Bill pulled into a space in front of the dorm. Nick stopped mid-sentence, looked at the entrance to the dorm, then at Bill. Abruptly, he grabbed Bill by the shoulders, kissed him hard and quick, then fell back with a guilty look as if he expected to be reprimanded. Instead, Bill pulled him in and kissed him back, slowly, open-mouthed. When he released the boy, Nick said, “No one has ever kissed me like that before.”

“Just how many men have you kissed?”

“Counting you? Um, four. You’re the best.”

“Not much of a sample.”

“Will you kiss me again?” Nick asked, moving in.

“I can’t. You’re too goddamn young, Nick.”

“You like me, I like you, what’s the problem?” Nick asked, genuinely puzzled.

Bill, not knowing where to begin, nor even fully understanding his reservations, shook his head.

Nick crossed his arms defiantly and said, “I’m not leaving this car until you give me your phone number.”

Bill dug into his pants pocket for his wallet and took out his business card. He reached past Nick for the glove compartment, got out a pen and wrote his home number on the back of the card.

“If you still want to see me when you’re sober, call me.”

Nick looked at the card. “You sell houses?”

“Yeah. Okay, time for you to go inside.”

Nick slipped the card into his pocket. “Can I call you in the morning?”

Bill laughed. “It is the morning.”

“Bye-bye, Bill,” Nick said, suddenly shy, and slipped out of the car. He was still standing on the sidewalk, staring after Bill’s car, when Bill turned the corner. Bill caught his tall, skinny figure in his rearview mirror and smiled.

The little speech Bill had prepared for Nick when he called about why he couldn’t date him went out of his head as soon as he heard Nick’s cheerful voice on the other end of the line, and Bill agreed to lunch. When he arrived at the restaurant, a Mexican place near the college, Nick was already at a table waiting. As he had on the phone, Bill intended to let Nick down, gently but firmly, but the words caught in his throat when he saw the artless joy in Nick’s eyes as he sat down across from him. He could not remember anyone ever having been so happy to see him.

“Um, hi, Bill,” Nick said, nervously. He pointed at an empty plastic bowl. “Sorry, I was hungry and I ate all the chips but I asked her to bring more. I hope you like Mexican food, I should have asked you. This place is good, not good as my mom, she makes the best chili rellenos. Thank you for taking care of me the other night. How are you?”

“Hi, Nick. I’m good.”

“I talk too much when I’m nervous,” Nick said, unnecessarily.