Page 6 of Betting Brett

"Brett, I should have told you sooner. I just wasn’t… it wasn’t my top priority. I knew you’d still be my best friend no matter what, and I hadn’t found anyone who was really worth writing home about, so it just never really came up.” Was he angry? Had I broken my best friend’s trust?

Brett reaches over, squeezing my hand in a firm grip. "Andy, you're right, you’re my best friend. Nothing will ever change that. I just wish you would have trusted me enough to tell me sooner. You know I’m good no matter what."

I nod, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "I know, I'm glad I’ve got you by my side, Brett. And I’m really glad to be back."

Brett pulls me into a hug, his familiar embrace wrapping around me like a shield. "It's okay, Andy. I’m glad, too. And we're good, I promise."

As I hug him back, I realize that, despite my fears, our friendship is as strong as ever. Maybe even stronger now that there are no more secrets between us. As we pull apart, I see the same affection and understanding in Brett's eyes that has always been there. It's a reminder that, no matter what, Brett will always be there for me, just as I’ll always be there for him.

With a newfound sense of relief and a heart full of gratitude, I smile at Brett. "Thank you, Brett. For everything."

He smiles back, his eyes twinkling in the soft glow of the living room lights. "Always, Andy. Always," he says with a grin.

The atmosphere in the room lightens considerably, and soon, we find ourselves reminiscing about old times and teasing each other about our respective disastrous dates from the night before.

"So, your date just walked off with John?" I ask, a grin spreading across my face.

Brett rolls his eyes, but there's a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, can you believe that? I mean, I knew the date was going nowhere, but I didn't expect to be ditched for another date!"

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Well, at least someone found their happy ending, right?"

Brett laughs, nodding in agreement. "It’s fine with me. She and I sure weren’t going to work. What about you, though? John seemed... interesting."

I snort, remembering the total lack of chemistry between us. "Interesting is one way to put it. I think I'd prefer 'a lesson in patience'."

We both burst into laughter, the sound filling the room with a warmth that only comes from years of friendship. Brett shakes his head, still chuckling about the escapades of the previous night. "I swear, dating nowadays feels like navigating through a minefield of awkwardness."

I nod, my grin widening as I lean in, my eyes twinkling with mischief. My filter is totally down, which makes my next couple of words surprise even myself. “You’d think dating guys would be easier, but it’s pretty much just as awkward. There are some advantages though.”

Brett raises an eyebrow, his interest piqued before he asks, "Oh really? Like what?"

A surge of boldness takes over, perhaps fueled by the relaxed atmosphere and the familiarity of our friendship. And the two glasses of wine I’ve had tonight. "Well," I drawl, leaning back with a smirk, "I bet I give better head than any girl you’ve ever been with.."

The room falls silent for a moment, the audaciousness of the last statement hanging in the air between us. Brett's laughter trails away into a slightly awkward chuckle, and he gets a surprised look on his face. He scratches the back of his head, his face turning a delightful shade of red. "Uh, that's quite a bet, Andy," he says, his voice still tinged with laughter.

I get a sudden jolt of anxiety, feeling like I've stepped too far over the line. "I mean, it was just a joke, you know," I stammer, trying to gauge his reaction, "Just kidding. I mean, I’m sure it’s true, but I was just joking."

Brett nods, but his smile is still a bit thoughtful. He steers the conversation back to safer waters, asking about my recent work projects and other mundane topics.

But as the evening progresses, I can't shake off the feeling that the dynamics have shifted slightly, that maybe a seed of curiosity has been planted in both our minds. The conversation flows, but every now and then, there's a pause, a lingering glance that wasn't there before.

As I prepare to leave, Brett walks me to the door, his expression thoughtful. "You know, Andy, about that bet..." he starts, then shakes his head with a smile. "Never mind, it's silly."

I give him a playful punch on the arm, trying to lighten the mood. "It’s the wine, you know how feral that makes me.”

Brett laughs, the sound more genuine this time. "Alright, alright. It’s fine. I'll keep it in mind," he tells me with a teasingly suggestive tone in his voice.

“Hold on, speaking of wine, are you ok to drive?” Brett asks, looking me over.

I nod. “I only had two glasses, officer. And that was about two hours ago.” I give him a wink, and Brett smiles, reaching for my shoulder.

“I’m just looking out for you.”

“I know,” I say, unable to wipe the smile off my face. “Bye, Brett.”“See ya, Andy.”

As I step out into the cool night air, I breathe a sigh of relief. Brett knows all of me now, and I don’t have to worry about keeping parts of myself hidden. Judging from the teasing earlier, we are on as solid ground as ever. But as I drive home, the moon casting long shadows on the empty streets, I realize that maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of a new chapter in our story.

6

---