Page 23 of Poolside

Tommy’s response was a nod and a grunt as he walked past Chuck and into the pool.

Chuck led them over to the lawn chairs lined up at one end of the pool. He dropped his bag and made quick work of losing his shorts and t-shirt, leaving him in a black Speedo. It was muscle memory to start twisting his body, warming up his back and arms as he watched Tommy.

Tommy was in boardshorts that stretched tight against his thick thighs. When he took off his shirt his tan skin was on display. Chuck wasn’t sure how he always managed to have that golden glow to his skin when he spent most of his time in a suit, but ever since he’d known Tommy he’d had the look of a guy who spent his summers on the lake.

“Do you have goggles or a cap?” Chuck asked, breaking the quiet.

Tommy shook his head.

Chuck had expected as much and packed extras for him. He tossed a red cap and a pair of goggles onto the lounge in front of him before stretching his own white and green Southeastern cap back and over his head to cover his wild hair.

“How?” Tommy asked, looking down at the cap.

“Come here.”

Tommy shuffled over, and Chuck used both his hands to tilt Tommy’s head down. His hair was soft this morning, free from product, and Chuck noticed the cowlick right on the crown of his head sticking up like a ruffled feather.

He made quick work of getting the cap on Tommy’s head, tucking stray pieces of hair away until his head was fully covered.

Tommy looked up, and Chuck didn’t have time to stop the loud laugh that burst from him.

Tommy scowled. “What?”

Chuck couldn’t stop laughing. “I never knew your head was so small! You look like one of those action figures with the crazy built upper bodies and the tiny little heads.”

“What the fuck, man,” Tommy protested, but he was cracking up too, hands covering his face as laughter shook his body. “Why do you think I keep my hair longer up top?”

“Okay, pinhead.” Chuck grabbed the two kickboards he’d packed and threw them over to the edge of the pool. “Get your ass in the water.”

Tommy didn’t hesitate, throwing himself into the pool with a splash that almost reached their stuff. Chuck followed.

He gave himself a moment underwater, letting the peace and quiet sink into him before he surfaced.

Tommy’s hands were rubbing the surface of the cap. “This shit feels weird.”

“It’ll keep your pretty hair from getting ruined by the chlorine.”

Tommy’s dimples popped with his wide grin. “Aw, you think I’m pretty?”

Chuck felt his cheeks heat as he stood, the four foot depth reaching just above his waist. He couldn’t tell Tommy that he thought he was the most handsome man he’d ever seen. “Put your goggles on,” he instructed, shoving aside the feelings for his friend that had been a constant during the past ten years of his life, “and then let’s start with you swimming the length of the pool. It’s only twenty-five meters, and it’s this depth all the way across. Just do a basic freestyle, and I’ll swim next to you and see what we’re working with.”

To Tommy’s credit, he was an athlete used to taking instructions. Once the goggles were snug on his face, he dove forward and started to swim.

Chuck had probably swam with Tommy hundreds of times over the years. He could keep his head above water just fine, but he was the kind of person who looked like they were having to use all of their strength to keep themselves afloat. Lots of arms flailing and frantic, clumsy kicking.

Tommy was moving forward, at least. It was slow, but he was going somewhere. His breathing was irregular, head lifting up out of the water and moving side to side with every stroke. His arms were doing too much and his legs weren’t doing enough.

It took a painfully long time for him to reach the opposite end of the pool. Chuck swam slowly, just behind him, putting together a checklist in his head of which drills would make the most sense to start with.

Tommy let out a loud, breathless “Fuuuuuck” that stretched out to contain about fifteen syllables the second he touched the wall. His wet chest heaved, brown-pink nipples hard as his mouth hung open. He panted, trying to catch his breath. “Why is that so fucking hard?”

Chuck planted his feet against the smooth cement on the bottom of the pool and stood up. “You’re working way too hard,” he offered.

“If I don’t do that I’m going to sink, man,” Tommy protested, wiping a hand across his wet face before taking the goggles off. “This body? It’s as hard and heavy as a rock.”

Chuck definitely didn’t need words likehardandheavythrown out there when his skin was already prickling from being this close to his half-naked friend.Redirect, Chuck. He cleared his throat. “Can you float?”

Tommy’s mouth twisted into a scowl. “Do you think I’d be flailing like a drowning raccoon if I could float?”

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