Page 66 of Something Like Winter

“My money is also about to buy a dessert that will blow your mind. How does that sound?”

Mother-fucking glorious!

Tim managed to contain this reaction and civilly nod his approval. The sugar-laced dessert and a coffee made Tim sober enough to drive Eric home. Dropping him off seemed too cold, especially since dinner had been so expensive. Eric did his best to hide the bill, but Tim saw the triple digits. So he walked Eric to his door, which made it feel like a date.

“Thank you for a wonderful evening,” Tim said.

Eric turned and smiled. “Believe me, the pleasure was all mine. There’s nothing more valuable in life than companionship.”

Hokey but true, and something Tim had learned the hard way. “I was scared,” he blurted out. “That’s why I never went back to Ben. I was too afraid of what everyone would think. And that he wouldn’t want me anymore.”

Eric considered him, house keys in hand. “The more we love, the more we fear. Rejection, or what others might think, these are just the beginning. In a perfectly happy relationship, we fear losing the other person to disease or chance.”

“Or letting the other person down. Or them realizing that you aren’t good enough.” Tim laughed. “Fear and I are old friends. I could stand here all night listing off its different guises. Ben only made it through my barriers because of those first few weeks we spent together. I wasn’t in school and my parents were away, so I felt safe. If only I could do the same for Travis.”

“Why don’t you take him on a trip?”

Tim paused, surprised by the simplicity of the idea. “Maybe I should on the next break. I don’t have any money, though.”

“I can—”

“No!” Tim said, not wanting Eric to think he liked him for that. No doubt countless people had hit him up for cash over the years. Tim was determined not to be one of them, although that’s exactly what he’d done the first time they met. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll get a job or something. Really.”

Eric’s response was cut off by a coughing fit. He waved at Tim when asked if he was okay, like he should simply leave. “Just an old smoker’s cough,” Eric insisted. “I need to get inside and have a drink.”

“Okay. Thanks again for dinner!”

Tim walked back to his car, thinking about Eric’s idea. A trip somewhere with Travis could be just the thing. A place for the two of them, far away from it all, where Tim could show Travis the potential they had together.

Chapter Fifteen

Wind picked up, sending orange and yellow leaves—still moist from the recent change in weather—swooping to the ground. With just a few weeks until December, winter should be asserting its hold, but that never seemed to happen in Texas. Most of Tim’s classmates were already bundled up and shivering, but the weather seemed mild compared to Kansas winters. Tim sat on the porch steps leading to the frat house, wearing an old pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, while pushing buttons on his cell phone.

He could never get a strong signal inside the house, but he didn’t mind going outside since it afforded him more privacy. Tim checked the time before making the call. Monday mornings were always the best for calling home. His father would be at the office, but his mother always needed time to ease back into her work week. “People say Friday night is part of the weekend,” she would say. “Why can’t Monday morning be as well?”

Tim greeted a frat brother heading out for an early morning jog and considered skipping class to do the same after the call. He pushed the send button and counted the number of rings before the phone was picked up. This time it was four.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Mom.”

“¡Gordito!How are you doing?”

“Fine. Heading out to class soon.”

“I was just about to get to work,” his mother said with a yawn, but he

knew she would make excuses until after lunch. “What have you been doing lately? Have you met a girl?”

Her favorite question. “Yeah, too many. I don’t know how I’m supposed to choose.”

His mother laughed. “With your heart,Gordito.You’ll settle down when the right one comes along.”

That one had already come and gone, as far as Tim was concerned, but Travis had potential. He was no Ben, but then who was? He changed the topic, like he always did. Besides, he had a reason for calling. “Thanksgiving is this weekend.”

“Yes. Did I tell you that your Aunt Emily is coming down? She’s had a terrible time with the divorce, but met someone new she’s bringing along.”

“Really?” A family Thanksgiving was rarer than rare, even when they still lived in Kansas. Usually his parents would go to a friend’s house for cocktails or something adult-ish, but with Aunt Emily there, maybe this year would be different. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Emily again,” he hinted.