Lose Yourself

Dinner

Em was starting to stress out. Sam hadn't responded to the three texts that he'd sent over the course of the morning.

MnM: How is your PD going?

MnM: Want to hang out later?

And then

MnM: I'm sorry I was a dick about skating.

Rex read the last message over his shoulder with a huff. "You should be apologizing to me too, asshole."

"I ain't talking to you. Traitor." Em narrowed his eyes. Rex had ratted him out to Bailey about going ice skating with Sam. Now his well-meaning daughter was in rare form, sending him supportive memes and messages.

Thankfully, Bailey didn't seem to realize that the skate rink was a date. She was so thrilled that he was getting out of the house that it made him sad. His 24 year old daughter shouldn't have to be worried about her dad's lack of social life. What the fuck was wrong with him?

He was about to go running when Sam finally called. He sounded breathless and distracted.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was a dickhead." Em blurted out.

Sam chuckled softly on the other end. "I should have asked if you liked ice skating instead of reading some Buzzfeed article about you."

"Skating was OK." Em lied. His ankles still hurt like hell but relief over hearing Sam's voice was so overwhelming that he had to sit down.

"Can I Facetime you?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Em hung up and a second later, he opened a call to see Sam's handsome face. This was so much better. Without meaning to, his fingertips touched the screen wishing it was Sam's face. Had Sam seen that? Act normal. "You're driving right now?"

"Stuck in traffic. I'm on my way to Ann Arbor to visit my daughter to get some groceries and go shoe shopping."

Em couldn't help smiling. He felt an unexpected rush of emotions. Happiness. Relief. Joy. Anticipation. Lust. Longing. He gripped his phone to steady himself. Where had all of these feelings come from? "How was your shooter training day?"

"Oh god, it's so fucked up. We do it every year. Lorna and I got to play the shooters in the drill which sort of messes with my mind."

"You guys are close?"

"Yeah." Sam's voice sounded far away. "She's the best."

Em remembered hearing that Sam had publicly come out as bisexual in support of Lorna Davis when she was put on a leave of absence at school. She had shared a picture of her wife with her class and parents had complained. Sam had been part of a small group of faculty who had come out in support of Lorna at a school board meeting.

"I was wondering," Sam began. "Can we start over? You could come over Friday night and I'll make you dinner?"

"So skating doesn't have to count as a date?"

Sam's eyes narrowed playfully. "Oh no, it still counts. You have 4 dates left."

--

Em checked the time before he dialed his sponsor's phone number. It was 9:00 pm in London but the phone only rang once before Sir Elton John's familiar voice answered. "Did you know that Hugh Jackman has a massive crush on you?"

"Yeah, uh, you told me last time." Em chuckled.

Elton's bright voice sounded clear and close. "I don't know why that just tickles me. He's a bit of a cunt but he's – oh fuck me." On his end of the call, something crashed in the background. "You're lucky you have girls, my sons are absolute maniacs. Would you believe that I'm actually standing in my fucking closet, hiding from my own children?"