by Jake Biondi
“Thanks for inviting me to dinner, Derek,” Dustin said. “I was surprised to get your call.”
“I promised you a rain check from the birthday party fiasco, didn’t I?”
“You did.”
“And you’re okay eating here, where you used to work?”
“Of course, these servers are my friends. We’ll get the best service out of anyone here.”
“Great.” Derek smiled. “You know, there’s something familiar about you. Ever since you asked me to go to the birthday party with you, I have thought so.”
“I get that a lot.”
“Have we met somewhere before?”
“I don’t know, have we?”
Derek shook his head. “I don’t know. Just a feeling I had.”
“Well, I had a nice feeling when you called me about tonight. It’s nice to be here with you.”
“Thank you,” Derek said, drinking from his glass again. “I want to be up front with you, Dustin. I think you’re extremely handsome and bright -- and you’re really fun to spend time with.”
“But...”
“And I want you to understand what is going on in my life right now.”
“Okay,” Dustin stated, drinking his martini.
“I’ve just gone through a divorce and before that I lost my twins in an accident.”
“I heard about that,” Dustin said. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. My point is that I’m not sure I am ready for anything serious right now. And I don’t want to lead you on.”
“Because you’re already in love with someone else.”
“I have accepted my divorce with Joyelle and understand that she is no longer in my life.”
“I’m not talking about Joyelle. I’m talking about that sexy Cole sitting right over there.” Dustin nodded toward a table across the restaurant where Cole and his friends were having dinner.
“Cole and I have a history. I need to sort through that before I can move forward with anyone -- him, you, or anyone.”
“I understand,” Dustin accepted. “History is a powerful thing.”
At Cole’s table sat Jesse, Logan, Max, Keith, and Emmett; it was the dinner event that Jesse had talked with Cole about organizing. Their server placed their entrees in front of each of them, refilled their wine glasses, and then left them to enjoy their dinner experience.
“I think another toast is in order,” Emmet said, raising a glass. “To Logan. You look great and we are so glad to have you out with us tonight.”
Everyone at the table raised his glass and Max added, “Absolutely.”
“Well, thank you all for getting me out of the house tonight,” Logan said. “I appreciate it.”
“We miss you, Logan,” Keith said. “You’ve been such a hermit since the fire.”
Emmett gave Keith one of his trademark looks. “What Keith is trying to say is that we’re glad you’re moving forward and that you decided to spend time with us. You’re an important part of our family of friends and we love you dearly.”
“I love all of you, too,” Logan said. “It’s been hard lately.”
“I know, babe,” Jesse said, putting his hand on Logan’s.
“I worry this has all been harder on Jesse than me,” Logan continued. “I worry about you, Jesse.”
“Not at all,” Jesse insisted. “I’m fine. I love you and just want you to be okay.”
“We all do,” Max added. “We are all connected and it’s not the same when you’re not around.”
Logan finished his wine and signaled to the waiter to bring him another glass. “When you look like I do, you don’t want to be in public.”
“What are you talking about?” Emmett asked. “You look great.”
“No, I don’t,” Logan said. “You don’t have to lie about it. I see myself in the mirror every day. I’m hideous.”
“Stop saying that,” Jesse said. “It’s just not true. Since the fire and the skin grafts, you have healed a great deal.”
“You really have,” Cole said. “Jesse’s right. I don’t see you every day like he does and I have really noticed a difference.”
The waiter placed Logan’s next glass of wine in front of him. Then he took the empty glass, removed a few empty plates from the table, and walked away.
“Logan, you have healed very well physically,” Max said. “But we are all still concerned about you emotionally. We love you and want to support you in every way we can.”
“Max is right,” Emmett added. “You are so important and special to us. And we want you back to your old self.”
“My old self?” Logan asked, sipping his wine. “We can’t go back in time to before the fire.”
“No,” Jesse said. “But we can go forward.”
“David said you did so well with your physical therapy,” Cole stated. “Maybe it’s time for some emotional therapy as well?”
“Emotional therapy?” Logan asked. “Is that what this dinner is about? You all think I need a shrink?”
“Of course, not,” Max said. “We just want you to get a little support; to have someone professional to talk with.”
“So now you’re all experts on my emotional health?” Logan asked, drinking more wine. “I didn’t realize you all had your medical degrees.”
“That’s not what we’re saying, babe,” Jesse said. “We all have times in our lives when we need help. All of us.”
“And now you all think you’re experts?”
“Logan, please,” Max said. “Don’t get defensive. We just want to help you. We have the names of some professionals who would be happy to meet with you, just to talk. That’s all.”
“I have you guys,” Logan said. “That’s all I need.”
“No,” Keith stated firmly. “You need a professional.”
Logan stood up from the table. “Thank you for dinner. I’m done.”
“Babe, wait,” Jesse said, standing up.
“Next time you invite me out, tell me ahead of time that it’s an ambush,” Logan declared, throwing his napkin onto the table and rushing from the table.
“Logan,” Jesse said.
“Let him go,” Emmett said. “He needs to calm down.”
Jesse sat back down.
“Well, that went well,” Keith said sarcastically.
“Actually, I think it went okay,” Max said. “We said some of what we needed to say.”
“And maybe when he calms down, he’ll actually consider what we said.”
“I have the names of psychiatrists from Mateo,” Jesse said. “Getting him to actually go is completely another issue.”
“Let’s be optimistic,” Cole said. “And wait and see.”
Keith looked across the room and saw Mateo and Rachel having dinner alone together in a far corner of the restaurant. His face grew pale, which Emmett noticed.
“Are you okay?” Emmett asked, putting his hand on Keith’s arm. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”
“Maybe much worse,” Keith mumbled.
“Excuse me for a moment,” Cole said, getting up from the table.
Cole made his way through the maze of tables to Derek’s table. Dustin had left the table to go to the men’s room and Cole sat down in his empty seat.
“Hey,” Cole said.
“Hi,” Derek said. “This is a nice surprise.”
“I just wanted to see how your meeting went this afternoon with your new brothers. Are you okay? Last time we saw each other, you were a bit intoxicated.”
Derek smiled. “Yes, thanks again for taking care of me.”
At that moment, David entered the restaurant. He walked over to the hostess who said, “Good evening. May I help you?”
David scanned the restaurant and saw Cole sitting at the table with Derek. Disappointed, David turned around and left the restaurant.
In their beautiful penthouse high above Chicago’s Gold Coast, Gino and Justin were getting ready for bed. Having both just showered, they were naked and cra
wled onto their sprawling bed. Justin crawled on top of Gino and kissed him.
“Long day,” Gino said.
“It was,” Justin agreed. “And you did a wonderful job with the lunch meeting. It went better than anyone could have expected, especially with Derek.”
“I’m glad he came. I really want our wedding to join the families together.”
“Me, too,” Justin said as he reached under the bed and pulled out an envelope with a bow on it. “And speaking of our wedding, I have an early wedding present for you.”
“What’s this?” Gino asked as he examined the envelope.
“Open it,” Justin stated. Gino did as Justin said and opened the package. He removed a legal document from the envelope and reviewed it. “It’s a pre-nup agreement.”
“Why?” Gino asked.
“I know you joked early on about my motives for marrying you...”
“Aw, Justin, I was just teasing you.”
“I know,” Justin said. “But nonetheless, I wanted my motives to be clear. I am marrying you because I love you. And that document states that I am not entitled to any of your or your family’s property.”
“Babe, I’m not going to make you sign that.”
“I already did,” Justin said, kissing Gino. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Gino said, tossing the paperwork onto the night table and rolling over onto Justin. “Let me show you just how much.”
Running his fingers through Justin’s thick hair, Gino kissed his fiancé deeply, eventually working his tongue into his mouth. Justin wrapped his arms and legs around Gino, massaging his strong back and pressing his erect penis against him.
Gino sat up on the bed and put his hands behind each of Justin’s knees, pushing his legs back and revealing his ass. He leaned forward and kissed Justin’s tight hole, massaging and lubing it with his tongue. He watched Justin’s toes curl tightly with each dart of his tongue. The more Justin moaned, the more Gino continued.
After a while, Gino leaned forward, working his bulging dick into his boyfriend. Hearing Justin groan, he smiled and kissed Justin’s chest and nipples. Before long, Gino had a powerful rhythm going and Justin leaned forward to watch his lover’s cock plunge into him repeatedly.
Gino kissed Justin’s neck and ears as he prepared to fill him. Justin’s hard penis rubbed against Gino’s stomach as he pushed into him. Gino looked down into Justin’s eyes and let out a groan as he spewed deep inside of him. As if on cue, Justin shot as well, coating both their stomachs with a gooey mess.
Gino kissed Justin as he slipped out of him and rolled over onto his back. Justin adjusted his position so he could see Gino’s grin better and soon they fell asleep next to each other.
Back in Boystown, Keith was in his apartment, pacing in the midst of boxes pack high against the wall in preparation for his move into Michael’s place. He checked his watch and then continued pacing until a knock came at his door. He walked over and opened the door. Rachel angrily rushed past Keith and into the living room.
“I got your text,” Rachel said. “What the hell is so important that I had to rush right over?”
“I saw you at the restaurant earlier tonight.”
“So what?”
“With Mateo Martinez!”
“Again, so what?”
“He’s Michael’s brother. What the hell are you trying to do to me?”
“Do to you? What are you talking about?”
“I know your whole plan to get Emmett’s shares of Mancini Global blew up in your face. So now you’re dating my boyfriend’s brother? That’s no accident.”
“It has nothing to do with you,” Rachel said. “He’s a rich, successful doctor. Need I say more?”
“Who just happens to be Michael’s brother. You’re up to something; I know it.”
“Don’t worry,” Rachel said. “I’m not going to tell him what you did for me. Telling him I hired you to drug Emmett doesn’t exactly portray me in the best light.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about and you know it,” Keith yelled. “Mateo is Michael’s brother. I’m worried about you telling him that I’m the one who killed their father.”
“I’m not going to say anything,” Rachel said.
“You don’t need to,” Michael said, standing in the open doorway behind them. “Keith just did.”
Keith turned around to face his boyfriend. “Oh, my God. Michael.”
“I can’t believe it was you!” Michael said, tears filling his eyes.
At the same time, Jesse entered Logan’s apartment. He saw Logan’s shoes on the floor and then stepped into the living room, which was a mess. Half dressed, Logan lay face down on the sofa, his right arm hanging down to the floor. An empty wine bottle rested on the floor next to his hand and two empty beer bottles stood on the nearby coffee table.
Jesse knelt next to the couch and put his hand on Logan’s bare back. Beginning to cry, Jesse whispered, “Oh, Logan. I love you so much.” Jesse looked around the room and then looked back at his passed-out boyfriend.
A soft knock came at the door. Jesse stood up, wiped the tears from his eyes, and opened the door to find Max standing outside of it.
“Hey,” Max said. “I just came over to see how he is. Everything okay?”
Jesse shook his head and began to cry again. He gestured for Max to enter the apartment and Max did, immediately noticing the mess and Logan passed out on the couch.
“Oh, no,” Max said, stepping further into the room. “I’m sorry.”
Jesse walked over to Max, put his arms around him, and cried more loudly. “Oh, Dad. What am I going to do? I love him so much. What am I going to do?” Max kissed the top Jesse’s head and held him tightly. Fathers and sons have unique relationships.
Episode #39
Old bonds are often the strongest. When people have a history together, they share a special connection that can offer comfort, strength, support, understanding, and even forgiveness. Even when these people haven’t seen each for extended periods of time, they can often get together and pick up right where they left off.
David Young and Michael Martinez were seated at a table near the window at the front of Boystown Blend having coffee and re-connecting as people passed by on the sidewalk outside.
“Look at us,” David joked. “Two single guys all over again. Just like when we first met.”
“Maybe we should have dated. Everyone thought we were together back then anyway,” Michael said with a smile.
“You go first,” David said. “What happened?”
Michael shook his head. “I don’t really want to get into specifics. Keith lied to me about something very, very important and that’s that. We’re finished.”
“But you asked him to move in with you. Was it really that serious that you two can’t work through it?”
“Absolutely. It’s personal and family-related -- something he could have and should have shared with me the moment we met, but he was a coward and didn’t.”
“I’m sorry,” David said. “Honestly, I always thought you two were great together; we all did. Sure, I was a bit jealous when you first told me that you and I could only be friends, but once I saw Keith and you together, I realized how great you two were.”
“Great relationships are based on love and trust, not lies. And it’s my understanding that Emmett and Keith fell apart because of trust issues as well. It’s just not in Keith’s blood.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“I don’t want to. He’s been calling and texting me non-stop for the last week. But I’m not responding. I have nothing to say and I don’t want to hear his excuses. Why waste my time?”
“I know how you feel,” David said. “That’s exactly how I feel about Cole, too.”
“And what happened with you two? You were getting along so well.”
“Well, we were never as far along as Keith and you. And we certainly had more obstacles to overcome along the way, but I thought
we were doing well and that we really had a future together.”
“So what happened?”
“He cheated on me; that’s what happened. Talk about trust issues.”
“How do you know?”
“Dustin innocently told me.”
“Dustin? How would he know?”
“He was talking to me at the gym and asked me how I was doing. When I asked him to clarify, he said he thought Cole and I broke up because he saw Derek leaving Cole’s apartment while I was away visiting my folks.”
“But that doesn’t mean--”
“Wearing Cole’s clothes.”
“Ugh,” Michael said. “But there still could be an explanation.”
“And then when he was supposed to be having dinner with his friends, I went to the restaurant and saw him sitting alone with Derek.”
“Damn. Did you ask him about all of this?”
“I did,” David stated. “And, of course, he denied it. He tried to explain the apartment event as well as the one at the restaurant. But, like you, I don’t want to hear it. Those two have strong bonds and I just can’t compete with them.”
“The fact that Derek’s your half-brother probably isn’t helping things, either.”
“Not at all,” David said. “I think it’s only elevated the sense of competition he has in his head.”
“So you’re just giving up on Cole?”
“You said yourself how important trust is. Do you want me to just look past cheating? Could you?”
“No, I suppose not,” Michael said, “but I just thought you two were so good together. You were really good for Cole, much healthier than being with Derek.”
“That may be true, but Cole doesn’t seem to think so.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” David said. “Times like these make you realize who your friends truly are and appreciate them more. You are one of my best. Thank you for that.”
“Right back at ya,” Michael said with a smile. “We’ve been through a lot together and I’m sure we’ll go through a lot more.”
“So the question is...do we bring dates to the engagement party?”
