Waiting for Patrick by Brynn Stein

about him.”
    “I’ve slept with him four times and he’s stayed over once.” Elliot dabbed crumbs from his plate with his index finger. “How is that getting serious?”
    “For you? That’s practically engaged.” Sheri wiped a dribble of coffee from the lip of her cup. “You don’t do relationships.”
    “And he knows that. The kid’s half my age.” Elliot abandoned the crumbs and met Sheri’s eyes. “He knows I’m only in it for sex. But the sex is phenomenal, and he’s good company. What’s wrong with that?”
    “Ellie. Nothing’s wrong with it.” She brushed her fingers across his. “Just be careful. He’s young. He might get the wrong idea.”
    “I’ve talked to him about it. He seems okay with it.” Elliot turned his hand over and took hers. “And for all that I call him a kid, he’s twenty-six. That’s not that young. He can make his own decisions.”
    “Yeah, and you’re forty-one.” She squeezed his fingers.
    “I’m not asking for his hand in marriage. We’re playing around.” Elliot looked stern but then patted her hand and moved his away so he could pick up his coffee cup. “And how much older than you is Malcolm?”
    Sheri smiled and went back to her own coffee. “Okay, I see your point. We’re not serious either.”
    “Seems serious. For you.” Elliot turned the tables. “You’ve been seeing him what? Three months?”
    Sheri looked sheepish. “Four.”
    “Four! That’s practically halfway down the aisle.” He grinned over the top of his mug.
    “All right, all right. I’ll leave you alone about your boy toy, if you stop hounding me about my sugar daddy.” Sheri upended her cup and returned it to the table.
    “Deal.” Elliot pretended to spit into his hand and held it out for Sheri to shake.
    She gave him the evil eye. “I’m not touching that now.”
    He chuckled as Beverly brought the check over to the table and engaged them in conversation about the weather.

Chapter 4
     
     
    THAT NIGHT, Elliot got ready for bed in the bathroom and stopped when he caught who stared back at him from the mirror.
    God, I need to stop eating out with Cher so often. I’m gaining weight.
    The puffiness to his face came with a gray sheen. Ankles and knees seemed swollen and his shirt looked a little tighter around his shoulders. The weight had come on in the past week or so. Dark shadows under his eyes reflected how tired he felt. No matter how much sleep he got or how easy his day was, by the end of it, he could barely support his weight. The exhaustion had had been going on periodically for the last several months. He couldn’t quite figure it out.
    He put it out of his mind for now though and finished getting ready for bed. His mattress was calling his name and he didn’t want to keep it waiting. He had been half-afraid that Daniel would come over again tonight. He was glad he hadn’t. The only thing he wanted to do was sleep.
    Falling into bed, the pillow welcomed him as he pulled the ugly bedspread over his shoulders, musing absently that he might not replace it after all if it continued to provide this much warmth and comfort. He felt the pull of Morpheus and surrendered to his arms.
     
     
    I OPEN my eyes to spy a large rock with grass at the base. It takes a good bit to keep my eyes open. I know I’m losing a lot of blood, but I’m more worried about Patrick. He has been shot too.
    “Hey,” Patrick says from where he sits facing me, when he notices I’m awake. “Stay awake this time. You worry me when you go to sleep.”
    We’re in a different place than we were when I closed my eyes. We’re alongside a dirt road now instead of in the thicket. “How did we get here?”
    “I carried you.” Patrick runs his fingers through my hair.
    “But you have a hurt arm.” I lean into his touch with what little strength I have.
    “Didn’t say it was easy.” He smiles and continues massaging my head.
    “Patrick—”
    “Ben,” he interrupts and gently pulls my