Brent
Hopping online, Scotty booked a flight from Atlanta to Langley, leaving his return open-ended. He also booked a hotel near the airport and a rental car.
Thank God my job at the spa gives me enough money, so I can comfortably do this.
Thinking more about it, he asked himself – What is “this?” What the hell am I doing? I don’t know if I can face Brent. I’m so goddamned mad at him, I want to punch him in the face.
After another moment, Scotty admitted to himself: I still love him. Why am I so fucked up?
The flight was six hours, and by 8:00 pm he was in the Airport Marriott Marquis. He didn’t want to eat fast food if he could help it, and was relieved to find a few restaurants close to the hotel. His stomach was in knots, but he had to eat something, so he got some type of baked chicken with vegetables and rice.
Sitting in silence after he settled his bill, he sipped his water. His hands shook when he pulled out his phone and texted Dr. Coker.
“I’m in Langley and staying close to the airport. Is it too late to call?”
He was surprised by how quickly Dr. Coker responded.
“I’m not in my office at the moment. I cleared my morning schedule since you said you were coming. Can you be at my office first thing in the morning? Anytime after 8:00 am.”
“Sure. I’ll be there.”
A Google Maps link followed, showing the address.
Scotty returned to his room, but had so much anxiety and nervous energy he couldn’t sleep. The hotel had an indoor pool, but it was too small to swim laps. There was a small gym that had a few treadmills, so he opted to run. He took a quick dip in the pool to cool off, even though he was in his running shorts. He padded back to his room carrying his sweaty t-shirt and shoes.
He passed a few people in the hallway, who did double-takes when they passed him. Extremely handsome and well built, they couldn’t help but notice him.
Once in his room, he lay wide awake, thinking of Brent. As fucked up as it was, he kept thinking of his time with Brent, running his hands over his body and stroking his cock. The images and memories were uncannily clear, and his own cock was as hard as it had ever been. Unable to help himself, Scotty jerked off, cumming quickly. He remembered Brent staying hard after Scotty got him off, and his own cock remained rigid, throbbing in his hand. It took a little longer, but he came again, surprising himself.
Sniffling, he swiped at the tears leaking from his eyes. At least after his release, he was able to sleep, but he still dreamt of Brent.
<><>
The next morning, at precisely 8:00 am, Scotty arrived at Dr. Coker’s office. She was a VA doctor, and her building was adjacent to the hospital. The building was old, with cinderblock walls that carried decades of layers of paint. The tile floors were clean and waxed, but worn with age. Bright fluorescent lights didn’t allow for any shadows, washing everything out. The place seemed worn with age, but sturdy, like the men who often ended up there.
Approaching the front area, there were multiple reception bays, but only one was occupied. As he walked up, a woman asked, “May I help you?”
“I’m here to see Dr. Coker. She’s expecting me.”
“I need you to fill out these papers first, or you can use one of the kiosks.”
“I’m not a patient.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s required, even for visitors.”
Fuck, our government at work.
“I’ll use one of the kiosks.”
Tapping the start button, Scotty filled out the basic information. When he clicked “Finish,” another window popped up that read “Please take a seat. You will be called in the order of the queue.”
Looking up and down the hall, Scotty was the only person in sight other than a security guard at the main entrance. Sighing, he shook his head.
Nearly five minutes after he sat down, he heard the click of a magnetic lock, and a middle-aged African-American woman, nicely dressed, asked, “Scott Bridger? I’m Dr. Coker. You can call me Anne, if you prefer.”
Shaking her proffered hand, he said, “Scott Bridger, but you can call me Scotty.”
“Come with me, Scotty.”
She led him down a few very long corridors to a tiny office. Her desk took up most of the room, and there were two plastic chairs in front of her desk.
She chuckled and said, “I’m sorry our accommodations aren’t better.”
“I’d rather the money go to people who need it. This is fine.”
She sat behind her desk and leaned back, looking at him for a moment, before asking, “So, how are you, Scotty? I know this is a shock to you.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. You said Brent has been here for a month, right? What happened?”
“He attempted to take his life, as I told you.”
“How? And why?”
“Brent attempted to hang himself.”
“Oh, my God. Why would he do that?”
“He left a note, Scotty, that had your name on it.”
Scotty couldn’t help his tears, and he sniffed as he swiped at his eyes.
“God, this is so messed up.”
“Yes, it is. Brent has had a difficult time. It all started when his wife, Susan, became ill. His trouble actually started before that, during his deployment.”
“But he said he came out of that time fine. He didn’t develop PTSD like some guys do.”
“And he was correct. Brent’s troubles started when he left the Marine Corps. He had a very difficult time adjusting to civilian life. I see this often, and it’s hard to fathom for those not in the military. Brent developed extreme emotional bonds with the men he deployed with. They were his family, his brothers. Their lives depended on one another, and they would do anything for each other, even die. The constant danger, the stress, of where and when he was there had a tremendous impact on his psyche.
“When men form these bonds, the trust and support they receive are intense. As much as he loved Susan, she couldn’t provide him with that. She was a caring and gentle soul, and Brent loved her deeply, but in his mind, he longed for his unit. He didn’t have that safety net in the outside the world. He put on a brave face, and Sue did help him adjust as much as she could. She was a new safety net—not the one his psyche yearned for, but he told himself it was enough. But then she fell ill, and he watched her decline. When it became clear her illness was terminal, the small safety net he had with her disappeared.
“The pain of her death was tragic. He did love her deeply, but when she left him, he lost his primary connection to this world, so he tried to end his life the first time.”
Scotty sat in stunned silence as Anne narrated the unfolding story of Brent’s life.
“I had no idea of any of that.”
“Don’t feel bad, Scotty. Brent didn’t understand any of this either. As I said, those who are not in the military or trained like I am are aware of the interpersonal relationships and connections that our war fighters develop.”
“So what happened? Why did he leave me?”
“When Brent met you, Scotty, he discovered something he was desperately lacking. It took some time to get him to open up, but he eventually shared with me everything that happened between the two of you.”
“What!?”
Scotty’s face reddened in embarrassment, anger, and not a little panic.
“Everything he shared is completely confidential, Scotty. Don’t be alarmed. Your interaction was the piece of the puzzle I needed to understand what happened. The deep, personal bond, especially of trust between two men, he found in you. It was not something Susan could give him, and he unconsciously felt shame and guilt over that, not only toward himself but also toward you, even though you were fulfilling a need in him.”
“The trust he found in you, not to judge him, and the safety he felt in your presence, filled a void in him that had been there since he left the Corps. He did love you, Scotty — not as a lover, but as a brother. More than a brother. In his mind, he saw you as one of his Marine brothers, which is deeply profound. He still does.”
“Jesus. We had become good friends. We had an arrangement… well, you know. I had fallen for him. I loved him. I knew I was setting myself up, but I couldn’t help myself. I felt drawn to him in a way I couldn’t resist.”
“I think, Scotty, that you felt his love for you. He didn’t express it in the way you wanted, but his love for you was deeply profound as a man. He trusted you.”
“But he’s straight and I’m gay. He can’t love me that way.”
“He didn’t understand that. He was still grieving over Susan, even though he didn’t speak of that with you. He was afraid of talking to you about her, afraid it would drive you off.”
“Well, that’s dumb. He didn’t want to drive me off, but he took off and completely ghosted me!”
“There’s another piece of this puzzle you don’t know. A coworker and close friend of yours confronted Brent. He and many of your work friends were very worried about you. They had seen you hurt before and were trying to protect you. Your friend confronted Brent and made him see how unfairly he was treating you. Please don’t be angry at your friend for that. Even though he caused this series of events, he did it out of love and support for you.”
Scotty started sobbing, “My God, Chet, why did you do that?”
“What your friend forced Brent to face is that he broke your trust through his actions. He still loved Susan and felt like he couldn’t love you at the same time, or as one man to another. Brent felt that loving you would be a betrayal of Susan, but by not loving you, he betrayed your trust and hurt you. It’s all very complex, and until your friend confronted him, he was unaware of what he had done. His betrayal of your feelings was something he couldn’t handle, so he ran away. He didn’t know what else to do. He knew you would be hurt more by his leaving, but he wasn’t thinking clearly. In the end, he hurt both of you terribly through his actions.”
Scotty put his head in his hands and cried inconsolably for minutes. Anne set some tissues on the desk in front of him.
“I’m sorry, Scotty, but I felt it was necessary to share all this with you. Usually, I couldn’t, but Brent gave me his permission. He didn’t think he could explain it so you would understand it all.”
“God, this is all so fucked up.”
After a moment, he said, “I’m sorry.”
Chuckling softly, Anne said, “Scotty, you have no idea how many F-bombs I’ve heard in this office. I work with soldiers who have mental and physical disabilities. My ears aren’t delicate.”
Once he got himself more in control, Scotty said, “You mentioned Brent left a note in his last suicide attempt. What did it say?”
“It said – “I’m sorry, Scotty. I never meant to hurt you.” I know this is a lot to take in. You didn’t expect any of this.”
Scotty seemed baffled and said, “I don’t know what to do. Can I see him? Does he want to see me?”
“I can arrange that. I think it would be good for both of you if you can manage it. I don’t know if you can work things out between you, but you should talk.”
<><>
Brent was in his hospital room when Anne came in. An icy ball of fear hit his stomach when she said, “I’ve spoken with Scotty. He’d like to see you. He flew up from Atlanta last night.”
Tearing up, Brent looked terrified.
Anne took his hand and said, “It’s alright, Brent. I explained everything to him. He’s hurt, too. I believe the only path forward for both of you is to meet and talk. I’ll be close by if you need me.”
Fuck! What am I gonna say? How can he forgive me after what I did to him?
<><>
Brent sat on one of the many benches scattered about the lawn for patients to sit outside and enjoy the weather or find solitude. The day was sunny and warm, but a breeze kept the temperature manageable. He tensed when he caught sight of Scotty in his peripheral vision. His forehead broke out into a cold sweat, and his palms were wet.
Scotty stopped a short distance away, and when Brent looked directly at him, Scotty’s eyes were bloodshot, with tears spilling down his cheeks. Brent stood, completely tense, and started trembling.
He stammered, “Scotty… God, man, I’m so sorry!” Before falling to his knees and crying like a baby. Scotty’s composure shattered when he saw Brent. He hadn’t seen him in a year, and he looked more handsome than ever. Laughingly, he thought to himself: They must have a gym close by. Fuck he looks hotter than ever.
Scotty stumbled forward and got on his knees, not saying anything, just wrapping his arms around Brent, hugging him as tightly as he could. The memory of their nearly naked bodies, pumped and sweaty in the garage, pressing together came back, fresh and clear. He remembered Brent’s heat and musky scent, and even more the feeling in his heart when he held the man he loved.
Fuck he feels good. Just like I remember.
Brent’s body was hot from the tension in him, and he felt as hard as concrete. Scotty couldn’t help his physical reaction, and he got hard. What surprised him was Brent’s arms around him. Those big ass, powerful arms were squeezing him back just as tightly.
“Brent…”
Brent sounded desperate as he choked out the words, “Fuck, man, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Brent. Anne told me everything. It’s all pretty fucked up, but none of it is your fault. I didn’t realize what you were going through.”
Crying, the two men held each other until their tears lessened to a point where they could talk.
Looking directly into Scotty’s eyes, Brent asked, “Can you forgive me?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“Yes, you do, Brent.”
“I don’t know what to do. How can I possibly make things up to you? How can I make things right?”
Scotty held Brent’s face in his hands and smiled, taking in his words.
Brent asked, “Where do we go from here?”
Scotty said, “That’s up to you. I want to be with you more than anything in my life. I thought I was over you. I spent the last year trying to purge you from my heart, but the second I saw you and touched you, all that flew out the window. But loving you isn’t enough, man. I can’t live with a one-sided relationship.”
Brent raised his hands to hold Scotty in the same way and said, “Scotty, with Anne’s help, I’ve realized a lot of things about myself. Yeah, I’m fucked up, but at least I understand more about my fucked-up shit. I realize I was deflecting what I felt for you. On top of not wanting to replace Sue with you, I was afraid to be in love with another man. But I love you, man. I realize that now, and I don’t mean only like a brother, but that too. But even more. I can’t see myself moving forward without you. I don’t know if that makes me gay, or whatever, but I don’t give a fuck.”
Scott’s heart nearly burst in his chest at Brent’s expression of his feelings. With a strong tremble in his voice, Scotty asked, “Do you mean that? Really?”
“Not only yes, but hell yes, fucker. I don’t know why I tried to hide it from myself. You were there for me when I needed you, and I abandoned you when you needed me. I don’t know if I’ll ever live that down, but I’ll spend every day I live trying to make that up to you.”
Scotty broke down again, but in relief and he wasn’t sure what else… a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time filled his heart.
Brent said, “There are so many things I want to tell you, and do to you. Like how fucking handsome you are. I can say that now. I tried to hide it before, but I can openly admit it now. You are such a great man, Scotty. I want to be a better person because of you.”
To break the ice, Scotty grinned and whispered in Brent’s ear, “I’d just settle for your dick, to be honest.”
Brent blinked and then laughed, crying again. His eyes, squinted from his smile, leaked fresh tears and he said, “You fucker. How about I settle for yours, too? I can’t wait to learn to do to you what you do to me.”
“Remember what you told me when we started working out together?”
“What?”
“Just bring yourself, but if you want my help, you have to do what I say. No slacking.”
Brent threw his head back and laughingly said, “You got it.”
After a second, he said, “I can’t wait to start working out with you again.”
“Me too.”
Brent turned serious again and said, “I don’t know what happens next. I can’t leave here until Anne discharges me. I’m a prisoner of the VA Psych ward until she lets me go. And there’s one other problem…”
“What?”
“I don’t have anywhere to go. My car is in storage, and I sold my house. I was here so long I let my apartment lease go.”
“Where’s your stuff? You didn’t sell it, did you?”
“No, but only because I didn’t have time. My furniture’s in storage, including my workout equipment.”
“Well… I don’t want to jump the gun, but don’t you want to live with me? We can figure out what we need to keep and what to sell. It will be a tight squeeze in the garage, but I’d like to build a separate gym back by the pool.”
“Wait… what pool?”
“A few things have changed in the last year. I saved up enough and wanted one. I have plans for an outdoor kitchen next, but I can put that on hold. We’ll have to fight the HOA to get the gym built, but if we follow the guidelines, they shouldn’t be too much trouble.”
Brent’s eyes widened, and he exhaled heavily, “Fuck, Scotty. I can’t believe this.”
He hugged Scotty, pulling their faces together, and then he did something that blew Scotty’s mind: he planted his lips on Scotty’s, and Scotty felt his tongue working its way in. It was a short but intimate gesture, and Scotty immediately got hard again.
“Fuck, I just popped a boner.”
Brent looked down and said, “Sorry, not sorry. Damn it, now I have one too.”
Taking Brent by his hand, he led him back to the bench and said, “Let’s sit down and cool off.”
The two men sat and started chatting like best friends. Anne watched them through her window and smiled. Her prayers for Brent and Scotty were answered.
<><>
The following two weeks were torture for both men. Now that they were committed to one another, their time apart seemed to drag like January after Christmas.
The sparkle in Scotty’s eyes had rekindled, and everyone around him saw the difference but didn’t know the reason. They suspected it was because of a guy, but they had no idea it was Brent. None of them cared who it might be; seeing Scotty happy was all that mattered.
Chet was nosy and asked some not-so-subtle questions, but Scotty just grinned and said he wanted to be sure before he said anything. His answer seemed to suffice. Chet was as relieved as he was happy that Scotty seemed to have found himself again.
Scotty was a nervous wreck. Brent restarted his phone service, and because it had been a work number, he was able to recover it. His old boss at the Department of Defense promised him the next position to fill was his, but also said this was the last time he could cover for him. HR had a three-strike rule, even with Vets, but Brent assured him his issues had not only been fully determined by Dr. Coker, but also solved. He needed to work on himself, but the worst of his issues was over.
Scotty heard the car in the driveway. He wanted to pick Brent up at the airport, but it was a long drive and Brent insisted on taking a shuttle. He left the door unlocked and heard the chime from the security system when the door opened.
He stood in the kitchen, but the floor plan was open, and he watched Brent step through the door. He stopped, and they stared at one another and smiled. Brent dropped his bags and advanced towards Scotty like nothing in the world could prevent him, and he engulfed him in a bear hug that took Scotty’s breath away.
Brent was a little disheveled and sweaty from the trip, and Scotty buried his face against his neck and breathed in his musky scent. Scotty’s rough cheek against Brent’s neck sent a shiver down his spine and put butterflies in his stomach.
“Welcome home, big guy. My casa, your casa.”
Brent smiled as he looked around. The place looked just like he remembered, and it wrapped around him, but Scotty’s words reminded him of some thoughts he already had about their living arrangement.
Brent’s forehead wrinkled, and he said, “We have a lot to work out with the living arrangements. I mean financially. I start back to work in two weeks. I don’t want you to carry the burden for both of us.”
Scotty said, “We’ll work it out. I have no doubt. Hey, I have some steaks marinating, and it’s a beautiful afternoon. I was thinking we could grill them and eat by the pool. How does that sound?”
“Fuck, I can get used to that.”
“Well, don’t expect it every night, but I want tonight to be special.”
“It’s already special. I’m with the guy I love. I can admit that now. I love you, Scotty Bridger.”
Scotty’s heart tingled at Brent’s words, and he said, “I love you, too, Brent Haddock.”
Scotty reluctantly dropped his arms and said, “You want to grab a quick shower?”
“Yeah, I’m covered in road grime.”
Scotty went with him to the door and helped carry his bags back to the bedroom.
“I cleaned out half the closet for you. You’re bigger than I am, so we can’t share clothes, but there’s plenty of room. Take whatever drawers or shelves you want in the bathroom.”
Brent showered and came out naked, toweling himself off. He was hard, but Scotty said, “Let’s wait until after dinner, if you can hold off. I want tonight to be extra special.”
He laughed at the puppy dog eyes Brent gave him, but he grinned and slipped on his shorts.
While the food was cooking, Scotty said, “I know we both have decisions to make, but I want to ask you this up front. How do you feel about me working at the spa?”
Brent took Scotty’s hands and said, “Honestly, I’d really like you to give that up. I know the money’s good, but with both our incomes, we’ll have plenty of money. I can tell myself I won’t get jealous, and I completely trust you, but I want you all to myself. However, you’ve had that job for a while, and if you want to keep doing it, I’ll deal with it.”
Scotty grinned and said, “We’re on the same page. I want to be yours completely, and I want you to be mine. The Spa is just sex, but I feel it would be wrong to keep doing it as long as we’re together. Which I hope, by the way, is forever.”
Brent put a hand on Scotty’s shoulder and squeezed him, and said, “Thanks, Scotty. It’s nice to be on the same page.”
The conversation over dinner was varied. Scotty told Brent about rescuing the child in the fire, and Brent filled him in on more of what happened at the VA. When they were finished eating, they shared clean-up duty.
Moving into the living room they sat on the couch together. Brent held out his arm and pulled Scotty against him.
“Fuck this feels nice. You feel great.”
“You don’t feel too bad yourself.”
“I want to do something for you, Scotty. Something I couldn’t do before. Will you go with me on this?”
Brent’s eyes took on a smoldering look, and Scotty got hard. He nodded his assent.
Brent sat up, stripped off his shirt, and then took off Scotty’s. His eyes lingered over Scotty’s physique, this time with open desire. While his previous body checks on Scotty were about assessing progress, this time his gaze was both lustful and loving. He placed a large, warm hand on Scotty’s chest. Between his look and his hand, Scotty’s heart bounded. Scotty’s excitement affected Brent, knowing what his touch did to his lover.
Moving his hand down, he popped the button on Scotty’s shorts and slid them off onto the floor. Scotty’s hard cock slapped back against his taut stomach. His entire body was on fire. Brent pulled off his own shorts and then pressed himself against Scotty, pulling Scotty over into his arms.
“I can’t tell you how much I’ve dreamed about doing this to you.”
His hand roamed down and cupped Scotty’s balls, and then gripped his shaft. Scotty didn’t leak as much as Brent, but his excitement was evident, and there was some precum. With one arm he pulled their faces together and started a kiss, gently forcing his tongue into Scotty’s mouth. His other hand started stroking his lover.
Scotty spread his legs, just as he always told Brent to do, giving himself over to Brent’s ministrations. Brent’s touch, the touch he had longed for ever since they met the first time in the Spa, was too much, and Scotty started to shoot. It caught Brent off guard, but he quickly aimed it towards his own chest. Scotty had not jerked off on purpose, knowing they would play around that night, but his load even surprised him. His orgasm was the most intense of his life. No one, not even Kit, had ever done what Bent did to him. There had never been such a strong emotional tie to go along with the touch.
Scotty let out a moan and finally said, “Fuck me.”
Brent grinned and said, “We never talked about going there, with either one of us. I’m happy to keep the rules we had at the Spa. I don’t know my way around a man’s body like you do, but I want to learn. You gave me the most mind-blowing pleasure with just your hands and your mouth and tongue, so we don’t need to go there unless you want to.”
Scotty couldn’t wait, and he leaned over and took one of Brent’s nipples in his mouth. Brent’s hand went behind Scotty’s head, running his fingers through his short hair while his tongue teased a nipple.
“Fuck.”
Scotty moved down to position himself between Brent’s legs and used both hands on his nipples while he sucked his cock. He had done that before, and Brent didn’t last long. In seconds, his load filled Scotty’s mouth. Scotty straddled his waist and sensually rubbed Brent’s chest and neck, soothing him after his release.
After a moment, Scotty said, “Here’s what I think. I already said I don’t like labels. Bottom. Top. Versatile. Gay. Straight. Bi. Pan. Whatever. I love you. You love me. That’s all I care about. I know how to make you feel good. You’ll learn how to make me feel the same way. You get an A+ for tonight, by the way.”
Brent grinned and rubbed his hands over Scotty’s chest and shoulders.
“We’ll learn as we go. If things evolve and we want to try that, I say we try it. If either of us doesn’t like it, we adapt. We don’t both have to like the same things.”
Brent asked, “Hey, can we skinny dip?”
Scotty laughed and said, “Yeah. I had a privacy fence put up so we can run around naked to our heart’s desire.”
“Let’s get in the water.”
Brent held out a hand, and Scotty gripped it, and they walked out to the pool together. The open air felt wonderful over their naked bodies, and they jumped in. Brent took them to the shallow end and held Scotty against him. They were both hard again, and cuddled, kissed, and talked quietly, learning more about each other. They were friends before, but now they were lovers, and wanted to know each other intimately, both physically and emotionally.
The two men fell asleep that night, content and drained. They got each other off repeatedly, and falling asleep together was another new experience. One that they looked forward to for the rest of their lives.
Epilogue
Chet was surprised when Scotty showed up at his door unannounced.
“Hey, bud, what’s up? How’s my work husband?”
CJ came ripping to the front door, screaming, “Uncle Scotty!” as he held his arms up to be picked up. Scotty lifted him up and got a big hug and a kiss.
Smiling, Scotty said, “Hey, little man! What’s shaking?”
CJ said, “Me and Lizzie are gonna play in the sprinkler! Can you come watch?”
“Maybe in a few minutes, kiddo. I need to talk to your dad first.”
“OK. Hurry!”
Chuckling, Scotty set him down, and CJ’s feet were already moving as he ran to the back door.
“So, what’s up?”
“We’d better sit down. I have some news.”
Scotty’s eyes started to water, and he surprised Chet when he pulled him into a bear hug. With no hesitation, Chet hugged him back, and he asked, “Scotty, are you alright?”
“Yeah. Better than ever.”
Linda came through to hug Scotty, “You want something to drink?”
“No thanks. I just need to talk with my work-husband.”
“Okay, he can fill me in on any juicy gossip. I have to watch the kids.”
Chet said, “Thanks, Hun.”
Scotty started out saying, “I just got back from an emergency trip to Langley, VA.”
“Oh shit.”
“It’s not what you think. I owe you a huge punch in the kisser, but also a debt I don’t think I can ever repay.”
Chet knew immediately about the punch reference, and he started in, “Scotty, I’m sorry. I didn’t mention I was the reason Brent left. I had no idea he was gonna do that, but I laid into him about how he was treating you. He was taking advantage of you with no regard about how it was affecting you. The guys and I were really worried, and we felt strongly enough to have an intervention. I got elected since we’re partners.”
“No need to say anymore, bud. I get it. When I found out what you did, I was furious, but it was also the missing piece to the puzzle that Brent’s psychologist needed to complete what happened. I’ll give you all the gory details later, but suffice it to say he’s moving in with me in a few weeks, as soon as he’s fully discharged from the VA hospital.”
“Are you sure? What happened? Did he turn gay all of a sudden?”
Scotty laughed and said, “Not exactly. I told him I didn’t care about labels. But after everything that happened, he realized he feels the same way about me, it just took him some time to realize it. The last year sucked, but it was necessary in a weird, fucked-up way. And I have you to thank for it.”
Chet still didn’t look entirely convinced and said, “If you’re sure, I won’t try and stop you. But be aware we’re gonna watch you like hawks, and if I see any signs of trouble, I’ll be all over you like a fly on rice. But if this really works, you’ll get my check in the mail. And I want full pool privileges.”
“You already have those.”
“I want it in writing.”
Smiling, Scotty said, “You got it.”
Scotty started to tear up again, and he said, “It’s real this time, Chet. I really will fill you in on the details. I don’t mean the sex parts, but what was going on in Brent’s head. He wants to thank you, too, when he gets back. I hope you and Linda will be cool with him?”
“Buddy, if he’s your guy, he’s ours too. You know that. We’ll need to set up an initiation at the station, though. Don’t tell him, but we’ll make it special.”
“Oh, Lord. We’re not even married, and he’ll want a divorce after that.”
Chet laughed and pulled Scotty into another hug.
“I’m happy for you, brother. You’re the best man I know, and you deserve every ounce of happiness you can squeeze out of this new guy. I don’t mean that in a gross way either.”
Scotty laughed and said, “Thanks again, man. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
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