I Got You | A Gay Romance: A Boyfriend for Rent Book | Gay For You (25 page)

"We should go," Jake said, yanking on Benjamin's sleeve. His eyes cut at his sister, he couldn't even look at the traitor.  She started to get up and walk toward him.

"Jake I—" Genie started to say.

"Save it." He didn’t even want to look at her face, let alone hear her voice. To be betrayed by a stranger was one thing, but his own sister? He never thought she’d go that far. Sure, she had a big mouth, loose lips, but he never knew her to be someone who would go out of their way to hurt someone; let alone her own brother.

Jake and Benjamin opened the door when a man stood in front of it.  Benjamin froze, his eyes widening in shock, then anger.

The man standing before them was tall, olive complicated, dark hair. Dog tags dangled from his neck and he wore a tight-fitting t-shirt. He didn’t need to introduce himself. Jake knew who he was. He was Benjamin's best friend.

Pale as a ghost, he looked right at Benjamin. He was a lot better looking than Jake had expected. He could see why Benjamin may have been attracted to him at one time. He cleared his throat, as if he were trying to form the right words. "Hey Benjamin. Good to see—"

Benjamin pushed past him, pulling Jake by the hand. Jake had seen him irritated before, but never that brooding, never that ready to explode.

"I thought you said he was dead," Jake said. He was confused as he sped up his pace to keep up with his boyfriend who was practically yanking him along.

His groaned, his nostrils flaring as he said, "He is dead. To me."

CHAPTER 40

He was confused and in shock. He wanted to stay at home, to just stay in bed with Benjamin all day and night, to be shut out from the world where they could not be hurt or betrayed.  Everything he ever knew was going to change, he could feel it and he couldn't say that was for the good. They were all they had. If he had it his way, he would have quit school, stayed in the apartment all day and night when he wasn’t visiting Alberto at the hospital, but Benjamin said, "No, then they win."

He forced Jake to continue to go to school. "This degree, whatever it is you end up with, is for us," he said.

It was heartfelt that Benjamin was more concerned about Jake than himself. The fact he still did not back down even after his ex threatened the one thing that meant the world to him, said a lot about his character. He could have thrown Jake under the bus any time and said, "Fuck this. It's way too complicated" and yet he didn't. He stuck by Jake's side through thick and thin, always asking about Alberto, if he was okay. Asking if he could help Jake with his studies, training with him in the gym to make sure he was always on point. Jake had never met anyone quite like him. He just wished he could do something for him.

That night, he went through a round of bag work, punching that bag as hard and fast as he could, trying to let out all of his frustration, all of his confusion. He hadn't talked to Benjamin about his best friend still being around. He didn't even know where to begin with that and figured when the time was right, he would. But as he finished his bag work and wiped the sweat from his brow, he could hear Benjamin's heavy deep voice echoing in the office.
Who was he talking to?

Jake crept closer. He didn't mean to pry, but he couldn't help himself.

"I love you too, little buddy... Daddy misses you too. I'm proud of you that you remembered my phone number, but you can't let Mommy know you talked to me, okay? She wouldn't like that. Of course, I love you son. Don't ask me that. I just can't spend time with you like I did before.”

There was a strain of sadness, of powerlessness in his voice that Jake knew all too well. He was forcing to put on a face of strength for those who depended on it. Benjamin coughed the tears away and took a deep breath, powering through the conversation.

“I've got some grownup things to take care of. But don't think for a second ... I miss you too, son. Yes, Uncle Jake misses you too. It's just
—
Hey, hey now. Don't get excited, Christina. I didn't call. He just misses his daddy. He just
—
You know what? Do what you need to do."

Jake stepped inside, knocking first. Benjamin's back faced him and his head was in his palms. He came up behind him and wrapped his arms around his chest.

"I'm so sorry."

"For what?" he asked.

"This. Us. I ... never meant to fall for you. If I had been honest with you at the beginning maybe
—
Benjamin, maybe we should call it off."

"Call what off?" he asked, with a flash of anger in his eyes.

"You and me. Is it really worth it? You're losing everything you had. Your reputation and five more of your students suddenly called and canceled. These were people you've had for years and now your son ..."

Benjamin turned around, looking Jake deep in the eyes. His eyes were puffy and red from tearing up, talking to his son on the phone. "You listen to me and you listen well. You can't help who you love. If it wasn't meant to be, if we weren't meant to find each other, we never would. I love you more than anyone I've ever met before. I didn't even know love until I met you. Things are tough, I know. But this is when love matters the most. Never, ever say that again. I don't regret a day I've spent with you. I only wish I met you before."

He rose, kissing Jake's lips and pulling him into an embrace. His words were like honey to his ears and yet, he wished he could do something about it. He needed that hug now. Benjamin always seemed to sense when he needed it the most.

“I won’t give you up and I won’t live in shame. What kind of man would I be? What kind of father would I be if I couldn’t look my son in the eye and tell him I’m proud of who I am?”

The thought warmed Jake’s heart.

"Let's go outside, get some air," Benjamin suggested, taking him by the hand.

"You know what I was thinking?" Benjamin said as they walked through the empty gym, a shell of a case without his clients.

"What?"

He kissed Jake on the side of the head, bringing him closer to him. The touch of his lips against his head melted Jake’s heart. Benjamin cleared his throat. "Let's start over again. You and me."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's move, fresh new city, fresh new state maybe. Somewhere no one knows us. Shit, maybe we'll even change our names."

Jake chuckled. It sounded like a fantasy, a good fantasy but a fantasy nonetheless.

"I'm serious," Benjamin said, looking him in the eye. "Imagine a life where we can live in an open-minded city where people won't look at us strange holding hands, or doing any of the things I want to do with you in public without having to worry about judging eyes. Imagine you going to a new college, a better college without fucking bullies."

His mind filled with ideas. The places they could go together as a couple, the things they would do. The new friendships they would build away from this small pea town. "You could go for being an MMA coach there, wherever that is."

Benjamin nodded with a smile on his face. It was the first breath of light and positivity the two had had in awhile. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot. And we could have a family. Cody's going to need brothers and sisters. One day I'm bound to get custody back."

"Really?" Jake said his eyes lighting up as they stepped out the door. The idea of starting a family with the man he loved couldn’t have made him happier. Having little Benjamin’s running around. Picking up the kids from school, watching them grow up, teaching them the lessons he wished their father had taught him. It sounded like a simple dream. It was something many heterosexual fertile couples took for granted, but one that couples like Benjamin and Jake longed for. Just to be treated like human beings with the basic rights just like anybody else.

"You'd make a great daddy one day, Jake. I just wish I could impregnate you. I keep trying, though." Benjamin chuckled.

"Let's do it," Jake said with enthusiasm. He loved planning a future with his boyfriend. He was his life jacket and his rock through all they’d been through. And though they’d been through so much together already, it only brought them closer.

"When?" Benjamin said, smiling from ear to ear. “When do you want to leave?”

"Today, tomorrow, soon. Let's just leave everything behind and start over again, you and me. Let's—" But then Jake stopped, freezing in his tracks. He planted his shoes in the gravel driveway.

Benjamin’s smile faded. "What is it, babe?"

Jake turned away. "Fuck!"

The man’s truck was spray painted with the words "Dirty Faggots" all over it. Brown stains caked the frame of the car and something told Jake it wasn’t mud. He was enraged. Hadn’t they been through enough? Why couldn’t people leave them alone? Benjamin didn’t have much, but what he did have, he took care of. That truck was his pride and joy.

“Jeez Louise,” Benjamin said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Jake’s phone rang. He wanted to just let it ring or maybe turn the ringer off. Benjamin needed him now by the look on his face. This was not the time, but something told him to answer it. He didn't even bother looking at the caller ID.

He put on a forced smile, trying to answer the phone professionally. "Hello ... yes, this is Jake, I ... Doctor who ... He what? When? Why didn't someone call me? We'll be right there."

Jake’s face turned pale. He looked like someone had slammed a two-by-four in his face.

"What is it?" Benjamin asked, pressing his hand down on his shoulder.

Jake could hardly make out the words, his mind spinning. "It's Alberto. He ... we've got to get to the hospital."

CHAPTER 41

Jake couldn't move fast enough, practically sprinting out of the hospital elevator and down the hall. Benjamin raced to catch up with him, weaving in and out of the busy floor. He nearly ran into half a dozen nurses and patients on his way.

The doctor, the same prick that had told them he should pull the plug, stepped out of the hospital room, blocking the door.

"You shouldn't go in there now," he said, crossing his arms in defiance.

“Step off,” Jake told him. His nose flared. This asshole was between him and his best friend and he wasn’t going to let that happen.

“I certainly will not,” the doctor said.

"I'm telling you to ‘step off’, before I make you step off," Jake told him looking him square in the eye.

He stepped aside, miffed by his tone. Benjamin chuckled, as if proud of him. Jake pushed past the prick into a nearly empty hospital room, the bed without Alberto.

Jake babbled to himself, scrambling to get inside. "Where is he? Where the fuck is he?"

That's when the sound of the toilet flushing and the door opening behind him made his heart stop. The nurse pushed Alberto out with a wheelchair and their eyes met. His jaw dropped. He had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. It was the moment he prayed for so long and now it was here, he was here. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to do. All he could think of was frozen and his feet barely stood him up.

"Do you ... have to ... be so ... dramatic?" Alberto asked, his words painful but the joke was medicine to Jake's heart. Chills ran up and down his spine and he rushed over to him embracing his best friend with tears streaming down his face. "I thought... How did I ...? How did you wake up?"

"I saw a white light and I ..." he laughed. "Fuck, if I know."

Jake laughed, looking at his best friend's face. It was swollen and pale, but he was there, his best friend was there. He couldn’t believe his eyes. It was a miracle, something he wondered if it would ever come true. Jake turned to see Benjamin standing at the door, tear buds of happiness in his eyes. This selfless tough man had a soft side to him after all and couldn’t be happier for him.

He mouthed the words, "Go ahead."

CHAPTER 42

Jake stepped out of the hospital room and saw Benjamin sitting in a chair nodding off. He looked so beautiful sleeping, and Jake didn't hesitate for a second to kiss his man on the forehead. He blinked his eyes open and said, "Hey, babe. Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he ... I mean, he's sleeping now. I want you to meet him, but ... I just can't believe it. I don't even know what to say." Jake was in disbelief. His life had changed so fast in just hours. He didn’t expect things to resume the way they were with Alberto, but this could be the beginning of something good for them all. It would be different for the three of them, but he’d figure it out.

"I can't wait, to meet him that is." Benjamin stuffed his hands in his pockets, bending forward as he let out a yawn. Poor thing. He’d stayed out here all this time just for Jake. What a loving supportive man.