Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I feel like I should say something—just spit out the real reason. I’ve needed to tell them for a long time, and after discussing it with Jackson, I feel like this is something I can do.
“You know, about this run,” I say.
They turn their heads toward me, awaiting my confession. Judging by their expressions, it’s like they already know. Not the details, but that I’m about to tell them something important.
“Yeah?” Gary asks, continuing to huff and puff, and now that he mentioned it, I notice he’s kind of running funny. Definitely like a guy who was plowed a little too hard last night.
“Thank you, guys, for helping me out; it means a lot,” I say. I want to tell them about Uncle Randy, but the words are stuck in my throat, and it seems like so much work to force them past my lips.
“No biggie,” Hayden says.
“Yeah. We got you, Derek. Was there anything else you wanted to tell us?” I can see the look in Gary’s eyes, like he’s asking me if I need help right now. And even though I do, I don’t think I’m ready yet, but I can’t figure out why the fuck not.
“You guys are just really great friends,” I say. “And I don’t tell you that enough.”
“You’re a good friend, too, Derek. Sometimes hard to deal with…”
“And sometimes just hard,” Hayden adds. “But you know, we’re always here for you if there’s anything you need to talk about…if you need us. We’re like those Muppets who show up at the end of Labyrinth.”
“What?” Gary asks.
“Nothing, sorry. Cody and I are just on a Jim Henson kick lately.”
I appreciate the subject change, and that even though I wasn’t ready, they both made it clear that I could come to them when I am.
As we reach the finish line, we lock hands and raise our arms in the air for the big pic.
Jackson, Travis, and Cody stand off to the sides, taking pics and hollering out their support. We collect our gift bags from a table and wipe down with the towels in them. I throw off my shirt and change into the one in the bag, noticing how Jackson ogles me during the change—like all he wants to do is pull me aside and fuck the hell out of me.
“Patience, Daddy,” I tell him.
We head out and get a bite to eat down the street at Mike’s before returning to Metropolis, where we split up. I’m pretty sure everyone in the gang has the same idea right now: we need to clean up our filthy bodies and fuck our hot men.
Ooh, gonna be sore tomorrow.
As we enter my condo, my phone buzzes, and I check it.
“Got a bunch of lovers coming over?” Jackson teases.
“It’s Evan.”
“That kid from the other night?”
“I figured he could use someone to talk to after that douchebag Peter took advantage of him. He didn’t go out much when he was with Peter. I never really saw him around town, unless they were together. I think that asshole kept him kind of sheltered as a way of controlling him. He just needs someone to pull him out of his shell, and I’m just the bottom for the job.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.”
“I have a feeling he’s a good kid. And that’s not the story circulating around town, that’s for sure. It’s gonna take a lot of PR to repair the damage, but he’ll survive. He’s not the only bottom with a bad reputation in Midtown, but at least I’ve earned mine.”
“A bad reputation sounds kind of good to me,” he says, hooking his arm around my waist and pulling me to him.
His kiss offers me a moment of ease, but just as quickly, I push away.
“Gross. I’m still all sweaty.”
“You’re going to be sweaty one way or another, so why not skip a step?”
“You charming motherfucker.”
“Thank you for today,” he says, more seriously.
“What?”
“It meant a lot that you invited me to come and watch you. And it was great seeing how supportive your friends are.”
“Don’t I know it? I just…”
He frowns. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just something happened during the run. I wanted to tell them about Uncle Randy.”
“Why didn’t you? Why haven’t you?”
“They’re good guys, and they always listen. There when I need anything. They’ve been there for me in the past, and I trust them, but I’m not good with stuff like this.”
“Stuff like…?”
“Opening up.”
“You opened up with me.”
“You kind of pried me open, but in a good way. A great way, really. But this is just something that’s hard for me, and I feel bad that I haven’t said anything. I love them, but I don’t want them to see Randy like that. Not because I’m embarrassed by him but because I don’t want them to know him as anything other than the man who was so amazing to me. I don’t want them to see him as someone who’s helpless or weak or frail…but then as I think about that, I realize, I don’t want them to see me that way either. I don’t want anyone to see me that way. At least, I haven’t until I met you.”