High Balls

by Tara Lain

  Chapter Eighteen

  A SOFT knock made Theodore look up. Petra stood in his doorway.

  “Hi.”

  She stepped inside and closed the door partway after her. “I just wanted to thank you for taking care of the problem with Mr. Rance. Wow, he barely meets my eyes, but he still gives me good grades, so I guess he’s not too mad. Plus I spoke to Dr. Thurston, explained I was the student who complained about Mr. Rance, and he told me I could come to him any time with any problems. Thank you so much, Mr. Walters. I so appreciate it.”

  Theodore smiled back. “Glad I could help.”

  Her smile faded. “I heard a rumor that you’re leaving the college.”

  “Uh, yes. It looks like I’m going to have to do a lot of work before my dissertation is published, and I’m sort of out of time. I have a son to support. We’ve been scraping by for years, and I need to get serious about making money.”

  “That’s sure bad news for all your students.”

  Theodore gave a tight smile. “That’s kind of you to say, but the department isn’t too fond of my teaching style, so it’s better for the students to get used to someone else.”

  “I’ve been thinking about transferring too.”

  “Really? That would be a loss to the school.”

  She blushed. “Thank you, sir. But I’m considering Cal U. I don’t have the conservative bent of Fairhaven. I came here because my grandmother offered to pay my way for two years, but I think I’ll be happier somewhere else for my last two years.”

  “I have a friend who teaches English at Cal U. His name is Fallon. Hunter Fallon.”

  “I’ll be sure to look for his classes.”

  “I’ll miss having you in my class, Petra. You’re an inspiring student.”

  “Back at you, Mr. W.”

  “Are you going to stay in the English department?”

  “Oh yes. I want to be a writer.”

  “Really? What do you want to write?”

  She looked toward the door then grinned. “Romance novels. Dr. Ashworth would freak.” She laughed as she left the office.

  Man, I’m going to miss teaching. I’m going to miss a lot of things.

  He sighed, grabbed his notes, and walked to class. He didn’t stick to the syllabus since he was leaving anyway, and he got his students into a verbal brawl about whether women could write decent heroes and men could capture heroines. As the opinions flew, his phone buzzed and he glanced at it. A text from Dr. T.

  Come to my office after class. Want you to meet your reader.

  Wow. Crystal Streams. Even the name made him a little sad. Still, it would be an honor to meet her.

  After his class adjourned, he left his notes in his office, glanced in the small mirror he tacked behind the door for grooming emergencies, and walked up the stairs to Dr. T.’s office, his knees only shaking a little.

  Outside the door, he gripped his buttocks and tightened his spine. Compared to the oral defense, this was a chance to meet someone who seemed to respect him and his work. He tapped on the door.

  “Come in, Theodore.”

  He opened and smiled at Dr. T., who sat at his desk—alone.

  “Oh, did she have to leave?”

  “No, no. Crystal will be right back. Come in and make yourself comfortable. Leave the door open.”

  He sat in one of the guest chairs. “I never told you, but I looked her up. Wow. She’s really a popular writer.”

  “One of the biggest in the genre.”

  “Amazing. Even my stick-up-the-butt mother-in-law reads her. I saw a Crystal Streams novel at her house.”

  “That’s a very disturbing piece of news.” The voice came from behind Theodore, but he’d know it anywhere.

  Theodore turned. “Snake. Hi.”

  “Hi.” He smiled, his green eyes intent and shining. He looked resplendent and amazing in a tailored gray suit and white shirt with his hair pulled back and minimum studs and jewelry.

  Theodore looked back at Dr. T. “How—I mean how do you know each other?”

  Dr. T nodded with a wicked smirk. “Theodore, may I introduce Crystal Streams.”

  “Uh, I know that’s the name Snake uses.” He tried to soften his frown. “But—”

  Both men gazed at him expectantly.

  Theodore glanced back and forth. “Wait. What? You’re not—?”

  Snake walked the few steps into the room and sat next to Theodore. “I am. I’m Crystal Streams, the romance novelist.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Sometimes I don’t either.” He laughed. “I make my living as a romance novelist, although I do sneak in a few men’s adventure stories under a different pen name. I also own the Bay Bar, as Rod told you, I think. And I occasionally write an opinion on a doctoral dissertation, as I did for you.”

  “You have a—”

  “PhD in literature, yes.”

  “I don’t get this—this whole deception.” He gripped his hands so he wouldn’t whimper and sound like an idiot. “Didn’t you trust me with the truth?”

  Snake glanced at Dr. T. like maybe he’d already told this story. “I’d trust you with my life, Teddy. But I started writing back when I was in high school as a way to escape my father’s crappy world. I doubt I have to tell you that boys don’t confess to writing romance novels in Texas.”

  Dr. T. said, “Or most anywhere else. A fact Theodore’s dissertation might positively impact.”

  Snake nodded. “It was actually the revenue from my first books that paid the way for me to move to California and later got me through college. By the time I got established as an author, I already had the tats and the badass persona, partly developed to protect me from my father and his friends.” He shrugged. “Snake, the romance hero, was born, and Crystal Streams became what people expected—a housewife.”

  Theodore frowned. “That’s what your bio says.”

  “When I met you, you’d already shown interest in my Snake image, remember? The motorcycle incident? When your friends asked my real name, I decided to tell the truth. I thought you or someone might recognize it. But guys just don’t think tattooed Harley riders could write romance. Then, when Dr. Thurston got in touch with me about reading your dissertation, I kept quiet because I already had a positive opinion of your research and thesis and I didn’t want to disqualify myself by telling the committee that I was in love with you.”

  Theodore’s eyes snapped up. “In love—?”

  “Of course.”

  Dr. T. rocked back in his chair. “This is better than any romance novel!”

  Theodore lowered his brows at Dr. T. “Did you know all along that Crystal Streams was a man?”

  He held up his hands and chuckled. “Not at all. Just found out this morning when Crystal came to meet me.”

  Theodore couldn’t quit frowning. He snapped back to Snake. “You could have told me.”

  “I didn’t want you to think my good opinion was just because of—”—he flipped a finger back and forth between them—“us. I wanted to tell you about Crystal in my own way. I thought there might be a chance you wouldn’t like me as a romance novelist rather than a badass romance hero.”

  “That’s stupid.”

  “As stupid as you thinking the courts would take away Andy just because some asshole contributed a sperm to the mix?”

  Theodore’s heart pounded so loud he barely heard his own reply. “I guess we’re both stupid.”

  Dr. T. beamed at them like he was writing this story. “So, Crystal, what are your plans?”

  Snake looked at Theodore and pulled a folded paper from his pocket. “I’ve had a plan prepared for me.”

  Theodore peered at it and saw large letters in crayon.

  Snake spread the plan out formally on the edge of Thurston’s desk. He held up one finger. “First, I’m to tell Daddy that I love him.” He looked up at Theodore. “Teddy, I love you.” He turned back to the paper while tears pressed at Theodore’s eyes. “Second, I’m to
tell you that I also love Andy, and that Andy loves me back, so it’s the best thing for us to be together.”

  Theodore sucked in a snuffly breath.

  “Next, we’re all going to move to my place so I’ll be there when Andy gets home from school. That’s his concern. It will also reduce your expenses so you can continue working on your dissertation. That’s mine.” He glanced up and their eyes met. “I really believe that your research is important to the future of literature.”

  Dr. T. clapped. “Bravo!”

  Snake leaned back. “Sadly, Dr. Thurston, I don’t think Teddy should remain at Fairhaven. The department at Cal U has already expressed interest in his transferring to their doctoral program. They’ve reviewed his dissertation and believe it can be fast-tracked for publication. In addition, after its scholarly publication, I’m speaking with my publishers about converting it to a more popular release. I think readers will be fascinated in learning more about the merit of their preferred genre.”

  Theodore clapped a hand over his mouth.

  Dr. Thurston shook his head, his eyes sad. “I’m afraid that’s going to be best. I can only do so much to support Theodore here. I certainly hate to lose him.”

  Snake turned in his chair to face Theodore. “Mr. Walters, if you agree with this plan as outlined by my associate, Andrew Walters, will you please sign the document to make it legal?”

  Theodore blinked back moisture. “Mr. Erasmo, have you been coerced in any way in the creation of this document by our mutual associate?”

  His full, girlie lips turned up. “No, dear. Andy and I worked out the terms together.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Well, truth is—”

  Oh damn, I knew it.

  “I wanted to insist that you marry me, but my associate felt that might scare you off. He suggested we keep the articles of the contract simple.” His lips curved, then teeth appeared, then the crinkles popped out beside his eyes.

  “Oh, Snake!” Theodore leaped from the chair and threw his arms around Snake’s neck, which proved to be fully awkward until Snake stood and wrapped Theodore in his arms.

  After a huge hug and a brief kiss in deference to Dr. T., Snake pulled back and said, “Mr. Walters, you haven’t signed the contract.” He leaned over to the desk, picked up a pen, and held it out to Theodore. “Want to?”

  Theodore grasped the pen, then looked up into Snake’s bright eyes. He grinned. “I do.”

  “SNAKE, HOW do you spell ‘extremely excellent’?” Andy leaned over the coffee table in Snake’s apartment. Teddy, Andy, and Snake’s apartment.

  Snake leaned forward and looked down at Andy’s printing. “Here. I’ll write it and you can copy it.” He took a separate piece of paper and carefully printed the letters.

  Teddy walked out of the hall from the bedrooms. “What are you guy’s doing?”

  Andy grinned. “Writing my revoo of Pete’s Dragon.”

  “Review.”

  Andy nodded. “That’s what I said. Revoo.” Then he giggled.

  Teddy sat next to Snake. “Are you writing movie reviews in second grade now?”

  “No, but I told my teacher I wanted to do it, and she said I’d get extra credit and, if it’s good enough, I can say it to the class.”

  Snake grinned. “Defending his orals.”

  Teddy took a breath. “Don’t remind me.”

  Snake wrapped an arm around him. “You’ll be great. We can study some more later.”

  “Okay.”

  “At least this time you have an enthusiastic committee.”

  Teddy leaned his head against Snake’s shoulder. “But I’m sure I won’t have an equally eloquent reader.”

  Snake pulled his laptop from beside him on the couch and opened the window he’d been reading. “The Snake’s out of the bag now, baby.”

  Teddy’s eyes widened. “It ran? Wow, let me see. How did it come out?”

  “Great, I think.” He slid the computer onto Teddy’s lap. Together they stared at the story on the front page of USA Today. The feature headline proclaimed Best-selling Romance Author Comes Out as Gay Man.

  The story continued inside, with photos of himself, Teddy, and Andy together, and an in-depth story on both Crystal Streams’s career and Teddy’s dissertation on the literary value of romance.

  Teddy pressed a hand to his chest. “Whew. Takes my breath away. Do you think it will impact sales?”

  “My agent expects I’ll lose some readers and gain others. It’s certainly a differentiator, so they’re hoping it will increase my audience. Maybe drag in some men as well as new women fans.”

  “Amazing.”

  “Dad, how do you spell—?”

  “Un-uh, son. Time for bed. Since this is extra credit, you don’t have to finish it tonight. We’re having breakfast with Rod and Hunter and Jerry and Mick and Adam and Sky tomorrow, remember?”

  “Yeah. I can show them my revoo, uh, review.”

  “Correct.”

  Andy stretched elaborately. “And now I get to sleep in my new bedroom—in my new home”

  “Yep.” He looked at Snake. “How did you happen to choose this place? It’s lovely, but—”

  “Low-key?”

  Teddy nodded.

  “That’s what I wanted. I figured the less ostentatious my life, the less likely I was to be found out.” He grinned. “But I do own the building, so if we want to move to the big apartment when my tenants move out, we can.”

  Teddy shook his head. “First I have to figure out what rabbit hole we fell into.”

  Andy looked at Teddy. “Alice didn’t fall, Dad. She was chasing the rabbit, remember?”

  Snake wiggled his nose, and they laughed.

  “Let’s see. Who gets to carry me?” Andy grinned. “Eeeny, meeny, miney—”

  Snake snatched him up and swung him. “Mo!” He hauled a squirming Andy into the second bedroom with Teddy hot on their heels. In the newly redecorated room, he tossed Andy onto his Guardians of the Galaxy bedspread and pulled his Star Wars pajamas from the dresser.

  Teddy got Andy into his PJs and through his bathroom obligations while Snake turned down the bed and pulled out a book. With Andy tucked in, he and Teddy sat on the floor beside the bed and took turns reading from Hello, Moon!

  Finally Andy’s soft, slow breathing murmured from the bed.

  Snake kissed Teddy on his cheek and whispered, “I-I don’t know how to say thank you.”

  Teddy turned his head and pressed their lips together. “Why would you thank me?”

  “All these years, I’ve written about fairy-tale romance and happy endings. I really never thought there was one for me.”

  “Of course there was. You know romance heroes always get the HEA.”

  Snake pressed his tongue gently between Teddy’s lips and tasted his sweetness.

  Teddy nuzzled his neck. “Come with me and I’ll show you my happy ending.” He bounded up and tiptoed out of the room.

  Snake tucked the covers higher around Andy’s neck, then turned off the low light and closed the door. After a quick tour of the living room, locking up, he pushed open the half-closed door to the master bedroom.

  Oh my God.

  Teddy crouched poised on hands and knees on the bed, stark naked, his gorgeous slim ass pointed at the door. He cocked a finger at his waggling butt. “Here’s a happy ending.”

  “You got that right!” He leaped at the bed, tossed off his too many clothes, then pulled Teddy down to the bed beside him. “We never got to study for your orals.”

  “I’m only interested in one kind of oral right now, sir.”

  “Ah yes, Mr. Walters, do you believe romance novels should contain graphic sex scenes?”

  “The more graphic the better.”

  “Good. Let’s see if you can give this scene a good climax.” He slid down Teddy’s slender body, took his more-than-ample cock into his mouth, and began to suck in a lifetime of happiness. Moments later, Teddy wriggled around to retur
n the rave reviews.

  Chapter Nineteen

  THEODORE FELT his face flushing as he and Snake, with Andy on Snake’s shoulders as usual, walked toward the group who occupied one whole corner of Copper. They’d pushed tables together to make room for all of them—Rod and Hunter, David, Gareth, and Edge, Jerry and Mick, plus Adam and Sky—quite a collection of gorgeous, happy men. As they walked up, Rod leaped to his feet and ran to Theodore, hands waving. “There are our boys.” He pulled Theodore into a huge hug, even though he had to reach up to do it, then dragged him to one of the open seats reserved at the head of their makeshift banquet table.

  Snake set Andy down, and he ran around hugging all the guys, while Theodore introduced Snake to Gareth and Edge, David’s “guys,” who played professional volleyball, and Sky, the formidable environmentalist married to Adam.

  When they finally sat, David pushed mimosas in front of Theodore and Snake and a glass of OJ to Andy. Everyone lifted their glasses, and David said, “To your new home and new life as a family.”

  They all sipped.

  Hunter grinned. “To Theodore’s new job at California University and to the speedy completion of his dissertation!”

  They all drank again.

  Hunter laughed. “I hear the head of the department at Fairhaven was pretty upset to lose Theodore when he discovered that he was about to marry one of the world’s most famous romance writers—who also happened to be a guy.”

  “Yeah, the rat.” Theodore wrinkled his nose. “He suddenly got a heap of respect for romance when he found out Crystal Streams is a man.”

  Rod fluttered his lashes. “And what a man.” He lifted his glass again. “To romance.”