The following fictional story deals with sex among males. If you are offended by such material, are too young, or reside in a location where it is not allowed, please depart. Though not observed in this story, care enough about yourself and humankind to practice safe sex.
The author retains all rights. EvanBradley33@Yahoo.com
Chapter 12 The Bet
After "stumbling" into knowledge about Wes Stanfield, the new man in Rich Adams's life, at a Renegades game and later at Joe's Sports Bar and Grill, Hal spent a nearly sleepless night, disturbed that he'd reacted so traumatically to the new couple. As his heart and then mind began to acclimate to Rich's new relationship with Wes and its connection to Hal's past with Richie Collins, he couldn't shake a sense of supreme loss. After more tossing and turning, details of the evening began to drift into his consciousness the way a weak morning sun gradually forces fog to let go of the shapes it enshrouds. As he saw and realized more details, he worried increasingly about his treatment of Drew. Why had he tuned out so totally over Rich and Wes? He didn't want to compound his feeling that he'd "lost" Rich Adams by losing Drew as well. As much as he hated to admit having been so out of control, he had more than a nagging suspicion that his behavior toward Drew ranked far below the noble.
Hal knew he cared for Drew. He thought he loved him. But if he had treated Drew so mindlessly, just how much did Hal actually love him? Maybe Hal should use this occasion to take a "time out" to consider just what he DID feel about Drew. He'd really like to talk to someone about Drew and him. But the person whose advice he'd ordinarily seek and trust when he was confused was Drew himself. When Hal considered approaching Angie, Rich, or Max for advice, he knew he would be too embarrassed to disclose to them his callous treatment of their mutual friend. That fear alone, he realized, moved his suspicion to certainty that he'd not treated Drew well.
Hal arose, snagged a beer, and paced the house restlessly in his boxers, eventually ending up on the patio, slumped in a patio chair, replaying the evening again and again. Every time he thought about the way he tuned out on Drew during the game, about how he'd duped Drew into a post-game beer just so he could spy on Rich and Wes at Joe's Sports Bar, using Drew as cover, he shook his head as though to jostle those images from memory. Drew was too sharp not to realize that he was being used. Hal wondered why Drew's fiestiness didn't emerge at that point, leading Drew to set him straight. Again, he shook his head impatiently when he remembered essentially calling Drew to heel when he left Joe's, or the way he just dumped Drew at his front door and shot off, he winced, cursing himself for his insensitivity. He had never behaved that way toward anyone. 'Look at how you take care of the crew,' he defended himself. To salve his guilty conscience, he thought of the financial assistance he'd given Max (and now Kenji) and Ted and Levi in buying their homes, helping the Coopers. He'd like to help Tonio, but he wouldn't ask. Maybe he should offer Tonio the help. Maybe take him some noon to a dealership just to look at pickups. Then spring the offer on Tonio. But none of these lines of thought mitigated his shame for his treatment of Drew. 'That behavior is not the real Hal Winston,' he mentally lectured himself.
As soon as Hal knew Drew had awakened, he'd phoned him, apologizing for his behavior and making a date for dinner that evening. He had wined, dined, dazzled, and mesmerized Drew. Then he took him home and made passionate love to him most of the night, intent on showing Drew in every way - except use of the very words - that he loved him. He'd felt it was too early after his melt down over Rich and Wes to profess his love for Drew.
The date with Hal left Drew amazed. Standing in stark contrast to the previous evening, it was everything he wanted with Hal. He decided that Hal's former life was so tough that there would be occasional events like his reaction to Rich and Wes. After all, Hal had been alone all his life - except for the ghost of Richie Collins. Drew hadn't realized yet the full import of Hal's earlier relationships with members of the crew. The way Hal had presented it, the members of the crew were just sex buddies, helping each other out. In regard to Richie Collins, he decided that, when those difficult passages arose for Hal, Drew should stand by, allowing Hal to work through them, ready to assist in any way he could, providing the love that would heal the wounds of the past. He was more than grateful to know that he hadn't lost his place with Hal. He too was careful not to use the "L" word, fearing that it would drive Hal away. Nevertheless, he knew he'd already fallen in love with Hal Winston. He couldn't stop his mind and heart, long deprived of romance, from spinning scenarios for the future.
That same week Rich brought Wes for his first visit to Murphy's Gym to introduce him to the crew. Wes fit in perfectly. Again, Jamal was the first to start the integrating process by challenging Wes at lifting. "All you baseball players can really do is run sprints and swing a stick," Jamal snorted in contempt. "Let's see what you base jockeys can do with weights."
"Oh," Wes replied, grinning at the challenge, "I see we have a little, frustrated jock groupie in our midst. Wants to get it on with a jock but hasn't got the stuff. So he's going to do it with dumbbells," Wes razzed, grinning insolently, perfectly matching Jamal's demeanor.
"You're right: these dumbbells," here he nodded his head at the crew, "aren't much of a challenge. Let's see if you can do any better." Jamal's smart-ass remarks earned him a pelting with wadded up towels and scathing put-downs, putting a satisfied grin on Jamal's face because he'd provoked his buddies.
In no time, all the members of the crew were caught up in the contest. It was amazing how long the competition lasted with the two challengers matching the other's best. Wes had appeared to enjoy himself, and Rich was beaming with pride and happiness. Throughout the evening, Wes touched, hugged, and groped Rich, intent on the crew's understanding up front that he had staked his claim to Rich. Rich returned the gestures. His joyous grin in the face of Wes's attention said it all. None of the guys missed what the pair's behavior communicated about their relationship. At best, Hal's reactions were muted. He frequently looked the other direction when Rich and Wes's interactions occurred, irritated with himself that he was still uncomfortable about that aspect of their relationship. None of the crew tipped to the implications of the new couple for Hal. 'Hey, another possible three-way,' Tonio thought, smiling. The crew couldn't have imagined what had transpired with Hal and Drew when the former had discovered that Rich had a boy friend. However, Drew wasn't unaware of Hal's discomfort over the behavior of the two lovers. It left his brows furrowed with misgivings he didn't want to entertain.
Jack's Sports Bar & Grill
A week later, some of the crew were gathering at Jack's Sports Bar & Grill for a quick meal before another Renegades game. Hal, Tonio, Rich, Bobby and Angie were awaiting Drew's arrival. A late meeting at work had kept him from joining them at this point in the afternoon, so he'd promised to drive to Jack's right after work. This required a little more time, for Drew's office was farther north of the ballpark. Wes, of course, was at the ballpark. He would join them at Joe's after the game. A waitress had brought their drinks, and they were easing into their usual camaraderie. When Hal excused himself to go to the restroom, the conversation continued. It being the first occasion that the Coopers had accompanied the crew, the guys were updating them on the Renegades, their record that season, and some of the really great games and plays the crew had seen. Hal hadn't any more than walked away when Drew entered the front door. He'd shed his coat, loosened his tie, and rolled up the sleeves on his white dress shirt. He grinned at Tonio's wolf whistle, shooting a worried look at Bobby, who sat staring at Drew. Drew waited for the waitress to bring his drink. To start a new line of conversation, Tonio turned to Drew, asking, "Did Hal split his winnings with you?"
Drew looked puzzled. "Winnings? Don't tell me he won the state lottery?"
"You know, from the bet," Tonio clarified.
"The bet?"
Bobby and Angie's heads were moving back and forth between the speakers as though they were at a tennis match. "After Hal came over to you at the StairMaster that night at Murphy's Gym when you scooted off, Max and Levi bet Hal that he couldn't get you in bed in two weeks' time. Hal won. Two hundred bucks!" Tonio exclaimed lightly.
The color drained from Drew's face. Sensing his difficulty and cursing himself for not seeing where Tonio's question was heading, Rich quickly changed the subject, asking the Coopers how they liked their new duplex and catching Angie's eye, sending her a silent message, relying on the warm friendship that had ensued between them as they attended to the financial side of Hal's business. Understanding Rich's visual message completely, Angie launched into a tale about all the little projects they had started to put their mark upon the duplex. Bobby was bursting to tell them about what he'd been doing to turn one of the bedrooms into a nursery.
Drew sat quietly for a bit, staring at the tabletop. He leaned forward, pulling a ten-dollar bill out of his wallet and unobtrusively placing it on the table by his drink as he slid his wallet into his back pocket and arose, excusing himself and walking away. A couple of those in the group smiled in his wake, thinking that he was going to stumble into Hal in the restroom. When Hal finally returned, Bobby was telling the group that they had finally seen a sonogram of their son, which kicked off a round of congratulations to the mother and father. That was followed by questions about names. "Good thing Jamal's not here," Tonio commented; "he'd insist that you give your son his name."
At that point, their waitress came to take their orders. She started with Rich, then Tonio and the others, ending with Hal. "Wait a minute," Hal said, "should we order something for Drew. He's not here yet. If we don't order something now, he'll be late to the game."
"He got here while you were in the bathroom," Tonio said. "Didn't you see him there?
"No."
The group was quiet for a moment. "He must have left," Bobby vocalized what everyone was thinking.
"But why?" Hal asked in frustration. Rich and Angie traded looks heavy with meaning, an interaction not missed by Hal. When their food arrived, Hal was quiet, trying to come up with some explanation for Drew's strange behavior.
Renegades Ballpark
Later at the game, Hal leaned toward Angie, whispering in her ear, "Was something said at Jack's while I was gone from the table that would explain Drew's leaving?"
Angie could see Hal's worry. She whispered back, "Something about your winning a bet at the gym." Hal stared at her. She shrugged her shoulders.
Later, during a break between innings, Hal nodded to Rich to follow him. Hal walked down the bleachers to a concession stand where Rich caught up to him. "Let me buy you a beer," Hal offered.
"Okay," Rich agreed.
After they had taken a good draw on their beers, standing away from others, Hal asked, "What happened with Drew tonight?"
Rich pursed his lips. "Drew learned that you won Max and Levi's bet about bedding him in two weeks."
Hal blushed. "How?" he asked in exasperation, realizing that after the touchy recent events in Drew's and his relationship, this event likely set them back.
"How isn't important," Rich replied.
"But to just walk off like that. I can't see Drew doing that."
"Why not? You walked off from Drew that night at Jack's when you saw Wes and me for the first time." Hal stared at Rich, blushing again. "You did. Just left him sitting at your table. When you left us, you walked back to your table giving Drew a sharp command to follow you as though he were your bird dog. After you two left, Wes asked me if you two were in a bad relationship. I asked him what he meant. He said he'd drop me flat if I treated him the way you treated Drew. Then I heard from Angie that you almost shoved Drew out of your pickup at his doorstep after you left us."
Hal's head was hanging. "I know. I didn't even realize until early the next morning that I was like a zombie that night."
"Drew and you talked about it when you left the bar? Right?" Rich asked.
Hal shook his head as though he were trying to rid himself of an unpleasant mental image. "No, I just took him home. Begged off for the night. . . . But I've apologized for my behavior. Drew and I are okay again."
"I gotta tell you since I love you, Hal, I'm worried about you and Drew," Rich added.
"Whadda ya mean?" Hal asked, his brows wrinkling.
Rich studied Hal for a moment, carefully formulating how he wanted to express himself. "Sometimes he might as well not even be with you. When your behavior in meeting Wes at the bar is added to Drew's learning about the bet, what deduction do you think he made?"
Hal thought for a few moments. "I hooked up to make $200? That's stupid. I don't need $200. You're my accountant. You know I'm doing fine. Besides, what's the big deal about a bet?"
"It calls into question your motivation for bedding Drew. Some guys would do it just to win a bet - no matter how much money they had, no matter how much or little they cared about the guy who was the subject of the bet. Testosterone politics! Moreover, if I weren't your accountant, I wouldn't know whether you needed the money or not. Maybe Drew thinks you won a bet and discovered a quick lay - for the time being. We all see at Murphy's how competitive you can be. Maybe the life of your relationship with Drew owes entirely to that bet. In short, you haven't been behaving like someone committed. More like a jerky boyfriend."
Hal's nostrils flared in anger. "You telling me I'm a jerk?"
"Hal, buddy, get your head on straight. Put yourself in Drew's place - if you can let go of who you are long enough. You're smart enough to do that, by the way. Now, you're Drew. How would you be feeling?"
Hal stood there for the longest time, looking into Rich's eyes, and Rich held him in his glance, not letting him slip away. Finally he spoke softly: "Like someone who was used."
"Doesn't have to stay that way, you know."
Suddenly Hal's eyes shifted away from Rich's, his head dropping as he looked at the grass at his feet. "You in love?" he asked, finally turning his head obliquely to Rich and looking down into his beer.
'At long last,' Rich thought, 'the question's arrived. I knew it had to after that night at Jack's Sports Bar. And I don't blame him for asking. It's important for us to acknowledge the new positions to which we've moved now that I'm hooked up with Wes.' A slow smile spread across Rich's lips. "Yeah, Hal," he said, just as slowly, "I'm in love." Hal looked away again, a barely audible sigh escaping from his mouth. Rich's smile faded. "I hope you are happy for us, Hal."
"Of course!" the staccato answer came.
Rich turned the question around. "You in love, Hal?"
"Yeah," came an answer too quickly to bespeak conviction. Rich realized the speed signaled a defensive answer.
"I'm not Richie Collins, Hal. I never was. Never could be. None of us can be. Drew can't be."
"I KNOW that!" Hal answered with some vigor, studying the toe of his boot digging in the grass. Rich wondered if Hal's sharp retorts spelled Drew's doom.
"Hal, look at me," Rich requested. Slowly, Hal looked into Rich's eyes. "You didn't always know that, Hal. In fact, I think you're still looking for Richie Collins. That search kept you from seeing Rich Adams. It's what told me that we weren't alone in our relationship. You weren't responding to ME, to my attributes. You were responding to things about Richie Collins that you wanted to see in me. . . . I wonder if you weren't responding to Drew the same way the other night a Jack's."
"I'm not doing that with Drew, in case that's what you're thinking," Hal said, trying unsuccessfully to mask the heat in his reply.
"What ARE you doing with Drew?" Rich asked gently.
Hal stared off at the back of the bleachers. Rich was almost ready to repeat his question when Hal said more softly, "I don't know. I want someone to love. There are lots of things I like about Drew." Now Hal smiled slowly, looking at Rich from under his eyelids. "The sex is great," and then Hal did something Rich had never seen before when Hal was talking about sex - he blushed. Hal chuckled. "He's so good he makes my toes curl automatically." They both laughed aloud at Hal's confession.
Rich put a hand on Hal's shoulder, squeezing as he spoke: "I'm glad, Hal, I'm SO glad for you. You've deserved Drew for a long time now. He's deserved someone like you for a long time too. I hope it continues to work out. Have you told him yet that you love him?"
"In deeds, not words."
"Think maybe it's time he heard that from you?"
Hal shook his head in the affirmative. Even as Rich received that answer, he saw dark clouds in his perceptual background. He hadn't liked the conditional nature of Hal's answer "There are lots of things I like about Drew." That didn't sound like the answer of a person in love. Rich also knew that it wouldn't work out if Hal continued to treat Drew as carelessly as he had, if Hal continued to be assaulted with issues linking to his deprived past. However, Rich knew he couldn't sound that warning again without causing some damage to their friendship and diminishing the value of his voice with Hal in the future. He'd just have to trust that Hal could get his act together.
(To be continued.)
Much thanks to buddy and fellow Nifty writer Tim Mead, who asked, "But what about the bet that put Drew in Hal's bed?" Oops! That had been overlooked in the management of the story lines. So Timmy, you saved me yet again. I owe you.