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Ben didn t want to turn into Carl, obsessing over where David went, how he spent
his time and who he spent it with. Perhaps he was reading more into that email than
was intended. Or perhaps there was interest but only on Kensington s part. There was
no reason to assume the worst of David! Shouldn t one think the best of one s lover?
David had never given him reason before to question or doubt him.
It suddenly occurred to Ben as he sat there that David might have answered the
email. Quickly he tapped the keys on his keyboard, opening his email and clicking on
the sent folder. He scrolled down for the cursed subject line containing David s name
but found nothing. He wasn t sure if he was relieved or not. At least if David had
replied, he would have known definitively one way or the other what David s true
intentions were.
For all he knew, David might have never stopped seeing other guys, at least on a
casual basis. How would Ben be the wiser? After all, David s days were unstructured
compared to Ben s. In the fifty or so hours Ben spent at the office each week, not to
mention his Wednesday night poker game and the periodic racquetball games, there
was plenty of time for David to see whoever he wanted. Ben s mind flashed back to the
naked men who adorned the walls of David s studio apartment, each better-looking
than the last. He d assured Ben none of them were lovers but perhaps he had only been
protecting Ben? Or lying to protect himself&
Ben stood from his desk, no longer even pretending to analyze the information
scattered there. He pushed his hands through his hair and turned to stare out at the
hazy city skyline. He was going to make himself crazy. Instead of obsessing about this,
he should just talk to David. Straightforward and simple.
Yes. He would just ask him what, if anything, there was between him and Nigel.
Even as he thought this however, he could hear Carl, his voice bitter with accusation as
he questioned Ben endlessly about where he d really been, who he d really been with
and what he d really been doing. Ben had found himself responding defensively, which
to Carl, was proof of his guilt.
He didn t want to put David or himself in that position. He had to trust David. He
would trust David. And he would give him the space Carl had denied him. He would
treat David as he wished Carl had treated him. He would mind his own business and
leave the deleted email unmentioned.
96
Odd Man Out
When Ben arrived home that evening at 6:45, instead of David there to greet him, he
found a note on the hall table.
Lasagna is in the oven. Just cook it another fifteen minutes at 350 degrees. Nigel Kensington
needed to see me one more time about this article thing. I should be home no later than ten. Love
you, David.
Still holding the note, Ben moved to a chair and sank down into it. Why hadn t
David just called him? Why the note? Were they really meeting for business or for
pleasure? I was wondering if you d care to join me for a drink this evening&
 Ah, David, Ben said sadly.  Is this the beginning of the end?
97
Claire Thompson
Chapter Eleven
From the entrance, David looked around the dimly lit, trendy club, craning to see
Nigel in the crowd.  I m sorry, sir, a very pretty young woman holding a clipboard
said to him.  We re at maximum capacity. Unless you re with someone?
David glanced down at her. The place didn t look all that full to him.  Nigel
Kensington. I m meeting him here at seven.
The woman consulted her clipboard with a frown. After a moment her face
brightened into a smile.  Ah, yes. You must be David Anderson? Mr. Kensington is
expecting you. Right this way, sir. David shrugged as he followed her. Nigel must be
one of the elite who could get into restaurants and clubs mere mortals such as himself
could not. He followed the hostess, aware that sort of thing meant a lot to some people.
He d never particularly cared where he ate or met friends as long as the food was good
and the atmosphere pleasant.
 David! Nigel was seated at a small table near the center of the room. He was
wearing a tailored cream-colored silk suit with a royal blue collarless shirt beneath it.
David, in rumpled brown linen pants and a white, three-quarter-sleeve cotton T-shirt,
felt distinctly underdressed.
Nigel stood and gave David air kisses on either cheek before sitting down and
waving toward a chair with a flourish. He leaned forward, saying,  The waiting list to
get in this place is a mile long. But I know Andre, one of the owners. He sat back
expectantly.
David knew he was supposed to be impressed.  That s lucky, he offered lamely.
Suddenly he thought of Ben, probably home by now, greeted by a note and a lasagna in
the oven but no David.
Why had he agreed to meet Nigel? At the time he d received the email early this
morning, it had seemed like a good idea. Something exciting and slightly risqué. After
all, he hadn t been lying when he had said Ben and he weren t joined at the hip! He
didn t need to report his every move to Ben. They d probably been overdoing it lately
anyway. It would be good for their relationship to pull back a bit. To bring back the
edge of uncertainty that kept things fresh and alive.
And it wasn t as if he were sneaking away for an illicit affair! It wasn t as if he d lied
about where he was going. He had told Ben in the note he was going to see Nigel again.
He had fudged the reason for meeting though. The article was already complete and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]