“Yeah. You know, sometimes I think it was easier to be that flaming queer, out to make everyone uncomfortable. I could go as far over the top as I wanted because that’s what others expected.” He shrugged. “But my dress-wearing days are over. I prefer power suits and comfortable shoes.”
Shaking his head, Brenden caught the waitress’s gaze and pointed to their beers and held up two fingers. She nodded and gave him a quick wink. He let the flirt pass and glanced back at Liam. “I think you just liked making everyone else uncomfortable before they did it to you.”
“I may be guilty of some of that.” Liam admitted. “So what about you? Still playing G.I. Joe?”
“Yes. Are you playing the prick because I’m making you uncomfortable?” Brenden stretched his legs out, and they paused as the waitress cleared away the finished beers and delivered two more. She gave him another flirtatious smile, and he ignored it again.
“Hell yes, you make me uncomfortable.” Liam sat forward and stripped off his coat, setting the jacket on the back of the chair next to him. He’d filled out since high school, his broad shoulders stretching the fabric. The dress shirt beneath the exact shade of his eyes. “You’re not supposed to be gay and so easy about it.”
Lowering his beer, Brenden squinted at his friend. “And you’re not supposed to be so…whatever the hell this is. Nervous?”
The abrupt change of subject obviously bothered Liam. “You know, let’s talk about the Marines. How is that going for you? Moving up the ranks?”
“Dude—relax. We’re just having a beer.” He held his hand out in invitation. “Catching up. It’s okay. Really.”
He brought it up again. “Oddly enough, that doesn’t make me feel better. You’re supposed to be straight.”
“Why am I supposed to be?” Brenden refused to let the rejection bother him. He’d expected some resistance, but nothing like this.
“Because you’re that guy. Top of your class, great athlete, smart, sexy, funny, and stand-up guy. You didn’t let bullies get away with shit, and you were the first to volunteer for every Tom, Dick or Sally social cause someone came to you about. You were perfect. The perfect guy to dream about—perfect and untouchable.”
The fervent declaration took Brenden back. “I was not perfect,” he argued.
“Yeah, you were. Tiffany Hutcherson comes to you and says the varsity cheerleading squad lost at district every year because all the other teams had guys on them. You signed up to help her out. And as soon as word got out, four more guys signed up, including two of the school’s top jocks. Matty Peterson lost her house in that freak storm, but she lacked popularity and no one really signed up for that fundraiser and rebuild project until you did.” Liam ticked off his list on his fingers. “Jaime Zales flipped out at school because a local shelter closing meant two hundred animals would be put down, and you led a school walkout to pound pavement and get every dog adopted and took the last three ugly ass mutts home to your mom when you couldn’t find them a place.” He leaned forward and pointed his fingers right at him. “Perfect. You were that guy the one every girl dreamed about….”
It was Brenden’s turn to feel uncomfortable. “They all needed to be done. It wasn’t about trying to impress anyone.”
The other man threw his hands up and laughed, seeming to settle down for the first time since they’d walked into the club. “And that, my friend, proves my point. You stated, categorically, at every career day, that you were headed for the Marines. You knew who you were and where you wanted to be. The rest of us flopped around like fish on a shore while you parted the waters with smooth sailing, demonstrating how it should be done.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, sobered and finally took the hand Brenden offered. “You liked me for me, you watched my back, and you didn’t get all weird when I did. You were my hero….”
“Yeah?” He locked his grip on Liam’s. “You were mine.”
Speechless, Liam couldn’t pull his gaze away from the intensity in the Marine’s expression.
“I thought that would shut you up.” Brenden’s slow grin took a devastating toll on his self-control. “You see, I knew where I wanted to go, and I knew what was right, but it didn’t always mean I could be all I am and achieve both. You took risks and said, ‘fuck you world if you don’t like it.’”
“I actually don’t know what to say to that.” The last traces of wariness released his soul and he squeezed Brenden’s hand.