Only Gay For You. (Book one of the Midnight In Rome series)

Part 22

Aspen

I pulled my car out of the bars parking lot with shaking hands gripping the wheel so tight my knuckles were white, I have come to terms with the fact I am gay I plan to come out publicly pretty soon, I was planning on checking with Nico he was okay with me doing that first, of course, I would not out him but I had been doing a lot of thinking and I realized even when I was with my ex I was not that interested I was just doing what I thought I should be doing and the more time I spend with Nico I realized why, thinking about it I realized I didn't have women on my phone, I had never had any celebrity crushes but any I did notice were always male, even the posters I had around my bedroom were men and from what Nico said my mum had noticed more than I had, but just because I was coming to terms with my sexuality and ready to face the labels associated with that did not mean it didn't freak me out when Andy caught me and Nico.

"You, okay?" Nico asks making me jump slightly.

"shouldn't I be asking you that?" I said glancing over at Nico who was sitting there perfectly calm.

"I mean I am a little shaken but it's okay Andy won't tell anyone, and he didn't take it badly in any way," he says with a slight smile.

"I am fine with people knowing about me, I think I'm going to come out publicly, but I am worried about you," I say calming down slightly which was good because I didn't want to crash the car.

"Coming out?" Nico says with a little alarm.

"As gay, my mom thinks it anyway and I have nothing to hide, if you are uncomfortable with it I don't have to do it publicly but I don't care who knows." Before I get a chance to do anything else his warm hand envelops mine,

"if that is how you feel then scream it from the rooftops and I will be proud of you, I'm not... I don't know what I am but I'm not ready to label it or tell anyone of anything, but I will always be your friend no matter what you do."

"That means a lot thank you," I say trying not to well up while driving.

"Hey, I can finally give you that present I had ages ago, it was a joke at the time but now it's real so it can be your congratulations present." He says practically giddy with excitement, I vaguely remember him mentioning a present when he started carrying lube, but he hadn't said anything else about it.

"Is it a good present or am I going to want to find a hole to bury myself in," I say with a slight laugh.

"Only time will tell," he says kissing my fingers before releasing my hand so I can change gear.

"Your place or mine?" he asks as I pull into our street reminding me of the first time, he asked that on the way home from the first gig I attended.

"What would you prefer?" I ask pulling into my driveway.

"Go to yours I will bring the present over," Nico says with a smile.

"Okay, I will leave the door unlocked," I say hopping from the car and going to my house, moms sat in the kitchen waiting for me.

"Hey mom what's up?" I ask leaning on the breakfast bar across from her.

"I have a surprise for you," she says with a smile.

"I believe I might have a surprise for you too, although I don't know how much of a surprise it will be." She slides a box over to me with the kind of smile you get from parents when they know the present you are opening is a good one.

I hesitantly open the box and get very confused by the booklet staring at me, it is the user manual for Mum's car along with a copy of the vehicle registration documents and a bumper sticker with Nico's band name on it.

"Mom, what is this?" I say confused as Nico walks in with a rucksack in his hand.

"The Car is yours now I am picking up my new one in about an hour, the bumper sticker was a gift from Nico's mom since you keep driving him around, we figured it would be nice to support his band," she says smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh, that's... I don't know what to say"

"aww," Nico says while hugging me, my mom looks at me and Nico like there is more she wants to say but instead she just smiles.

"What was my surprise?" Mom says, and Nico takes a step back now confused, I take a deep breath.

"Recently Nico told me that you and his mom think I am gay," I say and she shoots an accusatory gaze at him.

"I heard you on the phone, over coffee, and when you were making the tentacle things in my kitchen last week." He says with a shrug.

"Okay, we're not being discreet, we are sorry for that," my mom says looking embarrassed.

"Well, as it turns out, after Nico told me I did a lot of thinking and you were right," I say watching her carefully, she looks confused at first before beginning to smile.

"I am Gay Mom," I say confidently as I watch her smile transform and she hops up to hug me tightly.

"Before you get any ideas though Nico is not, but he is my best friend" I add while she is trying to squeeze the life out of me.

"I have to go tell Nico's mom, am I okay to tell Nico's mom? I'm supposed to be going over there to do some work." She blurts all at once excitedly.

"Yes, go tell anyone, I'm out I have nothing to hide," I say smiling at her as she grabs the keys and rushes out the door.

"Well... you got caught, got a car, and came out to all in one night," Nico says with a grin.

"Yeah, strange night," I say rolling my eyes at him as I turn to walk upstairs.

"only going to get stranger," he says with a smile following me up.

"How could I possibly?" I say with a laugh reaching my bedroom and flicking on my light.

"wait until you see your present," he says turning me and pinning me against my wall and kissing me.

"That depends do you intend on letting me open it or making me wait?