sister. That’s why I was so desperate to make it work. I even sold my motorcycle right before this project just so I had a chance of going.”
“Mmm. You on a motorcycle is something I need to see. But, that doesn’t help us solve this problem. Let’s go play some pool in the basement, have a couple more beers and figure this out.”
Duncan had no other options. Sebastian seemed genuine in trying to find a solution. Any hope of a solution was worth pursuing.
Sebastian killed Duncan in game after game of eight ball. He never gloated or bragged, though. His focus was clearly not on the game. He barely said a word for about an hour.
“I’m going to make you an offer. Just say yes.”
“Can I hear it first?”
“I was afraid you’d say that. You’re going to hate me but I don’t give a fuck. It’ll work and you’ll be happy in the end. But you’re going to hate me for it.” Sebastian smiled and laid his pool cue down. He walked around to the opposite side of the pool table, placing it squarely between himself and Duncan.
“I have the money to send you on that trip and I want you to go to your sister’s wedding. So I’m going to offer to pay for it. No strings attached. We’ll sort out all the other shit with Jason afterward.”
Duncan’s heart melted at Sebastian’s kindness. He had completely misread what kind of man Sebastian was. He really was kind and generous. Sebastian just needed to find better ways to allow himself to be that better man.
Duncan could not put himself in a spot to owe anyone else any more money, though. He had to buckle down and weather some disappointments rather than getting further into the hole.
“That’s so nice, Sebastian. I really want to take you up on it, but I can’t. I’m afraid I’ll never be able to pay you back. My mind and body are already frazzled just trying to figure out—”
Sebastian silenced Duncan with a raised hand.
“No strings. A gift for a friend. That’s all. You deserve it. Well, one string...”
There it was. The asshole fighting to shove his way out of the kind man. The leopard putting his spots back on.
Not even bothering to hide his disappointment, Duncan sighed. “What’s the catch?”
“Not a catch, really. At least I don’t think so. It’s just that I can’t help thinking how great some sun, good food, and maybe some snorkeling would feel right about now.”
“And...”
“So I’ll pay for your trip. But I’m going to come too.”
Duncan shook his head emphatically, sending his hair whipping wildly.
“Fuck no. My parents...my family doesn’t know that I’m gay. It’s never come up. I can’t show up at my sister’s wedding on a tiny cruise ship with some boy-toy eye candy on my arm.”
Sebastian smiled. “You think I’m eye candy? That’s sweet. But that’s the deal. You don’t have to tell them we’re together, you just have to let me be around. We can be business partners or something. Some lost soul that you met that needs to be around real people. Whatever you want to say.”
It was insane. No way would it work. Sebastian would screw everything up. No matter how fun it might be to spend time drinking and hanging out on beaches with Sebastian, he couldn’t do it around his family.
His mind flailed, desperate to find any other solution, but he had no better options.
Duncan worried about what might happen behind closed doors. He knew he wouldn’t have the willpower to keep his hands off of Sebastian for the whole trip when they were sleeping just a couple feet away from each other. At some point, Sebastian would brag to someone out in public about his conquest. It would be a nightmare
“Fuck. This is stupid. Fuck you for doing this to me.”
Sebastian frowned but didn’t back away from his offer.
“Fine. You and me will be BFFs attending my sister’s wedding. You can be a recently dumped, and pathetically sad single dude looking to hook up with a bridesmaid.”
“Or with the best
“Mmm. You on a motorcycle is something I need to see. But, that doesn’t help us solve this problem. Let’s go play some pool in the basement, have a couple more beers and figure this out.”
Duncan had no other options. Sebastian seemed genuine in trying to find a solution. Any hope of a solution was worth pursuing.
Sebastian killed Duncan in game after game of eight ball. He never gloated or bragged, though. His focus was clearly not on the game. He barely said a word for about an hour.
“I’m going to make you an offer. Just say yes.”
“Can I hear it first?”
“I was afraid you’d say that. You’re going to hate me but I don’t give a fuck. It’ll work and you’ll be happy in the end. But you’re going to hate me for it.” Sebastian smiled and laid his pool cue down. He walked around to the opposite side of the pool table, placing it squarely between himself and Duncan.
“I have the money to send you on that trip and I want you to go to your sister’s wedding. So I’m going to offer to pay for it. No strings attached. We’ll sort out all the other shit with Jason afterward.”
Duncan’s heart melted at Sebastian’s kindness. He had completely misread what kind of man Sebastian was. He really was kind and generous. Sebastian just needed to find better ways to allow himself to be that better man.
Duncan could not put himself in a spot to owe anyone else any more money, though. He had to buckle down and weather some disappointments rather than getting further into the hole.
“That’s so nice, Sebastian. I really want to take you up on it, but I can’t. I’m afraid I’ll never be able to pay you back. My mind and body are already frazzled just trying to figure out—”
Sebastian silenced Duncan with a raised hand.
“No strings. A gift for a friend. That’s all. You deserve it. Well, one string...”
There it was. The asshole fighting to shove his way out of the kind man. The leopard putting his spots back on.
Not even bothering to hide his disappointment, Duncan sighed. “What’s the catch?”
“Not a catch, really. At least I don’t think so. It’s just that I can’t help thinking how great some sun, good food, and maybe some snorkeling would feel right about now.”
“And...”
“So I’ll pay for your trip. But I’m going to come too.”
Duncan shook his head emphatically, sending his hair whipping wildly.
“Fuck no. My parents...my family doesn’t know that I’m gay. It’s never come up. I can’t show up at my sister’s wedding on a tiny cruise ship with some boy-toy eye candy on my arm.”
Sebastian smiled. “You think I’m eye candy? That’s sweet. But that’s the deal. You don’t have to tell them we’re together, you just have to let me be around. We can be business partners or something. Some lost soul that you met that needs to be around real people. Whatever you want to say.”
It was insane. No way would it work. Sebastian would screw everything up. No matter how fun it might be to spend time drinking and hanging out on beaches with Sebastian, he couldn’t do it around his family.
His mind flailed, desperate to find any other solution, but he had no better options.
Duncan worried about what might happen behind closed doors. He knew he wouldn’t have the willpower to keep his hands off of Sebastian for the whole trip when they were sleeping just a couple feet away from each other. At some point, Sebastian would brag to someone out in public about his conquest. It would be a nightmare
“Fuck. This is stupid. Fuck you for doing this to me.”
Sebastian frowned but didn’t back away from his offer.
“Fine. You and me will be BFFs attending my sister’s wedding. You can be a recently dumped, and pathetically sad single dude looking to hook up with a bridesmaid.”
“Or with the best
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