Gone for You (Wild Side 1)

Matt had been back in Los Angeles for about five weeks now. He’d moved into Oliver’s place with him. They’d converted one of the spare rooms into a music room for Matt, which he’d insisted he pay for, himself.

He had a bit of a savings, enough to get him by for a while. He and Oliver spent their days writing—Oliver in his office working on his book and Matt in his music room, composing music.

It was perfect. They were happy. Matt had enrolled in school to get his bachelor’s in music, something he should have done a long time ago. He’d also continued with therapy since he’d been here.

“He’s happy,” Miles said from beside him.

Matt couldn’t have been more surprised to hear Miles say that. “Yeah…we both are. I know you don’t approve. I know you think I’ll hurt him or that I don’t deserve him but—”

“You deserve him,” Miles interrupted. Matt sure as shit hadn’t expected that either. “If you would have asked me a few months ago if I ever thought I’d say that, my answer would have been no. But you’re different now…and you love him. A fool can see that. I want him happy too. I want you both happy.”

“Thank you,” Matt replied. “That means a lot to me.” And it did. He’d always wanted Miles’s respect. He was a good man. Matt had never doubted that.

“Ollie! Get your ass back here!” Chance said as Oliver sat down in the booth. Looked like that conversation was over.

“I need a drink. You’ll be fine out there by yourself.” Oliver picked up Matt’s glass and finished what was in it. They’d been to Wild Side every Friday night since Matt had been back. The first night had been a little awkward, but things got better each week. He’d gotten to where he looked forward to their Friday night routine.

This was the kind of thing they used to talk about when they were kids—the four of them still being friends and enjoying nights in West Hollywood. It had taken Matt a while to feel like he truly belonged at this table with these men, but there wasn’t a doubt in his mind now.

“You have an admirer,” Oliver told Miles and then nodded toward the bar.

Miles looked over—they all did—and sure enough, there was a gorgeous man with dark hair eyeing him.

Matt watched him for a moment, and he could have sworn he saw recognition in the other man’s face. Then he gave Miles a slight nod. Matt opened his mouth to ask Miles if he knew him, but Miles turned away.

“Oooh, he’s pretty. Can I have him?” Chance asked, and Matt let his question go.

“Have at him,” Miles told him.

“No. What about you? I seem to remember you giving me shit for years about my sex and love life. Now that I’m happy, I think it’s time to focus on you,” Oliver told them and everyone laughed except Miles.

“Bite your tongue. Plus, I was never the one who wanted a love life. A sex life works fine for me and how do you know I’m not getting mine?”

“Are you?” Chance asked.

Chance and Miles went back and forth, arguing with each other. Matt leaned back, watching them, enjoying his night.

It was only a moment later that Oliver leaned close. “Why are you being so quiet?” he asked before he pressed a quick kiss to Matt’s lips.

“Just thinking,” he replied. “Wishing I would have been here a long time ago.”

“You’re here now,” Oliver reminded him.

And he was. And he would spend every day of his life fighting to be as happy as he was right now.

THE END