Chapter Thirteen
William sat across from Justin in the semi-crowded restaurant, holding his hand. “How was your day?” he asked.
“Great. We’re on track to finish the project I’m on a couple days ahead of schedule. How about you?” Justin’s thumb caressed the top of his hand.
“I finally got everything panned out and we’re meeting with the new cement company next week.”
“That’s great.” Justin rolled his neck.
“You look a little wiped out. You should come back to my place when we’re done.” William winked. “I bet I could relax you, in every way possible.”
“Maybe we should eat faster.” Justin’s sexy grin made William’s stomach wobble.
“I think I’m done.” William couldn’t wait to be alone with his guy.
“Same.” Justin signaled their waitress for the check. Once that was taken care of, Justin took William’s hand, and they made their way to the exit as quickly as was acceptable.
“William,” they heard as they neared Justin’s truck and turned to see Faith and Marcus glaring at them. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
William met their angry eyes without flinching. “Right now, we’re leaving after a great dinner.”
“Do you have any idea what this asshole did?” Marcus yelled.
“He got me suspended,” Faith supplied.
“You got yourself suspended,” William countered.
“I can’t believe you would side with someone like him over us.” Faith went for tears, the way she always used to when she played the victim in situations of her own making.
“‘Someone like him?’ Justin is a great guy. You’re the one who took a decade-old grudge and used it against an innocent girl.” William held his ground, not letting go of Justin’s hand.
Marcus was the first to notice this detail. “Are you fucking him now?”
“We’re dating,” William corrected.
“Why?” Faith sneered.
“Because I like him.” William felt Justin squeeze his hand.
“You turned Garret down for Ashton? Have you lost your mind?” Marcus looked at him like he was crazy.
“Actually, quite the opposite.” William’s gaze didn’t waver from the people he once considered friends. “I want a real man, not someone who peaked in high school and behaves like he’s still there.” Faith and Marcus stood speechless. “Now if you’ll excuse us. Come on, Justin.” William put his hand on the small of Justin’s back, and they continued to the truck.
Justin was unnaturally quiet on the drive to William’s. He reached over and put his hand on Justin’s thigh. He knew the run-in with his old friends had been uncomfortable. He wanted to make him feel better, but he wasn’t sure what to say. After a few moments, Justin covered his hand and squeezed.
“Are you okay?” William asked softly.
“Are you?” Justin countered. “You’re the one who just told off his friends.”
“Those aren’t my friends, Justin. I know now that they never really were. I should never have let them have any kind of influence over me.”
“Are you sure about this?” Justin looked tense. “Us, I mean. They didn’t seem happy about us being together. There might be other people who feel the same way.”
“I’m completely sure. You’re amazing, Justin, and I know how lucky I am that you decided to give me a second chance. I don’t plan on messing this up. So, I honestly don’t care what they, or anyone, think, and I’m not the least bit sorry to lose them,” William said as they pulled into the driveway. He took Justin’s hand and led him into the pool house. The only real seating was William’s bed, so that’s where they went. “How about your friends?”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Justin attempted to assure him. “Once they get to know you, they’ll see what I do.” He pulled William closer, mouth finding his.
William put everything he had into the kiss. He needed to convey how much this thing between them meant to him. He pushed Justin down onto his back, not breaking the kiss that he wanted to be never-ending. William didn’t stop until Justin rocked his hips then moved to the man’s neck.
“William,” Justin moaned, tilting his head back.
Damn. He loved the way Justin said his name when he was turned on.
One by one, William opened the buttons of Justin’s shirt, kissing lower as more skin was revealed. He reveled in every gasp and moan Justin made. As he explored the man’s chest, he found the taste of the man’s skin addicting. Finally, he got to the last button. The shirt fell open, and he kissed Justin’s stomach right above his belly button.
“William,” Justin moaned again.
William sat up slowly, straddling him before removing his own shirt. Justin’s was gone in a flash, and his hands settled on William’s hips as he rocked against him. William felt a full-body shiver run through Justin, making him keep going. “You want me on top?”
“Yes.” Justin’s breath was no more than heavy pants. “Now.”
Like magic, their jeans were gone. Justin took the lube and condom from the drawer they were kept in, quickly getting William ready before sliding one on.
Damn, this feels so good, he thought as he slowly sank down on Justin’s cock. Justin groaned loudly when he settled on his lap. Justin ran his hands up William’s legs from knee to thigh, further ramping up the intense arousal he felt. He rolled his hips a few times, and the hands on his waist tightened.
William moved at a leisurely pace, watching Justin’s face as he did so. The man’s eyes were closed, and he was breathing heavily with his head tilted back. He leaned down to kiss Justin’s neck, and Justin shivered again. Justin pulled him up, kissing him deeply while moving in time with him.
His brain all but shut down. Every thought, except those about Justin and the intense pleasure of this moment, ceased to exist as the other man urged him on faster. “Damn, you feel good,” Justin whispered.
William sat up unhurriedly then slid up and down the hard cock inside him. He tried several different angles until he found the one that caused his breath to hitch. Justin smiled, taking over and thrusting against his prostate. The resulting orgasm had him collapsing on top of Justin. Justin’s strong arms encircled him, holding him tightly through the aftershock. His back tingled as Justin glided his finger up and down his spine. It made him want this moment to last forever. But he knew it couldn’t. Reluctantly, he sat up and looked at Justin. He loved the look of complete satisfaction on his face.
Carefully, William moved off Justin. But before he could get out of bed, Justin grabbed his wrist, pulling him down into a deep kiss. When it broke, William smiled, running his finger along Justin’s jawline before grabbing a couple of towels. He handed one to Justin who cleaned off then slid into his jeans. “I guess this means you can’t stay.”
Justin came around the bed, taking William into his arms, kissing him gently. “Unfortunately, you’re right.” Justin kissed him again. He knew it was supposed to be a sweet good night kiss, but he couldn’t help but turn up the heat. Justin groaned as he pulled away to trace William’s bottom lip. “No matter how badly I want to.”
***
“You’re here late,” Justin said, walking into William’s office that evening. It was ten till seven, and William was just about finished inputting the data from the day before.
“So are you,” William countered, smiling when Justin closed the door behind him. He walked over to where William sat at his desk and put his hands on William’s shoulders, rubbing gently. William moaned softly. “Feels good.”
Without stopping, Justin leaned down and kissed his neck just under his ear. “Bet I could make it feel better,” he whispered, and William felt himself flush.
“I can be done here in about five minutes, and then we can go to my place,” William suggested.
“Actually, I have something else in mind.” Justin turned the chair so that William was facing him. “My friends invited me to the Saint tonight. Do you feel like going out?”
“I’d love to, but are you sure your friends won’t mind?” William asked nervously. “They, understandably, don’t like me.”
“They don’t hate you. They’re just a little leery of you. And the only way to change that is for them to get to know you.” Justin pulled him up out of the chair and into his arms. “Besides, I want you with me. We can always take off if things get too uncomfortable.”
“Okay.” Justin smiled at his answer then lowered his lips to William’s, kissing him so thoroughly that William all but melted into him.
When the kiss ended, Justin gently shoved him back into his chair and turned him to face his computer screen. “Now finish this up,” he whispered in William’s ear.
Justin kissed his cheek then took the chair on the other side of his desk. William went back to what he had been doing, finishing quickly then turning off his computer. He stood to gather his things, and Justin got up as well. They walked out to the parking lot together. “So, what’s the plan?” William asked.
“You go home and change. I’ll be over to pick you up in about an hour.” Justin kissed his cheek and walked off in the direction of his truck.
William got into his own car and drove home in a state of extreme nervousness. What if Justin was wrong? What if his friends didn’t warm up to him? He wasn’t sure how long his and Justin’s relationship would last if they didn’t. He needed some advice. As soon as he parked and got out of the car, he pulled out his phone and called the only person he knew could help him.
“Will!” Scarlett answered on the second ring. “It’s so good to hear from you. How are things?”
“It’s going way better than I expected,” William told her. “How are things in your world?”
“Hectic as always.” She let out a sigh. “Work has been insane . Martha has been on a warpath since you left, she’s fired two more people. So we’ve all been working overtime. And don’t even get me started on your replacement. He’s a know-it-all, arrogant asshole. He thinks he’s the best journalist that ever lived, but his writing isn’t even half as good as yours.”
“Thanks, Scarlett. That means a lot to me.”
“I just speak the truth. You’re an amazing writer, Will, and I totally hate that this happened to you.”
William shrugged. “What’s done is done. I’m trying to make the best of it. How’s everything else?”
“Well, I finally took your advice and ended things with Elliot.”
“Good. That guy wasn’t right for you. You have way too much personality to be with someone who has absolutely none. I’ll never understand what you guys could have possibly had in common.”
“Nothing really, but he was incredible in bed.” She chuckled. “But that leads to my next problem. I met this new guy.”
“And?” William prompted. “Is there something wrong with him?”
“No, nothing like that. He’s actually amazing. He’s gorgeous, has a great job, and we have so much fun together, in bed and out.”
“Okay, what’s the problem?”
“Stacey is acting like a total bitch lately. I think she’s jealous.” Scarlett’s tone was nothing short of exasperated. “Every time he comes over, she acts the same way she would when you would turn her down.”
“Is she hitting on him too?” William worried.
“Not yet.”
William rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You definitely need to get rid of her, sweets.”
“I know.” She let out a heavy breath. ‘I just can’t quite afford the rent by myself. Anyway, tell me what’s been going on with you.”
“Well, I’m kind of seeing someone new as well. That’s kind of why I’m calling. I need your advice.”
“What’s up?”
“Do you remember how I told you that I was a complete jerk in high school?” William asked.
“Yeah.”
“The guy I’m seeing, Justin, is one of the people I was terrible to. We spent some time together and he forgave me. Then one thing led to another, and we ended up together.”
“Like a sex thing or a relationship thing?” she asked.
“Relationship,” William confirmed. “I really like him.”
“Wow.” Scarlett sounded surprised. “That’s kind of crazy. It’s great that he forgave you.”
“I know.” William sighed heavily. “But his friends haven’t. They hate me for who I used to be, and I’m not sure what to do about it.”
“You be yourself,” Scarlett told him. “You’re a good person, William. Show them that you’ve grown up.”
“That’s what Justin says, too.” William blew out his breath. “I’m going to a club with them tonight, and I’m freaking out a little,” he admitted.
“First of all, you need to find out if Justin is even worth it. You stay close to him all night, and if he doesn’t defend you when his friends start hassling you, he doesn’t deserve you. And I would end it. As for his friends, you can charm the pants off anyone you meet. I know you’ll be fine.”
“Thanks, Scarlett.”
“No worries, sweets. Enjoy your night. Talk to you soon.” Then Scarlett was gone.
William went inside to take a shower. Under the hot spray of water, he tried to calm himself. He could do this. He had to do this if he wanted Justin. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He and Maddox had been getting along at work. That had to be a good sign. But maybe it wasn’t. What if Maddox was just being nice because he had become an asset at S&H, or because of who his father was?
With a shake of his head, he got out of the shower then dried off. In his bedroom, he opened the closet, trying to decide what to wear. He needed to dress to impress. But if they were going to be dancing, his usual attire of slacks and a collared shirt just wouldn’t work. He settled on jeans and a black tee, finishing as a knock sounded at the door.
“Hey, Justin,” he said, opening it.
Justin pulled him into a tight embrace and gently kissed his cheek. “You ready?” William nodded, so Justin took his hand and walked out to his truck.
The Saint was about fifteen minutes away, but those fifteen minutes flew by for William. He felt like he was being led to his execution, and it was almost worse than the nervousness on the drive to work the day he got fired. Justin played the stereo softy, keeping one hand intertwined with William’s as he drove. That calmed him, but only to an extent. He let out a heavy breath when they arrived and had to force himself out of the safety of the truck. He could do this. Scarlett was right. He had to relax and be himself. He couldn’t put on some persona that would be too hard to keep up. He needed these people to like him for him. You can do this, William, he told himself. Just go in there and show them that you are worthy of Justin. He slapped on a smile to cover his nerves, and somehow even managed to control the shake of his hand when Justin took it. He led them to the entrance then paid their cover charge.
William had never been to the Saint but found that he liked it immediately. Across the huge room, a live band played to the crowded dance floor. An impressive bar sat in the middle, and nearer to the door were an assortment of leather couches and high tables. That’s where they spotted Justin’s friends, lounging on one of the couch areas in the back. Henry sat on a small love seat which faced them, while Maddox and his fiancé were on the longer couch that was against the wall with a view of the dance floor. The music could still be heard, but it wasn’t overwhelming.
“Hey, guys,” Justin greeted them, sitting and pulling William down with him.
“How’s the night going?” William asked.
“So far, so good.” Henry shrugged.
One of the floating waitresses walked by, and Justin ordered them both a beer. William thought something stronger was in order but said nothing and accepted the drink he was handed.
“How’s work, Henry?” Justin asked.
“Fabulous, of course. I have a ton of new jobs lined up, and a long list of happy customers. But I am the best there is, so what do you expect.” Henry laughed. While the statement sounded conceited, his jovial tone said it was simply a joke among friends. “And you?”
“I’m fucking awesome.” Justin smiled. “Work is great, the girls are good, and I’m not super stressed out anymore.” Justin slipped his arm around William’s shoulders. “Thanks to this guy.”
“I’m so happy for you, Justin.” William was sure he noticed a hint of I told you so in Emmanuel’s tone. Justin just nodded and hugged William tighter. “How have you been adjusting to being back home, William?” Emmanuel didn’t seem as bothered by his presence as the other two were. Maybe he didn’t know the history they had.
“I was just talking to my friend Scarlett about that,” William answered. “As I told her, it’s way better than I expected.” He looked over at Justin and smiled.
“Well, I guess anything is better than the mess you left in New York.” Henry raised an eyebrow while giving William a pointed look. Fuck, he was going have work incredibly hard to win this one over. If that was even a possibility.
“Henry,” Justin growled.
William patted Justin’s thigh to calm him, as he looked a little pissed. In the back of his mind, he knew something like this was coming. Maybe it was better to get this out of the way sooner rather than later. “It’s okay,” he whispered when Justin looked over at him. Justin shook his head and blew out a heavy breath. “You’re right,” he said to Henry. “Things did go sideways in New York. I made a mistake, and it all but ruined my life.”
“Oh, like you all but ruined Justin’s when you were in school together?” Henry kept his voice nonchalant and conversational, but his words cut to the bone. Justin’s entire body tensed, and William could see the set of his jaw.
“Come on, Henry,” Maddox interjected, while Emmanuel looked confused. “Give the guy a break.”
“Why should I?” Henry shrugged one shoulder.
“Because,” Justin said tersely. “If you don’t—”
William quickly cut him off. While he was impressed by Justin’s defense of him, he did not want him fighting with his friends. “You’re right, again. I was a complete jackass, and I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to atone for it. I’ve done a lot of volunteer work at homeless shelters, suicide prevention centers, and domestic violence counseling offices. Most importantly I became a mentor for underprivileged children. It was really an eye-opening experience, and something I truly loved. And I’m incredibly excited that Evie got me into a program at her school so that I could get back into it.”
“ You are mentoring kids? You? ” Henry scoffed, earning him a hard look from Maddox. “What the hell could someone like you teach them?”
“Not to be the asshole I was, or the victim that I made Justin,” he answered honestly.
Henry pursed his lips while he stared at William for a minute then flagged down a waitress and ordered them all fresh beers. “Well, at least this means you’re treating Justin better at work now, so I guess that’s one less thing to worry about. How about you, Maddox?”
“Actually, William is doing great. He’s saving Justin and I so much time.”
“He’s even getting home earlier,” Emmanuel added.
Henry let out a hard breath, eyeing William again with an unreadable expression. “So, let me get this straight.” William tensed, bracing for Henry’s next onslaught. “You realized that you were a jerk, to say the least, and took steps to better yourself. Now that you’re home, not only have you taken responsibility for your actions, but you’ve also done your best to make amends.”
“Pretty much,” William told him. “I can’t change what I did when I was younger. The only thing I can do is try to be a better person.”
“I guess that’s all anyone can do.” Henry regarded him again. “You and I should dance.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Maddox shook his head.
“Sure,” William answered at the same time, standing. Maddox and Justin both looked worried.
Justin stood as well and walked over to Henry to whisper in his ear. William heard anyway. “Don’t fuck this up for me.” Henry rolled his eyes then held his hand out to William. Justin stopped William, pulling him into a tight hug. “If he starts being a jerk, just come back and we’ll leave.”
“It will be fine,” William assured him then followed Henry to the dance floor. A slower song was playing, which meant they had to be close. William guessed it was better this way. He was almost sure that Henry wanted to talk more than dance.
“Justin really likes you,” was the first thing Henry said.
“I really like him too.”
“I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
“Neither do I.” William sighed. “I wish there was something I could do to prove that to you.”
“You seem like you’ve turned yourself around,” Henry told him. “I suppose I could give you a chance, for Justin’s sake.”
William smiled slightly, spinning Henry to the music. “That’s all I’m asking for.”
“Don’t make me regret it.”
“I’ll do my very best,” William assured him.
Henry blew out a heavy breath and shrugged. “Okay.” His words caused William to relax. “If you can stop being a dick, so can I.”
“Thanks.”
“But I’m warning you, one asshole move, and I’ll convince Justin to dump you so fast it will make your head spin.”
“Fair,” William agreed. They finished the song then went back to the table.
Justin pulled him back down onto the couch next to him. “Are you alright?” he whispered.
“Relax, Justin,” Henry assured him before William could. “William and I came to an understanding.”
“What kind of understanding?” Justin still sounded worried.
“The good kind.” William leaned over and kissed his cheek causing Justin to smile.
“Glad that’s settled,” Maddox spoke up. “Now let’s have a good time.” He leaned over to Henry. “The guy at the bar keeps staring at you. He was watching you the whole time you were dancing with William.”
Henry turned toward the man. “He’s cute.” The man in question moved away from the bar, heading their way. “Looks like I’ve found my first prospect for the night.”
“Hey, I’m Joel.” The guy stopped right in front of Henry.
“Hi, Joel. I’m Henry, and these are my friends.”
Joel briefly acknowledged the group. “Would you like to dance?” he asked Henry.
“Most definitely.” Henry’s voice was flirty and seductive as he stood.
“Later, boys.” Henry took Joel’s hand to lead him out to the dance floor.
Justin leaned into William. “You know,” he said. “We’ve never danced together.”
“We should remedy that.” William smiled and stood, holding out his hand to help Justin up.
“You guys coming?” Justin asked Maddox and Emmanuel.
“Why not?” Maddox shrugged. “Come on, baby.” They both got to their feet then the four of them walked across the club.
Justin pulled William close to him as they swayed to the music. “So, what did you and Henry decide?”
“That he would give me a chance to prove myself.”
“Good. He was really starting to piss me off.”
“It’s only because he loves you and doesn’t want to see you get hurt.” William lightly kissed his lips. “That’s a good thing, Justin. Think about what you would do if he was in the same situation.”
“I’d probably want to punch the guy in the face,” Justin admitted.
“So cut him some slack, okay?” William urged.
Justin nodded in agreement. “I just don’t want him changing your mind about us.”
“I’m not changing my mind, Justin,” William was quick to assure him.
“Good.” Justin pulled him closer to whisper in his ear. “I’m not either.”
William felt his heart race. The damn thing was about to beat out of his chest. Did that mean that Justin really saw a future with him? Damn, he wanted that. William wanted Justin to be thinking about forever because he certainly was. He was falling hard for Justin. The feelings he had for the man were a little overwhelming at times. Sometimes he could do nothing but think about him. Had he ever felt anything this intense? He hadn’t even felt this way about Sebastian.
“How about another beer?” Justin suggested, and all he could do was nod.
“Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.” They heard Henry say as they returned to the table. He was looking down at his phone and frowning.
“What’s wrong, man?” Justin asked him.
“My friend Lila sprained her ankle.” Henry sighed and shook his head.
“That doesn’t sound too bad. I’ve sprained my ankles at least half a dozen times. She should be better in a few days.” Maddox patted his shoulder.
“Oh, I know. My mom had all boys, remember?” Henry blew out a breath.
“Then what’s upsetting you?” Emmanuel asked.
“This is going to sound really selfish, but she was supposed to be my partner in the tennis tournament tomorrow. Now I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s almost two in the morning, which is way too late to find a replacement.”
“That does suck,” Justin said sympathetically.
“I guess I’m just going to have to drop out.” Henry shook his head again. “I wish one of you guys could play.”
“Sorry, man, wish we could help you,” Maddox told him.
“I can,” William said softly after a moment of indecision. He wasn’t sure he should say anything. Would Henry balk at spending time with him? Or could this be the common interest that would break the ice between them?
“You play?” Henry looked up at him.
William nodded. “Since high school. Scarlett and I still play at least once a week.”
Henry stared at him for a moment before glancing at Justin then back. “I don’t suppose you’d like to play tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’d love to help you out.” William smiled.
“It starts at nine, but we should get there by eight to sign in and practice.” Henry turned to Justin. “You know where Mansfield Park is, right?”
“I can’t come.” Justin shook his head. “I have Evie’s cheer competition.”
“Shit. I promised I’d go with you. I’m sorry I forgot. I guess I just got caught up in the moment.” While he wanted to get on good terms with Henry, Justin was way more important. He turned to Henry, fully prepared to tell him he couldn’t go, but Justin spoke first.
“It’s no problem,” he assured him. “And I think you should play. It’s a charity tournament. The winner gets five thousand dollars donated to the one of their choice.”
“My charity is very close to my heart. It’s called the Welcome Home Foundation. They assist soldiers and their families in returning to civilian life.”
“That does sound like a great cause,” William agreed then looked over at Justin. “And you’re sure about this, honey? I hate the idea of you going by yourself.”
“Don’t worry about me, the whole family is going. I promise I won’t be alone.”
“They won’t be mad at me for not showing up, will they?”
“Not even a little. Now stop worrying. I want you to go, play hard, and kick ass.”
“Okay.” William smiled.
“And on that note, we should get out of here,” Maddox said. “Everyone needs to be up pretty early in the morning.”
“What are you and Emmanuel doing tomorrow?” Henry asked.
“Watching a tennis tournament.” Maddox winked at Justin. He ushered the group toward the bar so they could settle their tabs, then the five of them went out to their cars.
Justin unlocked his truck, and William got in. “Be right back.” William watched Justin jog over to Maddox’s Mustang. They exchanged a few words and a fist bump, then Justin returned to his truck and slid into the driver’s seat. The engine roared to life, and Justin pulled out of the parking lot, heading in the direction of William’s. “Guess this means I’m sleeping alone tonight.” Justin’s voice was light and teasing.
“That’s definitely not what I want,” William was quick to say. “You should stay. We can just get up an hour earlier.”
“Baby, if we spend the night together, we’re both going to be worthless tomorrow. I’ll probably have to let someone else drive, and your tennis game might suffer.”
“Why do you say that?” William asked as they pulled into his driveway.
“Because, if I come inside with you, sleeping is the last thing we’re going to be doing.” Justin’s voice was somewhere between matter-of-fact and seduction.
William let out a heavy breath. Fuck, that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to make love to Justin all night until he passed out in his arms, then he wanted to wake up and do it again. He wanted to spend the whole day in bed with him. No distractions, no interruptions, just the two of them. “You’re right, we have to be up in about four hours. If I were doing anything else tomorrow, I would blow it off to be with you. Hell, I still will if you ask me to. But this might be my only chance to impress Henry. I want your friends to like me.”
“I know.” Justin sighed. “Not to make you nervous, but tomorrow is going to be a defining point in your relationship with Henry.” Justin looked a little concerned.
William nodded then pressed his lips to Justin’s. He had already figured that much out by himself. “Everything is going to be fine. I promise. Now, kiss me good night before I forget why it’s a bad idea and drag you to my bed.”
Justin chuckled and shook his head. He pulled William to him as close as the console would allow then kissed him deeply. “Good night, baby. Good luck tomorrow.”
“Thanks, tell Evie I said the same.” William kissed him lightly one last time then got out of the truck. He stood there watching until the man was out of sight.
***
William arrived at the park a little earlier than Henry had told him to be there. No way was he going to be late for this. It was a good thing too, as he found that Henry was already there, lounging against his car and waiting for him. He took his racket from his trunk then walked over to the man.
“You’re early.” Henry smiled. “I like that. Let’s go.” They stood in line behind the four people who’d gotten there before them.
“How long have you been playing?” William asked, not wanting to stand there in silence.
“I was on my high school team as well,” Henry said as the registration booth opened. They signed in then snagged a court to practice on. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”
William took the opposite side of the court. Henry served, and he easily hit the ball back over the net. Back and forth they went, Henry’s swing becoming more aggressive with each return. Damn, he was good. It was a challenge, but William managed to keep up with him. Then, after another few minutes, William was able to hit the ball just out of Henry’s reach.
Henry retrieved the ball then jogged back over to him with a grin. “Nice work, man.”
Pride exploded in William’s chest. “Thanks, you too. I haven’t had that level of competition in a long time.”
“I’d say we have a pretty good chance of winning this thing.” Henry’s grin grew.
“All players report courtside. Tournament commences in fifteen minutes,” the loudspeaker announced.
“Let’s go.” William and Henry made their way there to find out they were scheduled for the second match, so they sat on the bench to wait for their turn.
“Andrews and Harper,” a mediator called to the seating area after the first match had ended rather quickly.
“Time to rock and roll.” Henry jumped up and they took their positions. The opponents they faced were good, but they were better. When they won, Henry tapped William’s racket with his own before returning to the sideline. They watched the game in front of them in silence for a few minutes, then Henry spoke. “Hey, William.” Henry glanced over at him. “I shouldn’t have made fun of you for mentoring. It really is great that you want to help the kiddos.”
Maybe that didn’t sound like a huge compliment, but coming from Henry, it was. “Thanks, man.” William tried to keep his voice nonchalant, but he must have failed because Henry smirked and nodded.
“How did you get into that?”
“When I was at the suicide prevention center, I realized that I talked to more teenage kids than anyone else. Not every time, but sometimes all they need is one person to really listen, to try to understand, or just believe them. I decided that I wanted to find a way to help them before they needed the prevention center’s help.”
“So what, you joined something like a big brother program?” Henry actually seemed interested in what he was saying. William considered that another win.
“Kind of,” he answered. “I checked all around campus, but one didn’t exist. I got together with all my fraternity brothers, and we unanimously voted to sponsor one. It started off small, but after a few months, I guess word got around about what we were trying to do. It seemed like membership grew every day. It was an incredible thing to be a part of. We had kids from all walks of life. And most of them had different situations, concerns, and insights that we could use to help others. The most incredible part was that we had the freedom, and volunteers, to match the kids with someone who could relate to them, someone with a similar background or interests.”
“Very impressive,” Henry said as their names were called again. This time, they completely dominated the match.
“Henry,” someone called as they were returning to the sideline. William looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it belonged to a very attractive man who was leaning against the chain-link fence that separated the stands from the playing field.
Henry smiled widely then winked at William. “Be right back.”
William reclaimed their seats while Henry went to talk to his friend . He saw Maddox and Emmanuel sitting a few bleachers back, and he waved to them.
“You guys are doing awesome,” Maddox yelled over the noise, while Emmanuel gave him a thumbs-up.
For a while, he focused on the game that was currently being played, but then Henry’s flirty laughter drew his attention. Henry had his hand on the guy’s bicep as he flexed for him. William chuckled and shook his head. It did, however, trigger his need to contact Justin. He rummaged through the gym bag at his feet for his phone.
How’s the competition going? he typed.
The answer only took seconds. It was like Justin had his phone in hand just waiting for him to text. Great! Evie’s team advanced to the second round. Justin included a picture of himself and Evie, who was completely decked out in her cheerleading gear. William smiled at the image. Before he could reply, another text came through. And you?
We’re in the semifinals, William answered.
That’s awesome, honey. Is Henry behaving?
We’re all good, baby, William assured him. You don’t need to worry about us. Plus, Emmanuel and Maddox are here. Just concentrate on Evie today.
I’m still going to worry, but maybe not as much, lol. Text you later, Evie’s coming up again.
Go, Evie! He wrote before slipping his phone back into his bag. He looked up to see Henry.
“Texting Justin,” he wondered, and William nodded.
“Evie advanced to the next round,” he told Henry.
“I knew she would.” Henry shrugged. “That girl’s got real talent.”
“Next match is the semifinals. First up, Andrews and Harper versus Hansel and Hart,” an announcement came over the loudspeaker.
“If we win this one, we’ll be in the finals,” Henry said to William as they walked onto the court.
“Finals, here we come,” William answered. Henry smiled, tapping his racket against William’s once more.
They played an incredible game. He and Henry were in total sync and had quickly gotten comfortable playing together. Point by point, they leapt ahead of their competition until they were named the victors.
“Oh my god!” Henry squealed. “We might really have a chance at winning this thing. Welcome Home could really use the money.”
“Tell me about them,” William requested.
“Sure. This used to be a pretty big military town, and a lot of families settled here. Well, I’m not sure if you know this, but almost all the bases were closed down. It left a lot of people without jobs, and a lot of soldiers, some of whom had just bought houses, with transfer orders. As bad as that seems, it gets worse. The closures left so many veterans with nowhere to turn, and without access to services they needed, or information on ones they might qualify for. Welcome Home helps them navigate the tangled web of information and endless steps that must be completed to get any assistance. They also help them with job training, childcare, and physical and mental health.”
“Now I hope we win even more.” Henry nodded his agreement. “How did you get involved with Welcome Home?”
“I come from a pretty big military family, and I’ve seen a lot of them struggle after they get discharged. It was especially hard for my cousin Sam.” A sadness flashed in Henry’s eyes for a second, then he shook it off and shrugged. “Anyway, I wanted to help others like him, so I started researching ways to do that and came across Welcome Home.”
“If you ever need volunteers for anything, let me know. I would love to help,” William said sincerely.
“I’ll remember you said that at Christmas when we need a Santa,” Henry laughed, and it was like music to William’s ears. Maybe there was hope of getting him to like him after all.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve had a great day so far, and have seen some amazing sportsmanship. We’re down to our final round which will be Andrews and Harper versus Morrison and Burns,” an announcement rang out loudly, and was met with thunderous applause.
“Good luck,” Morrison said as he and Burns stood.
“You guys, too,” William returned as they all took their places on the sideline.
“It’s A-game time, William,” Henry leaned over to whisper. “Those two are exceptionally good.”
William glanced over at their opponents. Burns, the shorter of the two men, was twirling his racket, looking in their direction while Morrison whispered something to him. “Wouldn’t it be great if they were saying the same thing about us.”
Henry chuckled. “Maybe if we beat them, they will.”
“Guess we better win, then.” William winked at Henry before taking his place on the court.
Henry was right. These guys were incredible, and they weren’t messing around at all. They were playing to win. He and Henry scored the first point, but that led to two consecutive scores for Morrison and Burns. William had trained himself to study the habits of opponents during a match. And after point three for the other team, he noticed an opening they might be able to exploit. He got Henry’s attention. “Right back corner.”
Henry nodded, aiming for the spot that William suggested. The ball landed just out of Morrison’s reach. When the two of them corrected that mistake, William saw a new one. He returned the ball softly, causing it to just make it over and land only two inches from the net. There was no way his opponents, whom he forced into protecting their back line, could have gotten there in time.
While Morrison and Burns were a formidable pair, he and Henry managed to outplay them. William could hardly believe it when their names were announced as the winners. He was even more astonished when Henry grabbed him in a hug to celebrate.
“Great game, you guys.” Morrison and Burns had jogged over and stood there smiling.
“Thanks.” William shook hands.
“Any time you two want a rematch, let us know.” Burns held his hand out to Henry who took it, nodding eagerly.
An official arrived to whisk William and Henry away to a podium set up next to the announcers. The tournament organizers congratulated them with gold medals commemorating their victory. Then they were photographed with the giant ceremonial check made out to Welcome Home. Once the commotion had died down, he and Henry found Maddox and Emmanuel waiting for them.
“You guys were awesome,” Maddox exclaimed with enthusiasm, high-fiving them both.
“Are you okay, Henry?” Emmanuel asked. William looked over at the man in question. He looked like he was in a state of shock. Henry was wide-eyed, slightly pale, and hadn’t said a word since their win.
“Sure.” Henry shrugged and shook his head. “I just can’t believe we really won. We definitely need to celebrate.”
“I second that,” William agreed.
“I say burgers and beers at Gertrude’s?” Henry draped his arm around William’s shoulders and steered him toward the parking lot. Everyone else followed. “Meet you there,” he called, getting into his car.
William’s thoughts were all over the place as he followed Maddox’s Mustang to the restaurant. He and Henry had gotten along all day, they’d made an incredible team on the court, and then the man had hugged him. The day couldn’t have gone better, and he was proud of himself. Henry’s opinion of him seemed to have done a one-eighty. Suddenly he felt this overwhelming need to talk to Justin so, after pulling his car into the parking space next to Maddox, he took out his phone. I wish you were here.
A reply came mere seconds later. Is everything okay?
Sure. I just miss you, he typed back. How’s Evie doing?
We’re in the last round before the semifinals, and she’s third to perform. How’s it going with you and Henry?
We won.
Are you serious? That’s incredible, baby.
Yeah. Maddox and Emmanuel were there, so the four of us are going to get some food and drinks to celebrate. William’s hands shook slightly as he typed. He briefly wondered if he should tell Justin how incredibly nervous he was but decided against it. He knew what the man would say. Relax and be yourself, everything else will fall into place. Besides, he didn’t want to worry him. But somehow, Justin knew anyway.
Relax, baby. Just be yourself and they’re going to love you.
Thanks.
Go have fun. Text me after.
Of course. William sent the message, but his fingers still hovered over the keys. I love you, he typed, but knew he couldn’t send that. In no way was it fair, to either of them, for those words to be used for the first time in a text. He wanted Justin in his arms, satisfied and slightly sleepy while he trailed his fingers up and down the man’s back, before he told him how he really felt. With a sigh, he hit delete, and got out of the car.
Justin and his family walked through their door just after eleven that evening. It had been an incredibly long day, but it had been worth it to see his sister shine. Her team came in second out of thirty-seven others.
His mother immediately headed for the stairs. “Good night, kids,” she called to them.
“Good night, Mom,” he and his sisters said together.
Justin went through the house, making sure everything was safe, then returned to the living room where Natalie and Evie sat. “I think I’m going to go to bed too. Good night, girls.”
“Night, Justin,” they called as he went up to his room.
He stripped out of his clothes then climbed into bed with his phone. “Hey, baby. How was your day?” Justin asked when William answered on the second ring.
“Really good actually.” He could tell that William was smiling.
“How was lunch?” Justin wondered. “Did everyone behave themselves?”
“More than.” William laughed, and for some reason it seemed to soothe something deep in his soul. “Henry and I decided to play together once a week. And he asked me to be his partner in the next charity match. Then Emmanuel asked me to go with him to a classical piano recital Maddox wasn’t really interested in.”
“Damn, you really did have a great day.” Justin laughed. “I told you they would come around.”
“I am so glad I was able to change their minds.” William sounded incredibly relieved.
“Why is that?”
“I was pretty sure you would dump me if I didn’t.” He said it lightheartedly, but Justin sensed he was being genuine.
“Yeah, that’s not happening,” he assured the other man.
“Good to know.” Justin could hear the smile in his voice. It caused his heart to beat wildly, and he felt what seemed like a jumpy feeling in his stomach. William had worried about them breaking up. That meant, he was serious about them being together. “How about you guys? How did Evie do?”
“They took second.”
“Now that’s impressive.” William yawned.
“You should get some sleep. We’re still on for family dinner tomorrow, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Good night, Justin.”
“Good night, baby.”