Reckoning - 12. Chapter 12

They arrived at the restaurant on time. They checked their coats, Patrick excused himself for the men’s room.. Adam approached the maitre d’, middle age male dressed in clothes high stander as the patron.

“Good evening, sir. Name?” he said, while taking in air.

“Adam Potter.”

“Potter,” he exhaled while checking a large ledger with rolls of name a few with checks beside them others with slashes through the whole name. His finger slid along the rolls of names until he landed on Adam’s. “Yes, here we are.” He glanced up seeing Adam’s smiling face and grinned. “There seems to be a problem.”

“What problem?”

His eyes looked Adam up and down. “I’m afraid a more—important client has…” Before he could finish, he spotted someone he recognized.

“Adam is our table ready?” Patrick said, taking his arm and smiling at the maitre d’ who straightened up and cleared his throat.

“There a problem…”

“Uh, no,” the man stout out, needing to correct his mistake. “What I meant to say is we upgraded your table.” He grabbed two menus.

“You did?” Adam asked.

Patrick stared at the maitre d’ whom he knew recognized him. He and his family dined in the restaurant numerous times. He hoped the man would not blurt out his name.

“Yes, sir. Won’t you please follow me?”

Adam looked at Patrick who held his arm smiling up at him.

The maitre d’ took them to their table, which was private with a view of the city lights. He waved for more waiters to fill their water glasses as one waited to take their drink orders.

They enjoyed a superb meal and a perfect evening. Adam payed the bill with his credit card as Patrick finished his coffee.

They left as people whispered seeing Patrick Valdez holding a mystery man’s arm.

They stepped outside and Adam gave the valet his number as Patrick heard thunder in the distance. He looked to the sky, watching the flashes bounce from each cloud. Droplet fell and bounced off each car that pulled up to receive their owners.

“Nuts, it’s starting to rain.”

“I love the rain.”

Adam looked at Patrick staring at the sky and smiled. He reached up and caressed the back of his head, weaving his finger through his soft curls. Patrick, buzzed from the two bottles of Champaign they shared, flashed a devious grin.

“What are you thinking?” Adam asked.

Patrick pushed from him and moved from under the protective aweing. The raindrops fell faster, soaking his hair, clothes, and body.

“Pat, come back under here. You’re getting wet.”

“I know. And I love it,” he called back. “The car is this way right?”

“Wait, Patrick,” Adam said, rushing to the valet and grabbing his keys. Patrick walked in between standing cars. “Pat, wait.” Adam called, running after him, flinching from the chilly rain. Patrick walked without worry as Adam raced to catch him. He saw Adam’s jeep up a head and he looked back at Adam and smirked and took off running. Adam eyed a car speeding towards him. He sprinted to Patrick, who had turned to see Adam following him.

“Patrick, look out!”

Patrick, buzzing from the Champagne, lost all inhibition as the on-coming storm spill out, he wanted the drops of water on his face. Adam called to him to come back, but he knew Adam would follow because he wanted him. Adam was closing in when Patrick spotted the jeep ahead. He took off running towards it when he heard Adam called again. He looked back as bright lights blanketed him. Before he could react, a body slammed into him knocking him to the hard wet ground as the lights disappear from view.

People raced to help the couple as Patrick laid on his side, his face pressed against a chest.

“Pat, are you okay?” Adam asked, looking down at his shaken lover.

Patrick eased his head up to see Adam as his hero again. “Adam, you saved me again.”

“Always.”

“Are you two all right?” asked an attendant.

“Yeah. We’re fine,” Adam respond helping Patrick to his feet.

Once everyone believed they were unharmed, the crowd disbursed. Unknowing to Adam and Patrick, a few people recorded and took photos on their phones of the couple more to the reason it involved a Valdez.

During the drive Patrick sat quietly. The bubbly person he was after their dinner was gone.

“Pat.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay? Because if you’re not, I can take you to the hospital.”

“I’m fine, Adam.”

“Physical?”

“Yes.”

“Mentally?”

Patrick hesitated. “Yes,” he said, unsure.

Adam pulled to the side of the road and unlocked his seat belt and climbed out. Patrick wonder what he was doing getting wet again when Adam came around and opened his door and unbuckled his seatbelt and pulled him out of the jeep and into a hug.

Once Adam had Patrick in his embrace, the young man melted into the hug as a quiet sob escaped him.

“Let it out Pat. It’s okay.”

“Adam,” he sobbed. “If I only listened.”

“Pat,” Adam pushed him back to see his face. “You did nothing wrong. I love your fun nature and free spirit never change that.”

“You’re not mad?”

“No.”

Before Patrick could respond, Adam kissed him. The rain fell harder as Adam pulled away.

“Ready to go home?”

“Yes,” Patrick said, his curls weighted down from the rain.

They climbed back into the jeep and continued on.

Adam parked his jeep in front of the building. They took the elevator up and entered the apartment, removing their wet clothes at the door. Adam picked Patrick up and carried him to the bedroom, placing him on the bed.

“Stay here and I’ll grab a towel for you.” Adam took off and brought back one towel that he used to dry Patrick’s curls and his damp body.

“You take such good care of me.” Patrick said, shivering.

“I guess I get that from my mom.”

“I agree, your cooking is amazing,” Patrick said, climbing under the covers.

Adam tossed the towel aside and joined Patrick under the warm sheets, pressing their bodies close. “I’m amazing at other things too.”

“Please show me, Detective Potter.” Patrick kissed along Adam’s jawline.

“As you wish.”

The rain outside tapped against the windows as the two made love. Outside, a car pulled up with no license plates and stopped beside Adam’s jeep.