My Best Friend's Boyfriend

by G. A. Hauser

  He used the stairs and hopped up them two by two to the third floor. Standing in front of unit three-o-three, Gavin rapped the door with his knuckles and heard Toby say, “Come in!” from inside.

  Gavin found the door unlocked and entered. “Almost ready?”

  he said as he searched for him. He located him in the bathroom dabbing on cologne. Stopping short, Gavin gave his new lover a once over. “Damn, you’re amazing. What the hell are you doing with me?”

  “Yeah, what am I doing with such an ugly dude?” Toby capped the bottle and stuck it into the medicine cabinet. “Well?

  Suitable for a night out with Ms. Yamagachi?”

  “She’s going to kill me.” Gavin shook his head. “You are everything she wants in a man.”

  Toby grabbed Gavin’s collar. “And you are everything I want in one.” He kissed him.

  “That smells excellent. What cologne is it?” Gavin sniffed Toby’s neck, getting horny.

  “Dangereux cologne. Ever hear of it?” Toby began grinding his cock against Gavin’s.

  “Is that the one with the hot long-haired model and the white horse?”

  “Yes.” Toby embraced Gavin, beginning to get amorous as the attraction drew them together. “Mark Richfield.”

  “Huh?” Gavin lost himself on the way Toby was rolling their stiff cocks over one another.

  “The model. The one for the cologne. Oh, Christ I want to fuck you.” Toby moaned and sucked on Gavin’s mouth. “The sex earlier was so good.” He humped Gavin hotly.

  “If we start now, we’ll never get to the restaurant.”

  “You’re staying over.” Toby said it like an order, so Gavin replied, “Yes, sir,” and saluted.

  “Have you ever been in the military?” Toby straightened Gavin’s collar since he had messed it up.

  “No. Why? Should I enlist?”

  “Ever role play?” Toby smiled wickedly.

  “Christ! You’re making me so fucking horny we’ll never get out of here.” Gavin grabbed his own crotch and squeezed his hard cock.

  Toby nodded as if he agreed. “Right. Time to fix things with your BFF.” He headed to his bedroom and put his wallet in his pocket. “I’m driving.” He dangled his keys. “Now, and…later.”

  Toby licked his top lip sensually.

  Gavin moaned and rubbed his dick, trying to tame it.

  “If you don’t stop giving me a solo show, I’m going to rip your clothing off.”

  “Jesus!” Gavin struggled to gain control over his body. With a man as hot as Toby teasing him, it wasn’t easy.

  Toby put on his glasses and said, “Okay, handsome. Ready or not.”

  “Not, but I have to work this out with Trina.”

  “She’ll be fine.” Toby shut off lights as he went.

  “You don’t know her like I know her.” Gavin waited by the front door.

  “No. That’s true.” Toby closed the door and double locked it, walking beside Gavin to the stairs. “How do you think she’ll react when she sees you’ve brought me?”

  “She’ll be upset. My guess is she’ll try to leave the restaurant.” Their shoes made echoing sounds as they trotted down the stairwell. Gavin opened the door at the ground floor and it led directly to the parking area.

  “So? Are we supposed to tie her to the chair?” Toby held his key in his hand as he walked. They stopped at his garage and he turned the lock, activating the garage door opener.

  “Yes. Got rope?” Gavin stood beside the passenger door of the Vette. “I love this car.”

  “Me too.” Toby climbed behind the wheel. When they were both sitting in the low slung seats, Toby said, “But…it doesn’t have all the mod-cons, you know? I was thinking about getting something really jazzy. I wouldn’t mind power door locks, satellite navigation…etcetera.” He started the engine and it roared like a rocket.

  Gavin gave him a sensual expression and moaned. “Listen to that. You can’t get horse power like that in a new car.” He fastened the seat belt.

  “I’ve updated it the best I can. There’s only so much you can do to a sixty-two.” Toby backed out, using the remote garage door opener to close it then open the gate of the parking lot. As they waited for the metal gate to roll back, Gavin held Toby’s thigh. “I’m in the same boat with the Mazda. Believe me, I’ve looked at new cars. But that baby’s paid for and the insurance is cheap.”

  Toby drove up the slight slope of the driveway, closing the gate behind him. “You said Shilshole?”

  “Yes. You know where that is?”

  “Through Ballard, right? I’ve been there before.”

  “Just go down Market.”

  “Okay.” Toby shifted gears and rested his hand on top of Gavin’s. “So, what’s our strategy?”

  “Well, I’ve given it a lot of thought.” Gavin relaxed, straddling his legs. “I think we need to be firm but sweet. Trina’s defense mechanism is to get angry and say things she doesn’t mean. Don’t take anything personally. Within a minute she usually apologizes and I know she doesn’t mean anything she says when she’s been hurt.”

  “You really know her well.”

  “I do. I adore that woman. Like I said, she’s been my best friend for four years. I don’t want to lose her.”

  “What if she gives you an ultimatum?”

  “I’m hoping to avoid that.” Gavin glanced down at their hands as Toby shifted gears. Instead of resting his hand on his again, Toby cupped Gavin’s crotch. “Great. Now I’ll be hard all night.”

  “Tough. I can’t stop thinking about the sex we had. Son-of-abitch, Gavin. I want more of that.”

  “Yeah. Me too.” Gavin rubbed Toby’s hand as it rubbed his dick.

  “If you’re agreeable, I’d be happy to buy you an army surplus uniform. I heard there’s a cool shop locally that sells them.”

  “The one on First Ave?”

  “Yup.”

  “How did you find that one already, Oregonian?”

  “I know where all the kinky shops are in this town.”

  “Huh. I never thought of that one as kinky.”

  “Think outside the box. I use that phrase for managementspeak. My team either thinks I’m crazy or innovative.”

  “They probably all want you in their beds.”

  “Now that’s scary!”

  They exchanged smiles and laughed.

  Gavin was so happy, he was trying to believe Trina would be happy for him. But he knew her. She would take time to get over the ego slap.

  When they arrived at the Shilshole marina area restaurant, Toby parked his pride and joy in a distant spot. Gavin usually did the same, and for a change it wasn’t raining. The evening was cool, but clear. They held hands until they approached the main entrance where several families and older couples were gathering. Gavin took out his phone and called Trina as they entered the restaurant.

  “Hi, Gavie!”

  “Hi, Trina. Are you guys here yet?”

  “In the dining room. We had a couple of drinks so you need to catch up.”

  Gavin met the hostess and said, “I believe my friends are already here.”

  “Go right ahead.” The woman smiled and gestured for them to enter the dining area.

  Gavin held the phone to his ear as he searched for her. He caught her wave and hung up, putting it into his pocket. Seeing her smile change to a furious scowl Gavin said to Toby, “Prepare yourself. She just spotted you.”

  “Battle ready, sir!” Toby teased.

  Gavin stood at their table. “Trina, calm down. You look like you’re about to have a stroke.”

  “Hi, Gavin.” Brook waved shyly.

  “Hi, Brook. This is Toby,” Gavin introduced him politely.

  “I know. The minute Trina saw you, she told me. Hi, Toby. Nice to meet you.”

  While Toby greeted Brook, Gavin stepped closer to Trina, kneeling down to speak quietly. “Are you going to be able to deal with this and act like an adult?”

  “How could you bring
him here? Is he your date?” Trina obviously wanted to raise her voice but controlled her volume.

  “I brought him here so we could talk this out.”

  “Gavin, is he your date?” she enunciated.

  He stood and said to Toby, “Take a seat.”

  Toby sat down next to Brook at the square table for four, across from Trina. Gavin sat as well, his focus on his furious friend.

  The waitress came over immediately. “Can I get you both something to drink?”

  “Beer, please.” Gavin tried not to take his attention away from Trina, who appeared on the verge of a dramatic scene.

  “Two Full Sail ales, please,” Toby ordered for Gavin, seeing Gavin had his hands full.

  The waitress left.

  Gavin said to Trina, “Take a deep breath, will you?”

  Toby leaned across the table towards her. “Trina, I’m sorry. I never meant to lead you on.”

  “I’m not talking to you.” Her lip curled in a snarl and she looked back at Gavin. “You two are together? Here? You brought him as your date to rub it in my face?”

  “No. Never.” Gavin tried to catch her hand and hold it, both to reassure her and to stop her from either bolting for the door or slapping him. Her expression was so volatile, Gavin expected anything. “Trina, please, at least calm down so we can discuss this. Can you do that for me? Please?”

  She picked up her glass and sucked down the contents. Gavin could tell it was a martini by the olive toothpick and the scent.

  “I’ll buy you a few rounds, all right? Will that help keep you sedated enough to talk to me?”

  “Don’t treat me like an idiot. I know you just stole my boyfriend from me.”

  “I wasn’t your boyfriend, Trina.” Toby spoke very softly.

  “Shut up. I’m still not talking to you.”

  Gavin glanced at Brook. She gave him a helpless shrug. Gavin was hoping she would be a buffer. He asked her, “Who drove?”

  “I did,” Brook replied.

  “Good. Trina, I’m getting you another martini. Okay? Take a deep breath, for fuck’s sake.” Gavin jumped as an arm appeared from behind him. The waitress was setting down the two beers. He felt like he was a nervous wreck at Trina’s reaction. “Can you get the two ladies another round, please?”

  “Yes, certainly. Are you ready to order?”

  “No. Are you guys?” Gavin asked Trina and Brook.

  “We can wait for you to decide,” Brook said, obviously trying to keep everyone from exploding.

  “I’ll be back with the fresh drinks.” The waitress left.

  “Trina.” Gavin scooted his chair closer to her. “Sweetheart, I adore you. I would never hurt you. No one did anything to you deliberately.”

  “Are you two dating?” She didn’t seem calmer. It was rage under her controlled words.

  Gavin felt helpless and glanced at Toby.

  Toby said, “I’m gay, Trina. I wanted to tell you when we first met, but I didn’t find the opportunity.”

  Brook made a small noise in her throat. Gavin didn’t know if it was sympathy or surprise.

  Gavin rubbed his forehead. “Trina, forgive him. Forgive me.”

  “For what? You won’t tell me if you two are dating. Are you?

  Are you together now?”

  Toby and Gavin again exchanged looks. Gavin exhaled loudly as the waitress arrived at their table. She placed two drinks down for the women and asked, “Do you still need more time?”

  “Trina?” Gavin asked, “Are we all going to be able to make it through dinner together?”

  She snorted a sarcastic sound and gulped her drink.

  “Another minute?” Gavin asked the waitress.

  She smiled sweetly and left.

  “Hun?” Gavin touched Trina’s arm. Trina flinched away, nursing her martini. “Should we leave?”

  “We?” She glared at him. “You and me?”

  “No. Me and Toby.”

  “Did you drive together?” Trina asked.

  Gavin could hear her voice pinching in her throat.

  Toby said, “Trina. This is my fault. Don’t blame Gavin. I fucked up. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m still not talking to you.” Trina turned her attention to Gavin. “Gavie,” she whispered, “You don’t want him. He’s a liar.”

  “Baby, I don’t know what I want yet. But I want you to be okay if Toby and I do decide we want to be together.”

  “No.”

  “No,” Gavin echoed without the questioning lilt. “So, that’s it? You can’t have him, so I neither can I?”

  “Why would you want a man that lies, Gavie?” Trina spoke softly, as if she didn’t want Brook and Toby to overhear.

  “I’m not sure if he lied, or he just didn’t say he was gay when he should have.”

  She looked past Gavin at Toby.

  Gavin sat back in his chair and did the same.

  Toby was drinking his beer, appearing calm. “What?” he asked, “Are you talking to me now?”

  “Are you dating my Gavie?” Trina asked.

  “I would like to. I guess I need your permission or blessing.”

  Gavin made a face of pain at Toby. “Come on.”

  He shrugged. “Why should she decide if we’re together, Gavin? What am I not getting here?”

  Brook asked, “Are you guys together now?”

  Gavin looked at Trina. He said directly to her, “Yes. I think so.”

  Trina made a move as if she were going to leave, searching for her purse. Gavin held her arm. “Don’t you dare storm out.”

  “You betrayed me, Gavie. I thought we meant something…”

  “You mean everything to me. But, don’t you want to see me happy?”

  “With my boyfriend?” She poked her own chest to emphasize her point.

  “I was never your boyfriend, Trina. I wanted us to be friends, like you and Gavin are.”

  “You will never be what me and Gavin are,” she replied coldly.

  Gavin gave Toby and Brook an imploring look and asked,

  “Do you guys mind if Trina and I speak in private for a minute?”

  Both shook their heads, and Toby said, “Be my guest.”

  Gavin held Trina’s elbow and escorted her to the outside of the restaurant where they could speak privately. When she dabbed her eyes before they could begin, Gavin felt sick inside.

  “Come here.” He embraced her, rocking her in his arms. He kissed her hair and held her. “Would I ever hurt you?”

  “No.” Her voice sounded weak and shallow.

  “I have stood by you through thick and thin for four years and countless men. I have been there for you every time you call me, every time you need me, haven’t I?”

  “Yes.”

  He released her as she looked for something to wipe her eyes and nose with. Gavin approached an older woman and asked,

  “You wouldn’t have a tissue, would you?”

  She dug through her purse, handing him one.

  “Thank you.” He brought it to Trina and dabbed her eyes gently. She took it from him and wiped her nose.

  “Sweetheart, are you angrier at Toby for not being straight, or me for liking him?” He brushed back her long dark hair.

  “Both. Gavie, what about us?”

  “Us?” He smiled sweetly. “Honey, you and me will always be best friends. Don’t you worry about that.”

  “No. You’ll fall in love with Toby. You won’t love me.”

  He paused and tried to think. “Trina.”

  She was hesitant to meet his eyes, dabbing the tissue at her nose and cheek.

  “Trina, look at me.” He held her shoulders. When finally she did, he said, “You know there’s no future between you and I, right?”

  Her lip quivered.

  “Sweetie?” He drew her farther from the main entrance. “You never had any expectations, right?” He couldn’t believe she would not answer him. A horrible sense of dread washed over him. Each failed engagement, each man
she had turned away for petty things, including David who worshipped the ground she walked on made him ask the question; Why? “No. Trina, please tell me you weren’t hoping that I…”

  “Why are you gay?”

  This time when she said it, her eyes filled with tears. Until that point, Gavin had assumed it was her joke, her tease. A reality hit him that devastated him. He embraced her again and closed his eyes as his own emotions crept up on him. “I can’t love you like that.”

  “Gavie…why not?”

  “I don’t know why. It’s just the way it is.”

  “But we can still love each other the way we do. Can’t we?”

  He knew she didn’t mean as friends. Somehow inside his gut he had a bad feeling it was something more. He brought her to a retaining wall and sat down, allowing her to sit on the inside of his leg as he straddled. He held her around her back and tried to figure out where she was in her head. “Did you think eventually we would be together?”

  She nodded, but looked upset.

  “Like…married?”

  Another weak nod.

  “Oh, my Trina.” Gavin pressed their heads together, and sighed. “I can’t marry you, my love. I would never be a proper husband to you, and you can’t give me what I need.”

  “Yes, you can. You’re better than any man I’ve dated, Gavie.” She exhaled and he felt her rest all her weight against him.

  “Sweetheart, I am so flattered to hear that, but you know and I know, I am very gay. I need a man in my bed.”

  “Toby?”

  “Maybe. But I can’t marry a woman, even one as fabulous as you, and pretend.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “Do you understand?”

  “I’ll lose you. You and Toby will fall in love and I’ll lose you.”

  “No. Never.” Gavin shook her gently, making his point. “Any man I date will have to understand I have to make time for you.”

  They stared at each other in the dimming twilight. The distant sound of gulls and the ferry boat’s low bellowing horn out in the Sound behind them. Trina kissed him.

  Gavin allowed it but didn’t open his lips. When she parted from it, she gave him a strange look.