CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

WEDNESDAY

I need your help with something. –W

Okay... what? –K

Can we talk about this when we're both at home? It's something that warrants a conversation rather than a text exchange. –W

Color me intrigued. Okay. Will you be home tonight? –K

Yes, but I'll be asleep by the time you get home. Lunch today? –W

The diner? Noon? –K

You know it. –W

The party is this Saturday night starting at 5. Will you be able to make it? –S

Should be able to. Already let work know I needed the night off. Are you ladies registered anywhere? –K

Registered? –S

Seriously Santana? How are you going to get gifts from people if they don't know what to buy you? –K

Clearly I'm a little behind. –S

I can definitely help you change that... -K

Does this mean we're going shopping? –S

You bet your ass we're going shopping. –K

When? –S

Can you meet for lunch Friday? –K

If it means we're going shopping, I'll make it happen. –S

Perfect. Crate & Barrel off Madison Avenue, 12 sharp. Be late and I'll register you for things with roosters on them. –K

You would register me for things with cocks on them. ;) –S

So classy, Santana. –K

You know me. –S

Am I really not invited to your engagement party? –B

I don't know. Do I need to invite you? –S

What does that mean? –B

Isn't Kurt going to bring you? –S

We haven't talked about it. –B

Seriously? –S

It's not like we talk every single day. –B

That's a damn lie. You come in with that dopey grin every day so I know something happens with you guys and I'm guessing you're not getting into his pants yet. –S

Santana! Jesus. Does everything have to be about sex? But can I come to your party? –B

Yes you can come. Does Kurt make you come too? –S

Oh god. You're horrible. –B

Yet you love me. –S

Begrudgingly. –B

KURT

"Hello?"

I gulped. "Blaine?"

"Hey Kurt! Sorry, I would have just said hello using your name but I was on my work phone when you called my cell phone."

Damn, I forgot that he would be at work. How could I forget something so miniscule? "Oh. Uh, should I call you back? I'm sorry to bother you while you're working."

"No, no, it's totally fine. I'd rather talk to you than the boring people in our legal department."

I sighed. "So, how are things?"

"Great. Busy at work all week but I'm looking forward to lunch Thursday."

"Me too," I replied with a smile on my face. "Speaking of, where would you want to go?"

"Somewhere by the office would be preferred. I don't mind commuting normally but this week has been pretty hectic so any time I can take will be welcome but short lived, I'm afraid."

"I'll take what I can get," I said with a chuckle.

"Well that's a relief!" he exclaimed. "You pick wherever you'd like to go – I'm not a picky eater."

"That I can do," I replied. I started thinking of restaurants that were nearby when I realized... "Oh, I forgot to mention, so, did you still want to go with me to Santana's engagement party this weekend?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah. Of course," he replied.

"I mean; it's not like a date thing or anything..." I stuttered. I definitely was hoping that it would be sort of a date, but going to someone's engagement party as a...couple...implied something and I wasn't sure if he – or I, if I was being honest – was ready for that step yet. We had only been on three dates and have known each other for less than a month. Calling someone your boyfriend – especially in the realm of gay men – was a huge step. Besides, the last boyfriend I'd had was William and I had been on more dates with other guys in the past and we never called each other boyfriends; not even in retrospect.

"It's okay, Kurt. I wouldn't mind if it was kind of a date..." he said hesitantly. I chuckled internally. We both were clearly a little skittish with this whole thing and I kind of appreciated the fact that he was just as flustered by our situation as I was.

"Okay, then it can be," I determined. Be bold, Kurt. "Santana said it was at Brittany's parent's house in Queens and I know that's not exactly nearby so maybe I could meet at your apartment and we can get a cab together?"

"I could just as easily meet at your apartment..." he started.

"No! I – uh – they're going to register at Crate & Barrel so I can get their present Saturday morning and then come by since your place isn't too far from the store." I was not ready to admit the reason I didn't want him to come to my house was because my roommate was a nosy asshole and would bug Blaine with endless questions that I was not eager to discuss yet. And never mind that I would probably buy their present when I went shopping with Santana on Friday; Blaine didn't need to know that.

"Um, sure, I guess," he said. "We can talk about logistics tomorrow at lunch – I mean, if you're still up for meeting."

"Of course!" I replied enthusiastically. "I'm glad I can squeeze in some time with you – I know you're busy and my schedule is kind of opposite from yours."

"I'm glad we can meet for lunch too. This week and next will be pretty busy, but I will welcome any breaks since overtime is inevitable," he stated.

"Ouch. Well I'll try to think of somewhere extra good for your lunch break tomorrow. I'll swing by your office around noon; is that okay?"

"Perfect," he replied.

"Okay, I have to go – I'm meeting with my roommate right now. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Looking forward to it," he said. "Bye!"

"Bye Blaine!" I said as I ended the call. Thankfully I was good at walking and talking and was right around the corner from the diner where I was supposed to meet Wes for lunch. I certainly didn't want to go into the restaurant still on the phone since Wes would wonder endlessly about who it was.

I opened the door and saw Wes sitting at our usual booth with a Coke already laid out in front of him. "You're lucky I could fit you into my schedule on such short notice," I said as I slid into the booth.

"Please, I know you were just going to end up watching Bravo all day."

"Not all day," I retorted. Wes assumed that I watched Bravo all the time because I was a gay man who was into fashion, but I was more inclined to watch TLC than Bravo. Unless there was an America's Next Top Model marathon, then I'd be glued to Bravo. "But I want to know why we're holding this Roommate Meeting in the first place."

Wes sighed. Normally Wes wasn't the type to solicit my advice, mainly because he and I operated on such different wavelengths. But whenever we needed each other's advice, we called them Roommate Meetings. It made the conversation seem more serious than the times where we'd normally just banter back-and-forth about how dumb the partners at his office were or the hijinks I'd be up to backstage during shows. "I need your help. With Lauren."

I grinned. "Ah."

"Kurt, come on," he said, slightly exasperated. "You know I never ask for advice about things – especially women since, well, you know – but I feel like since you know Lauren I might have an inside edge. Wouldn't you want the same if you were dating one of my friends?"

I could understand the man's plight. Lauren, though sweet, was a hard nut to crack and I'm sure my help would be used. Plus Wes was a stand-up guy and he was asking not just because he wanted a chance with Lauren, but also because he wanted to do it right. "What do you want to know?" I conceded after I looking at Wes' pretty pathetic puppy dog face.

He sighed in relief. "Oh thank god. I don't know – what should I know?"

"Lauren is a feisty girl, but I'm sure you already knew that." He nodded. "She was... different in high school; she was the one girl everyone was afraid of but secretly revered because she was so strong and opinionated." I didn't want to tell Wes about her weight loss transformation – that was something that she could tell him herself if she wanted to. I knew she was proud at her success, but I knew all too well the stigmas that could be attached when you talked about something from your past that could potentially make people think less of you in your present state. "But though she may seem like a hard cookie, she's a big softie and she definitely wants to be taken care of by a guy. She's had it hard and I think she'd really like to be doted on for once."

Wes nodded emphatically as if taking mental notes on everything I was saying. "Okay. I can manage that, doting on her and all that. I mean, I won't be quoting any sonnets or anything, but I have a trick or two up my sleeve. And we exchanged numbers and we text every so often. Perhaps I'll text her today and ask her out?"

I glared at him. "Please tell me your manners are better than that."

"Huh?"

I shook my head. "Mr. Montgomery, you should know better. You ask a lady out over the phone or in person – not over text."

"Are you saying you've never asked a guy out over text message?"

"Maybe once or twice, but never for a first date," I replied.

"So if this Mystery Guy had asked you out over text message first, you'd say no?"

I thought back, and then laughed internally. Blaine actually had asked me out for our first date – the coffee date – over text message. But he asked me out for our first dinner date in person. Then again, our whole relationship... was it a relationship? Anyway, our whole... thing... was kind of atypical anyway so who was I to hold that against him. "I wouldn't have said no. Actually he did ask be out via text message for our first date, but it was a casual thing and he asked me out for our second date in person."

Wes rolled his eyes. "But still, that kind of goes against the advice you just gave me about Lauren."

"True, but I'm also different than Lauren. And remember what I said about doting on her? This applies. Make her feel special – someone deserving of a phone call to be asked out on a date. Text messaging doesn't imply special."

He sighed; he knew I was right. Although Wes was a dapper gentleman who was incredibly smart and successful, he was sometimes just as scared as anyone else when it came to the romance department. I could sympathize, but I knew that Lauren was worth it and Wes would treat her like a queen... if he could get the balls to ask her out properly. "I'll call her tonight," he resigned.

I clapped my hands giddily. "Yay! I can't wait to know all of the details about your date with Lauren!"

"This hardly seems fair. You get to know about Lauren and I have yet to learn anything about Mr. Wonderful who has taken you out at least three times since I'm guessing that's the reason you came home late Sunday night...or rather, Monday morning."

I blushed. I knew Wes had to figure I was out on a date, but was he so observant that he'd been keeping tabs on me? Clearly him going out with Lauren would greatly distract him from being so nosy about my love life. "We had a deal, Wes. And I plan to uphold the deal."

"Good," he replied. "But tell me one thing – does he treat you well?"

I smiled, thinking back to the little things Blaine had already done for me. The way he held the door, how he was always cautious with the way he treated me but confident in who he was, how sweet he'd been after our last date and the way he seemed to be just as nervous as I was about us dating. "Yeah," I concluded. "He treats me incredibly well."

Wes grinned at my comment. "Okay. As long as I know that, I think I can wait until mid-November to meet this guy."

BLAINE

The minute I hung up with Kurt, my office phone started ringing again. "Blaine Anderson," I breathed into the phone.

"Hey B, it's David."

"Oh, hey. What's up man?"

"Not too much, just checking in on those tracks the guys sent over Monday."

I laughed. "You do realize you just sent them on Monday, right? We're not magicians - things take time."

"I know, I know," he replied. "But the guys are hounding me on progress with these tracks. They're practically their children and they're excited to know what people think of them. And having my mom tell them their songs are good just doesn't hold much water anymore."

"I understand that," I chuckled. "But I sent them through Monday. But Clark already cleared you guys to start getting in the studio next week."

"Next week! Holy shit!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry, I must have forgotten to tell you yesterday. I was a zombie and left work early – long night with little sleep."

"That's okay. Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, just a restless night. They happen every now and then," I replied. Please, like I was going to tell David about Kurt at work. "Anyway, yes, we are going to book time at Avatar Studios, which isn't too far from the office here, starting next Wednesday."

"Damn. This is all happening so quickly!"

"Calm down, David. I know this is happening quickly, but things won't always go this way. The main reason we're able to get into the studio early is because they already had a good catalog to pull from and legal didn't see any issues. Once we get into the recording process, I assure you things will start to get annoying at times," I stated. It was true – recording took a lot of time from the band as well as the production team and it could take months for the album to be recorded. It was something that people didn't always understand since people assumed that music just magically appeared, but it wasn't an easy process in the least.

"I know, you warned me. Well, warned us. But I think that it won't really seem that way until we're in the trenches together. I'm sure once it's March and the guys are at each other's throats about the coda of some song that your advice will be taken to heart."

"I think the guys will be okay – they've been a band for awhile now already. But just remember that you're the referee, not me; I represent the label, you represent the band. We're the go-betweens and we help each other out but I don't want to take care of any band drama. This isn't the Warblers." I was hoping the last note would soften the serious conversation I had to have with David. Though he and I were friends – or on the way back to being friends like we were – I wasn't going to let our friendship get in the way of the album; it wouldn't be positive for either of us.

Thankfully David laughed and it eased me a bit so I wouldn't have to feel awkward about the stern discussion. "Don't worry, I'm used to dealing with those weirdos. They've been playing in my mom's garage for years so I've helped them through a fight or two already."

"Glad to know you're a man with experience," I joked. "But will the guys be cool with coming in Wednesday? I know it's kind of short notice..."

"Nah," he interjected. "It shouldn't be an issue. They're 20 – what else can they possibly be doing?"

I laughed. "I don't know! Working or going to school?"

"Don't worry they'll be there. But what time? If you don't give me an exact time, they'll come strolling in whenever they please – which would likely be after the sun has gone down."

"Oh, uh, let's say 10 in the morning. That way they can be awake for awhile before they report in."

David was practically choking on his laughter. "I think you give them more credit than they deserve. I don't think I've seen my brother awake on the early side of noon in months. But for this, I'm sure they'll think it's worth it."

"If I bring bagels, will that help?" I asked. I was partially kidding, but I knew they'd appreciate it and Clark wouldn't care about the $20 it would cost to get bagels and coffee.

"Definitely. You've just uttered the magic words."

"What, bagels?"

"No," he responded. "Free food."

I chuckled. "Noted. Alright dude, I've gotta hustle some things out on my end before I head out for lunch, but 10 in the morning a week from today. Let your boys know."

"I'm on it. Thanks Blaine and I'll talk to you soon. Oh – do you have anything going on this weekend? I was going to see if Wes and you wanted to hang out since the lady will be out of town."

"Actually, I have plans but maybe next weekend?"

"Pencil me in for now – I'll see what Wes says. But sorry that you're too busy to hang out with us," he chided.

"Please, you know I'd be game but I already had things on the calendar. Plus it's Wednesday – I like to have my dance card full before the weekend."

"You're an idiot," he replied, causing me to laugh. "Anyway, we'll chat later. See ya."

"Ciao!"

I hung up the phone with a smile that soon switched to a small grimace as I went through my plans for the weekend and started to analyze my talk with Kurt. The call I had with him just before the one with David had ended strangely. I hoped it was just me overreacting about him not wanting to meet him at his house, but I couldn't help but feel like he might be hiding something.

Was he hiding his living situation, or was he hiding me?