We watched the game and then went out to dinner. After that we walked the boards.” Chase thought he summed up his evening succinctly without giving her too much room for conjecture.

“How was your evening?” Chase wanted to know a little more about John Schwartz.

“John loved my pot roast. He has a house in Ocean Township in the Wayside area. He didn’t want to sell it after his wife passed because he wanted a place for the grandchildren to come.

But he’s thinking about selling it now because most of the time he goes to his son’s house rather than the reverse.

He wants a condo like mine. Something that has the room he needs but where he doesn’t have to do all the maintenance.

He wants to keep seeing me after the driving lessons are over.

John said he hasn’t met a woman he liked so much in a long time.

” That was a long speech for his mother. Chase mulled that over in his mind.

“That’s really nice, Mom.”

“He wants to meet you.”

Chase almost spit out his coffee. “Isn’t it a little soon for that?”

“How much time do you think I have? If I let the grass grow under my feet, I might wait until it’s growing over my head.” Chase had to stifle a chuckle. Meeting John Schwartz got promoted on his to do list.

“Mom, don’t be ridiculous. You’re in the prime of life. Obviously, Mr. Schwartz thinks so.”

“You’re such a good boy sometimes, Chase.”

“Only sometimes, Mom?” Chase finished his coffee and poured himself another cup.

“Now you stop teasing me. I’ve got to go to get ready for my lesson.”

“He’s giving you a lesson on Sunday?” He put his mug back on the counter.

“Yes, that’s so I’ll be ready to take the test. I’ll be busy today instead of our usual Sunday dinner. That’s why I called so early, so you could make other plans.”

“Okay, Mom. I’m sure I’ll find something to do.” Chase said, giving his mother a little guilt payback.

“What don’t you call your new young man and go to the movies?”

“Maybe I will.”

* * * *

Rowan got up early, even though he’d been out late with Chase.

As he put on a pot of coffee he thought about the man with whom he spent most of the previous day.

He’s adorable. I had such a good time. What time is it?

It’s only nine. I want to call him but what excuse can I use?

I know, I’ll ask about his sunburn. But I have to wait until a respectable hour. I’ll call him at ten.

Rowan did a load of wash and put it in the dryer. He looked at the clock, nine forty-five. Oh hell, what difference does fifteen minutes make?

Rowan picked up the phone. Then he put it down and picked it up again. Get a hold of yourself. You’re acting like you’re back in high school. If you want to call him, do it. But don’t sit there wavering about it. Pushing the buttons he brought up Chase’s number and hit call.

“Hello.” Chase sounded awake.

“Hi, it’s Rowan. I hope I didn’t wake you up. I wanted to tell you what a good time I had yesterday.” Rowan sat down, placing his coffee on the end table in the sunroom and sat hoping for a long conversation.

“I’m glad to hear your voice. What are you doing?” Chase asked.

“Drinking coffee and talking to you.” Rowan took a sip of his second cup of coffee.

“I was going to call you.” Chase sounded a bit tentative.

“That makes me happy. Have you had your second cup of coffee yet?”

“Yeah, drinking it now, I wanted to know if you’d like to catch a movie today. My mother bailed on Sunday dinner.”

“Mr. Schwartz?” Rowan asked.

“Yeah. It seems he’s quite smitten. He wants to meet me. I don’t know how I feel about that yet.”

“Instead of a movie, why don’t you come over?

Wear something comfortable and we can just hang out.

We can get a movie from DirecTV. I want to cuddle and at the theater the armrest gets in the way.

” Rowan crossed his fingers. Chase laughed.

He wanted to get to know Chase better but at the same time wanted things to get a little more physical.

“Sounds good to me. I think I can find your house again.”

“I’ll give you the address so you can put it in your GPS, have you got a piece of paper?”

“Yeah, go ahead…”

“Thirty-nine Grassmere, Interlaken.” Rowan let out the breath he had been holding. “How’s your sunburn?”

“Better, but I have to use more aloe after I take my shower. What time do you want me to come?”

“Whenever you’re ready, I can fix us breakfast here.” Rowan suggested.

“Hell no…you paid for yesterday, I’ll bring breakfast.”

Rowan laughed. “If you insist, I won’t fight you.”

“I can be there in just under an hour. Is that okay with you?”

“Sure, I’ll make more coffee.” Rowan could barely stop himself from jumping up and down. He was in deep. His only hope was that Chase fell for him as hard and fast as he did for Chase.

* * * *

Chase raced out the door to the bagel shop and the bakery.

At the bagel shop on Monmouth Road he picked up six assorted bagels along with a good amount of lox and cream cheese.

He went to the bakery and bought croissants, Danish pastries, and then stopped at the grocery for Chambord raspberry and peach jam, Irish butter and orange juice.

At the liquor store Chase bought a bottle of Freixenet, a Cava wine, for mimosas.

Chase was excited. He hadn’t been this excited about a man, ever.

Even with the all of the stops, Chase was at Rowan’s home in under an hour. He exited the Prius, trying to carry everything at once. Rowan must have seen him from the window because the door opened and he ran barefoot down the sidewalk to help Chase take the bags from the car.

“What did you do? Buy out the grocery?” Rowan picked up the bag with the things from the grocery store and the Freixenet. “This is a sparkling wine from Spain, isn’t it?” Rowan asked as they made their way up the sidewalk.

“Yeah, I like it for mimosas.”

“We’re having mimosas?” Rowan opened the door.

“Yep.” Chase carried his bags into the kitchen. Rowan pulled out some plates and Chase took out the bagels, Danish pastries, and croissants along with the Irish butter and the two jars of jam. The lox and cream cheese went on another plate.

“I love cream cheese and lox. I have capers, dill and red onion that will go perfectly with the lox.” Rowan turned and opened the door to the refrigerator. “You bought enough to feed ten people.”

Chase shrugged, “I didn’t know what you liked and I didn’t want you to feel you had to make eggs or something.”

“I won’t have to make eggs all week. You’ll be taking some of this home or all I’ll be doing this week are crunches.” Chase laughed as Rowan pointed to his six-pack. Chase slipped off his sandals and left them by the door, enjoying the feel of the hardwood floor under his feet.

Rowan went into his cabinets and brought out two fluted champagne glasses and Chase made the mimosas. He handed one to Rowan.

“To us,” Rowan said, “and the start of something beautiful.”

They laid the food out on the kitchen counter buffet style. Rowan made himself a loaded bagel and snagged a Danish pastry. Chase went for the bagel and a croissant with the jam and butter.

They moved to the breakfast nook and Rowan poured some coffee. Sitting down they began to eat. “Are you upset that your mom cancelled Sunday dinner?”

“I really don’t know how I feel about it.

I’ve been complaining about her being too dependent for a while now, told her she needed to learn to drive and go out and make new friends.

I didn’t think she’d start to date. I know it’s good for her, but for so long it’s been just us. ” Chase started to twirl his spoon.

“It’s normal to be a bit jealous of your mother’s new beau, even if you wanted her to go out. The trouble probably is that you only vetted him as a potential driving instructor, not as a beau.” Rowan grabbed the jam and the Irish butter. “This butter really is better.”

“I know, right? Anyway, he wants to meet me and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I know I should. Mentally, I’ve put it on top of my priority list, but emotionally, I don’t know how I feel yet.” Chase took a sip of his mimosa.

“It’s normal. When Dad was still here he was killing my relationship and being a real pain in the ass.

Once he left and Marty had enough and booked too, I missed Dad and wished he was still here to talk to about Marty.

Eventually I realized that I had grown as dependent on Dad as he had on me.

I was using him as a buffer against Marty and all the arguments we were having about my working too many hours.

” Rowan leaned back in his chair. “I was forced to reevaluate my life and make some changes, which is why I’m about to become a college professor instead of an analyst in a brokerage house.

” Rowan finished his bagel and picked up a Danish.

“I am so going to hate you later.” Rowan gave Chase a mock dirty look. Chase laughed.

They finished breakfast and worked in tandem to put everything away.

Rowan grabbed Chase’s hand and pulled him over to the couch.

He turned on the Sunday talk shows. “So are you going to meet Mr. Schwartz? I know we haven’t known each other too long, but if you want I’ll help you make dinner, then you can invite him and your mother to your house, and have home field advantage. ”

“You’d do that for me?” Chase was genuinely astonished.

“Would you do it for me if I asked?” Rowan moved his fingers over the center of Chase’s palm.

“Of course, but…”

“No buts, give her a call and set something up for one night this week. I’m free any evening and you make your own hours.

How about Wednesday? That would give us some time to plan.

Jesus,” Rowan put his palm to his head in a you dummy gesture.

“I didn’t even ask if you wanted me to help.

I just assumed.” Chase leaned over and kissed Rowan’s lips.

“You assumed correctly. This way you get to meet my mom too.” He cuddled into Rowan’s shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

Rowan turned and took Chase’s face in his hand. “I really like you and I want to keep seeing you. I want to meet your mom, I want to share your day, read the books you wrote and watch a movie together on the couch. I’m looking for it all. I hope you’re looking for the same thing.”

Chase looked up into Rowan’s eyes. “I’d like to try.”

“Good, then we’re on the same page.” Rowan lowered his lips onto Chase’s mouth.