Disclaimer: The following story is fiction and is not intended to imply anything about the true sexuality of the celebrities mentioned or any personal knowledge about their private lives. I am just a fan with what I hope is a good imagination.
Thanks to Bora for always being there, Evan & Heidi for a great night and Andrew for becoming a part of the story.
If you have suggestions or thoughts, let me know. hr_lind@yahoo.com
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Chapter 17
Well I think I might have figured out why Joey and Kelly have been fighting. It looks to me like his friend Drew, is a little more than just a friend.
"Hey Joe, come over here," I called out.
"Ry, what are you doing?" Lance whispered.
"I'm going to find out exactly what is going on here."
"Hi guys, Drew this is HeathRiley, and you already know Lance. HR this is my friend Drew."
"Friend?" I asked raising my eyebrow and looking down at their hands, which were still clasped together.
"With benefits," Joey clarified.
"What!?!" Lance shouted. Everyone in the room turned to look at us.
"Jamie calm down. Let's go over to the corner for a minute."
We left the room and went to go talk.
"Okay Joey, spill." Lance demanded.
"You know that I've always been bi," Joey started.
I was shocked by that revelation, but Lance seemed to take it in stride.
"Yeah, I know you've talked about being attracted to guys, but you love Kelly. You married her for god's sake."
"I do love her, but I'm not in love with her. I am not attracted to her. I can't get it up with her anymore."
"Okay Joey, too much information." I interjected. "So this is why you were fighting with Kelly?"
"Yes, I don't see a need to live a lie. Lance showed me that it's ok to accept who I truly am. Drew has always been there to take care of certain needs, and I want to see if we can be more than that."
"Are you in love with Drew?" I asked.
"I love him with all my heart, but I don't know if I'm in love yet."
"I guess than all we can say is follow your heart, but you need to make up with Kelly. It is important that you stay friends for Brianna's sake." Lance said.
"You think I don't know that? It's not like Kelly didn't know I was bi. I think she's just more pissed at the fact that Drew and I are together, than the fact that I am not with her."
"Okay, well let's drop it for now. Do the rest of the guys know what is going on?" I asked.
"They found out this afternoon." He replied.
"Fine, so we are going to have fun this weekend, and we'll leave the worrying until Monday. But you will tone it down if front of Ry's family and mine. They don't know what is going on, and I'd rather you not freak them out. That cool with everyone?" Lance said.
"Fine by me," Andrew replied.
"Same here," Joey agreed.
We went back to our function room and continued to welcome our guests. Once everyone was seated, Lance and I stood up in the middle of the room, champagne glasses in hand.
"I would like to thank you all for being here to share in HeathRiley's and my special day. For some of you it was a long trip, and others it was just down the street." Referring to Terrence and Rachel who had just bought a house in Quincy. "Each one of you is extremely important to us, and that is why you are here. Unfortunately, not everyone that we wanted to be here could make it, but we thank them for the effort made."
"Very true. Tomorrow Lance and I will embark on a new adventure together. We know that life won't always be easy. For the most part it isn't. But we know that we can count on all of you to help us get through it. You all know how hard the past few weeks have been with Lance and I trying to plan a wedding and almost never being in the same state. But we will focus on the important things in life, happiness, laughter and love. Thank you all for being here tonight and enjoy."
Lance and I raised our glasses, and our guests followed suit.
"To love," we said.
"To love," they replied.
We drank our champagne and the party started. The menu included a French onion soup to start; the entrée was broiled scrod with a lemon butter sauce, a baked potato and green bean almandine and for dessert was various flavored cheesecakes. We had a three-piece band for music, and there was lots of dancing going on. I had specifically requested a few 'NSYNC songs, and the guys true to form, couldn't dance to them without going into their choreography. It was too funny watching them, and Brianna was trying to mimic her father. She was so adorable. We had such a blast the whole night long. It was just before midnight; Brianna and Leyton were both sleeping on some chairs in the corner. I felt someone come up behind me and grab me into a hug. I figured it was Joey by the size, but when he rubbed his face up against mine, I didn't feel a goatee.
He kissed my cheek and said, "Hey friend."
Oh my god! "Mike?" I turned around and threw my arms around him. "What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't come?"
"HR, I can always cum."
I shoved his shoulder. "You know what I mean."
"I can only be here until right after the wedding. Your fiancé did a wonderful thing."
I looked over at Lance, and he was blushing.
"What did he do?"
"Chartered a plane for me."
"Good lord. That boy doesn't know how to stop spending money."
"I only do it to make you happy." Lance came up behind me and put his arms around my waist. I was trapped in a sandwich between the love of my life and my savior.
"Thanks Jamie. You are truly amazing. I love you."
I tried to turn around to kiss him, but Mike wasn't letting me go.
"HR, it's just about midnight. Go kiss your man, and then we are off."
"What are you talking about? I am going home tonight. There was a no bachelor party rule."
"Quite true, but that doesn't mean that you get to spend the night with your man. There are still a few traditions that we are going to hold by. We are going to have a grand old J-Wu sleepover."
"Mike, we never slept at any of those sleepovers."
"Not true, any time it was the two of us there was plenty of sleeping."
"Yeah, but never when Abbey was there, and you and Heidi still hate being in the same room together."
"No worries. We have it all planned out."
"And where is this sleepover supposed to be happening?"
"Upstairs. We have the Atlantic suite, and the 'NSYNC crew has the Marina Bay suite."
"And who will be attending?"
"Me, Abbey, Heidi, Terrence, Tribora and you. Abbey's Mike, Evan and Rachel don't feel comfortable joining us. Rachel is going home and Mike and Evan are in their own hotel rooms tonight. Now stop worrying. We are going to have a great time, and I promise that you will be fully rested for tomorrow."
"Ok, I'm holding you personally responsible if I don't look my best tomorrow."
"What did I tell you two seconds ago, stop worrying. Now go say goodbye to Lance, so I can bring you upstairs. Everyone else is waiting."
I turned back to Lance. "I'm going to miss you tonight. I got so used to sleeping with you again."
"I know, me too. I love you Ry," he said right before he kissed me.
It was a soft, tender kiss that left me wanting more. He pulled away, but I refused to let him go. I caught his lip between my teeth, pulled him back to me, and kissed him hard. Trying to meld our lips together. When I finally let him go, we were both panting hard.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow afternoon," he said.
"I can't wait. I love you."
"I love you too sweet stuff."
Mike took my hand and I went with him towards the elevator. All I wanted to do was run right back to Lance, grab him in my arms and never let go. That obviously wasn't going to happen, especially with the hold Mike had on me. We stepped into the elevator, and Mike pressed the button.
"Heath, calm down. It's only one night; you were just away from him for a month and a half."
"I know, it's just that I really wanted to spend more time with him before everything changes."
"I don't understand."
"Right now we are dating. It's been a whirlwind romance, and even though I love him with all my heart, tomorrow makes it permanent. And that is just weird for me. I always wanted to find my soul mate, and I have. But I'm afraid of the future. We haven't figured everything out. I don't know what kind of toothpaste he prefers, or his favorite movie. There is so much I don't know about him." I looked down at the floor of the elevator feeling really confined in that small space.
"HeathRiley look at me."
I lifted my head and looked Mike in the eyes; I could see how much it was hurting him to see me so afraid.
"This is why you are marrying Lance. You love him, and he loves you. You have a forever kind of love. You will have a lifetime together to figure out the little nitpicky things. And yes you will each do things to piss the other person off, but it is because of your love that you will be able to make it."
"You're right, I'm just nervous."
We arrived at our floor and got off the elevator.
"Yes you are, and that is okay. You are supposed to be. Now remember tonight we are going to have some fun with great friends, and tomorrow you will tell you boyfriend how much you love him as he becomes your husband."
I started to cry. I reached out and hugged Mike.
"You always know the right things to say."
"That's what I am here for."
"Thanks." I kissed him on the cheek.
"No prob. Now wipe the tears away and let's have a great non-bachelor party party."
Mike opened the door to the suite which was opulent to say the least. Most of the closest people in my life were inside that room, all waiting to spend some quality time with me. I saw bowls of popcorn and chips. Trays full of veggies and fruit. And a huge stack of DVDs. I had been inside the suite before. Actually I was involved with the original designing of the suite, Bruce and I go way back, and he always valued my opinion. It was set up a little differently tonight. The living room was torn apart. Instead of the grand piano and couches, there were six twin mattresses set next to each other. When I walked in they were separated, but I am sure that by the time the night is over they will all be pushed up against each other. I'm not sure about Terrence and Tribora, but my Johnson & Wales friends never sleep alone if we are together. Let me tell you, two guys well over six feet sharing one twin dorm room bed, who are not in a relationship, it's interesting to say the least. But that is how Mike and I slept for much of my junior year in school. But getting back to the room, either my friends or the hotel had set it up so that we could all sleep together. I wondered if the other guys had a similar set up, or if it was just the way my crazy friends act.
We spent much of the night talking, but we did fit in one movie. Even though Lance and I had specifically asked for no presents, my friends each got me something. It felt like a bridal shower. Heidi and Abbey got me a whole wardrobe of sexy underwear; everything from silk boxers with matching robes to edible underwear. Tribora had made a beautiful scrapbook and hand crocheted an afghan (something that I had taught her to do, I was very impressed.) Terrence got me a couple cookbooks that I had been looking for and a gift certificate to Williams Sonoma. Mike, good old Mike. I think he bought out the entire adult superstore. He gave me a four by four by four foot box filled with every and any sex toy, lube, and flavored condom I think ever made.
When we finally went to sleep, as I suspected all the beds got pushed together. I fell asleep between Terrence and Heidi.
While Dreaming . . .
"Ry, he's beautiful," Lance looked at me with love.
"Yes Jamie he is. He is perfect, but so is his sister."
"Can you believe it?"
"Not at all."
"I can't think of a more perfect day."
"Me neither, I love you."
"I love you, and I love the joy you have brought me."
When I woke up in the morning, I had to be the happiest person on the planet, I was going to marry the man I love in six hours.