Read Online Where You Least Expect It by M. Durango - Free Book Online
Authors: M. Durango
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decided not to reenlist in the Army. The beige wall-to-wall carpeting was already installed and he hadn’t gotten around to painting the white walls, although he had a stack of paint samples somewhere.
Most of the furniture was new. He had sprung for the slightly more expensive microfiber sectional and matching chair in a deep blue; the sectional and coffee table took up most of the space in front of the entertainment center. The king-sized bed in his bedroom was definitely an extravagance, but after spending so much time in Army bunks, he wanted the extra space. He had kept a few things from his parents’ house, including the bookcase and the desk he kept in the second bedroom and the few paintings on the living room walls.
“Thanks.” Matt picked up one of the grocery bags — he’d only gone out for cranberry sauce and turkey! — and gave Christian a quick tour. “It’s a little bigger than I need, but it gives me plenty of room for the big screen TV and surround sound.” Matt pointed to the left. “The master bedroom and bath are through that door,” he pointed to the right, “and that hall on the right has a spare bedroom and bath. The kitchen’s through here.” The kitchen was directly to the right of the living room, sharing a wall where Matt indicated the second bedroom.
“Thanks for inviting me over.” Christian followed Matt into the kitchen. “I really wasn’t looking forward to spending Thanksgiving by myself.”
“It’s no problem.” Matt put the last of the non-perishable items on the counter. “I recorded the parade from this morning if you want to watch before we make dinner.”
Christian positively beamed; Matt thought he might have been bouncing. “You did! I don’t have TV. That’s so cool. Can we watch?”
Matt found Christian’s enthusiasm infectious. “Sure. Grab the chips.” Matt pulled a couple of beers from the fridge and followed Christian to the couch.
“I haven’t seen the parade in forever,” Christian said, taking a beer from Matt. “I love the floats.”
Matt couldn’t help but smile. Christian had to be the most enthusiastic person he had ever met. “I like the balloons,” he admitted.
Dinner was quick and easy; instant potatoes and stuffing hardly took much time at all. Matt got that all set up while Christian laid out the sandwich fixings and cranberry sauce. They both laughed at the obscene sound the cranberry jelly made as Christian slid it out of the can.
Before Matt even realized it, they were sitting on the couch, stuffed, watching football and waiting to digest enough to eat dessert.
Christian shifted, suddenly seeming restless again. He fidgeted but Matt didn’t have a chance to ask him what was wrong.
Christian turned to face him. “I. Look, I just wanted to apologize for that night. It was, God, I think it’s got to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I’m really sorry. I get that you’re straight and that you’re not interested in me, and I understand if you don’t want to speak to me ever again. But I like you. As a friend, I mean. I — I heard that you stopped coming in for coffee in the morning, but I’m almost never there that early, and I won’t bother you again. I’m sorry.”
Matt was a little stunned, a little taken aback. He hadn’t been expecting an apology. He was perfectly content not talking about it until he figured out how he really felt. He wasn’t sure why Christian was bringing it up now.
Matt took a deep breath. “I really don’t know what to say. I mean, shit. I’m obviously not mad at you. I was, at first, but…” Matt didn’t want to explain that he was more confused than angry. “I was kind of hoping we could just, I don’t know, forget about it.”
Christian was frowning and worrying his bottom lip again in what was clearly a nervous habit. He looked at Matt cautiously. “Does that mean you didn’t invite me over to poison me with that weird cranberry sauce?”
Matt laughed, glad
Most of the furniture was new. He had sprung for the slightly more expensive microfiber sectional and matching chair in a deep blue; the sectional and coffee table took up most of the space in front of the entertainment center. The king-sized bed in his bedroom was definitely an extravagance, but after spending so much time in Army bunks, he wanted the extra space. He had kept a few things from his parents’ house, including the bookcase and the desk he kept in the second bedroom and the few paintings on the living room walls.
“Thanks.” Matt picked up one of the grocery bags — he’d only gone out for cranberry sauce and turkey! — and gave Christian a quick tour. “It’s a little bigger than I need, but it gives me plenty of room for the big screen TV and surround sound.” Matt pointed to the left. “The master bedroom and bath are through that door,” he pointed to the right, “and that hall on the right has a spare bedroom and bath. The kitchen’s through here.” The kitchen was directly to the right of the living room, sharing a wall where Matt indicated the second bedroom.
“Thanks for inviting me over.” Christian followed Matt into the kitchen. “I really wasn’t looking forward to spending Thanksgiving by myself.”
“It’s no problem.” Matt put the last of the non-perishable items on the counter. “I recorded the parade from this morning if you want to watch before we make dinner.”
Christian positively beamed; Matt thought he might have been bouncing. “You did! I don’t have TV. That’s so cool. Can we watch?”
Matt found Christian’s enthusiasm infectious. “Sure. Grab the chips.” Matt pulled a couple of beers from the fridge and followed Christian to the couch.
“I haven’t seen the parade in forever,” Christian said, taking a beer from Matt. “I love the floats.”
Matt couldn’t help but smile. Christian had to be the most enthusiastic person he had ever met. “I like the balloons,” he admitted.
Dinner was quick and easy; instant potatoes and stuffing hardly took much time at all. Matt got that all set up while Christian laid out the sandwich fixings and cranberry sauce. They both laughed at the obscene sound the cranberry jelly made as Christian slid it out of the can.
Before Matt even realized it, they were sitting on the couch, stuffed, watching football and waiting to digest enough to eat dessert.
Christian shifted, suddenly seeming restless again. He fidgeted but Matt didn’t have a chance to ask him what was wrong.
Christian turned to face him. “I. Look, I just wanted to apologize for that night. It was, God, I think it’s got to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I’m really sorry. I get that you’re straight and that you’re not interested in me, and I understand if you don’t want to speak to me ever again. But I like you. As a friend, I mean. I — I heard that you stopped coming in for coffee in the morning, but I’m almost never there that early, and I won’t bother you again. I’m sorry.”
Matt was a little stunned, a little taken aback. He hadn’t been expecting an apology. He was perfectly content not talking about it until he figured out how he really felt. He wasn’t sure why Christian was bringing it up now.
Matt took a deep breath. “I really don’t know what to say. I mean, shit. I’m obviously not mad at you. I was, at first, but…” Matt didn’t want to explain that he was more confused than angry. “I was kind of hoping we could just, I don’t know, forget about it.”
Christian was frowning and worrying his bottom lip again in what was clearly a nervous habit. He looked at Matt cautiously. “Does that mean you didn’t invite me over to poison me with that weird cranberry sauce?”
Matt laughed, glad
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