Page 44

44

CONNOR

T he term had flown by, and my attention had been focused on my thesis. I’d spent endless hours in the library, endured a few all-nighters, eaten junk food, and paid little attention to my well-being—just a typical graduate student barreling to the finish line to get a thesis completed.

I rarely saw Spencer, and our regular swim and workout sessions had become a memory. He was in the same state of crazy, and I knew once we had our initial drafts turned in for review, we could reconnect and celebrate. We even had to end our tutoring sessions to stay focused on our work.

The one joy I had was my daily chats and video calls with Mason. But about a week ago, I had to put a stop to him surprising me with naughty video calls, appearing on my laptop completely naked. I’d been in the library at the time. It was late at night, but with the volume down low, I answered it, and my reaction was one of horror.

What filled my screen was his erect, uncut cock, dripping precum. I almost had a heart attack. At least I was at a table by myself amongst rows of bookshelves, with no other people in sight.

“Jesus Christ!” I cried out in a whisper. “We can’t do this, Mason. I’m in the library. Tilt the camera up to your face,” I commanded in a hushed voice. I heard his throaty chuckle over the speaker.

His hand came into view and tilted his screen up, revealing a shit-eating grin that looked like trouble. My heart had begun to beat wildly in my chest, not only because of the handsome man on the screen but also because of the display I had inadvertently revealed in public.

“Sorry, babe,” he whispered back, probably because I was in the library, and he wanted to keep his voice down. He looked slightly dejected.

“As much as I love you and our webcam visits, can we curtail them until I get this thesis draft finished?” I asked, not wanting to hurt his feelings. “I’m happy to have our daily chats, but let’s keep it to phone calls for the time being, okay?”

“Okay…Again, I’m…I’m sorry,” he replied. “I felt a little frisky and thought with it being late, you’d probably be in your dorm room.”

I smiled at him and licked my lips seductively. “I think that little accident you had jarred your horny lobe.”

Mason’s eyes went wide, and he laughed loudly. “Perhaps you’re right, babe. I’ll let you get back to it. Talk to you tomorrow.” He blew me a kiss, said goodnight, and ended the call. After that distraction, I’d lost my concentration and decided to head back to the dorm.

It was just before midnight when Mason sent me some photos of himself on full display. The last pic showed his fist covered in his release. At least I’d get a good night’s sleep after satisfying my lustful needs using Mason’s lascivious images. They fueled thoughts of our past escapades, and I shot my load quickly. As I lay in bed, thoughts of our summer together came to mind. That also reminded me I hadn’t been to Elmer and Ruthie's store since I’d been back. I needed to remedy that.

I spent the next week refining my thesis and finishing up its formatting and proofing. I was ready to turn it in to my advisor and had become a bit emotional. Almost two years of research, analysis, writing, and rewriting had finally come to an initial close. There’d be revisions for sure, but I was proud of what I’d accomplished. During my time at EOU, I’d gained a best friend, experienced family drama, and acquired a hot, sexy boyfriend who I hoped wanted to continue planning our future together.

It was a lazy Saturday morning in May, and after I’d turned my paper in the day before, I was able to convince Spencer to walk to Elmer and Ruthie’s store to get cappuccinos. He’d turned in his paper earlier in the week. The morning was bright, with hardly a cloud, as we walked and talked about our academic lives and how they were about to change.

Spencer held the door for me, and Ruthie saw us right away. Her grandmotherly demeanor hadn’t diminished in the least. She came around the counter and greeted us both with hugs. She’d gotten to know Spencer through me and our occasional coffee runs to their store during our school terms. Not more than a minute later, Elmer emerged from the back room and greeted us as well. He had been toting some cases of snacks, and Spencer immediately ran over to help.

Ruthie got busy making our coffees, and I told them both what happened to Mason before Thanksgiving. I noticed Ruthie was quite shaken up, but I assured her he’d healed up nicely. Elmer took the more positive approach, saying that Mason was ‘a tough old bird’ and knew he wouldn’t be down and out with such a minor mishap. His response made me laugh.

When Ruthie handed us our coffees, I could tell something was on her mind. I took a quick sip of my coffee and teasingly asked, “What’s cooking in that head of yours, Ruthie?”

“How are things with you and Mason?” she asked timidly.

I gave her a big smile. “Things are great…truly great,” I replied. She pulled me into another hug after I moved my coffee out of the way of her advance, and I saw Spencer clutch his coffee to his chest. I rolled my eyes.

Before we took our leave, we told them we were graduating in another month and invited them to our Master’s Hooding Ceremony, where we’d receive our master’s degrees. They were honored to have been invited and said they’d look forward to being there.

On our stroll back to the dorm, I asked Spencer what he planned on doing after graduation.

“I’m really excited about moving forward this summer,” he replied. “Evan and I plan on staying in Boise, so maybe what we have can grow into something more. Of course, it depends on where my career will lead. One step at a time, though, right?”

“Well, we keep telling each other not to overthink things.” I laughed.

“You know, now we’re besties, I can’t get rid of you and vice versa,” he said as he stopped walking.

I turned to face him. “Spence, we’re Call of Duty brothers. We’ve got each other’s backs forever,” I said as I tried to make light of it. But I saw Spencer’s lip quiver.

“Okay,” he replied, dropping his head.

“Hey…hey, Spence,” I said as I took a step toward him. “Our friendship means everything to me. Even though we won’t be close in proximity, that doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again.” I gripped his upper arm and gave it a quick squeeze. I realized what he’d said about us meant more to him than I’d thought.

He didn’t say anything but looked up at me with moist eyes.

“I think we’re both a little emotional, having come to the end of our time here, buddy. We’ve put quite a bit of work into our two years, and now it’s close to the end.” He sniffed and nodded. I hooked my arm through his as we continued our walk. “You’re my golden retriever, Spence—you always will be,” I said with reassurance. He hummed and leaned against me.

Mason and I chatted for quite some time before I headed off to bed. He wanted to know the details of my graduation and planned on driving to La Grande with Eli for the ceremony. I was surprised to hear that Eli wanted to come too, but I welcomed it since we’d become close in Seattle. I would have my own cheer squad with Mason, Eli, Mom and Kyle, and even Elmer and Ruthie, who’d have the chance to see Mason again.

Graduation was scheduled for June fourteenth, which happened to be Mason’s birthday. His fucking fiftieth birthday. I had that figured out since last summer when his forty-ninth rolled around, and we were on the road together. That data was saved in my memory bank for a double celebration on graduation day.

I’d clued Mom and Kyle in on his big five-oh, and they said they’d handle everything. I was grateful for their generosity since I had some refinements to take care of with my thesis. I didn’t have too much to change or defend differently, but it was enough that I needed to focus. I gave Mom the phone number of Elmer and Ruthie’s store should she need any help with supplies or planning. I knew Ruthie would be a great resource.

The afternoon before graduation, Mason and Eli arrived. I told Eli I wanted some time with my guy, so I decided to take Mason to our diner for a quiet birthday dinner, just the two of us.

When we walked in, they had a booth set aside adorned with black ‘Happy 50th’ balloons, which I’d prearranged. Mason was mortified, and I was sure I wouldn’t hear the end of it. It wasn’t a fancy dinner, but it fit since it was where we started to get to know each other all those months ago.

On our big day, Spencer and I dressed up for the commencement, which would start in the early afternoon. We looked rather regal in our black and blue gowns. We didn’t sport the typical graduation cap that undergrads wore but had hoods trimmed in bronze velvet that signified our business degrees as MBAs. We looked dashing as we preened in my room. Spencer got emotional again, and I had to tell him to ‘Cowboy Up.’ He laughed.

Our Hooding Ceremony was held the same day the undergraduates were receiving their diplomas. Mason and Eli had already arrived at the stadium. Mom and Kyle arrived a few hours before the ceremony, and when they joined us, Elmer and Ruthie were with them. Jack and Sylvia had also driven from Seattle to surprise me. I thanked them again for the care they’d given Mason earlier in the year.

I was finally able to meet Spencer's proud parents, and I could see where Spencer inherited his sense of humor. Mr. Coleman, his father, was just as jovial and friendly as my bestie. His mother was the emotional one, and that clinched where Spencer got that trait. Evan had also come up with them from Boise to cheer his boyfriend on.

The ceremony was long due to the speeches but went smoothly. When our names were called, I could hear the whoops and hollers from a section of the stands. Spencer beamed and waved wildly to his parents and Evan, as I did to my family.

When it concluded, we met up with everyone, where handshakes, hugs, and kisses were exchanged freely. Mom gently took my arm, moved me away from our tribe, and said everything was set for our celebrations. Apparently, giving her Ruthie’s number turned out to be a godsend. We were all to head over to Elmer and Ruthie’s house to conclude the day with a surprise double celebration.

The weather in the afternoon was perfect: full sun, eighty degrees, and a light, warm breeze that rustled the leaves of the fruit trees, which shaded us with dappled light. Mom and Ruthie had outdone themselves, setting up a long table to seat the thirteen of us. They had decorated it with the black and blue colors of our now discarded gowns, and the interspersed black ‘Happy 50 th ’ balloons hinted at what I’d done at the diner for him. I made him sit at the head of the table, with Elmer at the other end.

The food was perfect for a summer day in June. The barbecued ribs, three types of salads, beer, wine, and iced tea were plentiful. Once we’d eaten, Mom and my brother disappeared and returned holding a large sheet cake that read ‘Congratulations, Connor and Spence’ in blue icing on one half, adorned with a cap and gown. On the other half, a rendering of Mason’s rig had black icing that read, ‘Happy 50th, Mason.’ Cell phones immediately popped out, and people took pictures of the creation. A chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ filled the air.

The day was filled with laughter and a few happy tears. After the cake, more beverages were poured, and everyone broke into idle conversations, which gave me the opportunity to steer Mason away privately.

I took his hand, intertwined our fingers, and walked him to their deck, away from everyone. Our arms wrapped around one another as I pulled him into a passionate kiss. “Happy birthday, Daddy,” I said seductively. He let out a low growl that always brought my dick to attention.

“Congratulations, babe,” he replied and put his forehead to mine. We breathed each other’s air and remained silent. The din of muffled conversation in the distance and the rustle of leaves added an ambiance of calm as we held each other. Our warm breath matched the light breeze that surrounded us. He placed his mouth near my ear and told me how much he loved me.

I was never going to let the man leave my side. Fate had played its hand, and I was happy that my trucker had chosen to give me a lift that hot summer day.

“I love you too,” I said softly in return. “We have a future to figure out, Daddy.”

He smiled and winked. “As you wish.”