The Reunion

Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1

“Zeke was the first man I was ever with, and he was very good at teaching me the ropes. He should have been because I was, hell, at least his fifth that semester.” Neil sighed, adding, “And we were only juniors in college at the time.”

“Sounds like he was a busy guy. Now you say he’s coming to your class reunion?” Kev slanted a look at his friend and frowned when he nodded. After taking another drink of his beer he said, “I bet you’re going to run to him if he crooks his finger in your direction.”

“I don’t know!” Neil replied. “I hope not, but damn it, I was in love with him, or I thought I was.”

“That was five years ago.”

“There’s a time limit on love?”

“There is when it’s pretty obvious it was one-sided. If you ask me, which you sort of did,” Kev smiled briefly, “I suspect it wasn’t really love. It was infatuation and nothing more, because he was your first.”

Neil’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah, I guess.” He stared into his beer, his mouth tightening. “I know I sound like a weakling, believing he could have cared for me.”

“No, you sound like a naïve kid who had finally accepted you were gay. The bastard figured it out and used it to his advantage until the next man caught his fancy.”

“You’re right; I know that.” Neil took a deep breath. “I should skip the reunion. Then I won’t have to see him again.”

“Why do you want to go in the first place?”

“The same reason most people do. To catch up face-to-face with people I knew, instead of only on social media. I did…do have friends from college, believe it or not.”

“Of course I believe it.” Kev looked thoughtfully at Neil. Then he grinned. “You show up with me on your arm. That should let him know in no uncertain terms you’re over him and not available.”

“Uh-huh. To begin with, you’re not gay. He’d know it was fake.”

“Like he can look at me and tell? Geesh. Come on, Neil. Think about it and you’ll know it’s a good plan. Besides, he’ll probably come with some dude, too. Parading him around in front of all the guys he screwed while in college. Guys he’s sure are still pining away for him. He sounds like that kind of asshole.”

“I suppose he was, but nope, no guy. He’ll bring his wife.”

“The f**k you say,” Kev’s eyebrows shot up. “He’s married? Then why are you worried?”

“Because I still feel something for him. I told you that.”

Kev reached across the table to pat his arm. “I suspect that’s why you’ve never settled on one person. None of them live up to your memories of him.”

Neil nodded, replying dryly. “That started right after he dumped me. I suppose it makes me just like him, jumping from man to man.”

“Not really. At least you let one go before moving on to the next. I get the impression Zeke didn’t.”

“Sometimes he did.”

“But not when you and he were together, I bet.”

“No. He was still with, well it doesn’t matter who, when he…” Neil grimaced. “When he set his sights on me. I knew about the other guy because he told me, but Zeke made me feel special. First as a friend he was helping come to grips with his…with my new life, and then as someone he was very interested in. I thought he was sincere, because he dropped the other guy. Maybe he was, in his own way. Anyhow, when he began to come on to…no, to seduce me, I let him. He dumped me a couple of months later and I was devastated. By then, of course, I knew we had no future together, but I kept hoping he’d change his mind. That he’d see me as the guy for him.”

Neil paused to take a drink before continuing. “I should have…I did know better. Once things had moved beyond friendship between us, I’d meet him at the apartment he rented way off campus which he used for his trysts. Meanwhile he was openly dating girls and flaunting it. When one guy tried to out him, Zeke laughed it off, telling everyone the guy was pissed because he’d stolen his girlfriend. They believed him.”

“You know what? Maybe this reunion will be exactly what you need to finally get over him once and for all, with my help.”

“He’s not going to buy it, Kev.”

“You don’t know that. Have you two kept in touch?”

Neil snorted. “Nope. I don’t think his wife would approve even if I wanted to.” He chewed his lip, adding, “Which I don’t.”

Kev looked as if he didn’t believe him but only replied, “Why the hell is he married anyway?”

“I suspect, as an up and coming junior partner in his uncle’s law firm he needed to project the right image.”

“He’s not old enough to be a lawyer. That takes years.”

Neil c****d his head. “He’s my age.”

“Exactly. All of twenty-six.” Kev studied him. “Although you don’t look close to that old.”

“Yeah, rub it in,” Neil grumbled before saying, “Generally, it takes four years of college. We graduated in twenty-thirteen. Then there’s three years in law school, another year or so to pass your bar exam and be admitted to the bar. He would have been twenty-five by the time that happened.”

“Neil, for the love of God do not tell me you’ve been following his career.”

“I could, but I won’t because I haven’t been. I dated a guy who a lawyer. He made damned sure I got it that he slaved to become one.” Neil rolled his eyes. “We lasted all of a month and a half before he decided I wasn’t up to his expectations except in bed.”

“Ah, wait, I remember him. Snob incorporated. You were a lowly theater person and not even an actor…” Kev shook his head. “He should have been half as creative as you.”

“Thanks for the compliment. Unfortunately, or fortunately I guess, he didn’t see it that way.” Neil finished his beer. When Kev did as well they ordered another round.

“If we’re going to do this,” Kev said as the waitress set the bottles in front of them.

Neil chuckled. “Keep drinking?”

“No, smartass. If I’m going with you to the reunion, I’ll need to get the night off. So will you.”

“That’s not a problem for me. The new show opens the weekend before, so I’m footloose and fancy free in the evenings until the tech rehearsals for the next one.”

“Wanna trade?” Kev laughed. “Not that I would. I’m quite happy where I am. Good people, great tips.” He took out his phone, bringing up the calendar. “The weekend of the twenty-second, you said. That’s two weeks from tomorrow. I’ve got some time coming. I’ll let the boss know not to schedule me for then.”

“You’re really serious about doing this.”

“You bet. I’ve never been to a college reunion. Probably because I never went to college.”

“That is sort of a necessity,” Neil agreed, chuckling.

“You think? It could be interesting, seeing how all the intelligentsia have done since they graduated. Besides, I want to see this Zeke guy so I can figure out what the attraction was.” Kev grinned. “Twenty-to-one he’s already going bald and has a small paunch. That should kill any lingering romantic thoughts you have of him.”

“I think seeing him with his wife will do that,” Neil replied sourly.

“Whatever it takes.” Kev lifted his beer. “To the beginning of a new life.”

Neil clinked his bottle with Kev’s. “Sounds good to me.”

“I never asked. Does he live here in the city?”

Neil nodded. “Both of us grew up here, although we didn’t meet until we ended up in college. After he graduated, he went to law school in Chicago and came back to join his uncle’s law firm.”

“Talk about nepotism,” Kev muttered.

“I’m sure it happens more often than most people want to believe.”

Kev eyed Neil. “You haven’t seen him since he got back?”

“Nope.” Neil smiled wryly. “I’ve made it a point not to despite my, as you put it ‘lingering romantic thoughts’ about him. This is a reasonably large city, and we don’t run in the same social circles.”

“He could have come to see one of your shows,” Kev pointed out.

“The Beacon is a small theater, not a prestigious one where people go to be seen by their peers as supporting the arts. You know that. Even if it was, I design the sets so I’m not out there where people can see me. I work during the day and by the time one show opens, I’ve moved on to designing the next one, sequestered in my tiny office or in the scene shop.”

“Slaving over a hot drawing board.”

Neil grinned. “That would be me.”

Kev checked the time. “Damn, how did it get so late?”

“I’ve been talking your ear off. Thanks for listening.”

“That’s what friends do. Next time it’ll be me.”

“Kev, you never have problems. You’re the calmest, most laidback person I know.”

“I’ll admit I lead a very unexciting life when I’m not contemplating killing a snobby, demanding customer at the restaurant.”

Neil laughed. “Take the next step, do away with them, and then go on the run. That should liven things up.”

“I think I’ll pass, thanks.” Kev finished his beer. “Ready to go?”

“Yep.” Neil tossed back the last of his, as well. When they were leaving the bar he said, “Call me so we can plan our strategy for the reunion.”

“We need one? I thought it was just show up, eat if there’s food, drink too much, and rekindle old friendships.”

“Yeah, probably. This is my first one, too.”

“We’ll sink or swim together and show your lawyer you’ve survived quite well without him.”

Neil smiled dryly. “That is the idea.”

* * * *

Kev watched him as Neil walked away. Why did I talk him into letting me come with him? Yeah, with luck it’ll get him over Zeke once and for all, but still…Damn it, it’s not going to solve my problem.

Kev had met Neil two years previously at a barbecue thrown by a mutual friend. He had been there with the woman he was dating at the time. Neil had been on his own. They had talked casually but that had been it. The same thing happened when they ran into each at another gathering, when Kev was also with a date. The third time, however, Kev had come to the party alone, giving them a chance to get to know each other. They had hit it off and became good friends who made it a point to go out for a few beers or to a movie when both of them were free.

Neil hadn’t hidden the fact he was gay, which didn’t bother Kev in the least. What did was the fact Neil was certain Kev was straight—since the first two times they’d met Kev had been with women. Kev hadn’t said otherwise at the third party because it never came up, and so Neil treated him as if he was another of his straight friends. As their friendship developed, Kev couldn’t figure out a way to tell him he was bi without taking the chance he’d piss Neil off for not being open with him to begin with.

I should have been honest from the start. But he hadn’t been and now he was paying for it. The more time he’d spent with Neil, the more he’d realized he was falling for the shy yet charming man. The man who more than once had vented about some guy he’d been dating who had fallen short of his expectations—the same way Kev had about some of the women he’d dated.

Now, after two years, he’s finally told me about Zeke, so I know why the men he’s gone out with didn’t come up to his expectations. I probably wouldn’t either. Not that I’ll find out. He’d walk away in a heartbeat if I told him the truth. I guess we’ll remain friends and nothing more if I want to keep him in my life.