24. Lucas #2
Noah possessively inserted himself between me and Shane, and pecked him on the lips. I just stared, and I guess Cam did, too.
“What?” Shane and Noah both asked us.
“Still getting used to that.”
“Yeah, Noah, you haven’t been super PDA around me. It’s kind of new for me too.”
“Well, sorry, boys. It must be all the love here. You’ll just have to deal with our kisses.”
“It’s not like you have to hear us banging,” Shane added. “Thankfully, we’ve never heard the same.”
I didn’t need to turn to know Cam’s face was turning red.
“Wait…” Shane asked, “Have we?”
I bit my lower lip and chanced a glance at Cam. He was starting to giggle.
“Oh, that’s definitely a yes,” Noah said.
“Well, Shane did, but I’m not sure if you were there,” I answered.
There was a slight pause.
“Waratah, right? You pretended to be a slut with Peter and-or Adam instead of telling me about your relationship with Cam?!”
“Well, at that point, we weren’t quite in a relationship yet.”
“It sounded like one,” Noah said.
“So you were there!”
“Way to spill the beans, Collins.”
“What, Sullivan? We all have secrets, and now, they’re all coming out.”
“Literally,” Cam and I said in unison.
“Whoa, twin-vibe.”
“Speaking of,” I said to Cam, “I need to text Graham, we need to get together with him and Jake soon.”
Alex was the first to return, followed by O, who seemed nervous, awaiting Austin’s arrival. I gave him a pep talk, and told him to pretend like he was just one of the guys.
“He’s obviously interested in you. He gave you his number.”
“Well, he didn’t text for like three days. What if he doesn’t stay interested?”
“Did you text him during those three days?” I asked, knowing the answer. “Maybe he didn’t text for the same reason you didn’t?”
While O chewed on that, Colton swept into the room, accompanied by drama.
“Somebody help me! I need a hug or a whiskey sour.”
Cam walked in from the kitchen.
“Oh, Cam Cam, it was awful.” Colton rushed past me and O, and slammed into Cam with a hug. I’d get used to that since they were friends, but I didn’t have to like it. “My parents are trying to set me up with one of Beau’s old classmates.”
“I’m guessing it’s a girl?” Cam asked.
Colton nodded and curled his lip up in disgust.
“Have fun with that.”
“That’s all I get, Cam? You’re usually more helpful than this. Why can’t you save me from the lady-woman they’re forcin’ on me?”
“Lady-woman?” He laughed, then shrugged. “You’re gonna need good excuses. Or you could avoid them?”
“That’ll be as easy as pissin’ up a rope.”
I tried to imagine that, but somehow, the image of Colton pissing on a rope gave me tingly feelings, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I was wearing some tiny shorts, with very little give.
“Or you could move off the ranch? They’ll be hovering at home if they’re already saying shit here.”
Colton fainted dramatically onto the loveseat, his hand over his forehead. “I just don’t know what I’m gonna do.” He paused for a second, then said, “I’m hungry. What’s for supper?”
After a tasty dinner of chicken, rice and veggies, cooked by Noah and Shane, Cam announced that Erika and Austin were on their way.
“I’m so nervous, Luke.”
“I can tell, O. Just relax. You have nothing to worry about.”
Erika and Austin arrived shortly after dinner was over. Erika apologized for being so late, but the wrestling event they watched ran longer than expected.
“Coach wanted me to meet a few of the athletes,” Austin explained.
Erika walked over to Cam, leaving Austin alone, so I nudged O forward.
I didn’t want to make him more nervous, so I joined Colton and Alex mid-conversation in the kitchen.
O and Austin ended up moving to the couch.
They slightly disappointed me when I heard the television turn on, but I couldn’t fault whoever suggested it. They were young and awkward.
“You’re lucky, Colton. It’s over for you, and you got a silver medal,” Alex said.
“I hadn’t thought of that, but yeah, I reckon so.”
“I still have two days of events.”
“You nervous?”
“Hell yeah.”
“You’ll do fine, Alex. You were incredible in the team final,” I said.
“Easy for you to say, gold medalist.”
“Maybe y’all just need to relax? We haven’t even used the hot tub!”
“You’re right, Colton. And maybe it would be a fun activity for our baby gays,” I said, turning my attention to O and Austin.
“I bet it would feel nice,” Alex added.
“It’s decided then,” Colton said. “Hot tub party!!!” he yelled, running through the living room.
My assumption that he was getting his swimsuit turned out to be correct, because mere seconds after disappearing, Colton was shirtless in the living room, wearing striped boxer-cut trunks.
“What’s going on?” Austin asked. His face was priceless.
“We haven’t used the hot tub yet. We’re going to relax,” Alex said calmly, on the way to his room, unlike the bucking bronco from Texas.
“Ah, I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” Austin said. “If I’m invited,” he added quickly.
“Yeah, everyone’s invited,” I answered.
“If it’s alright, tiger, I’m gonna stay with Erika inside and chat.” He circled his arms around me from behind. “You go ahead.” I turned my head to meet his lips and he leaned in for a kiss.
I turned to see if O was interested, seeing as we were giving him a chance to see Austin up close and mostly naked, but Austin was staring at me and Cam.
“Erika! Did you not tell your brother about us?” Cam raised his voice, so everyone heard.
“Nooo. Isn’t that, like, private?”
“Us? Like…you’re a couple?” Austin interrupted as he stood up. “You’re gay, Cam?”
“Yup. I like dick.”
“And ass,” I said with a wink.
“Man ass, to be precise,” Erika added.
“You guys are like the gayest team here,” Austin said before realizing what he was saying.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Doesn’t seem like it’s a problem for you?” I said, pointing to him and O.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean-”
“It’s fine, Austin,” Cam said. “A lot of people will be surprised.”
“Probably less of a surprise and more of a disappointment. America’s Sweethearts are just friends…huh,” he said, thinking out loud. “Do our parents know, Erika?”
“They don’t, little bro. Cam will come out when he’s ready, which will probably be tomorrow thanks to that blurry photo.”
“You saw that?” Cam asked her, and they started chatting again.
“Alright, boys, you two coming to the tub?” I asked.
“I didn’t bring a-”
“Already got you covered, Austin,” Colton answered, holding out a pair of trunks. “I figured I was the one closest to your size.”
Clad in board shorts, Alex reappeared. “I’m going to make sure it’s working and get the cover off.”
“I’ll help!” Colton followed him.
“You coming, O?”
“What? Yeah, sure. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m gonna go get changed,” Austin said, heading to the bathroom.
I joined Alex and Colton outside, and O quickly followed suit and hopped into the water.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about, O. You have a great body,” I said.
“Uh, thanks.”
I knew he was anxious about something other than Austin, though he’d spill the beans when he was ready. It always took him some time.
“This feels amazing,” Colton said, leaning back, eyes closed.
“It’s a nice night for it too,” Alex said. I followed his eyes and took in the spectacle of London. The O2 was illuminated and a myriad of other lights sparkled throughout the city. The sounds of traffic and boats drifted up from below. I could hear music coming from somewhere too.
I distracted myself by looking inside at Cam. He and Erika were laughing. I was thankful he seemed to have accepted me back so wholeheartedly. It felt like the last four years hadn’t happened. Almost.
We had both physically changed, of course. My scruff was almost a beard, and I let my body hair grow out a little. We both had more muscles. And it’s not that Cam felt like a different person, but there was something I couldn’t quite figure out about us.
“Whoa!”
I turned to see what O was reacting to. It was Austin, closing the glass door to the patio. The second that I had to take in the rear view was enough to expect what the front offered.
“I mean- I didn’t mean to say that.” The words tumbled out of O’s mouth.
“It’s okay, Orion. We’re athletes. We can all appreciate muscles when we see them,” Colton said, taking a peek.
Austin half-covered his chest as he slipped quickly into the water. He said nothing. I assumed four Olympic gymnasts staring at him made him feel self-conscious. Before I said something to make him feel at ease, Alex asked, “Did you purposely find him the smallest swimsuit you had, Colton?”
“Well, he didn’t have a problem fillin’ it, now did he?”
That was true. And if Colton wasn’t careful, he’d out himself to Austin. Maybe he didn’t care, but hearing about his family, I didn’t think that was the case.
Austin finally spoke up. “It’s fine. The wrestling singlets leave little to the imagination, so I’m used to it. I’m just glad I could join you guys. I’m happy to be here in London, and to see the Olympics, and actually meet Olympians.”
He seemed to realize his overexcitement and stopped, before adding, “I’m sorry. I talk a lot when-”
O beat me to it. “You don’t have to apologize. We understand the excitement.”
That was going to earn him points with Austin.
O continued, “To be honest, it’s nice to hang with someone that isn’t a gymnast.”
With the ice broken, the conversation flowed well for the rest of the night.
Alex asked a lot of technical questions about wrestling.
He was always interested in statistics and scoring.
Austin explained to us the differences between collegiate wrestling and the Olympic disciplines.
He still wasn’t sure which one he would attempt to qualify for, if not both.
I lured Alex and Colton inside discreetly to give Austin and O some time alone in the hot tub. They both disappeared into their rooms, leaving me with Erika and Cam.
“Hey, handsome, I’m going to change. I’ll be right out.”