A gay story: Husband of My Homophobic Sister Ch. 28 Chapter 28 – At Brandon’s Place
We just stared at each other. Accessing the other in front of us.
“How is Nate?”
“Why do you care?” Matt asked quietly.
“I just do. Can you tell me?”
I looked at Brandon, who had this frown on his forehead but looked more inviting than the strict angry businessman next to him.
“He is a mess. I don’t think I’ve seen him as devastated as he is in a long time.” Brandon spoke calmly, but I could tell he was blaming me. And rightfully so. I nodded slightly, feeling sad about that. No matter that I wasn’t expecting anything else. Still hearing it broke my heart a little.
“I am sorry.”
“What have you expected?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Do you want to beat me up now?”
“How would that help?”
Brandon spoke calmly, but Matt, I could see he was clearly angry with me.
.
“What you wanted to talk about then?”
This whole situation was uncomfortable.
“Could we go somewhere private?”
I looked at Brandon. Is he seriously thinking I will go somewhere private with two best friends of a guy whose heart I just broke?
Like he could read my thoughts, Brandon raised his hands, palms facing me. “Look, man, I swear we just want to talk, but in a couple minutes, Nate will come here, and you either stay here and sort it out with him, or you will come with us and explain to us why whatever you two had cannot work.”
“Why do you want to talk with him about fixing it? Didn’t you see the state of Nate? Do you seriously think that’s something this man deserves?”
“He told him about Luke.” Brandon was now staring into Matt’s eyes, and Matt leaned back and looked at me in amazement.
He glanced at Brand. “How do you know that?”
“Nate told me.”
“Bullshit!”
They both looked at me.
“Did he?”
I nodded. I understood it was an obviously big thing, but the way they stared at me made me think its something very special.
“What did he tell you exactly?”
“That he was his brother.”
Matt nodded with a frown. “And what else.”
I folded my arms and blinked, trying to suppress the tears. “How he died.” I felt my eyes water when I remembered that night he told me. Matt looked withdrawn.
“How many people have you told it to, Matt?”
Matt looked at Brandon with a strange sadness in his eyes. “One.”
“I haven’t told anyone in my whole life. Neither did Nate. Ever. Not even Ashley. If Nate valued this man after two months of knowing him and half of that hating his guts. If he valued him so highly that he told him. I want to give him a chance.”
“I just wanted to tell him he is a piece of shit, and it didn’t feel right to say it in front of a baby. How do you want to take him home and talk with him when we are meeting guys in,” Matt looked at his watch, “ten minutes.”
“I don’t know, but I need to see if there is a chance for them.”
.
They’ve been talking like I wasn’t even there. Not that I minded but knowing that Nate would be here gave me a strange sensation. I didn’t know how to perceive it. I wanted to see him, yet I thought it would be unnecessary torture for both of us.
“Is there?” Matt looked at me accusingly.
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Bran, let it be. It’s not our fight to fight.”
Brandon looked at me seriously. “Richard, I have one question. Please tell me honestly. Do you love Nate?”
“Yes.” I said, “But it’s not that simple.”
“It never is.” Brandon looked at Matt meaningfully, and for some reason, Matt grew defensive. He folded his arms and took a step back.
“Fine.”
Brandon took out two things from his pocket: a car key and a phone.
“Richard, come with me. You too, Matt.”
.
Brandon dialed someone on the phone and held it next to his ear as he walked. We both followed, unbeknownst to why we just obeyed his order.
“Hi, buddy. We met Richard on the way. We are taking him to my place.”
“No, don’t worry. No. I promise Matt will behave.”
“Trust me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Please just trust me, Nate.”
“I am not saying it will. I just want to talk with him.”
“No, seriously.”
“Okay. Say hi to Dan and John.”
“I don’t know.”
“Sure, promise. I would never do that to you.”
“See you.”
.
I matched his steps. “What did he say?”
“He was shocked, then afraid for you. Then he tried to make me swear we would not hurt or force you into anything.”
“Why do I need to go as well?” Matt grumbled behind us.
“Cos I got you by the balls, and you know you want to be there. So you can pretend you have just been blackmailed into submission and keep that macho persona as you will hear everything you wanted to anyway.”
“What is going on here?” I was feverishly trying to add all my information about these two. Submission… I turned so hard that my neck cracked. “You work with Thomas Birns!”
They both stopped like I just threw an ice bucket in front of them. Matt’s face turned red! His eyes grew fierce, and something about his posture looked like I angered a bull. Then in fear for my life, I heard Brandon laugh so hard that when I looked at him, he held his knees and wiped tears from his eyes.
“Man, I don’t know how this happened, but we are having a party tonight. I need to hear it all!”
“How do you know I work with Thomas Birns?”
“Cor is my best friend, and we went to college together.”
Matt peered at me while Brandon observed us with a newfound interest.
“Why is it relevant that I work with him?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be if you didn’t look at me like I just stepped on your tail, and this one wouldn’t laugh so hard. I was originally just surprised that we have a mutual friend.”
“Yes, he is my assistant. Is there a problem?”
I shook my head. “Assistant? Isn’t that a bit downplaying it?”
“What do you mean by that?” Brandon asked, curious.
I looked at him. “He is one of the best one can find. He only works in one company for a year or two. He has an astronomical salary rate and is usually booked a couple of years ahead. He specializes in growing businesses and building them up.”
I looked at Matt, who looked really surprised by what I had just told them. I thought that was why he asked Dora to call him for help…
I was stunned. It’s true that Dora was a personal assistant, but hiring Tom as PA is quite OP…. “Is he really just a PA?”
Matt nodded. “He wasn’t PA before?”
I was astonished. Why would Tom even do that? “You’ve never checked his background?”
“He did, but not the one you mentioned.”
I looked at Matt, confused.
“Don’t mind him. He loves to mock me.”
“Right.”
.
“Okay. This is my baby. Step in!”
“This is your car?” Damn!
“Yeah. Richard, come sit in front.”
We drove for a few minutes. Matt seemed to be deep in his thoughts. I wondered if this was a good idea, but I think I liked them, and part of me yearned for a connection with Nate, even this distinct as hanging out with his friends. Finally, we came to an apartment building and soon went up to a nice loft. I had to say I would have guessed this man would live in a mess with some quirks lying around, but it was nice and cozy.
“Sit down. Do you want to drink something?”
“Water would be fine, thanks.”
.
We sat there. There was this eminent awkwardness between us. Brandon looked at me sadly, Matt glared at me like I was a vermin, and I was observing them, thinking these are the guys that mean so much to Nate.