Bobby's Old Man

Chapter 1-2

“Zach’s been dumped before. Someone he cared about left him when his injury made it apparent he could no longer play pro football. No dollars, no Daniel.”

“What a prick. Jason’s not like that at all, but there is a problem. Jason isn’t going to admit how he feels about Zach because he doesn’t know how to act with a potential lover or even how to let him know he’s interested.” Bobby grimaced in frustration.

Keith c****d his head; brow creased. “I can see that. Almost every single guy in the bar was eyeing him up when he came in with you. They weren’t even on his radar. It was as if he didn’t notice. Doesn’t he have any idea how attractive he is?”

“Jason has never even dated. He can’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that Zach might feel something more for him than friendship. Remember this is his first boyfriend.”

Keith sipped at his whiskey.

Bobby continued, “Jason has no vanity. He’s self-effacing. I believe that if Zach returns his feelings, Zach will be it for him. However, Zach is going to have to pony up first. Jason doesn’t know how.” Bobby downed his shot.

“Zach needs a trigger. He loves him and wants to help. He hasn’t said anything, but he always makes sure that Jason doesn’t get a dead station. Jason is always working the busiest bar in the place.”

“Are you sure the other bartenders don’t resent that?”

“Everyone here knows about Jason’s precarious financial position and sympathizes. The fact that Zach doesn’t talk to me about Jason, not even in terms of the job—that’s very significant. We discuss all of our employees. We’re like family here. However, Zach needs an opening to act.” Keith finished his shot.

“What kind of opening and why won’t he talk to you about Jason, you’re his best friend, right?” Bobby moved his stool further in toward the bar.

“Yes, exactly.”

“Exactly? Why doesn’t Zach talk about Jason? Is he ashamed of him?” Bobby’s leg started tapping out a rhythm.

“I teased Zach about Jason the morning after that first day he accompanied the three of you to the park. He went ballistic.”

Bobby chuckled. “That’s a good sign, but why.”

Keith laughed. “He doesn’t want to call too much attention to him. He’s afraid I’ll make a move to seduce Jason. I won’t—but he’s still afraid.”

“Why not? Jason’s attractive.”

“It’s not that. Of course, he’s attractive. I already said so. Frankly, I don’t think that even if I was so inclined, to make a move that is, Jason would even look at me. He sees Zach and has stars in his eyes. Zach is just as bad.”

“It’s gotten that far? I’ve been at school and soccer practice, so I haven’t been around them as much to keep an eye on Jason and Zach. That’s one of the reasons I was worried. I need to know what’s going on, that Jason and Kitty are safe.” Bobby’s leg started to tap the polished wooden floor.

“This is the first time that Zach’s seen someone for something more than a booty call since Daniel dumped him.”

“Why did this Daniel leave him? Zach told Jason he had insurance that paid out the rest of his contract and that was why he believed in good insurance on the job. Besides that he’s going to school to get his doctorate in psychology. In fact, there’s money in that profession plus prestige and a good paycheck even if he becomes a college professor. It makes no sense that Daniel didn’t know Zach had insurance.”

“Zach never thought to mention it to him. Zach’s parents were dead, and he was mourning them. Money wasn’t on his mind. As far as Daniel knew, once Zach’s knee went the first week in training camp, he was broke. After that, Zach was toast.”

“It’s telling that this is the first time he’s put any effort in a relationship in so long a period. I still have reservations.”

“Yes…” Keith invited him to share.

“What if he gets tired of Jason and now that he’s open to a relationship, he decides to dip his wick somewhere else? That would devastate Jason and I’d be the one left who had to pick up the pieces.” Bobby shoved his shot glass away.

“I know Zach. He doesn’t want to spook Jason. He’s afraid to make a move because, he doesn’t want to scare him off and not be able to see Jason anymore. He adores the little girl. He talks about her all the time. I know the name of the cat Zach got her and that it rides around in a doll carriage.” Keith wiped down the bar in front of them.

Bobby laughed. “That’s Eloise. Kitty puts her in a sunbonnet.”

“And the cat lets her. I’ve got to meet Miss Kitty. She sounds like a force of nature. Another?” Keith held up the bottle.

“No thanks, it’s barely afternoon and I need to be functional for the rest of the day.” Keith put his elbows on the bar placed his body within a hair’s breadth of Bobby.

“Are you gay?” Keith waited for an answer, from Bobby. Keith’s black eyes sparkled.

“That was a non sequitur. My sexuality isn’t in question here. That’s not what we’re discussing. I thought we were talking about Jason and Zach. What made you ask me that?” Bobby’s face turned red as he tried to deflect the question.

“I watched you the night you first came in with Jason. You didn’t keep your eyes to yourself. You feasted, especially when Jason wasn’t looking and when I made the remark about bartenders being bitches you knew exactly what I was talking about.” Keith gazed at Bobby knowingly

Bobby knew he had to give it up. “I’m bi, but you’re the first to notice. My parents are older than most parents of someone my age. They expect grandchildren. Mom and Dad accepted Jason, but I’m not so sure about how they’d feel if I told them I was gay.”

Keith pounced. “You said gay, not bi.”

Bobby laughed. “You caught me…so now you know my secret. Even Jason doesn’t know I’m gay.” Bobby frowned. “Are you going to tell the general public now that you’re sure? I’d like to tell Jason in my own time.” Keith poured Bobby another shot.

“I shouldn’t have this, I have to drive.”

Keith shrugged. “No, I’m usually not a gossip, except when it affects someone I consider family. As far as your second shot is concerned, there’s a furnished apartment upstairs where you can go to sleep it off if sleeping is what you want to do. It would be easier to hang around here, eat something, and then drive home later. We have things to talk about.”

Bobby nodded his head. “I agree. I’m convinced. So we need to talk about how we’re going to get our two best friends to pull their heads out of their respective asses and admit they love one another.”

“There is that and a few other things, like are you available for a bit of fun?” Keith leered at Bobby like a villain from the silent movies.

“Whoa, don’t go there. I told you I’m not out and don’t plan to be for the foreseeable future.” Bobby’s lips thinned.

He is attractive. Keith kept pushing. “You don’t have to be out to fool around. Do you have any experience?” Keith asked, obviously not accepting the fact that Bobby wouldn’t respond. He has as much as I to lose as I do if he gossiped. I don’t have a f**k buddy right now. He’s gorgeous; I better stay on topic if I want to get out of here whole.

“That’s none of your business. As I said before, I came to talk about Jason and Zach. However, for the record, yes, I do. I don’t spend all my time with Jason and Kitty.” Bobby bristled.

“Why not Jason? What’s wrong with him?” Keith asked his face, serious.

“Nothing’s wrong with Jason but ewwww…I’ve known Jason since I was seven. That would be like f*****g my brother.” Bobby sat up, straightened his back and downed his second shot. I’m apparently not planning on driving.

“Do you think Jason has a crush on you or any of the other guys on your Ocean Township Champion Soccer Team of 2010?” Bobby was startled and not amused. Except for Jason and me, all the guys from 2010 are straight.

“You were listening to us the night we came to the club.” He tried to stare Keith down.

Keith shrugged. “It’s my joint. You had eleven guys at the table. I always watch large groups. I don’t want my place busted up. Answer the question.”

“No, he doesn’t. All the other guys are straight.” I’d swear to that. “Besides, like I said, Jason had no time to date.”

Keith leaned back on his barstool and laughed. “I wouldn’t be so sure…”

“About what?” Bobby was incredulous.

“About your so-called straight friends.”

“You’re kidding, who—never mind, I don’t want to know.” Bobby knew he sounded indignant, but he couldn’t even conceive how this might be true.

“There are other people besides you who aren’t out for various reasons.” Bobby watched as Keith nonchalantly sipped at his drink after dropping that bombshell.

“Who then?” Bobby peered at Keith daring him to name names.

“The kid with the limousine. I’ve seen him here more than once trying to chat someone up.”

“Reggie…you’ve got to be kidding.” Bobby was flabbergasted.

“Yes, he’s the one. He keeps trying to hit on one of my bartenders. I think it’s Mark. Mark shot him down because he thinks Reggie is a rich college boy just looking for a good time and has more money than sense. Mark wants a relationship not a guy who thinks he’s slumming.”

“Reggie’s not like that. He’s a good guy and has been a good friend to Jason. He’s pulled Jason out of a hole more than once. He wouldn’t hurt anyone. If Reggie made a pass after hiding all these years, he’s serious.”

“Maybe he’s sweet on Jason,” Keith mused as he poured himself another shot.

“I don’t think so. Isn’t that a bit too much for the middle of the day?” Bobby raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at the open bottle.

“Are you my mother?” Keith asked with belligerence.

“No, but I don’t want to see you fall into a bottle because you’re lonely,” Bobby said with a sigh.

“How do you know I’m lonely?” Keith’s lips pursed.

“Because maybe like me, your best friend has found someone else to hang out with.” Bobby knowingly gazed into Keith’s eyes. “Maybe you had a crush on Zach.”

“No, not Zach, never Zach, we’re too much alike.” Keith protested as he capped the bottle and put it back on the top shelf. “You could always keep me company,” Keith teased, lips forming a smirk.

“Keep it in your pants. I came over here for Jason and Kitty’s sake.” If that were the case, I could have left after the first drink once he reassured me Zach was serious; I damn well better get out of here now. This man is too attractive and, therefore, dangerous to a continued stay in the closet. Bobby pushed his stool away from the bar and stood about to leave.

Keith put his hand on Bobby’s arm. “Stay, I always revert to a tease when I’m uncomfortable. You hit too close to home. Zach is the brother I never had, and I miss hanging out. Besides, I’m way too old for you.”

“You don’t look that old to me. You look damn fine. Just how much of an old man are you?” Bobby laughed. “You don’t look like you have one foot in the grave yet.” Bobby took a cocktail napkin from the pile on the bar and began to shred it.

“I’m um…thirty-six.” Keith hedged.

“I’m twenty-three,” Bobby told him, “not too bad of an age difference. Dad is thirteen years older than Mom.”

Keith’s eyes widened, evidently surprised. “You appear and speak as if you’re older than you are.”

“Old enough to make you want to run around the table to f**k me from the way you’re leering, but right now I have to play nice; you’re Jason’s beau’s best friend. The sounding older thing—I think it comes from having elderly parents and being an only child. No one ever talked down to me, so I had to learn to keep up. As far as my appearance is concerned, as Popeye said, ‘I am what I am.’”

“Don’t get me wrong, I think you look damn delectable, but I won’t go there, you’re too young.” Keith shook his head as if that bothered him.

Doesn’t seem to bother him that I’m still here bantering. Bobby lifted an eyebrow, having come to a decision. “Too young even for a little bit of fun? I’m only too young if you plan to get serious if you don’t…” Bobby shrugged his shoulders. “I’m open to suggestions.”