Friends and Lovers Page 20

  Tom was all too aware of what some tops would do to their bottoms, and he was afraid to think of what this man might have done to his friend. “I should give you a taste of your own medicine!”

  Egan cringed and shied away, and Tom shook his head in disgust. As he’d suspected, Egan was nothing more than a bully and a coward.

  “Your kind give leather daddies a bad name, Egan. Leave Joshua alone.” A final glare to let the bastard know he wasn’t kidding, and then he turned on his heel and walked out.

  “No, Ken hasn’t called in ages.”

  “Oh, wait a minute! You didn’t call him?!”

  “No.” HisJosh flushed but met his eyes steadily. “No, I didn’t.”

  “But you wanted to?”

  “He’s like an addiction, Tommy. I know he’s bad for me, that I should stay away from him, but when I remember the good times… We did have good times, back in the beginning.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I have to keep reminding myself that the good times weren’t nearly as good as the bad times were bad. I’m sorry. I am being maudlin. Let’s talk about the Halloween party instead, okay?”

  “Okay, buddy.” He rubbed HisJosh’s arm. “We’re gonna have a ball. I hope you have your costume, because they become scarce as hen’s teeth by this time in October.”

  “Yes, I thought I’d – ”

  “What’s scarce as hen’s teeth?” Jack had abandoned the grill and joined them. He draped a possessive arm over Tom’s shoulders.

  “Halloween costumes.”

  “This is true. Do you have one, Andretti?”

  “I thought I’d go in my leathers.”

  Jack started to choke. “No, you can’t!”

  Tom pounded his back, grinning.

  “Why not?” HisJosh asked innocently.

  “That’s Tom’s costume!”

  “Doesn’t mean there can’t be two biker dudes. What are you going as, Sweet?”

  “Table for Two.”

  “Huh?”

  Tom couldn’t help laughing. “Really, babe?”

  “Yes, really.”

  “Someone mind explaining that to me?”

  “When Theodore and Catherine were younger, their mother wouldn’t allow them to have store bought Halloween costumes – ”

  “And I didn’t feel I could go against her,” Jack said.

  Tom could remember how hard Jack had fought to keep that marriage going, and how lost he’d been when he finally realized he couldn’t. “So Jack came up with the idea of them going as a table and chair. He cut out a circular piece of cardboard, put a hole in the middle for Catherine’s head, then draped it with an old tablecloth and glued some of the plastic cups and dishes from her dollhouse on it.”

  Jack’s face was lit with the pleasure of that memory. “She got such a kick out of it. She even found an old flower arrangement of my Momma’s and put it on her head as the centerpiece.”

  “And you fixed up more cardboard to make Theodore into a chair.”

  “Very clever, Sweet.”

  He blushed and shrugged a shoulder. “It made them happy.”

  “Speaking of happy, it looks like someone definitely isn’t.”

  “Who… Oh, Kira.”

  She had stormed out of the pool, grabbed a towel, and was briskly drying herself off, shooting daggers at her boyfriend.

  “Well, I guess she’ll be looking for a replacement.” Tom wished she could find someone she’d be happy with, but none of the young men she dated for increasingly shorter periods of time seemed to be the one. And now, not only were her grades starting to suffer, as he’d learned, but her work here at the ranch as well.

  “How often does that happen?” HisJosh looked bemused.

  “More often than we like. I could really shoot Nick for hurting her like that.”

  “Nick?”

  “Her boyfriend.”

  “Which one?”

  “The one who mattered the most.” Tom sighed. “They dated through high school and most of college, and then he broke her heart by getting another girl pregnant and having to marry her.”

  “I hear things aren’t going so well in Eden,” Jack murmured

  “Huh?” HisJosh looked from Jack back to Tom, obviously confused. Tom patted his shoulder.

  “That’s what the kids call Reverend Harkness’ house.” House. It certainly wasn’t a home. “Nick and Betty Jean are living there until he can save enough to put a down payment on a house for them.”

  “It must be tough. I don’t imagine any father would think too highly of a son-in-law like that, and to have him living underfoot, a constant reminder of his daughter’s fall from grace...”

  “Serves the little pissant right.” Jack’s mouth was a tight, white line. “If some bastard pulled that crap with Cath, I’d – ”

  “We’d, buddy. We’d all see he never fathered another baby.” Tom hugged him in spite of the fact that anyone could see. This was their home, goddammit, and if these little redneck boys didn’t like it, they could leave. And find another fucking job while they were at it! It wasn’t likely they’d find a boss as good as Jack Sweet!

  “Count me in too, Sweet. Your Cath is a nice girl, and I – ”

  “You what, Andretti?”

  “Oh, please. Don’t take that tone with me! You know I’m gay! And –” His mouth dropped, and his eyes glazed over.

  “Josh? What is it, Josh?” For a second Tom was afraid his friend was having a seizure or something.

  “Oh, momma, buy me that!” HisJosh all but moaned.

  “It’s Farmer John!” Since Jack had the added height, he had no trouble seeing. “I’m sorry, Josh.” And it truly sounded as if he were. “He’s straight.”

  HisJosh blinked two or three times, shook his head, then sighed. “It stands to reason. Oh, well.”

  Tom knew that he’d never played with straight boys, not even in his younger years, when he and Tom had hung out together, when Tom had been anything but a sterling influence.

  HisJosh smiled ruefully. “But my, that boy is fine!”

  Bobby Joe had crossed to the pool deck. He was wearing a pair of square-cut swim trunks and had shed his shirt sometime earlier. Tom had to agree that he did look buff. He had apparently been working out – he’d always had well-muscled arms from all the manual labor he did, but now he had developed good muscle definition over the rest of his body as well. His light brown hair had been bleached from working in the summer Georgia sun, and he still looked blond. His tan was smooth and ended at the base of his spine, as evidenced by the dip of his trunks over his bubble butt.

  HisJosh wasn’t the only one to notice how fine Bobby Joe was looking.

  Kira went to join him, an exaggerated sway to her hips, and linked her arm through his.

  Even from where they stood, they could see his stunned expression. And when Kira led him to the table where the food was laid out, he followed her willingly.

  “Like a lamb to the slaughter,” Jack groused. “Farmer’s a damn good worker. I just hope that girl doesn’t ruin him.”

  “We’ve all had someone in our lives like that, I guess,” HisJosh murmured.

  “Don’t worry, buddy.” Tom felt awful. He patted his friend’s shoulder, wishing there was something he could do for him. “You’ll find someone soon.”

  “I know, Tom.” His next words were so low, Tom wouldn’t have heard them if he hadn’t been standing beside him. “But when?”

  7. Trouble in Paradise – (scared you again, didn’t I?)

  Farmer John – even Bobby Joe thought of himself that way after all this time – stood in the doorway to the family room of his boss’ home, known by everyone who worked for Sweet Construction as ‘the ranch.’

  Mr. Tom, who kept the books for Jack Sweet’s construction company, was in a recliner, and in Mr. Jack’s big recliner next to him was Josh Andretti, his friend from when he’d lived in Florida.

  Farmer had actually got to know Mr. Andretti; they’d spent time tog
ether the first time Farmer had come to pick up Kira. She was never ready on time, but that didn’t matter to him, since she was always worth the wait, and talking with Mr. Andretti made the time pass quickly. He was a good man, a nice man, and Farmer liked him. He’d understood when Farmer had one day spilled out his frustrated desire to go to college and how he couldn’t because no one in his family had, and how when he’d brought it up to Daddy, Daddy’d asked was he trying to be better than his family?

  Mr. Andretti had looked concerned, and Farmer was afraid that he’d say something and Farmer would have to defend Daddy’s position, even though Farmer was unhappy about it himself, but Mr. Andretti had just patted his shoulder, which made Farmer feel better about having said anything in the first place.

  He pulled his attention from Mr. Andretti, turning it toward the two young men who were also in the room.

  Teddy Sweet, his boss’ son, and Josh Harden, Teddy’s boyfriend, sat cuddled together on the loveseat, laughing hysterically as they watched something on the TV, inserting their own dialog, which grew more and more outrageous as he listened.

  “Oh! Oh! Oh! Yes! Yes! Yes! You burning hunk of love! Give me that big dick of yours!”

  “Why should I? You have one of your own!” They both laughed harder.

  He was feeling more and more comfortable in their company, even though Billy Ray, his older brother, asked after every time he spent some time at the ranch if they’d corrupted him.

  And at first he had been wary, expecting either one of them or one of the other gay boys who came to the Friday afternoon barbecues to grab his crotch or his ass, or make comments about his package, but it never happened. In fact, they treated him better than a lot of the straight boys he’d known in high school.

  As for Teddy and Josh, it was easy to see they were so wrapped up in each other he could parade in front of them stark naked and they wouldn’t even notice.

  Not that he’d do anything like that. His Momma and Daddy had raised him to be more… modest? It had taken Kira, his girlfriend, the longest time to convince him to make love with the lights on. At first she’d thought it was cute, but she’d begun to lose her patience, and it was only the knowledge that she’d walk out on him that gave him the courage to do it that first time. He still wasn’t too comfortable with it, even now seeing himself as the chubby teen he’d been in high school, and always worrying that he wouldn’t come up to her expectations, that he’d disappoint her.

  It wasn’t that he had anything to be ashamed about. He’d started working out when two things happened: Kira had broken up with her long-time boyfriend, and she’d known his name. He’d hated it, the snide comments from Billy Ray, accusing him of trying to suck up to his queer boss – meaning Mr. Tom, since they weren’t aware Mr. Jack was – the overzealous concern from Momma, telling him he needed to eat more because his clothes had grown loose and were in danger of falling off his hips. And was he sure he didn’t want another helping of biscuits and gravy?

  But it had all been worthwhile when Kira had actually seen him that day at the barbecue and agreed to come to the Halloween party with him, not that he’d ever dreamed that would happen. He’d gone as a Roman gladiator, although he’d felt a little awkward in the leather breastplate and kilt. Well, all right, maybe more than a little awkward. He was afraid someone would try to look under the kilt and he’d be teased for wearing his white Fruit of the Loom briefs instead of going commando, like a real gladiator would have.

  Everyone had been nice to him though, and he found himself spending more and more time after work at the ranch. Of course Billy Ray had said something about it over dinner, and Daddy had hit the ceiling. “They’re gonna make you queer, boy!”

  And Momma had wailed, “Oh, Bobby Joe!” – he’d almost been tempted to look around to see who she was talking to. “They’re godless heathens, and they’re just waiting to snare your soul! You’ll burn in hell for all eternity!”

  From somewhere he’d found the courage to face his parents. “They won’t make me queer, Daddy. They know I like girls. And they’re not godless, Momma. Mr. Jack’s daddy is a preacher.”

  Daddy had scowled and Momma had used the corner of her apron to wipe her eyes, but then one of the little ones spilled his cup of milk, drawing attention to him, and the conversation was dropped.

  Until they found out he was dating Kira Valentine. Surprisingly, only his mother objected. “She’s the Whore of Babylon, Bobby Joe! She’s fast and loose and sleeps with one boy after another, and she’ll take you down to hell with her!”

  Daddy had puffed out his chest, though, proud of him for a change. “Now, now, woman. Boys will be boys.” And he’d slapped Farmer on the back, nearly sending him flying from his chair.

  It was a good thing they didn’t know he liked Kira so much he was thinking of asking her to consider marrying him in a few years. He’d been living at home and giving Momma most of his pay; it would take a while for him to save up for them to get a nice apartment.

  His folks were always after him to find a nice girl and settle down, and Kira was a nice girl. He knew – well, he was pretty sure, his folks would love her once they got to know her.

  “Bobby Joe!” Mr. Tom’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “Come join us!”

  Farmer took a quick look at the TV screen. His eyes widened, and he felt a painful blush ride up his cheeks. Those two men… were they really… He swallowed and forced his eyes away.

  “Theodore, take out that DVD.”

  “Sure thing, BT. Sorry, Farmer.”

  “I’ll do it,” Mr. Andretti said. “I… uh… was going to get a glass of water anyway.” He took the DVD out of the player and put it in its case, then left to go into the kitchen. “Anybody want anything?” he called back.

  “Cokes, and a Dr. Pepper for Bobby Joe.”

  Mr. Tom knew what kind of soda he liked? Farmer felt good about that. But he’d interrupted their evening, and he knew how much Daddy and Billy Ray hated when that happened.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- You were enjoying that – ”

  “Nah, it was just cheesy porn. We’d have had something else on if we’d known there was anyone else in the house.”

  “But Miss Cath and Kira are here.”

  “Oh, they’ve seen this one before, and they’ve laughed the hardest when we go the MST3K route.”

  “That’s enough, Teddy. You’re going to destroy all of Farmer’s illusions about your sister and his girlfriend.” Josh grinned. He was still sitting almost on Teddy’s lap, and it didn’t seem to bother him in the least that Farmer was staring at them.

  “Behave, both of you,” Mr. Tom said, but he was smiling at them with great fondness.

  Farmer sighed. His Daddy didn’t believe in showing his children affection, the boys because he claimed it would make them soft, and the girls because it might give the neighbors the wrong idea.

  Still, it would be nice if just once he looked at Farmer like that.

  “I take it Kira neglected to inform you this was to be a girls-at-play evening?”

  “No. I mean yes. I mean…” Farmer was distracted by the sight of Josh resting his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. He knew they were going to have a wedding ceremony in December, and he guessed that made them engaged, but he hadn’t said anything about it at home. Daddy didn’t even know Mr. Jack was gay. If he ever found out, he’d make life hell at home, wanting Farmer to quit. Farmer really liked his boss, who was a fair man. So was Mr. Tom, if it came to that. He’d made sure there was an extra twenty in Farmer’s pay envelope for his birthday. “Um… Kira said she left a message with one of my sisters. Must have been Jenny. She’s a little scatter-witted and tends to forget things.” That was probably why she wasn’t doing well in school, but Momma and Daddy said it wasn’t important, since as soon as she turned sixteen, they were gonna pull her out of school so she could get married, like their older sisters had, like it said in the Bible she should. “She said I should get in t
ouch with my friends and make it a boys’ night out.”

  Although since he’d started dating Kira, his friends had kind of faded into the woodwork.

  Mr. Andretti had returned and handed out the sodas, saving Farmer’s for last. “Well, why don’t you come join us?” he invited.

  “Oh, no, I wouldn’t want to intrude,” is what he opened his mouth to say. What actually came out was, “Thanks, Mr. Andretti. I’d like that.”

  “Great! I’ll find a DVD I think you’ll like!” Josh bounced up and went to a cabinet. When he opened it, Farmer was stunned by the number of DVDs it held. They didn’t have any DVDs at home, or VHS tapes, or even HBO, since Daddy said it was all a plot by the leftwing bleeding-heart liberals in Hollywood to corrupt the god-fearing people of this country.

  “Come sit on the loveseat, Farmer,” Teddy said. When he hesitated, Teddy frowned at him. “You don’t think we have designs on your virtue, do you?”

  Farmer blushed again. “No.” To prove it, he sat down next to Teddy, although not too close. Since he’d grown up with so many brothers and sisters, he’d learned early to treasure what space he had and not to crowd people.

  “That’s an awful tight fit,” Mr. Andretti said. “Why don’t you boys take this recliner, and I’ll sit on the loveseat.”

  “That’s a great idea, TJ!” Teddy jumped off the loveseat and plopped himself down in the recliner.

  “TJ?” Farmer looked around, confused.

  “Yeah.” Teddy grinned and hugged his fiancé closer to him. “Tom’sJosh.”

  “Oh! I see.” Farmer smiled. He knew Mr. Andretti’s first name was Josh also, and he decided that made it easier to distinguish between the two Joshes. “May I… May I call you that too, Mr. Andretti? I know I’m not family, but – ”

  “I’d like it if you called me TJ.” He said something under his breath, and Mr. Tom frowned at him.

  “Josh.”

  TJ just looked at Mr. Tom, who finally sighed and shook his head.