Page 12 of Saved By the Pitcher

“Oh, James,” Mike whispered to himself, looking at the playbill he kept with James’ face on the cover. “What is it about you? I wish you were attracted to me like I am to you.”

Mike pulled the playbill up to his chest and kept it there, falling asleep in the armchair. He relished the peace, knowing that, now that the story about his bisexuality was out, he might be hounded for several weeks to come.

* * * *

“Dude, did you see the news about Mike Cooper?” Billy asked as soon as James let him through the door of his apartment.

“Hello to you, too,” James replied, pulling Billy into a quick hug. “Yes, I saw it.”

“I told you. I just knew it,” Billy bragged, throwing his coat onto James’ nearby sofa. “So, are you going to call him?”

“What? Why would I call him? It’s been over two months since we met. I’m sure he doesn’t even remember who I am,” James answered, picking up Billy’s jacket and hanging it in the coat closet.

Billy went to his favorite recliner and threw himself onto it. “Bro, if you ever want to get rid of this chair, just know, I’m happy to take it off your hands.”

“Good to know.” James smirked. “I hope it will fit whatever your décor is about twenty years from now, because that’s when I’ll be able to afford to replace it.”

“Nah. You’ll have so much money after winning the Tony Award, you’ll be wanting to redecorate just because you can,” Billy teased.

James shot him a wary look. “Stop saying that. I don’t want to see how disappointed in me you’ll be when I don’t even get nominated.”

Billy lost his grin. “James, I would never be disappointed in you. I would say you were robbed. I’d be pissed. But I promise, I would never, ever be anything but proud of you. You deserve to be nominated and to win.”

James walked by the chair and tousled Billy’s hair. “Well, I’m not the most beloved guy on Broadway, thanks to Dad and his politics. Don’t forget, my fellow thespians have to vote, and it’s going to be tough for them to overcome their preconceived notions that I’m a right-wing fascist like Father.”

Billy called out to James as he continued walking into the kitchen, “Beer, please.”

James came walking back to Billy with a bottle in his hand. “What did you think I was going to the kitchen for?”

Billy laughed as he took a swig, watching as James plopped himself down on the sofa. “I think you should text Mike Cooper.”

“Are we back to that?” James asked with mild impatience.

“Yes, we are back to that,” Billy replied. “Bro, the guy is into dudes. I knew he was attracted to you. Why don’t you want to call him? He’s a total stud.”

James laughed. “Were you serious when you said you’d jerk off to a picture of him shirtless?”

Billy looked confused. “When did I say that?”

James continued laughing. “In the restaurant after we met him. You had drunk a couple of beers by the time you said it right in front of Nadia. She laughed it off, but that was bold, even if you were a bit tipsy.”

Billy shrugged. “Nadia knows I’m crazy about her. I would never cheat on her. But hey, Mike Cooper may be the best-looking dude out there. If you didn’t want him, and I wasn’t with Nadia, and he hit on me, I’m not sure my answer would be a flat-out no.”

James was shocked. “What? Are you bisexual?”

Billy took another gulp of beer before answering. “James, if I were, wouldn’t I have told you? There were like one or two guys in high school I imagined trying something with, but when I thought about the actual act, it was unappealing. Mike is one in a million, though. If he wanted to wank in front of me, I could be inspired to join in, I think. But I wouldn’t do anything more than that—even with him.”

James started laughing again. “So, you’re pretty much straight on the spectrum, leaving a little room for you and Mike Cooper to watch each other jerk off.”

Billy seemed to consider it, then nodded. “Yup, that about sums it up. But it’s hardly on my top one-hundred list of things to do before I die. Besides, I love Nadia, so why would I do anything to mess that up?”

“She loves you, too,” James noted. “You two are good together.”

Billy beamed. “We are, aren’t we? Hey, do you think I’m too young to get married?”

James almost choked. “You’re thinking of proposing?”

Billy nodded. “I know we don’t have a pot to piss in, but we don’t need a big wedding. Nadia agrees we’d be wasting money we could use for other things. I just know she’s the one for me, so what’s the point of waiting? I’ve been saving up to buy a ring.”