Happy New Year - 1. Chapter 1 Unexpected Kisses

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Unexpected Kisses

“The hell am I wasting my first kiss of the year on you!”

“Cody, come on!”

“No, Damian, no. Dance is over,” Cody said as he tried to break the grip the man had on him.

“Please! Okay, forget the kiss then. You agreed to dance with me, so that has to mean something. Just, please… don’t storm away from me again.”

“I did agree, but only because you put me on the spot and made me feel guilty. I’ve changed my mind, so let go of me! People are staring.” He glanced around the crowded dance floor, but in truth, no one was paying attention to them, not even the friend he came with. Jason appeared to have found his target, a little blond twink, to bring the New Year in with.

“Who cares? I don’t give a crap about anyone else. Just talk to me.”

“Talk to you? Been there, done that, and where did that ever get us?” Cody scowled, but he stopped trying to pull free. He refused to move, though, planting his feet in one spot.

“Okay, I admit it’s my fault we got off on the wrong foot tonight. I shouldn't have said you were being ridiculous, but can’t we start over?”

“Any more boyfriends you’re keeping in hiding?”

“That’s not fair!”

“Not fair? I’ll tell you what’s not fair. Kissing me on my birthday and telling me I was all you thought about ever since I left Winnipeg—and how I was the only one for you, while you had a fucking boyfriend. That’s what’s not fair.”

“How many times do I have to tell you we weren’t boyfriends? And I stopped the mediocre sex that meant nothing to me, long before I said that stuff to you, and before I kissed you. I swear—”

“Lonnie says different.”

“Because Lonnie doesn’t want to accept it.”

“Yet, you guys were still living together.”

“So! So what? You already knew that. But only until I took possession of my new apartment. Why would I sign a lease if we were any kind of couple?”

“Lonnie said you were both supposed to move to the new place.”

“I know what he said to you, but he’s lying his ass off because he doesn’t want to see us together. Never, not ever, was it discussed that he would move with me. For god’s sake, how does that make sense when there is seven months left on his own lease?”

“Bedbugs.”

“Bedbugs? Are you serious right now?”

“I asked him about that, and it’s what he said—he couldn’t stand living there because of bedbugs, but you guys couldn’t break the lease.”

“First of all, I’m not on the lease. I only moved in as a friend when I came here to work things out with you.”

“You sure changed your mind about that, didn’t you,” he said sarcastically.

“No, I didn’t, you did. I get here to find you all hot and bothered over Leo. Never mentioned that in your one fucking email.”

“Now you’re being an ass. We were never anything to each other, and I had to move on, so yeah, I dated Leo.”

“And I waited.”

“Right, while you were shacked up with Lonnie. Why didn’t you tell me he wasn’t just a roommate… that he was your boyfriend?”

Damian blasted out a frustrated sigh. “Because I didn’t think of us that way… we had sex, like four times, and he thought he owned me. It was just like when we dated in high school, and I should have known better than to go there, but I never once said we were together. That was all in his head. And, as far as you and me not being anything to each other, you once told me you could see a future for us. What happened to that?”

“I was nineteen, Damian. What the fuck did I know? You were staying in Winnipeg, and I decided it wasn’t for me.”

“But now you’re twenty-one, so you have it all figured out?”

“Don’t be a smartass!”

“Okay, okay, sorry. I get what you’re saying… but I moved here, didn’t I? And you said some stuff on your birthday too. You told me I could be the one, and how much you’d missed me… and you kind of said the L word.”

“That was before I knew you were a liar.”

“I’m not a liar!”

“So, if I had said something different, like, I wasn’t interested, you still wouldn’t have moved to the new place with Lonnie?”

“Fuck no. Cody, I’m telling you the truth... you had nothing to do with that decision. We were over—hell, we hadn’t even started—and there were no fucking bed bugs. He’s still living in the same place, for fuck sake.”

“He is?”

“Yes. And he has a new boyfriend, yet he’s still fucking with my life.”

“Hey, that’s bull. I just saw him three weeks ago, and he told me—”

“Told you what?”

“That you guys were slowly working it out.”

“Oh my god! What a bastard he is, and why the fuck would you believe him over me, especially since I’m living in my own place now. Do you not remember what Lonnie was like… the games he played?” Damian sighed, and his body went rigid as his hands dropped to his side. “You know what, Cody? I give up. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you’re not the one after all. And maybe I spent the last year pining over something that was never there. Sorry I wasted your time… Happy New Year. I hope you have a good life.”

Cody didn’t know what he was expecting, but this wasn’t it, and he had mixed feelings as he watched Damian walk away. He’d had such a crush on him all through high school. The timing had never been right, though, and when they finally did get together, he’d already made the decision to move to Toronto, something impossible for Damian to do at the time. Still, for the time it lasted, their fire had burned bright. So bright.

He remembered how excited he’d been when, eight months later, Damian had called to say he was at the Toronto airport. The joy was short-lived, though, once Leo had asked who was calling. It hit him how everything had changed, and he had to let Damian know.

As soon as Cody mentioned his boyfriend, the call had become excruciatingly awkward. Within a minute, it ended, with Damian insisting he didn’t need a ride, and it was a month before he heard from him again—at a house party hosted by a mutual friend from the old neighborhood.

Again, it’d been awkward when, after kissing up a storm with Leo, he’d spotted his ex across the room, staring at him. His whole body had reacted, going cold at the pained expression he saw. He had no choice but to go over and make introductions. Leo, sensing something, acted stupidly possessive, and Damian had left the party shortly after.

Now Leo was gone. Probably because Cody couldn’t help comparing him to Damian in his mind. He tried not to, but the fact was, he didn’t love Leo. There was no drama, but Leo got the message, and they drifted apart until they mutually agreed it wasn’t working. The whole time, his thoughts were never far from Damian Leno.

And then had come his surprise birthday party, and his unexpected but exhilarating conversation with Damian. The man had laid himself on the line, telling Cody all the things he wanted to hear. It had been the best couple of hours he’d had since he moved to Toronto, and he’d been deliriously happy when they parted that night. Cody was going to cook him dinner the next evening, but then came the accusatory call from Lonnie.

Lonnie. He’d always been a shit disturber. He was funny, charming, and a little crazy, but he could also be, as Damian said, a bastard. You didn’t cross Lonnie. Hmmm. You didn’t cross Lonnie. Why in the fuck would he believe Lonnie over Damian? What the hell was the matter with him?

He scanned the crowd inside the bar, but Damian was nowhere to be seen, and he began to panic. He searched everywhere, weaving his way through the raucous crowd as the clocked ticked toward midnight. Jason hadn’t seen him either.

Damian had left… given up and left. He was tempted to call him, but the timing had proved to be wrong once more, and maybe that was the universe telling him something… that they would never be ready. Feeling sad, and ashamed at his stupidity, he decided to clear out too. Maybe, after a little time had passed, he would reach out to the man, and see….

The coat check was deserted, and he tapped the bell numerous times for assistance, just wanting to be gone before the New Year arrived. He was about ready to go behind the counter and look for his coat when the door to the outdoor smoking section opened, and an older man in an all-white linen pantsuit came through, rushing over to serve him.

He flicked his flowing silver hair back over his shoulders, before apologizing. “Sorry about that, darling. I really didn’t think anyone would be leaving before midnight. Not having a good time?”

“No, not really.”

“Ticket?”

“Oh yeah, here you go.”

“So, anything to do with that good-looking stud-muffin you were dancing with?”

“You saw that?”

“I see everything, sweetie, especially the cute ones. That looked like a pretty serious conversation you were having. I can tell you he’s not having any fun either.”

“How do you know that? He’s… he’s still here?”

The coat checker smiled, and gestured with his head towards the outside smoking area. “Looking like he lost his best friend too.”

“I didn’t think he smoked,” he said lamely.

“He wasn’t smoking, dear. He’s just parked on the wall, drinking his beer, and staring at the door. I’m guessing he’d like to see someone walk through it. Still want your coat?” The man leaned forward with his arms braced on the counter, his bracelets clinking, and a knowing grin on his face.

“No… no thanks. I’ll just… ah….”

“Yeah, yeah, I think you should. Pretty, lovesick men like that don’t come along every day—not even every decade—trust me on that.” He sighed dramatically. “Here, take your ticket back, sweetie, and good luck. Now go give this lonely old queen something to be happy about on New Year’s Eve.”

“Thanks.” Cody took a deep breath and turned away. On impulse, he turned back and planted a quick kiss on the startled man’s lipstick-covered lips. “You’re the sweetie, not me. Happy New Year!”

He laughed when the man giggled and then camped it up, putting an arm over his forehead and fanning his face with his other hand. “I do declare, child, you are a scrumptious angel, yes you are.”

Cody laughed, and winked conspiratorially. “Let’s hope my friend agrees with you.”

“Oh he will, darling, he will. Any fool can see that boy’s smitten with a capital S E X. Now stop wasting time and go get him.”

Cody laughed nervously as he went to the door, but it opened before he could touch the handle, and he found himself face to face with Damian. “Ah… hi.”

“Hi.”

“I thought you left.”

“I was going to, but…”

“But?” Cody watched the man’s lips, so close, and so disconcerting. Stud muffin was right.

“It was hard to… walk away.”

“Well… that’s good. You can listen to my New Year’s resolution then.”

“Oh, ah… I thought you didn’t believe in them. I remember—”

“That was the old me. The stupid me. I’m twenty-one now and I’ve got it all figured out.”

Damian raised his eyebrows in question, his confusion evident. “Are you being facetious?”

“No, sorry, I’m being serious… well, I was trying to be funny too. So, you want to hear my resolution?”

“Ah, sure, go ahead.”

“Okay, but let the door close because that draft is chilly.”

“Right, yeah, I guess it is.” He let go of the door and moved a step closer. Cody didn’t back up.

“So, my resolution is to always believe you. To always trust you.”

“I see,” Damian said, his breath wafting over his face. “Those kind of sound like vows.”

“They could be, if you still think I’m the one.”

Damian’s eyebrows rose again. “You serious? You believe me? You… you want—”

“Yes, yes, and yes. I know you’re not a liar, and I do remember what Lonnie is like, how he likes to manipulate. And you know what else?”

“What?” The man was smiling now.

“If I could do it over again, I never would have left Winnipeg without you. That was a big mistake.”

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say.”

“I was already fond enough, Damian.”

“So was I.”

A roar from the crowd interrupted them, and the countdown began in unison. "Ten, nine, eight…

“I have another resolution.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?”

“To give you my first kiss of every year from now on.”

… three, two, one! Happy New Year!"

Who’d have thought there would be fireworks inside the bar? Cody saw them with his eyes closed. When he opened them, he saw the future he’d seen the first time Damian had ever kissed him. “Happy New Year, Damian. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Cody. Happy New Year. Best one ever,” he said, grinning from ear to ear.

The crowd around them was boisterous, but even with the noise, one squeal caught his attention. He looked over at the coat check to see his new friend clapping his hands with glee. “Hey, there’s someone I want you to meet, but there’s something I should tell you—he got my last kiss of the year.”

“What?!”

“Relax. Nothing will come of it, but if it bothers you, I’ll let you kiss him too, because we both owe him.”

“I don’t want to kiss anyone else. Who are you talking about and why do we owe him?” Damian asked with a frown.

“See the coat-check guy?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, he’s the reason I stuck around. He told me where you were and gave me back my ticket. He’s an absolute sweetheart, and he told me to go get you… said guys like you don’t come along every day, and he’s right.”

“Oh, okay… now I get it, and I definitely owe him a kiss for the good advice he gave you.”

Cody loved seeing the happy smirk that appeared on his boyfriend’s face. “Be careful, though… try not to smear his lipstick too much,... and no tongue,” he teased. Approaching the counter, Cody grinned, and then giggled at the man who was now doing a happy dance, complete with pirouettes.

“Happy New Year, Darlings!”

*