Page 68 of Snow Globe Secrets

“What did you think of Turner?”

“Mart.”

“No, really, Randy. I know you were always shy, and I guess I know now why you never dated when we were kids, but …”

My eyes went wide. Had he figured out about my secret crush from back then? He must have clocked my look because he clarified, “I mean, because you weren’t out.”

“Oh, right. Obviously.”

He took a step forward and some instinctive part of me knew it would be suspicious if I tried to back up again.

Martin hugged me, and I stiffened, but he wouldn’t let go until I hugged him back.

“I wish you’d told us. You deserved better, man. You deserved friends you could come out to. I’m sorry you didn’t have that.”

“Martin, it’s very kind of you to say that, but you shouldn’t feel any guilt. My choices were my own back then. The choice not to tell you, the decision to move to England. Cutting myself off from my extended family after Mom died. David. I take responsibility for it all. My decisions are my own.” And I’d made some bad ones over the years, but they’d all led me to that moment, in that house, with my oldest friends and a man I didn’t think I could ever do without. I may have let out a little gasp while holding on to my old friend. The realization was somewhat overwhelming.

Martin took a step back, thank God, and we were silent for a moment as he tried to figure me out.

“You’re right!” Martin’s exuberance knew no bounds, and he failed to notice the epiphany I was having. “The past is the past, and … we’re your family now, Randy. Always have been, and I’m just so glad you're back. And as your family, as your brother, it is incumbent upon me to see to your happiness. So, should I invite Turner to dinner tonight?”

“No!” I all but shouted, reining it in at the last moment, feeling the heat rise on the back of my neck once again. I sighed and looked at my friend.

“I think …” An image of Austin tossing a snowball at me flashed before my eyes. We couldn’t stay inside that snow globe forever, but forever is what I wanted with him. I knew that, and if it turned out that was what he really wanted, maybe I should be open to giving it a try.

“You mean it, don’t you?” I asked seriously. “That you want me to be happy?” I looked closely into those eyes that were nothing at all like Austin’s.

“Of course, Randall.”

“I think I may be on the way to it, Mart. I don’t need you to set me up.”

“Yeah?” Martin had a sparkle in his eye that I hoped more than believed he’d still have if he knew who I was talking about.

“Yeah,” I responded more solemnly than I had intended. “I’m going to go shower now,” I said, turning to finally take myself out of the situation and to wash the cum off my person.

“Yeah, me too,” he said before adding, “Hey, there’s that red mark again. It’s like a walk down memory lane, man.”

“Truth be told, old friend, that beer belly of yours kinda reminds me of old times as well.”

I texted Austin as soon as I was showered and changed, assuming he was as anxious as I had been to rinse off any evidence of our tryst. I added that it was too risky for us to fool around again in his parents’ home.

The Stanger: Forgive me if I avoid you for the rest of the week. It’s damn near impossible to be in this room and not think about … well, you know.

The Excuse: Yeah, that was a close call. Just know, it’s not going to be easy.

The Excuse: Hey, don’t forget the shit we kicked under your bed!

The Excuse: God damn it, now I’m thinking about that toy again.

The Stranger: Austin …

The Excuse: It’s gonna be a long week.

What else was there to say? I gave that text a thumbs-up and rehearsed excuses for keeping my distance from everyone in that house.

We had dinner that night at Martin’s restaurant. Turner had not joined us, but the restaurant manager, Preston, served us personally and may have been flirting with me.

If it had been some other situation, I might have found a little bit of ego-boosting pleasure in the way Austin was bristling. I had to stop myself a million times from reaching a hand out to him to assure him that Preston’s attention meant nothing. Steph may have noticed my hand twitching after the appetizers were delivered to our table, and she definitely noticed Austin’s mood.