"Hello!" The woman in the strange outfit, and I'm talking stranger than Vince's, kissed us on both cheeks. "Welcome to the Queen's Hotel. You're the couple getting married next month, right?"
"I imagine we are."
"Just out of curiosity, how many gay weddings do you book?"
She giggled at Vince, and started to walk us in. "We don't book many weddings at all. You're our first gay one!" She grinned again, and walked behind the desk. "My husband and I actually got married here," she sighed out. "What brings you here early?"
"The weekend. We thought we'd scope out the place over some time off."
"That sounds good." She turned around to get the keys to our room. "Checkout time is eleven, breakfast is at ten on the fifth floor, and the bar is open till midnight. Dinner's at six. If you're overwhelmed, you can sit at the table by the piano. I play it during meals. Oh, and I'm Paloma, by the way." The perky redhead smiled, gave us the keys, and waved us on.
"I knew it was a good idea to have it here. Isn't she lovely?"
"Very." I instinctively tightened my grip around his waist, jealousy settling.
"Oh my God," he laughed out quietly. "You really think I'd go for her? If you don't remember what this diamond means, why are we here?" He looked at his hand while we were walking.
We got to our room, and I unlocked the door.
"I'm sorry, alright? I'm just not used to having everything I need."
"Get fucked, your family's filthy rich!"
"I also had to date girls around them," I said, laying our suitcases down on the couch. "It wasn't fun."
"I thought you only like . . . realized you were gay when it was cold a couple years ago and we cuddled."
"No, that's when I realized I couldn't fool myself any longer. I am what I am, right?" I walked back over to him, where he refused to make eye contact. "You were the first person I've held all night. You're the only person I've held all night. Sleeping bags are only made for one person, and you slept all night with your head in my neck. You have the bad habit of, and I've never told you this, of mumbling, kissing, and humping while you sleep. After that, I knew I couldn't fool myself. With your bony little nose in my shoulder, your bony little elbows in my ribs, and your bony little toes tickling my feet, I fell asleep for the first time in years, without my heart being heavy. Vince, you are the only person I have ever loved, and you are the only person I ever will love. I just can't stand the idea of you with another person. Man or woman."
"But really, with the front desk lady?"
"It's just a natural response."
"I'm really fucking gay, if you haven't noticed."
"I know, I know . . ."
"I'm not just your property, Howard! There's always going to be people looking at me, are you just gonna lock me in a crate and never let me outside? I love you, Howard. You're the only person I've ever really loved, I've said it a thousand times, but never meant it, until I met you. But I'm not your's. You can't just kill someone if they look at me." He stepped closer to me, and it was me avoiding eye contact now. "Howard. I love you. Jealousy's a fucking cunt, and you know it. You just have to trust me, Howard." His voice cracked, and I could tell he was crying. "I'd never cheat on you."
I finally looked back at him, and his eyes were pouring with tears. "Come here." I wrapped my arms around him, and sat us on the bed. "I know you never will. I didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry. I forgot that you're even more stressed than usual." I kissed him on the cheek. "Come on. We have three and a half hours before dinner. Let's just lay down."
We did, and he intertwined our hands.
"I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered into his ear, and I could feel him smile.