The Modern Love Waltz - 9. Chapter 9

9: It Begins

After Beau had left, I made a snap decision. I drove into a small parking lot, welcomed by a sign reading "TED'S". Next to the lot was a garage, its door wide open. Inside I saw Zach hard at work on a car. He was wearing a mechanics uniform that was only half on, acting simply as pants. For a shirt all he had was a white wife-beater, covered in grease and grime.

I stepped out of my car. Zach hadn't yet looked at me, though it was obvious he knew I was here. I took a deep breath and walked into the garage. Before I had the chance to say anything without looking Zach spoke, "What do you want?"

I winced. His voice was cold and angry. He was hurt. "I... I guess..."

"You guess what?!" He interrupted.

"Should we go somewhere, aren't you afraid about Ted?" I asked.

"Ted's not here today. It's just me," he sighed,

"Zach," I began. "I'm sorry."

"I don't believe you!" He shouted. "You're sorry?!"

"What do you want me to say?" I asked.

"Just leave me alone," he sighed.

"I won't do that! You and I..." I began but couldn't finish.

"You and I what?! What were you going to say? We make such a cute couple? What?!" He screamed.

I laughed. My flippant emotions were running wild again. "You know... grease monkey is a good look for you," I teased reaching out and touching his arm. His muscles were more present than I had originally noticed.

It was hard to tell initially how Zach was going to respond to my forward approach. He pulled away from my arm and took a step back. "What is wrong with you?" He said, though not as angrily as I had expected. His voice was unsure sounding.

"Sorry," I sobered.

Zach pushed past me and shut the garage door, closing us off from the outside world. "Why are you teasing me like this? You know how I feel and you're just playing with me... like I'm a toy."

"Correction... I do not know how you feel, because you won't be direct with me. How am I supposed to know how you feel, if you don't tell me?" I replied.

Zach looked defeated, "So what's this thing with Beau?"

"Beau?" I faked ignorance.

"Sam, come on. Like I didn't notice how he was acting around you. Are you fucking him?" He asked.

"I don't believe it! You're jealous?!" I asked. "Beau is not gay!"

My surety seemed to comfort Zach, "Jealous?" He laughed, "I'm not jealous. I just..."

I looked at him, waiting for him to come up with something.

"I like you," Zach muttered.

I smiled. I felt like ever since that first kiss on the couch I had been waiting for him to say that. But now that he had I was confused and indecisive. I leaned towards Zach who responded by grabbing my shoulders with his grimy hands and pulling my lips to his.

Kissing Zach was sweet. Zach had a soft, loving quality that seemed to surface at moments like this. His hands began caressing my back as we continued. This third kiss was much more than the other two with Zach. I felt a connection that had not been there before. As was seeming to be the case every time, it felt right. A strobe-effect of mental images began flashing in my head: Zach, Beau, Chris, and repeat. Continuous confusion.

Our kiss (and my thoughts) was interrupted by a harsh rapping at the door. "Oh shit," Zach whispered. "Uhh... one sec."

I watched as he grabbed the garage door and threw it open. Standing in the doorway was a girl that looked to be about my age. She was wearing a tight, hot pink shirt with a white mini-skirt that didn't leave much to the imagination. She also wore huge sunglasses that were probably designer. Her purse was a gotti, gold that shined in the sun light.

"Hey Zach," she teased, smiling. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Sam. He's visiting from up north. He's a grandson of Jane's," Zach said. Then to me, "Sam this is Anna, my..."

"His girlfriend!" She interrupted as she stuck a manicured hand out for a shake.

Inside I was laughing hysterically. "Anna! Yes! I've heard so much about you!" I lied, smiling broadly. I glanced at Zach who looked embarrassed and relieved that I was playing along.

"What are you doing here, babe?" Zach asked.

"Can't a girl visit her boyfriend?" She replied. "I drive all the way from Kilmarnock just to see you and I don't even get a lousy kiss?!"

"Oh," Zach blushed even more. The two shared a peck before Zach continued, "Sorry babe, I just wasn't expecting you."

"I live so far away, and you hardly visit, I had to make sure you were still mine!" She was starting to get on my nerves. "So who's Jane?"

Zach sobered, "Anna... I told you about Jane."

Anna's eyes widened, "Oh! Jane... oh Sam, I'm so sorry to hear!"

I must admit, I was surprised that she first remembered my name still, and that she connected that. "Thanks," I muttered.

"Anna, do you mind if me and Sam talk privately for a minute?" Zach asked.

"Not at all," she said as she pulled her cell phone out of her bag and began to text.

Zach led me into the garage's office. The blinds were closed, so she couldn't see in. I stared at Zach attempting to hide my smirk. As he shut the door he looked at my teasing grin, "Shut up!"

"You have got to be shitting me!" I laughed. "You are dating her?"

"She's a nice girl," he replied.

"Yeah, but first she's a girl and second, she's a total ditz."

"Well I had to keep up appearances somehow. I'm not about to come out of the closet," he replied.

"I guess the distance helps," I smirked.

"Shut up," Zach sneered. "What would you know?"

"About being in the closet? A lot, being that I am still in the closet," I replied. "Or did you forget that?"

"No, I didn't forget," Zach sighed.

"Why did you pull me back here?" I asked.

"When are you leaving?" Zach asked.

I was still having trouble with this particular predicament. "A couple of days, maybe?"

"What are you doing tonight?" Zach continued.

"I'm..." I began, "visitng my grand father." A lie.

"Tomorrow?"

"Nothing, why?"

"Do you want to get dinner?" Zach choked as he asked.

I laughed, "What?"

"You know... get dinner?" Zach was blushing.

"Oh my god," I sighed.

"Fuck you. I'm stupid. Sorry," Zach slammed his fist on the desk next to him.

"No, it's not that..." I took a deep breath. "I'd love to," I exhaled.

"Really?" Zach brightened, "I'll pick you up!"

I laughed again, "All right. Well, I got to go, and you have Anna waiting."

*~*~*

By the time I got back to the rental house, it was past two in the afternoon. I was feeling much more energetic than I had in the past week. I couldn't help but wonder if it might be the date with Beau tonight. Or perhaps the date with Zach tomorrow. Either way, this screwed up situation was making me feel really good.

I decided to workout, something I hadn't done since my grandmother's death (or since I was stabbed in the stomach). I took it easy at first, not wanting to hurt myself. After over an hour, I was feeling extraordinarily high, despite the sharp pains in my abs. The workout made me miss soccer even more.

*~*~*

After the workout I jumped into the shower. I got lost in my thoughts. My mind kept leaping from Zach to Beau to Chris.

I looked down at my stomach. The cuts were already healing. It seemed they had not been as bad as I had orginally thought. As I finished rinsing out the shampoo from my hair, I heard a car door shut. I stuck my head out of the shower and looked at the wall clock mounted in the bathroom. It was an hour before Beau was supposed to be here.

I heard the front door of the rental home open, then, "Sam?" Beau called.

"Beau! You're early!" I said as I leapt out of the shower and grabbed my white towel. I wrapped it around my waist and stepped out of the bathroom. My body shimmering from the warm water.

"Oh!" Beau said, blushing. He rubbed the back of his head and looked away as he said, "Sorry, I'm so early."

"Oh no, it's no problem," I smiled. I need to walk past him to get to my room, but he didn't realize. "Uhh... I need to sneak by you."

"Oh! Sorry!" He said.

As I stepped past him, my towl got caught on a door's hinge, and it was quickly ripped off. It took me a brief second to realize that I was completely nude right in front of Beau. I quickly cupped my hands over myself. Beau for a second couldn't look away. He just turned an unimaginable red, then tore his eyes away.

"Ha!" I laughed, "I am so sorry about that." I quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped it around me once more.

Beau laughed nervously. "I'll go wait in the living room," he said as he adjusted his khaki pants.

I stepped into my bedroom and quickly got changed. As I walked into the living room fully clothed, I saw Beau sitting on the couch. He was wearing khaki pants and a blue button up shirt. The shirt was just a tad bit to small for his muscles which were close to bursting out. He looked like such a gentleman. At the same time he was clearly quite nervous.

"You know, you probably could invest in some shirts that are just a tiny bit bigger. I mean your muscles clearly want out!" I laughed. He jumped at my voice, having not realized I had walked into the room.

He laughed, "I haven't gotten new clothes since before the Army."

"Well you look great," I smiled.

He blushed again as he stood from the couch. "You ready for tonight?"