Part 29


At 5:20 that afternoon, Justin snapped off the light switch on his office wall and sighed as he crossed the threshold of his door. A hiss of sound that said "finally." He waved "good evening" to a few remaining coworkers and hopped the elevator to the parking lot.

Breezing through, thinking about what he'd wear for his big date that night, he found Jesse's ghosted-silver Viper parked next to his BMW. As he walked up, Jesse opened the driver's side door and got out, holding a bottle of wine.

"Hey, Justin." He smiled beautifully.

Justin grinned and half-hugged him, grazing the sides of their heads together with a bristly tickle. "Jesse! What a pleasant surprise! How's it going, man?"

"It's going splendid, from what I hear about you, dude! You hit the ol' paydirt, didn't you? Awesome score!" Jesse snickered, his face alive and bright.

Justin's blue eyes shimmered with a semi-roll. "That damn Lance. I'm going to break that boy in half. He's probably spent all afternoon blabbing my business to everybody we know and then some."

Jesse laughed again, and Justin noticed how his eyes were as rich and dark as his teeth were ivory and straight. "Aww, Lance is excited as hell for you, man. He's pulling for you all the way with this new guy. And you know he just had to give me the dish. I'm all excited for you too. Seriously."

"Thanks." Justin felt a small, hot flush in his cheeks and hoped it wasn't visible. "It's nice to have you guys' support."

"I wanted to bring you this. Maybe it'll come in handy with your dinner party tonight. Lance said JC's coming over. That is so cool." Jesse held up the bottle of wine, an enthusiastic smile shining on his mouth. A tiny red ribbon was tied elegantly around the bottle's slim neck.

"Jesse, man, you didn't have to do that! How sweet!" Justin took the bottle and squinted at the label, then smiled back up at Jesse again. "Thank you. It's like a reward for finally getting this dating thing half-way right."

"It's a chardonnay from South Africa. My friend owns a wine shop in Burbank. He recommended it. Seventy bucks a pop. It ought to be tasty."

Justin stared at him and gasped. "Jesse! No way! You didn't pay -"

"What? Are you kidding? Pay? Hell no!" Jesse chuckled, and his deep, velvety eyes danced. "Ian likes me. He gave me the wine. Like he always does. He's got this fucked-up idea that it might get him somewhere."

"Like in your pants?"

"Exactly. But it never works out that way for him. Too bad, hmm?"

Justin laughed. "Ah. The perks of being a pretty model boy. Such the glam life."

Jesse blushed and winked. It was charming and gorgeous - almost flirtatious - and Justin suddenly remembered a few times in the past when he'd wanted Jesse to flirt with him. He had to admit that Jesse looked awfully good today, standing there right in front of him. As if he'd just been working out or something - healthy and vibrant, muscles firm and tight under the snug blue T-shirt, the skin on his arms golden-brown from the sun.

Then it occurred to Justin that this new heightened sensual awareness infusing him was probably another rippling side effect of his recent overall arousal by JC - like nature awaking and rejuvenating with the sweet kiss of Spring.

"Ian's a nice guy anyway. Free booze. How can you lose?" Jesse said softly, glancing at the wine for a second. "I just hope it brings you more luck tonight, man. Although it doesn't sound like you really need it." He giggled.

"I still can't believe you two bumped into JC at the festival Saturday! That is so surreal!"

Jesse raised his eyebrows, playfully approving. "And he's fine, Justin. Awesome catch."

Justin wet his lower lip with his tongue, sucking in a pleased smile. "I think so too."

"Hey, I was thinking. Maybe the four of us could hook up and double-date sometime soon. How cool would that be?"

"That definitely sounds possible." Justin smiled. "Don't rule it out."

"My absolute favorite part of the story was when he serenaded you at that hotel bar last night. That made my heart hurt, man. I'm serious." Jesse grinned.

And the flush blazed over Justin's face once more. He knew it was showing this time. "I'm killing Lance."

"Aww, it was sweet like nobody's business. I never had a song sung to me before."

"I asked him to sing it. It was sort of like a little inside joke between us. And he's got an unbelievable singing voice."

"Nice bedroom voice too then?"

Justin laughed. "Um hmm."

"Hey, Lance says there's a bowling thing happening Thursday night. Why don't you bring the boy? We can all drool over him and officially meet him."

Justin's stomach flipped. He'd been so focused on tonight that he hadn't even thought out as far as Thursday yet. Had it only been last Thursday when he'd met JC?

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe."

"Ask him tonight, Justin!" Jesse urged excitedly. "It'll be fun! And he's a sporty kind of person. You just know he bowls, man."

"I might. I'll see how the evening goes. Okay?" Justin shifted by the car restlessly. "So did you drop by here just to give me this fabulous gift, or are you picking up your other half?"

Jesse smiled luxuriously. "I'm fetching my boy too. His car's in the car hospital."

"Yeah, he said so at lunch."

"But you know I'd come and get him anyway. He's my pretty wonderful," Jesse purred softly, like a content kitten.

Justin shook his head. "You two are so absolutely sickeningly cute together."

"I know. It's great."

"Timberlake! You've got a hot, dark-haired lover of your own now, asshole. Back your thieving little hands off mine, damn you!" Lance growled as he whisked up to join them. They all laughed, and Justin watched and envied as the couple's arms snaked around each other fluidly and they kissed.

"Hey, baby."

"Hey, handsome. You're so fucking nice to come home to."

"Ah, but we're not home yet."

"And I give a damn?" Lance whispered and brushed Jesse's wet mouth with his full lips again.

"Hey, get a room, sexpots," Justin snickered.

Lance turned his head to glare. "You're one to talk. Slut."

Justin giggled again. "You're not very nice, Lance. But your hot boyfriend is. Check out what he was kind enough to bring me. This excellent chardonnay, a generous contribution to my entertaining efforts this evening. Isn't that just so sweet of him? I'm so impressed." Justin lifted the wine for grand display.

Lance smirked. "It's a bribe. To get you to show him the alleged hickey."

"It is not, baby!" Jesse mussed Lance's hair. "You are so terrible!"

"Um, and it's not 'alleged' either, smartass Bass. There most certainly is a hickey," Justin retorted and smiled wickedly.

"Whatever. Did the bribe work? 'Cause if you got to see the motherfucker and I didn't, I'm going to be one pissed off bitch."

"Lance! Quit that!" Jesse laughed and nuzzled his lover's neck.

Lance rubbed his palm up and down the smooth muscles of Jesse's arm and looked from the wine to Justin's face. "My boy's nice indeed. Always. And by 'entertaining' this evening, you mean 'fucking,' J."

Justin rolled his eyes. "You don't know that."

"The dude's coming over, isn't he?"

"Yes. But we'll be dining first."

"Are you sure about that?" Lance lifted his eyebrows, and Jesse giggled.

"Oh, shut up, Lance. Jesse, man, you should probably take his ass home now. He's getting all cantankerous and ready for a drink. It's happy hour."

"Hours." Lance corrected him and winked. "Plural."

Justin stepped forward and hugged Jesse again, with more heart and spirit. "Thanks so much for the wine, Jess. You're the best."

"No sweat. JC sounds like the wine-loving type to me. Enjoy it."

"I will," Justin whispered, releasing Jesse and turning to Lance. He embraced his friend too, grinning. "And you, you mouthy little prick. You might be a world-class snark, but I love ya anyway."

"Yeah, yeah. You say that to all the boys. And I love you too……….Don't be late again tomorrow morning, J. Don't make me wait for the fucking story, man."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~

The house phone was ringing its fool head off when Justin shuffled through his kitchen door with two bags of groceries in his arms. For one brief, haunted moment, he feared again that it might be JC, calling to say he wasn't coming. But he shoved aside the demon in his head that kept whispering that horse shit in his ear and glanced at the wall clock. 6:16. Couldn't be JC. JC was busy working.

He set the goods he'd bought down on the bar and grabbed the receiver just before his voicemail picked it up. "Hello?" he huffed into it and rolled his eyes at the bags of groceries toppling over and spilling out behind him.

"Justin?"

"That's me. Who's this?"

"Britney. How soon you forget, eh?"

"Oh, hey, babe. I didn't catch your voice. And, like a dumbass, I didn't check the Caller ID readout. I just got home from work, came in, snatched up the fucker before it stopped ringing. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Unless you're sorry to be talking to me at all. Which is SO what it seems like lately."

"What?" From her tone, he could sense she was blue.

"Don't return calls much anymore, asshole?"

"Brit, sweetie. I got your messages. And I was totally going to get back to you. You're way up there on my priority list, babe. I just haven't had time yet. A lot's going on lately. Are you okay? You sound, I don't know, down."

"I've been better," she sulked.

She was lonely. Justin could already tell. "I'm sorry, Brit. I wasn't avoiding or ignoring you. Tell me what happened. What's been going on?"

"So you're free? You can talk now?"

"Sure," he breathed out quietly and glanced up at the clock. He'd have to talk now. Or at least listen. She obviously needed him to. "I'm here for you, babe. What's up? Lay it on me. Is it Wade still? He was acting particularly dickhead-ish at the office today. Like that's anything new."

Britney sighed, and he could almost feel her body shivering through the phone. He closed his eyes and waited for her to fill him in.

"He's an ASS, Justin."

"I know."

"He's TOXIC!"

"Yeah. I know, babe."

"I wish like hell I'd never met him."

"That was my fault," Justin whispered. "I brought you to that party."

"No, it's not your fault, sweetheart. You didn't even introduce us. HE came up macking on me. And I was dumb enough to go for his shit. 'Cause, you know, when you first meet Wade and you don't know yet what he's really like, he's sort of cute and almost, like, fun. In a weird kind of way. Whatever. Grrrr."

Justin walked over to his fridge, pulled out a cold Heineken, and popped the top. "What's he done this time, babe? And trust me. I'd believe anything."

"Well, he called me up Saturday ranting and raving about how you stood the whole office up Friday night at some bar after work 'cause you were too damn busy getting your 'ass reamed' and acting all 'fucking goody-two-shoes' about it. Then he goes off on wanting to know from me 'who the fuck Justin's fucking these days,' and he's sure I know 'cause I'm your 'damn fag hag' and you tell me everything. God, he's a loser. Grrrr. So I ask him what damn business is it of HIS who you're seeing or not seeing, banging or not banging. And he tries to get all nice and sweet about it, buttering me up and saying he 'just wants to know. No big thing.' And, Justin, I swear he sounded so hurt and jealous and whiny that you might be actually with somebody else! Can you believe that shit?"

"Um, you're making me sick, Brit."

"But it's true, honey! He was out of his head over it! And you already said that once he tried to -"

"Don't, babe. Just tell me the story. Okay?"

"Whatever. Well, I told his nasty ass off then. I so gave him what-for. You can count on it. I was OVER his bullshit. I told him to give the fuck up on you because he'd NEVER get you or anybody even CLOSE to you 'cause you don't associate with things as far down on the food chain as he is. And then he goes all evil again and mad and tells me something like, 'Yeah, well, we'll just see about that, now won't we, Britney? You stubby little bitch! You'd better tell your little girlfriend Timberlake that he needs to get down off his fucking high horse or else somebody might come along and knock his tight ass off for him!' I swear he said that shit, Justin. And I SO hung up on his sorry ass," she finished with a flurry, out of breath with the retelling of it.

Justin pressed the icy can of beer to his temple, his eyes shut again. "Brit, sweetie. I'm sorry you had to listen to his garbage. I don't know why he won't let go of shit or why he needs to drag you down with him. It's not fair. What an ass."

"Well, there's more."

"Fuck me. Great."

"Yesterday, he calls again. On my cell this time," she started with a shaky voice. This mess was all bothering her quite a bit, Justin realized. "Says he wanted to let me know about some new girl he's just screwed and how you're gonna just love it when you find out 'cause it's 'all so suh-weet' where he met her and all. I hung up on his tired ass again and blocked his number on all of my damn phones. I just want him out of my life, Justin. Gone. For good. He's creepy and insane."

Justin knew she was close to tears, maybe even there already. He talked to her softly and soothingly. "Okay, babe. Try to relax. I'll take care of it for you. I'll make sure he leaves you alone completely. No more of this shit from him. I swear. Okay?"

"Restraining order, anyone?"

"If it comes to that, sweetie, we'll go down that road too. Whatever it takes. I promise."

"Okay," she whispered, her voice thick and wet. "I shouldn't let him get to me like this. I mean he's so……….so nothing. But he was way trashed, and I got so worried about you and what he might do with all that crap he was talking."

"He's not going to do anything, babe. And I appreciate you being concerned about me. Thanks for the warning. I'll get to the bottom of it and make it go away. Trust me."

"He's fucking twisted, Justin," she said, and a quiet sob hitched in her throat.

"Yeah, sure sounds that way. Just stay clear of him. I wouldn't want him tripping out on you and doing anything dangerous. I'm sorry he's scared you. Fucking asshole."

"You should watch out for him too, sweetheart. I'd kill him if he messed with you."

Justin smiled as gulps of the cold beer rushed down his throat. "Thanks, Brit. You're so cute."

"Justin?"

"What, hon?"

"Are you seeing somebody new?"

Justin's silent smile swelled. He couldn't help it. He hesitated and swallowed some more Heineken. "Yes. Well, sort of. I was going to tell you. It's very new."

"Oh my goddamn!" Britney squealed, piercing his eardrum. "This is awesome, awesome, awesome! For real?"

"For real. But listen. It's still in the beginning stages. Anything could happen."

"Eeee! I can't believe this! Who is he?" she bubbled, clearly warmed up now and not so blue anymore.

"A guy I met playing racquetball. We've only been out twice. But he's, I don't know, he's……….pretty wonderful," Justin simmered, stealing Jesse's coined phrase.

He could picture Britney's big grin through their phone connection. "Man, how much does that make me squee! Terrific, Justin! Absolutely terrific! I'm so happy for you, honey! When are you getting together with him again?"

"In about………." Justin shot his eyes up to the clock again. "One hour and a half. I'm doing dinner for him tonight."

"Woo hoo hoo! Awesome! Is he a cutie like I'm guessing he is, and when do I get to check him out?"

Justin snickered. "He is, and I don't know."

"Justin," she pouted.

"Chill out. If things keep going good, you'll meet him soon. Maybe Thursday. There's a bowling gig going down with the folks at work that night. I might possibly ask him if he wants to tag along and see if he instantly throws up."

Britney giggled. "He won't throw up, Justin. Obviously, he likes you. He's trusting you to cook for him, isn't he?"

"Bitch. That's not funny." But he laughed.

"Thursday night, hmm? Office folks? Eeww! Potential Robson yuckness," she hissed.

"Aww, we can do something about him. And I doubt he'll show anyway. I've just got a hunch. Roll with me on this one."

"But ugh. Then there's that Trace weirdo, your office gopher boy. God, I don't know which one's worse," she moaned.

Justin snickered again and decided he needed another beer from the fridge. "He's my admin assistant."

"Whatever. He looks like a gopher. And he's always leering at me like he wants to pounce on me and eat me for lunch. Like I'm not even aware he's doing it! Is he retarded or what?"

"No, Brit. He's just………."

"Slow in the head. Easily distracted by sparkly objects. Brain dead."

Justin laughed again and almost choked on the beer. "No! Brutal much, girl? I was going to say he's laid back. Trace is okay. He just marches along to his own beat."

"Well, he can just keep marching on the hell away from me. Can you put a leash on him or something? In a cage maybe?"

"I'll make sure he stays out of pouncing distance from you, sweetie. Just be there. Okay?"

"Hmm. Well, maybe. If I can meet the new guy you're doing."

"If I ask him, I'll call you and let you know. But you should come anyway, babe. I'd love to see you. I miss you. And we owe each other a thousand dances."

"We'll see, Justin. I love you, you sexy lug. Now get off the damn phone and go cook something delish to impress that man."

"Okay, girl. Will do. His name, by the way, is JC."

"Nice. I like him already. Justin and JC. Two J's. Y'all are adorable from the get-go. How can that go wrong?" Britney giggled.

Justin laughed too. "Stop it, Brit."

"Call me, Justin. Or I'll find you and beat you up."

"Ouch. Wouldn't want that. I promise, babe. Love you too."

"Have fun. And be safe."

"Done. Later, sweetie."

One more time, Justin lifted his eyes up to the clock on the wall and sighed. He had exactly one hour and nine minutes before JC was supposed to arrive.



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