Chapter 13
At the end of the opera Jim surges to his feet with the rest of the crowd, applauding and wolf-whistling. When Alan rises, Jim throws an arm around his waist, grinning madly. Alan has to raise his voice to be heard over the clamor. “Did you like it?”
He feels like he’s shouting, but he can barely hear himself. Jim must catch some of it, though, because his grin widens and he pulls Alan close. Into Alan’s ear, he hollers, “I loved it! When’s the next one?”
Alan laughs. They stay on their feet for the curtain call, the volume of the audience somehow increasing exponentially every time another actor steps out on stage. But after the mezzo-soprano takes her bow, Alan eases a hand around Jim’s arm and gives it a slight tug. When Jim leans towards him, Alan says, “We should go now
