Shelby, who had been lying at Jesse’s feet, raised her head.
“Then last night when he asked me to…” Jesse started to say something more, but seemed to change his mind. “Now he comes over here and apologizes.”
Nick filed those revelations away, along with other thoughts concerning Denny’s references to Jesse and the phone call, both of which had been bothering him.
“He showed me his new ring,” Nick said, hoping to reassure Jesse, even though it pushed his own feelings for the man to the side.
Jesse brightened. He held out his hand and showed off its twin.
Impulsively, Nick took hold of the proffered hand and inspected the ring. He hadn’t seen Denny’s close up, hadn’t seen the initial, now he did: the “D” flanked by two diamonds.
“His has a ‘J,’” Jesse said.
Nick realized he was still holding onto Jesse’s hand. Awkwardly he let it go.
“Those are pretty serious rings,” he said.
“Well, they could be. Right now they’re just friendship rings…until…well…if Denny makes up his mind about making things more permanent.
The “if” hung in the air between them. Shelby whined.
“Okay, girl,” said Jesse, “you’ve been patient. You guys gonna join us?”
“Uh, right, yes,” Nick said, coming back to reality. He rose and got Clyde’s lead. Together the quartet hit the street.
They went once again to the dog park. It was crowded.
“Guess lots of folks would rather be here than in church,” Jesse observed.
“I would,” Nick agreed. Actually, I’d rather be anywhere as long as it was with you. The thought sprang into his mind before he could catch himself.
He sat next to his new neighbor and watched their dogs gambol off to join the pack already playing in the wood chips.
* * * Fucking…old…fag.
Who…the…hell…does…he…think…he…is? Denny’s thoughts were in cadence with his reps as he benched a barbell. His adrenaline was still up after his confrontation with Sam at the towel window. Denny finished the set, racked the bar and sat up, grabbing the towel and wiping his face. For the tenth time, his mind replayed the interaction with the old man.
“Hey, Dennis,” Sam had said. “See that boyfriend of yours finally saw the light and dumped you for someone who appreciates him.”
“Fuck you,” Denny had returned.
“You wish,” Sam had rejoined, laughing.
Denny had held up his hand in Sam’s face. “Does this look like
he’s dumped me, you senile, old queer?” He wiggled his fingers to make sure the man saw the new ring. Sam had hesitated before responding, looking at the ring. “Mighty nice. Didn’t know they put stuff like that in Cracker Jack boxes.”
“Fuck you,” Denny had said again and turned away. “Well, he maya given you a ring, but the way those two were lookin’ at each other… Whooeee!”
Denny had stopped, burning with anger. He had been about to turn back and give the old man more grief, but had decided it wasn’t worth it. Now he sat on the bench trying to sort out his emotions.
Was something going on between Jesse and Nick? If there was, was this jealousy he was feeling? Or was it just his pride at possibly being two-timed and having that old pervert point it out? He snorted softly through his nose. Two-timed, ha, look who’s talking.
Just then his cell rang. Technically members weren’t supposed to be using cells in the gym, but he had special permission. He had told them he was on call for the airline. He checked the caller I D: Carter Townsend.
“Hi, Carter. I was just thinking about you,” Denny said with a smile.
“Hot thoughts, I hope. Are you all hard and sweaty?”
“Sweaty, yes, but hard, no. I’m at the gym.”
“Thinking of me…and not hard.” Carter sounded disappointed. Then he laughed. “If I were there, you would be.” He paused. “I take it you can finally give me five minutes of your time?”
“Yeah,” said Denny, feeling slightly irritated at Carter’s seeming lack of understanding of his situation, and why he couldn’t talk when he had called before. “What can I do for you?”
“Hee-hee, do you have to ask?” Carter said seductively. “Actually, I called to find out if you’d heard anything about your next trip. Have you got an assignment?”
“Carter, I just got home yesterday, I’m over my monthly time limit for flights, and it’s fuckin’ Sunday morning. Of course, I don’t have an assignment.”
“You’re angry with me.”
Denny closed his eyes and quietly took a deep breath. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just a bit edgy. Jesse gave me a ring last night for our anniversary.”
There was silence at the other end. Denny was about to ask if Carter was still there.
“What does that mean for me? For us? You said you were gonna talk to him. That we’d be able to be together soon.” The man sounded panicky.
“Relax, man. I am going to talk to him. It’s just not the right time. The ring is just for friendship.” He knew Jesse hoped it would be for more, but Denny didn’t want to share that with Carter.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Carter’s insecurities were beginning to worry Denny.
“Okay,” Carter said with a sigh. “I have an idea, though. Your guy has to work during the day, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, how about I come to Chicago? We could see each other during the day while he’s at work. I could fly in tonight. I have to be in New York on Wednesday, but we’d have two days?”
Denny hesitated.
“Please. I need you, Denny. You can’t imagine what it’s like for me not being with you.”
“I miss being with you, too, Cart. But Jesse is off until Wednesday. He took some vacation time as I’ve been gone so much.”
Carter did not respond immediately. Then he said, “Okay, I understand. But let me know as soon as you can when you’re flying out again so I can meet you.”
“I will.”
“Well, ’bye then…I love you.”
“I love you, too. ’Bye.”
Denny sat for a minute, his head in his hands.
“You gonna use that bench or what?” said a gruff voice.
Denny looked up to see a mountain standing before him, hands on hips and a scowl on his face.
“Oh, sorry.” Denny got up and moved out of the big man’s way.
“Not supposed to use phones in here, you know,” he said, brushing past Denny and beginning to rack up huge plates onto the bar.
Denny mumbled something about having special permission, but never really finished the statement.
He walked to the lat machine, feeling confused and out of sorts.
I wonder how married guys can stand this shit of playing around behind someone’s back.
* * * Jesse strode into the condo. He tossed his keys into the dish on the shelf beneath the mirror in the entry hall, then bent down and took the leash off Shelby, who padded off into the kitchen for a drink. He hung the lead up and walked into the living room and to the sliding door. He stared out onto the patio and the common area beyond.
As he continued to look out on the green landscape at the few trees beginning to show a hint of fall color, he thought about the events of the last forty-eight hours. He had met Nick, given a ring to Denny, and been confused by the latter’s uncharacteristic behavior. He tried not to dwell too much on thoughts about Nick. It wasn’t about being turned on by the handsome new neighbor. He had ogled and felt lusty thoughts about lots of guys. It was his constant comparisons of Nick and Denny, the contrasts between them and the fact that, when it came right down to it, Nick came out on the heavy side of the scales. He was thoughtful, considerate, had interests similar to Jesse’s and—Jesse smiled as he made the final juxtaposition between the two—Nick liked dogs.
But all that was irrelevant. He loved Denny, and he, at least, had made a commitment to th
e man, even though Denny was slow in reciprocating. He had hoped when he had presented Denny with the anniversary rings, he would’ve been moved in that direction. But it didn’t appear that had been the case. Oh, yeah, Denny had seemed to like the rings, although he did seem kind of hesitant at first.
Probably he was just surprised. Jesse hoped that was what his reaction meant. And he did show his ring to Nick. Jesse continued the discussion in his mind.
In the end, the gift had not produced the reaction Jesse had hoped for—no declaration of eternal love and commitment; no tears of joy followed by proclaiming that he had waited for this moment for a long time; no announcement that they were a couple. All Jesse received was that Denny thought they were beautiful and even that statement Jesse felt he had dragged out of him.
“Oh, well,” Jesse said aloud as he turned from the window, “it’s only been two years.”
I’ve got two days off to spend with him. Maybe he’ll…
As he walked toward the kitchen, the red light flashing on the answering machine caught his eye. He checked the I D: Hendricks Educational Publishing.
What could they want on a Sunday?
He pressed the playback button apprehensively.
“Hey, Jess. Tom here. Call me…something’s come up.”
“Shit!” Jesse said.
Shelby got up and walked over to him, ready to sooth him if he needed it. Jesse sat on the couch and dialed the number.
“Hendricks Publishing. Tom speaking.”
“Tom, this is Jesse. What’s up?”
“God, Jesse, I’m glad I caught you. I really blew it. I came in this morning to check the week’s schedule. Good thing I did ’cause I made a mistake.”
Jesse got up. He walked back to the sliding glass patio door and looked out. “And—”
There was a huge sigh at the other end. “Look, I know you really wanted these two days—”
“Tom,” Jesse said with a warning tone.
“I know, man, but the presentation you were supposed to give the teacher staff development in Cincinnati on Wednesday and Thursday? Well, it’s tomorrow and Tuesday. I got the dates wrong. I’m really sorry, man.”
“Fuck!” Jesse was pacing now. Shelby followed his every move with her eyes, sensing his distress. “Can’t Reynolds do it? He hasn’t done shit this summer.”
“He doesn’t know the line like you do. Jesse, this is a big contract, a whole fuckin’ city district. It’s worth a couple hundred thousand at least. If we don’t show, Lambert will get the sale for sure. They’re presenting after us.”
Jesse ran his fingers through his hair and sat down. Shelby came and sat in front of him, looking as concerned as a dog can.
“Okay,” he said in a hollow voice. “What’s the deal?”
“Thanks, Jesse. I owe you big time.”
You bet you do, shithead.
“I got you booked on the three o’clock to Cinci, United. I changed your hotel reservation at the Comfort Inn. The schedule for the presentation is the same: high schools tomorrow, middles and elementaries Tuesday…just…uh…two days earlier than expected.” Tom said the last part with a small chuckle, evidently trying to lighten the situation.
Jesse did not find it funny.
“All right,” Jesse said, sighing again. “Let me go pack. I’ll stop at the office to pick up the sample cases.”
“Don’t bother. The least I can do is get them to the airport and check them in for you.”
“Gee, thanks,” Jesse said unenthusiastically.
“We’ll make it up to you, man. I promise.”
“Yeah, sure.” Jesse knew that wasn’t going to be for a while with Denny’s schedule.
“And Jesse?”
“What?”
“Try and sound a little more excited when you present, okay?”
Jesse didn’t respond to that remark. He just said goodbye and hung up. He sat with his head in his hands. He had been waiting so long to have free time with his man. Denny had been doing so many extra trips lately. He had hoped the extra time together would help move Denny toward a more willing attitude with regard to a committed relationship.
Shelby came forward and laid her head on his lap. He opened his eyes and smiled at her. Holding her head in his hands, he bent down and kissed her nose.
“At least I have your undying devotion.”
She whined and licked his nose in return.
* * * Denny came in the front door and tossed his gym bag on the floor. Shelby came out to greet him. He reached down and perfunctorily patted her head. He looked into the living room, then the kitchen.
“Jess?”
“In here,” came the reply.
Denny went into the bedroom and stopped short at the door.
Jesse was packing. His heart stopped; his mind raced. Had he let something slip? Had Carter taken things into his own hands and called here? “What’s going on?” he said, trying to keep the panic from his voice.
Jesse turned from his task of folding undershirts and said in a flat voice, “I gotta go to Cincinnati today for the fuckin’ presentation. That idiot Tom screwed up the schedule.” He walked toward Denny. “I’m sorry, babe.”
Denny felt a wave of relief wash over him. This was quickly followed by a thrill of excitement. Jesse would be gone for two days.
“Gee, that’s too bad,” Denny said.
“You don’t sound all that broken up about it,” Jesse replied.
Denny realized Jesse had expected something more akin to his own heated reaction when Denny had cancelled on him. He thought quickly. “Well, I guess I’m getting a taste of what it’s like when I have to change our plans cuz of work. I know you’re upset. I just didn’t want to make it harder for you. Come here.” Denny opened his arms and Jesse walked into them.
Both men responded to the kisses they exchanged.
“When do you leave? We got time for a proper goodbye?” Denny asked seductively, grinding his plumping penis against the hard bulge in Jesse’s Dockers.
“No,” Jesse said. “The flight’s at three. I got to leave, like”—he checked the clock on the bed-stand—“now.”
“You sure?” Denny said, kneading the protrusion in Jesse’s pants.
“Yes, I’m all showered and, if you don’t stop that, I’ll get prejizz all over myself.” But he leaned into the stimulation just the same.
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t offer. I’ll drive you to O’Hare.” “You don’t have to. I can take a cab.”
“I know I don’t have to, but”—Denny kissed Jesse—“it’ll give us more time to be together.”
Jesse brightened.
Good move, Christopoulos, Denny thought.
“Thanks, I really appreciate it,” Jesse said, kissing Denny once more. “I guess we better get going.” He went to the bed and zipped his suitcase. He bent down and ruffled Shelby’s ears. The dog had been sitting watching the men’s exchange.
“You take good care of Daddy Denny, Shel. Don’t let him get too lonely.”
She looked at Denny and whined.
He grabbed his suitcase and garment bag, and headed out the door.
“I’ll be with you in a sec,” Denny said. “Need to hit the john.”
Denny waited until Jesse was out the door. He took out his cell and hit the speed dial.
“Carter?”
“Yeah, it’s Denny. There’s been a change in plans.”
CHAPTER 7
Nick stood in front of the mirror on his dresser, adjusting his blue-and-white striped tie. He stepped back and inspected himself: light blue oxford button down, beige Dockers, brown loafers.
Yup. Professional without overdoing it.
He had two days of new teacher orientation. In a huge district like Chicago there could be a large group of newbies. He would get his school assignment and class schedule, meet his principal and get the lowdown on how the district worked. Then would come a half day of Welcome Back speeches for all the teachers at McCormick Place.
The week would end with a day-and-a-half in his school, meeting with other teachers and getting his first classroom ready. He would have Friday off, giving him a four-day Labor Day weekend, then his life as a middle school math teacher would begin. He was excited, nervous, but ready to start.
A whine and a bark from Clyde interrupted his inspection. Walking into the living room, he saw Shelby on the patio. She was sitting, looking expectantly through the glass. When she saw him, she stood, tail wagging. She raised a paw and scratched at the door. Nick opened the door. She came in to greet him and Clyde.
“What’re you doin’ here, girl?” Nick asked, bending to pet her.
He stepped outside to see if Jesse was out in the yard or common area. He wasn’t. Disappointed, Nick came back and stood with his hands on his hips.
“Well, I guess I better take you home before I go. Besides, that’ll give me a chance to see your master.”
The thought of maybe seeing Jesse made Nick feel good, although it also brought some feeling of discomfort due to the Denny situation.
The trio exited Nick’s condo and walked down to Jesse’s. He rang the bell. No answer.
He knocked on the door. Still no answer. He looked down at the two hounds seated side by side on the stoop, watching him.
“This is weird,” he said to them. He was just turning to go back to his place, wishing he had asked Jesse for his phone number, when Mrs. Kloswick emerged from her house.
“Good morning, Nicholas,” she called. “No one’s home, you know.”
Nick and the dogs walked over to her. She stooped and greeted them.
“Shelby was at my place this morning. I don’t understand why she’s out and Jesse’s gone.” He was getting worried.
“Well, just by chance—mind you—I noticed Jesse and Dennis left yesterday afternoon. It looked like Jesse was going away. He was carrying a suitcase and a garment bag.”
Nick frowned. “He was supposed to have the next couple of days off to spend time with Denny. I wonder what happened?”
“I wouldn’t know about that, being a person who stays out of other’s business, but Dennis came home alone a few hours later. Then he left early this morning…seemed to be in a big hurry, too.”
Second Thoughts Page 7
