Friends and Lovers Page 18

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together to welcome Dr. and Mrs. John Harden III!”

  Everyone rose to their feet, and there was a polite round of applause.

  “And now they will dance together for the first time as husband and wife!”

  The band began to play a lovely song that Tom recognized as something by Charles Aznavour. Josh leaned close to him. “That was John and Candy’s song!”

  “Oh?”

  Josh glanced around, then lowered his voice, even though no one nearby was paying any attention to them. “Father apparently didn’t think Candy would make a suitable wife for a head surgeon.”

  “Your brother isn’t a head surgeon, though.”

  “He will be one day. I liked Candy. She was always nice to me. She wrote me a couple of months after the engagement was announced and asked if I could do something, get John to talk to her. How could I? He hadn’t even talked to me.” Josh looked so unhappy. Theodore reached across his sister and squeezed his shoulder.

  “Don’t they make a lovely couple?” Kira was completely oblivious to what Josh had said.

  After the bride and groom had circled the dance floor a few times, the MC encouraged everyone else to join them. “And remember, the more couples who join them, the more years of happiness they’ll have!”

  “I’d rather be dancing with you, Teddy-my-Ted,” Josh whispered as he took Catherine’s hand. “No offence, Cath.”

  She smiled at him and murmured something that was lost as they moved away.

  Theodore’s face was flushed. “He would say something like that when I can’t do anything about it!” he muttered as he took Kira’s hand and led her onto the floor.

  “I don’t suppose we could get away with dancing together, could we, Tommy?”

  “Not in this lifetime, Jack!” But he would have loved to. He sighed.

  Jack sighed as well. “Okay.”

  “Come on, let’s sit back down. We can look just as menacing sitting as standing.”

  “You’re doing a pretty good job of it.”

  “It’s my shoes. They’re killing me!”

  Jack smiled at him, and if they hadn’t been in such a staunch bastion of rednecks and Republicans, Tom would have said ‘Damn the torpedoes,’ and kissed him senseless.

  The food was good – well, considering it was the country club staff, that didn’t surprise Josh – and in spite of the occasional cold glances from his mother, he was having a good time. He danced mostly with Cath, since she was supposed to be his date, although Kira consented to a few fast dances. She saved the slow ones for the young men who crowded around her, sons of his parents’ friends, who had rarely met someone like her. Even his brother Wesley, who was engaged and should have known better, was sniffing around.

  He wanted to dance with Teddy. His boyfriend looked so sexy in that outfit he wore, and pretending he was a gangster was definitely a turn on. However, he knew that would go over like a lead balloon.

  Suddenly the band’s singer leaned into the microphone and sang, “It’s electric!”

  “How was that included?” he asked, surprised.

  “I don’t know, maybe it’s the law. You have to play The Electric Slide at every wedding.” Teddy smiled innocently. “All I know is that I’m not letting this opportunity to dance with you slip through my fingers!” He tugged lightly on Josh’s sleeve. “Please?”

  “Okay.” It never failed to amaze Josh that this handsome young man was his boyfriend.

  “Cool. I want you to stand on my left.”

  “Why does Josh have to stand there?” Cath and Kira were both getting to their feet, having long since kicked off their shoes.

  Teddy lowered his voice. “So I can watch my boyfriend’s butt!”

  “But I still get to watch your butt too, Teddy!”

  “Yeah.” Teddy grinned and winked at him. “It’s all good.”

  He blushed and laughed and tried not to look as if he wanted to find a room and drag Teddy off to it. Mindful of the people around them, they pulled the girls onto the dance floor with them.

  Teddy had taught him how to dance. Oh, he’d done the whole ballroom dancing thing when he’d been in his early teens. Mother had insisted on it. But Teddy and BT had shown him how much joy there could be in the simple movement of hips and shoulders.

  Now, although they weren’t touching each other, Josh felt as if Teddy was making love to him on the dance floor. He flushed, wondering if the people sitting it out had any idea of what was going on. But he realized it didn’t matter to him. All that mattered was the man who was his first – his only – lover.

  Josh did a little move and was pleased to see Teddy flushing.

  “You’re really asking for it, Joshboy!” he said when a movement brought them close together.

  “What’re you gonna do about it?”

  “Just you wait!”

  Not many of the older guests joined in the line dance. BT and Mr. Jack flanked the girls, sliding and dipping and clapping their hands, and it was so nice to know that they really did care about what happened to him and Kira, even if they weren’t blood kin.

  All of them had danced in gay bars, and they included moves that most of the other dancers were unfamiliar with, and it wasn’t long before the six of them were the focus of all eyes.

  They were laughing and breathless when the music ended with one last, “It’s electric!”

  “Um…” Josh stopped smiling. They were also the sole occupants of the dance floor.

  “Thanks, guys!” The M.C. took over the mic. “That’s the way we like to see people have a good time!”

  “Josh? What’s wrong?”

  He cast a glance toward his parents’ table, feeling himself turn pale. His stomach roiled, and just as quickly he looked away. “Please, let’s just sit down, okay?”

  Mother was pointedly talking to the man who sat on her left, while Father wore a scowl that didn’t bode well for the evening having a happy conclusion.

  BT matched him scowl for scowl, something Josh knew Father wasn’t accustomed to.

  “Please?”

  “All right,” BT growled, and Josh breathed a sigh of relief. Not that he didn’t think BT couldn’t handle anything Father threw at him, but this was supposed to be John and Suellen’s day, and he didn’t want to be the cause of dissention.

  “And now, if you’ll take your seats,” the M.C. was saying, “the bride is about to cut the cake!”

  The band began playing, and to the tune of ‘Three Blind Mice,’ the singer sang, “The bride cuts the cake, the bride cuts the cake…”

  “I didn’t expect to hear that here.” Kira frowned at him as if it was his fault. He shrugged helplessly. More and more lately she seemed ready to blame him for anything and everything that went wrong, even implying that he’d only let Teddy take him to bed so he’d have a cushy position at the ranch.

  Shortly after the bride and groom finished feeding each other miniscule bites of cake, the waiters once again circulated, making sure everyone had a piece of cake.

  Beyond cutting into his cake with the side of his fork and moving it around his plate, Josh barely touched it. BT was watching him with concern in his eyes, but Josh pretended not to see.

  However, BT wasn’t the only one to notice.

  “What’s wrong?” Teddy leaned across Cath to whisper.

  “I –” Josh was ready to lie and say he was too full, but a reprieve came from an unexpected source.

  “Josh, I need to talk to you.” His oldest brother stood with a hand on his shoulder.

  “What is it, John?” He worried his lower lip.

  “Father isn’t happy.”

  All evening he’d been expecting to hear those words. “Has he ever been happy where I’m concerned?”

  “Of course he has!”

  “I won’t put you on the spot and ask you to name one; I know you’ll want to rejoin your bride. What have I done now?”

  “Father feel
s you made an exhibition of yourself just now.”

  “And that is something Hardens don’t do.” He sighed. He’d had such fun doing the silly dance, but deep down he’d known there would be a price to pay for that enjoyment.

  Teddy rose from his seat and stepped into John’s space, making the most of his greater height by looming. “He wasn’t making an exhibition of himself. He was dancing.”

  Josh felt his chest swell with pride that Teddy would defend him like that.

  “I’m not going to quarrel with you. You’re my brother’s guest.” John moistened his lips. Josh knew him well enough to recognize that as a sign of how uncomfortable John was with the situation, and that gave him a measure of hope that perhaps his brother still had some fondness for him. “I’m just warning you, Josh. Father thinks that kind of dancing is…”

  “Is what?” Teddy demanded. He took off his sunglasses, and the flush on his cheeks made his blue eyes stand out in startling contrast to the brown he had dyed his hair. Josh felt a quiver of excitement flash through him. For a long time after they broke up – because no matter what anyone might think, he was a realist and knew that one day Teddy would want to find someone more exciting than ordinary Josh Harden – he would keep the memories of Teddy making love to him as both a blond and a brunet.

  John shook his head, not answering Teddy, but leaned close to whisper something in Josh’s ear.

  Josh’s jaw dropped. “Gay? Father thinks the way I was dancing was gay?” And what would he think if he knew his youngest son actually was gay? “What about you, John?”

  “What I think has nothing to do with it. Father is the head of the family, and he doesn’t want Suellen’s family to get the wrong impression of us.”

  “Of course not.” Josh pressed the heel of his hand into his stomach.

  “Why, I ought to –” Teddy’s hands were clenched into fists.

  “Teddy, no!” He gripped his wrist. If they caused a scene…

  BT slowly got to his feet. “You sanctimonious little prig!”

  “I beg your pardon?!” John appeared stunned by the unexpected attack.

  “You should be begging your brother’s pardon. Josh is one of the best people I know, and I’ll be damned if I let you or anyone else treat him like this.”

  Mr. Jack rose as well, and Cath, and Josh’s throat tightened. He had to blink furiously in order to prevent himself from making a fool of himself by crying. Kira looked from one person to the other, and then she stood up too.

  “Look, I don’t want any trouble with your… your friends.” John looked even more uncomfortable. “This is Suellen’s day, Josh, and I want her to have pleasant memories of it. I...”

  “I think it might be best if my friends and I left now.”

  John looked relieved that he hadn’t had to ask. “I’m sure Mother and Father would have no objections.”

  “Of course they wouldn’t.” Josh turned to the others. “Do you mind -”

  “Let’s go.” BT glared at Josh’s parents, then turned on his heel and stalked out.

  “Uh… Tommy?” Mr. Jack held up BT’s shoes. BT had mentioned earlier that they were killing him and had slipped them off.

  “Thanks,” BT muttered as he took them from Mr. Jack, leaned against him, and put them back on. “What about the girls?”

  “We’ve got ’em.” Cath held hers up by the delicate straps.

  Kira did the same. She didn’t look overjoyed to have to leave while the party was still in full swing, but she wouldn’t side with anyone over them.

  “May we go, please?” Josh felt as if he was at the end of his tether.

  “Sure, babe.” They walked out of the room, and then Teddy slung an arm over his shoulders.

  Josh leaned into him. “I’m sorry. I’m such a – ”

  “Don’t say it!”

  “You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You deserve better than – ”

  “You’re not leaving yet, are you, Cat?” Wesley stood in front of them, grinning and blocking their exit. The only reason why he hadn’t made a bigger pest of himself all evening was because Kira had intercepted him, flirting for all she was worth and dragging him off, sometimes to the dance floor, but more often to one of the corridors outside the ballroom. Josh was sorry she seemed attracted to his brother. Even if Wesley wasn’t engaged, he wouldn’t have seen Kira as anything more than a temporary diversion who’d be dropped as soon as another girl caught his eye.

  “Where the heck did he come from?” Teddy groused. He dropped his arm from Josh’s shoulders, and Josh felt a flash of resentment against his brother.

  “The men’s room.” He knew the facilities were just down the hall.

  Meanwhile, Wesley rocked back and forth on his heels, and ran the backs of his fingers over Cath’s cheek.

  “Don’t hit him, Jack!” BT ordered sharply.

  “Why not? So you can have the pleasure?”

  “No, so I can!” Cath drove her fist into Wesley’s stomach, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. “I told you I despise that nickname. Don’t ever call me that again!”

  “A… a girl with… with fire! I like that!” he called after her.

  Kira sulked. “I have fire!”

  Cath slid an arm around Kira’s waist. “Never mind. He isn’t worth it. Sorry, Josh.”

  “No, you’re right, but I’m sor- ”

  “Don’t you say it, Josh!” Teddy had an arm around his shoulder, and he gave him a shake. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry! None of this was your fault!”

  “Thank you. And thank you all for coming with me. I’m just sorry – Well, I am,” he responded to Teddy’s growl. “I wish you could have had a better time.”

  “What makes you think we didn’t have a good time?” Mr. Jack handed the chit to the valet parking attendant, and they waited for the SUV to be brought around.

  “It can’t have been much fun to be thrown out of the Brookside Country Club.”

  “Are you kidding?” BT rubbed his shoulder. “That was the highlight of the evening! Well, except for Catherine punching that little –” Mr. Jack poked him in the ribs, and he cleared his throat. “Your brother. You didn’t hurt your hand, did you, Catherine?”

  “No, DT.” She flexed her fingers and grinned. “I’m fine.”

  The SUV pulled up, and the attendant got out. “Thank you, sir!” He grinned broadly at the size of the tip Mr. Jack handed him.

  “Let’s go back to the hotel.”

  “But it’s not even 11,” Kira protested. “It’s too early to go to bed!”

  “Not to go to bed. Latitudes Bistro and Lounge –” in the South Tower – “should still be open. We can have a drink or two, and – ”

  Teddy leaned close to him and whispered in his ear, “And later we’ll go dancing.”

  “But there’s no dancing…” Teddy grinned at him, and he realized what kind of dancing his boyfriend had in mind. “Oh.” He blushed and smiled. “Okay.”

  4. The Friend -

  Three o’clock in the morning was never a good time for the phone to ring. Except for the time Jack had called to tell him he was getting divorced, it never heralded anything good.

  Tom would never tell Jack how his heart had flipped in his chest when he’d learned the wicked witch of the south had finally overplayed her hand.

  That had been before Tom had asked for a favor from his straight best friend, to be topped by him, and it turned out that his straight best friend wasn’t as straight as they’d both thought all those years.

  And now Jack was his lover as well as his best friend, and he was happier than he’d ever been in his life. He even had children, of his heart if not of his body.

  So when the phone rang, shattering the quiet stillness of the predawn hours and jerking Tom out of a sound sleep, he stared at it as if it was a living thing that might attack at any moment and did a fast tally. Jack, the man he loved more than he’d ev
er thought it was possible to love someone, was in bed beside him, snoring fit to wake the dead and sleeping the sleep of the worn out, even through the racket the phone was making.

  They’d had a barbecue and pool party that day to celebrate the long 4th of July weekend. Theodore and Catherine, Jack’s children, were safely in their beds, Theodore with Josh, who’d become his boyfriend almost a year and a half ago, and Catherine – Tom didn’t want to think who she might be sharing her bed with. She might be on the verge of adulthood, but to him and her daddy she’d always be the little blonde moptop who’d demanded to know why she couldn’t play with the boys. Now there were other games she was interested in playing, and no, he wasn’t going to let his mind go there.

  As for Kira, she was supposed to have spent the night with her latest boy toy, but she’d come home early, a distinct flounce to her step, her color hectic, refusing to say anything.

  He quickly ran through the roster of all the kids’ friends who were sleeping over because tomorrow they’d be spending the day at the beach. Everyone had been tucked in their beds when he and Jack had secured the ranch for the night.

  His mom, fondly known as Miz Honey, was –

  Oh, sweet baby jesus, could something have happened to her? She wasn’t alone, since after being widowed for so many years, she’d finally been persuaded by the man she’d thought of as a good friend to marry him, and was deliriously happy. Could it be Charlie calling to tell him…

  All these thoughts flashed through his mind between the first ring that woke him and the second. He grabbed up the receiver and gritted out, “Hansom.”

  “Hi, buddy.” The voice on the other end of the line was soft and deep and rumbling, one he hadn’t heard in some time.

  “Josh?” His friend Joshua, who had fallen in love with a Marine and moved away from everything… everyone… to North Carolina?

  “Yeah.”

  Tom breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was okay. “Hi, buddy.”

  “Tom, I’m so… so sorry to call… to call you so early…” There was an audible swallow. “I… I had no one else to call.”

  “What’s wrong?” Shit. Everything was not okay. “Where are you?”