Pretend You Are for Five More Minutes

Henry shoved another cupcake tray into the oven with a huff. The noise he made bordered on a growl and his warm, beloved kitchen shivered at the sound of it. Sighing, Henry turned away from the oven and leaned his palms against the center island, head lowered. These were not sounds for his kitchen. Not this banging around and huffing and angry noises. The kitchen was his peaceful place. Where Henry smiled without realizing. Rocked his hips offbeat to his favorite bands singing the best of music in the background while boiling bubbles popped and eager veggies sizzled. Today, it was anything but. Today, Henry wore a tight frown rather than a smile. No music played at all, and even if it did, Henry was in no mood for offbeat dancing or out of tune singing. Not even a whistle would make it past his lips. “This is ridiculous,” Henry mumbled, as he snatched up the mixing bowl to scoop some batter out with two of his fingers. He stuck them both in his mouth. Muttered with his mouth still full of batter, “It’s not that big of a deal.” Taking a few more bites of raw batter, Henry dropped the bowl into the sink, considered washing it over shoving it in the dishwasher, but decided to just grab another set of mixing bowls. He had several of them so he could keep baking for special occasions like holidays and birthdays and such. Luke had made sure of that when they moved in together. Henry dug through the cabinets under the sink for the bowl and started mixing up another batch of batter. He could do this. No point in trying to hide it now anyway. Henry was baking cupcakes and he only baked cupcakes when there was something wrong. So Luke was gonna know that something was wrong the second he walked in. Which, if he stuck to his normal schedule, should be in less than a minute. Just in time to sit at the table and claim to help frost the cupcakes when, really, he’d only be licking the frosting off the spoon. Still in the middle of throwing together another mix of batter, Henry could hear the distinct sound of keys jingling in the door. It’d take Luke at least two tries before he finally unlocked it. It always did. “Hey!” Luke called the second he worked the door open. Right on time. “Uh-oh. I smell cupcakes.” He wandered into the kitchen with his coat and hat and gloves still on. “Bad day?” Oh, that wasn’t even the half of it. “Yeah,” Henry grumbled as he pulled the second tray of cupcakes out of the oven. “Real bad.” “Wanna talk about it?” “Sure. But I bet you won’t need me to tell you what happened.” Luke grunted and yanked the wool hat off his head, making his locks of dark hair full of static. “Blaine still giving you a hard time?” Henry scoffed a humorless chuckle. A hard time. A hard time would be a piece of cake. The last two months had been a damn nightmare, having Blaine in the same department. It was hard enough before when Henry needed to pretend to laugh at his jokes—which were sometimes pretty offensive—when just in passing and had to get his approval for only some projects because he was an editor’s personal assistant. Now, since he’d been promoted to a senior editor’s position, he’d been utterly unbearable. With Blaine making subtle remarks that made Henry a little uncomfortable and winking at him after an occasional rude joke and even once pretending that he wanted to pinch his ass. He was pretty sure Luke was gonna plow down anyone who got in his way to sock the guy in the jaw for that one. Most of the time, the things Blaine did were passive enough that Henry had to question if they really were inappropriate or if he was overreacting. Sometimes, it didn’t even dawn on him to be offended until later. On top of that, Blaine somehow managed to pile all his s**t onto Henry’s already full workload. He even made a remark once about Chinese guys loving all that extra work. Never mind the fact that Henry Kato was Japanese. Not that trying to explain something as simple as that would ever get through to someone like Blaine Thompson III. The one time Henry tried, Blaine laughed him off and told him “you people are all the same to me” and Henry didn’t care to bother again. He did take that one to human resources, though, and a month later, everyone had to attend a seminar on sensitivity in the workplace. Luke had told him time and time again to quit. That Henry’s time—and life and hard work—was worth so much more than how he’d been being treated. Henry agreed with that, he really did, but another six months and he’d have a year’s experience in the publishing world. And working for Owl Books for a year could open so many opportunities. He had to stick it out. Just another six months and he would be out of there and then he could look for a job somewhere where his skills and talents would be appreciated. After a year’s experience at one of the most respected publishing houses in the country, Henry could finally make moves to become an editor himself and have a hand in making a writer’s dream come true. That’s if he could survive for that long. “What’s his problem now?” Luke asked, toeing off his work boots and leaving them right under the table where slush and snow formed a little puddle where they landed. “He’s been on my case about the holiday party.” “Oh.” Luke already stuck his finger into the jar of frosting. “When is that again?” Henry tried not to pay too much attention to Luke licking the chocolate off his luscious pink lips. It shouldn’t be too hard. He’d become a pro at ignoring the things Luke did that turned him on. The list was about a mile long—and got added to almost every day—but he’d been ignoring them for years. From those ridiculously thick muscles that he worked so hard on maintaining, to his warm, olive complexion. Those soft locks of loose curls that fell around his heart-shaped face in midnight shreds. His jawline, sharp enough to cut glass. That cleft in his chin and dimple on his right cheek. Those gray eyes, the color of stones dampened by the sea. Everything about him was simply gorgeous. Luke had always been a big guy. Tall. Broad shoulders. Thick muscles. Played football, lacrosse, and basketball. Someone who could have easily been stereotyped as a dumb jock but was nice to everyone and volunteered at homeless shelters and graduated high school with honors. He then went on to start his own business of painting houses at reasonable prices and now volunteered as a coach at an l***q youth center. People had been surprised when Luke Stabile and Henry Kato struck up such a close friendship. While Luke was a jock, Henry had been a bona fide theater kid ever since childhood. Henry loved being on stage and the rush of adrenaline that pumped through him when the spotlight hit him. He helped organize every school play and musical. Had a hand in the volunteer community theater’s youth program. Always had a decent role. Even once landed the part of Romeo in a modern adaptation of the play. Though far from shy, Henry had tended to mostly keep to his crowd. This meant they had two different circles of friends and never interacted all that much. Sure, Henry knew who Luke Stabile was, but then, everyone did. They spoke a few times here and there. Mostly in class if they had to work together. Just like with everyone else, Luke was nice and kind to Henry and made him laugh and never gave him any reason to dislike him at all. If they saw each other outside of school they’d say hello. There’d never been any reason to think he and Luke would be anything more than friendly classmates. That all changed one day in their shared history class when Henry started arguing with their teacher over the inaccuracies of the lesson. That wasn’t the first time he had it out with a teacher and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. His parents always encouraged him to follow his passions and to stand up for what he believed in. So Henry had never been afraid to speak his mind, even when others might be. What Henry never expected that day was for Luke to stand up on the other side of the room and come to his aid, arguing right along with him. Henry had been amazed by the ease in which Luke swept in with his support. At his tenaciousness and his uncanny ability to get under someone’s skin without showing a flicker of emotion. The two of them received detentions for it. They’d been inseparable ever since. “It’s, uh…” Henry turned back to his cupcakes and concentrated on taking them out of the tray one by one. “This Saturday.” “So what’s his problem now?” Luke asked as he rummaged through the fridge. Probably for a can of soda. Luke always had one after work. Henry just picked up another case for him. “What’s he want? For you to cream all the cream puffs?” He turned with a sly smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows. “I can help with that.” Henry was in a bad mood. He’d been in a bad mood all day since Blaine had been up his ass about the stupid party. So Henry was not in the mood to laugh. He really wasn’t, but damn it all, Luke’s goofy smile and completely filthy remark had gone and made him laugh. “Ew.” He scoffed. “You’re gross, Luke.” Henry chuckled softly. His best friend’s humor had always been on the dirty side. “And no. He’s been bugging me about my RSVP.” “Why?” Luke reached out and brushed his thumb over Henry’s cheek. Wiping something—probably flour—off, and Henry’s heart thudded pleasantly like it always did when Luke touched him. “Did you check off the wrong box or something?” A hard lump formed in Henry’s throat. Totally unnecessary and completely ridiculous. This wasn’t really a big deal. He could’ve told Luke weeks ago. When he first sent in his RSVP. “Uh, no. Well…maybe?” Henry shook his head. “Blaine’s been bugging me about my…plus one.” Taking a sip of his soda, Luke’s eyebrows pulled in. “Oh,” he said when he lowered the can. Luke cleared his throat before strolling back over to the table where the first batch of cupcakes were still cooling. He plopped down and picked one up to start frosting it, even though the frosting started to melt a few seconds after he smeared it on. “Did you, uh, ask Ashely to go with you or something?” Henry watched Luke for a second as his friend paid extra close attention to the cupcake with frosting melting into it. That made sense for Luke to assume. The party was at the end of the week. Obviously, if Henry intended on taking someone he would’ve asked them way in advance. Ashely would be a good choice. Henry’s been friends with her almost as long as he’d been friends with Luke. But Henry had something else in mind. “Um…no.” He wasn’t sure why this made him so damn nervous. Asking his best friend to come with him to the office holiday party really shouldn’t be a big deal. It wasn’t like they’d never gone to a party together. Not a work event, but still. “Oh.” Luke flicked his gaze up at him. “Then, who’re you going with?” Before answering that, Henry started mixing another bowl of batter. Just for something to keep himself occupied with even though he was pretty sure the twenty-four he’d already made would be enough. “Well, I, uh, I thought maybe you might wanna come with me?” The noise of the mixer probably drowned out the actual question since Henry turned it on right when he got to the point. “What?” Luke shouted over the mixer. “What’d you say?” Henry finished with the mixer before turning the thing off. He popped out one of the blades and handed it to Luke, who took it with a dopey grin on his face. Eager to lick up the batter still on it. Not that Henry could really make fun of him since he popped out the other one to do the same. “I thought maybe you’d come with me,” Henry repeated. Kept his eyes on the batter he licked up instead of Luke. Especially since Luke didn’t answer right away. “Me?” Luke chuckled. “Really?” He smiled at Henry. Big and wide with sparkles in his eyes. “You want lil ol’ me as your plus one?” The nerves that had been dancing through Henry’s stomach disappeared. Just like that. Luke’s easy and playful nature always calmed Henry down. No wonder Henry was so in love with him. “Yeah, yeah,” Henry grumbled. “Calm your t**s. You wanna come or not?” “I dunno, kid.” Luke, who derived great humor over the fact that he was a whole three days older, gave him a long, drawn out shrug. “Where is this shindig?” Like that actually mattered to him. Henry snorted and flicked some batter at his face as he poured it into the tray. “That country club on Stewart Ave, dork. If you must know.” Luke snickered as he wiped the batter from his face. “Really? That snazzy place?” “Yup. They really go all out.” Standing, Luke laughed as he finally shed his jacket. Under it, he wore a rag of a T-shirt all splattered with paint. So were his dirty jeans and work boots. That’s what happened when one lived with a professional painter. Henry could only hope that Luke remembered to wrap his rollers up today since he constantly left them to soak on the hallway carpet. “You sure you wanna go with this slob?” Luke joked. “To a nice place like that?” Henry smirked. “You clean up real good, Stabile. Remember the prom?” He did. Oh boy, did Henry remember the prom. Kinda hard to forget the day he realized he was head over heels in love with his best friend. Henry thought being a country apart while they each went to different colleges would fix that. Turned out, three thousand miles away from Luke Stabile wasn’t far enough away to get over those feelings. “That was almost ten years ago.” Luke eyed him playfully. “I’ve put on a suit since then!” “Once. Five years ago, for Carter’s graduation party.” Huffing, Luke took a huge bite of the cupcake he started frosting earlier. Just that one bite had almost half of it in his mouth and he still chewed when he answered. “I guess I gotta put it back on again, huh?” Stomach fluttering excitedly, Henry tried to keep this huge smile under control. “Does that mean you’ll come with me?” “Yeah.” Luke gave him a shrug. “If I get to have most of the cupcakes.” He held out a hand for Henry to shake and made a deal with him. Even though he’d still come even if Henry said no. Still, Henry snatched up that hand and gave it a firm shake. “You got a deal, dork.” * * * * “Did you ask him?” Henry covered the speaker of his phone as Ash’s voice came out of it. Not that he really had a reason for covering it. Luke’s been snoring away on the couch for over an hour and would sleep through an explosion. No way would he wake up to Ashley’s voice coming through his phone from inside his bedroom. With the door closed. But Henry quickly snatched up his phone anyway and turned off the speaker. “Yes,” Henry hissed, “I asked him.” She’d been bugging him since he first told her he checked the plus one box on his invite to this over-the-top party. He wasn’t even really thinking about it when he did it either. Only that he didn’t want to go alone. Maybe in the back of his mind he wondered what it’d be like if Luke went with him, but it was Ash that came out and suggested asking him. She was also the only one in the world who knew how Henry felt about Luke. “And…?” Sighing, Henry flopped onto his bed and hung off the side of it. He picked a bit at the fibers in the carpet and groaned. “He said yes.” And here came the I-told-you-so. Which Henry probably deserved since he’d been putting this off for weeks while whining and complaining to Ash the whole time. For no reason. “Really?” The teasing that dripped out of her voice made Henry sigh. “He said yes?” “Yes,” Henry grunted. “Hm. He said yes. And who told you to stop being a damn baby because he was gonna say yes?” “You did, Ash.” On the other end of the phone, Ashley chuckled. Sounded like the teasing’s done with. “No need to thank me.” Okay, now the teasing was done. “Do you, uh, do you think…” “No.” This was another thing she’d been gently encouraging. For Henry to come out and finally tell Luke how he felt about him. As much as Henry would love to get it out in the open after all these years, the idea of it f*****g up their friendship was crushing. Henry couldn’t imagine not having Luke in his life. Even if that meant sucking it up and living with his feelings going unknown forever. “Henry,” Ash murmured. “Wouldn’t it be better if you just…knew instead of wondering?” A knot pulled in Henry’s stomach. Tight and painful. Because she did have a point. Henry had been holding this in for so long that it hurt. “Yeah, but it’s not that easy, Ashley.” “I didn’t say it was easy. I know it’s not. I’m just saying if you say something then you don’t have to deal with this huge ‘what if’ hanging over your head anymore.” Heaving back up, Henry scrubbed a hand over his face. “But it could ruin everything we already have.” “Maybe,” Ash said. “Or maybe you could get everything you’ve wished for since you were seventeen-years-old.” Tears pushed at his eyes, but Henry kept them back. He needed a moment to push his voice out of his swelling throat. “I just—” “So, you getting a new suit for this thing or what?” A smile tugged on Henry’s mouth. Leave it to Ashely to know what he needed a change of subject. She’d also make sure he looked better than he could get himself to look. And maybe, just maybe, Henry can turn the head that mattered more to him than any other.