I was still a bit shocked to find out that Zeke was gay. He'd never let on to me for the several years I'd known him. Much less that Russell Collins was his lover.

They appeared to be such opposites, but both were close to the same age, and both of their professions required a fairly high intelligence. It was still odd to see them sitting together, warn and patched denim and a costly tailored suit. Anyone seeing them together couldn't help but grin.

But knowing they were lovers added a different slant. No matter what the words that passed between them, there was love and caring in their eyes.

I guessed it must be the same when people looked at me and Jonathon together. We'd have to watch that carefully. There was no way I'd want to be the cause of his career falling apart.

When he brought up his dog I did my best to play it cool. I'd been attacked by a large dog as a kid and had avoided them in any size or shape ever since. I hated to deceive him but didn't want him upset either. He'd had more than enough for one day.

He was great to work with setting up for the breakfast `beasts' though. It was rare that I ever had help. Only when some trainee was assigned to us for a month.

Most of them were sent from corporate. And very few managed to make it through that month. It wasn't that it was difficult, but they quickly found out it was more than sitting and reading all night long.

Sure I had my quiet times, but other times more than made up for it. Tonight had been a prime example of it. I'd rather check in a tired bunch of businessmen than face the weird ones that were up by five clamouring for their free muffins, juice and a higher quality of coffee than what we served.

At the call of the first one from beyond the door, I attempted to put on my professional demeanour again. Jonathon interrupted that with one last kiss before sneaking out to his room.

I sure wished I'd had those every morning of work for the past several years. It made facing the early risers so much easier. Now if I could only put that in a corporate policy for the late shift.

Such thoughts made the early ones a piece of cake to deal with. I know I was all smiles, I only had to think of my baby to get me grinning like a Cheshire cat.

The time seemed to fly by. If I wasn't keeping the breakfast area stocked and cleaned, I was looking after an early checkout. But the whole time my mind kept drifting to Jonathon any time it could.

I didn't even notice when Carol showed up forty-five minutes early. That's what I call preoccupied.

She lightly slugged me first, "you sly old dawg. I've never seen you look so damn happy. Tell me all about him, who is he, where's he from, is he going to move in with you, are you going to bear his children?"

"Whoa, woman, whoa!" I exclaimed.

She put both her hands on her hips and gave me a pout. I did my best not to break out in laughter.

"That doesn't work at home, honey, it's not going to work with me," I stated.

Carol tried her coy look next and it was too much for me. I either would have to talk or laugh, so I chose the former.

"He's a guest here, I could get fired if that got out," I protested.

She crossed her heart, "they won't get nothing out of me, now tell me more!"

"His name is Jonathon, and he's with the movie people that will start showing up any day," I explained.

"Oh... and you're putting up with a Hollywood person now?" she asked, one eyebrow arched up into her wig somewhere.

"He's different. Carol, I've never known anyone remotely like him. He's as gentle and caring as anyone could want, and yet he's already stuck by my side through a tough day yesterday," I replied.

"Why, what happened, Charlie?"

The memories of it came back like a sledgehammer. "I met my father for what I hope is the very last time in my life," I said.

She took one look at me and hugged me tight, "he stood by you through that?"

I nodded, fighting back both tears and nausea, "he was incredible."

"Charlie, you aren't falling for someone this fast, are you?" she asked with that eyebrow raised high again.

I felt a little boy smile on my face, like a kid that got caught with the cookie jar. Hey, I felt like a kid again, and it was great!

"Child, you think that's a good idea? I mean, what do you know about this guy? He could be some nut case hiding out with a movie crew," she protested.

I had to laugh at how wrong I knew she was. The thing was, how could I fully explain that to her?

"There's some things I can't tell you, Carol. I wish I could, but if I did it could ruin everything," I said.

The look she gave me didn't leave me much of a choice. Not to mention that once the filming started, she'd learn who Jonathon Blanchard really was. As employees there, it would have to come out.

"Carol, have a seat," I instructed. She didn't say another word but sat as I'd said.

"Have you ever heard of an actor named Orlando Bloom?" I inquired.

"Child, you been in the dark ages too long. Most anyone on the planet's heard of him. He's going to be here for that movie your Jonathon allegedly is going to work on. What's he got to do with you two?"

I held up a finger to her to shush and dialled Jonathon's room. She looked at me as though I was going to fully lose my mind.

"Hello?" I heard his voice and a special warmth filled me.

"Baby, I have an odd thing has come up. I'm going to bring Carol down to meet you," I said, holding my breath.

"Okay... just give me a few minutes to pull on some clothes again," he replied.

"Sure thing, baby. Just wish I were there to help," I said. He chuckled and hung up.

Carol looked at me suspiciously, "why do we need to go to his room? Does he have a machete waiting? I told you when I first laid eyes on him, he's shifty. People don't wear sunglasses inside unless they got something to hide. He's mafia, I would bet you anything!" she finally paused for a breath.

A few guests showed up to check out and we busied ourselves with the processing. Once they were gone I put up the sign that said- be back in 5 minutes.

I took her by the hand and led her down the hall to his door. She looked extremely nervous as I knocked on it. We only waited for seconds, but to look at her, you'd have thought it was more like an hour. Carol actually wrung her hands.

"Just a moment," I heard him say from the other side.

He stood behind it as it opened. I had to give Carol a nudge to enter the room. She could be such a worrier.

I flicked on the main room lights as she turned around. Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. It stayed that way for several seconds as he just crossed his arms and leaned back against the door, giving her a mega watt smile.

When she finally closed her mouth he moved forward with his hand held out, "please call me Jonathon. It's what my Charlie calls me. But I have a notion that you've possibly seen me before. If so, then you're more familiar with my first name. It's..."

"Orlando!" she at last managed to blurt out.

She turned to me and narrowed her eyes, "Charlie, you're pulling something on me. The real Orlando would never have a bunch of bandages on his face, it's worth way too much. And besides, Orlando is practically engaged to Kate Bosworth."

"I promise you, there is no engagement. And after her coming here earlier and talking to me, she's bloody well out of my life," he said as he lightly touched his face.

"But you're not gay," she protested.

"Carol, you and I can be friends from this point on, if you'll keep that to yourself. What Charlie and I do behind closed doors isn't anyone's business but ours. I can't say to you here and now that I am gay. But, I can promise you... I love Charlie more than any person I've ever had in my life until now. If that makes me gay, I don't give a fuck, if you'll pardon my language. As long as he'll put up with me, I want him beside me."

His eyes had softened and he turned to me as he said those last words in nearly a whisper, that slight smile of his turning up the corners of his mouth.

Carol finally took his hand and grasped it tight, "child, I hope it works for you both. I mean that with all my heart. For what it's worth, you have my blessing as well as my promise not to blab to a living soul."

Damn, but the list of people that knew was getting long. It gave me an uneasy feeling I couldn't quite shake. I just hoped it was me worrying too much over things.

"Thank you," he said to her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, am I going to have to worry about you going back to the `dark side' again?" I asked with a wink.

"Excuse me," he said to Carol, "but this man seems to have insecurities that need my immediate attention."

He took me in his arms, his eyes were moist, "my Charlie, I meant all that I just said and things I have yet to say. I love you truly, madly, deeply, don't ever doubt that."

A lump formed in my throat. "Jonathon, I'll do my best to keep us as we are now. And I do love you truly, madly and deeply too."

Knowing that Carol was right there, we kissed tenderly and briefly. But it was a kiss with my Jonathon, that's what meant the most to me. Every one of them made any other kisses I'd known pale by comparison. I know I talk about them a lot, but they meant the world to me. Just like he did.

"Um, I'm truly happy for you two, honest. But, Charlie, if we don't get back to the desk pretty fast, we'll both be begging on corners for pennies," Carol stated.

I glanced at my watch, "shit, we've been gone twenty minutes, move your ass girl. Jonathon, you may have to go to the bank later and get those pennies to give us!"

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,
Jon Ryder