Page 11 of Throuple Next Door

“That’s just it. So you don’t have a job or a direction at the moment. It will happen. You’re smart, healthy, and you have two men who love you and have your back. That’s a hell of a lot more than most folks have. So take up gardening… or a sport. Get out there, be active, and drop the defeatist attitude.” Austin seemed shocked, but that was Veronica. She wasn’t the type to hold back. “Something is going to come along. Just keep your eyes open, and rather than worry about the time you have on your hands, be grateful for the chance to take a breath and figure out your next steps.” She cut right to the chase and made a great point.

Austin was nodding slowly. “I just want to pull my weight and….”

“Hey,” Weaver said softly. “You always do.” He tilted Austin’s head upward, looking into his eyes. “You make both Randy and me happier than we ever were without you. So just give yourself a break.”

“Sometimes, I wonder if I’d be better off in New York,” Austin said, and Weaver’s belly clenched. “But I don’t think this has anything to do with geography. I think I’d feel this way no matter where we were living.”

“Life changes?” Weaver asked.

“Exactly. Only I wasn’t ready for this particular one.” Austin patted Weaver on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to run back to New York. We all decided that the move here was best for all of us. I just have to figure out my path. Good things are happening for you and Randy, and hopefully, my turn will come.”

Austin was saying all the right things, but Weaver still wondered if that was how he really felt or if he was just trying to make Weaver feel better. He’d even settle for a little bit of both.

Randy peered across the porch while Dominic made him hungry talking about the food that he and Andrew had had on their trip to France earlier in the year. Austin, Weaver, and Veronica were talking, and Austin seemed to be smiling, which was great to see.

“What is he doing here?” Dominic asked, and Randy turned as their neighbor from across the street passed by on the sidewalk, pausing right in front of the house.

“I see all the freaks are in one place.”

“What the hell?” Randy asked.

Dominic set down his glass. “That’s Steve from across the street from you. Did Doug and Eileen tell you about him?”

Randy nodded slowly, glaring as Steve slowly continued down the sidewalk, watching them as though he expected an orgy to break out at any moment. Randy excused himself and joined Austin and Weaver, putting an arm around each of them.

“What an ass,” Austin said softly. Weaver hummed his agreement, but Randy was on guard, ready to pounce at any second if that POS decided to cause any trouble. Austin leaned against his shoulder, and Weaver slipped an arm around his waist.

“You know, we could all kiss. That would probably short-circuit him completely.”

“There’s no need to antagonize him. He does live across the street,” Weaver said.

Randy had to agree with him, though he wished there was something he could do about the guy. Knowing he was there, sitting on that damned porch of his watching their home. It made him angry. “We’ll have to see what we can do to make his life a little uneasy.”

“He works for the Special Police. They’re the crossing guards, and they direct traffic around accidents when it’s needed.”

“Then I think it’s time they got a report on his behavior,” Randy said. He watched as Steve continued down the sidewalk, refusing to look away. Steve kept looking back, and Randy met his gaze each time he turned to look.

“Let’s rejoin the party,” Austin said from next to him.

“Yeah. Does anyone need a refill?” Dominic said from nearby, circulating through the group, refilling glasses, and working to banish the already dissipating gloom. “There are also plenty of munchies, so help yourself. Also, if anyone is interested, Andrew has opened the pool if anyone wants to put on their suit and take a dip.”

Veronica set her glass aside and hurried across the street.

“Do either of you want to swim?” Randy asked, pleased when Austin finished his wine and put his glass on the table. He and Weaver headed back to the house to change while Randy spoke to a few more of the neighbors, one of whom, Maria, was part of the community garden nearby and invited him to come down to take a look sometime.

“I think I’d like that. Weaver and Austin aren’t particularly interested in gardening, but I’d like to learn if for no other reason than to make our yard nicer. We had a small space in New York where I had some plants in pots, but I’ve never done anything more than that.”

“Cool. Be sure to talk to Andrew as well. He’s president of the local garden club and is willing to help out with that sort of thing. Andrew is really into flowers, while I grow veggies. Between us, we can help with just about anything.”

“I don’t want a fancy yard, but it’s pretty plain right now, and I’d like to add some shrubs and things along the fence.” He really wasn’t sure what he should do and was about to ask more questions when Weaver and Austin returned in their bathing suits, and his mind kind of blew out.

“Damn, you are one lucky guy,” Maria said, half under her breath. “Those men of yours are….” Both of them followed his two men around the side of the house with their gazes. Randy found himself smiling, knowing that these guys were his, truly his, heart and soul.

“Yeah, they really are,” Randy said.

“Are you going to join them?” Maria asked.

Randy shook his head. “I don’t swim. My mom was deathly afraid of water, and she kind of passed that on to me. I was never taught as a kid.” He hated talking about it. Admitting any sort of weakness was not something he found easy to do. Maria’s kids hurried across the street, waving to their mother as they crossed the immaculate lawn toward the backyard.

---