1998

When the Gay and Lesbian Center decided to enter a float in the Gay Pride Parade, Ryan thought it would be fun to work on the committee that was to design it and put it together.

It was the summer between Ryan's junior and senior year of high school. He had found work for the summer teaching swimming lessons at a local health club in the mornings and as a lifeguard at a water park in the afternoons. And now he would spend a couple of evenings each week at the Center for the next month or so.

During the first evening working on the float, Ryan looked up to see a gorgeous man working across from him. He was blond with beautiful blue eyes. Ryan guessed him to be a maybe a year or two older than himself. It surprised Ryan how drawn he was to this man. Usually he went for the younger more androgynous type, but something about this guy had Ryan completely mesmerized. He kept finding himself staring across the float at him. A couple of times the blond looked up and their eyes met, Ryan would then quickly look away, blushing at being caught.

"Hi. I'm Eric." Ryan jumped when he heard the voice behind him. He hadn't noticed that the object of his fascination had walked around the float and come up from behind. He turned and found himself staring into a beautiful pair of ice blue eyes.

"Um. Hi. I'm, uh, Ryan."

"Hi Ryan. Nice to meet you," Eric smiled and extended his hand to be shaken.

Ryan reached out and took the offered hand. "Nice to meet you too Eric."

"Want to get out of here and go have a drink?"

Ryan froze. A drink? Shit, this guy must be older than he thought. "Um, I'm not twenty-one."

Eric grinned, "Are you close?"

Ryan smiled back. "Not really, I'll be eighteen in a few months."

"Well then, how about we go to The Perk and have some coffee?"

Ryan smiled again, "Sounds great."

When they got to the parking lot Eric turned to Ryan and asked, "You want to meet me there or ride with me?"

"I'll meet you there."

"Okay, see you soon then."

Ryan got in his car and pulled out his cell phone. "Mom? I'm going to be a little late tonight."

"You are? Why is that?" Leah and Will were relaxing on the back porch enjoying the cool summer evening.

"I met a guy Mom. He is gorgeous. I'm going to go have coffee with him."

"Gorgeous huh? Well, as long as he's gorgeous. But don't be too late, you still have to get up and teach swim lessons in the morning."

"I won't. Thanks."

"Be good. Love you. And be good."

"I will. Love you too."

Leah hung up the phone grinning. Will turned to her. "You let that kid get away with anything Leah. What is the point of giving him a curfew if you don't make him stick to it?"

"Oh Will. Ryan's a good kid. He never gets into trouble. If he calls and asks to stay out a little late why shouldn't I let him? Shouldn't we cut him some slack for all his good behavior?"

Will just shook his head. They had had this argument before; he wasn't ever going to change her mind.

The Perk was a local hang out for the students of the University of Minnesota. Ryan figured that Eric must go to school there. He pulled up in the parking lot and saw Eric standing by his car waiting for him.

"Hey. Sorry, I guess I got hung up in traffic."

"No problem." Eric had the warmest smile.

They walked in, ordered their coffees, and took a booth near the back.

Eric began, "Are you in high school then?"

"I'll be a senior this year. Are you a student at U of M?"

"Yeah, I'll be a senior this year too. I'm twenty- two, incase you are wondering." Eric had a slow grin that was melting Ryan's heart.

"What are you studying?"

"Graphic design. I'm working this summer as an intern at Pixious. Have you heard of them?"

"Yeah, I have. Their office isn't too far from the health club where I work."

"Small world huh? What do you do at the health club?"

"I teach swimming. I also life-guard at Bahama Mamma's Waterpark."

"That explains your amazing body."

Ryan felt his face flush and his pants tighten. "Um, thanks." He looked down nervously. "So are you from here?"

"No, upstate. I'm from St Cloud."

"Not that far upstate then." St Cloud was only a few miles north of the cities.

"You?" Eric asked.

"Born and bred right here."

"What do your parents do?"

"Dad is a contract drafter for a couple of architecture firms. Mom used to train dogs, but when her dog died earlier this year, she stopped taking any more on and sort of retired from it. Right now she stays busy gardening. How about your parents?"

"My dad is a high school history teacher and my mom is a secretary at a law office."

The conversation went on and Ryan and Eric found themselves feeling very at ease with each other. Finally, Ryan begged off that he had to get home.

"Can I call you?" Eric asked as he walked Ryan over to his car.

"Yeah, let me give you my cell number." Ryan pulled out a piece of paper from his car and jotted the number down.

"Will you go out with me?" Eric walked up closer, invading Ryan's personal space.

"Yeah." It came out as a throaty whisper.

"Good," Eric said softly just before their lips met.

"Wow, he must have really been gorgeous." Leah teased the next morning as Ryan dragged himself down the stairs.

Ryan only smirked out her. Mornings never had been his best time of the day.

"Do I get to hear any details?"

Ryan stuck out his tongue as he headed for the door. "Bye Mom. See you tonight," he shouted over his shoulder as he rushed off to work.

Leah was tempted to call James. This was the first guy Ryan had really been interested in since he had broken things off with John a few months back. He and John had gone steady for almost six months then Ryan had found out that John had been unfaithful. Ryan had been crushed and had moped around the house for weeks. Leah was so glad to see him finally interested in dating again.

Ryan was walking across the parking lot of the health club on his way to his car. The swim lessons were over and he had an hour and a half to eat lunch and get over to the water park for his second job. His cell phone went off.

"Hello?"

"I'm looking out the window watching this incredibly good looking guy walk across the parking lot of the health club. Then it occurred to me that you said you worked there. Is that you?" Eric had actually been scoping out the parking lot all morning waiting to catch Ryan.

"Hey Eric. Where are you?" Ryan had stopped and was looking around trying to find him.

"At Pixious, across the street. Do you have time for lunch?"

"I have until one thirty. Want to go to lunch with me?"

"Can you bring me back here?"

"Sure."

"I'll meet you at your car."

"So what nights are you volunteering at the Center?" Eric and Ryan were sitting at a table at Ryan's favorite Chinese restaurant.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays," Ryan answered.

"Looks like I need to switch my nights then. I'm down for Tuesdays and Wednesdays." Eric winked at him, then decided to shift the conversation to a more personal level. "I figure since you're still in high school you still live with your parents."

"Yep."

"Do they know you're gay?"

"Yeah, I came out to them a couple of years ago."

"And how are they about it?"

"They're okay. Mom is a little too okay, if you know what I mean. How about your parents?"

"They're hoping it's a phase. I didn't come out to them until I was in college. Mom is doing better with it than Dad, for the most part they just try to pretend they don't know."

Ryan nodded; he knew he was lucky. He had heard enough horror stories at the G & L Center. "My uncle was home for the weekend when I came out. He made sure it went smoothly. I'm not sure Mom would have handled it as well if he hadn't been there."

"Where does he live?"

"L.A. He's almost more like a brother to me than an uncle. He's twelve years older than me, but Mom moved back home to take care of him after their parents died. She was pregnant with me then, so we sort of grew up together. I guess that's why the three of us are really close. James, Mom, and me."

"And your dad?"

"Will is my step dad. He's a great guy. They got married when I was seven."

"What about your birth father?"

Ryan shrugged, "He ran out on Mom when he found out that she was pregnant. She said she saw him once after I was born. I have no idea where he is, nor do I care. He left, his loss."

Eric was impressed with Ryan's level of maturity. He seemed to be what Eric's mom would call an old soul. He could see his mom really liking Ryan. He could see himself really liking Ryan too.

"What are you doing this weekend? Do you have any plans?" Eric began chewing on his bottom lip nervously as soon as the words were out.

"No, no plans."

"Want to catch a movie?"

"Sure."

"Maybe dinner too?"

"Sounds good."

Eric smiled. "Cool. I'll call you later in the week to get directions to your house. We probably better head back. I need to get back to work."

Ryan and Eric were both walking on air the rest of the day.

Thursday evening when Ryan got to the Center, he was surprised to see Eric there.

"You weren't kidding about changing the evenings you volunteered were you?" Ryan smiled warmly at him.

"Nope. I don't want to risk some cute guy trying to hit on you when I'm not looking." Eric could only hope Ryan was falling as hard as he was.

The evening flew as the two chatted easily while working on the decorations. After they had worked on the float for a couple of hours, Eric walked Ryan out to his car. "So do I get to meet your parents tomorrow before we go out?"

"Get too? I think it is more like 'have to'," Ryan teased.

Eric smiled, "Where do you want to eat?"

"I don't know. Surprise me."

Eric pressed up against Ryan, pinning him to the car. "I can do that." Eric leaned down and captured Ryan's lips in a passionate kiss.

Friday night arrived and Ryan was so nervous he was driving Leah crazy. "Damn Ryan, you really like this guy don't you?"

Ryan gave her that look, the one where only one eyebrow goes up. It was the same look James use to give her. She only grinned back. Poor kid was having enough trouble dealing tonight; he didn't need her giving him a bad time.

The doorbell rang and she turned to go answer it.

"Oh no you don't." Ryan came blowing by her to get to the door before she had a chance. There was no way he was going to let her get to Eric first.

"Hi Eric, come on in." Ryan opened the door and stepped back giving him entry.

"Mom, this is Eric. Eric this is my mom."

Leah stuck out her hand. "Call me Leah, please." This guy was gorgeous. No wonder Ryan had been pacing the floors for the last hour.

"Nice to meet you Leah."

"You boys want to come in and sit down?"

"Uh. No, Mom. We need to go." Ryan wasn't about to let her start in on Eric.

Will came wandering down the stairs. "Was that the doorbell? Oh. Hi."

"Dad this is Eric. Eric this is my dad, Will."

"Hello Eric," Will shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too Will."

"Okay, we really need to be going." Ryan wanted to get Eric away from his parents before they said something that would embarrass him. It was only a matter of time as it was. He just hoped it wouldn't be tonight.

"Your parents seem nice, Ryan." They were at a fancy and rather expensive Italian restaurant.

"They are. But they're just parents you know. I love them, but they are great about embarrassing the crap out of me."

Eric nodded. He definitely could understand that. "What movie do you want to see?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen Primary Colors yet."

"Then we should see it."

After the movie, they walked slowly back to Eric's car. "What time do you turn into a pumpkin?"

"Huh?"

Eric chuckled, "What time do I need to have you home?"

"Oh, um, two."

"Want to go to my apartment and watch TV?"

"Sounds good."

They got into Eric's car. Ryan decided he had to broach the subject. "Does my age bother you?"

Eric was silent for a moment. "Well, I have to admit that I've never dated some one as young as you. But no, it doesn't really bother me."

"What about going to the bars and stuff?"

"Entirely overrated."

"And having to have me back home by curfew?"

"Pain in the ass, but maybe I think you're worth it. Besides, I plan to charm your mother so that eventually she'll let you stay out later."

Ryan grinned; this guy was too good to be true.

"James. Guess what." Leah couldn't wait to call her brother after Eric and Ryan had left the house.

"What?"

"Ryan is on a date. A real honest date."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I mean the guy came and picked him up. Came in the house and met us, the works."

"Cool. So I take it you like this guy."

"I don't know him. But I can tell you he is a cutie. He's older too."

"How old?"

"I don't know. But not in high school, that's for sure."

"Glad to hear Ryan is finally moving on then." Leah had been worried about Ryan and James was getting tired of hearing it. "So how are you doing?"

"Me? I'm okay."

"Training any dogs?"

"No. I'm not ready yet." Leah didn't want to talk about losing Lucky. Just the thought of her dog still brought tears to her eyes. "How is Jane?"

"I don't know, she's staying with her folks for awhile."

"Oh? What did you do?"

"Why do you assume I did something? Maybe she did something and I sent her packing."

"James, what happened?"

"Never mind."

"James."

"Let's just say I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar."

"You truly are a shit. You know that, right?"

"Yeah I know it."

© Melina Catts 2004

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