to hang out after this. Cory was likely ready to crash on the nearest comfortable surface.
Vincent finished the pie and held onto the plate until Rhonda swept over to take it from him, and the wine glass as well. She carried both into the kitchen and Vincent became abruptly aware that people were saying their goodbyes.
He rose to his feet as Rhonda came back over, putting on her jacket while struggling with another. He held the second one for her as she bundled up and received a pleased grin. “They’re right, you know,” she remarked. “You are a sweetheart. Don’t be a stranger, for his sake, I think, but also for ours. There’s never enough spice in my apple pies.”
Vincent started. She’d sounded like she meant that. He gaped, but had absolutely no words.
“I literally cannot give you more sweet potatoes,” Cory was telling someone in the other room, “Ricky ate them all.”
“Leave the tofu for Sarah,” Laci instructed. “Picture her face.” They were bickering, but Vincent didn’t feel anxious about the sounds of it. They were kidding, like Judith would kid with him. They were lovely people.
“The pie wasn’t perfect.” Vincent admitted at last. “You don’t have to say that when….” He trailed off when Rhonda arched a pierced eyebrow at him.
“Babe! I’m going to fall asleep right here.” Rhonda directed this at Laci, then winked at Vincent. “She’ll be in there talking to Ricky all night otherwise. She argues with him, but deep down they are two peas in a pod.” Rhonda cleared her throat and got louder again. “And bring Ricky! He can help us carry everything to the car before he drives home.”
“Hey!” Ricky objected distantly.
Rhonda patted Vincent’s arm. “That will get him out of your way too. You’re welcome.”
“I…” Vincent was at a loss. “Ricky has a car?” If Ricky had been available, Cory could have asked his friend for a ride to the store instead of Vincent. Rhonda gave Vincent a bemused look, clearly wondering why he’d ask that, but Vincent didn’t explain. He spent a stunned moment staring into space before he twisted to study the people in the kitchen.
He thought of the last chapters of every single one of his mysteries as it occurred to him that Cory quite possibly could have planned all of this from the second he’d overheard Vincent lamenting his lonely Thanksgiving. That was ludicrous of course; Cory had already invited his friends to his house for Thanksgiving long before he’d heard Vincent on the phone.
But Vincent couldn’t discount it either, no matter how much he knew it was wishful thinking. There wasn’t going to be a denouement where Cory announced that he had turned the situation to his advantage in order to get to know Vincent, or that he had planned to give Vincent this warm, comfortable holiday in an attempt to… to… woo him. Cory wasn’t going to lean in and whisper that he admired Vincent’s softness the way that Vincent loved his competence and strength. Vincent wouldn’t even know what to do if he did.
Feed him pie, his mind helpfully suggested. Ask him to stay. Kiss him. Pull Cory on top of him and wrap his legs around him. Bundle up with him on Vincent’s eminently comfortable couch and fall asleep after begging to suck Cory’s cock.
Vincent faced Rhonda with his hands on his cheeks. A date on Thanksgiving. He would never have dared.
Laci came up while Vincent was internally flailing, carrying bags of foil-wrapped goodness. She handed them to Rhonda while she put on her coat, then nodded at Vincent. “Nice to meet you. Hope the rest of your night goes well.”
Rhonda smacked her arm when she waggled her eyebrows, but then they both were gone, kissing Cory goodbye and dragging an equally weighed-down with leftovers Ricky with them. Ricky pointed at Vincent as they closed the door after him. “I want details about Lando! Email me!”
Vincent could probably track him down through Cory, although, he and
Vincent finished the pie and held onto the plate until Rhonda swept over to take it from him, and the wine glass as well. She carried both into the kitchen and Vincent became abruptly aware that people were saying their goodbyes.
He rose to his feet as Rhonda came back over, putting on her jacket while struggling with another. He held the second one for her as she bundled up and received a pleased grin. “They’re right, you know,” she remarked. “You are a sweetheart. Don’t be a stranger, for his sake, I think, but also for ours. There’s never enough spice in my apple pies.”
Vincent started. She’d sounded like she meant that. He gaped, but had absolutely no words.
“I literally cannot give you more sweet potatoes,” Cory was telling someone in the other room, “Ricky ate them all.”
“Leave the tofu for Sarah,” Laci instructed. “Picture her face.” They were bickering, but Vincent didn’t feel anxious about the sounds of it. They were kidding, like Judith would kid with him. They were lovely people.
“The pie wasn’t perfect.” Vincent admitted at last. “You don’t have to say that when….” He trailed off when Rhonda arched a pierced eyebrow at him.
“Babe! I’m going to fall asleep right here.” Rhonda directed this at Laci, then winked at Vincent. “She’ll be in there talking to Ricky all night otherwise. She argues with him, but deep down they are two peas in a pod.” Rhonda cleared her throat and got louder again. “And bring Ricky! He can help us carry everything to the car before he drives home.”
“Hey!” Ricky objected distantly.
Rhonda patted Vincent’s arm. “That will get him out of your way too. You’re welcome.”
“I…” Vincent was at a loss. “Ricky has a car?” If Ricky had been available, Cory could have asked his friend for a ride to the store instead of Vincent. Rhonda gave Vincent a bemused look, clearly wondering why he’d ask that, but Vincent didn’t explain. He spent a stunned moment staring into space before he twisted to study the people in the kitchen.
He thought of the last chapters of every single one of his mysteries as it occurred to him that Cory quite possibly could have planned all of this from the second he’d overheard Vincent lamenting his lonely Thanksgiving. That was ludicrous of course; Cory had already invited his friends to his house for Thanksgiving long before he’d heard Vincent on the phone.
But Vincent couldn’t discount it either, no matter how much he knew it was wishful thinking. There wasn’t going to be a denouement where Cory announced that he had turned the situation to his advantage in order to get to know Vincent, or that he had planned to give Vincent this warm, comfortable holiday in an attempt to… to… woo him. Cory wasn’t going to lean in and whisper that he admired Vincent’s softness the way that Vincent loved his competence and strength. Vincent wouldn’t even know what to do if he did.
Feed him pie, his mind helpfully suggested. Ask him to stay. Kiss him. Pull Cory on top of him and wrap his legs around him. Bundle up with him on Vincent’s eminently comfortable couch and fall asleep after begging to suck Cory’s cock.
Vincent faced Rhonda with his hands on his cheeks. A date on Thanksgiving. He would never have dared.
Laci came up while Vincent was internally flailing, carrying bags of foil-wrapped goodness. She handed them to Rhonda while she put on her coat, then nodded at Vincent. “Nice to meet you. Hope the rest of your night goes well.”
Rhonda smacked her arm when she waggled her eyebrows, but then they both were gone, kissing Cory goodbye and dragging an equally weighed-down with leftovers Ricky with them. Ricky pointed at Vincent as they closed the door after him. “I want details about Lando! Email me!”
Vincent could probably track him down through Cory, although, he and
Similar Books
