Page 115 of Hot Licks
“So how badly does Linc regret not coming?” Dominic asked.
“I can’t be certain,” Van said, “but I think the sobbingMean Girlsgif he sent back means something.”
Dominic busted out laughing.
“Hey, I think Lincoln’s a hero,” Benji said. “He stayed home to nurse his sick boyfriend, and trust me, the stomach flu is not fun to be around.”
Joshua looked at his shoes.
Dominic snickered. “Emmett’s nursed Linc through some epic migraines, complete with barfing, so I think he’s earned some personal nursing care time.”
“Emmett’s really sick, though, right?” Benji asked. “This isn’t some kind of gotcha surprise, like me pretending to have a cold last summer so Emmett could sing at Unbound?” He glanced around, half-expecting to see his friends pop out from behind a curtain.
“He’s really sick. But that would have been a great gotcha.”
“Too bad no one thought of it,” Trey said. “Maybe next time one of us starts as the opening act of one of the hottest bands in America, we’ll do that.”
“So that’ll be when you and Dom are opening for Fading Daze next year?”
Trey grinned and flipped him off.
“Do you guys have to stay backstage until the show is over?” Joshua asked. “There’s a whole state fair happening a few hundred feet from here. I’m all over a deep-fried Oreo.”
Van looked horrified. Living with him since December had definitely improved Joshua’s eating habits, but he’d never totally give up junk food. Neither would Benji. “What horrifies you more, babe,” Benji asked. “The Oreo or the deep frying?”
“All of it.”
“Poor baby. Maybe the candy apple truck has an apple they haven’t dipped yet.”
Van goosed him hard enough to make Benji yelp. Joshua started laughing.
“Oh my God,” Dominic said. “You guys are all already an old married throuple.”
“Joshua hates that word,” Benji and Van said in tandem.
This time Trey and Dominic cracked up.
Joshua huffed. “Come on, we have an impossible task ahead of us. Finding something Van will eat at a state fair junk food buffet.”
Van groaned. “It’s a good thing I ate before the show.”
Benji grabbed both of his boyfriends’ hands and tugged them toward the exit. Toward their next adventure together, and toward the many, many more to come.
