Page 101 of Poolside

Chuck watched as Tommy put on the gloves, opened the cooler, and then, with the rake in one hand and the open cooler in the other, crept up to the oak.

The possum sat perfectly still on a branch, long snout open to bare its sharp teeth, its pale tail twitching where it hung down into the air. Tommy extended the rake, getting close enough to the animal to nudge the metal tines against its body. Immediately the little claws scrambled for purchase and a series of loud hisses came from its mouth.

“Come on, Leonard,” Tommy muttered loud enough that Chuck could hear him from his spot up on the deck. “You’ve lost this one, you mangy bastard.” With one final shove, the possum fell from the branch into the waiting cooler that Tommy held up in his other hand. Tommy fumbled with the lid, but as soon as it was in place he turned to Chuck, raising the rake in the air above his head like he’d just defeated an opponent in the Colosseum. His face was split in two by a wide, laughing smile as he beamed at Chuck. “Baby, look! I got him!”

Chuck’s own face ached from grinning, and he clapped as well as he could with Angel still in his arms. He wanted to run to Tommy, jump into his arms, wrap his legs around his thick torso, and bury his face into the spot on his neck where he sprayed his cologne in the morning.

But then animal rescue was there, and they both nodded along as the thickly-mustached man gave them a stern lecture about catching wild animals on their own. They both said goodbye to Leonard, who responded with a hiss.

Finally, it was just the two of them again, standing on the front stoop. Tommy hadn’t taken off his gloves yet, and a sheen of moisture made his skin glow. Chuck had to admit that sweat was a good look on him.

“Fuck me,” Tommy said, wiping his forearm over his face. When he dropped his hand, his eyebrows were askew. Then with a panicked look on his face, he jumped up, running over to his car. He wrenched open the driver’s side door, bent over, and when he turned around he was holding an extremely perturbed looking Sir Mix-A-Lot.

The laughter started in Chuck’s throat and moved down into his chest and stomach. It was the kind of laughter that brought tears to his eyes. He could barely catch his breath, unable to do anything but slump against his front door as he clung to the two cats in his arms.

He was still laughing as Tommy opened the front door and nudged him inside. He was still laughing as he gently put the cats down and they scampered off toward his room, probably to hide and recover from all the excitement.

Something must have cracked open inside of him because, as he collapsed onto the couch, the moisture in his eyes turned to tears, and the gasping breaths became sobs.

The couch sagged as Tommy sat beside him, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him close. Chuck slumped against him. Tommy brushed a kiss against his forehead, his voice quiet when he said, “Want to tell me about it?”

Chuck shook his head.

“Okay, baby,” Tommy leaned back, bringing Chuck with him. “I’m here.”

Chuck recognized the shame that tightened his throat, and reminded himself there was nothing to be ashamed of. Tommy was there with him because hechoseto be.

But just because he knew the shame and embarrassment were misplaced didn’t mean he could will them away. His brain could tell him he was fine, that everything he was going through was a part of being human, but it didn’t mean his heart believed it yet.Thatwas the shit that took time—actually believing and trusting those things.

“Why are you so good to me?” Chuck knew he sounded like a broken record, but even after more than a month with Tommy, it still felt new to trust someone like this.

Tommy tightened his hold around him. “Being good to you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done, Chuck. It’s not work or an obligation. Every part of me wants to l—” He broke off, clearing his throat. Chuck heard his own heartbeat slamming in his ears. “To care for every part of you,” Tommy finished. “It’s just that easy.”

Later that night, after Chuck grilled veggies on the back patio while Tommy baked a chicken, he came up behind Tommy as he washed the dishes. When he placed his chin on his shoulder, Tommy turned to press a soft kiss to his cheek.

It was still hard to believe this was his life. He had a handsome, passionate teammate who showed him over and over again that he wasn’t going anywhere. He was steady and consistent, keeping Chuck’s needs at the forefront of everything he did.

Chuck wanted to do something for him. Even though he knew he didn’t need to, knew that Tommy would show up and be there for him all the same, he wanted to do something special for him. Maybe he’d plan a surprise for his birthday, which was coming up.

As he watched Tommy’s strong, capable hands scrub the last of the dishes, Chuck knew exactly what he was going to do.

CHAPTER29

SWIM FAR AND DON’T DROWN

TOMMY

“Charles.”

Tommy heard Chuck’s quiet laugh on his left, barely audible over the crunch of tires beneath them and the music that filled the car. “Yes, Thomas?”

Tommy stretched his legs out as much as he could in the passenger seat of Chuck’s car. “Where are we going?”

“Patience.”

Huffing, Tommy leaned his head against the hot glass of the window. The bandana Chuck had tied around his eyes was soft, and tight enough that even when he opened his eyes all he could see was a faint glow.

“At least I get to hear you sing,” Tommy admitted. Chuck had been singing along with every song that had come on whatever playlist he had queued up. It was a bunch of Indie rock from when they were in college, and while Tommy couldn’t name most of the artists, he recognized a lot of the songs.

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