Chapter 6

Anthony

“This can’t be it,” I mumble. This little house in suburbia doesn’t look like someplace Jon would live. I fully expected a condo or something a little more masculine than a house with rose bushes and a crepe myrtle tree contributing to the curb appeal. Maybe the style is Joey’s doing.

“Hey, Anthony.” I turn in the direction of the voice just in time to see Cooper coming up behind me. He offers his hand, but I just hold up the two cases of beer in explanation. Angling his head toward the house, he says, “Just go right in.”

I don’t. I step out of the way and let him push the door open and follow behind him.

I met Jon the other night, but walking in his house when the invite to watch the All-Star Game was extended by Dave isn’t something I’m comfortable with.

“New guy brought beer!” Cooper hollers as he cuts straight through the house to the back porch.

I hold the two cases up as Jon and Dave cheer like I’m a VIP. I don’t bother to hide the smirk on my face. These guys are ridiculous and an incredible change of pace from the rat race I was in before moving out of Houston last month.

Grinning, I think it’s awesome that all of these guys took a day off in the middle of the week to watch a baseball game.

“Cooler’s over there.” Jon points the end of a metal spatula to the right. Flames on a massive grill dance behind him.

“Bringing beer to the BBQ? Nice touch, Anthony,” Dave says as he helps me empty the first case and breaks down the box.

“It’s common court—”

“How do you like your steak?” Jon asks from the grill.

“Medium rare,” I answer as Dave whispers, “It’s gonna be burnt. Just accept that.”

Jon nods, turning his attention and spatula back to the grill that still has flames shooting out of it.

“That fire’s too hot to have—”

“Insult his meat, and you’ll never get invited back over,” Dave warns before walking away with a fresh beer and climbing into the bubbling Jacuzzi situated right on the edge of the large porch.

“I feel like there’s a story there,” I mutter as I cram the cooler with the second case of beer. I look back at Cooper and Jon. “Fresh one?”

They both nod and say thank you when I pass out the new bottles.

God Bless Texas and Southern hospitality.

I take up residence in one of the empty chairs and twist off the top on my own beer. “So how many rules do you guys have?”

“Hey, Anthony. Wanna join me?”

I look over at Dave, already used to the shit-eating grin always on his face from the time I spend with him at work. Narrowing my eyes, I wonder, if only for a second if Dave is gay and somehow I missed his invite to the bar as a proposition or his attempt at a date. Deciding he’s not, I’m even more concerned now that he saw the way I was looking at Joey the other night.

“Quit being weird,” Cooper yells.

“That,” Jon says pointing his spatula at the Jacuzzi, “is Dave’s attempt at avoiding your question.”

“We have lots of rules,” Dave warns from the bubbling water. “We didn’t even get close to explaining them at the bar the other night.”

Fuck, I love this group already.

Just the mention of the bar makes me wonder where Joey is, not for the first time since arriving. Hell, in all honesty, I picked the shirt I’m wearing at the prospect that he’d be here. It showcases the strength of my biceps without waving a flag that would make me a douchebag. Unfortunately, it seems to be just us four guys.

Dave grunts before slipping his head below the water.

“Weirdo,” Jon says with a laugh.

“How many is a lot?”

“Honestly?” Cooper taps his forehead in contemplation. “Too many to think of. We’ll let you know as they come up.”

“All you guys live here, all bachelors until the end style?”

I know I’m playing twenty questions, but it’s the best way to get to know new people.

“Just me and Joey,” Jon answers as he flips over a slab of meat on the grill. “We inherited it when our folks died.”

“Oh shit, man. Sorry to hear that.” That explains the quaint little abode more.

“No worries, dude. It was a long time ago.” I feel like an asshole when Jon takes a long pull on his beer and hyperfocuses on the flames still jumping up around the steaks.

“The porch and Jacuzzi are newer.” I follow the point of Cooper’s thumb as he hitches it over his shoulder in the direction of the living room. “TV is new.”

I noticed the monstrosity with awe on my way through earlier. “Nice. Perfect for the game.”

“TV at my house is bigger,” Dave adds.

“There’s a rule,” Jon counters.

I cock an eyebrow at Dave.

“No one at my house when my mom is in town,” Dave recites.

“She doesn’t like company?” I ask, storing away the fact that he’s my age and still living at home with his mother for another time.

“Hardly,” Cooper snorts.

“She’s not that bad,” Dave grumbles.

“She touched my dick the last time we were there.” I snap my head back toward Jon as a laugh bubbles from my throat.

“She’s frisky when she’s been drinking,” he argues.

Back and forth, my head moves between them. I’ll probably have whiplash before the day is over, but I get the feeling it’s going to be worth it.

Jon points the spatula at Dave. The damn thing has become an extension of his arm. “It was nine in the morning!”

Cooper snorts again.

“Mimosas are a Southern thing!” Dave yells, but a smile is exposing his dimples.

I realize then, looking around at my new friends that each one of them is handsome. It took forever for me to acknowledge that a guy can find other men attractive and not in a creepy way. It was how I justified my urges as a teen, and the justification, even in my head makes my skin crawl.

“There’s still a rule,” Jon mutters tossing his empty beer bottle in the trash before walking over to the cooler to grab another one. “Guys?”

“I’ll take another.” Thanking him when he hands it off, I then turn my attention to Dave. “You live with your mother?”

Now’s as good a time as any, right?

He shrugs. “Why ruin a good thing?”

“I get weird looks when I buy condoms. The store clerk judges me, thinking I’m not old enough to get laid, and even I don’t live with my mother.”

“Good point, Cooper,” Jon says retaking his position at the grill.

“It has nothing to do with age,” Dave argues. “She’s just surprised there’s a chick that’s willing to fuck you.”

“False,” Cooper huffs.

“Something you’ll learn if you spend much time with us is that Cooper pulls more tail than any of us.”

“Really?” I question at Jon’s words before looking at Cooper. “No offense.”

“None taken.” He grins. “I can’t help it. I’m a chick magnet.”

“Only because pegging is so popular right now, and they all think you’re an easy target,” Dave insults.

“Nothing wrong with being on the bottom every once in a while.”

I almost raise my beer in salute to his words, but I can’t tell if Cooper’s joking or not.

Hmmm. Interesting. Maybe these guys, especially with Dave’s question the other night about being homophobic, are just the guys I’ve been looking for. The type that doesn’t give a damn what I do in the privacy of my own home.

“There’s not a rule for that?” I ask with a wide grin.

“Asshole,” Cooper mutters as he tosses a beer cap at me. “It was a joke.”

“Mostly.” Mirth shines in Jon’s eyes as he brings over a plate of burnt meat and sets it down in the center of the table.

Man, am I glad I had a big breakfast after my run this morning.

“How much longer are Joey and Andi going to take?” Cooper complains as Jon covers the meat with a metal dome. “I’m starving.”

Swallowing, I wait for the answer, as a hunger, having nothing to do with food, is awakened in my own gut. I’d assumed they were at work.

“I’ll text them,” Jon offers as he picks up his cell phone from the table.

“The rule is, Andi, as the only chick gets the first pick of the steaks,” Cooper explains.

“But the other rule is she has to prepare all of the other fixings,” Dave adds making no move to get out of the hot tub.

“I didn’t see them in the kitchen when Anthony and I got here.” There’s comical desperation in Cooper’s voice.

Eyes already focused on the house with Cooper’s statement, I see a flash of movement.

“There they are,” I say with a nod, but the second my eyes meet Joey’s through the glass, he darts away.