Friends and Lovers

Chapter 2-2

Tom glanced at the clock on the wall in his kitchen. It was 7:15 on Saturday morning, and dammit, he wasn’t a morning person. He deliberately arranged his schedule so his classes wouldn’t interfere with his night-time activities, and on the weekend, he slept late. He was up early today, though, because he needed to talk to Jack. He knew it was likely Jack was at home, but it could be just as likely he’d have to head out to deal with a job.

Jack’s preacher daddy hadn’t looked kindly on his second son going to college even though Jack had planned to earn a degree in theology. With no financial support from his family, Jack had gotten a job at Morgan Construction and had worked his way not only through college but through the company hierarchy as well, mastering the various tasks. From carpentry to electrical work, drywall to plumbing, Jack had learned to do it all. After he’d gotten his degree, he’d had to face the fact it was pretty much useless, since he had no desire to follow in his daddy’s footsteps.

Fortunately, old Mr. Morgan, who owned the construction company, wanted to retire, and he’d been willing to work out a deal with Jack, so Morgan Construction became Jackson Construction.

Tom had been proud, although Jack’s wife, the girl who’d objected to Tom’s friendship with her husband, had made it clear she’d expected to be a preacher’s wife.

Jack was a good boss and an excellent tradesman, and he worked to get the job done.

And speaking of getting the job done, Tom had better get off the pot and call Jack.

He crossed to the phone on the wall and dialed from memory. “He probably won’t be there,” he muttered to himself. “I don’t know what I’m thinking. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever…” Someone picked up the phone on the other end. “Jack? It’s…”

“Tom! Hey, buddy, how’s it hanging?”

“Good, Jack.” Tom smiled into the telephone receiver, feeling his first pleasure in the day. Of course Jack recognized his voice. He’d heard it often enough over the years. “And you?”

“I’m okay.”

“And the kids?”

“They’re fine.”

“How’s the latest project? Your suppliers giving you any grief this time?”

A few years back the industry had been in a slump and things had been tight. Tom knew that one asshole of a contractor had skipped out on all his commitments; Jack had just barely made the payroll, but he was a good boss and most of his men had stuck by him until things began to look up again.

“The company is fine. Tom, why are you making small talk with me? Is everything okay with you? You’re not usually up this early.” Jack knew him well, and that made Tom happy.

“Listen, Jack. I do have something I’d like to talk about with you. Would you have lunch with me?”

“I’d love to, buddy. Where and when?”

“Today?”

“s**t, I can’t today. I’m sorry. I have to be at a job site in about twenty minutes.”

Damn, he’d suspected as much. Okay. “Tomorrow?”

“Reba’s doing a religious retreat with Daddy and Momma, so I’ve got the kids.”

Reba had given him Thaddeus, Jr. and Rebecca, a beautiful son and daughter, and for all she purported to be such a good Christian woman, Tom knew after the divorce, she’d made things difficult when it was Jack’s weekend to spend with his children, so of course Jack would want to be with them whenever he could.

Tom worried his lower lip. “Would Monday work?”

“Sure thing. Where and when?” he asked again.

“How about Loueller’s at twelve forty-five?”

“Sounds good to me. She has the best chicken fried steak in Savannah. And those key lime cookies of hers? Mmm mmm mmm.”

“You’re such a good ol’ boy, Jack, you know that?”

“Yeah. But I’m still your best bud, Tommy. Just don’t go calling me Luke Duke.” There was a smile in Jack’s voice.

“That you are, Jack.” Tom found himself smiling in return.

“Okay, I’ve got to head on out. I’ve been asked to give an estimate on a little strip mall.” He sounded proud, which made sense. This was a larger project than he usually worked on.

“I’ll see you Monday.”

“You’ve got it.”

Tom hung up, his smile fading. In spite of himself, he found himself mulling over what he intended to ask Jack.

He glanced at the clock again and groaned. It was too early. He was going back to bed. Perchance to dream of Jack making love to him? No, he couldn’t think like that. Having s*x—yeah, that worked better. This way, no one got hurt.

Smiling again, he slid into bed, retrieved the lube from the nightstand, slicked his palm, and began jerking off.

* * * *

Tom had found things to keep himself distracted during the day on Saturday and Sunday, but he spent the nights thinking of what it would be like to have Jack in his bed, and so he really didn’t get much sleep.

As a result, on Monday he arrived on campus barely in time for his first class, Chemistry 101.

“Good morning, class.” He placed a sweating can of Coke on the coaster he kept on his desk, and smiled up at the sea of faces. “Today we’re going to work on the Periodic Table.”

There were groans—did these kids have any idea what they were groaning about? Tom’s smile broadened to a grin, and he shook his head, then walked to the whiteboard and began writing the element symbols and their atomic numbers in a neat script.