Stanton Box Set

“Josh thinks he is after my money.”

I choke on my wine. “Don’t tell me you’re fucking rich too.” I giggle as I wipe the wine from my chin.

He laughs and shakes his head. “I’m only rich because of your over–generous boyfriend.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“Josh bought me a condo and a Corvette and pays me three million dollars a year.”

I choke again. “Fuck off.”

He nods and smiles as he drains his glass. He nods an over–exaggerated nod. “Don’t you talk. I think he paid off your mortgage yesterday.”

“What?” I snap. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“You know how over–generous he is.” I frown. Weirdly enough I don’t. I point my wine glass at him again.

“So why does he hate him?” He rolls his eyes.

“Josh is just over–protective because I don’t sleep around.”

I frown, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

“Shit, you really do psychoanalyse, don’t you?” I raise my glass and clink it with his, raising my eyebrows as I smile. I really should stop drinking; I am feeling very inebriated. “I am not your normal gay guy, Tash. I hate camp with a passion, hate feminine men. I find most gay men sleazebags and can think of nothing worse than going to a gay bar where everyone is wearing next to nothing and eyeing up their meat for the night.”

I nod an exaggerated nod. “Hear, hear,” I yell way too loud.

“So, basically, I’m a gay man who loves everything heterosexual. All my friends are straight, I prefer straight bars, straight… everything,” he shrugs. “Except women.”

I give him a sad smile. “That must suck.”

He nods. “Totally.”

“So how did you meet Josh?” He smiles a broad warm smile and I know how much he cares for him.

“I had just finished college.”

“What did you study?”

“Politics and Economics.” I nod, impressed. “Anyway I got my dream job as an intern at his company. But I was only there for three weeks and both of my parents were killed in a plane crash, my mother immediately and then my father four weeks later from his injuries.”

I grab his leg. “Oh Adrian, I’m so sorry.”

“Me too, they were… are really missed. Anyway I had six months off to get my shit together and when I finally came back Josh kept me in the office next to him to keep an eye on me.” I smile as I imagine the scenario he is setting for me. “Anyway, I started doing more and more for him and then he offered me the position of his personal secretary and then two years later he promoted me to his Communications Manager.” I nod and raise my hands to signify more drinks and the bartender smiles and nods.

“What does a Communications Manager do exactly? I mean how do you earn so much frigging money?” I laugh and cover my mouth for being so intrusive.

He laughs out loud. “I run the company. I handle all of the staff management, the programming timetables, the equipment and of course all of the public speaking.”

I frown. “Of course meaning?”

“Well you know how shy Josh is. Public speaking is his worst enemy.”

I screw up my face. “Is Josh shy?” How do I not know this? He frowns at me.

“Are you kidding? He’s painful. Haven’t you ever seen it?” I shake my head. “Oh shit,” he smiles as he puts his hand over his mouth. “You two have always known each other—he wouldn’t be shy around you.” I pull a face and shrug. This information is weird. In fact there is a lot of things that we don’t know about each other. I would never have said he was shy but then I really haven’t seen him in the company of strangers.

“I can’t imagine big burly Josh being timid.”