Finding Darin

[kniteowl]

Great story I've got hooked up on it, so please don't stop know!!!!

 

[kcm17480]

Oh! oh! Sounds like the wicked witch of the east. The more I read, the more I like.

 

[harry113]

Oh-oh!! Will there be one great explosion???
Great story Scott, Thank you.
You have gained our collective attention !!!
More please.
Harry

 

[RacerBear]

Finding Darin
Part 5​

"Oh, shit," Darrin growled. "Well, I knew I was going to have to face her sooner or later." Pushing himself and his chair backward, he stood up. He knew it would only a few moments before she arrived at his office.

Through their closed door, he could hear Sheila shouting. "You can't go in there!" just as the office door burst open and Janet charged through it.

She was wearing a light blue pantsuit with a white blouse under the jacket. Her hair was perfectly styled. He figured she had just come from the salon. The color of her recently manicured nails matched her shoes, which matched the dark blue purse she carried. It was just one of the many purses that filled her closet, one that he remembered questioning her about the night before. It was what had started the argument that had sent him into the night.

As he stood there, he was reminded of something his grandfather had shared with him, years earlier. "Darin, my boy," he had said, "Everything happens for a reason." He wondered what his grandfather would think now.

"How could something as simple as a handbag have triggered such a life-changing series of events?" he thought as she stood before him, staring, her eyes filled with anger. "How could I have been so upset over that small, relatively insignificant purchase. It’s not like she hasn’t spent far more money on much more frivolous crap in the past." It all seemed so senseless to throw away a marriage of twelve years…over a stupid purse.

Yet, as she stood there in that open doorway, he knew there was no way he could ever go back. He didn’t want to. He had pushed open a door that he had, for too many years, kept sealed. And, he had stepped through that door and he liked what he found on the other side. It was time to quit hiding his true feelings and admit to himself, if not to the rest of the world that he, Darin Johnson, was gay. "That’s right, world," he thought. "I’m a fag! I suck dick!" His mind fairly screamed as he felt the tension in the air.

Jake stepped backward grabbing his coffee cup from Darrin's desk. Looking around the office, he also retrieved a photo of himself and David and another mug filled with pencils from his desk. "H-H-H-Hi, Janet," he said as cheerfully as possible.

"Can you excuse us for a minute, Jake?" she asked, her dark eyes burning into him as she glared. "I'd like to talk to my husband," she added, her voice filled with contempt.

"S-s-sure, no problem, I have to…go…file…something. My nails, maybe." he said, giggling nervously. He quickly exited the office, closing the door behind him.

As Darrin’s thoughts returned to the reality of the moment, he remained standing behind his desk. Remembering the fight the night before, he picked up his mug and set it on the credenza behind him.

She stared at him. Slowly she began to smile. "So, you finally decided to show up," she said. The contempt was still there.

He thought for a moment. "Janet," he said, finally, "If you want to fight, I'm not really in the mood. I won’t do it, not here."

"Why not?" she demanded, her voice harsh.

"Because I won’t air my dirty laundry here, for everyone to see."

A look of disappointment slowly crept across her face. "I can’t get you to talk to me at home," she said, sadly.

He took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it out. Finally, looking at his desk, he said, "I think it's time we stopped fighting and face the fact that..."

Her smile faded. "That, what? You don't love me anymore. Well, there's a big surprise. I've known that for years."

"Yes, I suppose you have."

She slowly sank into the chair where Jake had been sitting. Her lip began to quiver. Fighting to regain control, she opened her purse, digging through as if she were looking for something. Finally, she closed it, thurned to him and spoke. "I guess I just didn't want to admit it to myself," she said softly.

Darin studied her for several moments. He waited, expecting her to unleash her venom onto him. When she remained silent, he said, "Look, Jan, I don't want to fight anymore."

Her response continued to surprise him. "Neither do I but..." she said softly.

He slowly sank into his chair. "I just want a chance to be happy. For you to be happy. Is that too much to ask? Can we just not fight anymore?"

She looked at him pitifully. Tears filled her blue-gray eyes. "Is there someone else?" she asked. "It would be easier if there was someone else, you know."

"I suppose I could ask you the same thing," he countered.

She shook her head and diverted her gaze. As her hands fidgeted with her purse, she glanced toward the window. After a moment she asked again, "Is there?"

"Is there what?" he asked.

She looked at him sternly before she repeated the question. "Is there someone else?"

He shook his head. "No, not really."

Confused, she looked at him blankly.

"But, in a way, yes, there is."

She glared at him, her eyes narrowed and filled with warning.

He looked down at his desk again and sighed. "We’ve both become someone else," he said, rearranging his stapler and notepad. "You’re not the same person I married and I’m not…"

She pulled a handkerchief from her purse and dabbed at the corner of her left eye. Her makeup was flawless, as usual. As Darrin stared at her, waiting, he thought about how different she was when they first met. Oh, she was still as stunning now but, back then, she hadn’t had to rely on her makeup to look beautiful. She had a ‘hardness’ to her that he really didn't much care for. But, he had to be honest with himself. He did still care for her. He just did not love her the way he did all those years ago. Finally she said to him, "So, now what?"

He shook his head and pushed his fingers through his hair, resting his elbows on his desk. "I don't know," he answered. "I just…don't know."

She smiled again. "Well, that makes two of us, I guess."

They both laughed. It felt good to laugh. It seemed like years since he had heard her laugh.

"I'll make arrangements to stay in town, if that's okay with you," he said. "I don't want this to be any more difficult than it has to be."

"I think that would be best," she said, after a few moments. "Will you want to sell the house?" she asked. "It’s yours. Your grandfather made that clear when he gave it to you."

He inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. "When he gave it to us," he corrected. "It’s just as much yours as it is mine." He thought about what he had read in his uncle’s journal earlier that day. "I think that would probably be best. I'll be fair with you, I promise."

"I’m sure you will be," she said as she gathered her purse and stood up. "I really don't want to live there anymore..."

"I know, me either."

"Too many memories," they both said at once.

He smiled again. "And not that many of them good ones, huh?"

It was her turn to smile. "There were more than a few that were good," she replied. Reaching out, she ran her long fingers across his chin.

"Yes, there were," he agreed.

With a sigh, she turned, walked to the door and opened it. Before she left, she faced him one last time. "I really did…I mean, do love you," she said sadly. "You do know that, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Me too."

"I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for," she said as she turned. She stopped and faced him again. "Be happy," she whispered. Then she placed her hand to her lips, kissed it and held it up to him. With that final gesture, she walked from his office, closing the door behind her.

As she crossed through the outer office, she turned to Jake. "Take care of him for me," she said as she opened the door and calmly walked through it.

****​

Darrin sat quietly, his arms folded in front of him on his desk. He inhaled deeply, letting it out slowly as a single tear formed at the corner of his right eye and trickled down his cheek. He was dumbstruck. There had been no hysterics, no destruction. Just two adults talking like…well, adults. Was it truly going to be that easy? He wasn't sure how to read her. Janet could be an amazing actress when she wanted something. And, he knew all too well how far she would go to get what she wanted.

But today was different somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but he knew deep down, that this was not the Janet that he had come to know and distrust. She was too calm. There had to be more going on in her head. He thought about how she had been evasive when he turned her question back to her. Was there someone else? Could that be the reason she was so agreeable? Something, in the back of his mind, kept telling him that things would never be that simple. Over the years, Janet had proven herself to be too cold and calculating to just roll over like this. He didn’t know how to find out the truth but he did know someone who might be able to find the answers.

He picked up the phone and punched a series of numbers. He heard ringing on the line and then a woman answered.

"Hello," the voice was course and reminded him of an actress on an old television show. From too many years of smoking, he assumed.

"Hi, Lois, it’s Darin Johnson, is he in?" he asked.

"Sure, hang on." The line went dead as he was put on hold. Soon the familiar voice came on the line.

"Darrin, Dude, what's the good word?" It was Tony Gillette, an old college friend and private investigator. He had renewed the friendship when he had used Tony's services a few years ago, trying to locate his older brother. "Long time no see." Tony’s southern drawl was, at times charming and, at other times, rather annoying. Now, Darin wasn’t sure which.

"Hey Tony. I need a favor, if you have time," he said.

"Fer you, Bro, I always got time."

Darrin cleared his throat as he looked at the picture of him and Janet on his desk. "I need you to keep an eye on my wife for a few days," he said finally, turning the photo toward the door. "I want to know if she's seeing anybody."

"Sounds serious," Tony replied. "Ya want pitchers?"

What Darrin wanted was to hang up, tell him to forget it. "Whatever you think," he answered. "I'm going to be filing for divorce and I don't want any surprises. That's all."

"No shit," Tony said, genuinely surprised. "You okay?" he asked before adding, "I'll see what I can find out."

"Thanks, Tony. I really appreciate it," he said as he hung up the phone.

Jake knocked softly as he opened the office door. "Can I come in?" he inquired.

"It's your office too," Darrin reminded him.

"Are you okay?" Jake asked. "She looked almost happy when she left. I wasn’t sure what I’d find when I came in here."

TO BE CONTINUED​

 

[kcm17480]

This is quite the drama that you have going here. I find it very good and very well written. Is Rodney still in the picture or was he the jumping off point?
Thanks
Ken

 

[Craiger]

What an intriguing and well written story. I have just read all the chapters and look forward to the next installment.

Craiger

 

[harry113]

Thanks RB, this is great !!!
Is Janet up to something ??? Will Darin go back to Rodney ??? Does Jake come into the picture at all ???
Very well written, you are cranking this up more & more !!
Harry

 

[RacerBear]

Thanks again for your kind comments. I very happy you are enjoying it. I had a little trouble with the last part though. I couldn't get it to come together the way I wanted. So, I finally stopped and read through it one last time and decided to post it the way it was.

By the way, you'll find the answers to some of your questions in the next couple parts. There's a big surprise in store for you in the next one though. I think you'll like it.

Thanks again,
Scott

 

[wyndhampaul]

A nicely intriguing story. I' looking forward to the next installment.

 

[phoenix72]

wow!!

love it liked he and his wife were finally able to talk some things out and end on a good note..excellent story.

 

[RacerBear]

FINDING DARIN
Part 6
​

The bulk of Friday afternoon had been spent on the phone.

First, he had contacted his attorney, Aaron Banning, to set up an appointment to discuss the impending divorce. An appointment was set for Tuesday morning and, unless Janet decided to fight him, he would split their joint savings and the proceeds from the sale of the house evenly with her. Although the property, which included a guesthouse, pool, four car garage and ten additional acres was probably valued much higher, they decided on a preliminary estimate of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars which would net about a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for each of them, after taxes. Darin explained that he wanted to make the move as easy for Janet as possible and that he would be happy to pay all moving expenses including whatever deposits or costs necessary to get her settled in. If she desired, she would be allowed to take whatever furnishings from the house that she chose. He also told Aaron that he wanted to help her get established but that he would not take any responsibility for any further credit card purchases made after the papers were filed. When Darin felt as though they had covered everything, he said good-bye and moved on to his next task.

Next, he contacted a real estate agent to schedule a time to inspect the house and property so it could be listed for sale. He explained that, while his desire was to get as close to the value of the home as possible, he was willing to sell for any reasonable amount. He was assured that homes in the approximate price range were selling rather quickly and that the agent had a potential buyer in mind at that time.

"It might be just what my buyer is looking for," she told him as she set an appointment for an initial walk through on Monday evening.

After referring Darin to a reputable rental agency, he thanked the real estate agent for her time and hung up the phone.

"Sounds like you’re getting everything moving forward," Jake said as he slipped his cel phone into his pocket and gathered up his book and backpack. "Would you like to have dinner with David and me on Saturday?"

"No, I’ll be fine," Darin replied picking up the phone to call the rental agency. "I want to get settled into the hotel. I’ll just grab something close by," he added as he punched the number. "You go on, I’m good."

Jake looked at his friend and smiled. "If you need anything, and I mean anything, just call," he said as he left the office.

Darin took a room at the Super Eight later that Friday evening.

****​

The following day, Darin stopped by the house and retrieved some of his clothing and a few personal belongings that he wanted keep. He then set about making the motel room feel more like home. As he set the boxes onto the floor and put his clothes away, he reminded himself that it was only temporary.

Sitting by the pool late Saturday afternoon, a cold Budweiser in his left hand, he looked around at the many other patrons. Most were younger men in varying sizes and shapes. A rather large man with far too much stomach and far too little swimsuit walked past and smiled. While the sight of a much smaller man might have caused him to become excited, Darin felt himself shudder as the man walked away. His back was covered with almost as much hair as his chest and stomach and the back of his swimsuit covered even less than the front. "That’s way more than I needed to see," he thought to himself as the smile spread across his rugged face. He was sitting on one of the many chaise lounges that surrounded the pool, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. His light blue, boxer style swim trunks were still wet from his recent dip in the warm water of the pool and clung to his muscular, hair covered legs. A large tan colored bath sheet was spread beneath him on the chair. He closed his eyes against the bright light and savored the relative quiet. Occasionally, there was the sound of someone diving into the crystal blue water, anonymous laughter from somewhere unseen, an occasional squeal from a child. Not present was the shouting to which he had become accustomed. He took a sip from the bottle, set it on the concrete beside his chair and absent-mindedly adjusted his package and scratched his testicles through the fabric of his swimsuit.

"Do ya always come out here to do that?" the soft southern drawl interrupted his thoughts.

He opened his eyes and looked up to see Tony Gillette standing next to his chair. He was dressed in a light blue polo shirt and tan jeans. "Hey, Tony, what’s up," he said, ignoring Tony’s comment.

"’Bout eight and a half inches, if I measured c’rectly," Tony answered as he pulled another chair closer and squatted down to sit on the end. Tony was tall, very tall. So tall, in fact, that he made Darin feel short. Standing six foot seven, he was the kind of guy who took command of a room just by entering. At over two sixty, with dark red hair and freckles which covered most of his face and arms, he was hard to miss. He was also quite handsome. A definite Hollywood type, although he had no acting aspirations, or talent for that matter. His deep green eyes sparkled when he spoke and his rugged look made him the type of guy who gets noticed by every woman, and a fair share of the men, in the room. Over the years, he had used his good looks to his advantage on more than one occasion. A tall brunette in a very skimpy two piece swimsuit strutted by, smiled and winked at him as he sat on the end of the chaise. "Howdy, darlin’," he smiled back. Then, turning to Darrin, he asked, "Don’cha ever answer yer cel phone no more?"

Darin chuckled. "I’m a little short on pockets right now," he answered.

"That ch’are," Tony replied. "I called yer office. Yer answerin’ service tol’ me I’d find ya here."

"I thought it would make things easier for Janet if I stayed in town until I get things started."

"Well, I don’t really have much to report. Ya want the good news or the bad news?"

Darin sighed. What he really wanted was just one more night that he didn’t have to deal with Janet. But, since he had hired Tony to do a job, the least he could do was hear what he had to say. "Okay, give me the good news first," he said.

Tony opened a small notebook and flipped several pages. Studying his notes, he began. His tone was totally professional. "She left the house around five on Friday, loaded several suitcases into her blue Mercedes and headed south on one-oh-four. She stopped at a small café called ‘Rita’s’ where she met another, older lady in a red Lincoln. I ran the plates. The car belonged to an Abigail, uh," he paused, flipping through his notes.

Darin knew all too well to whom the car belonged. "Abigail Simpson," he spat out the words as if he were cursing. "Her mother. I figured she might drag her into this."

Tony looked sternly at Darin, then continued. "She had a Chef salad and iced tea, the other woman had a club sandwich and a diet Coke. Neither ate much, they just talked and sipped their drinks. Abigail pulled a flask from her purse a couple times and poured somethin’ into her soda." He chuckled. "I coulda got her busted fer that."

"That’s typical for her." Darin laughed. "She got us thrown out of a Denny’s one night just after we got married. Could you hear anything they were talking about?"

It was Tony’s turn to sigh. "Not really, the place was purty noisy and I couldn’t get a table close ‘nough to hear ever’thang. At one point, though, Janet started cryin’ and they seemed to have a bit of an argument ‘bout somethin’. The older lady left in a huff and Janet paid the check and left about ten minutes later."

"The old biddy probably figured her meal ticket was coming to an end when Janet told her we were getting a divorce."

"Could be," Tony added. "Anyway, she got into her car, fixed her makeup and continued south on one-oh-four to a motel called…" He flipped through the notes again. "Here it is, ‘El Palomino Blanco’. She checked in, went to room forty-three and, as far as I know, hasn’t come out. I sent Jesse to keep track of her but when I talked to him an hour ago, he said nobody’s been in or out of the room all day. She had food delivered a coupla times. He called the room and she answered the phone. Said she didn’t sound depressed or nothin’." He looked at Darin as if waiting for further instructions.

Darin was silent for a few moments. Finally, he said, "I guess, maybe I was rather quick to jump to conclusions. I don’t think she’s really going to meet up with anybody. I just got a wild hair or something." He thought about where he had been a few nights earlier. "Guess it was just me projecting my guilt onto her."

Tony looked puzzled. "What do you mean, ‘yer guilt’?" he asked.

Darin took a sip of the beer and then drained the bottle before he answered. "Oh," he said slowly, "I sort of…uh… met someone the other night and," he paused again. "I guess I just felt a little guilty."

"Is this somethin’ she might use against you?" Tony quizzed.

"I don’t think so. Hell, I didn’t even go looking for anything, it just happened." Darin picked up his dark blue tee shirt and pulled it over his head. He ran his long fingers through his dark hair and scratched the two days growth on his chin. He looked at Tony, tears welling in his brown eyes. "You and I have been friends for a long time, right?"

"Sure, I know'd you longer’n anybody. Since college. " Tony was confused.
"But, what’s that got to do with this?"

Darin looked around, saw no one was within earshot and leaned toward Tony. "Like I said, I met somebody and I… spent the night. It was the first time since I can remember that I felt like I was being true to myself," He looked at Tony, his eyes filled with embarrassment, "I spent the night with another guy," he whispered, "In Redfield."

Tony leaned back, his big hands resting on the chaise as he thought about what he had just heard. "Man, I never know’d you’s wired ‘at way," he finally said.

"Neither did I. I mean, I guess I’d be lying if I said Inever thought about it. But I never acted on it." He smiled when he remembered Rodney’s handsome face and how it felt to hold him in his strong arms. "I can’t stop thinking about him," he added. "He really rocked my world."

Tony was silent for several minutes. Finally, he shook his head and laughed. "So, you’re a ‘bone smoker’? You old sumbitch."

Darin winced at the hurtful remark from his friend. "I wouldn’t quite put it so crudely but, if you mean I might be gay, then yeah, I guess so."

Tony leaned forward, placed his big, freckled hand on Darin’s hairy forearm. His face inches from Darin’s, he said sadly, "Damn, I wish I could find me a guy that’d do that fer me. Rock muh world, I mean. Most guys I meet jus’ wanna play with my big dick."

Darin’s eyes widened. "You mean?"

"Yup, I’m a ‘card carryin’ member of the Friends o’ Dorothy’." He held up an imaginary card. "Since nineteen eighty-eight," he added with a broad smile. "Don’t leave home without it."

The two friends shared a laugh. The crowd had mostly retreated indoors as the sun faded farther to the west, behind the main building. Darin realized that he was getting cold. Plus, he needed to take a leak. He rubbed his hands across his arms and shivered. "Damn, it’s getting chilly," he said breaking the silence. He looked at his friend and smiled again. "I would never have pegged you for being gay," he said. "Hell, we double dated in college."

Tony scratched his chin and smiled. "I finally quit kiddin’ myself once we got outta college," he said. "I’s datin’ ‘is gal and she had her brother visitin’ for a few days." He laughed. "I always got a stiffy in gym class when ever’body got nekkid but I didn’t think I’s queer or nothin’."

Darin smiled. "My friend, Jake says that’s normal. All boys went through that."

"So, anyways, we been datin’ a while and I dropped her off one night. I’s all horned up and needin’ some bad but, she said she was savin’ herself." He looked around to see if anyone was close before continuing. "I walked to my car and her li’l brother is sittin’ on’a curb and he says to me, ‘You horny?’ and I says to him, ‘Yeah, I’s hornier’n a two peckered billy goat.’ He sucked me off right in the front seat’a my car. Right in fron’a her house."

Realizing that he still had to pee and that he was slowly starting to become aroused, Darin stood up and grabbed his towel. "Wow, did she ever figure out what was going on?" he asked

Laughing again, Tony answered, "Nope. I’s droppin’ her off and kissin’ her g’night and then pickin’ him up on the corner and takin’ ‘im home and fuckin’ ‘is brains out."

"How long did this go on?" Darin asked as he started toward the building.

"Til he went back to Atlanta a coupla weeks later," Tony answered. "Never seen him again neither."

Darin stopped before entering the building and smiled. "Damn, I never for a minute could have imagined you being gay."

"Yeah, too bad I can’t say the same fer you, man," Tony said with a laugh.

Darin punched him in the left arm and said, "Bullshit, you were as surprised as I was."

Towering over Darin, Tony leaned closer. "Dude!" he snapped. "You’re a walkin’ three dollar bill." Then he pulled Darin into a bear hug and laughed. "I’s just pullin’ yer leg," he added. "Come to think of it, though, ya always been a kinda purty boy."

"Yeah, and your mama’s a truck driver," Darin added as he pushed away and turned to continue inside.

Tony arched his left eyebrow and hurried after Darin. "Dude! What exactly does that mean?" he asked as they entered the building. Darin pushed the button on the elevator. As they waited, Tony added, "Just promise me ya ain’t gonna start singin’ show tunes."

The doors rumbled open and the two stepped inside. ‘Memory’ from Cats was playing through the speaker system. They both laughed as Darin pushed the button for the fourth floor. "Careful what you wish for," he chuckled and began humming along. The doors closed again, shutting the friends inside.

****​

Darin laid his key card on the desk and turned to face Tony. "Have a seat," he offered as he hurried toward the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the stack on the extra bed.

Tony picked an armchair to the right of the desk and eased his large frame into it. Turning toward the open door, he could hear the sound of Darin relieving himself. Suddenly, he realized that from where he sat, he could see Darin clearly in the bathroom mirror. He watched as Darin removed his tee shirt. With a laugh, he said, "Dude, I come from Texas where ever’thang’s big."

Darin had finished peeing and was shaking off the last drops. "Yeah, so what’s your point?" he asked.

Staring into the mirror as Darin dropped his swimsuit to the floor and stepped to the sink, grabbing his razor and shaving cream,he replied, "Y’all’d do Texas proud."

Realizing he was standing there stark naked and that his friend was staring at him, Darin kicked the door closed with his right foot. As he took in his reflection in the huge mirror, he chuckled. He re-opened the door partway and called to his friend, "Caution, objects in the mirror are larger than they appear."

The two friends laughed.

A few minutes later, Darin returned to the sleeping area, his hair brushed but still wet from the shower, a large white towel wrapped around his waist. His face was neatly shaved. He retrieved a pair of red boxer briefs from beside the bureau and slipped them on under the towel. He noticed the rather prominent bulge in Tony’s jeans. "Looks like Texas might be kinda proud of you too," he said tossing the towel on the floor.

The bigger man blushed. He shifted in the chair and gently rearranged his package so it pointed toward his left hip. "Yeah, it does the job," he offered, squeezing the impressive tube beneath his jeans.

Darin pulled on a white tee shirt and removed a pair of gray socks from the bureau. Sitting on the bed, he asked, "You had dinner yet?"

"Nah, I’s thinkin’ ‘bout hittin’ ‘at new steak house," Tony replied. "Wanna try it?"

"Sounds good to me," Darin answered, pulling his socks over his large feet. He opened another drawer and took out a pair of button fly jeans and placed them on the bed. Stepping toward the bathroom, he picked a dark green, long sleeve shirt from one of the hangers and slipped it over his shoulders. Realizing that Tony was, once again, staring at him, he asked, "What?"

Tony smiled. He took in the sight of his friend, standing there in his shirt, underwear and socks. "Yeah, I’d fuck ya," he said. "Ya better put some pants on ‘fore Tony junior starts takin’ over." He squeezed his, once again, growing erection.

Darin shook his head slowly. "In all the years I’ve known you, how could you not have told me you were gay?" he asked, buttoning his shirt.

"It never came up," Tony replied. "I mean, it ain’t like I ever kept it secret or nothin’. I jus' figger'd y’all knew."

Sitting on the bed to put on his jeans, Darin replied, "Well, for the record, I had no idea."

"Ditto."

TO BE CONTINUED​

 

[kcm17480]

Another excellent chapter, please don't stop writing.

 

[harry113]

Great chapter, Thank you RB.
So even their friends didn't know !!!!
I hope they aren't being watched !!!
More please
Harry

 

[RacerBear]

I'm happy to see you are enjoying this story as much as I am. I originally had planned to go directly into what is now become part 9. This last part was only supposed to be a small explanation at the beginning but, when I began adding a little of the dialogue, it took on a life of its own. I have, presonally, come to really like Tony and wish I had a friend like him. The next few chapters are coming along very well and I'll be tying up a few loose ends and answering more of your questions as I go along.

By the way, some of your questions have led to the introduction of a couple new characters which has added a lot to the direction the story will go.

Harry, I think Tony's closest friends knew but not Darin. Their friendship will continue to grow as the story progresses.

Hopefully, I can post the next part on Friday afternoon before I go away for the weekend.

Scott

 

[RacerBear]

FINDING DARIN
Part 7​

There was half an hour wait for a table when they arrived at the ‘Lonely Bull Steak House’ around eight. They decided to wait in the bar and each ordered a beer. It was crowded and quite noisy so Tony motioned for Darin to follow him to the patio. As they stepped outside and into the only smoking area of the restaurant, Tony took a deep breath. "Damn," he stated, "Makes me wish I never quit smokin’."

Darin smiled. "That’s another thing I never knew about you."

Tony winked. "Thar’s many a thing what ain’t been tol’ ‘bout ol’ Tony, me hearty," he did his best pirate impression and the two friends laughed. Leaning closer, he asked, "Ya’ll wanna hit a club after? I know a great place downtown."

Darin shook his head. "I don’t know if I’m ready for that," he said.

Tony put his hand on Darin’s shoulder and squeezed. "I ain’t askin’ ya ta dance nekkid on tha bar. Just have one drink," he said, winking again. "If ya’ll don’t like it, we can leave."

****​

As they walked into the club, the first thing Darin noticed was the smoke. He hated cigarette smoke. It hung in the air, permeating every inch of everything in the room. Tony pushed his way to the bar. A very handsome, shirtless young man greeted him with a huge smile. He had a large dragon tattoo on his left arm and both his nipples had rather large rings in them. He was wearing very short, cut-off jeans, worn very thin in the front where a rather nice bulge pushed at the thin fabric. "What’ll you have?" he asked.

Tony tapped Darin’s shoulder, causing him to turn toward the bartender. "A bartender to go, with nothin’ on it," he said, winking.

Darin just rolled his eyes.

The bartender smiled. "You’ll have to get in line for that one," he laughed. "But…stick around, you never know what could happen in this place." He winked at Tony.

"I’ll just have a bud, bottle if you have it," Darin said.

"I’ll have the same," Tony added tossing a five on the bar.

"Two buds, coming up."

Their drinks in hand, the two friends set about finding a table. "There’s one," Tony said as he pushed through the crowd.

Pulling one of the stool type chairs from under the table, Darin looked around. Near the back, by the restrooms, he spotted a young man with long blond hair, parted in the middle, wearing a loose fitting yellow tank top. His mind rushed back to two nights earlier. The young man was facing away from Darin and was chatting with another older man. "Excuse me, Tony," he said as Tony hoisted himself onto another chair. "I think I see somebody I know."

Tony laughed, "Ya’ll been gay three days an’ already ya know folks?" He laughed. "Damn ya’ll work fast."

Moving quickly across the dance floor, Darin found himself behind the young man. He reached out and touched the left shoulder. "I can’t stop thinking about you," he blurted out as the youngster turned.

"I’m sure my girlfriend won’t be too happy to hear that," the female voice said as the person turned to face him.

Darin stepped back, his face flushed with embarrassment. "I’m so sorry," he apologized, "I thought you were someone else."

"That’s okay. It happens," she offered, excusing herself as another young woman exited the women’s restroom.

The older man spoke. "Your first time here?"

"How can you tell?" Darin asked, his face still red.

The man winked, "Not too many guys hit on the girls in here unless they don’t know what kind of club this is." The man smiled as another man exited the men’s restroom.

An embarrassed grin spread across Darin’s face. "Oh, believe me, I know what kind of club this is. I really thought she was someone else," he added as the man entered the restroom.

Walking back to the table, he suddenly wished the dance floor would open up and swallow him. Never in his life had he been so embarrassed. As he approached the table, his friend was chatting up a younger man at the next table. "This’s muh buddy, Darin," he said when Darin took his seat. "Darin, this’s Timmy."

At first glance, Timmy appeared to be about sixteen but, as Darin leaned closer, he could see that he was older. He was about Darin’s height but very slender. He had a very thin face with delicate, almost feminine features. His hair was light brown, straight, and hung well past his shoulders. His lips were full and appeared to be what Darin assumed ‘kissable’ lips to be. It was his nose, though, that caught Darin’s attention. As delicate as the rest of his features were, his nose was rather large. Not that it made him appear ugly, more it gave him a unique look. In his own way, he found Timmy quite attractive.

Darin took a pull from his beer and returned the bottle to the table.
Reaching out his left hand, he said, "Hi, Timmy, it’s nice to meet you."

Timmy’s grip was surprisingly firm. "The pleasure is all mine," he said, smiling. "I’ve never seen you here before," he added. "And, it’s Tim."

Darin smiled again as Tony laughed and said to Tim, "He’s a virgin."

As Tony and Tim enjoyed a laugh, another young man stepped up beside Tim. He put his arm on his friend’s left shoulder. "Ya gonna introduce me to your friends?" he asked, staring at Darin.

Quickly, Tim introduced the newcomer, "Guys, this is Brady, my roommate. Bray, this is Tony and Darin," he added, pointing to each as he said their names.

While Tim was the type of guy that gets noticed, Brady was more the guy for whom you invoke the ‘ten second’ rule. You know the type. The guy you encounter as you walk through a store and, once he passes, you wait ten seconds before you turn to get a second look, all the time hoping he’s doing the same thing. He was just slightly shorter than Tim.

Brady’s dark hair and deep brown eyes caused Darin to take in a sharp breath. As he reached across the table to take Darin’s hand, he smiled. "Pleased to meet you," he said. His voice was deeper than Darin would have expected. His handshake was firm and Darin noticed that he didn’t rush to release it.

Tony insisted that the pair join them at their table and, for the next several minutes, they exchanged small talk. A round of drinks arrived, carried by a very attractive waiter wearing a tight black tee shirt with the words, ‘Moustache Rides Free,’ across the front. "That’s seven fifty," he said, smiling. Darin chuckled when he realized that the waiter didn’t have a moustache.

Tony handed him a ten and told him, "Keep the change."

"Thanks," the waiter said as he grabbed the empty bottles and Tim’s empty glass. Brady held onto his glass as he crunched the ice cubes.
While Tony and Tim continued to chatter away, Brady stood quietly next to his friend. Darin sipped his beer and studied the younger man. He guessed him to be in his early twenties. He liked the way his curly hair framed his round face. From the way he kept blinking, Darin figured he must be wearing contact lenses. The younger man had dark brown eyes with extremely long lashes, which gave him a look of innocence. His nose was neither large nor small but, rather, fit his face perfectly with just a slight bump on the left side. There was a slight hint of gray on his chin, upper lip and cheeks, a look Darin remembered well. Give him a few years and he’ll have that ‘I need a shave’ look that Darin had grown used to. He was dressed in blue jeans, which had a large rip at the left knee, revealing a fair amount of dark hair, and a white tee shirt under a dark orange, long sleeved dress shirt, which was tucked in at the waist. Beneath the shirts, he had just the slightest bit of a tummy. Darin studied his hands as well. There were just a few dark hairs on his knuckles and a few more crept from beneath the cuffs of his shirt.

As he stared, Brady looked up, his eyes locking on Darin’s. A shy smile spread across his handsome face as he looked quickly away.

A few minutes later, lights above the dance floor began flashing and spinning as a dance version of Barbra Striesand and Donna Summer’s ‘Enough is Enough’ began:

"It’s raining,
It’s pouring,
My love life is boring me to tears.
After all these years.​

No sunshine,
No moonlight,
No stardust,
No sign of romance,
We don’t stand a chance.​

I’ve always dreamed I found the perfect lover,
But he turned out to be like every other man,
Our love, our love​

Raining (raining)
Pouring (pouring)
There’s nothing left for us here
And we won’t waste a-no-o-o-o-o-ther tear…"​

As the bass began pounding and Barbra held that note for what seemed like eternity, Tim grabbed Tony’s big hand in his and pulled him to his feet. "Come on," he shouted and they were off to the dance floor, leaving Brady and Darin behind.

Brady smiled as Darin shifted in his seat. "You wanna dance?" he asked nervously.

"No, I’m not much of a dancer," Darin apologized.

"That’s okay, me neither,’ Brady returned, relief flooding his face. "Tim says I’m too white for my own good."

Darin looked at Brady. "That’s probably a pretty good way to sum up my dancing skills as well," he said.

The two laughed. Darin picked up his bottle, realizing it was empty, he motioned for the waiter.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked as the waiter approached.

"Just a Coke," Brady said, somewhat embarrassed.

Darin handed his bottle to the waiter. "Two Cokes," he said as Brady’s smile widened and he moved to the chair next to Darin.

The waiter returned with their drinks and set them on the table. "Two fifty," he said as he gathered Darin’s bottle and Brady’s empty glasses.
Handing him a five, Darin gestured that he need not worry about change. Turning to Brady, he asked, "You don’t drink?"

"Can’t," was the simple reply, "Two years and counting."

Darin nodded in understanding. "That’s cool," he added. "It doesn’t bother you?"

"What?" Brady asked.

Darin thought carefully before he continued, "Being here I mean."

Brady shook his head as Tony and Tim returned. Tony’s face was flushed, sweat dripped from his nose. He grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped his face before gulping his beer. Darin noticed Tim whispering something in Brady’s ear. "Wonder what that’s about," Darin said to Tony.

Tony swallowed another drink of his beer and looked at Darin, a smile as wide as Texas on his face. "Tim’s givin’ Brady his keys," he said. "In case ya’ll wanna go back to yer place."

****​

As Brady drove him back to the Super Eight, they chatted about their lives and the changes in direction each had taken. Darin explained that he was in the process of getting a divorce, stopping short of sharing the details of his night in Redfield. He also learned that Brady was twenty-five and had lived in Big Sky just over two years.

Originally from Springfield, Illinois, Brady had stopped to visit his high school friend, Tim, on his way to Los Angeles. He had intentions of becoming an actor but, unfortunately, his money ran out and he had to find a job so he could earn enough to take him the rest of the way. As luck would have it, Tim was working for an animal rescue group that depended on public donations to stay in business and they were desperate to hire someone who could find ways to increase donations. Because of his degree in marketing, Tim convinced him to stay and he had decided to give up his dream of becoming an actor. Living in Big Sky was quite a change from where he grew up but he was adjusting.

Darin watched as Brady maneuvered Tim’s vintage Torino in and out of traffic. He found himself drawn to the younger man.

"It’s not the animal’s fault," Brady said, his eyes bright with excitement. "I mean, they don’t really have a say in how they come into the world. I like to think we make their lives a little bit better by doing what we do." He paused. "It’s a lot better than the alternative. Getting eaten by snakes and coyotes, I mean."

"I really admire you for doing what you do," Darin replied. "You’re definitely passionate about it."

Brady smiled as he turned toward Darin. "I guess I understand how they feel."

"What do you mean?

"When your family tosses you aside and you have to find your own way," he said. "I guess I know what it’s like to be abandoned."

"What do you mean, they tossed you aside?" Darin asked, his brown eyes filled with compassion. He had a sudden desire to reach for the younger man, to hold him. Instead, he remained silent as Brady continued.

Brady sighed. Flipping on his turn signal as he changed lanes in the early Sunday morning traffic, he said, "When they found out I was gay, they pretty much disowned me. I was engaged to a really nice girl but I knew I couldn’t go through with it."

"I hear that," Darin said as he exhaled.

Brady laughed, recalling that day. "It was a week before the wedding and I finally sat her down and told her everything." He turned toward Darin, his eyes becoming moist. "She was actually relieved that I finally told her the truth. She had suspected it for a long time but could never bring herself to approach the subject."

"That must have been hard for you."

Brady nodded as he brought the car to a stop in front of Darin’s hotel. "It was," he said. "When I told my folks, my dad threatened to kill me. My mom just cried."

"What did you do?"

Brady stared out the driver’s window. "I got in my car and went for a drive, when I got back home, my stuff was in boxes by the front steps. I loaded it in my car and just drove away."

"Have you ever been back?"

Shaking his head, Brady said, "I talk to Linda, she was my fiancé, a couple times a month but haven’t seen my folks since I left. Linda’s been so cool about it all."

Darin leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, "You want to come up?" he asked.

"Thanks, but no, I think I’ll just head on home."

"I doubt my wife would ever be that understanding," Darin said sadly.

Brady smiled and put his right hand on Darin’s leg. "She might surprise you."

As he stepped out of the car, Darin said, "Thanks for the ride." He closed the door and walked to the entry door, swiped his key card and pulled it open. He stopped to give Brady a wave before entering the building.

Brady sat and watched until he could no longer see his handsome new friend. Then he put the car into drive and slowly pulled away.

TO BE CONTINUED​

 

[harry113]

Thanks Scott, have a nice weekend!!!
Has Darin missed out ???
More please
Harry

 

[RacerBear]

Has Darin missed out ???

Do you mean Rodney?

You'll just have to wait and find out. What do you think should happen with his character?

Scott

 

[RacerBear]

FINDING DARIN
Part 8​

The ringing telephone roused Darin from his sleep. As he picked up the receiver, he noticed it was almost eleven.

"Hello," he croaked, his voice thick from sleep.

"Good mornin’ sunshine," Tony’s all too cheerful voice echoed through the line. "Ya gonna sleep all day?"

Wearing only his red boxer briefs from the night before, Darin coughed and absently scratched his hairy stomach. "If I want to, I will," he argued.

Tony laughed. To someone else in the room, he said, "He’s jus’ gettin’ up, I’ll ask him." To Darin, he asked, "Ya wanna go with us fer brunch?"

"Us?"

"Me an’ Timmy an’ Brady," Tony answered. "Ya know, Brady thinks yer purty hot."

In the background, Darin could hear Brady protesting, "Tony, I’m not gonna tell you anything ever again!"

Darin laughed. "Tell him I think he’s pretty hot too," he offered, adding, "What time?"

Tony laughed again as he shared what Darin had said. "Pick ya up in ‘bout a half hour," he said.

"Okay, I’ll see you then," Darin returned.

"Oughta give ya ‘nuff time to get purty," Tony added with a laugh. "Seeya!"

As he was heading for the bathroom, the phone rang again. Picking up the receiver, he asked, "What now?"

"Is that the way you always answer the phone?" It was Janet.

Surprised to hear her voice, he answered, "Oh, hello, Jan. I didn’t expect to hear from you."

"I bet," she said. "Hey, listen, I’m going to stay at my mom’s for a while. Will you just leave any mail for me on the counter?"

"Yeah, sure."

Her voice was light and friendly. "Okay, that’s all I wanted. Talk to you later. Bye."

"Oh, I have a realtor coming to list the house on Monday evening," he said.

"Well, you certainly didn’t waste any time, did you?" she snapped. "I thought you’d at least give me time to get my things." Her tone was more what he was used to.

"It’s just so they can get started on the listing," he said. "Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to get your stuff."

"I’d better have," she said. "Everything is always on your terms. God, I can’t believe I ever loved you. You’re such a bastard."

"What? I thought this was what you wanted," he interrupted.

"Fuck you!" she shouted as she slammed the phone down.

He stood there for a moment, listening to the dial tone. Finally he replaced the receiver and headed for the shower.

****​

Darin was waiting in front of the office, his hair still damp from his shower, when Tony pulled his black Impala SS to the curb. He had chosen to wear a pair of tan cargo shorts and a dark yellow tee shirt. As the car came to a stop, Tim hopped out of the front, dressed in blue jean shorts and a green tee shirt with the words, ‘Just do me’ and a Nike swoosh on the front. As he started to climb into the back, Darin stopped him.

"What are you doing?" he asked Tim.

"I thought I’d let you and Tony ride up front and I’d sit in back with Bray," the younger man answered.

Pushing him toward the open front door, Darin told him, "You sit up front with your man and I’ll sit in back with mine."

As the two climbed into the luxury car, Tim turned and said to Brady, "You hear that, Bray? You’re his man now." He winked.

Blushing, Brady looked at Darin and smiled. "Works for me," he said as Darin slid into the seat next to him and grabbed his hand, rubbing his other hand over the dark hair on Brady’s forearm. Brady was dressed similar to Darin except his tee shirt was a light blue with a white stripe down the front.

"So, where are you guys taking me?" Darin asked as Tony maneuvered the car into the Sunday traffic.

Tony looked into the mirror and saw the two holding hands. "Aww, ain’t they cute?" he said as he, too, reached for Tim’s hand. Pulling it to his mouth, he kissed it. To Darin, he said, "We’s goin’ to a little place next to the bar. It’s owned by the same people."

Tim turned to face Darin and added, "They serve a really nice brunch buffet on Sunday. Or you can order from the menu."

Darin nodded. Turning to Brady, he asked, "Did you sleep okay?"

Kissing the back of Darin’s hand, Brady answered, "Sure did, you?"

As the car transported them across town, the four friends shared small talk and laughed. Darin learned that Tony had spent the night at Tim’s and that Brady had chatted with a friend online for about an hour after he got home. He also learned, from Brady, that Tony was a less than quiet love maker. Darin blushed as he envisioned Tony on top of Tim. "God, he’d crush him," he thought. A few minutes later, he was shocked to learn that it was Tony who had shouted for Tim to ‘pound it into me hard, Stud!’

Tony was certainly full of surprises.

As he parked in front of the restaurant, Tony hooked his sunglasses onto the visor, turned to Darin and smiled. "I’m glad y’all could come along ta’day," he said.

"Me too," said Tim. "I really like you a lot, man." Looking at Brady as he opened his door, he added, "And I know Bray likes you a lot more."

Brady shot a warning look at Tim. "You can stop now," he scolded.

Walking toward the building, Tony, wearing dark jean shorts and a black tee shirt with a Chihuahua on the front and the words, ‘Yo Quiero Taco Bell!’ reached for Tim’s hand and held it as they approached the door. He held the door open as the others entered.

It was a minute past twelve and the restaurant had just opened. They were the first to arrive and recognized the waiter as he approached.

"Table for four?" he asked as he grabbed menus, place mats and table settings from a counter near the door. It was the same young man they had seen at the bar the night before. Today he was wearing a white, button up shirt, black pants and a black vest with a nametag that said, ‘Michael’ on the left side. Next to it was a round button that read, ‘I’m not gay but my boyfriend is.’ He motioned for the group to follow him as he walked toward the rear of the large room. The back of his vest sported a rainbow pattern and said, ‘Café Sin-o’-Men’ in black letters. "What can I get you to drink?" he asked as he laid the menus and utensils on the table.

"I’ll have coffee," Darin stated as the others nodded in agreement.

"Four coffees then," Michael said as he stepped aside for them to take their seats.

Before he sat down, Tim asked Michael, "Where’s your restroom?"

Michael smiled as he pointed, "Over there." Then, he added, "I’ll get your coffees and be right back."

Tim started for the bathroom as Brady stated, "I better go too."

"Well, I’m up for a piss," Tony added as they all headed for the men’s room.

Entering the rather large restroom, Darin noticed a sink and two stalls to the left. As they rounded a short partition, there was a sink at either end of a row of four urinals along the right wall. "Four pissers, no waitin’," Tony said as he unzipped his shorts and stepped up to the second from the right. Tim had already taken the one closest to the door. Darin stepped in next to Tony with Brady taking the last one.

As they stood there, peeing, Darin found himself sneaking a peek to his right. From what he had seen under Tony’s slacks the night before, he imagined it would be pretty impressive. He was surprised to see that, like himself, Tony was intact and that his imagination had not done Tony justice. He was further shocked when he looked to his left and saw that Brady, while not as large as either he or Tony, also had a very nice foreskin covering the head of his penis. Realizing he was staring, he looked up into Brady’s eyes and blushed when he noticed that Brady was checking him out as well. He coughed nervously and looked at the wall. He blushed again when he realized that the owners had placed two large mirrors on the wall above the urinals and had leaned them out, at the top, so you could get a clear view of all four. "How considerate," he thought.

"Y’all ever seen a purtier pecker in yor life?" Tony asked as he stared at Darin’s uncircumcised penis.

"Tony, stop it. I can’t pee with you looking at it," Darin protested as he started to become aroused.

Brady turned his head to the right. "He’s right, it’s very nice."

Tim said, shyly, "I feel sorta left out. Mine’s the only one without a turtleneck."

"Yeah, Babe, but I ain’t tossin’ ya back ‘cause o’ that," Tony offered, kissing Tim and fondling him with his right hand. "Look, Dude," he said to Darin, "It’s startin’ to sprout."

Darin looked past Tony to where Tim was standing, still peeing but quickly growing toward its full eight inches. "Now you know how we felt back in gym class," he chuckled. "Impressive," he added. Turning back toward Brady, who was quickly gaining both length and girth, he continued, "Very nice!"

Tony reached his left hand toward Darin as the last dribbles of urine splashed into the basin. Squeezing the long shaft, he began slowly stroking as Darin let out a soft, "Mmmm."

"Y’all like that, don’cha?" he asked.

Darin nodded and leaned toward Brady, who was shaking off his last drops, and kissed him softly. "Sure do," he replied. Grasping Brady’s growing manhood, which now matched his for length but was much thicker, he began stroking it gently.

Brady moved closer and sighed, leaning his head on Darin’s shoulder and kissing his neck as Tim squatted in front of Tony and quickly gobbled his now fully engorged, nearly nine inch erection into his mouth.

Soon the room was filled with the moans of four friends sharing a sexual encounter. As Tony and Darin increased the speed of their pumping, and without warning, the door opened and Michael entered. Rounding the partition, he saw what was happening and stopped. "Don’t mind me," he said smiling. "Just keep doing what you’re doing," he added as he zipped up his dress pants, retreated and closed the door.

After just a few minutes, Darin announced, "I’m gonna shoot!" as thick ropes of semen blasted into the urinal in front of him.

Brady was next. As his orgasm erupted, he turned, trying to aim for his urinal. The first blast hit the wall between his and Darin’s and ran slowly toward the floor. Darin watched as Brady’s hand took over pumping. He unloaded four, five, then six blasts before the semen slowed and dribbled across his fingers.

Tim’s hand was violently pumping his own penis as Tony’s erupted in his mouth. His eyes closed, Darin and Brady watched as Tony’s entire body shook and he pushed into Tim’s mouth. Tim buried his nose into Tony’s bright red pubic bush and sucked hungrily as wave after wave of Tony’s seed attacked his tonsils. Seconds later, Tim stood and deposited his own sizeable load into yet another of the urinals and fell against Tony’s massive chest.

"Wee Lawdy!" Tony exclaimed as they all stood, pants open, coming down from their orgasmic highs. "Ain’t nobody never took me all the way down before," he added.

Tim grabbed several paper towels and wiped up some stray dribbles from the floor in front of Tony and Darin. Brady wiped the trail of semen from his blast to the wall, pulled another towel from the dispenser and ran it under the water. Handing it to Darin and retrieving another, he said, "You might want to skin back and wipe up."

Looking down at his quickly shrinking manhood, Darin noticed a large glob of white pushing from the folds of foreskin. Grabbing with his left hand, he quickly pulled the skin back and wiped the wet towel across the dark purple head. He noticed that Brady had a similar collection of semen and was repeating the process on his own penis as Tim used his mouth to clean up the remnants that Tony’s orgasm had left behind.

"Ah, the joys of bein’ uncut!" Tony stated as they all laughed and tucked themselves into their pants.

After washing their hands, they returned to the table. Michael was just finishing pouring fresh coffee into their cups as they approached. "Did you boys have fun?" he asked, holding Brady’s chair as the others slid into theirs.

Darin and Brady blushed as they noticed several other male couples seated throughout the room.

"Don’t worry about it one bit," Michael continued, winking at the two. "It happens all the time," he added and was gone.

The four stared nervously at their menus. Finally, Darin whispered, "I can’t believe what just happened in there."

Tony folded his menu and laid it on the table. "Ya mean, y’all ain’t never done nothin’ like that b’fore?"

Brady blushed as he sipped his coffee. "Swear to God, never," he said, placing his cup into the saucer.

"It’s not like I’ve never snuck a peak at the guy next to me before but I never dreamed of doing anything like that," Darin said. "I thought I was gonna die when the waiter came in," he added, placing his menu on the table as well. "I couldn’t believe it when he just left." He blushed again as he saw Michael approaching.

"Hell, I’s hopin’ he’d join in," Tony laughed.

Pulling his order pad from his apron, Michael asked, "So what are you gentlemen having today?" Winking at Tony, he added, "I mean, besides each other."

Darin and Brady blushed again as Brady hid behind his open menu.

"Oh, relax, sweetie," Michael offered as he noticed how red Brady’s face was. "Besides, ain’t one of you got anything to be ashamed of, okay? Okay!" he added, snapping his long fingers. "Now, will this be all together, or separate checks?"

"I’m getting this," Darin stated. "I’ll have the buffet."

"Me too," Tony and Tim added in unison.

Michael turned to Brady again, "And for Rose Red over here?"

"I’ll have the same," Brady said, handing his menu to Michael.

Before leaving, Michael gathered the other menus and added, "Okay, gentlemen, help yourselves and enjoy your meal."

By this time, the numbers in the restaurant had grown considerably and several people were crowded around the buffet. Brady handed out plates to each of the others and began choosing his food. As they waited, Tony leaned over and kissed Darin on the cheek.

"What’s that for?" Darin asked, puzzled.

Tony smiled. "Y’all ‘member what we talked ‘bout yesterd’y?"

Darin thought for a moment, then looked at Tony, confused. "When?" he asked.

"By the pool, when you tol’ me ‘bout Redfield," he reminded him.

Darin nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Le’s jus’ say," he paused as he looked at Tim. "That Tony’s world has been rocked."

"Really?"

"Big time," he added as he held up his hand for Darin to give him a ‘high five.’

TO BE CONTINUED​

 

[kcm17480]

This is getting better by the chapter. Excellent story.

 

[isuckmen]

I really like this story but what happened to Rodney? He really ought to come back!