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Booker almost dropped the tray with doughnuts when he came into what he thought was an empty cafe.
"Jeez, Nicky," Booker said. "Haven't I told you to put a bell around your neck when you walk in here?"
Nicky just shrugged his shoulders as he returned to look out on the rain. Usually, he would love to banter with his best friend about being quiet.
Booker took one of the salty caramel doughnuts before adding whip cream, pineapples, and nuts on top.
"I even brought you the can with whip cream if I haven't added enough," Booker said when he placed the doughnuts in front of Nicky. When Nicky didn't react or eat, Booker got really nervous. "Nicky, are you dying?"
"What?" Nicky asked. "No, I'm not. Why do you think that?"
"Because you aren't eating or telling me I didn't put enough whipped cream on your doughnut," Booker replied. "So, what's wrong?"
Nicky chewed on his underlip for a moment.
"I think Joe is cheating on me," Nicky replied. "Because he is lying to me."
"What? Don't be silly. Joe wouldn't do that to you," Booker replied. "Why are you thinking that your Love toy..."
If Nicky hadn't been in such a terrible mood, he would have said something to Booker about how he addressed Joe.
"Is cheating on you?" Booker asked. "Do you have proof of it?"
Nicky nodded while he rubbed his eyes. He was still fighting the tears.
"Joe has told me that he was with his studying group every Wednesday from 7 PM to 9 PM for the last five weeks," Nicky replied. "And today, I wanted to surprise Joe with pizza after he was done, so I called Krizzy and asked her where they were holding the studying group. But Krizzy said that they were done at 5 PM, which proves that Joe is lying to me because I don't have any idea what he is doing. And last week, I saw Joe talking with a girl and since he is bi-sexual...."
"Nicky," Booker said. "Do you trust me?"
"You more than Joe at the moment," Nicky replied. "Why?"
Booker rubbed his face. He hoped Joe would forgive him for what he was about to tell Nicky.
"Eat your doughnut and feel free to empty the can with whipped cream," Booker replied. "And I'll take you to where Joe is when I'm done here in two hours."
Nicky stared daggers at Booker.
"And there goes the trust I had in you," Nicky shouted. He took his jacket and stood up. "And here I thought we were best friends, but obviously not because you found it more important covering for Joe than telling me the truth."
Booker was quick enough to grab Nicky's hand before he could storm out.
"Nicky, please, I would never cover for Joe if he cheated on you. I would in fact be the first to rip out his guts if he did it, and you know it," Booker said. "Please Nicky. You'll see you still have your boyfriend and best friend in two hours. I promise to explain why Joe told you a small lie."
Nicky looked at Booker before sitting down again with crossed arms. Booker had never seen his best friend be this angry before, and he hoped he could restore the faith Nicky usually had in him.
"Good," Booker said as he stood up. "Call me if you want another doughnut."
Nicky didn't move at all for the next two hours or eat the doughnut in front of him. When Booker was ready to leave, Nicky just followed him in total silence. Booker suddenly missed all the titbits that normally came from Nicky when they were together.
"Ok," Booker said as he opened a door. "Inhere."
Nicky followed Booker to the first floor and over to the big window.
"The girl you have seen with Joe is my cousin Gabrielle, and before you say anything, she is happily married to a Spanish guy. That is why I know Joe hasn't cheated on you," Booker said as he pointed at a room. "And there's the reason why Joe has been telling you a small lie. He has been taking dance lessons at Gabrielle's dance studio."
Nicky looked out the window into the dance studio on the other side of the street, where Gabrielle instructed Joe and another man in a dance.
"Joe is doing it for you because he loves you and knows how much you love to dance. So, when you got that invitation to your Sister's wedding next week, Joe asked me for Gabrielle's number so he could learn how to dance without stomping you on your feet," Booker said. "And for the record, I asked Joe to tell you what he was doing, but Joe said it should be a surprise, so when he asked you for a dance, you better act surprised. Got it?"
Nicky couldn't help but feel like an idiot for thinking what he did about Joe. And he knew he had a lot of apologizing to do.
"Sorry for shouting at you, Book," Nicky said. "I was..."
"Going sugar cold?" Booker offered. "Maybe I should have forced that doughnut into your mouth. And you owe me an apology for not eating my doughnut. Have I become such a terrible baker?"
One of the things Nicky loved the most about his best friend was that Booker always turned every conversation around, so it was all about the pastry he baked.
"No, you're still the best baker in the world," Nicky replied. "But could I not at least be allowed to apologize for shouting at you?"
"You can do that by eating the doughnut I made for you," Booker replied as he held out a small box. "Eat it, and we're even."
"Ok," Nicky replied. "How many mouthfuls?"
"Two," Booker replied. "I know you can do it."
Because Booker's pastry always was beyond good, Nicky had no problems eating the doughnuts in two mouthfuls.
"Good," Booker said. "Now that we're friends again, you can buy me a beer."
"Fair enough," Nicky replied. "About your salty caramel..."
It was clear to Joe that Nicky felt guilty about something, but because Nicky had been so busy with his Sister's wedding, Joe decided to wait to ask after the wedding. But at the wedding, Nicky looked even more guilty than before, so before the dinner, Joe pulled Nicky to the side with the excuse that they wanted to kiss. Nicky's Mother looked at Joe with a look that said, "Propose to my Son. You got my blessing.".
"Ok," Joe said. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"
"Can't it wait until after the wedding is over?" Nicky asked. "Most of all, because I fear you'll break up with me, and I really prefer to enjoy having a boyfriend for a couple of hours."
"Wow, wait," Joe replied. "Now I need to know why you think that?"
Nicky chewed on his lips again just as the door burst open.
"So, sorry," Nicky's cousin said. "But your Mama says we eat in five minutes."
"We'll be there," Joe replied, not taking his eyes off Nicky. "We only need four minutes."
When the door closed, Nicky told Joe what he thought.
"I'm so sorry, Joe, for thinking that," Nicky said, looking sorry at Joe. "I understand if you want to break up with me."
"Not going to happen," Joe replied. "And I should have told you I was trying to impress you by learning how to dance."
Joe kissed Nicky on the forehead.
"We both have trust issues after idiotic boyfriends in the past, so I understand why your mind went there Nicky," Joe said. "And I need you to trust me on this when I say I would never cheat on you, Nicky, because I'm beyond ecstatic about dating you."
"I can only say the same thing," Nicky replied. "I still don't get how I managed to date you because you're a catch, Joe."
"Well, I still say I got the bigger and better fish in that pond," Joe replied as he winked at Nicky. It made Nicky giggle. "And about me lying to you. I'm so sorry..."
"Joe, can we not agree that it was a mistake?" Nicky asked. "That the next time when one of us wants to surprise the other one, they call it a gift, and they need some time to work on it?"
"Ok, we call it a mistake. Something we both have learned from," Joe replied. Something Nicky agreed on. "And let's do that. Call it a gift."
Joe kissed Nicky.
"Now, since we're dating," Joe said. "Can we go to the wedding party together so that I can show you my gift?"
"I would love that," Nicky replied as he reached out his hand. "Shall we?"
Joe took Nicky's hand, and they entered the ballroom.
"I'm only saying this once, Joe, and you have to help me convince my Mother," Nicky said. "If I'm ever to get married, we'll wear jeans and T-shirts to the city hall. Then we'll eat a hotdog and eat Book's doughnuts."
"Why do I have a feeling you're talking about me?" Booker joked. "And my doughnuts."
"I have no idea where you got that idea from," Nicky replied. "How's the wedding cake?"
"In one piece at the table," Joe replied. "There are also doughnuts."
"Fantastic," Nicky replied. "Let me just get one of them..."
Joe took Nicky's hand again.
"Nicky," Joe said. "Remember how much trouble you were in with your Mother the last time you ate a doughnut before dinner."
"Wasn't it four you ate?" Booker asked. "Or was it five?"
Before Nicky could say anything, people were asked to sit down because dinner was ready.
"You don't need to worry," Booker whispered to Nicky. "I got a box with doughnuts in the car for you."
"Thanks," Nicky replied. "Owe you big."
After eating dinner and speeches, Joe led Nicky out on the dancefloor.
"Ok," Joe said while looking at his feet. He was praying that his feet would do as he wanted them to do. "Ready for your gift?"
"Yes," Nicky replied. "We move when you move."
Joe placed his hand on Nicky's lower back while he with the other hand took a firm grip on Nicky's hand. The music was already playing when Joe finally started to dance. Joe couldn't believe his feet were doing what he wanted them to do, and it was not stomping on Nicky's feet. When Nicky placed his head on Joe's chest, Joe slowed down and moved slowly, enjoying having Nicky in his arms and their dance. They didn't leave the dancefloor before the teenagers demanded music with more beats to dance to.
Joe should have known his feet would take a terrible revenge at some point because the moment he stepped off the dancefloor, he tripped over his feet and ended face first on the floor.
"Joe," Nicky said as he rolled Joe around. "Are you ok?"
"My bruised ego says no," Joe replied. "Do you think anyone saw what I just did?"
Joe and Nicky looked around at all the people who were pretending not to look at them. It made them both laugh like the rest of the room. Nicky then pulled Joe up before they found Booker and went outside to drink a beer or two, while eating the doughnuts.
The day after, Nicky's Mother told Joe that she had gotten Joe's fall on tape and that if Joe didn't propose to Nicky soon, she would share the video with Joe's Mother. That was why at the next family gathering four weeks later, Nicky could show their families his engagement ring. It was also there Joe found out that his Mother had seen the video of him falling when she insisted that her Son should have dance lessons before his wedding.