by Jake Biondi
“You sounded pretty upset on the phone,” David stated. “Everything okay?”
“No,” Michael said, lifting the lid off his Boystown Blend coffee cup.
“Uh, oh. Maybe I should have brought vodka instead of coffee?”
Michael smiled. “Coffee is just fine.” Michael took a sip from his cup. “I took your advice. I decided to forgive Keith and give him a second chance.”
“And?”
“And I went over to his place last night…only to walk in on Keith and Emmett.”
“What do you mean by ‘walk in on’?”
“What do you think? They were both practically naked and had obviously just fucked.”
“Keith…and Emmett? I don’t understand.”
“They used to be partners. They were engaged, in fact.”
“But they haven’t been together in forever. Maybe you just misunderstood? Keith walked in on you and me several times and assumed the wrong thing, remember?”
Michael rolled his eyes. “Come on, David. I know what I saw.”
“Did you talk to Keith and ask him what’s going on?”
“Are you kidding? I know what was going on. No, I just turned around and left.”
“Well, don’t you think this deserves a discussion?”
“If there was any hope for us, it died last night. Emmett and he have a history I cannot compete with.”
“Emmett just broke up with Max. I’m sure he isn’t already back with Keith. I’ll talk to him.”
“No, please don’t,” Michael said. “That would be awkward.”
“He’s my brother, I can ask him.”
“What difference would it make? I have to accept that Keith and I are done and try to move on.”
“You love him, Michael. Don’t just give up on him. Talk to him.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” David said, standing up from his chair. “I have to get to my first appointment but I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Sure,” Michael said. “Thanks for everything. You’re the best friend I have.”
David smiled, picked up his coffee cup, and left the office.
As David headed to St. Joseph Hospital to meet his first client of the day, Hugo Martinez was already there and entered Jensen Stone’s room. Fully clothed and ready to be released, Jensen was standing at the counter in the room.
“Good morning,” Hugo said with a wide smile. “Boy, someone’s ready to get the hell out of here.”
Jensen hugged Hugo. “You bet I am.”
“Shouldn’t you be taking it easy?”
“I’m hardly doing cartwheels. I’m just packing up my shit.”
“You look great.”
“Thank you,” Jensen replied. “I feel really good, too. So excited for this meeting today.”
“You are all about this opening night gala, aren’t you?”
“Not just the restaurant opening, but some other things as well. Hopefully, I’ll be able to tell you more about them after the meeting. Want to take me to dinner tonight?”
Hugo smiled. “Do I have a choice?”
Jensen laughed. “I’m tired of hospital food. And I want some alone time with you, too. I’ve missed that.”
Hugo hugged Jensen tightly. “Deal.”
Mateo walked into the room just as the two boys embraced. He coughed deliberately and loudly to get their attention.
“Oh, hey Dad.”
“Good morning,” Mateo replied. “How’s my number one patient doing?”
Jensen smiled. “Great thanks. I am ready to go home.”
“I can see that. Mind if I ask you to sit on the bed for a moment so I can give you one last check before I release you?”
“Sure thing,” Jensen said, hopping onto the bed.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Hugo stated, heading toward the door.
“Actually, why don’t you wait out there by the nurse’s station?” Mateo asked. “I need to talk to you.”
“Okay,” Hugo said. “I’ll see you tonight, Jensen.”
“Can’t wait,” Jensen declared with a smile before heading out in to the hallway.
“Okay, let’s take a look at you,” Mateo said, beginning his exam of Jensen.
As Jensen received his final examination prior to being released, Patrick Provenzano and Logan Pryce were talking in Patrick’s office. They sat in chairs facing one another.
“And that’s how you feel about both your father and Max?” Patrick asked. “That you were always inferior, never good enough?”
Logan uncrossed his leg. “Yes. Don’t get me wrong -- I know intellectually that I’m successful at work. I have plenty of evidence to back up that statement. But with my father, he constantly hammered home that I was a failure, someone to embarrass him and our whole family.”
“And with Max?”
“Again, I never felt on the same level. Not because of anything he specifically said or did, just in my own mind. So I just shut down and we stopped talking.”
“Did you love him?”
Logan repeated the question. “Did I love him? Max was the love of my life.”
“Did you tell him that? Did he know?”
“Like I said, we stopped communicating and things quickly fell apart. In his defense, he tried to force conversations, but I wanted no part of them.”
“You just wanted to drink,” Patrick added.
“I did. I understand that better now, thanks to you.”
“Your progress here these past few days is your own, Logan. Not mine.” Patrick added, “So do you think you need to have a conversation with Max for closure?”
“What would be the point?”
“To own some of your behavior and to let him know he’s important to you. Maybe even to tell him that you still love him.”
“That I still love him?”
“Do you?” Patrick asked.
“I will always love him, Patrick. He was a large part of my life. But I’m with Jesse now and I don’t want to repeat my past mistakes with him.”
“That’s good. I know Jesse loves you very much. And he’s working very hard at the office so that you can be here.”
“He’s an amazing man.”
“More amazing than his father?”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing specific. I’m just wondering if you’re doing some comparisons in your head.”
Logan stood up from the chair. “When Jesse and I met, we had no idea Max was his father.”
“But now that you do…”
“No,” Logan said. “There’s no comparison. They are both their own men and I do love Jesse very much.”
“That’s good,” Patrick stated. “Sounds like you have a clear grasp of your feelings for Jesse. That’s very good.”
“Maybe I will talk to Max.”
“That’s your choice, Logan. It may give you some closure and understanding -- for both of you.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” Patrick said. “I’m proud of the work you’ve done here so far, Logan. You’ve come a long way in a short period of time.”
“Thank you,” Logan stated. “I do feel better.”
“We’ll continue to work together to ensure your happiness. Even after you’re back home, we’ll have more sessions to support you and help you with your sobriety.”
“I understand,” Logan said raising his hand to touch the burn scars on his neck.
“They still bother you,” Patrick said. “The scars.”
“They remind me of the bruises my father left...almost in the same places.”
“Well, guess what. I have talked to Mateo and he has agreed to help with those, when the time comes.”
“That’s fantastic!” Logan walked toward Patrick. “Thank you. For everything.”
“We still have work do to, Logan,” Patrick declared. “But you’re going to be okay.”
While Patrick and Logan continued their session, Jesse Mo
rgan sat at a table in the corner of Boystown Blend waiting for his father. Speaking into his cell phone, Jesse wrapped up a call with a client.
Max Taylor entered the coffee shop and scanned the place for his son.
Jesse waved him over to his table and he took a seat across from Jesse. Jesse ended his call and then got up to hug his father.
“Am I interrupting?” Max asked.
“Not at all,” Jesse said, returning to his chair. “Just a work call.” Jesse nodded toward the cup on the table in front of Max. “I got you a latte.”
“Thank you. How’s work going? You must be exhausted covering Logan’s clients and your own.”
“It’s going,” Jesse replied, sipping his coffee. “It’s a bit of a juggling act and long hours.”
“You have to take care of yourself,” Max declared. “Logan will be back home soon and is going to need lots of support from both of us.”
“I know. I’ll be fine. I’m handling it.”
“Let me help you,” Max pleaded. “Please.”
“I appreciate the offer, but there’s nothing you can do. Patrick says that Logan is making great progress and will be home next week. Hopefully, he’ll be able to return to work and then things will settle down.”
“Okay, but if there’s anything I can do, you’ll let me know?”
“I will. Now what did you want to talk about?” Jesse asked. “Not that I don’t want to shoot the shit with you, but I do have to get to the office.”
“Okay, I’ll cut to the chase. Emmett and I broke up.”
“I heard,” Jesse said. “I was wondering when you were going to tell me.”
“You heard?”
“Cole told me. And Derek told him. You know the Boystown grapevine.”
“Damn.”
“But I appreciate you wanting to tell me in person.” Jesse sipped his coffee. “So tell me about Dustin. What’s up with you two?”
“I don’t know,” Max said. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
“Well, something is going on if you cheated on Emmett with him. I thought you really loved Emmett. Hell, you asked me to be best man at your wedding.”
“I do love Emmett. Very much.”
Jesse raised an eyebrow and gave his father a curious look. “Really?”
“I do. I know that sounds odd because I cheated on him, but I do love him and I still want to marry him.”
“Sounds like that’s not going to happen any time soon. Cole told me you’re living in Dustin’s apartment.”
“Temporarily. I needed a place to stay.”
“And so you’re staying in your trick’s apartment rather than coming to me for help?”
“You have enough going on in your life. I didn’t want to be a burden.”
“Come on, Max. If you really want to make things right with Emmett again, you wouldn’t be staying in Dustin’s place.” Jesse hesitated and then asked, “What the hell were you thinking? He was an employee, for God’s sake.”
Max laughed. “You’re going to lecture me about a fling with a co-worker? Seems like you wrote the playbook on that move.”
Jesse jumped up from his seat. “Good to see you, too, Dad. You know, I came here intending to be very supportive of you, but, as usual, you gotta screw things up.”
“Jesse, wait--”
“I have to get to work. The coffee’s on me.”
“Jesse,” Max said as he watched his son leave the coffee shop. “Fuck...”
At the same time, Mateo approached his son in the hallway outside of Jensen’s room. Hugo looked up from the nurse’s station.
“You wanted to talk to me?”
“I do,” Mateo declared. “You seem very fond of Jensen and have spent quite a bit of time with him ever since he was admitted.”
“Well, of course. He nearly died and he’s a friend of mine.”
“He’s lucky to have a friend like you, but are you sure that’s all that is going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m concerned about you. You seem a little aloof lately, less focused than you should be. You are about to begin the greatest years of your life as a quarterback at Notre Dame. You really need to start to focus on that.”
“Sometimes I think you’re more excited about all that than I am.”
“You’ve worked very hard for this, son. It’s time for you to enjoy what you have achieved -- and to meet the expectations that the school has for you.”
“The school? Or you?”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re a doctor. Isn’t your first priority supposed to be your patients? I think I’m more concerned about Jensen’s recovery than you are.”
“And you don’t see a problem with that?”
“The only problem I see right now is with you. Jensen is a great guy and I am very grateful that he’s alive. If you think football is more important, then maybe you should reconsider your career and leave me alone.” Hugo walked away toward the elevators.
“Hugo!” Mateo yelled to his son, who ignored his father and got into an elevator when the doors opened. “Hugo!”
Across town, Cole was finishing a photo shoot. Seated in a chair to the side of the room, Cole leaned back as Hank touched up his makeup.
“Another nice job,” Hank told Cole as he patted along Cole’s forehead.
“Thanks, Hank,” Cole replied. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to all this pampering.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Hank replied and he grabbed more supplies from the tray to his right. “Not that you need much help; you look amazing all on your own.”
Cole smiled. “Thanks.”
Derek approached Cole and Hank.
“Hey there.”
“Oh, hey,” Cole said, acknowledging Derek.
“I thought I’d swing by on my way to the meeting to see you at work in your element.”
“Great,” Cole said. “I just have one more outfit to shoot and then I’m free. Derek, this is Hank. He’s the one who makes me look great in all these photos.”
Hank blushed. “Hardly.”
“Good to meet you,” Derek said, watching Hank apply some makeup to Cole’s abs. “You obviously do great work.”
Hank shook his head. “Naw, it’s all him.” Hank finished his work. “Okay, you’re all set. I’ll get your next shirt.” He looked at Derek. “Good to meet you.”
“Same,” Derek said as Hank walked away.
“You really do look fucking hot,” Derek whispered. “I’d like to take you right here.”
“Shh,” Cole said, smiling. “Don’t get me hard before I have to stand up. Go stand over there.”
Derek laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll stay out of the way.”
“Thanks,” Cole said as Hank returned with his shirt.
Derek watched from the far end of the room as Cole completed the last portion of his shoot.
As Michael stood outside of his hospital room, Dustin was inside standing at the window and talking with Max. Dressed in regular clothes for the first time since falling from his balcony, Dustin looked refreshed and handsome, his piercing blue eyes alive in a way they had not been for a long time. He turned from the window to face Max directly.
“I asked Michael for a few minutes alone with you before the meeting because I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” Dustin explained. “From the moment we first met when you offered me a job ‘til now when you have basically ensured I won’t be put into prison, you have been kind and generous to me in a way that I have not experienced before. And I apologize for not always seeming grateful; I really appreciate all you’ve done.”
Max smiled. “Don’t worry about it. The main thing is that you’ll be getting some help and staying out of prison.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think in here since the accident. I came here to Chicago an obsessed, vengeful man. I threw away a healthy, happy relationship with Adam in the hope of building one with Derek, a man who was basically
a trick. I wasn’t thinking clearly or rationally and I made some really bad decisions...obviously. I mean I almost killed a man. What the hell was I thinking?”
“You weren’t,” Max said.
“And there you were, right in front of me the entire time and I never really appreciated you. We had some romantic and sexual moments, but I never really valued you for the great man you are. That was truly my biggest mistake of all.”
“I’m not so great...”
“I’m so sorry that my actions have caused you pain. And, even worse, cost you your relationship with Emmett.”
“It’s not your fault, Dustin. It’s mine.”
Dustin put his hand on Max’s shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and me. And I’m certainly in no position to make any relationship decisions since I’m going away for a while. Promise me this, Max -- that you won’t wait for me. Repair things with Emmett. Do whatever it takes to be happy again. You have already helped me in more ways than you’ll ever know and I will never be able to pay you back, financially or otherwise. At least promise me that you’ll allow yourself to be happy. It’s all that really matters.”
Max pulled Dustin to him in a hug. “I’m going to miss you.”
“You saved me, Max. When no one else tried to understand me, you were the one who saved me.”
As Max and Dustin ended their hug, Michael entered the room.
“It’s time,” Michael said.
Dustin extended his arms forward. “I suppose you have to cuff me.”
Michael shook his head. “That’s not necessary. We’re just walking down the hallway to the conference room.”
“Let’s go,” Max said, gesturing for Dustin to leave the room.
Max and Dustin followed Michael out of the room.
As the three men headed toward the hospital conference room, Mateo and Joyelle were sitting in the hospital’s cafeteria.
“I’m so excited to be collaborating with you on the new wellness center,” Mateo said.
“And David.”
“And David, too,” Mateo agreed. “But that’s not why I asked you to take a break with me.”
