The drive down on Saturday was uneventful, and I got checked into my room right at three. Being at a Residence Inn, I had a kitchen, so I'd brought a cooler with beverages, snacks, and more. After I had the kitchen stocked, I unpacked and got settled.
I sent: `Room 408'.
I got a response quickly: `Heading over'.
About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door. I opened it and was enveloped in a hug by Cody. I pulled him into the room, letting Luke come in as well. As the door closed, I pulled Luke into our embrace. We stood there for several minutes, kissing, hugging, and otherwise enjoying closeness.
"Sex?" Cody asked as we broke the hug.
"Yes!" Luke exclaimed.
"Sure. Strip!" I said.
We were in the seating area, and clothing went flying. The discarded clothing would have led anyone to the bedroom if they followed it. Three naked guys hit the bed at once, and somehow, I ended up in the middle.
I started to speak, but Cody put his finger to my mouth and said, "Don't start. We've been together since we left. We haven't been with you in that time."
"Understood," I said quietly.
The three of us kissed, stroked, rubbed, and entwined our bodies. This was the best. Sometimes, I wished we could do this and become intertwined, becoming inseparable.
I could feel their hard dicks rubbing against me, and my cock was hard as stone.
Cody rolled on top of me and started grinding into me. Luke continued his humping from the side. Luke moved up onto his knees and started stroking Cody's back.
Cody leaned in and gave me a deep kiss. Six hands were roaming across bodies. I saw Luke lean over, and based on Cody's reaction, I realized that he was eating ass. The bed moved again, and I watched as Luke presented his cock to Cody.
Cody ended the kiss and started sucking Luke as he continued to hump me. After a few minutes, Cody let Luke's cock slip out, and I took it between my lips. We alternated who sucked him for a while.
Luke pulled his dick out of my mouth and moved again. A moment later, he started sucking my dick. Cody sat up and presented me with his dick. I sucked him a bit, then let it slip out of my mouth. I adjusted a bit and worked his balls into my mouth. Cody presented his dick to me and then moved his hand under my head, guiding it up and down his shaft.
After a while, Luke said, "I need fucked."
"Up on all fours," Cody replied.
He pulled his dick from my mouth and moved behind Luke. While he rimmed Luke's hole, I moved in front of him, letting him suck my dick.
After a bit, Luke pushed me back and stated again, "Still need fucked!"
As Cody pulled away from Luke's ass, he pointed at it. I nodded my head. I climbed off the bed, moved around behind Luke, and pulled his ass to the edge of the bed. I placed the head of my dick against his pucker and started pushing in.
Luke let out a very guttural moan as I pushed deeper and deeper into his ass. Buried, I started working my cock around in his tight hole, rotating and stirring a bit. As I did, Luke's groans got louder.
"Thank god we're in a corner room, or the front desk would be altered," Cody said with a bit of a laugh.
I swatted his ass as he came over and played with my tits.
I hadn't cum in several days, waiting for this evening, and it didn't take long till I deposited a load into Luke's ass.
After I recovered a bit, I pulled out and stepped away. Cody took position and started fucking Luke's hole.
After we'd cleaned up from round one of sex, Luke asked, "Dinner?"
"Sure. Let's clean up and head out," I said.
We found a nice family-run Asian restaurant nearby and enjoyed a good dinner. When we got back to the room, we went out on the small balcony, looking east over the Atlantic Ocean.
"It's too cold to stay out here long," Luke said.
"It is a pretty view," I said.
"It's better tonight than it will be New Years," Cody said.
"High of twenty-six expected," Luke said.
"Remember to dress nice tomorrow night," I said.
"You said, but why?" Luke asked.
"I'm taking the two of you out to a very nice place for dinner. I figure you don't care about the ball dropping at the stroke of midnight. That's why I chose a great place to eat."
"Where are you taking us?" Cody asked.
"It's a surprise. Jacket and tie, please," I explained.
"Okay, we'll be surprised," Luke said.
"What time do you need to head home?"
"Eh, if we get home by one or two," Luke said.
"What about tomorrow night?" I asked.
"I told my folks we'd be home sometime on New Year's Day. We didn't want to be coming home after a party that included alcohol, so we would crash with our friends, have breakfast, then head home."
"Sweet!"
"My dad said something like, oh, to be young again!"
"Your folks aren't much older than me," I said.
"Back inside, guys," Luke said. "One thing I miss about home is not having the shower. We could warm up that way."
I could tell he was really cold. His body was shivering.
"Body heat works well," I said.
"Strip and climb under the covers."
"Woo hoo..."
We put Luke in the middle and then spent a while warming him up. Once he warmed up, we started round two of sex. This time, Cody wanted to be fucked.
-----
The guys left at about two. Being wound up, I didn't really crash until about three. I woke up at my usual time, a bit before six, went to the bathroom, and then went back to bed. It was eleven when I woke the second time.
I fixed myself a late breakfast - maybe it was brunch - using the food I brought. I thought about the day and wondered if Luke was awake yet.
I sent Cody a text.
`Up?'
I got a quick response: `Yep. Luke just woke.'
I knew they were supposed to do something with Luke's family for lunch, then head over. With nothing really pressing, I took a nice shower. I got into my pajamas and crashed on the sectional. I'd brought a new book with me and got started reading.
There was a knock at the door a bit before four. I went over to find my guys.
"Ummm?" I said, looking at how Luke was dressed.
"Cody's got the bag," he explained as he entered. "We wanted to look like college dudes going to hang with friends."
Cody followed into the room with a suit bag.
"We put this in the car earlier when no one was around," Cody explained.
"Gotcha."
"What time are the reservations?" Luke asked.
"Seven."
"Still not telling us where we're going?" Cody asked.
"Nope. I want to surprise you."
"What have you been doing today?" Luke asked.
"Reading. It's been nice to just sit here and read," I explained.
"How many books have you gone through?" Cody asked.
"I finished the first book about an hour ago. I'm a third of the way through the second book."
"Series?" Luke asked.
"Yep. Three books, so I'm hoping to get them done on vacation."
"I wish I could read as fast as you," Luke said.
"I can show you how I do it. Supposedly, everyone can read fairly fast, but most people don't understand how. Anyway, do you want something to drink? Or eat?"
"Fridge stocked?" Cody asked.
"Yep."
He walked over and grabbed a soda. He lifted it, and Luke nodded. We all sat on the sectional and snuggled up. We spent the next few hours catching up, talking about the holiday and the future. You'd have thought we hadn't talked twice a day since they left. The difference was that this was in person, and we truly enjoyed it.
"We should get ready," I said.
The three of us took turns in the bathroom and started getting dressed. I thought we all looked sharp as we walked out of the room. We climbed into the Jeep, and I pointed us west. When I got off the expressway and started into a fairly residential neighborhood, the questions started.
"Are you lost?" Luke asked.
"Not according to the GPS," I replied.
"Are we in Lynnwood or North Central?" Cody asked, turning and looking at Luke.
"North Central, I think," he replied.
A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot.
"I've never heard of Steinhilber's," Luke said.
"Neither have I," Cody said.
"Well, it's been here since 1939 and is still operated by the same family that started it. In fact, it's one of the oldest, continuously-owned family restaurants in the state. It's supposed to have great water views as it sits on the Lynnhaven River."
"Seafood, I'm guessing," Cody said.
"Surf and turf," I replied.
We got to the host stand about fifteen minutes early.
"Your table should be ready in a few minutes," the host let me know.
It wasn't long until we were seated.
"I'm going to say this," I started. "Don't look at the prices."
"I get it," Cody said.
He opened the menu, and I knew he was biting his tongue hard.
"And get what you want," I added.
"Good evening and happy New Year," the waitress said.
"Happy New Year," we replied.
"May I get you some drinks while you review the menu?"
"I'll start with a diet Coke," I replied.
"Gin and tonic," Luke said.
I raised an eyebrow, as I'd never heard him order that before.
"Rail or specific gin?"
"Hendricks, if you have it. With cucumber, please."
"We do. And you?"
"Grapefruit and vodka," Cody said. "I'm fine with rail."
That got another raised eyebrow from me.
"I'll be back with your drinks in a moment, and then I'll take your order," she said.
After she left, I asked, "When did you two upgrade your cocktail selections?"
"Dad usually has one, and I do mean one mixed drink in the evening," Luke explained. "We joined him and started exploring the different options more."
"Cool. What looks good?"
"What's lobster thermidor?" Cody asked.
"It's a French dish where the meat is cooked in wine, stuffed back into the shell, and browned. There's a sauce and then a browned Gruyere crust," I explained.
I got a look from Cody.
"No, not trivia guy. I studied the menu and researched," I added.
"What are you thinking?" Luke asked.
"Already picked out. Beef Wellington with a side of stuffed lobster and creamed spinach. I may have left overs to take back to the hotel, but it sounded great."
The waitress appeared with our drinks. She took my order and then looked at Luke.
"Lobster thermidor," he said. "I'd like the broccolini with it."
"And you?" She asked.
"I'll do the fried seafood platter with a twice-baked potato and asparagus."
After she left, Luke looked at me and said, "This is really nice. How did you find it?"
"I did some searches on the internet. I wanted something special."
We were seated next to a window, and I noticed lights.
"I'm surprised to see a boat out," Cody said.
"It's too cold to be out on a boat," Luke said.
"I'm guessing the person steering the boat is inside."
"Yeah, probably one of the nicer enclosed boats. There are lots of houses with docks along the river," Luke said.
"I found it interesting that it is a river. When I looked at the map, it looked more like a three-pronged inlet. Is it part of the Intercoastal Waterway?"
"No, that's the Elizabeth River over in Norfolk," Luke explained. "West of here."
"Okay."
We talked about the area and the different inlets, rivers, and waterways for a while. Our food was delivered, and we ate. As always, we shared bits and bites. As we were in an unknown place, we used the bread plates to pass food to each other.
Our waitress was very attentive and showed up just as we finished. She asked, "Room for dessert?"
"I'd like the Chambord truffle lava cake," I said.
"Jeanne's chocolate delight," Cody said.
"I'd like the lava cake," Luked added.
She left with our order.
"I'm gaining so many pounds tonight," Cody said.
"I know how you can work those pounds off," I replied.
"The best way to ring in the New Year!" Luke added.
It was nearly ten when we got back to the hotel. Once in the room, I started stripping down. The three of us curled up on the bed and relaxed for a bit. I don't think any of us were ready for sex on such full stomachs.
I think we had napped a bit when Cody said, "Time to wake up! I want to make this a New Year's tradition. Not being in this hotel, but loving the men I love the most!"
"Works for me," Luke replied.
I leaned in and started kissing Cody. Luke leaned over and joined us.
Luke pulled away for a moment and said, "you both up for getting fucked?"
I nodded, and Cody said, "Sure."
"I want to fuck you both and get fucked by both of you tonight. Make it part of our New Year's Eve tradition."
"That's' great," Cody said.
"Can we change the language a bit?" I suggested. "I want both of you to make love to me tonight, and I want to make love to both of you."
"Aw," Luke said. "Very nice sentiment."
We got back to kissing and rang in the New Year with a lot of fireworks.
-----
Monday morning, Cody and I were cuddled up on the sectional, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, enjoying our mugs of coffee.
"Hungry?" I asked.
"A little, but I can wait till Luke wakes up before we get breakfast."
"I have food. Let me up a minute."
He scooted over, and I jumped up and went to the fridge. I came back with a plastic container.
"What are these?"
"They are little crostini with sliced strawberry, goat cheese, and bacon."
He took a bite and then said, "Wow, these are good."
"Thanks. I made them for a quick travel thing. The crostini, I made using a baguette that was going to go stale."
"Smart."
"Is the hotel going to say anything about the three of us having breakfast?"
"No. The room was reserved for three. It's the same price from one to four, so it really didn't matter. I just didn't think to give you two keys."
"Didn't need them. What's your game plan?"
"Well, I have to check out by twelve. They extended today due to New Year's Eve. I'll drive home and then wait for you two to come back!"
"I think his folks want us to stay longer, but I also think they understand that things are a bit easier for us at home than at their place."
I smiled when he said at home. I leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"I've said it before. I'm concerned about you getting busy with my husband." Luke said. He was standing at the door between the bedroom and the rest of the space.
"I'll get busy with both my husbands if you'll just come over here," Cody said.
"Coffee. Must have coffee."
"Grab a mug and join us!" I said.
Mug in hand, Luke joined us on the sectional, and a wonderful morning began.
-----
"How was your New Year's?" Phil asked.
"Sunday night dinner was amazing," I admitted. "The rest of the evening was spectacular!"
"What did you do?" Chris asked. It dawned on me that I hadn't seen him since before Christmas.
"Had dinner at this great restaurant on the Lynnhaven River. It's been around since 1939. Then back to the hotel for a night of lovemaking with my two favorite guys!"
"You went to the Beach?" Stephen asked. He sounded surprised.
"Yep, and we rang in the New Year with our own brand of fireworks!"
"What was for dinner?" Chris asked.
"I had beef Wellington with a side of stuffed lobster. Stuffed with crab meat, by the way. Luke had lobster thermidor, and Cody had a seafood platter."
"Wow! I need to go to the Beach and eat there," Ben said. "I love lobster."
"That must have been an expensive dinner," Austin said.
"I didn't let the guys see the check. I knew it would stress them. I know they saw the prices on the menu. The bill was over three hundred before tip. I rounded it to four."
"Okay, that wasn't the pricing I was expecting in Virginia Beach," Phil said.
"Like I said, this place has been around since 1939. The food was phenomenal. The service was top-notch, and we had a beautiful view of the river."
"Sounds wonderful and romantic," Ben said.
"It was, and it was," I commented.
"When do they get back?" Austin asked.
"Sometime Sunday afternoon."
Georgia approached our table and said, "Gentlemen! How are some of my favorite people?"
"Just some?" Phil asked.
"I don't see Coulter's two guys or Darryl," she replied.
That put a smile on my face.
"Happy New Year," I said.
"And to you, hon. I hope it was spectacular."
I guess the look on my face said it all.
"I see it was! I'm running late, but I did want to say hi!" And with that, she headed off.
"What are you covering tonight?" Phil asked.
"Biscuits."
"Umm?"
"Kasey Musgraves. It's a great song about minding your own business. The refrain is, mind your own biscuits, and life will be gravy."
"Looking forward to it," he replied.
-----
The house was clean, the kitchen was stocked, and everything was ready for Luke and Cody's return. Most importantly, I had everything ready for Luke's belated birthday party.
`123' Cody's text read.
That let me know they'd just gotten off I-95 at Route 123 and were getting close. About half an hour later, I heard the front door open.
"We're home!" Luke's bellowed.
"Finally, fucking home!" Cody yelled.
I could hear them lugging stuff towards the bedroom.
"Holy shit!" Luke exclaimed. He'd caught sight of me laying naked, ass up, on the bed.
"Happy Birthday!" Cody and I yelled.
"Strip dude," Cody added. He was already pulling his clothing off.
Luke started tearing his clothing off and was already hard by the time he got to the bed.
"Now, this is a birthday party!" Luke said.
"At least it's a birthday fuck!" Cody said. He joined me, ass up on the bed.
"Damn, I'm going to go back and forth!"
"That's the idea," I said.
I looked back and saw Luke bury his face in Cody's ass. From the sounds Cody was making, Luke was doing a very good job. A few moments later, Luke's tongue attacked my hole.
"Fuck," I moaned as his tongue pushed through my pucker.
"He's good at this," Cody said.
"Damn right!"
I noticed Cody moving, and from the moans Luke started making into my ass, I figured he was sucking Luke's dick to get it wet.
Minutes later, Luke's tongue abandoned my hole, and I felt the head of his dick start pushing in. I was glad I'd prepped my ass a bit so that he'd slide in a bit easier.
Luke was slow and careful getting his cock into me, and he rested once he bottomed out.
I felt the bed move, and Cody's ass moved into view. I watched him push some pillows under his chest, then he reached back and spread his cheeks, giving me better access. I started rimming him out as Luke started a slow and steady fuck pace.
"You can speed up if you want," I said, having pulled back from Cody's ass.
"I'm gonna make this a fuck-day party to remember," Luke said.
Luke's strokes were long, powerful, and targeted my prostate. I was really feeling the fuck. I kept working to prep Cody's hole.
"Your turn," Luke said.
Cody pulled away and moved into position next to me. I started to sit back, but Luke put his hand on my back.
"Nope, stay in position," he said.
Cody let out a moan as Luke bottomed out in his ass. I could feel the bed move as Luke fucked Cody's ass. I turned my head and saw Cody's face in what I called the blissed-out state. I scooted a bit closer to Cody and moved my head to kiss him. I saw Luke's hand direct Cody's head to me.
Cody moaned in my mouth as Luke continued to fuck him. Our kiss continued, then Cody's moan turned into a bit of a whimper.
I realized why he whimpered as the bed moved and Luke resumed fucking me. It was my turn to moan into the kiss.
Luke may be younger, but he's definitely found his skill in fucking.
-----
Wednesday morning, I found Cody in the kitchen as I went to grab my lunch for work.
"This weather is crazy," Cody said.
"Typical for this area, it seems," I replied.
"The low for tonight is supposed to be fifty-eight. We had a high of twenty-four on Sunday."
"And a high of thirty this coming Sunday, followed by rising temperatures till it gets to seventy when school starts."
"Too weird," he said. "What can I do to help around the house?"
"The usual stuff: laundry, cleaning, help with meals. It's early January, so nothing to do outside."
"Cool. What do you want for dinner?"
"There's a big piece of pork in the fridge. Figure out how you'd like to do it in the slower cooker and have fun."
"Okay," he replied. He looked at me with a bit of trepidation.
"See what's in the pantry, search the net, and make something good. That's what I usually do."
"Okay." This time, his response seemed more enthusiastic.
"I need to grab my stuff and head for work."
Cody followed me around as I put my stuff together, gave me a kiss, and said, "I love you," as I headed out the door.
"Love you too!"
The ride into work was uneventful, and I was at my desk with plenty of time to prepare for the morning SCRUM call. After things wrapped up, I was going through e-mail when a message popped up asking the managers to join Lucinda in the conference room.
"I've got good news and bad news," she said as we got seated.
"The good news is that we have a new customer. The bad news is that they want us to visit them as soon as possible."
"Where?" Ravi asked.
"Sioux Falls," Lucinda replied. She put her hands up and said, "I know South Dakota in January doesn't sound fun."
"It's a client," Gio replied. "We'll get it done."
That put a smile on her face.
"Big client?" I asked.
"Not really, but they are definitely anxious to get started. Their existing system is beyond end-of-life."
"Got it," I replied.
"If you'll get your list of folks to me, I can put the travel arrangements together," Gio said.
The meeting continued, covering the details, and then we went back to our usual routines. By lunch time, I'd figured out that I was the best person to go to my area. I could cover everything instead of sending two others. I sent Gio my proposal, and he quickly concurred.
Ravi stopped by my cubicle a short time later and asked, "Making me look bad?"
I realized he was teasing and replied, "Yep! I think you should go! Seriously, I just realized it was best if I went; no pressure."
"I know. I'm sending Sonja and Cahya."
"They'll make a great team," I said.
"I figured they would learn a lot with you there," Ravi said.
"Next time, you go, and I'll send two of my folks."
"Deal! It's got to be in an easier location than Sioux Falls."
I laughed. "Six hours and one stop."
"I do the direct flight cities," he said with a laugh.
"You do the next one."
"Deal."
I finished my day, caught the train, and did the short drive home. I hung my jacket in the closet and followed the smells towards the kitchen.
"Hey," Cody said. He was standing at the cooktop stirring a pot.
Luke walked over and gave me a hug and a kiss.
"How was your day?" Luke asked.
"Pretty good. I have to go to Sioux Falls for work."
"What?" Cody said.
"Like going to Philly. Meet with the client, discuss their needs, sign a statement of work, and head home."
"Where's Sioux Falls?" Luke asked.
"South Dakota."
"In January?" Cody asked.
"Should be fun, but cold. I checked the forecast. Temperatures will be falling Sunday night into the single digits. The high on Monday is expected to be five, with a low that night of six below. We plan to fly back late Wednesday if all works out, and the high that day will be freezing."
"What type of business?" Luke asked.
"Healthcare. From what I understand, they are one of the largest companies in the city."
"Y'all keep growing," Luke said.
"That we do, and it's a good thing."
"I guess so," he replied.
"Growth means more opportunities, more chances to grow with the company, and of course better bonuses."
"You get a bonus?" Cody asked.
"I'm bonus eligible and should find out what I get soon. Lucinda added it when she created the manager positions. It's a way for her to share the success of the company with those that drive it forward."
"Sweet! Any idea how much?"
"Nope. It is a publicly traded company, so things have to be reported in the financials. I mean, the company is owned by Lucinda, her family, an investor, and some of the employees at this point, but it is a public entity."
"You own stock, don't you?" Luke asked.
"Yep, but not much as I used a good bit of my options to pay for the house."
"Who bought your shares?" Cody asked.
"Others in the company who weren't part of the options. They started too late. What's for dinner?"
"I made a stew," Cody said. "We had left over beef, veggies, and potatoes, so stew. I'm going to do the pork tomorrow."
"Sounds good and sounds like a good use of leftovers."
After we finished dinner, I was cleaning up the kitchen when Luke walked in.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Cody's getting good at cooking. Would you teach me to bake?"
"I'd be glad to. I find baking easy."
"Why's that?"
"You can follow directions? Correct?"
"Sure."
"You can bake. My mom had a saying: A good baker follows the best recipes. A great baker learns to make the recipes her own."
"How do I make them my own?" He asked.
"That's the special part. Think about flavors and how you can enhance things."
"Umm..."
"Learn to make the best chocolate cake possible. Learn to make the best frosting possible."
"Okay."
"Layer of chocolate cake, brush on some Chambord, layer of raspberry buttercream, repeat. Then pour some ganache over the entire cake. Finally, decorate with some raspberry buttercream and fresh raspberries."
"Wow."
"That was my mom's go-to cake. You could do it with orange; substitute Cointreau for the Chambord. Heck, you could put mandarin oranges into the frosting between the layers. You could use coffee and go that way. There are lots of ways to make what you bake, your own."
"Mint?"
"Sure, think a peppermint pattie cake."
"Got it."
"We can work through crusts, tarts, pies, and more."
"This is going to be great."
-----
"What's wrong?" I asked Casey. His face had a sour look. He was standing off to the side, away from the table.
"Some guy took a feel of my ass. Then he reached under and groped me."
"A compliment, I guess, but an unwanted advance and very inappropriate. Do you know which guy?"
"Yes."
"One of the regulars?"
"No. I'm just trying to calm down before I go to the table."
"Protective boyfriend syndrome?"
"Yes. I don't want Kyle going over and roughing the guy up."
"You should hear Luke," I said.
"Huh?"
"He's always complaining when Cody gets busy with his husband. Or when I get busy with his husband."
"But..." Casey said, and stopped. Then he just howled with laughter. "Thanks, that changed my mood."
We walked over and rejoined the table.
"What are you two doing tonight?" Darryl asked Cody.
"Casey's doing Oleta Adams' Get Here," he said. "I'm doing Oleta Adams' Circle of One."
"Your first solo," I said.
"Yeah, I need to build my confidence in performing."
"You'll do great," Casey said.
I nodded in agreement.
It was just after the intermission that Cody was called to the stage. Georgia put her arm around him and said, "Everyone, this sweet young man is doing his first solo tonight. Put your hands together for Cody!"
The crowd clapped, and the music started. Cody did an amazing job covering the song, and the crowd erupted in applause when he finished. I think his confidence was truly boosted.
-----
After breakfast, Saturday morning, I cornered Luke.
"Ready to learn more about baking?" I asked.
"That would be great."
"Can I watch?" Cody asked.
"Sure," Luke replied.
"What are you making?" Cody asked.
"Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting," Luke said.
"Yum!" Cody replied.
"First, I need a good cake recipe," Luke said.
I grabbed my favorite cake cookbook and said, "Starting with the cake, this is my favorite recipe." I put the cookbook in front of Luke.
"Why?" Cody asked.
"You boil water and mix the cocoa powder; there's lots of other moisture, which makes the cake very moist."
"What do I do?" Luke asked.
"You have several choices. Some folks like to have all their ingredients measured and ready; others have the ingredients out and measure as they put them into the mixer."
"I'm going to get my ingredients measured and ready," Luke said.
"Smart for someone learning. As you gain experience, you can change if you like. I would start with the water and cocoa. It needs to cool."
He got the mixture made and put it in the fridge to cool. Then he took the time to measure out all his ingredients. Then he grabbed the stand mixer and got his work area set up.
"It says to grease and flour the pan."
"Butter and cocoa powder."
"Huh?"
"Use butter, then put some cocoa powder in the pan instead of flour. You won't get a white halo on the cake."
He started buttering the pan. Before he could put the cocoa powder in, I inspected it.
"I see spots you missed and a few lumps."
"Oh." He spread the butter and got it evenly coated.
"Better."
"How do you get the cocoa powder around the pan?"
I picked up his first pan, added the cocoa, and then started moving it around over the second pan.
"Got it," he said.
He did a great job mixing his batter.
"Use a measuring cup to evenly distribute between your pans," I explained.
With the cakes in the oven, I turned to Luke and asked, "Have you thought about the frosting?"
"I found this one," he said. He showed me one on his phone.
"Think about the ingredient list," I said.
"Peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and butter," he read. He paused and looked at me, then asked, "Too sweet?"
"It's going to be very sweet. I'd recommend finding one with cream cheese in it."
"Why cream cheese?" Cody asked.
"It cuts the sweetness."
Luke grabbed his phone and started searching. Once he found a recipe, he started grabbing ingredients.
"Think timing," I mentioned.
He gave me a funny look. He thought for a few minutes and then said, "Hot cake, melting frosting."
"Exactly. You'll want the cake to cool before you frost it. Are you planning to torte the cake?"
"What?"
"You're baking two layers. You'll have a two-layer cake."
"Yes."
"When you torte a cake, you take a knife or saw and divide the layer so it becomes a four-layer cake."
"More frosting! YUM!" Cody said.
"How hard is it to torte the cake? I'm thinking my knife skills aren't that good."
"I can help you this time. We can get a cake leveler if you like."
Cody grabbed his phone, did a quick search, and then showed us a picture.
"That would be much easier than using a knife."
Once the cake cooled, I used a large bread knife to torte the two layers into four. Luke made it clear he didn't want to try. Instead, he made the frosting.
"What's the best way to frost this? My mom just used a spatula," he said.
"I've used my fake piping bag to apply it and then spread it with a spatula."
"Fake?"
"I should go buy a real one, but I use a ZipLoc bag and cut a corner."
I helped Luke fill the bag, cut the corner, and showed him how to pipe the frosting around the cake. He then used a spatula to spread it evenly over the layer. When done, the cake looked very good. He grabbed a phone and took a picture. He typed for a few seconds and then looked at us.
"I sent it to Mom," he said. It was clear he was very proud.
"Cake! Cake! Cake!" Cody chanted.
"It's before lunch, but sure, let them eat cake," I said.
I handed Luke the cake knife as Cody grabbed plates. Luke cut three small pieces.
"This is so good," Cody said after his first bite.
"Big success," I said.
Luke just grinned. While we were eating, Luke's phone beeped. He looked at it, put his plate down, and typed. His phone beeped again quickly.
"She's impressed that I did it."
-----
"You'll be back Wednesday?" Cody asked.
"Yep. Really late."
Cody sat with me and talked as I packed. Luke came in and gave a look that cleared his face quickly. I wondered what it meant, but it didn't ask.
"Not taking a suit?" Luke asked.
"No. With temperatures hovering around zero, our new client advised us to wear warm clothes. I've chosen to use a heavy sweater over a dress shirt with a tie. Match that with two pairs of lined wool slacks for warmth."
"Heavy coat, gloves, hat?" Cody asked.
"Definitely. My suitcase will be heavy, but I'm trying to reduce how many items I take and ensure each item can be paired in different ways for versatility."
"You seem to have this down," Luke said.
"I've traveled for work a lot. It is one thing that James helped me with. He'd traveled extensively for a previous job, and he did pass on a lot of tips."
"Like you do," Cody said.
I thought about it for a few moments. I decided to let sleeping dogs lie. James had been pushy about what I packed. I had to fit his model, his parameters, and his standards. I nodded my head.
With my clothing ready, I shifted to the bathroom to start packing up my toiletries. Cody followed me and sat on the edge of the tub. He would ask a question now and then. When we came back into the bedroom, I noticed the same look on Luke's face.
"Cody, would you run downstairs and grab one set of workout clothes and my weight gloves from the locker?"
"Sure," he replied. He popped up and left.
"What's got you thinking?" I asked.
"I'm wondering how clingy he's going to be while you're gone," Luke admitted.
"Was he clingy at your folks?"
"Yes and no. But we left you," he replied.
"And I'm leaving y'all this time."
He nodded his head.
"It's only three nights, and he's going to have to get used to this. Maybe it's an area he and his counselor can focus on for one of the sessions: Is the clinginess associated with the abuse he took?"
"Are you going to bring it up to him?"
"I will when the timing is right," I said.
Luke gave me a smile as we heard Cody's footsteps approaching.
-----
I awoke Thursday morning with Cody spooned to my back and my left arm holding Luke close to me. This was the way I wanted to wake up every day remaining in my life, close to my guys. I shifted slightly and felt Cody's lips on the back of my neck.
"Morning," he whispered into my ear.
He rolled away from me and climbed out of bed. I disengaged from Luke and got out of bed as well.
"Morning," I said to Cody as I walked into the bathroom.
I took care of things, and we walked out to the kitchen.
"Coffee!" he said.
"Get the presses ready. I'll get the water boiling."
"Was your trip successful?"
"Yes, it was. We had most of the requirements out of the way by lunch on Tuesday. We'd done a lot of preliminary work last week, so it was pretty straightforward."
"Why do you fly out?"
"It's the people factor," I said. The look on Casey's face told me he didn't understand. "We have a number of documents we use to gather preliminary data. We have calls to discuss the data. The onsite is for building a connection between their team and our team. We also find that going over the data with a new client in person is the best way to ensure everything is captured. We don't end up with any aha moments later in the process."
"I know there's a term for that. You spend time learning..."
"Customer intimacy," I said.
"That's it."
"We're not a big company; we're a personable company," I explained. "Some of our competitors are so big, you don't know who to talk to when there is a problem. With us, you know folks; you've met folks;, we're there to help out."
"Cool."
"How were the first few days of school?"
"Fine. I think I annoyed Luke a bit."
"Oh?"
"I wanted to be with him."
"Clingy?"
"I guess so."
"Something new or something old?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you been this way, or is this something new?"
"I guess I've always been this way. Whenever mom or dad traveled for work."
"Something you could talk to Andi about if you like. I'm figuring there's a difference between you and Luke. You are an only child. He is one of five."
"So, I needed company, and he wanted privacy. You've thought about this, haven't you?"
"He mentioned it Sunday before I left, and I did think about it."
"You're good at this."
"Eh, not as good as Phil."
"You didn't talk to him about this, did you?"
"No. I just know he's good at counseling his friends. He was a huge help when I left Phil and has helped me over so many road bumps."
"Well, I will stick to Andi," Cody said with a smile.
"Smart choice."
"Why do you say that?"
"Privacy. Plus, you are concerned about how Phil and others view you."
"True."
-----
"Can we take you out for your birthday?" Cody asked.
"Sure, if you want to. I'd be just as happy eating dinner at home."
"We'd like to take you out," Luke emphasized.
"Super. Got someplace in mind?"
"No. I would like it to be nice, but it doesn't have to be formal," Cody said.
"I'm flexible. Would you like some suggestions of places?"
"Yes."
"There's a great Thai place in Arlington that I like. There's a Korean barbecue place in Annandale that is very nice. There's this really nice Vietnamese place over in Eden Center. I've heard about a great Italian place in Clifton; I'd like to try it. Hmmm... what else?"
"That's enough, dude!" Luke said.
"Which is your top pick?" Cody asked.
"I think either Korean or Vietnamese. The Korean place is closer."
"Let's see where we can get a table," Luke said.
-----
I got home from work a bit later than expected and found my guys nicely dressed waiting for me.
"Let me freshen up a bit, and I'll be ready to go."
I hurried to the bathroom, cleaned up a bit, and changed my shirt. I was glad I had one ironed and ready.
"Sorry about that; I'm ready," I said.
"You look great," Luke said.
"Handsome," Cody added.
We got in the Jeep, and I headed east.
"How was work?" Cody asked.
"Good. I got caught up on a lot of things today. I turned over the new hire to Adele. She's going to be his mentor as we get him up to speed," I explained.
"Did you spend a lot of time with him?" Luke asked.
"He started Monday," I said. "He spent most of the morning going through the HR and IT processes. Monday afternoon, I introduced him to everyone and then got him acclimated to how I work and how I like to see things. Yesterday, I gave him high-level overviews so he could better understand things."
"Is that typical?" Luke asked.
"Depends on the manager or supervisor involved. For me, I want a new team member to understand my expectations. I had one boss who made it clear, and it was easy for me to succeed. I've had other bosses that didn't explain, and it left things challenging. It would also vary depending on how new to the working world a person is. I'd expect an experienced hire to understand how an office works far better than someone right out of college."
"Where was this guy?" Cody asked.
"Right out of college. He graduated from Tech in December."
"And he's just found a job?" Luke sounded concerned.
"The job market is good right now, but with the holidays, him moving from Blacksburg, etc., it took a bit of time for him to find the right job."
"I guess I should really start focusing on finding a job," Luke said.
"It's February," Cody said, seeming confused.
"Resume, interview techniques, on-campus recruiting, figuring out who potential employers are, LinkedIn connections - all that should start now," I said. "Well, some of it should have started already."
"I'm on LinkedIn and have been building connections. I have a resume and took an interview class," Luke said.
"You haven't linked to me. Have you linked with Justin or Angus?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Luke didn't answer. I noticed him pull out his phone and do something.
"Requests sent," he said.
I decided to drop the question. Instead, we went back to the general discussion as we drove down Braddock and into Annandale.
"What's good?" Cody asked as we were seated at the table.
"Well, this is a Bulgoki place. We could get a group dinner combo and let you try a little of everything."
"That sounds good," Luke said.
We all looked at the menus. I could tell Cody wasn't fully comfortable.
"I would think Combo A with rib-eye, prime beef, and chicken would be good."
"That sounds good; I was a bit concerned about pork belly and pork jowl," he said with a bit of a laugh.
Dinner was great, and the conversation flowed from topic to topic.
"No birthday cake," Cody said.
"I'm not worried about that. Picking a Korean place, I didn't expect traditional desserts. You know me; I don't really need something sweet. I'd rather go home for something sweet," I said.
"Not sure we have anything sweet at home," Luke said. "Well, ice cream."
"I'm thinking cream," I said. "But it comes from SumyoungGuys."
That got them laughing. They paid the check, and we headed home.
Once we were through the front door, Cody said, "It's your birthday, so what do you want?"
I thought about it for a moment: what would make me happier than I already was?
"How about the birthday special?"
"What?" Luke asked.
"You two side by side, and me going from one to the other, fucking."
"Naked time," Luke said loudly. He started unbuttoning his shirt and took off for the bedroom.
Cody and I took a more leisurely pace.
In the bedroom, Cody sat naked on the bed. He rolled onto his back, then pulled his knees back towards his ass. Luke looked at him with an odd expression, then got into the same position next to him.
I squatted down and worked my tongue into Cody's hole. I spent time rimming and fingering Cody's hole, then moved over and did the same to Luke's. After I spent enough time getting both of them prepped, I popped my dick into Cody's ass and worked it in deep.
"That's it, Daddy, fuck your birthday present!" Cody said.
"Birthday presents!" Luke corrected him.
I fucked Cody for a few minutes, then switched off to Luke's ass. It was incredible having the guys side-by-side and getting to go from one to the other.
I got an odd thought in my head and said, "One, two, three, four," counting each fuck stroke into Cody's hole. When I got to forty-one, I switched to Luke.
"What the fuck?" Luke asked as I started counting my strokes in his ass.
"He's doing birthday fucks!" Cody said. He chuckled at it.
When I hit forty-one with Luke, I switched back to Cody.
I kept this up for a while; the rhythm of it was actually kinda nice. Finally, I started getting close.
"Guys, I'm going to cum soon."
"Share!" Cody said.
I pulled out of Luke's ass and started stroking. The guys moved their faces side by side. Tongues started licking the head of my dick.
"Fuck!" I yelled as I blasted a big load of cum. It hit both guys in the face, and I was able to get some on both their tongues.
After I finished cumming, I moved over to the bed and sat down. I will say it was a wonderfully horny moment watching Luke and Cody lick my cum off each other's faces.
Once they were clean, they got into a classic sixty-nine position and sucked each other off relatively quickly.
-----
A few days later, I found out my team was heading back to San Francisco. I knew the guys' schedules well; the trip would land right on their spring break. At dinner that night, I started an uncomfortable conversation.
"What are you planning to do for spring break?"
"Nothing, I guess," Cody said. "Staying here and doing nothing."
"Yeah, I'm in the same boat. I or we could go visit my folks."
"Well, I have to go on a business trip for most of the week."
"Oh." Luke's voice sounded dejected. "I guess we'll drive down to Virginia Beach."
"Or..." I paused for effect. "You could fly out to San Francisco with me and have some fun."
"Huh? What? How?" Cody was stuttering.
"How, whatever airline I'm flying out on. What, a trip to the gayest city on the west coast! I'll have a room with a king-sized bed, and flights are affordable. I was thinking that you two go out with me and we stay an extra couple of days."
"I can't afford it," Cody said.
"I can! I got my bonus!"
"But..."
"No buts. Just fun. Well, your cute butts!"
"Coulter," Luke started. "You shouldn't be spending your bonus on us."
"First, my bonus is family money. Second, you're thinking it's too much money. Developing more reasons to say no. Forget about it. I can buy you both tickets, and once you start working, you two can buy me a car."
They both looked at me as if I'd lost my mind and then started sputtering.
"We're supposed to fly out on Monday and come back on a red-eye Thursday night. I was thinking we would fly out on Sunday and come back on Sunday. That'll give us Sunday afternoon and Monday together, then I work on Tuesday through Thursday. If all goes well on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, we can hang out. During the day, you two can explore. Friday and Saturday, we tour around and leave Sunday morning to come back. I'd rather do that than a red eye."
They both looked dubious, but as I kept explaining my plans to them, they both realized I wasn't taking no for an answer. As the conversation ended, I headed into the kitchen to work on dinner. The guys stayed in the den, and I could hear the hushed voices.
"Dinner!" I called out as I sat the food out to serve.
Both had odd looks as they got to the table.
"Ok. Look. I'm sorry. You're both college students of modest means. I get it. You have to remember what I said before our trip to Philadelphia. I know it frustrates you, but I want you with me."
Cody just nodded his head a bit but kept quiet.
"I get it. You won't take no." Luke said. "How do I explain this to my folks?"
"Explain what? You're staying here, as far as they are concerned. It's just like when we went to Philly. You don't post things on Facebook, Instagram, etc. Like any other day, if they need you, they'll call your cell phone."
Again, that dubious look, this time mostly from Luke.
"One more thing: you're graduating in May. You probably won't earn a ton of vacation at first. Our ability to do this is going to be extremely limited until you start earning a lot more leave."
"Just remember, one day there will be a new car in the driveway," Cody said with a chuckle.
"Okay."
-----
The next morning, I woke up and started my pre-work routine. I was drinking my first cup of coffee when Cody joined me in the kitchen. I asked, "What's that look for?"
"What do you mean?"
"You didn't seem too happy with me when you entered."
"Luke's stressed and agitated. We were talking after you got out of bed."
"He's mad about the trip?"
"Not mad. Not happy. Nervous, stressed, and irritated all come to mind."
"Should I go talk to him?"
"Not sure it would help," Cody admitted. "He needs to process this and then come to you with his concerns. At least, that's what I told him."
"It sounds like you gave him good advice."
"Thank you."
"What's on your agenda for today?"
"Classes, whatever homework they assign, come home and clean up my room."
"Would you set up the sous vide, pull the bag of steaks out of the fridge around four, and put them in at one-thirty-five?"
"Sure. What else can I do?"
"There's a horseradish sauce recipe on the counter, if you want to make that. The green beans need to be snapped. I am thinking of a rice dish for a side."
"How about mashed potatoes?"
"I'm fine with that."
"I can get them prepped and ready."
"Thanks! I should go get dressed."
I went into the bedroom and chose my outfit from the closet. Luke came out of the bath naked, drying his hair. I commented, "What a tempting sight."
That got a chuckle out of him. I continued to get dressed as he finished drying off. It didn't take me long, and I was ready to head out. I walked over and kissed him.
"Have a great day," I said.
"You too!"
I went back to the front, got my bag, gave Cody a kiss, and headed to work. I tried not to think about Luke's concerns as I commuted. Fortunately, the day was busy enough that I didn't fret for long.
When I got home, the house smelled good, and I figured Cody was preparing things for dinner.
"Thank you both for what you're doing," I said as I entered the kitchen.
"I said it before and will say it again; we both need to contribute more," Luke said.
"I do appreciate it!"
It wasn't long until the three of us were sitting down for dinner.
"How was school?"
"Nothing special," Luke admitted.
"We had a guest lecturer in Secure Software Engineering today. She brought some real-world ideas to us that made the class make a lot more sense."
"What do you mean?" Luke asked.
"Our professor talks about baking security into the design of any software. This lady was speaking of how she and her team define requirements for their company's software, making sure that it is clear, testable, and... What was the word she used? Oh, yeah, objective. As opposed to subjective," Cody explained.
"We have serious discussions on requirements at work. Too often, the requirement, as written, is too subjective."
"Explain," Luke asked.
"If I said, design me a login screen that is pleasing to the eye, what would you design?"
"A log-in screen that was sharp to look at," Luke replied.
"Blue? Green? Black and white? What font? How large a font? Lots of text? Not much text?"
"Oh. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
"Exactly."
"Contrast that with, design me a login screen that provides the organization's log in the upper left corner, one inch from the top and one inch from the left side. The screen should be pale blue with dark navy-blue text that complements the company's logo. And I could go on," I said.
"Got it. So, with more specific requirements, a coder can do it better," Luke said.
"Exactly. Requirements should be as objective as they can be. Subjective requirements lead to that eye of the beholder stuff," I replied.
We continued our discussion through dinner. Cody wanted to get a bit of reading done, so Luke helped me clean up.
"How are you doing?" I asked.
"Fine. Why do you ask?"
"Your husband tells me things," I said.
"Oh. This morning. I just had to process. It seems like you're spending a shit ton of money on us."
"I can understand how that might make you feel."
"The more I thought about it, the more I realized it would balance out someday. Or at least, I hope it will."
"I'm sure it will!"
Luke came over and gave me a hug. I pulled him in and kissed him deeply.
-----
"What should I take?" Cody asked me as we packed for our trip.
"Well, I'm in suit and tie for the three days. Then I get to go casual. For you, jeans, t's, polos, a sweater, one nice shirt, maybe a blazer."
"A blazer?"
"Yeah, a nice pair of jeans, a dress shirt, and a blazer, and we can hit one of the nicer places for dinner. With a polo shirt and sweater, it's another layer to keep you warm. Think layers. If not a blazer, you'll at least want a light jacket."
The next morning, we loaded our bags into the Jeep and drove out to Dulles. Once through TSA, we took the people mover over to the departure gate, an experience you didn't get in many places but Dulles. We got to the gate with a few minutes to spare. We boarded with our group.
"Wow, nice seats," Cody said as we got to row 8.
"Yup, this is United's Economy Plus area. We also have the bulkhead in front of us, so no one is going to recline into your space. I figured one of you would take the window, one in the middle, and I'd like to take the aisle."
We got our stuff stowed, folks finished boarding, and we took off. The flight was scheduled to be right around six hours, so I grabbed my tablet and headset. I'd just started reading the SDD for the client when Luke nudged me.
"Work already? Seriously?"
"Sorry, I was just trying to keep distracted. It is a six-hour flight."
"How about a movie?"
"Sure, I have several loaded, and most importantly, I have splitting software so we can use multiple headsets!"
It was funny to look at, but we used the USB splitters, and Luke, sitting in the center seat, had the tablet on his tray. We all plugged in and watched.
"That covered the first three hours," I said after the movie.
"I'm going to try to sleep," Luke indicated.
"Music," Cody put in.
"Back to the SDD."
Luke's head ended up resting against my shoulder as he slept. I was able to read through the SDD without waking him. We were on final approach when I woke Luke. We got our luggage, and I got a Lyft to take us into the city. It was too early to check in, so we dropped our luggage with the concierge, and I led us into Chinatown. We got to a little restaurant I'd discovered on the previous trip and had a good lunch. While we were eating, my phone chirped.
"Room's ready."
We finished up lunch, walked back to Union Square and checked in.
"This place is so cool," Cody said as we got into our room.
"It's a great hotel and a great city to visit."
"What's the plan for today and tomorrow?" Luke asked.
"I didn't make any plans," I admitted. "I wasn't sure how tired we'd be and then there's the time zone difference. It's four in the afternoon back home and we've been up since four a.m."
"We can walk around, grab an early dinner, get a good night's sleep, and then hit the sites tomorrow," Cody suggested.
"I'm good with that," Luke said.
We got unpacked, walked around the general area for a bit, and realized we were wearing down. We grabbed dinner, headed back to the room, and crashed.
-----
I lifted a bit and looked past Cody. The clock read two fifty-seven. Yup, my body was used to getting up at six eastern, three Pacific. I relaxed and tried to quiet my mind. Cody turned in his sleep and snuggled up closer to me. His arm pulled me to him a bit, and I drifted off.
It was somewhat light in the room when something woke me.
"Sorry," Luke said as he came back from the bathroom.
I just raised an eyebrow.
"You had me pinned down, and I needed to pee," he explained. "Soak you or wake you."
"I prefer the latter," I said quietly.
"Morning chatterboxes," Cody said.
"Morning," Luke said with a more perky tone than I would have expected.
"Looks like someone has some jet-lag or time zone fatigue," I said.
"I didn't really sleep all that well," Cody admitted.
"Well, it's an easy day, so no worries," I replied. "Who's first for a shower?"
"I want coffee first," Luke said.
"Uh huh," Cody replied.
"Get the coffee made while I get my shower, then."
I grabbed my kit and got things going.
The three of us were dressed and ready to head out early. We found a place near the hotel for a quick breakfast and then started our hike. It took us nearly an hour to walk over to the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park.
We toured the Conservatory of Flowers and the Japanese Tea Garden. We left the park for lunch and then toured the Botanical Gardens.
"My legs are tired," Luke said as he flopped down on the bed.
"Let's see, we walked about seven miles just going from here to the park and back. Plus, walking around and seeing the sights in between."
Cody reappeared out of the bathroom. "I'm done. I'm not sure I can move again," he said as he sprawled out on the bed.
"That's convenient," I said with a wicked tone. I climbed onto the bed, straddling him. "I can have my way with you, defenseless young man! Hehehehe..."
"You can have your way with me anytime you want," he admitted.
"Hey, what about me?" Luke said.
"Are you defenseless or going to join me in taking advantage?"
"How `bout both?"
"Works," I said as I started removing Cody's clothing.
-----
"What should we do tomorrow?" Luke asked.
"You could do Fisherman's Wharf, more of Chinatown, go out to Alcatraz, and then you could hit the stuff you don't do tomorrow on Wednesday and Thursday. There's Lombard Street."
"What's that?" Cody asked.
"A street you see in movies. It's really steep with a lot of hairpin curves."
"Oh, that'd be cool to see," Luke said.
"The only thing I would like you to wait on is the Castro District and Folsom!"
"Daddy wants to do the gay stuff with his boys, huh?" Cody jabbed.
"Damn right. More importantly, I want to be between you and the wolves."
That caused them both to crack up.
"They wouldn't have a chance!" Luke exclaimed.
"Thanks!"
I took the guys to Fisherman's Wharf that night for seafood, then dessert at Ghirardelli Square.
The next three days were hectic: breakfast with the team, meetings with the customer, and on the first night, a strategy meeting with the team after work. The meetings were extremely successful, but there wasn't time for celebration as my colleagues rushed to the airport to make their flights back.
"I'm glad you're done," Cody said. We were sitting in a little café not far from the hotel.
"You and me both. It was a lot of stress and a lot of work, but the customer is happy, and we have a lot of things planned for them!"
Luke picked up his glass and said, "A toast to your success."
"Cheers!" Cody answered.
We clinked our glasses and went back to looking at the menu.
"Tomorrow's going to be fun!" Cody said.
"Yup. A day in the Castro, Folsom, and all the `gay boy' stuff!"
We ordered our food, and the guys told me about their day.
The following morning, the three of us were up early, and our bodies were still not fully adjusted to the time change. We went down and used the exercise room for a while, then went back to the room to clean up. I called room service for breakfast, and it was delivered just after we finished dressing for the day. After eating, we headed out and took the light rail down to the Castro District.
We'd just gotten off at 17th and Castro when Cody said. "Damn, there are a lot of gay guys here!"
"Remember when we went to DuPont and I told you about Lambda Rising and feeling the gayness? This is what I meant."
They both nodded as their eyes took in the area.
"Hot Cookie," Cody said.
"Yup. They have good cookies; I tried them last time I was here. The shop was also the site of a porn shoot."
"Huh?" Cody grunted.
"There was a porn scene filmed there. Guy walks in, buys something, drops the change, gropes the guy through a gap in the counter, and ends up having sex with the guy behind the counter."
"Wild!" he admitted.
We meandered up one side of Castro, window shopping and periodically going into stores to see the selection better. We went down 19th Street and into Does Your Mother Know and Chaps to give the guys a more adult experience.
While we were shopping in Chaps, Cody and Luke were somewhat teasing each other with more and more risqué clothing.
"Guys, wait till we go to Mr. S. Leather."
"Uh huh, I saw that online," Cody said.
I wanted the guys to get a full chance to let their gay boy out, and we had a lot of fun covering the entire Castro.
It was early afternoon when we stopped and grabbed lunch. After eating, we started working our way down into the Mission District.
We got to Mr. S Leather, and I think the guys' jaws stayed in a permanently dropped position. We'd gone through the toy section and were looking at the leather when Cody picked up a harness.
"How does this work?"
One of the nearby salespeople walked over. "Why don't you try it on?"
Cody had a momentary deer-in-the-headlight's look, but I nudged him to go ahead. With the salesman's help, they got the harness on over Cody's t-shirt and adjusted it to a perfect fit. I thought it looked cool.
"We carry a wide variety of models. Would you like to try one?" He asked, looking at Luke.
"Uh... sure..."
"This one is the Bulldog, and we have it in a variety of colors. It has these rings on the front and back. The one your friend has on is the crossbow. They look better when you don't have anything under them."
"Coulter try one." Cody urged.
I pulled my t-shirt off and picked one from the display. The sales guy helped me get it on.
"This is the Centurion; it's supposed to have been inspired by ancient Greek and Roman armor."
"Looks good," Luke said.
"Shirts off, guys, I want the full effect."
"If you prefer, the English Top Buckle model is great for guys with chests like yours," he said to me.
He grabbed one while I took the first harness off. He had it on and adjusted quickly.
"This one accentuates the chest and makes your tits stand out. Some boy will come up and tweak them for sure." With that, he reached up and played with my tits a bit.
"Down, boy," Cody said with a bit of a menacing tone. "He's ours."
"Oh, SORRY!"
I looked at Cody.
"Hey, you wanted to protect us from the wolves; we are doing the same for you."
"Fair enough."
"I thought you two were a couple," he said, pointing at Luke and Cody.
"We're a triple," Luke explained.
"Daddy and boys?"
"Not really," I replied. "At least not in the traditional sense that the gay community uses. I'm Daddy sometimes, but we work hard on keeping things equal."
"Cool. Jasper over there is in a plural. How long have you been together?"
"About fifteen months as a triple," I said. "Those two, what, off and on for six years?" Which earned me nods. "This one and I have been together for just over two years. And this one and I, about seventeen months."
The look on his face was priceless, but I wasn't going to try to explain.
"Confusing, but then again, a plural doesn't form easily."
"Yeah, ours came together through a comedy of errors, but we're happy."
"So, which do you like?" I asked.
"The crossbow is my favorite," Luke said. "I like how it fits your chest."
Cody just nodded in agreement.
"Ok. Fit us for three crossbows," I said to the sales guy.
Cody and Luke had looks of horror on their faces.
"Guys, we've been through this."
"Fine. We upgrade the car a bit," Cody said.
"Deal!"
Before we left, I asked the sales guy about things that we could do.
"In San Fran? Bars!"
"Which do you recommend?"
He gave us a rundown of the bars, and we left.
"What did you guys think?" I asked as we walked back to our hotel.
"As long as the three of us go, I'm good," Cody said.
"Agreed!" Luke chimed in.
When we got back to the room, we dropped our purchases in a corner and sat down.
"Game plan?" Cody asked.
"I'm a bit worn down," Luke advised.
"Nap, shower, dinner, bars - those would be my list; we just need to decide the order of the first two."
"Nap first!" Luke said. With that, he started pulling off his shoes and stripping down.
"See, we have a plan," I said with a chuckle to Cody.
We joined Luke in stripping down. He had the covers pulled back quickly and climbed onto the bed, taking the center position. I took the left side and spooned up behind him while Cody snuggled in from the right.
I hadn't realized how worn down I was, but the clock showed I'd slept for ninety minutes when I next looked at it. Both the guys were still asleep, but it was getting late, and I figured at least one of us needed to get a shower.
I rolled away and stood up.
"What time is it?" Luke asked.
"Almost seven," I replied.
"Dinner time," Cody chimed in.
"Well, I want a shower first."
I took a quick rinse off and was doing the post-shower shave when Cody climbed in.
"What are you wearing tonight? Luke asked.
"Let me check the weather."
I pulled up the app and found that it was going to drop into the upper fifties that evening.
"Jeans, boots, the harness, and a shirt over it." That got me a raised eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just thinking."
I went back into the room and found Luke laying out his outfit.
"Looks good," I commented.
He smiled at me. The noise of the shower stopped, and Luke went in to get his.
I had my jeans and boots on when Cody came out. He helped me get the harness on, and then I slipped on my shirt.
"I really like the plaid," Cody said.
"It's my family's modern tartan," I explained.
"Huh?"
"My family is from Scotland, thus the name Bochanan. More commonly used is Bohannon. Both are lesser-used variations of the clan's primary name, Buchanan. In Scotland, your clan has a family tartan. In my case, the clan has created tartans for several different looks: dress, hunting, modern, ancient, etc. This one in green, yellow, blue, and red is my family's modern tartan."
"Very cool."
I helped Cody get his harness on and then watched him pull a flannel shirt over it. He was staring at my shirt.
"What?" I asked.
"You know," he paused. "I was thinking. My family has disowned me."
He stopped, and I noticed his eyes were getting wet. I walked over and put my hands around his waist, our faces about a foot apart.
"Would you mind if I got a shirt in your family's tartan?" He finally got out.
I leaned in and kissed him.
"Cody, you are my family - you and Luke. No, I don't mind if you get a shirt in our family tartan."
This time, he leaned in and kissed me.
"What am I missing?" Luke asked as he exited the bathroom.
"I was explaining the history of my shirt," I said. "It's in my family's tartan. Cody was asking if it was okay to get a shirt in the tartan as well."
"We're family, aren't we?" Luke asked, but it was as much a statement.
"That's what I was saying."
"Cool. Looking at the two of you, I need to change my outfit. I don't wanna be left out!"
"You could wear the harness over your shirt," I said.
"Naw, too much hassle. Can I borrow a flannel shirt from one of you?"
"Wrong size," I said.
"I have one," Cody said. "But you'll have to roll up the sleeves."
"Meh."
"How about this one?" I said, looking at the shirts Luke had hanging in the closet.
"I'd forgotten I brought that. Thanks!"
Dressed, we headed out. We took the light rail down to the Castro and walked around till we found an agreeable place for dinner. They had a short wait of twenty minutes, which we killed at the bar.
"Lots of eye candy around here," I commented.
"Huh?" Luke sounded upset.
"Look at the guys in the place. There are some very nice-looking guys."
I noticed that this made Luke's face get a bit redder.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"You're with us. You wanted to protect us from the wolves!"
"Slow down. I didn't say I wanted to hook up, fuck, or otherwise get with any of the guys. I said eye-candy. They are pleasant to look at; that's it. I've got my two hunks, and you two keep me happy in more ways than one. But I'm not dead or blind, and I'll continue to look at guys simply for enjoyment till I die."
"Oh."
"Don't tell me you've never once looked at a guy and thought he was attractive or would make a hot fuck or anything else."
Luke looked very sheepish at that.
"See. Eye candy. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"Sorry."
"Feeling a bit insecure?"
"Maybe a bit. There are some hot guys here."
"Wait till we get to the Eagle; even more to look at."
"Uh huh!" Cody agreed.
The host took that moment to catch my eye and wave us over. We were quickly seated and given menus.
"Good evening, gentlemen," a voice behind me said.
"Evening," Cody said.
Luke nodded.
"What may I get you to drink?"
"Do you have Yuengling?" Cody asked.
"Not familiar with that one."
"Try the Prima Pils," I suggested, knowing Cody's likes.
"What do you recommend for me?" Luke said, looking at the selection.
"Try the Citra Pale Ale."
"I'll need to check your IDs," the waiter said. As Cody and Luke pulled out their wallets, he continued. "And for you?"
I turned and looked at him.
"Just a rum and diet Coke."
After Luke and Cody showed their IDs, he took off with our order.
"See what I mean? Eye candy!"
"He was one fuckin' sexy red head," Cody said.
"He was cute," Luke admitted.
Cody turned to look at him with an odd expression on his face.
"We're all allowed our own opinions," I reminded Cody.
The waiter returned with our drinks, took our orders, and left us.
"Cheers!" I started. "To my handsome partners, I'm very glad you came with me on the trip!"
"Cheers!" they echoed.
"To Coulter," Cody said. "For getting us to come on this trip! I'm having a blast!"
"Cheers!"
"To the men I love most!" Luke said.
"Cheers!"
After dinner, we walked around a bit, taking in the ambiance of the Castro District.
"Ready to head to the bar?" Cody asked.
"Sure!" Luke responded.
We followed Market to 12th and found the Eagle.
"Using the right ID?" I teased Luke.
"Yeah, I'm old enough now!"
"Drinks?" I asked as we got to the bar.
"I'm sticking with soda," Cody said.
Luke nodded his head.
"Two Cokes and a diet Coke, please," I said to the bartender.
I paid for the drinks. We turned to scope out the crowd. I saw a less crowded spot away from the bar and motioned for Cody and Luke to follow.
"Other than karaoke, this is my second time in a gay bar," Cody said.
"I've only been one other time," Luke said.
Cody just nodded at this. I figured Luke had admitted his exploit at some point.
We'd been standing there alone for a few minutes when Cody asked, "So, other than the eye candy, why come to a bar like this?"
"Meet friends," I said. "If we were locals, it might be a hangout spot. Find a trick. See and be seen. Speaking of which, let's get these shirts off."
We pulled our shirts off. I went over to the lockers, found an empty one, and put them in. As I walked back, I noticed that there were a few guys giving Cody and Luke the once-over.
"You two are attracting some attention," I said.
"So are you," Luke said, nodding his head toward a younger guy in leather.
We'd been standing there another fifteen minutes when a familiar face stopped in front of us.
"Those do look good on the three of you," the young salesman said.
"Nice to see you again, Tanner," I said.
"Remind me your names," he replied.
"That's Cody. That's Coulter. And I'm Luke."
He turned and looked around for a moment, then waved.
"This is my boyfriend, Stijin," he said of the tall, striking blonde that joined us.
"Spreek je Nederlands?" I asked
"Ja, Jij spreekt Nederlands?"
"Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands," I responded.
"Guys!" Luke gave me an elbow.
"Sorry," I said. "I recognized the name Stijin as Dutch."
"I didn't know you spoke Dutch," Cody said.
"Now you do."
"I'm Coulter; this is Cody, and that's Luke," I explained to Stijin.
"Nice to meet you," he replied.
You could hear the Dutch overtones in his English.
"I heard about the three of you over dinner," he explained. "The daddy with the gnawable tits and the two young studs being very protective."
The three of us chuckled a bit, and Tanner blushed a bit when Stijin said `gnawable.'
"He's just as protective of us," Cody said.
"I can see why. I'm surprised you didn't say much about the chests on these two," he said to Tanner. "You could gnaw on all three!"
Tanner blushed again.
"He's got a thing for gnawing on guys chests."
With that, Stijin took his shirt off, showing a great chest framed by a nice black harness. The five of us got to know each other a bit. Being with Tanner and Stijin brought introductions to their friends as they either stopped for a short visit or stuck around for a longer discussion. In the end, having them with us brought my point about what happens at a bar to the forefront.
"That was fun," Luke said as we headed up Mission.
"It'll be fun to meet Tanner and Stijin for dinner tomorrow night, Cody said.
"We will have to end the evening early or be able to sleep flying back. The flight's at seven forty-five."
"I'm going to sleep hard," Luke said.
"Are you ever soft?" I teased.
"Not often around the two of you."
-----
I got home from work one night a bit earlier than normal. Luke's car wasn't in the driveway, so I figured one or both guys were out. I deduced it was only one as soon as I walked in the door. The music was going throughout the house.
I walked in and dropped my work stuff in the den. I walked back to the bedroom to change when I heard something unexpected. I knew the song that was playing. It was Natasha Bedingfield's The One That Got Away. The unexpected part was the deep bass voice signing the lyrics with her.
I stopped in the doorway of the bedroom and listened to Luke singing the song, an octave below my range. I'll admit, I was a little jealous. Growing up, I'd loved listening to Alabama, especially their song Elvira. He was putting laundry away, which also made me happy!
The song ended, and Luke closed the dresser drawer and turned to find me standing there.
"Hey," he said quietly.
"Hey!" I walked over and gave him a quick kiss.
"How was work?"
"Good! I got out a bit early. Where's Cody?"
"At school, he's got my car, so no need for a pickup."
"Cool. How about Indian for dinner tonight?"
"Huh?"
"We could order from the place in the JC and have Cody grab it before he comes home."
"That sounds good. Let me text him. You want your usual?"
"Sure."
I started stripping out of my work clothes as Luke sent Cody a text. I mulled over mentioning that I'd heard him singing and decided it was best left alone.
"He said he'd pick it up and be home in thirty."
"Sounds good."
I was standing there in just my underwear, and Luke walked up behind me, patted my ass, and then wrapped his arms around me. I stood still, enjoying the moment.
"Love you," he said quietly.
"Love you."
-----
"How goes?" Justin asked as he sat at the table.
"Going well. Quiet day at work. A quiet week in general."
"Mid-terms taking a toll on your guys?" Angus asked.
"Yep, neither of them will be here tonight, as they both have a big exam tomorrow."
"Same with our two," Justin admitted.
"The college system is so different between the US and the UK," Angus said.
"Where did you go?" I asked.
"I did my undergraduate work at Oxford University, specifically Balliol College. After working a few years, I went back and did postgraduate work at the University of Glasgow."
"I'd love to go to Scotland. My dad talked so much about visiting, but we never did."
"Beautiful country. My mum would be happy to show you around some."
"Where does she live?"
"She's outside Inverness in a smaller town called Rosemarkie."
"Cool"
Georgia got the show started, and our discussion ended.
As the evening came to an end, Justin asked, "How are you getting home?"
"Lyft to the train station, then drive home from there," I explained.
"We'll take you to the station," he said.
"Thanks!"
As we drove west, Angus picked up the conversation from earlier.
"If you do decide to tour Scotland, let me know. I've got friends all over the place that could show you around. Heck, maybe we could tour at the same time."
"I'll have to see where Scotland falls with the guys," I admitted. "Plus, once Luke starts a job, vacation time will be slim for a while."
"It makes sense, but you can plan," Angus said.
"Very true."
Thanks to the ride, I made good time to the train station and wasn't too late getting home. I found Cody in the den reading.
"Where's Luke?"
"He's getting ready for bed. I had a few more things I wanted to review. I guess I should stop," he admitted.
"You haven't had any issues in class, have you?"
"No, but it is complex."
"Understood."
He put his book down, and I offered him a hand, pulling him out of the chair. I kept pulling until he was in my arms.
"Thanks," he said, giving me a deep kiss.
"Let's go get ready for bed."
We walked into the bedroom and found Luke standing in the middle of the room.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"A bit stressed, I guess," he replied.
"Exam?"
"Yeah."
"You're doing well in the class, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"Why stressed."
"I just want to nail it."
"Okay. Time to destress. Strip and get on the bed face down."
Cody and I stripped down, and I grabbed the massage cream. We climbed onto the bed, and each of us took a leg to massage. We'd been working on giving each other massages, and this time, Cody and I spent a lot of time trying to remove stress from Luke.
"Guys, this is amazing," Luke cooed as we started working his back.
I worked on his shoulders while Cody worked on the small of his back.
"We should take a class," Cody said quietly.
"You don't need it," Luke responded. "My body feels like jelly."
After making sure every muscle was relaxed. I said, "flip."
Luke rolled over, and his dick was firming up. Cody and I ignored it as we worked to finish the massage. As we got near the end, we would each let our hands stray and tease his cock. Finally, Cody leaned over and took Luke's cock to the root.
I moved around and started sucking on Luke's balls, getting a good view of Cody's sucking. It didn't take long for Luke to pop down Cody's throat.
Cody and I did a quick clean-up and snuggled up on either side of Luke. He was out quickly, and it didn't take long for me to join him.
-----
"How was your day?" I asked Luke as he climbed into the Jeep.
"Eh, another day, boring classes for the most part. It's almost over."
"Are they still offering on-campus recruiting?"
"Not too much of it, and nothing has been interesting. I did see a few jobs on Monster and Indeed; one really sounded great, but I think it is too soon for those."
"What caught your eye?"
"There's a job with this big multi-national at their Arlington office."
"Oh?"
"Let me pull it up."
He started talking about the job while he went online and found the listing. I chuckled when he told me the name of the company.
"That's where I used to work."
"Oh." His voice sounded dejected. It was obvious that he wasn't going to consider it since I left.
"I didn't leave because it's a bad place. I left because James was there, and I needed to escape. Justin can probably refer you for an interview."
"Huh?"
"That's where Justin and Angus work. That's how I got to know Justin."
"I really want a job, and this one sounds great, but I don't want to have someone hand it to me."
"Oh, trust me, you won't get the job if you're not the best candidate. All he'll do is get your foot in the door to let you show it."
"Cool."
"Email me a copy of your resume, and I'll send it to Justin."
"Thanks!"
We spent a good bit of time talking about the company, the culture, and what I'd done there. We got home, and I pulled next to his car. I walked into the kitchen to get started on dinner, and Luke followed.
"Would you apply if it was you?"
I thought about it for a moment, especially how he'd phrased it.
"I would. It is a great place to work with a good work culture. They really do believe in work-life balance. There will be times when you work long, hard hours, but it is rewarded. You'll develop a lot of good skills, and if later you want to explore a different environment, this will set you up well."
"Thank you for your answer. It's that smother thing again."
"You phrased the question carefully. I answered it just as carefully," I admitted. "In the end, it's what you want that matters. I think it's a great opportunity, and you should explore it."
-----
I was working in the kitchen when Luke walked in.
"I applied," he said. "Would you mind sending my resume to Justin?"
I grabbed my phone, pulled up Justin's contact, and handed the device to Luke. Send it to him. The look he gave me spoke volumes.
"Look, if you can't send a resume and ask him to do a referral, you're not going to survive interviews."
He nodded his head.
I continued, saying, "You're a great student, a bright young man. You're intelligent, thoughtful, and trustworthy. You'll do great. Have confidence in yourself!"
"Thanks."
He gave me a kiss and walked out of the kitchen. A few minutes later, he came back and handed me my phone.
"I sent an email to Justin and asked."
"That's great. I'm sure that he will help out. Talk to him tomorrow at Karaoke."
"I will. What's for dinner?"
"Meatloaf, mashed and gravy, corn, sound good?"
"I love your meatloaf."
"Thanks!"
"What can I do to help?"
"Set the table."
"Sure."
Cody joined me while Luke was setting the table. He asked, "What can I do to help?"
"Drinks, please."
"Just water?"
"For me, yes."
When we sat down to eat, Luke explained that he applied for the job and asked Justin for a referral.
"You got this," Cody said.
"Thanks."
"Confidence, dude," Cody replied. "I think my husbands are top-notch."
"Love you," Luke said.
-----
Thursday night, the three of us went to karaoke as usual. The seating was typical: Casey next to Cody, Kyle next to Luke, and the rest of us more mixed.
"Whatcha doing tonight?" Casey asked me after he was done signing up.
"Long Black Train," I explained.
"Cool, you've got the voice for that."
"You?"
"Calling You," he said.
"The theme from Bagdad Café?"
"Yeah, Kyle and I watched it on Netflix the other night."
By this point, Cody had sat down with our drinks.
"What did you choose?" Casey asked.
"I wanted to do something really different tonight. I've been going through Coulter's music library and looking at older stuff. I chose Naked Without You."
"Can't wait to hear it!"
The lights dimmed a bit, and the performances started. We sat back and enjoyed. After about an hour, Georgia announced a short intermission to allow the dedicated folks running the show a quick break. I was chatting with Chris and Steve when I realized someone had walked up next to me. I was surprised when I saw one of the drag queens who sang each week standing there.
"Hello."
"Sorry to interrupt."
"No worries. What's up?"
"I'm Ginger," she said. "Four of us are going to do Little Mix's Power in the next contest, and we were hoping you would do the male parts."
"Are you doing the album version or the one with Stormzy's rap in it?"
"It depends on who we find for the male part," she explained.
"I'm already committed to something," I explained. Ginger's face dropped before I could continue. "I know someone that could do it well." Her face perked up.
"Luke," I called. I waved him over. Once he walked over, I did the introductions. "Ginger, Luke. Luke, Ginger."
Luke seemed a bit overwhelmed, looking up at the glamazon that towered over him.
"Ginger is looking for someone to do the male parts in Little Mix's Power. I know you've never performed here, but I've heard you sing. You could do it."
"Umm..."
"We really need someone," Ginger explained. "Please!"
"Umm..." he was quiet. His eyes were looking at me for some help.
"You can do it... You know the song. It's really just the bass `Power' lines and then maybe Stormzy's rap if you're comfortable."
"Umm, okay," Luke said quietly. "What do I need to do?"
"We'll need to practice."
There was an awkward silence, and then Luke blurted out, "Wanna come out to our place?"
"Ours?" Ginger asked.
"Yeah, Coulter and I."
"You're a couple?"
"No. Well, yes. Umm..."
"What he's trying to explain is that we're a triple. That tall, handsome blonde over there is part of us too."
"Well, just to find out more, sure."
Before we could get any further, the lights flashed, signaling things were about to get started. I pulled a business card out of my wallet and wrote our address and phone number on the back.
"Call us," I said quickly.
"Will do!"
Ginger walked off, and Luke went back to his seat. I watched him lean over and talk a bit to Kyle.
Later, Luke was quiet as we climbed into his car.
"You okay?" I asked.
"I'll get over it," he admitted.
"What's wrong?" Cody asked.
"I kind of pushed him into performing in the next contest," I explained.
"Huh? Is that why Ginger was talking with you?"
"Yeah," he said quietly.
"That'll be great!" Cody enthused. "What's the song?"
"Power," I explained. "The one by Little Mix."
"Oh, you'll be great at that," Cody said. "You've got the bass to cover the parts and..."
We were at a stop light, and Luke's head whipped around to look at Cody.
"What? You don't think I've heard you sing. You've got a great voice. You just keep it hidden. The rap should be easy for you too."
"I'm just not comfortable." His voice drifted off.
"You'll be fine," Cody said. "You get up on the stage and forget the crowd is beyond the lights."
Luke continued his silence as Cody encouraged the idea. We got to the house, and Luke quickly disappeared towards his room.
"What's got him bent?" Cody asked me.
"I think he's concerned about performing. More importantly, I need to go apologize."
"Huh?"
"I pushed him into it. Or at least, he thinks I did."
I left Cody in our bedroom and went to the door of Luke's room. I knocked lightly on the frame.
"Can we talk?" I asked. My voice was as soft as I could get it.
"Sure, it's your house."
Now I have two things to talk about.
"I want to apologize. I put you in an awkward position and pushed you into something. I'll take the call from Ginger and apologize as well."
"It's okay," he said. His tone let me know that he was still upset.
"No. It's not. I like to perform. Cody has gotten into it. I shouldn't have pushed you into something you don't like. No, don't want to do."
"I'll survive. Hell, maybe I'll enjoy it. It's just a lot. I've never been around drag queens. I've never sung in public. I've never been on a stage. It's just a lot to digest."
"Well, Ginger and her group seem like great people. You have a good voice. I've heard you around the house."
His head whipped up and he stared at me.
"You were singing with music when I got home one day. Covering something in the most amazing basso profundo voice. I'm a bit jealous of how low you can go. As far as the stage, it's five minutes, and you're done, unless you enjoy it."
"I'm a big boy. I'll survive."
"One other thing," I started.
The look on his face showed concern.
"It's our house, dude!"
"You know that one is hard too."
"I get it. I'm bending every way I can. Like I've said before, I don't want to wait years for you two to get established to have fun."
"I know. It's just..."
"I have a question."
He looked at me with an odd look.
"Who's my family?"
He looked at me for a moment. We'd had the discussion that I had no close family.
"Huh?"
"Who is my family?"
"Cody and I?" he said meekly. It really came out as a question.
"Can you say it like you mean it?"
"Cody and I!"
"So, if I were to die tomorrow, what's going to happen?"
"Huh?"
"Where would you live? How would Cody finish college?"
"Shit. I don't know."
"Luke!"
"What?"
"You would live right here."
"Huh?"
I thought for a moment. I'd tried this before, letting them know I was committed to us, but it was obvious we really needed to clear the air and hopefully put the issue to rest forever.
"Cody! Come here," I called.
I heard him a few moments before he padded into the room.
"Sit. So, Luke made the `it's your house' statement to me tonight. I wanted to get something out on the table. I don't care if you're not comfortable; it's going to be out there."
Both of my guys had concerned looks on their faces.
"I was asking Luke who my family is. He timidly said, the two of you. Then I asked where you two would live if I were to die tomorrow. Also, how would you finish college? He wasn't sure. So..." I took a deep breath. "I wasn't going to tell you two this for a while, as I know money talk bothers you. I met with my attorney before the accident and pulled together a will. You two get everything when, hopefully a long time from now, I die: the house, the Jeep, all my vast fortune." I chuckled at that. "I also made you two beneficiaries on my 401K and my life insurance. Later, we'll change the deed on the house so that we all own it with rights of survivorship. But, as of a few months ago, you get it all!"
There were tears in both their eyes.
"I love you both. I hope this shows you how committed I am to you. Oh, and I'm changing my spring Power of Attorney so the two of you hold it."
They both smiled sheepishly.
"I love you both," Luke said.
"I love you," Cody said, looking at both of us.
"We good?" I asked Luke.
"Yeah. I accept your apology, and don't worry, I'll get through it. Hell, I may enjoy it. As far as the house and stuff, I get it. I'll have a job soon and contribute. In a year, Cody will have a job and contribute."
"I think we need some snuggle time," Cody said.
We went into our bedroom, stripped down, and climbed onto the bed. This time, Luke was in the middle, so Cody and I snuggled up against him. Hands roamed across bodies, and periodically, there would be some kissing.
At some point, Cody pulled the cover over us, and we continued this till we started drifting off to sleep.
-----
I got home from work Friday evening and found a note on the fridge that practice was going to be Sunday afternoon.
"What did Ginger have to say?" I asked Luke when he came home.
"Well, they are coming over Sunday about one, after they have brunch."
"You could've invited them for lunch here."
His look told me he didn't think that was too good of an idea.
"Or not. Look, just like the other night, I'll propose something. If you don't like it, just say so."
"Okay."
By this point, we were in the kitchen, and I was preparing dinner. I'd hand off a task to Luke, and he'd do it.
"How was school?"
"Fine. Only a few more weeks till graduation and then, hopefully, a job!"
"Have you thought about what you want to do for graduation?"
"What do you mean?"
"Party? Trip? Have your family in? Orgy?"
He looked at me like I had three heads, thought for a moment, and then laughed.
"No orgy, I'll be happy with hot sex with you and Cody. I don't really need a party or a trip. I would like to have my folks and brothers up for the big day."
"Okay, no orgy, darn!" Luke spun, looked at me, and I burst into laughter. "Kidding!"
We heard the front door open and close. A few moments later, Cody joined us.
He gave each of us a kiss and then said, "Woo hoo, the weekend!"
"We have company on Sunday," I explained.
"Who's coming?"
"Team Ginger will be practicing here."
"Super. I'm looking forward to really getting to know them."
This garnered Cody an odd look from Luke.
"What?" Cody asked.
"Nothin," Luke said quietly.
"Can I ask a question and don't get upset?" I said.
Luke nodded his head.
"You mentioned you're uncomfortable with drag queens. Why?"
He didn't respond.
"Something you really haven't been around, so just not comfortable?"
"I guess. It just seems, I don't wanna say wrong. I'm just not sure. Different. Until we went to the club, I'd never seen or met a drag queen."
"I remember the first time I encountered a drag queen. It freaked me out," I admitted.
"Huh?" Cody grunted.
"Think about it: I was, um, twenty, maybe twenty-one; I grew up in a rural area and in a sheltered lifestyle. My first time I got into a gay place; I ran into this guy in drag. She had a huge personality and filled the space. I didn't know what to think, and I'll admit it took a good number of encounters till I was able to really deal."
"Why?" Cody asked.
"How easy was it for you to come out of the closet?"
Cody laughed. "To myself, hard; to others around me, harder; to family, well, you saw what happened."
"Why?"
"I guess it is because of the way I was raised. Being gay is wrong! Being gay is a sin! Being gay is an abomination!"
"Now take it to the next level. Drag queens, transgenders, transsexuals, lesbians, whatever, you must come to accept each different group. You had to come to it for who you are yourself, but other groups are the next level. Unlearning all the things you were raised on. Learning to understand who a person is."
"Hmmm... so..." Cody started.
"So, Luke's discomfort is valid. He just needs to adjust, and being exposed will be the best way to grow. They say younger people are more accepting of the gay community because they have been so exposed to it. The biggest part is to be open and let time and exposure erase the discomfort."
"Thanks," Luke said quietly.
"Remember the positive versus happy discussion?" I asked.
Cody nodded.
"Discomfort isn't a phobia or hate. I can be uncomfortable with something but still support it. Giving someone time to become comfortable is important. Pushing someone can send them the wrong way."
"Makes sense," Cody said.
"As long as it isn't hate," Luke said.
"Agreed."
-----
Sunday, we spent some time getting the house ready for guests. It didn't really take much for me; Cody and Luke had to spend some time cleaning up their rooms. I was in the kitchen when Luke appeared from his room.
"What's that?" he asked.
"I'm trying to be a good host. Putting together a cheeseboard."
"Cool. What's on it?"
"I've got smoked Gouda, goat cheese with blueberry, and a sharp cheddar. I have two types of crackers, a small bowl of quince jam, and I'm thinking about adding some fruit."
"Sounds good!" he stated.
"Thank you, kind Sir!"
That got a chuckle out of him. Before we could go on, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," he said.
I followed him.
"Hi!" he said and stopped.
I realized instantly why he stopped. The foursome at our door weren't in drag, and he was surprised.
"Greetings and welcome," I said quickly. "Come on in."
They slipped past Luke and me and filled the foyer.
"You know me as Ginger; my name is Anthony," he said. He pronounced it Ant-knee. Without his heels and the bouffant wig, I realized that he was a bit shorter than I thought.
"This is Greg, also known as Grace Undafire. This is Freddie, also known as Devine Monroe. Last, but definitely not least, this is Tee, a.k.a. Phoebe Fleet."
"Come on in," Luke said. "I'm Luke, and this is Coulter."
"Woof," Freddie growled.
At first, I thought he was growling at Luke, but I followed his eyes past us and noticed Cody had come into view.
"That tall blonde is Cody," I explained.
"And you two are a couple?" Tee asked Luke.
"Umm... we're a plural," Luke got out. It still seemed like the cat had his tongue.
"Yes!" Ginger exclaimed. "I've been wanting to hear all about that."
"Why don't you two take them to the den, and I'll get the stuff from the kitchen," I explained.
I got the cheese board and followed them to the den.
"Something to drink?" I asked. "Tea? Soda? Lemonade? Beer? Wine? Mixed?"
I got everyone's drink orders, and Luke followed me to the kitchen to get a tray set up. It was clear that Cody wasn't intimidated and was chatting with the group.
"Are you okay?" I asked Luke when we got to the kitchen.
"Yeah, it just surprised me."
We got the drinks together, and I carried the tray to the den.
"Ready to practice?" I asked.
"Sure," Anthony said.
"I have the karaoke version loaded on the sound system."
"Thanks!" Tee said.
"Luke can run it from his phone. We'll get out of the way," I said, motioning to Cody.
"Stay," Greg said. "You can provide feedback."
"We're competition," Cody said.
"Who are you teaming up with?" Freddie asked.
"Each other," I replied.
"What are you doing?" Greg asked.
"Crazy Possessive, by Kaci Battaglia," Cody explained.
"That's a solo," Tee said.
"We're doing it as a duet," Cody said. "It's pretty good!"
"Look forward to hearing it," Anthony said.
"You first," Cody said. "We'll give you time to practice."
With that, Cody and I left.
"Workout?" he asked.
"Nope, not with company here. Do you have any homework?"
"Nope, all done."
"I'm curious," I said. "How is it that you're so comfortable and not more like Luke?"
"I guess that comes from talking with Casey," he said, stopping.
I just looked at him, waiting for more.
"You know he was homeless."
I nodded.
"He really helped me understand not to judge people on appearance, where they are in life, or what they do for a living. Not every homeless person is crazy, lazy, or anything bad. Some got there due to bad circumstances. After many conversations, I've started trying to judge people for who they really are, what they say, what they do, how they do it, not just on their job, their car, or how they look."
I moved over and hugged him. "Very mature! I can remember a few times when I was single and at a bar, guys would come up to me, and within a few moments it was: where do you work, what do you drive, etc.? It seemed like they were more concerned with how much money I had than anything else."
As we stood there talking, I heard the music start up and voices singing. I really wanted to go stand by the door and listen, but I knew I shouldn't.
"Want to go downstairs and practice a bit more?"
"Sure," Cody said.
We'd been working on this since shortly after the bar announced the contest.
"I'll never understand how you came up with this, but I'm glad you did."
"I didn't really. Casey suggested it to me."
"Remind me to say thanks!"
I pulled up the app, split off the basement speakers, then chose the song and got it started. The beat got going, and I hurried over to be in position.
"I think I'm crazy," Cody sang.
"I think I'm going out of my mind," I sang in reply.
"You call me crazy."
"I thought I saw you touching my guy," I sang. As I did, I pointed at him following up on my accusation.
"Are you crazy?"
"Maybe I should take you outside! And show you crazy!"
"Oh, I got your crazy," he replied.
In the original video, Kaci had done it more as a woman going crazy with a split personality. We did it as two guys arguing over the same man. We'd planned to have Luke sitting between us as we fought in the song, but now we were just going to do it without him.
"What'd you think?" Cody asked as we finished.
"Great. I think we stick with the plan. Keep it simple; let the music urge the fight; keep facing each other with a slight angle towards the audience."
We could hear the music going upstairs.
"They're going to be at it for a while," Cody said.
"Getting the timing right on five voices, staging, everything, yeah," I agreed.
"Hammock time," he said. He opened the back slider and stepped outside.
I followed and walked over to the storage chest.
"Here, you take the pillows," I said. "I'll get the blanket from the shed."
We walked out to the trees, and Cody got the pillows in position, then climbed in. I threw the blanket, folded in half, over him and climbed in next to him. He flipped the blanket, so it covered me as well.
"Peaceful," he said.
"Cuddle time is always nice!"
He lifted a bit, and I slipped my arm under him; he then laid his head somewhat against my chest. I must have drifted off a bit, as the next thing I knew, Luke was calling from the back door.
"We're coming," Cody said. His voice sounded as sleepy as I felt. "Nice nap."
"Agreed."
We left stuff in the hammock and headed inside.
"I'm jealous," Luke said, but the look on his face told a different story. "We're ready to show you."
"How's it going?" Cody asked.
"Great!"
I was a bit surprised at how much his attitude had changed.
"Having a good time?" I asked.
"Yeah, they're really nice guys."
"Good!"
We followed Luke upstairs, took seats, and he got the music started. As they ran through the song, Luke did the deep bass, who's got the power." Then he did the mid-section rap performed by Stormyz in the video.
When they finished, Cody and I clapped.
"He's really good at this," Anthony said.
"And so cute," Tee said.
That made Luke blush.
"Now it's your turn," Anthony said.
I grabbed my phone, queued up our song, and took my place. I think both of us got into the crazy, fighting zone a bit more with an audience as we argued in song over our guy.
"Remind me not to come between you and your man," Greg said.
I looked over at him and found him sitting with his arm around Luke.
"Umm..."
"Oh, Shit!" he exclaimed. Everyone burst into laughter.
"So, you promised to explain things," Anthony reminded me.
"Sure."
Before I could get started, Luke started explaining things. His explanation, like the one I'd given from time to time, explained the relevant high points and avoided the unnecessary low points.
"Would you like to see the house?" Cody offered.
A chorus of agreement went up.
We all stood and headed out of the den. I hung back a little and let Cody and Luke do the tour.
"I must say, I'm a bit jealous," Anthony said.
"Oh? Why's that?"
"I can't find a man. You, you snag not one but two young hunks."
"One thing Luke didn't mention was that I had a failed marriage that ended in divorce before I met them."
"Someone must have been nuts."
"That would be me. I lost my identity in that relationship, and I've worked hard to regain it. I found him cheating on me, and it woke me up."
The other three had followed Cody and Luke outside.
"Well, I'm not sure I'd want to date two college boys. But I'm sure it's fun!"
"It has been a rollercoaster ride, with ups, downs, and a few loops; but there's a lot of love!"
-----
"Would you review my team's final report?" Luke asked.
"For your senior design project? Sure. When is it due?"
"Monday a week, but we'd like to turn it in sooner if we can."
I gave a raised eyebrow look.
"My prof said she'd get any that were submitted early reviewed first. We'd like to know what we got before we do the final verbal presentation."
"Makes sense," I admitted. "How many pages?"
The look on Luke's face told me it was long before he responded. "Twenty-seven pages."
"Word track-changes okay?"
He nodded his head.
"Can you put it on the NAS?"
"I can share it off my school OneDrive," he explained.
I thought about it for a few minutes. I stood and went to get my laptop.
"Dude, you don't have to do it right now," Luke said.
My guess was that he was feeling a bit guilty about asking.
"No guilt. You're studying, Cody's studying, and I'm sitting alone watching the boob tube."
The look on his face softened a bit.
"Anything I should know?" I asked.
"What do you mean?"
"No passive voice? Acronyms defined for first use but not defined later? Are there any rules your professor wants you to follow?"
"The format is considered business style. It's not APA if that's what you mean."
"I'll make my comments based on reviews I've done over the last few years."
"Cool."
I got started and really dug into the review.
"I'm going to bed," Cody said from the doorway.
"Damn, I lost track of time," I admitted.
"Luke said you're reviewing his big project."
"Yep."
"Would you do my paper next?"
"Happy to!"
I saved the file with the track changes showing.
"How far did you get?" Cody asked.
"I've read the entire paper and have made detailed comments on the first five pages," I explained.
"How long have you been reviewing it?"
"About two hours."
"Damn, that's fast."
"I'm going to try and knock out the rest of it tomorrow night. Having read the entire thing, I already marked the flow and continuity issues. Now, I'm working on grammar and basic style."
"Yes, yes! Please review my paper."
We walked into the bedroom and found Luke getting ready for bed.
"Let your team know that there are numerous comments in the document. I put four big comments in the document. One where the flow just didn't make sense. The other three were where the report lacked consistency. It was clear that different individuals wrote different sections with a different perspective in mind. I went back to the beginning, and now I'm doing the nit-picky details of grammar, punctuation, and acronyms."
"Thank you!"
Luke grabbed his phone. I assumed he was texting his team.
"Turn off your ringer," I said.
"It turns off automatically at nine."
"Good!"
-----
Tuesday night, I completed my review of the paper and started on Cody's. Fortunately, his paper was much shorter.
"Coulter?" Luke asked from the doorway.
"Yes, Sir?"
"Would you mind talking with Phuong?"
He had his cell phone in his hand. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for a further explanation.
"She's on the team and doesn't understand your comment that was directed at her section."
"Sure. A quick question, and are you on mute?"
He nodded yes.
"How good is her English?"
"It's better than mine."
"Cool, I just wanted to check, as many of my classmates were more recent immigrants. Let's do it on speaker phone so you can hear what I have to say."
I pulled up their document, Luke put the call on speakerphone, and we went through my concerns and how she could resolve them. Luke ended the call.
"You're good at that."
"Years and years of experience."
-----
We got to the club a bit early on Thursday night. Luke was, understandably, nervous. We sat at our usual table, and the waiter showed up quickly.
"How many for dinner tonight?" he asked.
"If I have my numbers correct, there'll be six," I replied.
"Seven," Luke corrected.
"Super, I'll get things set up. Drinks?"
"Diet and rum for me," I replied.
"Seabreeze," Cody said.
"Hmmm... ginger ale for me," Luke said.
The waiter left, and we talked about our day at work for a few moments before Casey, Angus, and Justin arrived.
"Where's Kyle?" Luke asked.
"He has a test tomorrow, so he's at home reviewing his notes," Casey explained.
"Ick!" Cody answered.
"The joys of college life," Casey replied.
"And it's almost over!" Luke crowed.
"Don't rub it in," Casey said with a laugh.
A few minutes later, Ginger walked up to the table.
"Thanks for letting me join you!" Ginger said.
"Always welcome," Luke replied.
I was impressed with how quickly Luke worked through his discomfort.
"I heard we should be in for a treat tonight," Casey said, looking directly at Luke.
"He's not only cute, but he has a voice!" Ginger enthused.
At this point, Luke was blushing deeply.
"Aw, you're embarrassing him," Angus said. This, of course, made Luke blush more deeply.
The dinner conversation flowed. Our table had been bussed, and we had fresh drinks when Georgia flashed the lights to signal sign-up time and the start of the show. Cody, Ginger, and Casey all went to sign up.
About a third of the way in, Georgia thanked the previous group.
"Our next team is four regulars with a newcomer. A big round of applause for Big Mixup featuring Luke," she said.
Luke placed a chair in the center of the stage and sat; the four ladies surrounded him. Their performance was even better than when we'd watched at home. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers when they finished. They were definitely the team to beat.
-----
"You look like you're going to be sick," I said to Luke.
"I'm stressed! I'm really, really stressed!"
"Why? I mean, job interviews are hard, but..."
"I have never gone through an interview," Luke started. "Add to that, you worked there, Angus and Justin work there, and most importantly, Justin stuck his neck out for me! I need to perform!"
"Sit. Why didn't you say something? I would be happy to help you prep for the interview; so would Justin."
"I didn't think Justin could help. And..."
"Do you want help?"
"Yes!"
I went and grabbed my phone.
"Hey, sorry to bother you. Do you have a bit of time? Luke is stressed over his interview."
"Sure, be glad to help," Justin responded.
"I'll get Luke to call you."
"He's on Android?"
"Yeah."
"Tell him to use WhatsApp and message me, then we can switch to video."
"Deal. Thanks!"
"No worries."
I hung up and rejoined Luke.
"Call Justin on WhatsApp."
An hour later, Luke walked into the den where Cody and I were watching television.
"Better?"
"Yes. He helped me understand what types of questions might be asked. He did several sample interview questions with me and then critiqued my answers. He even pulled Angus in on a couple to add another perspective. It really helped me."
"Good. Do you want more practice?"
"I think I'm good. Thanks."
He gave me a kiss and then snuggled up next to me.
I was sitting at my desk the next day when my phone vibrated. I wasn't in the middle of anything special, so I flipped it over and saw it was from Luke.
`Went great! Will tell all @ dinner'
`Glad to hear it! Love you!'
I got a heart emoji back.
-----
I took Friday afternoon off as Luke's family would be arriving just before dinner. Nate had suggested going out for dinner, but I convinced them to eat at the house Friday night. The celebration meal could be after Luke's graduation.
As I walked into the house, I found Luke waiting for me. He didn't look happy.
"I still can't get another ticket."
"Luke, nothing would make me happier than to see you graduate. But each graduate gets two tickets, and you were able to find one more. It'll be okay. Cody's going to photograph everything, and I'm going to keep your brothers busy."
"FUCK!"
"Can't right now. Your parents will be here shortly."
He looked at me with a `what the fuck' look on his face. "That's not what I meant!"
"I know, but I'm trying to lighten the mood just a bit."
"I could just tell my folks."
"And you could just ruin your entire graduation. And of course, it doesn't fix the problem - which parent isn't going to your graduation? No, it's not the right moment."
"I just want you to share it with me!"
"Look. You're going to be on the main floor of the arena. I would be up in the nosebleed seats. They graduate you in groups. When you get home, we're going to celebrate!" I really wanted to see him graduate, but I couldn't admit it.
"Yeah," his voice sounded very underwhelmed. "Lunch with my family."
"It's not that bad. It's a big table at one of your favorite restaurants. A few hours later, they head home."
"Yeah."
"I'm not supposed to tell you this, but..."
"Tell me what?"
"Cody and I have a graduation surprise planned for you!"
That put a big smile on his face. "Tell me!"
"Nope, but we do have a surprise for you."
I spent time calming Luke down and getting him to relax. I heard the SUV pull up about four thirty.
"Luke, your folks are here!" I called.
"Okay," he called from the bedroom. "Heading there!"
I was heading to join him when I heard a cell phone ring. It was Luke's, and I recognized the number, so I answered.
"Hello."
"Good afternoon, Luke. This is Samantha Green."
"Sam! It's Coulter Bochanan; how are you doing?"
"Coulter... great to hear your voice. I hope you're doing well. Did I dial the wrong number? I'm calling for..."
"For Luke Zeller," I finished. "He's my tenant. I grabbed his cell phone because I recognized the number. Let me get him. His parents just arrived for his graduation."
"Well, I'm hoping I have a graduation present for him!"
"I bet you do! I'll be right back."
I hurried to the front door.
"Nate, Sarah, Matthew, Mark, John," I said. "Welcome! Excuse me a moment, Luke, there's an important phone call for you."
I nodded my head and smiled big at him. Luke took the phone and moved off quickly.
"Something big?" Nate asked.
"I hope so!" I replied. "It's HR from the company he had an interview with recently."
We were still standing there chatting when we heard Luke from another room. "WOOOOO HOOOO!"
"I'm taking it; he got the job," Sarah said.
"I think so."
"While we wait, I wanted to thank you for offering to put us up this weekend, but I think with the five of us, the hotel was the right idea," Sarah said.
"We could have worked it out; there is plenty of space here. I'm glad the Residence Inn had a two-bedroom suite for you."
We heard fast-paced footsteps.
"I got the job!" Luke announced as he rejoined us!
"More to celebrate!" Nate said.
"Let's go into the family room," I suggested.
The seven of us had been sitting there for a short period of time when Cody showed up.
"Successful errand?" I asked.
"Uh huh."
We sat in the den and talked for a while. It gave me a chance to get to know Luke's family a bit more. About five-thirty, I realized I needed to get a move on dinner.
"Excuse me, I need to do a few things to finish dinner," I said.
"Can I help?" Sarah offered.
"Sure."
She followed me into the kitchen.
"What can I do to help?"
"I have things prepped and ready. I just need to add the finishing details. Let's see, there are salad greens and fixin's in the fridge; pull them out and get them on the counter by the bowls."
She started on the task while I started on my next task.
"It is so nice of you to host this. Everything you've done for Luke. Everything you've done for Cody. Luke told me you've been teaching him to bake."
"I've been teaching them to cook and back. They're learning quickly," I explained.
"Luke said they are planning to continue living here," she started.
"Of course. It's convenient for Cody to get to school. It's affordable, and most importantly, Luke didn't have a job until just now."
"Luke should start paying you rent."
"Nope." I put my hand up to stop her.
"But..."
"I'm not having an argument today. He and I have discussed him contributing to the household, and he plans to. It's between him and me at this point and will continue to be so."
She looked at me for a moment. Stunned? Maybe, but I wasn't going to let it bother me.
"You're right," she said. "He's an adult. You're an adult. Just don't let him take advantage of you."
"I don't think he ever would, nor would I let him. I learned that lesson the hard way."
She looked a bit puzzled, thought a bit more, and then said, "I guess you did. Changing the subject, how's Cody been doing?"
"Overall, he's good. There are bad moments, but nothing we can't work through."
"Specific triggers?"
"Definitely. Family times are the worst. But he handles it all maturely. I got him seeing a therapist, and it has made all the difference."
"Someone on campus?"
"No. It's an online counseling company."
"Chat?"
"No. More like Skype or Facetime, but an encrypted channel through a portal. Hour-long sessions where they talk things out. Been a big help."
"That's wonderful."
We continued chatting until we had dinner ready. I'd done a salad, a pan of lasagna, and green beans.
The eight of us ate and caught up on life in general. Nate and Sarah packed up their troop and headed to the hotel around nine.
Luke was helping me clean up the last of the kitchen while Cody tidied up the rest of the house.
"Did you talk to John about how he's doing at Tech?" I asked Luke.
"Yeah, it sounds like he did really well."
"You think Mark will enjoy ODU?"
"Huh?"
"You didn't hear him say he's going there?"
"No. Ick."
"Why ick?"
"Too close to home!"
"He said he's going to live at home and commute, trying to save costs."
"He's a bit of a momma's boy," Luke explained. "Mom will be cooking and doing laundry for him until he's married."
I had to chuckle at that.
"Everything's cleaned up, and all the lights are out," Cody reported.
-----
I woke up Saturday morning with Luke's head on my chest and Cody snuggled in on the other side. I lay there for a few moments and realized that we needed to get moving.
"Luke, Cody, it's time to wake up."
"Okay," Cody said quietly.
"Nooo," Luke said.
"We're meeting your folks for breakfast in...," I paused and looked at the clock. "Forty-five minutes."
"How could you agree to breakfast out at seven?"
"They wanted breakfast before your ceremony. Seven means you get to eat and get there with time to spare."
"Up and moving!" Cody said. With that, he sat up and kissed me, then sprang from the bed and ran to the bathroom.
"Morning people, ugh," Luke said.
Luke rolled over slightly, and I shifted, letting me give him a deep kiss.
"At least there are perks to waking up early," he admitted.
I groped his butt a bit as we climbed out of bed. We found Cody brushing his teeth as we got into the bathroom.
"What should I wear?" Cody asked.
"I'd recommend khakis, a dress shirt, and a tie."
"I'm wearing shorts and a tee," Luke said. "It's supposed to be eighty-five today, and with the cap and gown, I'll get hot."
"They aren't floor-length," I reminded him.
"Oh. I hadn't thought of that. Hmm..."
"Try a really light pair of khakis and a polo shirt. That way, you don't have to change before lunch."
After getting dressed, we grabbed travel mugs of coffee and headed out in the Jeep. We met Luke's family at a diner near their hotel and had a nice breakfast.
"We should be back at your place around twelve thirty if the schedule holds," Nate said.
"The four of us will be ready to head out for lunch," I said.
I watched Luke and Cody climb into Nate's SUV and then turned to look at the three young men with me.
"We don't need to get back to the house for three hours. What to do... go-kart racing, trampoline park, Top Golf, or bowling?"
"Go-karts," Matthew put in enthusiastically.
"Yeah," Mark agreed.
John just nodded his head.
"Sounds good. Let's go," I said as we got to the Wrangler.
"Know how to handle a stick?" I asked John.
"Yeah!"
I tossed him the keys.
"Thanks," he said. "Which way?"
Over the next few hours, I discovered that the brothers had similarities and distinct differences from Luke. It was a great opportunity to get to know them.
We got through several races at the go-kart track and then headed back to the house.
We'd been back thirty minutes when Nate's car arrived. I wanted to run and hug Luke, kiss him, and show my fullest emotion! Instead, I walked over and shook his hand.
"Congrats," I said.
"Thanks!"
"I took some great shots!" Cody enthused.
A wave of disappointment flushed through me, but I pushed it back hard.
"Ready to head for lunch?" Sarah asked.
"John's driving my Jeep."
"Brave man," Luke teased.
John drove his brothers and me over, and his parents followed with Luke and Cody. Lunch was a cacophony of competing conversations as the boys tried to tell their parents about racing while Nate and Sarah tried to tell me about graduation.
-----
We spent the afternoon with Luke's family and had dinner before they headed back to the hotel. They were planning to stop by the next morning for breakfast before they headed south.
As soon as we got into the house, I pulled Luke into my arms and said, "Happy graduation."
"Thanks; I wish you'd been there, but I understand it wouldn't have worked."
"I wish I was there as well. We have a present for you."
Luke followed us into the den, and then Cody handed him a box. He took his time unwrapping the box and then carefully unfolding the tissue paper.
"What the..." he started and stopped. "It looks like a lacrosse jersey."
"Pull it out," Cody urged.
We'd bought Luke a custom lacrosse jersey and matching shorts. As he looked at it, he realized what it was and exclaimed, "Holy cow!"
"It's a porthole game jersey," Cody explained. "With matching shorts."
"It's got my name on it," Luke said.
"Look at the front," Cody urged.
"LCC Triad," Luke read. "What's LCC Triad?"
"Luke, Cody, Coulter," I explained. "Triad as in three."
"Very cool," Luke said.
"But there's more," Cody said. "Change into your outfit and give us one minute."
Cody and I went back into the bedroom and changed into our uniforms. We came back and said, "Surprise."
"Dudes, this is awesome." He came over and pulled us into a big hug.
"But there's more," I said.
"Oh?"
"What do you think?" Cody said.
"Oh, shit..." Luke said. He took off at a run for the basement.
Cody and I followed him. We found him on the weight bench.
"Sex!"
"Top? Bottom?" I asked.
"Sandwich!"
And with that, Luke's graduation present took off.
Copyright 2023 BndgDawg (BndgDawg@gmail.com). Do not reproduce or distribute this story without the author's permission.
This is Chapter Thirteen of the third story I have written. I look forward to positive comments, constructive criticisms and otherwise pleasantly worded feedback. Flames and attacks will be ignored and addresses blocked. (BndgDawg@gmail.com).
My other stories on this site are Double Trails (Beginnings/Rural - December 8, 2016) and Homeless (High School - July 30, 2017).