When restaurateur Hugh Neumann rebukes Oliver Nicholas’s very public proposal to his boyfriend during a Valentine’s Day dinner, the diverted Cupid’s arrow strikes Hugh not in the heart, but in the ass.<br><br>After a media storm of commentary, ironically pro and con, gains national steam, what Hugh begins to refer to as his personal “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” begins to affect home life with his partner, Dominick Brodie.<br><br>Was Hugh’s overreaction pandering to his largely heterosexual clientele? Or did the incident trigger his own panic about same-sex marriage? Will the public scrutiny threaten his decade-long commitment to Dom?

Bended Knee

Dom looked around. “Maybe he went to find clean glasses.”


“Maybe he went to find some villagers brandishing torches.” I was also becoming used to vilification.


“Well, you’ll lovethis. The dog groomer called to move Petie’s appointment.”


“Not to when. To where. We were sent to another groomer.”


“We’ve been going to Rover the Rainbow for eight years!”


“What did we give them for Christmas?”


“Don’t be a smartass. Anyway, I can top all that.” This was like exhibiting war wounds. “You know our cute little favorite barista at Starbucks?”


“I stopped on the way here. Lisping Ralphie asked me if I was nervous, being out in public. I told him no. It wasn’t like I was George Zimmerman. Lisping Ralphie said ‘No, you jutht gunned down thomeone’s dream’ while he sprinkled nutmeg on my latte froth like it was dirt.”


Our martinis finally arrived, not dirty but downright swampy.


“I would swear someone pissed in this,” Dom grimaced.


Chapter 12