nodded again. “Yes.”
Adam came out then, and the two of them followed the host to their seats. After reciting specials and laying out menus, he excused himself. Matt had no doubt Adam was super-curious about the present, but he didn’t want to be interrupted while they were talking about it. So he focused on the menu, grateful when Adam followed his example.
Not more than a couple of moments later, a young female server who was way too bubbly for Matt’s state of mind came out. “Good evening! I’m Wendy! Can I start you off with drinks?”
“I’ll just take a Coke.” Adam smiled up at her.
“Same here. And a large order of the ’shrooms?” Matt asked.
“I’ll get those started. Do you know what you’d like already?”
Matt raised his eyebrows at Adam, but at a glance he already knew what Adam’s answer would be . Before Adam could give it, Matt smiled at her. “We’ll need a minute.”
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” She bounced away, and Matt turned his attention back to the menu.
He had to try yet again to focus on the options in front of him. With his nervousness, though, he couldn’t seem to pick anything. He managed to corral his thoughts when he realized Adam wasn’t saying anything and a frown was on Adam’s face.
“Hey,” Matt said, getting his attention. “Don’t worry about the prices. I knew how much it would be. Just get what you want.”
Adam blinked, then sighed. “Sometimes, it’s annoying that you—”
“Know you so well,” Matt finished, smiling.
Adam rolled his eyes, but the frown turned into a small smile. “Asshole,” he muttered.
Matt just grinned. That helped him pick his food, so that when the waitress came back, he could order calmly. “I’ll take the chicken parmesan, please.”
“The meatloaf, if you still have it,” Adam said when she turned to him.
“We do. We have broccoli—is that okay?”
Adam frowned. Matt chuckled, earning himself a glare. “Um… could I get rice instead?”
“Sure, we can do that.” She scribbled on her pad, then collected the menus and disappeared.
Here it was. Matt took a sip of his Coke, trying not to let his hands shake too much. He hesitated, though. Should he wait for the appetizer? Or offer it up anyway?
“So, what’s the box?” Adam asked, taking the decision out of Matt’s hands.
With a deep breath, Matt pushed it across the table.
Adam raised an eyebrow but turned back to the present. Matt guessed he figured out how nervous Matt was. Normally Adam picked at the paper, tearing it slowly, but this time, after smiling at the wrap, he tore it off quickly.
The box itself wasn’t that big, only about the size of a DVD, though a bit thicker. Matt held his breath as Adam pulled the lid off, then blinked at the contents.
“Okay, so, uh, you should do this in stages. Each thing is separate. Take out the first paper.” Matt rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans and waited a little impatiently as Adam opened the trifolded paper.
Adam scanned the page, then went back and reread it, his eyebrows going up and his mouth dropping open as he did. “Matt…. Wait… is this? What?” He looked up, his eyes wide.
Matt couldn’t help but smile at the reaction. “It’s an offer letter for the Carnegie Library main branch. I’ll be working about thirty hours a week, starting after the holidays. They provide insurance, days off, family leave when they baby arrives, and… tuition for school.”
Adam’s eyes got even wider. “Tuition? You mean for Pitt?”
Matt nodded. “Yep. As long as I work for them for at least five years after graduation, they’ll pay for the rest of my tuition. I still have to pay all the fees and buy books and supplies and the like, but….”
“Holy shit. When did this happen… and why didn’t you tell me? Wait… what about classes? When can you take those?” Adam shook his head, still staring at Matt with wide eyes—though he definitely also looked happy.
“Look at the second thing.”
Adam blinked at him, then looked back down at the box. He opened the pages and ran through the first, then the second. “Class schedule?”
“Yes. The first page is mine. The second pages show that the same classes still have openings… so we can still take them together for a while yet.”
“Wow, you, that’s… I’m glad. I’d hate if we lost that too.”
Matt reached across and touched Adam’s hand. “I’ll take every bit of time I can get with you. There’s more, though.” He nodded