Page 101 of Icing the Play

As we strolled past partiers in fancy clothes and workers handing out flyers to events, we came to an opening in the mayhem. A lengthy queue stretched along the sidewalk leading to a concrete terrace with a brightly lit bar dominating the space. Music flowed onto the street.

“Hold on a minute.” Leo tapped on his cell phone. “I’m texting Axel. He’ll get us in.”

A few minutes later, a man with straight black hair falling around his blue eyes, a smattering of tattoos and wearing a vintage Sex Pistols t-shirt pushed his way through the crowd. A bullet belt hung low on his hips. “Dudes!” He threw an arm around Leo, side-hugging him. “It’s so cool you all could make it.”

I peered at him. He looked nothing like his brother.

“I think the stars are all aligned.” Leo introduced Axel to us all, and we greeted him with fist bumps and side-hugs.

After getting us through security and into the venue, we sat at a few tables up front, mixed with the band’s wives, as they called them. All of them were gay men who had married in the past few years.

We settled in with drinks, mostly beer, with Jett and Zoma having wine. I sat with Cooper on one side of me and Tyler on the other. All the guys chatted and chirped on each other.

As the lights for the venue lowered, the band members walked onstage and picked up their instruments. A man in a short skirt and combat boots took the mic, and a light centered on him, his bright red hair shimmering.

“Hello, Vegas.” He covered his eyes as he scanned the crowd. “We have a full house tonight.”

The crowd clapped and cheered.

“Any Zonies in the crowd?” the man asked.

The cheering grew louder and all the men at our tables clapped and whistled.

“Well, then, let’s get started. I’m Devin and we are Knot Me. And we are…”

The crowd shouted, “Not Okay.”

The drummer pounded his drums while the guitar players jumped and ran across the stage, throwing out the opening riff toI’m Not Okayby My Chemical Romance.

People stormed the stage, pumping fists and hopping up and down to the beat.

“Holy shit.” I drank some of my beer. I knew some of the guys had been to these shows, but I didn’t know how dynamic this band was. Too bad I’d missed it.

Cooper held my hand over the table. “Babe, isn’t it great to see a bunch of friends who stuck it out together and are doing what they love?”

“It sure is.” I kissed his cheek. We were the same way. I glanced at the partners of the band. They’d all gotten married…

After spendingtime with the band on their breaks, the show was over. We’d had a few shots and maybe too many beers and were laughing and joking around as we strolled down the strip. It was already two a.m., but we didn’t want to go back to the room yet.

“It’s true what they say, huh?” Cooper wrapped his arm around my waist. “Nobody sleeps in this city.”

“Nope. And you know what else they say, what happens in Vegas…” I ambled next to Cooper at the back of our gang.

Leo halted and pointed at a sign on a building depicting one of those Elvis-themed wedding chapels. “Archer, look.” He turned to him and dropped on one knee. “Archer, will you marry me? Like, right now?”

Archer gaped. “At an Elvis wedding chapel?” A smile teased his lips.

“Oh, hell no. If they get married, we’re getting married.” Mason fell on one knee. “Jett?—”

“Sure, why the hell not?” Jett snickered. “You won’t give up if I say no.”

“At an Elvis place?” Archer stared at Jett.

“What better way to have a celly in Vegas?” Jonah grabbed Ryan’s hand and dropped to his knee. “Ryan, we planned this, anyway.”

“You did?” Tyler’s jaw fell open. “Fuck, then we’re all doing it.” He faced Rowan and, shaking their hands between them, he said, “Rowan, will you?—”

“Yes, fuck yes.” With glistening eyes, Rowan beamed at Tyler.

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