by LL Dahlin
Bailey had no idea where she was going, but he’d wanted to know what had spurred their sudden break up and it appeared that now she was willing to talk about it.
“I’d actually give the girls what they wanted in terms of advice, but little did I know I really didn’t have any to give.” Honey finished and then covered her face with her hands. Bailey could see she was becoming upset while telling her story, but he wasn’t understanding where she was going.
“I’m trying to follow you and this story, Honey, but I don’t see where this is the answer to my question. Unless you’re saying you left me because you didn’t think you gave good advice.” Bailey was puzzled when Honey finally did look at him she seemed so sad. “How can you sit there and look sad when you’re the one who left me? You did it without notice or explanation and the whole community was pissed that I’d done something to you they damn near throttled me with words every time they saw me.”
“Back to the birthday party,” she continued, sitting on the chair closest to Bailey Honey took a deep breath, sat up straight like she was readying herself and looked into his eyes. “You got out of your car and walked over to the pool where everyone was but you stopped before you turned the corner where everyone would see you.” Honey spoke like she wanted him to remember what had happened and he tried to recall that day. Scott’s 18th birthday party.
He remembered the day, but he didn’t remember doing anything that would have pissed Honey off so bad she’d be so done with him she wouldn’t speak another word for years.
“Before you got to the place where everyone could see you, Scott got out of the pool and your eyes fixed on him.” Honey picked up her glass of water and drank it down like she needed it to get through the telling of this tale.
“You left me because I watched Scott get out of the pool?” Bailey was hoping for more than this because it didn’t make any sense.
“The look of desire I saw on your face looking at Scott was more than I’d ever seen you have. It was bigger than the desire you had for Albert’s Chocolate chip ice cream, a win for your team, or anything you’d ever had for me.”
There was silence between them and he struggled to figure out what to say about that.
“You liked Scott and it brought out all the times I’d done things I thought you’d like and desire but it wasn’t there. I remember trying to make out with you or go further than making out but you weren’t interested. You’d say something about keeping me pure and respecting me too much, but the honest fact was that you weren’t into me.” Honey looked away in the end and Bailey didn’t know what to say.
He remembered that day clearly now, he’d walked up to the pool and could hear all the people who were there at the party, but he’d only had eyes for the wet birthday boy who’d emerged from the water like a wet dream. He’d been startled by the strength of his desire as well, but he’d thought that was a private moment.
“I’m not asking you to dispute or explain what was going on in your head when you saw Scott, but I was full on, green eyed fury.”
“You couldn’t have talked to me about it?” Bailey didn’t even know why he was trying with this, but he’d thought about this a lot over the years
“Bailey. You’d never have wanted to hurt my feelings and you’d have smoothed it over with me if I asked, but I know what I saw. You’d never looked at me like that. It was hot and sexy and it wasn’t for me.”
“You and Scott were friends you could have asked him if you thought something was going on between us.” Bailey put down his exercise bands because he was getting a workout just listening to this conversation.
Honey moved closer to Bailey and put her hand on his arm. “I never thought you were cheating on me or doing something wrong. I just knew you weren’t into me like I thought you were. All those times I thought you were just being a gentleman and didn’t want to sully my reputation or my virtue it was a lie. You weren’t into me like that.”
Bailey could barely look at her. “I was a true asshole to you, Honey and until today I didn’t really know it. I didn’t have the kind of feelings you had for me, but I loved you. I thought we’d be together forever and I was planning to marry you.”
“I know you loved me, Bailey, but did you want me?”
“I was a fool.” Bailey stood up and wanted to get away from Honey. How did he not know what a jerk he was to her? He’d actually been upset that she left him, but looking back how could she have stayed?
“That was a long time ago and we’re friends again now.” Honey hugged him and Bailey hugged her back. Thankful to know what really happened and shocked that she’d seen something that he’d been running from for the last 8 years, but something came to him.
“Did you talk to Scott about any of this?” Bailey looked into her face and the pink tint on her cheeks told the story better and quicker than she ever would.
“I may have said something to him about you a few days after we split. I asked him to take care of you. I knew that he’d already been by your side since we’d split up and I knew Ollie was out of town so he wouldn’t be able to help.” Honey went back to hugging him. “You have always been the best hugger.”
Bailey pushed her back a little and looked down into her face. “What did you say to Scott?”
“I asked him to make sure you were alright and I told him I thought you may have some feelings for him.” Honey backed up from him a little more and he wondered what his face must look like. That night in the back of his truck looking at the stars with Scott, he wondered what had gotten into him that he would crawl on top of him and kiss him like that. He’d tried to talk himself into thinking it was just because the guy was trying to comfort him. Bailey had tried to temper his own response to being so red hot and ready for the smaller man because he’d not jerked off in a while or because he was so sad being dumped any upgrade in feelings worked, but it wasn’t that. He’d always known it wasn’t that. He’d liked the gruff feel of a man on top of him and the hard rough kiss that accompanied it. The two of them had rubbed their cocks together like they were trying to start a fire with kindling and when Bailey had come it had been more explosive than he’d ever come in his life. It wasn’t until the cum had dried in his shorts and he realized how relaxed and exhilarated he got from holding Scott in his arms. “Bailey?”
“Yeah.” He startled out of his sexy flashback and tried to bring himself to the matter at hand. “I’m just thinking.”
“What are you thinking about?” Honey looked worried.
“A lot of things, but really how I wish you’d have talked to me sooner. Things work out the way they do and everything supposedly happens for a reason, but there has been so much time wasted.” Bailey wondered if anything would have changed if she confronted him about this earlier but figured it probably wouldn’t have. He’d been terrified at the time of looking into his feelings and if she’d have mentioned it, he’d have shoved it so far back in his closet he’d have married Honey and had kids by now.
“Time wasted for what?” Honey asked with her eyes squinted. “I’m asking because the look of lust I witnessed on your face toward Scott when he turned 18 is only a spark compared to how you look at him now.”
Bailey turned toward Honey quickly and was surprised by the grin on her face.
“I’ve always been able to read you when it came to other people. It was reading how you felt toward me that was the issue. I guess it really wasn’t though, because you just weren’t that into me.”
“Things happened, after you broke up with me and apparently spoke to Scott, that I wasn’t prepared to handle at the time, but I’ve thought about how to make heads and tails out of what happened then.” Bailey walked over to Honey. “I’d never have done what I did to you on purpose. Yes, I liked you because you weren’t pushy with sex, but you were also amazing to bounce ideas off of and you were an expert bowler.”
Honey smacked him playfully in the arm.
“Seriously.” Bailey caught her chin betw
een his fingers and steadied her face toward his so she could pay attention to him. “You meant so much to me that I really was heartbroken when you dumped me. I was so confused, but listening to you now I was confused about a lot of things. I want to thank you for pushing me off the cliff instead of letting me stay comfortable in untruths.”
“What are friends for?” Honey broke out of his chin grasp and hugged him right when Scott walked in with bags. The man walked in with a smile on his face, but it fell a bit when he saw the two of them hugging in the middle of the room.
“Hey Scott, what did you bring home?” Bailey held on to Honey’s hand and walked behind Scott to the kitchen.
“Just some General Tso’s Chicken and a few egg rolls. If you haven’t figured out that most delivery food places don’t deliver up here on the mountain.” Scott set out two plates and took all the food out of the bags.
“Honey, are you going to stay and eat with us?” Bailey asked ushering her to the table.
“No. I have to get to my next appointment.”
“I was going to run too.” Scott was finishing up getting the table set up and then he picked up a few things and he was ready to go.
Bailey watched the two of them scramble to get to the door. “Wait.”
The both of them turned around.
“What the hell is this? I feel like both of you are running away from me…do I smell?” Bailey was trying to be casual and funny but he felt as if something was going on.
Honey rushed over to Scott and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You tell him.” Then she moved to Bailey and gave him a hug. “I really do have to run. I have other clients.”
Bailey watched Scott track Honey around the room and he didn’t stop looking at the door, she walked out of until the door closed.
“Want to tell me what that was about?” Bailey moved to reach for Scott and pulled him closer to him.
“Not really, but I guess since she put it all out there and then left I’ll have to fill you in.” Scott gave Bailey a quick kiss and then gave his butt a quick smack. “It will have to be over lunch though, because I knew I’d only have time to eat when I brought this before I had to go back to work.”
They moved to the table and made their plates, but it didn’t seem like Scott was in a rush to tell him what had just gone on between his two friends.
“I’m not going to let you leave until you tell me and I’m sure I’m going to have follow up questions so the sooner you start, the sooner we finish.” Bailey was trying to keep his mind off Scott in his uniform and what he really wanted to do with him in it.
“Back in the day when we were all friends there were times you were so oblivious to the petty rivalry that went on daily between Honey and I.” Scott stopped and took a bit of his food.
“What rivalry?” Bailey shoveled food into his mouth to force himself not to ask questions until Scott was done, but apparently it wasn’t working.
“Exactly my point. Honey and I did so many things to compete for your attention. I was always along on your time together and I think she kind of hated it but we were friends too. It was a love/hate relationship, but it grew to be more hate after you two broke up.” Scott took another bite of his food and a drink. Bailey wanted to know more, but he didn’t say anything. “We both blamed each other for you leaving and Ollie blamed both of us. It was a bad scene.”
“In these competitions what would you do? How did you determine who won? What did you get?” Bailey scooped a bit more food onto his plate wondering how he didn’t notice this.
Scott laughed. “Are you kidding? Everything was a competition. If you wanted to eat and I suggested something so would Honey. Whoever’s idea you chose would win. What did we win? Nothing really, but we were playing for your time and affection. I’d have never let me stay around if I were Honey but you didn’t mind it so I guess she didn’t either.”
“So you’re telling me that since you were like that then you, what, agreed not to do it again?” Bailey thought he was catching on.
“When we heard you were coming back we said that we wouldn’t let you get into the way of our friendship and we wouldn’t revert to our high school selves.” Scott chuckled to himself a bit more. “I was planning on staying away from you, so it wasn’t going to be a problem for me. It was Ollie that threw a big wrench in that plan.”
“What?” Bailey frowned at Scott.
Scott looked at his watch. “Wow! Look at the time. I’ve got to go. I’ll be back in a couple hours and we can head back to the bar.”
“Don’t think I’ll forget what I was going to ask about Ollie before you suddenly had to go.”
Scott bent over and kissed Bailey softly on his mouth and trailed biting kisses from there to the soft skin below his ear. “I’m sure you have more questions and I’ll answer as many of them as I can.”
“Were some of them classified?” Bailey smirked, thinking of how Scott talked about answering some of the questions.
“They feel that way.” Scott gave him one last quick peck before straightening up and turning to walk out. “Sorry I can’t help clean up. I’ll cook and clean next time.”
Bailey watched Scott walk out and didn’t look away from the door the man walked out of until he heard the door close. Was he really that unobservant back in the day? He’d not known he was that interested in Scott until the man made a move on him but maybe that wasn’t the case. Bailey stood up and cleaned the table before taking a nap. It was like he was learning about a past he was involved in but not really a part of…is that possible? Apparently, it was.
Cleaning the table and thinking about other things that had been said that he just let slide he remembered Ollie’s almost anger at Honey. He knew the man was mad about the break up, but that was so long ago he couldn’t still be mad about that, but he decided to call him and find out.
He pulled out his phone and pressed the button assigned to his best friend…number two.
“Hey, Bailey. What’s up? I thought I’d hear from you after you left from the date I set up. I’m sorry if she wasn’t your type, but I have lots of other friends,” Ollie said without waiting for a greeting of any kind.
“It’s no big deal. I thought Candy was great, but it’s not really what I’m into right now.” Scott rushed to the next part because he really didn’t want to get into that with Ollie right at this point. “Actually, I’m calling with some questions for you.”
“Oh, yeah? You know I’m an open book.”
Bailey could hear papers ruffling in the background. “Is this a good time for you? I know people have regular jobs during regular hours, but as of yet, I’m not one of them.”
“Nah. What I’m doing I can talk and do it. What’s up?”
“Why are you so mad at Honey?” Bailey waited so long for an answer, he wondered if the disconnection was bad, but he could swear that he could hear Ollie on the other line. “Ollie?”
“Why are you asking about her? Please don’t say you two are getting back together.”
“That’s not where I was going with the question, but I’m just thinking back to your attitude when you saw her the other day and I wondered what she’d done to you.” Bailey finished cleaning up the kitchen and went to sit on the comfy couch preparing to hear whatever was coming next.
“She’s a trouble maker and she went out of her way to stir the pot. Honey is the reason you left.”
Bailey had a choice to make but he didn’t have all the pieces to do so. Things were way too new with Scott to hit him with the fact he and his best friend’s baby brother were exploring each other sexually and he didn’t really want to tell him the real reason why he left.
“There are things you don’t know about, Ollie, and I’m not sure I want to go into them, but Honey isn’t the reason I left.”
“That’s what you think,” Ollie spat, clearly disgusted with any and all talks about Honey.
“No. That’s what I know.”
“Bailey. You are my very best frien
d and you are good at so many things, but being aware of the emotions of people around you isn’t your strong suit… at least it wasn’t at that time.” Ollie softened his voice like he was speaking to someone who needed soothing. He had been a selfish man in the past who only saw what he obviously wanted to see. Damn, he hoped he’d changed.
“So tell me what I’m missing.”
“Oh…you want to hear about it?” Ollie said and the question in his voice made him wonder what he would have said before.
“Of course I want to hear about it. I care about all of you and I feel like things were happening around me that I wasn’t aware of and I left here thinking I was saving myself but I didn’t realize I was damaging so many others.”
“What you’re missing is that my brother has had a thing for you for years and you never knew about it. He followed you everywhere. We both stuck up for him with the bullies when he was younger and I thought that he just felt safer around you but it was more than that.”
“I knew he liked me Ollie. Damn, I wasn’t that clueless.”
“You were clueless to how much your girlfriend hated it. One thing I never understood is why she seemed to genuinely like Scott.”
Bailey stood up and paced the room. The energy he had inside was making him restless. “So you don’t like Honey, because she let Scott stay around? Ollie, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. I need you to be a bit clearer. Spell it out for me.”
“Honey broke up with you for reasons I will never know, but then she came at Scott with all this shit about you being into him. He came on to you and you left like a thief in the night. She started the shit rolling and then I come home from camp and my best friend is gone with only a shitty letter that doesn’t say much and plans we’d had since we were kids discarded like trash.” Ollie was breathing like he’d been walking on the treadmill on five while he talked and Bailey couldn’t have felt more like a heel if he tried.
“So you talked to Scott about this?”
“I had quite a few choice words for both of them and I’m not going into what they were. Let’s just say Scott was more willing to own up to his part in this and of course he’s my brother so I would have to eventually forgive him.”
