Page 50 of Starfish and Coffee
Somehow being in the water, something that was such a huge part of who Alex was, made the confession all the more potent. Matt found himself taking several long gulps of air to fight the emotions welling up in him. Then he wrapped his hand around Alex’s that still rested on Matt’s stomach and squeezed it tightly.
“I love you too.”
After it was out, they stayed there in the silence, the water lapping at their skin and sun beating on their backs as they held each other. Matt knew for years that he was sexually attracted to men, but he never expected to love one so deeply it actually hurt every time he thought about it.
Alex finally broke the silence to press a kiss against Matt’s shoulder. “Now all I’ve got to do is catch the great white whale to make this day perfect.”
“Then let’s eat lunch and catch it. You said today’s your day. I believe you.”
“Okay, then.” Alex broke away from Matt to climb up on the platform. “Let’s catch ourselves a marlin.”
Matt followed him up, willing that big catch for Alex with every ounce of his being. They ate lunch, pulled up the anchor, and then Matt drove the boat to deeper waters while Alex worked on setting up the fishing poles. They trolled for hours, but at the end of the day Alex didn’t catch the marlin he’d been chasing for years—Matt did.
Life was golden.
Chapter Twelve
March 2007
Matt enjoyed winter on Mirabella Island, when the air was cool, but not freezing and the beach was mostly empty. The tourists were gone, replaced with Florida snowbirds like his mother, who might walk along the beach at night, but certainly weren’t out there partying it up all day long.
The island took on a much more laid-back, cozy feel to it, as if all the worries in the world evaporated once you crossed the bridge. In many ways, it echoed the changes in Matt’s own existence. Sheltered from the constant stresses of family and corporate obligations, happy and content in his relationship with Alex, Matt had started plotting ways to make this year-long vacation into a lifelong reality.
He wanted it for himself so badly that when the winter turned to spring, a panic set in as the town locals began planning for spring break and his uncle was calling on a weekly basis wondering when Matt’s hiatus was up.
Matt wasn’t the only one. Alex felt it too, and the two of them started partying harder and fucking longer because of it.
On the first Saturday in March there were people everywhere. Even if the mansion was large, Alex and Matt had enough friends combined to fill it. The fish-fry parties at Matt’s place had become a regular occurrence, but the Hunter brothers weren’t being very social for this get-together as they had the same argument Matt had heard at least five times before.
“Why can’t you stay here? Doesn’t Mirabella need lawyers too?” Alex barked at his brother as the two of them faced off on the patio of the beach house.
“Look, Alex, I know you don’t get it,” Will said tiredly. “But this is an amazing opportunity. Offers like this go to people who graduate from Harvard law, not some guy who grew up on the docks on Mirabella Island. It could change my life—our lives. We’re still a team.”
“Yeah, some fucking team.” Alex snorted. “You’re not just taking off. You’re talking about dragging my best friend with you. Holly wouldhateNew York.”
“It’s not forever. Do you get what sort of opportunity this is? Ask Matt, he’ll tell you.”
Alex turned to Matt, giving him a look that said where he could shove his opinion. Considering Matt had already voiced his thoughts on the matter in private with Alex, that itwasa chance of a lifetime for Will, Matt decided to escape before Will could drag him down with the ship.
Alex was never going to get why Will needed to go. To him life was about the next fishing trip. Bigger ambitions just weren’t part of his makeup. Losing his family for a job was completely foreign to him. Will might as well be speaking a different language to Alex.
Instead of answering, Matt pushed away from the table. “You guys want more beer?”
“Pussy.” Will snorted.
“Call him that again.” Alex’s eyes narrowed at his brother. “And I will fuck your shit up.”
“Why are you always defending him?” Will shifted a baffled look from Alex to Matt. “He’s got at least thirty pounds on you, but you jump to his defense like he’s the runt of the class.”
“For the record, I don’t need Alex to fight my battles.” Matt glared at Will. “I’m perfectly capable of defending my opinions.”
“Oh, we noticed, Tarrington. Not like you have a shortage of opinions,” Will said with a laugh of disbelief. “I just want to know why my little brother has to jump on his white steed every time someone insults you. You’d think you were his girlfriend or something.”
Matt turned and left with that because that was the other big elephant in the room. Neither of them had come out to their friends and family. It was starting to make their lives very difficult. They were so deeply involved it was hard to curb something that came so naturally to them like protecting and defending each other. Kissing, hugging, touching; the list was endless.
It was really unfair they had to hide what straight people could do anywhere. Matt realized now that he’d taken all of it for granted. More often than not he got mad about the injustice, far more so than Alex did, because Alex had never seen the other side of the coin.
Matt was one smart comment away from telling the whole world what he and Alex were to each other and fuck the consequences. It had to be better than living this lie.
