Page 5 of Tumbling Hearts

Ray stands up, and so does Gene, staying close by his side. “Me and Gene were thinking of going up north for the weekend.”

“Up north?” Carol pouts. “We can’t do that—I have my gig on the third! Did you forget?”

“N-no, I didn’t forget. I mean—Gene and I would be going by ourselves. You can still go to your gig. It’s not like I come with you to your gigs, anyway.”

“But the next day is the Fourth of July! I should be back home by then for that. I thought that maybe we could watch the fireworks together. We’re a couple—that’s the romantic thing to do, right? Watching the fireworks? And you’re telling me you don’t want to spend time with me that day? You’d rather hang out with Gene?”

“Um, uh…”

Carol is absolutely correct. If he can’t let her down easy, he can cushion the impact.

“Well, Gene and I are best friends, and we have been ever since before I met you, y’know. We haven’t done anything fun together like that in a while…”

“But still.” Carol frowns, pulling her arms apart and waving her hands in front of herself. “You’re saying you would rather spend a romantic weekend watching fireworks with one of your friends than your actual fucking girlfriend?”

“Gene is not just ‘one of my friends’,” he says, and he realizes then, how saying it that way could imply something else. Oh, shit. His cheeks burn at the thought. He lets out a shaky breath.

“We wanted to take the time to write more songs, too,” Gene adds. “Ray is right—we’re not just friends, we’re songwriting partners. We haven’t had a lot of alone time to write songs for the band lately, so I figured maybe we could go on a retreat to do that. It was my idea.”

Oh, thank you Gene.

“Can’t you do that some other weekend, though?” Carol asks, glaring at Gene. “Not the fucking Fourth of July?”

“Look, Carrie,” Ray says, reaching to put his hand on Carol’s shoulder. “It’s okay. You wouldn’t be able to go on a trip with us this weekend anyway with your modeling gig, and I really want to do this with Gene. I’m—I’m sorry we wouldn’t get to see the fireworks together. But I’ll make it up to you later, somehow. I promise.”

He turns his head toward Gene, who’s giving him a curious, questioning look. When he gazes back at Carol, she sighs. She shakes her head, and she rubs her forehead with her fingertips.

“Fine. Fine! It seems like I can’t change your mind about this.” She grimaces, and shakes Ray’s hand off her shoulder. “You better fucking make it up to me. This is ridiculous. I can’t believe you guys. I know you two are close, but this is… Whatever.” She waves her hand in a shooing motion, and she turns toward the door. “I’m gonna hang with Pat for a bit.”

“Alright,” Ray says. “I really, truly promise I’ll make it up to you. We’ll do something fun!”

“Yeah. Whatever,” is all she says as she opens the door and exits, shutting it again with a loud thud once she’s in the hallway.

Silence stretches the space as both he and Gene stare at the closed door. That silence is finally broken when Gene lets out a sigh.

“You’ll make it up to her?” Gene asks, facing Ray.

Ray shrugs. “I… I had to say something to calm her down.” He reaches up and itches his collar bone, his shirt feeling sticky. “Don’t get me wrong, I really want to make this trip with you special. Hence why I let her down. But she’s still my girlfriend, y’know…”

Gene shakes his head. “It’s fine. I get it. Well, whatever. I’m… I’m glad we’re actually gonna do this.” Ray can see the tension leave Gene’s shoulders, and he gives Ray such a sweet smile. “Thank you.”

Ray’s heart flutters. “Yeah, no problem. It’s gonna be fun.”

He should feel worse about letting Carol down, but Gene’s handsome grin pushes all of that away. What is it about Gene that Ray can’t help but be attracted to? He shouldn’t feel this way, and yet, here he is. He holds out his hand, and Gene takes it.

Before Carol had walked in, it really felt like he and Gene were about to kiss. And he almost wants to now, too, but the air in the room feels different somehow. Carol’s presence made itself known. It toys with Ray’s mind. He likes Carol—but he truly does ache for a time when he can be absolutely alone with Gene. Gene seems to be feeling the same, with how he hesitates, but he still takes action—he lifts Ray’s hand up to his face, and kisses his knuckles. An explosive warmth rushes through Ray’s whole body.

“I can’t wait for the weekend,” Gene says sweetly, lowering Ray’s hand. “I’m gonna go downstairs and try calling some places. I’ll call Dennis first and see if he can get me some numbers.”

“Alright. That sounds good.”

“I’ll see you downstairs?” Gene asks, releasing Ray’s hand.

“For sure. I’ll be there.”

“Alright, cool.” Gene gives Ray one last smile before he opens the door, then shuts it behind himself—gently, unlike how Carol had done moments ago.

Alone with his own thoughts, Ray’s mind is in a whirl. A certain notion hits him like a truck.