Milo & Judah

Chapter 14 - The Perfect Night

Later that night, the hostess at the restaurant showed them to a wraparound booth in one of the darker corners of the room. "Enjoy your meal." she said. She grinned and winked at Judah.

Milo scoffed. "She was totally flirting with you."

"No, she wasn't." Judah insisted.

Milo was a bit annoyed by her audacity. "She so was. How does she know we aren't here together?"

"We are here together. This is a date, remember?" Judah reminded him. "And trust me, she wasn't."

"So, she just happened to seat us at a table that could probably fit six people during the dinner rush for no reason?"

In a harsh, hushed voice, Judah said, "She knows you're my boyfriend. I gave her twenty bucks to give us a romantic table. Okay? That's why she winked at me."

Judah snatched up his menu and started flipping through it. His lips twisted up to side like he'd just stuffed his mouth full of sour candy.

"Oh." Milo was dumbstruck. And not just because he actually felt dumb for arguing. Which he did. It was the first part that left him in awe. "You just called me your boyfriend."

Judah licked his lips and took a deep breath before looking up. "I guess I did."

"Did you mean that?"

"And what if I did?" Judah closed his menu and sat it down to look at Milo. "Is that okay?"

Milo wanted to shout, "Hell yes," from the rafters, but he kept his composure. He simply gave a small nod and said, "It's very okay. More than okay."

Judah flashed his adorable, charming grin that disarmed Milo every time. He scooted around halfway as Milo did the same. They met in the middle, both still smiling, and shared a chaste kiss.

Once their drinks arrived, Judah raised his glass. "Happy five-day-aversary."

"What?"

"We started dating—sorta—five days ago."

"Is that really a milestone?"

Judah shrugged. "Well, I figured we won't get to any big ones before we go back to school, so we should celebrate all the little ones. Make the most of the time we have."

Judah scrunched his face and raised his hand to cover his mouth, looking slightly embarrassed. "Is that stupid?"

"Not at all." Milo clinked his glass against Judah's before he leaned over and offered him another brief kiss. He took Judah's face in his hand, stroking his thumb across Judah's cheek. "I love that idea."

That seemed to make Judah happy, which was all Milo really wanted to do.

"That dinner was possibly the best meal I've ever eaten." Milo said, clinging to Judah's hand as they walked along the pier above the beach.

Milo wasn't sure if it was because the food was just that good, or if it was the events of the night putting rose-tinted glasses on everything. Even the stars seemed brighter this evening, without a cloud in the sky to block the view.

The further out on the pier they walked, the less they could hear the noises of the town behind them until the roar of the waves drowned out everything. Standing at the railing at the end, Milo huddled up to Judah for warmth against the chilly night breeze coming off the ocean that cut straight through the thin material of his button-down shirt. This was the coldest the weather had been since Milo arrived home. Judah pressed his lips against the top of Milo's head and rested his cheek on that same spot.

"Tonight was everything I wanted it to be." Judah said.

"I doubt you wanted it to start with an argument, though." Milo regretted making such a fuss about that. It was petty and childish. Even if the woman had been flirting with Judah, it shouldn't matter. Judah barely gave her a second glance.

To his credit, Judah laughed and said, "What's a fantasy without a touch of reality to ground it?"

"I hope you know that I wasn't doubting you back there." Milo said, running Judah's silky tie between his fingers. Even if he couldn't take it back, he wanted to make that clear. "That's all on my insecurities seeing things in ways that make them worse than they really are."

"I don't know why you worry so much. You're cute, and funny, and you're so sweet. And incredibly talented."

"Talented?" Milo pulled away to look at Judah, thoroughly confused. He couldn't remember doing a single thing that would warrant a compliment like that. It certainly couldn't be a comment on ice skating ability.

"Your drawings. I saw a few in your room, and a bunch on your Instagram. They're really good."

"Oh, that." Milo shook his head. "That's just something I used to mess around with. I never took it very seriously. Honestly, I haven't really drawn anything since—"

Milo had to think about that for a second before he remembered. "—well, since Hunter broke up with me, I guess."

"Why did you stop?"

Milo shrugged. He didn't have an answer to that. The best he could come up with was lack of time. "That was around the time when I was studying for finals and graduating. Plus, I was dealing with the emotional turmoil of being dumped by my first love, who was also my first. I got busy and overwhelmed. And I just never went back to it."

"You should." Judah said. "Even if you only do it as a hobby. It's like me and ice skating. I wanted to be a pro hockey star when I was little, but I barely made it out of the peewee leagues. That doesn't mean I don't still love skating."

Milo looked out at the dark water, catching glimpses of the white sea foam as the waves crashed together. "Hunter thought it was a waste of time. He always got annoyed when he came over and I was drawing."

"Hunter is douche bag. Why would you care what he thinks?"

"Until I met you, I cared a lot about what he thought of me." Milo looked over at Judah and smiled. "I dated him for a little over a year, and a lot of my self-worth got twisted up in the way he perceived me."

Judah wrapped Milo in his arms, leaning in so their faces were just a couple inches apart. "You deserve someone who celebrates your passions and praises your talents. Someone who wants you to be exactly who you are."

"Any idea where I might find a man like that?" Milo asked, teasingly.

"Oh, I wouldn't know." Judah replied, flashing a wry grin. "It was a general suggestion. Just to say, be on the lookout."

Milo started to crack up. "Was it?"

Judah was also grinning, bringing out that singular dimple. "Yep."

Milo hooked his arms around Judah's neck. "I guess I'll just have to settle for you until then."

"Sounds like a plan. And I'll be the first to point him out to you." Judah locked his hands at the small of Milo's back, drawing him into a kiss.