Free Love Lessons by Heidi Cullinan Page A

been hanging on him, rolled her eyes. “Ladies, give it up. It’s not going to happen. I told you he was gay.”
    “I—” Kelly cut himself off, realizing the reflex to panic was foolish and unnecessary. Still, he cast nervous glances at the girls on either side of him. “Sorry, she’s right.”
    The one who had her hand on his arm all but stomped her foot. “Damn it.” She glared at the one who’d called Kelly out. “How the hell do you have gaydar?”
    “I have fucking eyes. He’s been scoping the guy by the punch bowl.”
    Unable to help himself, Kelly looked that way once again. This time, as if drawn by the power of their mutual focus, the object of his affection met Kelly’s gaze. He held it too, and he smiled.
    “Ooh, we have a winner.” The girl who had pointed out Kelly was gay nudged him in the elbow. “Go for it.”
    The very idea had Kelly paralyzed. I can’t, he wanted to say, but then he remembered Rose’s admonition. It was totally his turn to do this, she was right.
    But what if he got snubbed?
    He lifted his punch to his lips. “I will. In a minute.”
    The girls teased him a while longer, but soon they drifted away, new prey in sight. Kelly watched them swarm a group of guys who looked slightly nervous but who brightened when the trio came their way. He sipped his drink while he watched the flirtations fly between them. The one who had called him out for being gay hung back, assessing, while the other two duked it out with flattery and carefully placed touches. The guys leaned into the girls, accepting their overtures, though the tall one in the center—the cutest—seemed to get most of the attention, and he reveled in it. His buddies laughed along with him, but it was clear they wished they too had girls on them.
    The girl who liked to hang back caught the attention of a guy on the end, quiet, cute, but clearly shy. The girl smiled at him. He smiled back and turned to her, his posture open, hopeful.
    She stepped closer into his space and put her hand on his arm.
    God, could it really be that easy?
    His gaze drifted back to the redhead, who was still talking with his group of friends. This time, though, Kelly kept his eyes fixed on his prey until he turned. Their gazes met and held.
    The redhead smiled, and Kelly smiled back, even as his heartbeat increased.
    His phone played “Candle on the Water” again, but he hit IGNORE.
    I’m going in, he thought wildly, and headed across the room.
    “Hi.” Kelly started to extend his hand as he approached, checked the gesture and brushed it against his leg instead.
    “Hi yourself.” The redhead tipped his head to the side. “I think your orientation group was next to mine in the auditorium.” He held out his hand. “I’m Mason.”
    Kelly met the gesture. “Kelly.”
    “Great to meet you.” Mason ducked his head and smiled at Kelly. “How are you liking Hope?”
    “It’s okay.” He resisted, but just barely, the urge to put his hands in his pockets. Instead, he gestured somewhat feebly to the room at large. “I know it’s a small school, but it’s still a lot of people to me.”
    “Oh yeah? Where are you from?”
    “Windom, Minnesota. It’s not very big.”
    “I’ve heard Minneapolis is great.”
    “It is, but we’re two hours from it. Well, if you want to go all the way into downtown. The suburbs are closer.” Redirect. Do not start talking about your idyllic small town and how far it is from civilization. “What about you, where are you from?”
    “Naperville.” Mason’s smile broadened. “So what do you say we ditch this party and go make our own?”
    Kelly didn’t just blush. He got hot, and cold, and almost paralyzed. “Um,” he managed eventually, and that was all.
    Mason winked. “We can start with coffee at the deli. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, we could go for pizza at that place across from campus.”
    Pizza. Walter. Kelly put his hand over the phone in his pocket, half expecting it to ring on