Read Online Coda 03 -The Letter Z by Marie Sexton - Free Book Online

going on.
    “How can Zach just stand there like that?” I asked quietly. “I have no idea.”
    Zach and Jonathan were headed back to our table now, and Zach did look pissed. But to my surprise, it wasn’t at Angelo.
    “This is what I mean, Zach,” Jonathan was saying as they reached our table. He gestured to the dance floor. Another guy had joined Ang and Tattoo, making a ménage of grinding hips and wandering hands. “You can’t expect a relationship with a guy like that to last.”
    “You don’t know Angelo,” Zach said.
“I don’t have to know him. All I have to do is watch him.” “He’s just having fun,” Zach said.
“And that’s okay with you?”
    “Not that it’s any of your business,” Zach snapped, and I was impressed to see that he actually could stand up for himself when he needed to, “but yes, it’s okay with me.” I glanced at Jared and saw my own disbelief mirrored back at me.
    Jonathan took a deep measured breath, obviously deciding to change his tactics. He stepped closer to Zach and put one arm around his waist.
    “Zach, all I’m trying to say is, I’ve missed you.”
“Since when? Tonight?”
“Always. We were good together.”
“So good that you left.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. It was for the best.”
    “I’ve regretted it a hundred times. I wish you would give me another chance.”

    “It’s too la—” Zach started to say. But he was cut short when Jonathan pulled him close and kissed him.

    “Oh shit,” I heard Jared say quietly next to me.
    Jonathan wrapped his other arm around Zach and deepened the kiss. For a mere second, Zach was kissing him back—whether he meant to or not, I had no idea—and then all hell broke loose.
    I didn’t know when Angelo had stopped dancing and started seeing what was going on. Maybe he had been watching all along. Zach was just starting to protest, pushing Jonathan away, when Ang came flying out of nowhere. He shoved Jonathan hard in the chest, almost knocking him down. “Get your hands off him!”
    Jonathan caught himself on the next table, a few steps away from Angelo. He recovered quicker than I expected, standing up straight and taking a step toward Angelo. “It’s really none of your business—”
    “You kiss my boyfriend, and you think it’s none of my fuckin’ business?”
    “I figured you had an open relationship,” Jonathan said smoothly, taking another step toward Angelo. “After watching you on the dance floor—”
    “You sure as fuck didn’t see me kissin’ anyone!”

    “Oh,” Jonathan said, and for the first time, there was a nasty edge to his voice. “Is that where you draw the line?”

    “Fuck you!”
    Zach had finally recovered enough to intervene. I hoped he would diffuse the entire situation. Instead, he put his hand on Angelo’s shoulder, and said the worst possible thing. “Ang, you’re overreacting,” he said quietly, and I could have strangled him. How could he be with Ang and not know better than to say something like that?
    “I’m what ?” Angelo yelled, turning on Zach. “Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me? Your ex-boyfriend is stickin’ his tongue down your fuckin’ throat, and I’m overreacting ?”
    Zach had realized his mistake about half a second after the words were out of his mouth and was trying to back-pedal. “That’s not what I meant—” but Jonathan interrupted him.
    “So it’s okay for a complete stranger to give you a hand-job on the dance floor, but Zach can’t even kiss somebody if he wants to?” “I didn’t want to,” Zach said, low but firm.
    Angelo ignored Zach. He turned on Jonathan, his face dark and furious. Angelo may have been half a foot shorter than me, but if he had turned that look my way, I would have backed up a step. I think almost anybody would have. But Jonathan stood his ground.
    Next to me, Jared hissed, “Do something,” and pushed me toward them.

    “We had a good life, Zach,” Jonathan said. “We could get