Falling for His Father Pt. 03

"I'll be in touch with you soon, after this has all blown over."

"Don't bother, kid. The only time I wanna hear from you again is if I get horny and need a whore to make me feel like a man!"

Hearing that hurt. But, I wasn't going to let Ted see it affect me that way. "Bye."

I started to walk away, but turned around to see that Ted had turned away to look out the kitchen window. He took another shot of Scotch and slammed the glass down on the kitchen counter. I shook my head sadly and left.

The rest of the semester was a blur. When I got back to campus, I tried to meet up with Pete to apologize and explain things to him. But, he must've left standing orders with his roommates to turn me away. Eventually, I stopped trying to see him. Plus, that end of the semester grind took over and I was too bogged-down with work to even think about putting much energy into trying to make things right with him.

After the semester was over, I thought about driving back down to try and see Ted. But, I wasn't sure that was the best move, given how we'd left things. And, with Pete still not willing to see me, I thought doing that would only make things worse. So instead, I went home to spend time with family, hoping that my loved ones would be the salve that would make things better for me again.

It worked. Over the summer, I recharged my batteries and healed my wounds. In late August, I went back to campus, ready to take on my final year of college before moving on to law school.

In addition to really buckling down and focusing on my studies in that last year, I did try and spend time making an effort to make romantic connections with other guys. Unfortunately, all of them only became a string of insignificant others. I could never find in any other guy the connection I'd felt with Ted. His ghost was never too far away, whispering in my ear that no other guy would ever mean as much to me as he had. Speaking of Ted, he was never all that far away from my thoughts. I didn't have a way to get in touch with him. His number was in the phone Pete had taken with him that day back in April. But, I thought of him occasionally and hoped that he was doing okay even if we couldn't be together.

As I'd said, that whole year was a blur. I'd gotten into and accepted the opportunity to go to law school back East. By the time graduation arrived in early May, I was ready to start the next chapter of my life. It was the cap on a huge chapter of my life when I walked across that stage and took my diploma. It was also nice to see Pete do the same. It was the first time I'd seen him since that fateful day at the restaurant in Newport Beach over a year. Seeing him walk across that stage also hit me in a way I didn't expect. It tugged at my heart strings a little bit and made me realize I still wasn't really over everything that had happened last year. I knew I should try to find him after the ceremony and talk. But, I wasn't sure that enough time had passed to heal that wound. I wasn't healed yet and I wasn't even the one it had happened to.

My parents had planned to take me out to dinner to celebrate along with my brother, sister, and two aunts who all came in for the ceremony. Before meeting up with them, I decided to stop by the student union to check out a mixer for all of the graduates. I know it sounds horribly cheesy to go to something like this. But, it was my last hurrah on campus and I wanted to soak up the last bit of atmosphere before I left for good.

I'd been at the gathering for about 30 minutes and had just finished talking with one of my professors from this past year. I'd made a pass at flirting with him earlier in the semester, but it turned out that he was not same-sex oriented. He ended up becoming a mentor and friend to me, so it was good to talk with him one last time. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. When I turned around, expecting to see a classmate or another professor, I came face to face with the last person I expected to see: Ted Davison

"Hey, Rob..." he said. He smiled at me, but not broadly, as if he wasn't sure how I'd react to seeing him.

"Hi, Ted," I said, coolly. "I figured you'd be here for the graduation, but I sure didn't expect to see you."

"Yeah," I said, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his head, and looking uneasy. "Uh, is there some place we can go to talk privately?"

I motioned for him to follow me and we ended up in a courtyard outside the student union, away from the crowd. Before he could say whatever he wanted to say, I asked, "How are things between you and Pete? They must be good enough for him to invite you here for graduation."

"Petey and I are okay. We aren't as close as we used to be anymore. But we've worked through a lot of stuff and we've found our way back to good."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said, giving him a once over. "And how are you? You look good." It wasn't a lie. Ted still looked as sexy as he did the day I met him. In fact, if possible, he'd gotten better. In that moment, I knew that I wasn't over Ted yet, even after a year. All of those feelings I'd buried...the ones that I thought I'd gotten rid of, were starting to come rushing back to the surface.

"I'm doing okay. Uh, actually," he hedged, "I'm not all that great."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, trying not to add any emotion. Ted had hurt me badly. I was just now realizing that I wasn't over it yet and I didn't want to open myself up to him again by being sympathetic.

Choosing not to expand on what he meant when he said he wasn't doing great, Ted changed subject. "You got any plans this evening?"

"Yeah," I said, grinning. "My family's here and they taking me out to dinner to celebrate. In fact, I need to get going and meet up with them."

"Oh. Okay," he said, looking dejected. "It was good to see you, Rob."

"Thanks. You too. Take care, Ted."

I turned to start walking away when Ted reached out and grabbed my arm. "Aw, hell! Don't go, Robby!"

I looked down to see his hand circled around my upper arm. "What is it, Ted?"

"I came here, not expecting to see you, but hoping I would. There's something I need to say to you. I'd talked myself out of it. But, I can't let you walk away...walk out of my life without saying it."

I didn't like the way I was feeling, standing there, looking at him. I wanted to both kiss him because of the effect he still had on me and slug him for how badly he'd hurt me over a year ago. Against my better judgment, I turned to face him. "Okay. Say your piece."

Ted's face softened and he reached up to place a hand on my shoulder. "I wanted to say... I'm...I'm sorry."

"That's it?!"

"No. It's a start. I'm sorry that I acted the way I acted the last time we say each other and I said those awful things to you."

"I understand why, Ted."

"No. I don't think you do. That day was the worst day of my life. I was at home, trying to figure out how I was going to sit Petey down that night and tell him that he couldn't be in a relationship with you because *I* was...because I wanted to be. That's when Petey stormed in and told me what happened at the restaurant. The hate and anger in his eyes... I'll never forget the look he gave me that day as long as I live. I tried to calm him down and get him to understand what happened. But, I couldn't. The only thing I could do to make things right, he told me, was to not only end things with you when you eventually got back to the house, but to break your heart. Otherwise, he told me he'd not only never speak to or see me again, but he'd tell the entire family what I'd done and ruin my life."

It was hard to hear Ted's story. I knew he'd done what he did to me a year ago because of Pete. But, I had no idea he'd been blackmailed into doing it. My heart went out to the guy. Hearing his story didn't erase everything I'd gone through, but it made me a little more sympathetic to the position he'd been placed in.

"I cared...I CARE about you a lot, Robby." Ted continued. "But Petey's my son...my flesh and blood. It was an impossible choice I had to make. But, I made the one that I thought was the only choice I COULD make. It hurt like hell to hurt you like that. I hope someday you can forgive me."

For once, I was able to look beyond my own pain and anger at the situation and look at Ted. It was plain to see just from retelling what had happened over a year ago with Pete the emotional turmoil he had been in and the toll the whole situation had taken on him. All three of us had paid a horrible price for Ted and I being attracted to each other. Maybe the way for me to finally make peace with the past wasn't to bury my feelings and lie to myself that I was over them. Instead, maybe the path to freeing myself of this emotional albatross that had been around my neck was to give forgiveness. I wouldn't forget. But maybe it was time to forgive. I smiled at Ted and reached up to rest my hand on his shoulder, looking him directly in the eye. "It's okay, Ted. I do forgive you."

In the moment I said those words, it felt like a thousand pounds of guilt and sadness was lifted right off of me. I hadn't felt this good in over a year. It was obvious that Ted was feeling something similar. He smiled broadly at me and placed a hand on each of my shoulders. "Aw, Robby!! Really?! I know I don't deserve it..."

"Ted, it's okay," I interrupted him. "It's time we all put this behind us. I forgive you."

He surprised me by pulling me into a big bear hug. "You don't know what it means to hear you say that to me!" He released me from the hug and looked me in the eye. As we looked into each other's eyes, it was if there was some sort of gravitational pull between us. It was easy to see that the feeling that had been there between us a year ago were still as strong as ever. I think, before either of us knew what was happening, we were kissing right there in the middle of the courtyard. It felt good to have Ted's body next to mine like that again...to have my hands on him and his hands on me, kissing him as if no time had passed at all.

As we parted, Ted looked at me, wide-eyed. "I'm...I'm sorry about that, Robby. I shouldn't have... I just. I couldn't help it."

"I know what you mean. It was as if something pushed us to kiss each other."

Ted chuckled. "I guess the magic's still there." He fidgeted around. "I don't know where we go from here."

I knew where my heart wanted it to go. But my brain knew it probably couldn't happen. "I'm sure Pete wouldn't be happy if it went where I think we both want it to go."

"Yeah. You're right. I'm glad that at least we got to talk and...you know. We put this behind us."

"Yeah. Me too," I said. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to kiss him again.

"I'd better let you go and meet up with your family. I don't want to keep you from dinner. It was really good to see you again, Robby."

"Same here, Ted." I reached up to lovingly rub the side of his handsome face and drift down over his dress shirt-covered chest before I withdrew it and turned to walk away.

That's not how I wanted it to end. But, despite what had just happened between us, it had to end there. We couldn't move forward because of Pete. I understood that, as much as it hurt like hell.

Dinner with the fam was great. We all had a good time. I ate a lot and drank a lot. My parents paid a lot. All in all, a good time was had by all. The next day, I was in my apartment, packing up the last of my things to take back home with me when a knock came at the door. It was Pete Davison.

"Pete..." It was a shock to see him standing there, to say the least.

"Hey. I know you're probably packing up to head home. But, do you have a couple minutes?"

"Sure. Come in." I motioned for him to enter.

He looked around. "It's been forever since I've been in here. God... The things that happened in this apartment..." He trailed off.

"Yeah..." What else could I say? I was still nervous - even over a year later - about giving him the wrong idea.

"Listen, I won't take up too much of your time. My boyfriend's waiting for me anyway."

"Oh, you're seeing someone. I'm glad to hear that." I was genuinely happy for him. After everything he been through...everything that everyone involved had been through...it actually warmed my heart to know he'd met someone new.

"Thanks. We've been dating for about five months. And actually, that's part of the reason I'm here...to talk to you."

"I'm glad you stopped by. I tried to talk to you...you know...after what happened. But, you wouldn't see me. Eventually, I stopped trying. But, you've been on my mind a lot over the past year, Pete."

"You've been on my mind, too. For a long time, I was so angry at you. So hurt that you deceived me the way that you did. And, not only did you deceive me, you and my own father went behind my back. There you were...in bed together, happy, and laughing at what a fool I was. Do you know how awful it is to have a complete stranger tell you that the person you feel like you're falling in love with has been fucking your own father behind your back?"

"Pete, it wasn't like that. Your father and I were so tortured by what we were doing to you."

Pete held up his hand. "Please. Let me say what I came here to say. For a long time, I was so consumed with rage. Rage at the both of you for what you'd done. Rage at what life had done to me. But, when that finally subsided, I realized that I'd known all along. I mean...not that you and my dad were fucking. I knew all along that you weren't in love with me. I was content to keep my head stuck in the sand because it was comfortable, even if it wasn't real. And now that I have someone in my life, I've realized that it's not right to keep holding on to these feelings. It's time to let that go...all of it. And that's why I'm here."

"Pete, I appreciate you coming to tell me all of this. I hope you'll let me tell you something that I wanted to say to you back then. Something I've wanted to say for the past year. I'm sorry. I was a coward for not telling you how I really felt. I justified it by saying that I didn't want to hurt you. But the truth is, I was a coward."

Pete smiled and extended his hand to me. As we shook, he spoke. "I'm glad this is all over. No hard feelings anymore, okay?"

"Absolutely! Now, go ahead and find your man!"

"Actually," Pete mused, "There's a small bit of unfinished business I have with you."

"Oh...?"

"It's my father... I saw the two of you yesterday at the student union. Saw you talking. Saw you hug and then kiss."

"Shit!" I exclaimed, feeling like I could crawl in a hole and die. "I'm sorry, Pete. I didn't know you were there. It just...happened."

"I know," Pete smiled, letting me know he wasn't upset. "I watched the two of you. I could see the chemistry between you, even after all the time that had passed. When you kissed, I could see what you wouldn't let me see a year ago. The two of you have such a spark. Dad didn't know - and doesn't know - that I was there yesterday. But, after he was with you, he was so much lighter, so much happier. It made me realize that I was wrong to do what I did a year ago. I shouldn't have made him give you up. But, I was so angry. I couldn't stop myself from doing what I did."

"I understand, Pete. You were hurt."

"But it wasn't any excuse. I robbed both of you of happiness because I wasn't happy. I'm here today to correct my mistake from a year ago."

"What are you saying, Pete?"

"I'm saying that my dad drove back home last night. I don't know what your plans are after you leave here today. But, I think you should strongly consider hopping in your car and going to see him."

"I don't know about that," I hedged. "So much water has gone under that bridge."

Pete interrupted me. "That's not true. I saw it yesterday. There's still so much between the two of you. My dad still wants you. I can tell it."

"What about you? Is it going to hurt you if he and I work through things and end up dating?"

Pete smiled. "No. I've moved on. I want my father to be happy. And if I know nothing else, it's that you will make him happy." Pete looked at his watch. "Listen, I really have to go. I hope you'll consider going to see him. If you don't, it'll be the worst mistake you could make."

"I'll think about it. Thanks for stopping by, Pete. It means a lot that we've settled things. And, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. It was good to see you, Rob." With that, he was gone.

I couldn't stop thinking about what Pete had said to me. He was right. There was still something between Ted and me. But had too much time passed? I wasn't sure what I should do.

After a talk with my mother that night - she always knows the right thing to say at exactly the right time - I decided to let my parents take my stuff back to their house up in Portland. Meanwhile, I got in my car and drove down the coast.

A few hours later, I pulled my car into Ted's driveway and was standing on his doorstep. When he answered the door, I could see the surprise on his face. "Robby! What... What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because..." I was more nervous than I'd realized. "After yesterday, I couldn't let that be the last time I saw you. I needed to see you again. Can I come in?"

"Sure!" He stepped aside and shut the door behind me after I was inside. "Do you want to come in and sit down?"

"Yes. I would. But first, there's something I have to do."

"Okay..." He looked at me expectantly.

Now was the moment of truth. This would tell me all that I needed to know about where things would go from here. I reached out to grab Ted and pull him toward me, leaning in to kiss him. At first, he didn't kiss me back. Perhaps it was the shock of me doing that before we had a chance to talk. But, when he started participating in the kiss, it was just as it was when we kissed two days ago...as if no time had passed at all. Pete was right. If I hadn't come to see him, it would've been a huge mistake.

As our kiss broke, Ted broke the ice. "Uh... So, I guess something changed between Thursday and now."

"Your son."

"Petey? What does he have to do with you being here?"

"He came to my apartment yesterday and convinced me to come and see you."

"He did that? Why?"

"Let's go sit down," I said. "I have a feeling there's a lot we need to say to each other. That is, if you want to."

He flashed me that same smile that always made me weak in the knees and made me rock hard. "Of course! But, uh... Do you think we can talk later? There's something I'd like to do first."

"Oh?" I looked at him curiously.

With a sly smile, he slipped his hand down to cup one of my ass cheeks and leaned in for another kiss. It may have been more than a year since we'd had sex, but Ted was still as horny as ever. Moments later, we were upstairs in his bedroom, kissing like star-crossed lovers who had been kept apart for far too long. And actually, that's what we were. We had each other naked in a matter of seconds. I broke my kiss with Ted and kissed my way up his jawline to his right ear, whispering softly, "Fuck me, Ted Davison."

He pushed me back to look me in the eyes, the look on his face a mix of hunger and passion. "No."

"No?!" I was confused. Why in the hell had he brought me up to his bedroom and stripped me naked if we weren't going to fuck? What was about to happen? Nap time?

"Absolutely not. We're way past the fucking stage, Robby. I'm never fucking you again. From now on, we're only making love."

If a preacher had been with us in that moment, I would've married him right then and there. Hands down, that's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me. We started kissing again and, the next thing I knew, we were both naked and he'd eased me back onto his bed. I couldn't help but think I was about to have him on top of me, relishing the feeling of his body on top of mine again. Instead, Ted surprised me by kneeling on the floor and taking my hard cock in his mouth.