This story takes place after the Season 2 resort scene.
Keefe checked his shirt in the mirror. Did it emphasize his pecs, but not so much that Ricky would think he was showing off? Red tie or brown tie? Earring or no? He kicked himself for being so nervous, but he hadn't been on a real date for two years, not since he left the sex-and-drug haze of the Satanist Club behind and dedicated his life to the Lord.
Suddenly Kelvin appeared at his dressing room door, carrying a cell phone. The youngest son of famous televangelist Eli Gemstone, Kelvin was his housemate, best friend, brother, and something more that neither of them ever talked about. "What are you hiding in here for?"
"How is your brother in law doing?" Keefe asked.
"BJ is recuperating nicely. He'll be moving into a room on the estate tomorrow. There was some nerve damage, so he'll be needing physical therapy. I told Judy that we would handle it."
"Sure, anything for family."
"Whoa, you look nice, except your tie is a little crooked. Let me fix it for you." He came forward and started fumbling with the tie. Keefe felt the familiar warmth from his body, the nearly-unbearable ache of desire. Their faces were inches apart...but those inches might as well be a thousand miles.
The tie straightened, Kelvin quickly stepped away. "Sorry, did I forget about our plans tonight?"
Keefe grinned into the mirror. "Remember when we met Mr. Joe Jonas, the Disney boy band star and famous Christian, at the resort opening? Well, we exchanged numbers, and..."
"How did you find time to buddy-up to Joe Jonas when the Lissoms were shooting BJ and forcing the rest of us into the ocean, and Tiffany was having a baby? " It came out like an accusation, like he thought Keefe was ignoring the family
Keefe decided not to comment. "He's up in Charleston at a fan convention this weekend, and invited me out to dinner."
"Great! I'll go get dressed...."
"Sorry, Brother, but it's just me tonight." He paused. "I'll ask him if he's free for lunch tomorrow, if you want."
"So just you and Joe Jonas?" Kelvin asked, another accusation, his voice riseing, his face reddening. "Did Mr. Perfect Christian tell you that he's married?"
"Sophie is coming, too. And Ricky from Joe's publicity team. That's who he wants me to meet. Take a look." Keefe scrolled through his phone to Joe Jonas's text, and the photo of Ricky: very cute, the down-home all-American type that made him swoon. And a Christian, so he wouldn't be tempted to go back to his old life.
Keefe stared at him, painfully aware that almost everything in the house belonged to Kelvin. He didn't even get a salary for working at the church; he had to use the joint checking account when he wanted a new earring or an ice cream cone.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean it." Kelvin wrapped his arm around Keefe's shoulders. "This is your house as much as mine. Of course you can use one of our cars."
"Why are you acting so weird, Brother?"
"I'm not acting weird. You just dropped this on me all of a sudden. I was looking forward to a quiet Friday night at home, just you and me, take-out and something silly on Netflix. But I'l be fine by myself. Enjoy your date." He walked swiftly out of the guest suite. Keefe paused to put on his cuff links, then followed: Kelvin. was sitting on the couch in the game room, playing Grand Theft Auto.
Gulp. It was time for the conversation..Keefe had been rehearsing for weeks, changing words and adding phrases. He had the whole thing memorized. But every time he started it, he chickened out. Now he had no choice.
He sat next to Kelvin, gently pulled the x-box from his hands, and put it on mute. "Brother..I've been waiting for you for two years. I know it's hard, with your Daddy being Eli Gemstone and all, so I 've been giving you time, not pushing. How often have we almost kissed, and you moved away at the last second, and I didn't pull you back? How often have you stopped at my bedroom door to say goodnight, and stood there staring, and I didn't invite you into my bed? How often have we hugged, and I could feel that your body was ready, but I had to wait for your heart?"
Kelvin started to protest, but Keefe cut him off. "If all we can ever be is best friends and brothers, I'll still be the luckiest guy in the world. I'll still cherish every moment we spend together. But I'm 35 years old, not a kid anymore. I need someone who will kiss me for real, and touch me for real, and hold me in his arms all night."
Kelvin stared. Keefe waited. He kicked himself, realizing that he was waiting for Kelvin to wrap his arms around him and kiss him, deeply and passionately, while the music swelled. A romcom ending that never happened in real life.
He kissed Kelvin on the cheek. "I'll tell you all about Ricky when I get back, ok?" He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.
"Wait..." Kelvin ran after him, and took his arm. "It's not my Daddy, or the family -- they think we're boyfriends already. Judy keeps asking when we're going to get married. But you've...been with a lot of guys, right? And you're...good at it. An expert. It was sort of your job."
"I was a dancer, not a hustler," Keefe corrected him "But sure, I was popular. Everybody wants to get with the dancer. And the Ranrod had these S&M nights where they tied me up with a hood and a gag, and any guy who wanted could do whatever he wanted to me. And there's this club down in Savannah with glory holes in the back room...."
"What's a glory hole?" Kelvin asked.
He smiled. So innocent! How could you not be in love with this guy? "Never mind. I've been with dozens of men, maybe hundreds, and a few girls. It was fun, I guess, but it left me empty inside. I always went home alone."
Kelvin turned away, but kept his hand on Keefe's arm, as if afraid he would bolt. "I've been with one person, my friend Mike at Christian boarding school. And we never did anything...um, advanced." He turned back. "Keefe, I'm terrified. What if we go to that place, and I disappoint you, and you go running off to find someone who does it right, and I lose you forever."
Keefe laughed. "Brother, it's who you're with, not what you do, that makes it special. Besides, I'm a good teacher -- it was my job, remember." He drew Kelvin into a hug. "Now go get dressed. I'll text Joe Jonas and tell him you're coming as my date. I'm sure Rick won't mind."
Grinning like a little boy on Christmas morning, Kelvin said "I'll wear my green shale outfit with the tiger tuck, so we match."
Their faces were inches apart...maybe this time....Keefe leaned in, but Kelvin sprang away. "I'll just be a minute."
Grr -- still no kiss. "God...bless it! Kelvin, get your miserable, no-account butt back here! It's time for your first lesson!'
See also: The Jonas Brothers: I wanna be like you
No comments:
Post a Comment