Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela Read Online Free PDF Page B

to face Adam, chuckling and shaking his head. ―Man,
    what is with you? Is your gaydar broken?‖
    ―Aww, it‘s these goddamn metrosexuals —they jack me up but
    good. What kind of straight dude wears fancy shoes, has a manicure,
    and orders an appletini?‖
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    Felicia Watson

    ―What‘re you hittin‘ on a guy like that for, anyway? And how‘d
    he take it?‖
    Embarrassment flushed Adam‘s cheeks as he answered, ―What
    can I say, I was drunk, it was late, and he was cute. And luckily, he just
    thought I was having some fun at his expense.‖
    ― That’s lucky? Adam—‖
    ―Oh, come on. You‘re makin‘ me sorry I brought this up. You
    mean to tell me you‘ve never been attracted to a straight guy?‖
    A memory of thick, dark blond hair, muscular arms, and a tight
    rear end flashed through Nick‘s mind. Suddenly an uncomfortable truth
    was closer than the sweaty sheets. Nick hurriedly brushed the subject
    aside. ―Of course I have. I‘m just not interested in pursuing them. Who
    the fuck needs that grief?‖
    Green eyes alight with mischief, Adam nudged him. ―I don‘t
    know, you know what they say about every guy being just a six pack
    away from being gay.‖
    ―Then why don‘t you pick up a six of Iron City and try that out on
    Mr. Appletini? Let me know how it goes.‖
    ―Nah,‖ Adam laughed. ―I guess I should just do all my ‗hunting‘
    at Woody‘s—after all, that‘s where I found you.‖
    Nick swung his feet over the edge of the bed, retorting with a
    grin, ―You ain‘t never gonna get that lucky again, boy.‖
    ―Tell me about it.‖ Adam‘s tone took on the slightest shade of
    pique as he chided, ―I wouldn‘t even need as many of those freelance
    fucks if you weren‘t so busy all the time.‖
    While he was struggling into his jeans, Nick sighed. ―I know.
    Sorry. Between work and my mom—‖
    ―Hey, I‘m no chick—I‘m not tryin‘ to lay guilt on you. It‘s just, if
    it would help, I really would come over to your place, you know. Your
    mom wouldn‘t faze me.‖
    Nick had considered the possibility more than once but always
    rejected it as risky. ―I know. But the timing would have to be perfect.
    Somewhere in between her being so crazy she‘d bother us or so
    coherent she‘d figure out what we were up to.‖

    Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela
    25

    ―Why don‘t you just tell her, Nick? I bet it wouldn‘t be as big a
    deal as you think.‖
    ―Oh God,‖ Nick groaned. ―You have no idea , do you?‖
    Adam‘s parents, a couple of divorced academics, practically
    tripped over each other striving to be the one more accepting of their
    son‘s sexuality. As much as he liked Adam, Nick had come to accept
    that the younger man would never relate to Nick‘s conservative, lower
    class roots.
    Nor had their three years together brought Adam any real
    appreciation of Nick‘s other constraints—both professional and
    financial. Adam worked an undemanding schedule at the gym but still
    enjoyed a comfortable life, facilitated mainly by his generous parents.
    Unlike Nick, who was still paying off his graduate school loans, Adam
    had coasted through his five years at college with his dad footing the
    entire bill. Even now, his mom paid his monthly car lease and
    insurance, while his dad kicked in for both cell phone and cable bills.
    After Nick said an affectionate goodbye and drove away from
    Adam‘s downtown condo, he brushed aside any vague yearnings for a
    deeper, more visceral connection in a relationship. He‘d never had any
    illusions about romance or love, and this comfortable friendship with
    benefits was perfect as far as he was concerned.
    Nick thought of those posters they had hung up all over ACC
    stating Love doesn’t have to hurt. Maybe it didn‘t have to, but as far as
    he had seen, it usually did.
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    Felicia Watson

    Chapter 3:
    ‘Til We Have Lost the World

    Not ’til we have lost the world do we begin to find ourselves.
    —Henry David