It was a casual invitation, but Alec understood exactly what it was supposed to mean.

“Do you want to meet some of my friends this evening? I mean, if you don’t have plans already.”

Alec gripped the phone so tightly it hurt as he paced between his kitchen and living room. He tried to match Tyler’s tone—casual, but not dismissive. “Tonight? Yeah, I’m free. That’s no problem.”

“We’ve got kind of a… work problem of mine to talk about.”

“Oh?”

Tyler sighed. “Some gossip blog outed me. No proof, but the usual—saying it like they know for sure. Apparently this one’s catching on, in… threads on the internet.”

Alec choked back a laugh. “In threads?”

“There’s a thread of many people talking. That’s what Sarah told me.”

“Do you even internet, bro?” Alec would have laughed if the situation weren’t so serious.

“Barely,” Tyler grumbled. “This is why. It’s all a toxic wasteland of… gossip and rumors and lies.”

“Yeah, man,” Alec sympathized. “That’s shitty. You want me there? Given… you know…”

“If you don’t mind. I mean, it’s sort of… relevant to you. To us. Or whatever.” Tyler was speaking cautiously, which was a rarity for him. He seemed to prefer the bull-in-a-china-shop charge.

“Or whatever,” Alec echoed, chuckling. “It is relevant, yeah. Are we going to talk about that us beforehand, or…?”

Tyler hastily said, “I haven’t told them.”

“Oh. Right.” Alec was pretty sure he was relieved. Right?

“So, um, at our own pace… once I’m healed up and whatever… we can think about stuff.” There was a pause, and then Tyler huffed a quick breathy laugh. “I’m no good at this shit on the phone, man. Let’s talk face-to-face.”

The realness just spilled out every which way. Tyler was very “what you see is what you get,” and Alec appreciated the hell out of that.

“Yeah, of course. Tonight, what time?”

“I’ve been hanging out with my buddies all day. I figure around seven, most of them should be around. Not everyone at once—God, you’d run away screaming if we did.”

Alec’s palms were sweating. He wiped them on his jeans and grimaced. No reason to feel anxious, he told himself. “Why? Are they that scary?”

“Nah. Just a lot of them. But only four or five can make it tonight. Short notice and whatever. I’ll text you the address,” Tyler added. “And… thanks. I mean, I doubt there’s guys hiding in bushes with cameras. I’m not that famous. But if you’d rather not be seen…”

“Fuck that,” Alec said, and he surprised even himself with how strong his voice was. He cleared his throat, glancing in the shiny oven range hood. He couldn’t see himself well enough to confirm it, but he could feel the blush burning his cheeks. “I mean,” he hastily continued, “I’m not gonna ditch your ass if you’ve been outed. That’s just… that’s shitty.”

“It’s survival.” Tyler’s voice was quiet, almost resigned.

“It doesn’t have to be.” Alec shook his head, his pacing speeding up. He spun on his heel when he reached the end of his kitchen to turn around and make for the living room again. “I mean, not for me. Not right now. Maybe a few years ago I wouldn’t have been ready. But now…”

“Ready for what?” It wasn’t just an innocent question. Tyler didn’t even sound wary of the response he might receive. In fact, that was… hope? Something tinged his voice. Whatever he said about being bad at phone conversations, somehow they’d opened this Pandora’s box, and now they couldn’t close it again.

Alec seized the moment. “To take a chance. When the time is right, and the guy is right.”

Tyler snorted with laughter. “I’m hardly ever right, but I act like I am.”

“It’s attractive, don’t worry.” Alec’s voice almost cracked. Was this the right moment to ask him out? Or should he wait to do it face-to-face?

“Thanks, handsome,” Tyler drawled. “Oops. I gotta get inside—supper’s here.”

Right. He was with his friends. Alec had forgotten, he was so caught up in talking to him. “Sorry. Of course, I’ll let you go now.”

“We’ll talk later.” Coming from Tyler, that was a promise, not a brush-off.

Alec’s skin prickled already with anticipation. “Can’t wait.” Even if the idea of meeting Tyler’s friends—the people most important to him, who probably had the most influence on what he did and who he dated—was scary as fuck.

It was an opportunity.

Tyler answered, “Me neither. See you tonight.”

“Bye.”

“Bye,” Alec chuckled awkwardly, but the line didn’t disconnect yet. It was like they were playing telephone chicken, neither of them wanting to be first to hang up.

He finally jabbed the button quickly, trying to ignore the fact that he was blushing again.

Yeah. At this rate, he wasn’t gonna make it a few more weeks to ask Tyler out. He’d be lucky if he made it past tonight.

He was so screwed.

* * *

“Everyone, this is Alec.”

Alec’s heart was racing sixty to the dozen as he waved at the booth of guys. Four of them already sat there, all of them reaching out to shake hands or rising to half-hug him.

One by one, he learned their names and tried his best to remember them: Leo, who was built like a brick outhouse but somehow put Alec at ease immediately with a grin; Oscar, a slender, graceful little guy with striking features; Blane, the guy with what looked like animal scratches across his cheek; Nico, who had been arm-wrestling Blane just a minute ago; and, last but not least, Deen.

Deen as in Deen Jayse, the rock star who had just gotten engaged to a guy on stage not long ago. A month or a few ago? Alec had seen it going around on Facebook.

Alec’s jaw dropped, but he tried to play it cool as he shook hands like he hadn’t noticed who Deen was.

Tyler snickered, not fooled for a moment. “Yeah, that Deen.”

“Sure. Stealing the spotlight as usual,” Nico hassled him, tugging Deen back down and wrapping an arm around him.

Alec laughed at the move—was he jealous? Deen was hot and all, but much less his type than… well, than Tyler. He looked around at everyone else and waved. “Hey, guys. Good to meet you all at last.”

Oscar groaned theatrically. “Oh, no. It’s all lies.”

“Most of it is lies. Except the bits where we’re all sexy bastards,” Nico added, grinning and tousling his own hair.

“Oh, good point. Yes. That part is true,” Oscar agreed.

“And you say I have an ego?” Tyler winked at Alec. “See where I get it?”

“Yeah. It’s clearly inherited,” Alec snickered and sat next to Tyler in the booth, his skin tingling pleasantly at the proximity.

“Who’s the daddy?” Blane smirked. “There are like ten of us. Surely someone’s the daddy around here.”

Oscar shook his head. “Bad news, Blane. It’s you.”

Blane yelped. “What?”

“The animal daddy.”

“Is that why…” Alec trailed off, touching his own cheek where Blane’s scratches were.

Blane mirrored the movement, then laughed. “Oh. Yeah, I had a mild disagreement with a meerkat this morning.”

“Aw, no.” Alec frowned. “Aren’t they sweet?”

“They’re still wild animals,” Blane said. “I moved too fast and he got scared. My bad.”

Alec liked the attitude. He nodded. “So I take it you’re a vet or something?”

“Yep. We’re all… in a hell of a weird bunch of jobs.”

“This ain’t the accountants’ professional networking circle,” Oscar laughed. “I teach dance, Nico’s a park ranger, Deen’s… well… Deen. Leo’s a photographer. And then there’s Ty.”

“Alec’s a physiotherapist. Hell of a good one,” Tyler added.

Despite his attempt to stay cool, a blush crept up Alec’s cheeks at the compliment. “Thanks.”

Tyler shrugged. “Wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Nico chuckled. “Ty’s never been one to beat around the bush. So… speaking of your job, Tyler?”

With that, the mood at the table changed subtly. Everyone straightened up and paid attention to Tyler.

“Not much to tell,” Tyler said, shaking his head. “There was a blog post speculating wildly about whose dick I suck—the team owner, in case you’er wondering.” He rolled his eyes and glanced over at Alec, pushing a beer his direction. “Here.”

Alec laughed. “It’s dangerous to go into this conversation alone. You’ll need this.” He took the beer.

The only guy there who’d played enough roleplaying video games to understand the joke, apparently, was Nico. He chortled heartily, a sound that made the rest of them crack up.

“I’ll need a lot more than one,” Tyler added. “So this internet thread got started. Apparently a bunch of people already knew—which I knew anyway, I wasn’t hiding it. And then more people, mostly women, are saying they don’t care.”

“Aw,” Alec murmured, his heart lifting. That was unexpected good news.

Deen beamed. “Yeah. A lot of people were supportive to me, too.”

“Our demographics barely talk to each other on Facebook,” Tyler pointed out bluntly, sipping his beer.

Deen thought about it for a moment and nodded. “Ah. Yeah.”

“So Sarah—the PR person for the team—wants me to come out. I always said I wouldn’t lie if someone asked, and someone’s gonna ask now,” Tyler finished. He looked around at the others. “So, I gotta make it official somehow.”

“You want to beat the rumor mill to the presses,” Alec concluded.

“Basically.”

“How?”

Tyler’s brows furrowed. “That’s the bit I don’t know.”

Alec opened his mouth, then closed it quickly and glanced around at the others. Do not nominate yourself as his boyfriend, Alec Lands. He hoped the near-slip didn’t show in his expression.

“How about you, like, roll yourself up in a rainbow flag like a burrito and post a super-cute Insta photo?” Deen propped his chin on his fist.

“I was gonna suggest an interview with a decent men’s mag,” Nico laughed, rubbing the back of Deen’s neck. “Different strokes.”

“Stroking himself? What?” Leo deadpanned.

Alec snickered along with the rest of them. Tyler seemed way less stressed than he’d anticipated, given their discussions about it in the past.

Tyler cast Alec a glance. “I’m just worried about people around me.”

“Eh. We can take the heat,” Nico brushed it off. “You figure out what you wanna do and we’ll have your back.”

Oscar elbowed Nico. “Most of us are out,” he said slowly, as if trying to give him a chance to catch on. From the look he cast Alec, he’d figured out Tyler’s concern already.

Alec blushed and waved a hand. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“It really isn’t.” Alec shook his head. “If people are worried about catching gayness, they… well, I can live without their support.”

“They don’t mind straight women as physiotherapists, do they?” Leo snorted. “They can deal with a dude who likes dudes, too.”

“Next on the agenda: world peace,” Oscar laughed. “Seriously, guys. It’s a little unrealistic to think there won’t be any backlash.”

“Yeah.” Leo was somber now. “I mean, the job thing is a big one. I was lucky that I got to go freelance. I don’t know your situation,” he nodded to Alec.

“Whoa. It’s not about me,” Alec laughed. “It’s Tyler under the spotlight here.” His cheeks were burning. “I’m just a… a friend.”

To their credit, the rest of the table kept the knowing glances to a minimum.

Tyler cleared his throat. “And I can’t just become a freelance driver. Yeah.” He glanced at Leo, then back to the rest of them. “But I don’t care if I get my sponsorship yanked. I’m not in it for fans, or fame. I just want to drive. My team knows that. I’ll come up with something—not, like, a TV interview.” He shook his head. “Maybe something on social media. And then that’s it. I don’t want to tell them about my personal life anyway. I haven’t before now.”

“That’s probably smart,” Alec agreed. It seemed like the least confrontational way to address Tyler’s sexuality when so many people would take even this much as some kind of overly-aggressive propaganda, or comparing about him “shoving it down our throats.”

Still, it rankled that other guys got to talk about their girlfriends on TV or even have them get involved in the races, but that wasn’t crossing some kind of invisible comfort boundary for them.

Alec drowned his frustration in a few gulps of beer, letting the bitter burn soothe the heat in his chest. His throat was tight, though, so he choked and coughed.

“Hey. No dying on me here,” Tyler said cheerily and clapped his back. The pat was relatively gentle.

Alec managed to catch his breath and rolled his eyes. “That’s some shitty first aid, man.”

“What, please don’t die works?” Tyler laughed. “I don’t know. Works for me.”

Oscar sighed at them all. “Let’s talk about something more cheerful. Like the wedding.” He looked at Nico and Deen. “Got a date yet?”

“We’re thinking late summer,” Deen told them. He was suddenly smiling broadly. “I mean, at first I was thinking we’d just do a long engagement, but…”

“But his little romantic heart wants to do it ASAP,” Nico added, earning a smack on the chest from Deen.

“Jerk.”

“It’s true.” Nico smirked mercilessly. “Who knew there was such a Disney fan hiding in a little bad boy package?”

“Little?” Deen looked wounded.

“Whoa. Getting to some TMI territory there,” Blane warned.

Alec was perfectly happy to sit back and listen to the guys bantering. Somehow, he felt instantly welcomed. Maybe because they’d been so quick to accept him, like he was Tyler’s boyfriend or something.

No judgment, no measuring up to their expectations of him or anything. Just instant trust and inclusion in the conversation. Solidarity, without him having to out himself or talk about his childhood or any of that crap.

It was… a community.

This was what I was missing. The thought stung. In his years living here, slowly building a life for himself, he’d neglected to add friends to it.

Every time he tried joining hobby groups or talking to those around him who seemed to be attending events alone, he’d only drifted apart, or they hadn’t clicked in the first place. Hell, he hadn’t even gone back to the running group in the last couple weeks.

But these guys? Maybe he could hold onto them, even if Tyler wasn’t his to hold.

The night passed way quicker than he expected it to once they got to drinking, talking, and laughing. “Oh, man,” Alec finally groaned. “I’d better get home and leave you guys to the hardcore partying.”

Tyler laughed. “I’ll head home, too. It’ll get hard to find an Uber who’ll take me that far as it gets later. Plus, someone I know keeps saying I need to rest.”

“True.” Alec wagged a finger. “This isn’t very restful.” Fun it might be, but rest it was not.

Once they’d said their goodbyes, Alec walked Tyler to the exit, keeping an eye on him. He was still moving slowly, even if he was noticeably better than he had been in that first appointment.

He wondered if those bruises had healed. Then, he blushed at the thought. Don’t picture him without his clothes on until you’re in the shower later.

“Thanks for coming tonight,” Tyler murmured. “I wanted you to meet these guys. Not just about… you know. But also because… you know.”

Alec laughed. “Well, that was crystal clear.”

“Shut up,” Tyler groaned. “I mean, because they’re important to me. And stuff. And so are you. So. You know…” he gestured, bringing both hands together.

“Are you saying you want me to bang them now?”

“No!” Tyler yelped instantly, then looked sheepish. “I mean, no. Duh.”

“I know what you mean,” Alec laughed. “I just wanted to see the look on your face.”

“Of jealousy?” Tyler looked straight at him, tipping his chin up. He was a couple inches shorter—a compact package of sexy muscles and confidence. God, if only he weren’t so damn attractive, it would be a lot easier to resist making bad decisions. “You don’t have to be.”

But the bad decisions just kept making themselves whenever Tyler was in eyeshot.

Alec stepped forward and Tyler met him in a kiss. For a few long seconds, the world around them slipped away. All that existed in this moment was the two of them—none of their fears, none of the uncertainties about the future, none of the people around them catching cabs or walking down the street.

Just them, and the warm, soft pressure of Tyler’s hand on his hip, and their lips together as they shared a moment of vulnerability.

Alec finally got a grip on himself and pulled back, clearing his throat. “I mean… I keep trying to wait until my duty of care is…. over.”

“Until I heal up?”

Alec nodded. “There aren’t many other physios I’d trust with your care, because I want to make sure everything is done right. I want you to be as well as possible. But… God. I was going to wait another couple weeks or a month or however long it is—”

“It better not be a month,” Tyler interjected in a mutter, eyeing Alec sharply.

Alec sighed at him. He’d gone over this before. “Even when I let you get behind the wheel, you’re not fully healed. You’ll have to keep up with your recovery.”

“Good.”

Alec snorted with laughter. “Stubborn bastard.”

“I think you like that about me.” Tyler’s cocky grin was back. “You were gonna wait, but you just can’t. I’m that irresistible.”

Alec shook his head, but he couldn’t resist laughing. “You’re such a prick.”

“Speaking of things you like about me.” Tyler was grinning like the cat who got the cream. “Only another week or two before I’ve healed enough for vigorous activity. Right, doc?”

“How long’s your fucking Uber gonna take?” Alec shook his head, trying not to let Tyler win.

Tyler glanced at his phone and sighed. “It’s right around the corner. Damn.”

“Good. You can take that attitude right home with you.”

“If I can’t take you, it’ll have to do.” Tyler’s hand found Alec’s shoulder again, and he leaned in for another kiss. Despite his cocky words, it was gentle—tentative.

Alec welcomed it and closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the warmth of Tyler’s lips and the way his body seemed to align itself to Tyler’s automatically. Like he was the center of the universe. And as far as he was concerned, he was. Alec pulled back, laughing to himself.

“What?” Tyler grinned.

“Nothing. Get home, you. I’ll talk to you tomorrow about something.” Alec spotted a black car pulling up with an Uber sticker in the window. “There’s your car, I bet.”

“Keeping me in suspense?” Tyler pouted. “Not very sportsmanlike.”

“I can play dirty.” Alec caught his breath when Tyler didn’t say anything in response—just winked, turning his flirtation into an even deeper level of sexual innuendo. “Go on. Scram.”

“Fine, fine. Don’t say I don’t follow my doctor’s orders. See you soon,” Tyler added, raising his hand in a little wave before he climbed into the car.

As he pulled away, Alec watched after him. It took him another few moments to remember he needed a cab of his own. Goddamn, Tyler made it hard to focus on anything.

Alec flagged down the nearest passing car and scrambled inside, unable to remember the last time he’d even taken one anywhere. He hardly remembered how—the driver had to prompt him for his home address.

Tyler was maddeningly right. Alec was attracted to his boisterous attitude and his unstoppable flirtatious nature, and even the small things: the way he handled the obvious pain without complaint, and the way he teased most of the time, but listened when Alec really needed him to.

One way or another, however stupid of an idea it was, he was going to have that man.