Chapter 1
Crimson Whiskey slid all the way down his fingers and to his yellow and blue flannel shirt that was rolled up to his elbows. Nothing could prepare him for this night. Sooo… he drank. That was his comfort—his safety blanket. Mason hadn’t always been an alcoholic, but tonight he knew he needed something.
It was dusk. Finally. And the party was dying down. This reunion of sorts. It was “of sorts” to Mason because, honestly, he hated his family.
They had always put him in a box. And not a comfortable one at that. There were no soft, fluffy pillows or luxurious blankets in this box. Mason was bi. He knew it ever since he was thirteen. He was “out” to his friends and family, but some of them still didn’t approve. It’s like they wanted only half of him—the straight half, if you will.
Anyway, the reunion was almost over. Mason sipped some more Crimson Whiskey and shoved his free hand into his jeans. He wiped away some sandy blonde hair out of his green/hazel eyes. And looked up to see his Uncle Tim.
“Well, sport, it was good to see you,” Uncle Tim squeezed Mason’s bicep uncomfortably.
Mason only offered a weak smile nod combination to his creepy uncle.
“You still…uh…got that problem?” Uncle Tim persisted.
“Excuse me?” Mason choked on a sip of Crimson Whiskey.
“You know, that whole… liking boys thing,” the overweight Uncle Tim moved in to whisper into Mason’s left ear.
“I…um…” Mason tried to find an appropriate response besides clocking his Uncle in front of his whole family.
“Well, I just want you to know back in the day, I had some…issues…of my own…” Uncle Tim began to enlighten the offended Mason.
“Look, Uncle Tim, I don’t…” Mason began. But Uncle Tim was determined.
“Here’s the card of a guy that I talked to. He’s a licensed therapist. Specializes in this…stuff.” Uncle Tim clumsily pulled out an all black with white lettering business card and handed it to the stunned Mason.
Deciding, even in his drunken state to keep it together, Mason let out an inaudible sigh and took the card from his Uncle.
“Good chap,” Uncle Tim tried to reassure his rude exchange by slapping Mason squarely on the back.
Mason, being the “bigger person,” rolled his eyes as his uncle went to say his goodbyes to his sister, Mason’s mom.
Great. Let’s add Uncle Tim to the growing list of people who think I need fixed. There’s mom, Uncle Ben and Aunt Claudia, grandma who doesn’t even know, and now Uncle Tim…
Just then, Mason received a text from his friend Ally. “Rager!! Come now!! 4235 Greenway Dr!!”
Mason smiled to himself. Yes. This night just got a thousand times better!
Mason shoved his phone haphazardly into his back pocket and made his way over to his mom.
“Yo, I gotta peace. Catch ya later!” Mason bid his mother ado with a half hug while she was conversing with Aunt Claudia. Aunt Claudia gave Mason a clearly judgmental look.
“Where are you going? We haven’t had dessert yet!” Mason’s mom attempted to convince her hipster son to stay longer as he saluted her from the door.
Ahh. Mason stepped outside into the cool Autumn air. The trees rustled a little bit and the sun set.
Mason hopped into his beat-up, black pickup truck and drove off, blasting the radio. See ya suckers!
“Finally!” Ally jumped at Mason as he cautiously, but confidently entered the rager.
“What took you so long?” Ally asked through hiccups. She was definitely tipsy.
“I was at this family reunion thing. Very lame. Now, what are you drinking?” Mason smiled at the curvy girl that stood in front of him. He and Ally had been good friends for a few years. They had met in college and remained decent buddies even after they both had graduated.
“Vodka vodka,” Ally giggled at Mason swooping in a little closer. Mason enjoyed her closeness very much, but then immediately thought of Carter and his tanned, chiseled muscles. It was weird. It was like one sex’s attraction triggered the other’s until there was a full-on threesome fantasy in his head.
“Got any whiskey?” Mason shook the fantasy out of his mind and followed Ally through the dark, neon-lighted room to the kitchen.
It was crowded, but Mason didn’t mind it at all. He enjoyed the closeness of everyone. The excitement in the air. Like something awesome was bound to happen that night.
After an hour or two of dancing with Ally, grinding included, Mason saw him. Carter had arrived. He was perfect in Mason’s eyes. Tall, dark, and handsome with a flashing smile that could light the way for a stranded ship out at sea.
Mason temporarily froze. His heart skipped a beat or two as he watched the twenty-two-year-old make his way through the crowd to the kitchen.
“I’ll be right back!” Mason yelled over the music into Ally’s drunken ear.
“Hurry back!” Ally said in a friendly way. Mason liked that about Ally. She wasn’t boy crazy. Just cool.
Mason smoothed back his dirty blonde hair that had fallen out of his man-bun. Just be cool. He knows you’re bi. And he’s gay. What could go wrong?
“Heyyy buddy!” Mason awkwardly greeted the practically glowing Carter. Oh God. What the hell was that? Mason internally reprimanded himself, and apparently it showed on his face because Carter just laughed and said, “Hi Mason, you look good tonight.”
Mason sheepishly smiled back.
“Thanks man, how… how… is life?” He struggled to put together a valid question among Carter’s glorious vibes.
“Life is good, life is good,” Carter answered. Then, before Mason knew what was going on, Carter smoothly put his arm around Mason and pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek. Mason immediately blushed.
Omg. That was awesome. But what now? Mason and Carter remained close and in a comfortable silence for a few amazing minutes. The two of them were locking eyes when someone yelled, “Okay, party is over!! EVERYONE OUT!!”
“What the hell?!” Carter said out of those perfect lips.
“Hmmm,” Mason gestured towards the backdoor onto the porch.
Carter flashed that wonderful, enticing smile of his at Mason, and grabbed Mason’s hand leading them both outside.
Once outside, far enough away from the house, the mooning Mason and the suave Carter lit a cigarette to share.
A handful of stars speckled the sky as the two boys were sharing in the sweet nuances of a budding romance.
“So…” Mason began. “How’s life post-college?”
Shit. What a dumb, generic question.
Carter chuckled through soft, peppery smoke that rose up to meet those stars.
“Honestly, it’s shit.” Carter confided in Mason, moving a little closer in the grass. “I’m working two part-time jobs and struggling to get on my feet with the art. But I guess I should have expected that. And how about you, Mighty Mason?”
“Mighty Mason” was a nickname that Mason had acquired in high school, where the boys had met. Mason grinned at the reference.
“It’s okay, I guess. I’m doing sales for Brehmen and Sons. I don’t hate it, but I don’t necessar—“
Apparently, Carter had gotten impatient with the small talk and planted one right on Mason’s lips. Carter held it there for a few minutes. No tongue. Just an innocent lip-kiss to a boy who had dreamed of such a thing ever since grade school.
Mason was taken a little aback, at first, but then closed his eyes and leaned into Carter. The two held each other’s muscled backs and waists, seeming to freeze the moment. Carter could tell Mason was inexperienced in this department, so he was taking it slow.
Out of nowhere, Ally’s face popped into Mason’s mind. Those soft dimples and flowing dark brown hair (with the wave curl, of course) seemed to taunt him.
And then he heard a sharp “Hey!!” from behind. The kissing men nearly jumped out of their skins at the sound.
Low and behold, it was none other than Mason’s friend Ally with both arms slung around a very petite, very made-up, light blonde-haired woman.
The two women, clearly intoxicated, laughed and laughed at the startled men.
“It’s just us, silly boys!” Ally slurred in their direction.
“Very funny, ladies.” Carter sweetly found Mason’s hand in the dark and grasped it firmly, as the two had come apart with the arrival of Ally and her best friend Nicole.
“Hi Ally, hey ’cole.” Mason saluted towards the two with a disappointed smirk on his face.
“Did we interrrrrupt, *hic*, you two lover boysss?” Ally managed to piece together the question.
Though Mason was sad the kissing between him and Carter had ended, he looked down at Ally with a slight smile. She was gorgeous in the moonlight. He couldn’t help himself—standing there holding Carter’s warm hand and looking at Ally he began to feel a boner coming on…
Fuck. Not now! Mason clenched his teeth and then thought of anything, everything besides sex from chocolate cake to basketball (which actually didn’t really follow the rules of boner-killer for Mason, but it seemed to work this time).
“Shots! Shots! Shoooots!” Nicole began chanting to the four some as she slowly raised a bottle of Crimson Whiskey in the air.
“Now you’re talking!” Carter broke his serious face and laughed as he and Nicole began taking pulls from the red bottle.
“Oh no…” Mason looked at Ally who was quietly giggling off to the side.
Crack. BOOM. Of course there would be fireworks tonight. Mason was a little annoyed at the universe for giving him such a rough time with his love life, until now that is.
Oh well. Just as the second firework “boomed,” Mason carefully wrapped his arm around Ally and the two gazed up at the bright purple dots in the sky.
“Ahem. My dear boy. Flirting with someone else while I’m right here just won’t do.” Carter had walked up to Mason and Ally and sternly scolded Mason for his actions.
Mason immediately dropped his arms to his sides while Ally defended Mason.
“Lookie here Carter. Mason is bi. He doesn’t play by your rules, and he can flirt with whoever—”
But Ally’s voice was surprisingly drowned out by a kiss from none other than her best friend Nicole. Nicole was greatly inebriated, and decided now was the right moment for her to express her true feelings for the curvy brunette.
“’Cole??” A confused, shocked, but semi-pleased Ally caught the falling Nicole just as she was about to hit the grass.
“Uhh, wow.” Carter laughed.
“She’s drunk, Ally. It didn’t mean anything.” Carter matter-of-factly stated. He was so used to getting his heart broken over either gender that he immediately tried to brush the moment off for his friend.
Nicole was now sitting on the ground staring up at Ally.
“Ally, I…I just think you are sooo hot! And you’re my best friend, so we like already have a shit ton in common…” Nicole slurred at the sympathetic Ally.
“Aw thanks, babe!” Ally picked Nicole up off the grass and the two embraced for a good five minutes before holding each other’s forearms and touching foreheads.
Meanwhile Carter and Mason stood, mouths agape, next to each other.
“Honey, let’s just make it through tonight, okay? We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” Ally spoke softly to the wanting woman, brushing some loose strands of light blonde from her almost teary-eyed face.
“Damn.” Carter managed. “I think we just got bested.”
Mason and Carter looked at one another and then smiled. Just as the two men were moving closer to each other, disregarding whatever damage control Ally was giving Nicole, Mason’s cell began to chirp.
“Hello? Mason Jameson?” Mason heard coolly from his cell’s speaker.
Who could this be? Mason didn’t recognize the phone number on his caller ID.
“Yes? I’m Mason. Who’s calling?” Mason gave Carter and the gang a shrug.
“It’s Dr. Carl Redmand. Your Uncle Tim gave me your number and suggested that I call you tonight. I apologize that it got so late. My kid had a late piano recital. Anyway, do you have a minute to talk?”
Mason froze. He was embarrassed and offended, but mostly feeling extremely vulnerable in front of his good friends.
“Um, now isn’t really a good time Dr. Redam.” Mason spoke calmly, but inside his stomach was turning.
Continuing the conversation despite Mason’s request, Dr. Redmand replied, “It’s ‘Redmand,’ son. But that’s alright. And from what your Uncle Tim said, it’s never going to be a good time to discuss your… issues.”
“Who is that, Mas?” Carter asked.
“Uh, no one.” Mason curtly said and then turned his back to the gang of wondering twenty-somethings.
“Listen, Doctor. I don’t have ‘issues.’ And I definitely don’t need your help.” Mason mustered while hearing in the back a stifled “More shots!” from the happy again Nicole. Ally and Carter simultaneously hushed Nicole, but continued to drink a few more pulls.
“Son, I know this must be hard—” BEEP. Mason had slowly pulled the cell down from his ear and clicked the red “end call” bar. Nope. He was not going there. Especially not tonight when he had finally kissed and been close with the man that he had been drooling over since high school. Carter had always had a boyfriend during high school, as long as Mason had remembered.
After silencing Dr. Redam or Redman or whatever, Mason took a deep breath, faced his friends and said a heart-felt, “I love you guys.”
“Awwww!” The three smiling, intoxicated, young adults chorused back at him followed by an uncomfortable but heart-warming group hug.
After the four parted, Mason looked at the beaming Carter and then at the beautiful Ally.
Nothing could have prepared him for this night.
Mason was bi. He was also a good man, a salesman, a quiet, yet goofy and always caring man. Mason liked Carter. Mason liked Ally. But in different ways. Carter was the fantasy that he was able to drink from a little at a time, while Ally was the tride and true gal that made him feel at home in his own skin. Mason stood under the crescent moon with a heart aching for a threesome. But how could he even approach the subject. Now was not the right time, Mason realized.
“Crimson Whiskey anyone?” Mason asked.
Carter and Ally looked at each other and then each flashed Mason unforgettable smiles. Nicole suddenly jumped on Mason’s flannelled back and yelled, “Hells yesss, Mighty Mason!!”
The four of them laughed good, hearty laughs and spent the rest of the night in the backyard of Erin Jacob’s now quieted house, talking about their lives and drinking light pulls of Crimson Whiskey.
Mason and Carter were cuddled together, spooning. While Ally and Nicole were whispering secrets into each other’s ears, holding the almost empty bottle.
This is good. Mason turned to stare into Carter’s blue eyes. I am happy. Carter stared back into Mason’s green/hazel eyes.
“You’re perfect.” Mason whispered into Carter’s ear.
“You’re mine.” Ally whispered into Nicole’s ear. Both Carter and Nicole beamed with pride at their newfound lovers.
Nicole slurped the last of the Crimson Whiskey before offering Ally a steady kiss on the lips. Ally was surprised at how much things were clicking for her. She had always liked women at least as much as men but was startled and impressed with her best friend’s bravery. So much so that she made up her mind to be with Nicole that night.
Mason and Carter were also making out. Four love birds under the stars.
I could get used to this.
Mason couldn’t help but feel extremely proud of himself for the way he handled that jackass Dr. Reddamn.
Mason decided that he would tell Carter about the call first thing in the morning, but he had a feeling that Carter already knew about it.
Mason glanced over at the two women sitting close making out. He felt happy for them. He felt happy for him. Nothing could have prepared him for this night. Not even a whole bottle of Crimson Whiskey.
