Page 50 of After Midnight

But it was late, we were both tired, and I didn’t want either of us literally freezing our balls off. “Tell your dad I’m happy to accept his invitation,” I said when I finally pulled back. “So, maybe you will get that dance, if you’re lucky.”

Dillon’s face lit up as bright as the sun, and we shared another kiss before we climbed into our cars. As I drove home, I hummed sappy love songs and thought of how even if Dillon had two left feet, dancing with him for real would still be better than any dream.

***

I had no idea what to wear. A high society event like the Pearson’s Valentine’s Day Gala required a suit a great deal nicer than the one I owned. If I didn’t come up with something suitable soon, I’d be in full panic mode. I called Ashton, the only person I knew who could help me at such short notice. He told me to come to his apartment at seven that evening. I had no idea how going to his place would help, since he was nowhere near my size so he wouldn’t own a suit I could wear, but he was my last hope.

When I arrived, I heard laughter coming from inside Ashton’s apartment. Clearly, he wasn’t alone. Had he forgotten I was coming over? I knocked, and when he opened the door, I noticed his hair appeared a bit mussed. And was that lipstick on his collar? “Um, looks like you’ve got company,” I said, cocking my eyebrow while trying to hide a grin.

He cleared his throat and smiled ruefully. “You can keep your opinions to yourself, young man. If you want help dressing foryour fancy gala, you’ll respect your elders.” That was the Ashton Pipkin I knew and loved, cheeky man.

Feeling better, I nodded and walked in, only to come face-to-face with one of the most beautiful drag queens I’d ever seen. My jaw dropped at the absolute vision, second only to RuPaul herself, sitting on Ashton’s old couch.

When she spotted me, her eyes lit up. “Dominic?” she asked, her eyes showing surprise. How did she know my name? What else did she know about me? Should I be worried? The questions kept coming.

“Um, yes. Hello,” I said cautiously but still tried to sound polite. “Do I know you?”

“No, but you should.”

I stood there, unsure how to answer that, and hoped Ashton would interrupt us with a formal introduction. Instead, he silently watched our awkward exchange, looking amused. “I’m sorry, are you friends with Miss Rita?” I asked.

The drag queen looked at me curiously, then sighed. “Yes, I’m friends with Miss Rita and Ashton.” I saw sadness flit across her face before she schooled it and pulled me over to sit next to her on the couch. I went reluctantly.

“Ashton tells me you’re in the midst of a fashion emergency. More specifically, you’ll be attending one of Denver’s biggest social events of the year and need to dress to kill.”

I swallowed hard and nodded, my nervousness kicking up at the reminder the gala really was a huge deal. “Yeah, it’s a last-minute invite, and I don’t have anything to wear.”

She stood up abruptly, pulling me with her, and sent Ashton off to find measuring tape. Then she walked around me, eyeing me up and down. “Well, cutie, don’t you worry. YourFairy Demadreis here to help,” she said, emphasizing the name. Seeing my look of confusion, she flipped her wig and added, in a deep voice, “That’s my drag name.”

When Ashton returned, she had him take all my measurements while she wrote them on a notepad she’d pulled out of a tiny purse that matched her outfit perfectly.

“I wonder…” she mused, tapping her lips with the pen. A second later, she was on her phone and chatting with someone about Armani suits as she wandered into the kitchen.

“So, how do you know him… I mean, her?” I asked, and Ashton blushed.

“Well, she and I dated when I was doing the circuits. She’s from Chicago.”

“Really?” I asked, intrigued. If Chicago hadn’t been one of the largest cities in the country, I would’ve been tempted to ask her if she had known my dads.

I was just about to rib Ashton about why he was still blushing when the queen walked back into the room, smiling from ear to ear.

“I have just the thing for you to wear, and my assistant is going to have it overnighted. Lucky for you, I’ve kept a couple tuxes from when my cousin married his husband back in the day.” She then grabbed a tissue from the box on the end table and began carefully dabbing at the corners of her eyes so as to not ruin her makeup. “Dang it, I hate getting emotional when I’ve got my face on. Anyway, based on your measurements, you might fit the jacket of one and the pants of the other, but we’ll make it work.”

“Your cousin and his husband won’t mind?”

“No, cutie,” she said, dabbing at her eyes again. “They’d be honored, I’m sure.”

I nodded, confused by the sudden appearance of Aston’s friend and her selfless offer to help me. But if the queen could get me a tux that fit in such a short time, I’d consider myself lucky. And if it truly was Armani, well, I’d make it fit.

I knew I’d worn out my welcome when the queen and Ashton began making eyes at one another.

“I should take my leave,” I announced and began making my way to the front door. “Thank you so much for your help, both of you. I’m not sure what I would’ve done otherwise. Arrived at the gala wearing something resembling a potato sack, I guess.”

Fairy Demadre rushed toward me and pulled me into a tight embrace. “It’s so good to see you again,” she said. When she pulled back, I saw streaks of eye makeup running down her cheeks. “Oh darn, I should’ve known to wear waterproof mascara,” she said, giving me another quick squeeze before disappearing into the bathroom to fix her face.

I gave Ashton a questioning glance and he shrugged. I smiled, figuring maybe the old girl had had one drink too many this evening. I still didn’t understand how she knew me, but now wasn’t the time to grill Ashton. I dashed out of the apartment before it got any more awkward. At least the question of what I would wear was answered. That was one weight off my shoulders, at least. To be honest, seeing Ashton and meeting the drag queen had made me feel a lot lighter.

The next morning, I got a knock at my door when two exquisite Armani tuxes were delivered. When I tried them on, it was just as she’d predicted, and the mix of the two fit like a glove, as if it’d been tailored just for me. I immediately called Ashton and thanked him profusely and asked him to please let Fairy Demadre know.

---