TJRBB: Find me somebody to love - Part II
Part II
Tommy was going around the terrace to get to the door to enter the house. He needed to use the bathroom and he was hungry. When he stepped through the door he ran into someone caring some pans and bowls.
“Shit, I’m sorry…” Tommy started to say while the pans were falling down in an earth-shattering loud crash. It seemed to go on forever and Tommy gave up trying to catch some of the stuff. Finally all things were down and he could take a look at the person in front of him. His breath hitched when he saw blue eyes looking down at him. It was the guy Tommy saw Sauli and Adam talking to earlier. It was the chef, wasn’t it? “Oh my God! Did I destroy the food? Please tell me the food is ok?’”
The guy in front of him started to laugh and his laugh was doing strange things to Tommy’s stomach and heart. “No, the food is already set up outside for people to taste. Everything’s ok.”
Tommy sighed deeply and put his hand against his chest. “Thank goodness! Adam would have killed me.”
The guy chuckled and stretched his hand out. “Hi, I'm Nate. Nathaniel actually, but please don’t use that against me.”
Tommy smiled at him. “Tommy Joe. And I don’t even want to say my full names.” They grinned at each other for a few seconds, and then Nate looked at the mess on the floor.
“Gonna help me here? I need to get them back to my car.”
Tommy stared down on the floor. “Of course, sorry again. I would offer you a drink to make it up, but I guess it’s free tonight.”
Nate leaned closer to Tommy and whispered. “You could always take me out. For a drink, to make up, you know?”
Tommy blushed a bit. “Yeah, maybe I'll get back at you for that. “ Then he started to pick the stuff up while Nate was smirking at him.
They walked over to Nate’s car and put the stuff in it. “So, you're the guitar player, aren’t you?” Nate’s voice sounded shy suddenly.
Tommy had to smile at that. “Yeah, I'm the guitar player. You like Adam’s music?”
Nate looked down at the pans and scratched over his neck. “Yeah, I'm a fan actually. I mean not one of those hard-die Glamberts, but yeah, I might have bought one or two of his albums.” Nate paused and hid his eyes behind his hand. “And I might have had a small crush on the bass player, you know?”
Tommy looked at him in confusion. “Wow, my gaydar is broken, I was sure you are gay.”
Nate peered at Tommy between his fingers. “I meant I might have had a crush on the former bass player, you know?”
Tommy laughed. “Really? I heard he's an ass, so not worth a crush at all!” They laughed together.
“So, Nate how come you cook for Adam and Sauli? Are you an old friend I just haven't met yet?”
Nate shook his head. “No, I met Sauli last year at one of the Finnish events here in Hollywood. I was catering there and he wanted to get my receipt for Voileipäkakku.”
Tommy chuckled. “For what?”
Nate smiled. “It’s a salty cake made of bread , ham or fish, mayonnaise. There are a lot of different sorts, like you know every family has its own receipt. I got my from my mother. It’s with feta and mettwurst. But I can’t tell you more, because it’s a family secret. If I say too much I would have to kill you.” He winked at him.
“Sounds good. Did you made some for today?”
Nate nodded. “I did. I don’t think it fits in the food concept at all, but I love making it. And I made some other stuff you can check out. If you want I can show the dishes to you when we get back to the party? Or aren’t you hungry?”
Before Tommy could answer, his stomach growled suddenly. They laughed again.
“I’d say I really need to eat something. Coming with me?”
Nate looked back at Tommy with a grin. “Yeah, I need to see what people, especially Sauli, think about the dishes.”
He closed the trunk and they started to walk back. “Tommy?”
Tommy turned around with question in his eyes. “I guess you could use my number? You know, for that drink?” Nate seemed nervous. It warmed Tommy’s heart a bit and he gave Nate his cell phone so he could put his number in. When Tommy got it back, he called Nate.
“Now you have mine.” He winked at Nate and walked in the house to get to the bathroom. Nate walked out in the garden, a smile gracing his face.
“What's making you smile that way?” Nate looked at Sauli who was smiling at him.
“Ahm… nothing, I just had a nice talk, that’s all.”
Sauli raised his eyebrow. “You did? Do I know him?”
Nate blushed a bit. “Maybe?”
Sauli grinned. “I see, you want to keep him a secret. I won’t ask anything more. I just wanted to say that everything is perfect. I love the food. You found the right connection between Finnish and American food. Thank you!” Sauli hugged him quickly.
“You’re welcome! I'm happy you like it. I was a bit nervous about that you know?”
“There was no need for that at all. Everything's delicious. And Adam's bitching about his waistline, which is the biggest compliment for you!”
Nate felt relief flooding through his body. Then he saw Tommy coming up to stand beside him. Sauli watched between them with a knowing look. “Tommy, you should try the stuff Nate made. You'll love it!” He paused and looked around. “I see Leila has nothing to drink. Have fun guys.” And with a last wink at Nate he was gone.
“So, what made you want to become a chef?” Tommy was truly curious. They walked over to the table Nate put all the food on.
“I was always interested in cooking. When I was a kid I spend a lot of time with my grandmother. She's a great cook. She showed me all the Finnish dishes. I guess cooking is my passion, it's like making music for you, I think. It makes me happy. Sometimes it calms me, sometimes it gets me excited. It’s a part of me.”
Tommy hummed in understanding while his eyes were wandering over the dishes. “Yeah, I totally understand what you mean. And this stuff looks so amazing, it’s like you are creating art with your food. Pretty sure I need to try everything!”
Nate laughed at that. “Do you want me to introduce you to the food?”
Tommy nodded already a plate in his hand. “I need to have a taste of this bread thing you were talking about earlier. I forgot the name.” He smiled sheepishly at Nate.
“You mean Voileipäkakku? It’s over here. I prepared smaller portions, so you can have a taste of all dishes without feeling too full.”
Tommy walked over and looked awed. “Wow this looks really great. I guess I’ll take two pieces, just in case. And what is this?” He pointed to a plate with food that looked like flat cakes.
“Oh these are Karelian pies. You eat them with egg butter.”
Tommy took two of them and some of the butter. When Nate looked at him he just shrugged. “What? I'm hungry!” Nate laughed.
“I guess you already know meatballs? Sauli's made them?” Tommy nodded, already putting some on his plate. Nate chuckled. “And of course here is some gravlax. I made it on bread and you can have some Smetana with them. It’s like cream.”
Tommy nodded happily while his plate was getting fuller. “Ok, I guess I'll just sit down and eat that. It all looks delicious.” Tommy walked over to the table where Adam and Sauli were sitting. Nate followed him. Tommy sat down and started to eat through the dishes. Everything was really tasty. Nate watched him intently. “This is amazing! I can’t even say what I like most. But I definitely need more of this gravlax.”
Sauli chuckled. “I see you have a new fan, Nate.” He looked up at Nate. “Tommy's right. Everything is really good. Thank you.”
Nate blushed a bit and smiled in relief. “I'm happy you like it. I guess we'll talk about the final menu the next days?” Sauli nodded.
Nate turned back to Tommy. “Do you have some space to try some of the American dishes?” Tommy nodded. “Sure, lead the way!” Nate chuckled. “And you should really have some Leipäjuusto and coffee later.” They walked over to the food table while Sauli was watching them with a smile.
He turned around to Adam and wanted to say how good it was to see Tommy smiling when he saw Adam frowning. “What’s wrong babe? Don’t you like the food?”
Adam was looking at Tommy and Nate. “The food is perfect. I'm just worried about Tommy.”
Sauli looked back to Tommy and Nate. “He seems perfectly fine in my opinion.” Adam snorted and Sauli gave him a surprised look. “What? He and Nate seem to get along really well. It makes me happy to see Tommy smiling and Nate is a nice guy. What's the problem?”
Adam snorted again making Sauli rolling his eyes. “I just don’t want Tommy to get hurt again.”
Sauli looked at Adam in confusion. “What do you mean?” Adam was still watching Tommy talking to Nate. It was clear to see that he was flirting with Nate. Adam felt something like anger bubbling up inside him. He didn’t even know why.
,He hissed at Sauli without turning his gaze away from Tommy. “He wants to try having a relationship with a man. He thinks he should stop dating girls.”
Beside them Terrance chuckled. “Again? Does that mean Debbie and Tommy didn’t work out?” Adam just nodded and kept his eyes on Tommy. Terrance shrugged. “I never understood why he was even with her in the first place. She was so arrogant. He deserves someone who makes him happy.” Adam sighed at this in agreement. When he saw Tommy putting his hand on Nate’s arm he almost jumped up.
Sauli took his wrist and pulled him back. “Baby, calm down. They're both grownups. Do you want to forbid Tommy to date Nate?” Adam snorted again. Sauli took his face in his hands and forced him to look at him. “Stop that. This is not really charming you know?” Adam just glared at him while Tommy and Nate walked back to the table.
“I have to go, I need to bake some cakes tonight for a party tomorrow. Enjoy the food and Sauli, we'll get together on Tuesday?” Sauli nodded with a smile. “Have a nice evening then.”
He looked around and Sauli was relieved to see that Adam managed to look at him with a friendly smile. But then Nate turned around to Tommy. He lowered his voice but they all could hear him say “You will call me for that drink?” Tommy nodded and smiled at Nate. Then Nate turned around and walked away while Adam looked at Tommy who was watching Nate’s ass.
When Tommy turned his gaze back to the table, Adam was still watching him with worry in his eyes. Tommy looked at him in confusion. “What is wrong?”
Adam sighed. “Tommy, take it slow, please.”
Tommy was still confused. “What do you mean?”
Adam looked at him. “You broke up with Debbie this morning and you plan to take a chance on dating guys. I just don’t want you to get hurt again, just because you're desperate for a working relationship.” Tommy looked at Sauli and Terrance who were looking at him in sympathy. “Look, Tommy, you're a nice guy and you deserve to find your match, but some guys are assholes. They might want to use the fact that you're kind of vulnerable now…”
Tommy held his hand up. “I don’t really need to listen to that. I am not a child Adam. And just so you know, the thing between me and Debbie ended today, but it was over before it even started. I don’t really understand why I even thought we could have something in common. Or that we had enough in common to be a real couple. I'm not heartbroken and I definitely don’t need you to save me from “bad guys”, you know? And I'm sure, Nate is not one of them at all.”
Adam sighed. “You can’t know that Tommy. I mean he seems nice and he is a great cook, but who knows? I just don’t want you to be heartbroken while I'm so happy, you know?”
Tommy snorted. “So it’s not really about me, it’s about you and your wedding?”
Adam looked up at him. “What? No, it just came out the wrong way. I'm worried about you. How could I not be worried? You've managed to get your heart broken so many times over the last two years…”
Tommy interrupted him. “Stop that Adam. I'm not heartbroken, not at all. And I don’t need you to save me or protect me or something like that. I had some fun the last two years. Some guys I met just wanted fun. Some might have wanted more, but I didn’t. Sometimes actually I was the one who was breaking someone’s heart. I might have broken Debbie’s heart too, who knows?” Adam put his hand on Tommy’s shoulder like he wanted to calm him. Tommy pulled away. “Adam, seriously: I'm fine!”
Adam sighed. “Tommy, just take your time. Don’t run from one relationship into another. Why can’t you take your time and wait before you start dating again?”
Tommy just groaned. “Why should I wait? Besides, I'm not dating Nate, we just want to have a drink together. This is nothing to worry about it. And who knows, he might be the right person for me? Did you even think about that?” Tommy was getting angry.
“Tommy, I just don’t believe that it’s that simple, you know?”
Sauli chuckled beside him. “Sorry, babe, but sometimes things are just that simple.”
Adam just looked at Sauli. “Sauli, you are not helping me here.” Sauli chuckled again and Adam turned back to Tommy. “I just want you to be careful and take things slowly. Like I told you before, take your time to choose the right person and get to know them before you get involved. Just promise me you'll be careful?”
Tommy snorted. “Yes, mom, I promise I'll be careful.” Adam rolled his eyes. But before he could say anything else, Sauli took his face in his hands and forced him to look in his eyes.
“Adam, just stop. Tommy's a big boy and you, my love, you had too much of that wine. I think it's best if we all call it a night and I get your pretty ass in bed.” Adam looked at him for a while and nodded then.
“Yeah that's a good idea, I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin our evening.”
Sauli smiled. “You didn’t, don’t worry about that.”
Adam sighed and lowered his voice: “I just… he just decided ten minutes ago to change his way with men and he thinks our chef could be the one? After talking to him for five minutes? It doesn’t work that way!”
Sauli giggled while he cupped Adam’s face with both hands now. “Baby you had me after the first “Hi”. Sometimes things are that easy.” Adam leaned forward for a small kiss. They whispered for a few minutes.
Then Adam looked at Tommy. “Sorry. I'm just nervous, I guess. I know you can decide what you do. Just… Be careful, Tommy, please. Don’t jump into something new without being ready. Promise to wait for a while at least before you date him.” He looked that earnest and kind that he actually made Tommy sigh and nod. Adam walked over to hug Tommy and walked over to the house. Tommy just shook his head knowing this talk wasn’t really over yet.
Sauli watched Adam going in and then he smirked at Tommy. “I think you and Nate are really hot together. And don’t worry about Adam, he's just worried. He loves you and he wants the best for you, you know that.”
Tommy nodded. “It’s just a bit annoying, you know?”
Sauli nodded at that. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
Tommy grinned and pats Sauli’s shoulder. “So you think I should go out with Nate?”
Sauli rolled his eyes giggling. “Of course you should! Don’t tell Adam, but I think he is hot! Just maybe you could keep it quiet and don’t give Adam any details about that for now? Just until you are sure what you want. Or maybe wait until the wedding's over and he'll be calmer.” Tommy smiled at that and hugged Sauli. Sauli looked back at the house again and then moved closer to Tommy to whisper in his ear: “But I want all the details! Especially the dirty ones!” Tommy had to laugh about that. Sauli was just an amazing friend.
Part III