Chapter 73

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Chapter 73

Barney Stone met us in the lobby of the hotel promptly at nine the next morning. He was about my height with dark hair and dark blue eyes, and carried himself confidently in a weekend casual outfit of khaki pants and navy sport coat over a blue striped button down shirt. Jasper and I were already waiting for him and appreciated his punctuality as well as his friendly, non-nonsense approach.

“You must be Edward and Jasper,” he said, striding toward us as soon as he saw us. “Nice to meet you in person.”

“And you must be Barney,” I said, shaking his hand. “I’m Edward and, as you already guessed, this is my partner, Jasper. Thanks for meeting with us.”

“It’s my pleasure. Thanks for calling me. Unfortunately, I have another appointment at noon, but I do have several listings to show you based on yesterday’s discussion and there is one we could see this morning, assuming you’re interested. We may be able to see the others tomorrow.”

“That sounds great. Should we have some coffee and breakfast and look over the listings you found?”

“Let’s do.”

We settled at a table in the restaurant and ordered. After our coffees were poured and juices delivered, we leaned in to see the listings Barney compiled for us.

“Now, Edward, I know you said that you wanted a house with a yard, but you have to understand that in the neighborhood you’re considering that may be difficult to find. We may be able to satisfy some of your needs with a large terrace that can handle container gardening and such. Also, you said price wasn’t an object, but understand that real estate in Manhattan can range from seven hundred and fifty thousand for a one bedroom condo to forty million and up for a five plus bedroom townhouse. It would help to narrow in on a range you’re most comfortable with.”

“Forty million!” Jasper exclaimed. “Barney, I appreciate the reality of Manhattan real estate, but that’s completely out of the realm.”

I reached for Jasper’s hand to calm him.

“Forty million is too high. Even at half that, I’d have to speak with my banker. I guess I was hoping for something more in the five to seven and a half range.”

“Edward, that’s still...” Jasper tried to protest.

“We talked about this last night, remember?”

After his friends left for the club the previous evening, we went upstairs and had the unavoidable finance talk. It had been something I dreaded, knowing how much Jasper hated the idea of being anything less than an equal partner in terms of monetary contributions, but if we were going to live in Manhattan I was determined to do so in comfort, whatever the price. Eventually, and reluctantly, Jasper agreed that another real estate investment made sense for me, and promised not to try to let prices get in the way of our search. It seemed, though, that the promise was hard for him to keep in the face of actual numbers.

“Let’s just look at some of these,” I cajoled, pointing towards the listings. “Barney, just to make sure we know what we want, I suppose we should see one of those one bedroom places at the lower end of the scale.”

“Great. That’s the one I lined up for you this morning. It’s a very nice one-bedroom with a living room and separate dining area. Newly remodeled kitchen and bathroom. No balcony or terrace, though, I’m afraid. At that price point those would be hard to find.” Barney offered a printout that had details of the listing, including several pictures and a floor plan.

“That’s cozy,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment, especially when I saw the postage-stamp galley kitchen.

“It’s actually a good size for New York. The bedroom is large and so is the living room, and there are real closets,” Jasper pointed out. I glanced at the photos, determined not to comment about the perfect view of a rooftop water tank outside one of the windows or the location, which was too far away from Jasper’s work as far as I was concerned.

“We can go see it, but I doubt this is going to be the one,” I commented. I suspected Barney had included this listing to test our price tolerance. Now that he knew I was willing to go a lot higher, he wouldn’t push this one, and seeing it might convince Jasper that we needed to look at higher-priced options.

“Perfect. It’ll just give you a benchmark. And then tomorrow I thought we might see this one. Obviously there is quite a jump in price, but we go from one bedroom and bathroom to three of each, more space and a corner balcony with spectacular views. I think this one will tick off every box on your list.”

“Except the price,” grumbled Jasper.

“Well, there are several other units for sale in the same building, some at higher and some at lower price points. We could see more than one tomorrow.” Barney gave us two more listing sheets. The apartments were all different, but all seemed nice, even if they were located in a modern high rise building instead of something older with more charm.

“Jas, you know better than I do that Manhattan is an expensive place to live. But resale values have held up, haven’t they?” I questioned Barney.

“As you know, the real estate market nationally took a hit a few years ago, but I don’t believe there will ever be a time when Manhattan is not a desirable address and you are getting into the market at the right time,” Barney replied diplomatically.

“So this is exactly the right thing to do,” I continued to make my case to Jasper. “We get a fantastic place and when it’s time to sell we’ll make a tidy profit. And in the meantime, we’ll live in comfortable, pleasant surroundings.”

“Okay, we can look at those larger co-ops tomorrow. The three bedroom you showed us first  does look nice,” Jasper reluctantly agreed, glancing at Barney and then looking over the printouts. I had to agree. I really liked what I saw. Even the kitchen in the co-op was more pleasant; still a galley, but very modern and bright with a lot of storage.

“With two extra guest rooms there will be room for your family or mine to stay with us when they visit,” I enticed.

“That’s true. Like I said, we can look. The location is pretty good. Nice walk and the subway’s nearby.”

Our lox and bagels arrived and we took a break to eat, getting to know Barney over random chit-chat. After he paid for breakfast, he suggested we grab a cab to get to the first apartment.

“I don’t bother trying to drive in Manhattan,” he said with an apologetic grin. “Not even on the weekends. Parking is a pain and the cabs are just so convenient.”

“No worries,” Jasper said. “I don’t even have a car. Will you want one?” he asked me.

“Not unless we feel we really need it. I’m fine with walking and using public transportation. Cabs and car services are good too. And we can always rent if we need to get out of town.”

“Smart man. A car just means extra insurance and parking fees. Trust me, I know. You’ll be much better off if you can do without. Of course, my wife and I haven’t been able to resist, but if only we could...” He chuckled. “So, moving to Manhattan and buying a place. How long have you been together?”

Jasper and I looked at each other, unsure of how to answer what Barney probably assumed was a simple question.

“We met when we were ten and for years we were inseparable,” Jasper started.

“Then we went to college and,” I paused, trying to find the right explanation.

“Circumstances changed. I decided to go to school in Rochester while Edward stayed in Washington. We lost touch,” Jasper filled in.

“For six long years. And then a mutual friend was getting married and we reconnected at his wedding,” I added. “That was back in June.”

“And five months later you’re here,” Barney summarized. “That’s a great story, you guys. My wife’s gonna love it. Lucky that you were both single at the wedding.”

“It was, very lucky,” I smiled as I took Jasper’s hand.

The cab pulled to a stop.

“Well, looks like we’re here. Let’s go up and take a look,” Barney said enthusiastically as he paid the cabbie. We climbed out of the car and walked into the building.

The apartment was everything the pictures had suggested and less. It was about the size of the apartment Jas and I shared in college, minus one bedroom. The space wasn’t bad for everyday living, but with only one bedroom it would be hard to host any out of town guests. The kitchen was tiny and dated. Barney reminded me that it could be remodeled and even expanded into the space which served as a dining room, but I had hoped not to have to live in a construction zone. The views were urban and definitely nothing to write home about and the location was much too remote from both Jasper’s work and all our friends.

Jasper tried to look optimistic, but I could see he didn’t like the place either. That, at least, was a relief.

“So, guys, what do you think?” Barney asked when we were done with our short tour.

“If this is the best we can do below a million, then we need to go higher,” Jasper replied.

“You could do better, just not on the upper east side,” Barney said, his hands spread out to indicate his helplessness.

“But the upper east side is where we want to be, right Jas?”

He nodded. “Let’s keep looking. Those co-ops you showed us earlier looked interesting. It would be good to see those tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Barney said with enthusiasm and clapped his hands together for emphasis. “Let’s get you back to your hotel, or can I drop you off anywhere else?”

“Thanks, but no need to drop us off. We can walk and scout out the neighborhood.” I told him. Barney raised his brow, but said nothing.

“Edward is used to spending a lot of time outdoors, walking,” Jasper explained. “He’s a park ranger.”

“A park ranger? Is that some sort of a boy scout leader?”

I laughed. “No. I work for the National Park Service. You know, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Yosemite. I was an interpretive ranger at Mount Rainier National Park. That means I led hikes and educational programs about the park for visitors. I took a leave of absence to move here,” I supplied when Barney still looked confused.

“Mount Rainier,” Barney frowned and massaged his forehead with his fingers. “Wasn’t there some big news story about Mount Rainier recently? Seems like I should remember.”

“A sniper went into the park and shot people. One park ranger died,” Jasper told him.

“That’s right! And another ranger did something heroic.”

“We all just did our jobs, and unfortunately one of us paid too high a price,” I said, trying to put an end to this line of thought. “Text me to let me know what time we can see the co-ops tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure, Edward, I’ll do that, and sorry about your colleague.” Like any good salesman, Barney sensed the discussion was making me uncomfortable and backed off.

It took Jasper and me a couple of hours to get back to the hotel as we meandered through the neighborhood, trying to identify the areas that we found most desirable. As we walked, we also revisited the money discussion.

“I know it’s not rational, but when I envisioned our life together I saw a more or less equal partnership, you know? You always had more money, even when we were kids, and that was okay, but now the difference is so pronounced. And I’m pretty well off by most standards, with the trust fund from my dad and my salary, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to you,” Jasper tried to explain what I already understood.

“It’s only money, and we’re not unequal just because my stupid grandfather tortured me and my mother to leave me this tainted legacy. In a way, using all that money to buy a house for us here is spitting in his face, and that feels good, but it has nothing to do with how our relationship works.”

“That’s a lot easier to say when you’re not the one being kept.”

I stopped walking, forcing him to stop as well. Fortunately, it was a Saturday on a residential street a good distance away from the city center, so there was no one immediately around us.

“Neither of us is being ‘kept.’ If it makes it easier, you can take care of all the utilities and groceries and stuff. You can keep me.”

“Now you’re just humoring me,” he grumbled.

“Yes, because I love you. Because I want you to feel good about us being together without us having to live in some tiny studio on the fringes of this island to prove that money isn’t an issue. We’re partners and we share what we have, like every other couple.”

I could see I wasn’t getting through.

“Maybe you should talk to Seth and Emmett. I know money had nothing to do with who they fell in love with, but there’s no doubt that Garrett and Nasir had more assets at the start. Still, it doesn’t seem to matter for any of them. They just share what they have. I’d love that for us too. It’s not my money or your money anymore, Jas. It’s our money.”

Jasper’s features softened. “I’m sorry I’m being so difficult,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry if it seems I’m making problems out of nothing. I know Seth and Emmett are happy with their guys, and I’m happy for them...I suppose I could talk to them,” he offered with reluctance.

There was more to this than he was saying. I could sense it, but not well enough to get a hold of it and yank it out into the open.

“It’s just that they may find it easier because they’d never had a bad experience with a wealthy guy,” he added and then muttered, “Oh, shit!”

Just like that we both knew this had nothing to do with my money and everything to do with that fucker James.

“I’m not him,” I spoke calmly and quietly, silencing the rage and desperation I felt inside. “I used to be, when we were younger, when my father drilled into me the idea that money somehow made me better than everyone else and that I should use that position to control people. I’m not like that anymore. I’d never use money to try to control or influence you, or make you feel as anything but my equal. You know that, don’t you?”

“I know. Of course I do. I wouldn’t be with you if I wasn’t sure of that. But I guess no matter how much counseling you get, no matter how much you think you worked through your past, there are these nooks and crannies where shit gets hidden and only comes out years later,” he spoke bitterly, lowering his head to stare at the sidewalk. I stepped up to him and wrapped my arms around him, trusting that we would be okay in this neighborhood which didn’t seem to be populated by troublemakers.

“We all have those nooks and crannies. Maybe we should go see someone to talk this all out?”

He shook his head. “I know therapy helps, but I don’t want us to start off this relationship on someone else’s couch. If you can be patient with me, I think I can work through these things on my own. Believe it or not, just pinpointing the source of my reluctance makes me feel better.” He looked up and gave me a tentative smile. “You must think I’m slow for not realizing that’s where it was coming from.”

“I didn’t think of it either. Was it seeing him last week? Are you still having nightmares?”

“No, at least not that I’m aware. I was fine the last two nights, right?”

“I didn’t notice anything.”

“That run-in probably brought these feelings to the surface. Seeing him with that poor kid as some accessory for him to parade around, with no friends or family or money to get out of the situation. It brought everything back, Edward. I remember feeling so guilty and ashamed for getting lured into a situation where I had no one and nothing to turn to, where I’d let him take away all my resources. I didn’t think anyone would be willing to help me after I’d ignored them for so long, and I didn’t think anyone could ever respect me knowing what I let him do.”

This was the other wrinkle, though I doubted Jasper recognized it yet. James may have triggered some memories, but Peter’s verbal attack brought back a whole new set of fears. Jasper wasn’t just worried about losing Peter’s friendship. He was terrified of losing Peter’s respect or, worse, of never having had it in the first place.

“Listen to me. None of what happened with James, none of it, was your fault. He’s a predator of the worst kind, and he took advantage of you and many other boys, including Krister. All of that is on him. He’s slippery, but sooner or later he’ll make a mistake and when he does, I will be there to make sure he pays for everything he’s done. I have enough to destroy that financial empire of his right now, or at least to cripple him for a long while, but that wouldn’t be nearly enough punishment for what he’s done and it wouldn’t stop him from hurting other men. I’m waiting for him to get caught for something violent, and once that happens, I will crush him.”

“You sound so...” Jasper looked at me with wide eyes.

“Determined. I’m determined to see that bastard rot in hell in his lifetime, preferably in the company of guys who give him some Karmic payback that I can’t personally deliver.”

“I should probably be scared, but instead I’m actually turned on,” Jasper said under his breath.

“Hold that thought until we get back to the hotel.”

“Okay. Let’s find a cab,” He said, looking down the street towards the nearest busy intersection.

“Wait, before we do that let me say something else. Only really stupid people wouldn’t give you the respect you deserve for getting yourself out of a dangerous situation, several times. First, when you called Emmett to help you leave James, second when you left Seattle to come to New York, and third when you told me to leave in Rochester. That took enormous balls, each and every time. It deserves respect.”

“But I was wrong to leave Washington, and I was wrong in Rochester.”

“You did what you did to protect yourself. Maybe the information was wrong, but not how you acted. You know the percentages of victims who go back to their abusers. You’re not in that number. That’s a huge achievement.”

“Not everyone sees it that way.”

“Peter doesn’t get it. He has no clue. He probably thinks he does, maybe he’s read some articles, but he’s never been through it and you’re probably the only victim he’s ever talked with about domestic abuse. I went through training, I’ve counseled victims, I’ve gone on ride-alongs with Roberto, I’ve visited victims in hospitals to try to get them help and I was there when you came home. I get it, Jas. I know how hard it is. I am so proud of you, so fucking proud!”

“Even if six years later I can still turn into a basket case after a single run-in?”

“As if that matters. Do you think I’m going to stop wincing any time soon at the sound of a helicopter or a gunshot? Heck, even going up into these tall buildings feels weird.”

“It does? Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because it’s not a huge deal. It’s not a phobia, or anything. It’s just looking out the window and being so high up - well, it’s not like I haven’t done it before or can’t do it again.”

“But if we get a co-op, you’ll have to be up high every day,” he fretted.

“And if that’s what suits us best, it’ll be fine. Although,” I paused and looked around at the brownstone townhouses that lined both sides of the street, “I have to admit I like the idea of these better. But the prices are enough to give even me sticker shock, so...”

“We could move to one of the boroughs. Lots of people commute to Manhattan...”

“Absolutely not. I moved here so you wouldn’t have to,” I spoke with finality. “I’m sure Barney will find us a place we’ll both love.”

“He seems very capable.”

We had been standing on the sidewalk by ourselves throughout our conversation, but now a woman came out of one of the homes with two boys behind her. She looked at us curiously, but thankfully neither she nor her sons seemed shocked by the sight of two men standing in a close embrace. Still, both Jasper and I instinctively stepped back, breaking our hold.

“Are you looking for someone?” she asked helpfully.

“No, we’re not. Just talking a walk,” Jasper replied with a smile.

“Okay. Come on Brice, Kel,” she spoke to her boys and directed them to walk past us. She gave us one last look over her shoulder when they were halfway to the intersection, but we must have looked safe enough for her to ignore us after that.

“She’d make a nice neighbor,” I commented.

“Yeah, but I have a feeling this is where those forty million dollar homes are.”

“Then let’s hope one of the people has a fire sale or something. We can’t afford forty million, but we can do better than that one bedroom we just saw,” I couldn’t help wrinkling my nose with distaste. “We need something bigger, if for no other reason than that I promised the boys they could have their own room in our New York apartment when they visit.”

“You did? But of course you did, and they should have a room, only why didn’t you tell me before we wasted our and Barney’s time looking at this place today?”

“You wanted to look at it and if this place had felt right, the boys would have understood. Sometimes even when you know what you want, it’s good to see options, to make sure, you know? And we’re not even completely sure about what exactly what we want.”

“Should we even bother with those co-ops tomorrow?” he asked dubiously. “Maybe we should only look at townhomes.”

“I’d like to see them. The pictures looked nice and spacious and the views from those terraces were spectacular.”

“But they’re so high.” His face was painted with concern.

“I told you it’s not a phobia, and being in tall buildings is something I’ll have to get used to if I intend to live here.”

“Okay,” he nodded, “I suppose it won’t hurt to look. So if we had our pick, which of these would we want to live in?” he asked, looking around.  We started walking in the direction of the hotel, talking about the pros and cons of each home we passed. It was a good walk, better for the feeling that we were able to conquer the minor crisis we encountered earlier.

***

After our walk we ordered room service for lunch and relaxed in our room. Jas called Demetri to set up a time we could go over and pick up some more of his clothes and other necessities, though he agreed to keep his furniture and other things there until we found a more permanent residence. We caught up on e-mails and watched TV until it was time to go, and then we spent much of the afternoon with Demetri, including dinner, which I cooked with his instructions. I didn’t bother to mention my suspicion that Peter would be furious if he found out I was using his kitchen. I was sure Demetri could have figured that out all by himself and, after all, it was his kitchen too. 

We stayed in that evening and skyped with the boys and their moms. The kids were thrilled to see the hotel room and look out the window even if most of our view was the vast blackness of Central Park. It was hard to say goodbye at the end of the call, though we promises to talk again soon.

Jasper called his dad and made plans for brunch the next day, which went very smoothly. I immediately saw how pleased Charles was with my move to New York, and how much Peter’s actions bothered him. He offered us a room at his place, but understood when we told him we preferred to stay at the hotel.

“I’d do my best not to get in the way, but I get that having a parent around is less than ideal for two young men in love,” he told us with a wink and a grin that made him seem much younger than he was. I liked him very much, and looked forward to introducing him to my family when they came to visit.

Later we met Barney and saw not only the three co-ops we discussed Saturday, but also two other nearby co-ops that he thought might be suitable. One of the apartments was very tempting. It had a modern, state-of-the-art  kitchen with cleverly optimized storage solutions to take advantage of all available space that would even impress Emmett, plus an in-unit washer and dryer. It also had a large living-dining room and three good sized bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The building had  a garage, fitness center and a rooftop terrace, but it had one major drawback that kept us from making an offer - the name - Trump Plaza.

“It’s only a name, guys,” Barney laughed when Jasper and I jointly expressed our reservations. “It’s not like the guy lives here and he already got the money for this apartment. Your money will be going to the owners.”

“Even so, there is something about living in a place that fuels that man’s ego that just doesn’t sit right with me,” I said while Jasper just shuddered.

“Okay, I’ll keep looking. You liked the apartment itself, right? So something similar in another building?”

“Yes, but we’d also like to look at townhomes,” Jasper said.

Barney’s brows rose in surprise.

“Townhomes come with a higher price tag. There’s no way I can find one under four million unless it’s a literal fire sale, and we haven’t had any fires like that around here lately.”

“We realize that,” Jasper acknowledged, “but as Edward explained yesterday, we can handle something in a higher price range. We’d like to see what’s available, anyway.”

“Okay,” Barney spoke with an increased enthusiasm. “I’ll have to get back to the office and check the inventory. There may not be much in the price range we discussed, but if a home is on the market, I’ll find it.”

Jasper’s request made me so happy I felt I was walking on air for the rest of the day and evening. We ate dinner at the hotel and then retired to our room to watch zombie shows.

“I don’t think I’d survive a zombie apocalypse,” Jasper commented as we watched one of the characters chop heads off zombies with an axe. “I have neither the skills nor the stomach to deal with these things.”

“You’d learn. Besides, I’d be there to protect you,” I said confidently.

“Maybe if we found someplace remote where we could hide out and snuggle,” he conceded, pressing himself against me. “That actually sounds pretty good.”

I laughed, first at the ridiculous suggestion that anywhere would be safe enough to hide out and snuggle during a zombie apocalypse, and then at myself for actually taking anything about a zombie apocalypse seriously.

“I think we may need a little practice, just in case, you know?”

“Great minds think alike,” he practically purred as he pulled my shirt up and over my head.

***

Monday Jasper left for work early, letting me know that Mondays in general were crazy and he probably wouldn’t have much time for lunch. That left me the whole day to do whatever I pleased, until Barney texted about another showing.

I was excited to finally see a townhome, but the one Barney showed me was wrong on every level except, possibly, the price. Located on a busy street with a storefront on the ground floor, the place had been gutted to the studs and needed a complete remodel. Barney tried to sell me on the idea of a blank slate, but Jasper and I needed a home, not a project, and I couldn’t see either of us being interested in operating or leasing a commercial space. I took a copy of the listing sheet to show Jasper when he got home, but I told Barney to keep looking.

Unsure what to do with myself for the rest of the day, I was about to head back to the hotel when I got a text from Jasper.

You have a not so secret admirer.

Oh? Who? I texted back.

Francis texted me. Cam wants you to know that he’s not working today if you’re looking for a lunch buddy

I read the text twice without knowing what to make of it. Finally, I asked.

are you able to call me?

My phone rang a few seconds later.

“You stud!” Jasper teased, laughing.

“What the hell? I met them twice and you were with me both times. I know I didn’t do anything to make him think I was interested, and he’s with Francis, for crying out loud.”

“I know. I told you Francis texted me, so it’s not like Cam’s trying to keep him out of the loop. Relax, I was just kidding.”

“Oh, okay. So there’s more to this invitation than you’re telling me?”

“More? I hope not. I think Cam’s just trying to be nice. He wouldn’t go through me and Francis if he wanted more.”

“Not unless he’s extraordinarily dumb and insensitive.”

“He’s neither.”

“So what should I do?”

“Do you have lunch plans?”

“Not unless you’re free.”

“Sorry, no. You should meet him. He’s never reached out to any of us like this. We only see him with Francis, and even then he barely says a word.”

“That should make for a quiet lunch.”

“I have a feeling he’ll talk with you. This was his suggestion, after all.”

“And you’re okay with this?”

“Sure. He’s a nice kid. If he’s doing a bit of hero worship, it’s not like I don’t understand.”

I snorted. “If he’s looking for a hero, I’m bound to disappoint.”

“No, you’re not. I’ll text you his number. Be kind.”

“Of course. Guess this will give us something to talk about tonight.”

“The house you saw this morning wasn’t good?”

“I’ll show you the listing so you can decide for yourself,” I tried to keep my voice neutral so as not to influence him.

“If you don’t love it, I won’t either. Barney will find something else. He’s really good. I like him.”

“I do too, and I’m sure he will.”

“OK, I have to get back to it. See you soon.”

“Not soon enough. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

He hung up and moments later I got his text with Cam’s number. I stared at my phone for a while, still not sure what to make of this out-of-the-blue offer, but if both Jasper and Francis were fine with it, I couldn’t think of a reason why I shouldn’t go for it.

A few texts later I had an address. Twenty minutes later Cam and I were sharing a table for two at a busy Turkish restaurant.

“Okay, you have to promise not to tell Ros and Dimi that we ate here,” Cam said in a conspiratorial half-whisper.

“How come?”

“Well, they’re Greek and this place is Turkish. I guess they don’t mix,” Cam said with a shrug.

“You realize I’m already on Ros’ shit list, right?” I joked.

“Yeah, which is why I thought it was safe to ask you to come here. You have an incentive not to spill the beans. This place is really good and I don’t have any ethnic rivalry issues. Francis and I stop here pretty frequently, but we might get booted from the group if the others knew.”

“You are exaggerating, right?”

“I wish,” Cam rolled his eyes. “Have you had Turkish food before. What do you like?” He seemed completely relaxed and the polar opposite of the guy who was usually so quiet and reserved when out with the whole group.

“Actually, I’ve never tried Turkish food.”

“Well, it’s a lot like Greek food. You know that, right?”

“Not really. Demetri and Peter, I mean Ros, served Greek food the other night.”

“And you haven’t had it before?”

“Not really.”

“Wow, practically a virgin,” Cam said and then blushed. Now he looked more like the guy I’d met.

“At least in terms of food,” I agreed. “I’m not too picky, though. You can order for me.”

“You like seafood?”

“Sure. I’m from Seattle.”

“The swordfish kebabs are good.”

“Perfect.”

“I’m not that hungry, so I might just get the crab cake, plus we can share a small meze platter?”

“Whatever you suggest,” I told him with a grin.

He ordered and it took almost no time for the server to deliver our water and a plate of assorted dips with a side of flat round bread.

“This looks a lot like what we had for dinner the other night at Demetri’s,” I noted.

“These dips are a little different, but the idea is similar. Dig in,” he encouraged, tearing off a piece of bread and dipping it in a creamy spread.

“This is great. Thanks for thinking of me,” I told him after I sampled a few of the dips. Cam flushed again.

“I just thought it must be hard, not knowing anyone in the city and not working, and living in a hotel. I’d be bored out of my mind.”

“It’s not that bad. I went to look at a house this morning with our realtor. I didn’t have any lunch or afternoon plans, though.”

“I’m done with my classes for the day and I don’t have to work until five. We could hang out, go to a museum or something.”

“Sure. That sounds good,” I kept my voice even. I liked Cam, but I still wasn’t completely comfortable with the situation. I kept wondering if there was some ulterior motive for this meeting. Maybe the kid really did have some sort of a crush or hero complex, but maybe this was part of a group effort to monitor my behavior. The former might be more awkward, but I’d prefer it over the latter.

“You don’t have to do that,” Cam said casually.

“Do what?”

“Worry about why I suggested we hang out.”

“I wasn’t worried.”

“Maybe that’s the wrong word. Anyway, this isn’t part of some scheme. I like you. I did from that first night Jasper brought you to the club. Ros says you’re some sort of wolf in sheep’s clothing but that’s not the vibe I get from you, and it doesn’t jive with what I’ve found on-line.”

“You’ve been researching me?”

He shrugged and popped another piece of dipped bread into his mouth. “Sometimes it’s really slow at work. Did you know a couple of people posted YouTube videos of you guiding hikes? You’re a good guide.”

“There are videos of that? Really?” I was amazed.

“You haven’t looked yourself up?”

“I guess I should. I just never cared much about stuff like that.” I suddenly recalled Jasper telling me he’d heard about my reputation on-line as well, and I gave myself a mental kick for not immediately checking what else was out there.

“Well, you don’t need to worry. It’s all good. Well, mostly good, except for a couple of bitches.”

“I’m glad you only found a couple. I always tried to be honest with the guys I slept with, but there were a few that did not understand the definition of one night.”

“Even that was a few years ago. In the last couple of years all I found were the ranger videos and photos and mentions of LGBT charities you support, including Rainbow Beginnings.”

“I’m pretty proud of that.”

“It shows,” he nodded, “and you should be proud. Anyway, I don’t think that a bad guy would do all that, and I really don’t get a bad guy vibe from you. So I want us to be friends, and Francis feels the same. Being on the periphery of the group helps us stay out of Ros’ sphere of influence.”

“Wow, that’s...I really appreciate that,” I told him sincerely. “I’d like to be friends too. Leaving my friends and family behind was the one downside of moving. I knew that and I did it willingly, but it would be nice not to have everyone in New York hate me or be suspicious.”

“You’ve got us,” Cam smiled.

The server brought out my swordfish and Cam’s crab cake and for a while we were too busy eating to do more than exchange small talk. Afterwards I asked him about school and he explained how he was studying literature and philosophy, in the hopes of someday becoming a published author, but that he was also taking some IT courses for when he had to get a “real” job.

“I have financial aid and my grandmother is helping with some expenses for now,” he explained, “but when I graduate I’m going to have to earn more than I do now working in the bookstore. Fran offered to cover our expenses if I move in with him, but I don’t want to be a freeloader.”

“I don’t think that’s how he’d see you.”

“No, but everyone else would. It’s okay. Everyone has to pay their dues. I’m not some special snowflake who can’t function in the real world.”

“If I asked, I bet Francis would say you’re special. Maybe he wouldn’t use the word snowflake,” I teased him and was rewarded with that shy smile and a blush. It was fun watching him change from confident to shy and then back again, depending on the subject matter discussed.

“He’s the one who’s special. He’s so intellectual, and wise, and no, those are not the same. I love the way his mind works and how easily he can explain things to me when we have a discussion. It’s like he has a spotlight that he can shine on a subject that was murky before, you know? But he listens too, really listens. Sometimes, after he’s listened, he can articulate my position even better than I can. It’s kind of amazing. I don’t know what he sees in me. I’m just a kid.”

“You don’t need to know what he sees in you, as long as he does. For what it’s worth, I think I know what he sees, and I’d say he has a good eye.”

His blush intensified and I hoped I wasn’t coming across as too flirty.

“Thanks. It’s not easy, being the youngest all the time. I often feel like I don’t have enough in common with everyone else. When I’m alone with Fran it doesn’t matter, but when we’re all out...”

He reminded me of Leo and Zack, and how they preferred to hang out with Moose and other people their own age. And also how Leo felt out of place with Zack’s friends when he tried going to college.

“Give it some time,” I advised, “and don’t feel that you have to be like everyone else. In a couple of years the age difference will shrink, you’ll see. Especially once you graduate.”

“I know you’re right,” he said, resigned. “For some reason it’s easier to talk to you, so maybe now that you’re here it’ll be different.”

“It’s probably because I have a kid brother just about your age, and I talk with him and his boyfriend often.”

“Where do they live?” Cam asked eagerly. I had to disappoint him with their California location, but we spent a good amount of time talking about Zack and Leo until it was time to leave the restaurant. 

Instead of going to a museum, I asked Cam to show me his school, which was nearby. It was fun being back in a collegiate setting, surrounded by busy students. Cam showed me the campus buildings and the bookstore where he worked. I bought a couple of books that looked interesting and some interior design magazines, and then we found ourselves in a coffee shop, once again in deep conversation, this time about my college experience and working for the National Park Service. Before I knew it, my phone was buzzing with a text from Jasper, letting me know he was leaving work.

“That’s my man. I gotta go,” I told Cam apologetically. “Thanks for thinking of me today. This was great, and I hope we do get to do it again.”

“Sure. I had a good time too. And we should plan something for the four of us.”

“I’ll speak with Jas and text you,” I promised. We hugged and I headed back to the hotel.

“How was your play date with your new buddy?” Jasper teased when we met in the lobby and headed for the elevators.

“Fun, actually.”

“Must have been if it lasted all afternoon,” his tone was still light, but with a possessive edge.

“He was so relaxed and open today. I think he does better one-on-one than in a group,” I told him. “But he’s as moony over Francis as I am over you, so no need to worry. It’s not a crush or even hero worship, just a kind gesture.”

“That’s cool. I always suspected there was more to Cam than he was showing us, but no one so far has been able to draw him out except, I assume, Francis, when they’re alone.”

“He’s really interesting. He suggested the four of us have dinner.”

“That sounds good. When?” The elevator reached our floor and we walked down the hallway to our room. I unlocked the door and closed and locked it behind us before I replied.

“We didn’t schedule anything. I wanted to speak with you first.”

“Our evenings are pretty free, so any day, except Wednesday. That’s when Nasir and I usually get together for drinks.”

“And am I invited, or is it your playtime with your buddy?” I teased.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you’re invited.”

“I didn’t want to presume-”

He silenced me by pushing me against the wall and kissing me fiercely. “There are enough times we have to be apart. Meeting one of our friends for drinks when we’re both available is not one of them,” he said when he finally released me, both of us breathing much more heavily than we were before.

“Thank goodness we don’t have to meet anyone tonight,” I told him, pulling him further into the room towards the bed. “And I hope you weren’t counting on an early dinner.”

The sex was rough and hot. I took him from behind as he leaned against the dresser so we could see each other in the mirror when he wasn’t turning his head back for fervent, wet kisses. Thrusting deep into him, feeling our balls slapping together and his hard dick in my hand, was pretty fucking close to bliss. It didn’t take us long to come, and afterwards we had just enough strength to crawl into bed for a pre-dinner nap.

“You were going to tell me about the house you saw today,” Jasper reminded when we came back upstairs after dinner and returned to bed. I retrieved the listing sheet from the folder in my messenger bag and waited for him to review the details and pictures. I knew from his expression that I’d made the right call that morning. “It’s a great project for someone...” he began.

“But not for us. I’m glad we agree.”

“I sure hope Barney can find some other reasonably priced properties in this area. Otherwise we may have to go back to looking at condos and co-ops,” he gave me a regretful smile as he spoke.

“If that’s the best option right now, then so be it. We can always have Barney keep an eye out for us and move if something better pops up.”

Jasper grimaced. “I’m not a huge fan of moving. I’ve done it so many damn times.”

“So let’s call that the worst case scenario. Barney just started looking.”

“Maybe we’re wrong to rush this? Maybe a month-to-month rental somewhere is a smarter move? We wouldn’t have to unpack anything beyond the basics.”

“That’s also on the table, but I think it’s too soon to throw in the towel. If we still haven’t found anything in a couple of weeks, we’ll reconsider. I do want something more permanent than this hotel room for the holidays. I’d really love for my family to spend Christmas in new York.”

“I’d love that too. We could take them skating at Rockefeller Plaza and to see the Radio City Christmas show.”

“They’d love that, especially Liam and Owen.”

Jasper slid closer to me and rested his head on my chest.

“I didn’t think it was possible, but New York is different now you’re here. It finally really feels like home.”

“I think... Don’t get me wrong, New York is great and I’m looking forward to learning my way around, but I don’t think it’s the city. We were both happy enough where we lived before, but there was something missing. Being together, we finally have those parts of us that were lost. Our hearts have finally found their home.”

I felt Jasper smile against my chest and his hand moved up to rest over my heart. “You’re right. This is my home. You’re my home.”

We turned in early and made love in the dark before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

***

Tuesday started out like the other weekdays, with a walk across the street to Central Park to enjoy my coffee and bagel. I’d just gotten a text from Barney about another potential viewing when my phone rang. Given the hour, I was shocked to see Seth’s face and number on the screen.

“Hey, Seth. What’s up?”

“Edward, we have a big problem.”

I frowned. Seth had been known to exaggerate, but he wouldn’t do so at this hour. I could hear in his voice that he was very worried.

“What?” 

“Nasir’s been arrested.”

“Arrested! For what?”

“Not arrested. Detained.”  

“What’s the difference?” None of what Seth was saying made any sense. 

“Eddie?” Emmett had apparently taken the phone from Seth.

“Em, what’s going on?” 

“They took him, Eddie. Immigration took him.” 

“What? I thought this was handled.” I knew I didn’t imagine walking out of the courtroom and having lunch with my friends after Nasir’s hearing. If anyone had wanted to detain him, that would have been the most logical time. 

“We thought so too, but they took him and he’s in jail.”  Emmett sounded both frantic and terrified.

“Jail?  Why the fuck is he in jail?” 

“That’s what they do, I guess.  He’s in Orange County Jail.”

“Orange County? There’s an Orange County in New York?” The only Orange Counties I’d ever heard of were in Florida and California, where at least they made sense. 

“I guess so,” Emmett said and I immediately felt bad. He didn’t care about geography right now.  

“Say no more, Em. I’m on my way. I’ll see him as fast as I can, and make sure he has anything he needs.” 

“Eddie, thank you,” Emmett was trying to hold it together. 

“I know you’re scared for him, Em. I am too. I’ll call you as soon as I see him,” I assured. 

“What?” Emmett asked and I heard Garrett speaking in the background. “Oh, yeah. Eddie, I’m gonna text you the number of an attorney friend who is working on this for us. Can you coordinate with him?” 

“You got it,” I agreed. 

“Thanks, Eddie. I’ll text you right now.” Emmett said and hung up. I dialed the lawyer’s number as soon as his text came through.

“This is Duane Seiler,” a man answered in a polite but hurried tone.

“Mr. Seiler, I’m Edward Cullen. I got your number form Emmett McCarty. He says you’re representing his husband, Nasir?”

“I’m one of the attorneys working on his case. What can I do for you?” Duane was professional but wary.

“I’m a good friend of theirs and I just moved to New York last week. I told Emmett I would go visit Nasir immediately, but I need to know where to go. He said to contact you.”

“Oh,” there was palpable relief on the other end of the line, “right, no problem. I was just clearing my schedule so I could take a ride out there myself. I can give you a lift.”

“That would be great. I don’t have a car here.”

“How soon can you be ready?”

I looked down. The quilted combat jacket that Jasper had picked out for me when we went shopping didn’t seem appropriate for a jailhouse visit.

“I will take me a few minutes to get back to my hotel and change.”

“Which hotel?”

“The Park Lane. I’m just across the street in Central Park right now.”

“Okay. Tell you what: I need a few minutes here myself to give my assistant and associates instructions for the day. How about I pick you up in front of the hotel in half an hour?”

“Great. Thank you.”

I received no response. He’d already disconnected, undoubtedly in a hurry to re-arrange his day. I ran my hand through my hair and huffed out a confused breath. I had no idea what was going on, and I certainly did not expect to spend my first week in New York City visiting a jail, but my friend was in trouble and I sure as hell was going to help him.

I gulped down the last of my coffee and tossed the disposable cup in a nearby trash can, realizing that my dream of making coffee in the kitchen of our own home would have to be postponed by at least a day, as I wouldn’t have time for Barney to show me any listings today. But a few extra coffee cups in the landfill was nothing compared to doing whatever I could to get my friend out of detention.

I ran back to the hotel and through the lobby to the elevators, earning some surprised and disapproving glances from staff and other guests. I didn’t care, pacing in front of the elevator in agitation until the door slid open, and then pressing the button for my floor repeatedly as if it would make the car rise faster. Eventually, back in the room, I stripped off my quilted combat jacket and looked in the mirror, debating whether I needed to change my jeans and shirt as well. Glancing at my watch, I decided that it would be enough to put on the Ralph Lauren corduroy sport coat Jasper insisted I buy during our Friday evening shopping spree. The outfit was still casual but respectable. I wished I had brought my park ranger uniform, which might have bought me some “fellow government employee” cred, but who could have predicted this situation?

I opened our room safe and extracted some of the cash I’d left there for safekeeping. One thing I had learned through my work with Rainbow Beginnings was that jails operated on cash and that whatever cash Nasir had in his wallet would have been confiscated and, therefore, completely useless. I wasn’t sure of the limits, but I knew I had enough to at least give him the option of buying what meager creature comforts were available to Orange County inmates.

Even though it wasn’t yet time to meet the lawyer, I was too anxious to hang around the room. I made my way downstairs and grabbed a seat in the Hotel Lobby. I typed out a quick text to Barney, letting him know that due to a family emergency I wouldn’t be available today and would have to let him know about the rest of the week. This done, I texted Jasper.

I have some news about Nasir. Call me when you have a sec.

I didn’t want to have to type out explanations about the detention, which I hardly understood myself. It was easier to wait until Jasper had a free moment so I could explain as best as I could over the phone.

Ten nervous minutes later, my phone finally rang.

“What’s up with Nasir? I texted him to confirm drinks, but he didn’t respond.”

“Bad news. Seth and Emmett called a little while ago. Nasir’s been detained. He’s in jail, in Orange County?”

“Jail? Orange County, New York?”

“Yeah. Em asked me to go see him.”

“Shit, of course. Why is he detained?”

“We don’t know yet. Em has a lawyer working on it. I contacted him and I’m driving out to the jail with him.”

“That’s good. You’d have to rent a car otherwise, or call the service.”

“If this thing isn’t cleared up today, I may have to do that tomorrow.”

“I’ll get information on rentals and services. I should have time to do that later today.”

“Would you? Thanks!”

“I can’t believe he’s in jail!”

“I can’t either. Em’s going out of his mind.”

“I would be too. I know exactly how it feels to be so far away when shit like this is happening...” he paused for a moment before adding, “Yet another reason I’m so glad you’re here now.”

“Me too.”

“When is the lawyer picking you up?”

I glanced at my watch.

“Five minutes.”

“I won’t keep you, then. Text me as soon as you find out what the hell is going on. And let me know if I can do anything. My dad has some contacts on the police force and in the DA’s office from interviews he did while writing his books.”

“That might be helpful. I’ll let you know.”

“Okay. Stay safe and hug Nasir for me when you see him.”

“I will. Love you. I’ll text you with any news.”

“Cool. Love you too.”

I closed my eyes and let those words fully sink in. Logically, I knew at some point I would get used to hearing them from him, but that was a long way away.

It was getting close to the time that the lawyer was supposed to pick me up, so I made my way outside. It was then that I realized I had no idea who I was looking for. I pulled out my phone again and called Seth to keep Emmett’s line clear for other, more important calls. Seth couldn’t help me but handed the phone to Emmett.

“Hey, Em, Duane’s picking me up right now. What’s he look like?”

“Oh, um. He’s about Garrett’s height and build with short, dirty blonde hair. Good looking I guess.  And he’s from Georgia or someplace like that.”

“Yeah, he sounded like it. Seems like a nice guy.”

“I guess he is at that.” 

“This might be him now. What does he drive?” I asked as a Mercedes pulled up in front of the hotel with only the driver inside.

“Fuck if I know,” Emmett said.  

“He matches your description, he’s driving a Mercedes and he’s wearing a nice suit,” I told him, moving towards the passenger side of the car. The window slid down so I looked inside and confirmed, “You Duane?” 

“You must be Edward. Hop on in, Bubba,” the driver invited. His southern dialect contrasted sharply with his New York City appearance. 

“Edward Cullen,” I introduced myself as I got in and shut the door. I spoke into the phone while buckling my seatbelt. “Em, I’m with Duane and we’re on our way. We’ll call you when we get there, okay?” 

I finished my conversation with Emmett and then briefly spoke with Seth, admonishing him to take good care of our friend. I knew Seth didn’t need my reminders, but Emmett had taken care of me many times when I was at the lowest points in my life, and it was killing me that I couldn’t be there with him when he needed the same. At least I was doing something critical on his behalf. 

The drive to the jail was long, first winding our way out of the city and then progressively further until it seemed like we had reached Midwestern farmlands. In fact, there were cows in the field across the street when we finally pulled into the jail parking lot. Fortunately, Duane was a pleasant guy and during the drive he explained everything that was going on with Nasir’s case, including the fact that he would only represent Nasir until the immigration expert hired by Nasir’s employer appeared.

“I didn’t realize you weren’t a specialist in this field,” I confessed.

“No. But fortunately lawyers don’t have official specialties, so anyone admitted to the bar in the state of New York can theoretically represent you on any matter. Not that I would advise that, if you can afford an expert.”

“How did you get involved with Nasir’s case, then?”

“Our doorman, Vlad, saw Nasir get picked up and he told me about it. He knows that Nasir and Emmett are friends with me and Roddy.”

I nodded, finally putting two and two together and realizing that Duane and his husband were the men interested in getting very friendly with Emmett and Nasir.

“That was very lucky,” I noted.

“Yes. When I got a hold of Nasir’s work this morning they still hadn’t heard anything about his detention, and neither had Emmett. If Vlad hadn’t said anything, who knows when all this would have come to light?”

“But Nasir’s work knows now? And they’re sending their lawyer?”

“Right. Emmett said Nasir has a Green Card, so there must be some misunderstanding. We’ll get it straightened out just as soon as we can and get our boy outta there. I know he’s the top when he’s in bed with Emmett, but between you and me, I don’t think that’s the role he’d play with the other inmates.”

I shuddered, thinking he was absolutely right. It was imperative that we extract Nasir out of the jail as quickly as possible.

“If you don’t specialize in immigration, what do you do?” I asked to distract us from the unpleasant topic.

“Corporate law, and some real estate.”

“Big commercial stuff only, or do you also represent individuals?”

“I’ve been known to do smaller reals estate deals for friends. Why? You need a lawyer?”

“I probably will. My partner and I are looking for a place to buy as we speak.”

“I’d be happy to help you out with that.”

“We have an agent we’re working with and I’m sure the contracts are standard, but it would be reassuring to have a lawyer look things over.”

“Say no more,” Duane reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a monogrammed metal business card holder, which popped open with a press of a button. Still using only one hand, he extracted a card and closed the case, handing the card to me. “That has all my contact information. When you get the contract just fax it over to me and I’ll make sure everything is on the up and up.”

“Thanks, Duane, I’ll do that,” I told him, slipping the card into my wallet.

***

The jail was frustrating. My experiences with Rainbow Beginnings predisposed me to believe that pretty much everyone in jail was getting a dose of their own medicine, which they richly deserved, but that was clearly not the case with Nasir. I had a long time to contemplate that while Duane went in to see him and I was forced to wait for the non-attorney afternoon visiting hours, which started at one.

There were a few interruptions when Duane came out to gather all our phone numbers to give to Nasir and I deposited cash into his account so he could buy phone cards to make his calls. Otherwise, though, the waiting room was boring except for the occasional lawyer and, as the hour neared one, more and more visitors waiting to see their loved ones.

When it was finally time to go in, I left all my personal belongings with Duane and suffered through a pat down before being led to a large common visiting room. The guard barked out a series of rules and then all the inmates were allowed to come in. We were permitted to exchange brief hugs in greeting, and I could tell from the way Nasir clutched at me that he was in a dire state. It was with great reluctance that I finally pulled away, not wanting to give the guards any reason to throw me out before he and I had a chance to talk.

I would have been able to tell that he was scared and anxious even if he hadn’t told me, but he shared his feelings without bothering to put on a false macho strong front. I was as comforting as I could be with my words, since we weren’t allowed to touch during our conversation. I told him how worried Emmett was and would have cut the visit short to give him time to make the call that I knew was crucial both for him and his husband, but before I could do so he was pulled out to speak with his attorneys. Knowing that Duane would not have interrupted us without good reason, I surmised the expert lawyer had finally arrived. I relaxed a little, hoping this was a sign that the ordeal would soon be over.

Instead of taking my former place in the waiting room, I stepped outside for some fresh air. That’s when I saw a black Maybach and a man wearing a ghutra standing next to it, watching me with a hostile expression. Nasir had mentioned other Muslim inmates, but I got the distinct impression that none of them were from his native country. My gut told me that the man watching me and his friends inside the car were here because of Nasir, so I set off to speak with them.

The standing man spoke angrily with his friend in the car and pointed at me. There was something familiar in his expression that momentarily confused me, until I realized that even though the resemblance was minimal, he reminded me of Nasir. I looked him over again, quickening my pace, virtually certain that this was Nasir’s asshole brother. If I was right, he was here to cause trouble and I was all too happy to re-break his nose for him on Emmett’s behalf so that he’d have no doubt that Nasir was well protected even when separated from his husband.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get my wish. Though he didn’t look happy about it, the man nevertheless got into the car and it sped away before I could reach it. I turned away from the cloud of road dust stirred up by its tires and gritted my teeth at the missed opportunity. I’d seen this man and his friend exit through the doors for jail visitors when Duane and I first came in, and I now wondered if they had been permitted to see Nasir. But if so, why hadn’t he said anything about it when I saw him? I was puzzled, but knew I wouldn’t get any answers until I saw Nasir again.

I texted Jasper and my phone rang a few seconds later.

“You saw him? How is he? What happened?”

“I saw him briefly because he had to meet with his lawyers. He’s...not great; scared and run down. I guess the detention has to do with that denial of asylum, though that doesn’t even make sense when he has a green card. The lawyers are trying to straightened it out, but that takes time and in the meanwhile he’s stuck here with some animal inmate wanting to make him his bitch in exchange for a candy bar.”

“What? Are you kidding?” Jasper asked uncertainly.

“I wish. Fortunately some older Muslim guy stepped in and told Nasir what was what while he could still return the candy.”

“Jesus,” Jasper breathed out.

“Yeah.”

We were silent, absorbed in our grim thoughts.

“He’ll be all right?”

“I think so, if we get him out of here soon. I deposited as much cash as they would let me into his account, so he can hopefully buy his way out of shit like that if he has to. We need to get him out, though. This was the most fragile I’ve ever seen him.”

“Don’t tell Emmett,” Jasper warned.

“I won’t. He may be in less physical danger, but he’s pretty fragile himself right now.”

“I’m done here for the day, so I’ll give him a call when we hang up.”

“Call Seth. I know they’re together, and it won’t tie up Em’s line if Nasir calls.”

“Right. Good thinking. When are you coming home?”

“As soon as the lawyers are done. I can’t go back in to see Nasir until tomorrow. I’ll text you when we leave, but I’ve no idea how long of a drive it’ll be with rush hour traffic, so don’t wait for me to eat.”

“I’ll pick up something to tide me over and we can eat downstairs when you get here.”

“Or order room service. I’m exhausted, even though I haven’t done a damn thing today.”

“That’s stress. Room service sounds great and after dinner I’ll give you a nice massage.”

“With a happy ending?”

“If not a happy beginning.”

“I can’t wait!”

“Me too, Tiger. Love you.”

“Love you too, Jas.”

Much as I would have liked to stay outside, loitering in a prison parking lot without an obvious purpose didn’t seem like a good idea. I was just about to head back in to wait for the lawyers when I got a text from Barney asking if I’d be available to see a couple of potential places tomorrow. Regretfully, I texted back to explain that I’d be busy the next day as well. He immediately texted back to ask about an evening showing. I texted to ask if he could talk and my phone rang almost immediately.

“Hey, Edward. Sorry to hear about your emergency. I get that you’re busy during the day, but with the tight deadline you gave me it would really help if we didn’t lose this week altogether. There are a couple of places with motivated sellers available, so I think I can talk them into letting us come in the evenings. Assuming that’s okay with you.”

“I like the idea. Jasper could come with us as well. My only concern is the time. I’m not sure how early I can get back to the city.”

“What if I scheduled something for seven or eight tomorrow evening. Is that late enough?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Do you think you’ll be up to seeing two places tomorrow?”

“Sure, this is important.” I knew Jasper might be tired after work, but if that was the case I’d just go alone.

“Great. I’ll keep in touch.  I hope all goes well with whatever’s got you tied up.”

He wasn’t fishing for information and since he knew Emmett and Nasir, I wasn’t about to reveal the nature of my “emergency.”

“I hope so too. We should know more tomorrow.”

“Good luck. Look for my text about the viewings.”

We hung up and I returned to my post in the lobby. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long. Less than ten minutes later Duane came through the exit accompanied by an attractive, professionally dressed woman who I assumed was the immigration law expert.

“Edward, this is Gillian Moss, counsel retained by Nasir’s employer to clear up his immigration status. Gillian, this is Edward, Nasir’s buddy from Seattle, recently moved to Manhattan.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Gillian extended her hand, a small smile cracking her professional demeanor. I took her hand and shook it, holding on a bit longer than was absolutely necessary.

“Likewise. Do you know how long this will all take? We need to get Nasir out of here.”

She withdrew her hand slowly.

“We’re doing the best we can, but immigration wheels can turn slowly. The good news is that Nasir’s Seattle attorney already managed to secure an appeals hearing tomorrow at the 9th Circuit.”

From the tone of her voice, I could tell she found this impressive.

“We were told Aro Volturi was very good,” I said, though I knew Garrett’s father had probably as much, if not more, to do with the rapid hearing.

“While Mr. Volturi works to overturn the asylum decision, I will be working here to appraise immigration of Mr. Qasimi’s employment and green card status. Hopefully one or both of us will be successful in persuading the government to release Mr. Qasimi post haste.”

“Please do your best. I don’t think my friend is very safe in there and he definitely does not belong in jail. He hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“You can be assured this case is my top priority,” Gillian said with another smile. Duane rolled his eyes and I worked hard to keep back my smirk. We both knew this was probably as close as the woman came to flirting, just as we both knew her flirtation was a waste of time. I, however, wasn’t above using my looks to make her work more diligently on Nasir’s release.

“I’m relieved to hear it. You’re obviously an expert in this field,” I told her earnestly and gave her a grin that I knew people found appealing. Her smile grew and she tilted her head slightly, pleased with the praise.

“Well, no point staying around here any longer. Should we head back?” Duane jumped in.

“Yes, good idea. There’s work to be done at the office,” Gillian turned serious again.

We walked out together and said our goodbyes before Gillian left for her car and Duane and I walked over to his.

“You’re quite the ladies’ man,” he teased as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“Definitely not. But I can flirt when need be.”

“It’s an important skill. I must admit I use it too.”

“I would expect nothing less from a good attorney,” I told him.

The drive back seemed longer than the drive there, owing to highway congestion, but Duane and I had a pleasant conversation that helped pass the time. As we neared the city, however, I started to watch the time, counting minutes until I could see Jasper.

“Missing your guy?” Duane guessed.

“I am. He’s been home from work for a couple of hours already. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but we spent years apart so it’s hard to give up even that little time together now. Not that Nasir’s not worth it.”

“You don’t have to explain. My husband and I both have careers that keep us apart much of the time. Makes us appreciate the time we do have together.”

I nodded. He didn’t need to know that my definition of togetherness would never include playing with other guys, even as a couple.

Due to heavy traffic, I had Duane drop me off at a corner rather than pull up to the hotel, assuring him that it would be faster for us both if I walked the last few feet.

“Thanks for the lift, and let’s hope the next time we see each other we have some good news,” I told him.

“I hear ya, Edward. And do let me know if you need that real estate help,” he said with a grin.

“Will do.”

I closed the door and speed-walked to the hotel entrance. I pressed the elevator button anxiously until the car arrived, and then paced the inside until it reached our floor. I barely got the door open when I was pulled into Jasper’s arms.

“I’m so happy to see you,” he said when our long kiss ended. We stood in the small hallway with the door closed behind us and our arms still wrapped around each other.

“Not as happy as I am,” I told him truthfully.

“You must be starving. Let me call room service.”

“That’d be great, love. Just a burger and fries for me. I’ll hop in the shower while we wait, wash this jail grit off me.”

“That bad?” Jasper asked sympathetically, running his fingers through my hair.

“Not bad, exactly. Frustrating. All the pointless waiting, and then being in that visitation room with all the other people... I still believe the bad guys deserve all of it and more, but today made me think about people who plead guilty to stuff they didn’t do because they don’t think their public defender can get them off, or because the lawyers themselves pressure them into it.”

“Do you think that happens a lot?”

“Depends on who you ask. Law enforcement and prosecutors will tell you no, that they’re all guilty of something. But seeing what happened to Nasir, I don’t know. There are so many ways someone in the wrong place at the wrong time can fit a very vague description...”

“That sucks, but there’s nothing we can do about it. Right now we just need to concentrate on the one innocent guy we know, and getting him out. Thankfully money’s not an issue in Nasir’s case.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I shook my head to get rid of my dark thoughts. “Let me jump in the shower. I bet that’ll help me feel better.”

He let me go and headed for the telephone. I hung up my jacket in the closet and then stepped into the bathroom, stripping off my clothes and leaving them where they landed before I stepped into the shower. I turned the stream to low and stuck my head beneath the still cold water to wet my hair. I proceeded to shampoo as the water warmed, and only then turned it on full blast to rinse off the shampoo and do a quick wash. I turned the water off and pulled back the curtain only to see a visibly disappointed naked Jasper.

“I was hoping to get in there with you,” he complained.

“Sorry. Had I known I would have taken more time.”

“Serves me right for not saying anything, I guess,” he said, reaching for a towel. I stepped onto the bath mat and let him dry me off. I sank my fingers into his hair when he lowered himself to his knees to dry my legs.

“It will still be a few minutes before room service gets here. We have time to play,” he said, placing a kiss on the foreskin-covered head of my soft cock. That alone was enough for it to twitch and start growing.

“The bed’s more comfortable,” I pointed out, thinking of his knees on the hard bathroom tiles.

“A very good point.”

He rose and took my hand, pulling me into the room and onto the bed. He situated me in the center, arranging pillows behind me so I was partially reclined with legs splayed out leaving room in between. He lay down on top of me and rained kisses all over my chest before sliding down the valley between my chest to my belly button and following the treasure trail down to my cock. I was more than semi-hard now, and soon after he wrapped his lips around my girth I grew fully erect.

“That’s so good,” I told him, watching his bobbing head as he made love to my turgid shaft, his tongue caressing the underside and causing spikes of pleasure to course through my body.

His only reply was his familiar hum.

I lay back and let him do whatever he wanted. I hoped he would finish before we were interrupted by room service, but I didn’t want to rush him. I needn’t have worried. He clearly had a plan.

After a few minutes of relatively gentle lovemaking, he picked up the pace and pulled in his cheeks to increase the suction. He also sank deeper onto my cock, drawing me into his throat and swallowing around me while he massaged my balls with his free hand. He glanced up at me and without any words I knew exactly what he wanted. I reached down, placed my hands on either side of his head and pumped my hips, watching my cock piston in and out of his mouth.  He groaned and streaks of saliva ran from his mouth down my shaft as I thrust faster and deeper, truly fucking his mouth. He closed his eyes and the euphoric expression on his face propelled me to the edge.

The need for release flooded my system and pulled my balls up to the root of my cock. He read the signs and used his hand to tug at them in time with one of my upward thrusts and I came undone with a triumphant cry, shooting ropes of cum down his open throat. He sucked and I pumped through the rest of my orgasm, and he continued to lick and suckle me even when I fell back, drained of all cum and energy. A couple of minutes later, when he was certain he had sucked me dry, he lifted his head wearing a wide smile and licking his lips.

“Fuck, that was good,” he said.

“You’re telling me?”

“I am telling you. I’ll never get enough of that cock,” he said as he slithered up to lie next to me, his hand cupping my spent genitals.

“And I’ll never get enough of you,” I told him, shifting to the side and leaning over to kiss him. I loved tasting myself on him as I plumbed the depths of his mouth with my tongue. “I just wish we had enough time for me to return the favor.”

“Later. You need to eat to recover your strength,” he smirked knowingly.

“The strength you just sucked out of me?”

“That too.”

I reached over to tickle him and, seeing my intent, he tried to scramble away. He was saved by a knock at the door.

“Crap! Our clothes are in the bathroom,’ I realized.

“I’ll toss you a robe,” he said. He sat up and swung his legs to the side of the bed to stand up. I watched his glutes and hamstrings contract as he walked to the bathroom. He emerged wearing a robe and tossed a second one to me, which I hurriedly pulled on just as we heard another knock followed by a “room service” announcement.

“Just a minute,” Jasper said loudly looking back to me for approval. I gave him a thumbs up and he went to open the door.  “Put it on the table inside, thanks,” he told the person at the door.

A young bellboy came into the room, carrying a large tray with two silver-dome-covered plates. He noticed me on the bed and his face reddened noticeably. I decided to take pity on him and didn’t tease him with a wink. He set the tray down and turned to Jasper with a small clipboard.

“If you could just sign here, Sir,” he stammered.

“Sure.”

Jasper took the clipboard and signed where the bellboy indicated. He then reached into the pocket of his robe and handed the kid a tip, which the boy accepted with an even deeper blush.

“Enjoy your meal,” he stammered again and made a beeline for the door.

“I’m sure we will,” Jasper said, following him. I heard the door close and the lock engage. “I don’t think he heard the last part.”

“We may have traumatized him for life,” I chortled.

“Is it possible that someone who works for a hotel in New York City has never seen a gay couple?”

“Maybe not one so obviously sated,” I mused.

“Ah, maybe not. Wanna eat at the table or should I bring this to bed?”

“Bed’s good. We can turn on the news.”

We got caught up on local and world events as we devoured our make-shift picnic.

“These burgers are good,” Jasper commented, licking his fingers clean of dripping juice.

“So are the fries,” I agreed, stealing one off his plate.

“Hey!” he slapped my hand playfully, then reached to my plate to take one of my fries.

The news anchors droned on in the background, but we stopped paying attention.

“I was thinking earlier about all the crap that’s happened lately. I mean, Em and Nasir almost getting shot in the Middle East and Nasir’s driver getting killed, then Dimi and Ros being attacked, then the sniper and now this? It seems like there’s some dark cloud hanging over our group. Just when you think the bad stuff has to be over, something else happens,” Jasper noted with a furrowed brow.

“It does seem like a string of bad luck, but it’s all a coincidence. Ros and Dimi’s attack and the sniper had nothing to do with one another. As for Em and Nasir, I suspect both events are related to Nasir’s family. Certainly what happened in the UAE was, and I think I saw Nasir’s brother in the jail parking lot today.”

“You did? Did Nasir say anything about that?”

“He didn’t, but I didn’t put two and two together until after I was done with my visitation, so I couldn’t ask him. I will tomorrow.”

“You think Nasir’s brother is trying to force him out of the United States?”

“Based on everything I heard, he’d love for Nasir to be deported to the UAE, where he would happily kill his baby brother without a second thought.”

“Jesus!”

“I know.”

“Do you think there’s any danger of Nasir actually being deported?”

“The lawyers don’t seem to think so, but who the hell knows? Before today I would have said there was no way Nasir would be in jail.”

Jasper nodded thoughtfully.

“I’m just so glad you’re here. No matter how bad things are, it seems better when we’re together, you know?

“I do,” I reached for his left hand and squeezed. “Talking like this is way better than skyping.”

He snorted. “Yeah, it is!”

“Oh, Barney called while I was out there.”

“Yeah? Is he pissed that we’re delaying the search?”

“No, but he asked if we could see a couple of places tomorrow evening?”

“That would work. I was actually thinking of knocking off early tomorrow and going to visit Nasir, assuming he’s not released before then.”

“Can you do that?”

“Sure. As long as I’m there in the morning for the show, leaving a couple of hours early is not a big deal.”

“I’m sure Nasir would love to see you. I was going to rent a car and spend the day out there. I’m not sure I’d have enough time between the two visiting sessions to get you, but we can book a car to drive you out and then I’ll drive us back.”

“Yes, that’ll work. And when we get back we’ll meet Barney and see the places he has to show us. Who knows, maybe our luck will finally turn?”

“Let’s hope.” I said, eating the last of my fries and reaching for the dome to cover the empty plate. Jasper did the same so I slid off the bed and picked up the tray. “I’ll go set this outside. And then...” I lifted my brows.

“Then what?”

“Then I’m going to see what I can do about turning your luck right now!”

“But I already got lucky before,” he protested with a laugh.

“Not as lucky as you’re gonna get!” I promised, and a few minutes later I delivered.

****

The next day was another exercise in frustration. Garrett had called us before we went to sleep to explain about the appeals hearing. Due to the time difference between New York and Seattle, there was no way that Nasir’s problems would be resolved in the morning, and it was entirely possible that they could stretch out for another day. I arranged for a rental car to be delivered to the hotel in the morning and drove out to the jail so that I could go in when visiting hours started. I sat with Nasir and kept him talking the entire time, doing my best to distract him from the situation. There was little I could say to improve his mood, though. If anything, he was even more depressed, despite having been able to finally talk to Emmett. 

“I love him so much, Edward. I just want to be with him. It was so much easier before, when we were both in Seattle. I should have never agreed to the wedding. I should have stalled my father somehow.”

“You wouldn’t have been able to stall him forever,” I pointed out.

“Then I should have pretended to go along while looking for another job. If I had a green card before the family found out, I would not have had to apply for asylum,” he fretted.

“Nasir,” I said calmly, wishing I could take his hand or, better yet, hug him. “Hindsight is always twenty twenty. I know all about it. I lost years with Jasper because of things I did that I wished I could have done over.”

“I guess I forgot that,” Nasir said. “I am being so selfish!”

“No, you’re not. How can you be selfish when you’re thinking of Emmett? All I’m saying is you should stop beating yourself up over things that can’t be undone. The lawyers will fix this, and then things will go back to normal.”

“But our normal is terrible,” Nasir lamented. “I hate being away from Emmett so many nights.”

There was nothing I could say to make that better.

“I know it is wrong, but I am jealous of you and Jasper. It was easier when my Emmett and I were not the only ones who were apart. I know it was not easy for you to leave your home and everyone in Seattle, but you seem so much happier now.”

Given his situation, I was a little surprised he noticed.

“I am happier, and the hardest part about leaving Seattle was clearing the fog around my priorities. Once I let myself see what was really important, the decision was easy. Maybe that will happen for Emmett too.”

“No, he has his job in Seattle, and his home, and Sethy. He and I belong there, not here. I would not want him to give it all up for me.”

“Not even if he wanted to?”

Nasir through for a moment.

“I cannot imagine such a thing. I cannot imagine Emmett and Sethy separated. It would be wrong. What would he do when I had to travel for business? He would be all alone!”

I wasn’t going to point out that Jasper and I would be here in New York for him. The truth was, I agreed with Nasir. I couldn’t imagine Emmett separated from Seth either. It was hard enough on the two of them when Seth moved in with Garrett, and fortunately Garrett understood his husband’s friendship well enough to encourage it instead of interfering. The open door policy they shared was nearly as good as living together. It was hard to picture Emmett and Seth living in different buildings, much less cities.

“Is there any chance that you could do your job from Seattle?”

“I have thought about this. There is no reason I need to be in New York, except to see my bosses and colleagues. I think if I do a good job on a few projects, I will be able to ask about moving back to Seattle, but not until then.”

Nasir folded his hands together and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. He looked absolutely dejected.

“I know you and Emmett hate to be apart, but I also know he would much rather be in a long-distance relationship with you than in any other kind of relationship with anyone else. You love each other, and you will both make this work for as long as it takes, until you can be together again full time.” I said with forceful conviction.

“You think so?” Nasir looked over at me with hope in his glistening eyes.

“I know so!” I nodded with certainty. “This is just a bump in the road. Someday, you’ll look back on this and laugh.”

Nasir shook his head.

“Okay, maybe you won’t laugh. But you’ll look back on this and realize that all your fears had been unfounded.”

That finally got him to smile.

***

Jasper and I texted obsessively during his long car ride to the jail. I was thrilled to see him when he finally got there, and Nasir even more so. With his natural easy-going manner, Jasper was finally able to lift Nasir’s spirits a little, and to distract him even more when he explained what had happened during our dinner with Peter and Dimi. I hadn’t wanted to bother Nasir with my troubles, but I immediately saw that had been a mistake. He actually looked better in his outrage over Peter’s treatment of us. For a little while, it almost seemed as if the old Nasir was back. But when the guard announced that visiting hours were over, Nasir became depressed.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” I assured him.

“Thank you, Edward. I wish you did not have to be here so many days in a row.”

“Keep your chin up and call Em to see what happened at the hearing. Who knows? Maybe there will be some good news already. And if not, then maybe tomorrow...”

“Perhaps tomorrow,” Nasir nodded, but didn’t seem convinced.

***

It took over two hours to get back to Manhattan due to a detour we took to grab a bite to eat. I didn’t mind, though. In fact, I loved every minute. The drive reminded me of the road trip Jasper and I took through the Northern Cascades earlier in the fall, and I realized that once our living situation was settled I might want to look for a car so that we could take more driving trips together.

Back in Manhattan, we had just enough time to hand off the rental car to the hotel valet for parking and then meet Barney at the first condo. The place was nice, with two decent sized bedrooms and a good sized kitchen, but it only took one look between me and Jasper to confirm that this wasn’t going to be our home. The second showing was of a row house, and this one had real promise, but Jasper balked at the seven million dollar price and I wasn’t overly thrilled with the location, which seemed too far away from the subway.

“Sorry Barney. I guess we’re pretty picky,” Jasper shrugged as we exited the home and Barney locked the front door behind us.

“Everyone’s picky until they find the right place. It’s an important decision, so it has to feel right. Should I try to set up another place for tomorrow evening?”

“That would be great,” I agreed.

We stopped at the hotel restaurant to have dessert before we went back up to the room. We were getting ready for bed when Seth called to let us know that the appeals court repealed the denial of Nasir’s asylum.

“So what does that mean?”

“It means now he has asylum and a green card. It means he will not get deported, even if he loses his job!”

“So are they going to let him out? I can go out there to pick him up tonight,” I offered, although I dreaded making another multi-hour round trip to the jail at this time of night. I couldn’t remember if those rural roads even had lights, and I could easily imagine myself getting lost and ending up in some cow pasture.

“We wish. They have no problem working late to detain people, but heaven forbid they release anyone outside regular business hours. There’s no one in New York right now to receive the judges’ decision, much less process it, so it will have to be done tomorrow. Emmy spoke with Duane already and he will be at the immigration office as soon as it opens with the order in hand. Can you go to tell Nasir?”

“Of course. I was planning to go out there anyway.”

“We’re flying in, all three of us, but you’ll probably get there before we do.”

“You’re flying in? That’s great! Would Em rather wait and tell Nasir in person?”

Seth covered the microphone, but I could still hear him ask Emmett the question.

“Emmy says no, just tell him. He wants Nasi to know as soon as possible.”

“Okay, I’ll do that and hold down the fort until you arrive. He’ll be so happy!”

“He and Emmy both! I bet they’ll be fucking in that limo on the way back to Manhattan.”

Having seen Nasir over the last couple of days, I suspected he would be thrilled enough just to have Emmett in his arms, but I said nothing.

“And speaking of fucking, I’d better let you and Jasper get to it.”

I chuckled. “What makes you think we’ll be doing anything of the sort?”

“Girl, please!”

“Okay, okay. Go pack or something. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Kisses to Jasper, and you,” he added the last begrudgingly.

“And to you, Emira.”

“Why you! Just wait till I get hold of you tomorrow!” he mock threatened.

“I’ll be waiting. Goodnight.”

Having heard my half of the conversation, Jasper guessed what happened, but I filled in the details.

“Thank goodness it’s over!”

“Or will be, tomorrow. None too soon for Nasir, I’m sure, but having Emmett and Garrett and Seth here will help.”

“Such a fucking waste of everyone’s time and resources!”

“Our tax dollars at work.”

“You know, I normally don’t even mind paying taxes, but then shit like this happens and it’s almost enough to turn me Republican!”

I laughed, knowing he didn’t really mean it.

“If you were Republican, you’d be volunteering to escort Nasir back to the UAE.”

He chuckled too.

“Okay, not Republican, but it still pisses me off.”

“At least it only took a few days to resolve. Just think, without money and connections, Nasir could have been stuck in that place for weeks.”

“It’s a shitty system. but with all the Washington gridlock it’s unlikely to change any time soon. Stupid politicians!”

“Don’t get yourself all worked up before bed,” I said, reaching over to turn off the bedside lamp. “Come here, let me distract you.”

Jasper groaned appreciatively as I took his cock in hand and gave him a firm stroke.

“You don’t have to ask me twice.”