Pete sat at the kitchen table and watched Jason as he moved around the kitchen fixing dinner. It had been three days since Arlen had helped them move all of Jason's stuff out of Jake's apartment and back into the house. Not once in the last thirty minutes had the diminutive young man looked at him, and Pete was realizing that there was still something bothering his little lover. He studied Jason for any sign of an emotion, but Jason was being completely stoical. His face a calm, undisturbed mask. Still feeling a bit guilty over the stupid damned kiss, Pete felt frustrated, slightly angry - at who he wasn't sure - and depressed over the whole situation. And the Goddamned cast didn't help matters one iota.
Jason dished the food onto two plates, meticulously cut up the porkchop on one before placing it in front of Pete, and then sat down with his own plate. With his good hand resting in his lap, Pete stared until Jason looked up and asked, "Is something wrong with the food?"
Pete shrugged.
Jason looked annoyed and asked, "What?"
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the way you've been acting for the last three days. I might as well be living with an automaton... hell, a robot would probably show more emotion than you have. If you're still angry, spit it out. At least give me a chance to deal with it."
"I'm not angry." Jason stirred his veggies with his fork.
"Okay... then what's bugging you?"
Jason laid his fork down, folded his hands in his lap and stared at his plate. The forlorn look on his face tugged at Pete. "Jason, please, tell me what's wrong."
"I know I should just let this go, but..."
"No, there is something obviously disturbing you. Just get it off your chest... please."
Jason glanced up at him, then looked around the room, before pulling his eyes back to Pete. "I... I...I know Arlen said that the kiss was all his doing, and I know you said that he took you by surprise, but I... I just keep seeing your hand on the back of Arlen's neck pulling him into that kiss."
Pete sat nodding his head for several seconds before replying. Pete remembered clearly giving into Arlen's kiss for a moment before he thought of Jason. It would only do harm admitting it now, so there was no way that he'd ever admit it to anyone. In a quiet resigned voice he said, "I've spent a lot of time the last few days thinking about that kiss. I compare it to kissing you and... well, dammit, there is no comparison. You kiss me and I get an instant hard on. A kiss from you makes my world spin. That kiss with Arlen... all I remember about it is that I was praying that he wouldn't drop me. Yes, I did have my hand on the back of his neck, but I was hanging on to him fearful that if he let go, I would fall on my back."
Jason watched Pete's face as he talked, and felt that he was telling the truth. He stood, pushed his chair back, and walked around the table as he said, "I don't know what you see in a little twit like me. I don't deserve to be loved by you, but I am thankful that I am. Can you forgive me, Pete?"
As Jason approached him, Pete held out his arm. "There's nothing to forgive, Babe. I don't think that there was anything I could of done to prevent it, I just wish that the whole thing hadn't happened."
"I feel so stupid for reacting like I did. As I look back on it, I should have just kicked Arlen in the ass and told him to get his hands off my lover."
"Aren't you afraid that he might have mopped up the floor with you if you did that?"
"I don't believe he could. Anyway... if he tried, I'd made sure he didn't walk away unharmed."
"You're not talking sense, Jase."
Jason glanced up at Pete. "Yeah, I am." He let out a big sigh. "I was working toward my brown belt when I badly hurt a kid. He was nearly as big as Arlen. I quit after that. I don't like hurting people like that. That bum... I thought about taking him down, but I... I couldn't. So I just hurt him enough to make him let go of me. Then I ran."
"What do you mean 'you hurt a kid'?"
"I had just finished going through my forms... and the Master was called to the phone on an emergency. This big kid thought he was so hot, and was always mocking me. This time he challenged and attacked, I grabbed his arm, sidestepped and threw him. He didn't follow through properly and ended up with a broken arm and badly bruised back. I apologized," he sighed again. "He accepted my apology, after my Master insisted... but I never went back."
"I guess I still have lots to learn about you, Little One." Pete caressed his back with his one good hand wishing he had both to hold his little man properly.
"I love you, Petey." Jason said, still thinking about the position that Arlen had Pete in when he kissed him. The way he had Pete bent backwards, he'd definitely have fallen if Arlen had let go. Jason wondered why he'd let this fester so long before saying anything, and then he felt thankful that Pete had forced him to get it off his chest. "I love you so much."
Two weeks later, Pete was ecstatic. His cast was coming off. He'd be able to hug his little Jason with both arms. He'd be able to button his own pants. He'd be able to wear jeans to school rather than sweats that he could manage with one hand. He'd be able to wrap both arms around Jason. He'd be allowed to take a shower again. He could wear a regular shirt again. He'd be able to hold Jason against his chest and squeeze him with both arms. Pete was ecstatic.
Jason had an important exam and there was no way he could get out of it, so Pete ended up having to go to the doctor's office on his own. But that was no big deal - the office was in the medical complex right on campus. Waiting by himself would be no big deal either, he told himself, although it would have been nice to have someone with him.
As he trudged down the long hall, not paying attention to the people around, a hand gripped his shoulder. He turned to see who it was and knocked Dave in the chest with the elbow of the cast.
"Oopf," Dave grunted.
"Sorry, after eight weeks I'm still not used to this damned thing."
"I heard you were getting your cast off this morning and wanted to be here to help you celebrate, "Dave said, rubbing his chest. "Where is Jason?"
"He has a big exam this morning. Couldn't be here." Pete looked discouraged.
"Well, it will be off within the hour. I'm sure everyone will be as happy as you to see it gone. Besides, I'm here for you. And just think about how good it's going to be to hold Jason against your chest again."
Pete grinned and blushed. Dave just chuckled. The moment was interrupted by the nurse calling Pete's name.
Fifteen minutes later, looking depressed, Pete pushed open the door to the waiting room. His arm was in a sling bound to his body.
"Hey, why the sour face?" Dave asked. "You've gotten rid of that damned cast."
"I can't even lift my arm. I have to have therapy everyday for the next month. Man, I was dreaming of being able to hold Jason with both arms again."
"That's going to happen, Pete. So what if it's not today - at least he can lay his head on your bare chest again."
Pete smiled and nodded, but still looked down in the dumps.
"How long has it been since he nibbled your nipples?" Dave asked with a devilish grin.
"Dave! You just love to embarrass me, don't' you?" Pete had turned a deep red again as he looked up.
"Are you still depressed?" Dave grinned.
"No."
"Well, then let's find Jason and go celebrate."
They ran into Jason on the front steps of the hospital. First thing Jason did was embrace Pete, laying his head against his chest. Pete held him with his good arm. Jason slid his hand up Pete's torso until it came in contact with his nipple through his thin cotton shirt. He pinched it lightly. Pete twitched and grinned. He blushed seeing Dave leer, and then act like he hadn't seen what was going on. Jason looked up at them and caught a knowing glance as it passed between them.
"It's been over two months since I could do that. You just go ahead and leer, Dave," Jason said, making Pete blush again. Dave just grinned.
Teddy Edwards shuffled up the street, depressed and not paying attention to where he was going. Four weeks ago he'd been on top of the world. He'd been an Airman 1stClass with less than one year to go, then he was planning on getting out and going to college on the GI Bill.
But one handsome, debonair Lieutenant had put an end to that. Not only had he been kicked out for being gay, he'd also consorted with an officer. The only consolation he had was the officer had been kicked out, too. Now, he was going to have to work and go to school part time. But he was determined that he would do it.
The Air Force had wasted no time in court marshaling him and kicking him out of the service. He'd gotten on a bus two days ago in Myrtle Beach and headed for University City, since that school had a good reputation for tolerance, where prejudices of any kind were strongly frowned upon.
He'd gotten off the bus downtown, asked directions to the University and started walking in that direction. His plan was to first, find a place to live, and then start looking for a job. School would have to come after that. But he had some time before the next semester would begin.
He'd been walking for nearly half an hour without paying much attention to his surroundings when he got a whiff of garlic and Italian herbs. Teddy lifted his head and sniffed the air. 'Damn, that smells likegood Italian food.' he thought. Looking around to see where the delicious smells were coming from, he spied Gio Gio's. 'I'd like working in a place like that. I wonder if they have any job openings.'
He stepped through the door holding his duffle with both hands. A young man dressed as a waiter was setting up tables in preparation for lunch. He looked up at Teddy and smiled. "I'm sorry, we're not open for another hour," he said.
"Thank you, but I would like to speak to the owner or manager please."
"If you're looking for a job I doubt there is an opening, but I'll get him for you." The waiter went into the kitchen leaving Teddy standing in the doorway.
Moments later a man dressed as a chef came bustling out. From the look on his face, Teddy just knew that he was going to be turned away. But as the man approached, staring at him, his whole demeanor changed. "Come. Come sit down and tell me what you can do. Just drop your bag by the door. There, sit, please."
Teddy's head was in a whirl. Not only was he not shown the door, he was being treated like a guest by this handsome blond Italian.
"Would you like something to drink?" Gio offered.
"No sir, I'm fine."
The Chef turned to the waiter who had gone back to his table settings. "Jim, would you get us two coffees, please?" He turned back to Teddy. "I need a coffee break. I'm Gio. Gio Paolini."
Teddy stood up. "It's nice to meet you, sir. I'm Ted Edwards."
They shook hands and both sat down.
"So Ted, what kind of work are you looking for? Waiter? Dishwasher? What?"
"I am a cook, Mr. Paolini." He stirred the coffee that had been set before him, but having been raised a Mormon he'd never acquired a taste for it.
"Call me Gio. And what kind of recommendations have you?"
"The Air Force sent me to a chefs school and I spent the last two years cooking in the Officers Mess at Myrtle Beach AFB."
Gio was impressed, although he didn't understand why one would want to cook in someone else's mess, nor did he have any idea where Myrtle Beach was, nor what an AFB was, but he ignored all that and asked, "What is your specialty?"
"I learned to cook French, Italian and Thai - but I like Italian best. To me it is an honest cuisine. French I find to be ......... complicated, saucy... and Thai's a bit too foreign."
"An honest Cuisine? I have never heard Italian cooking called that before. Just what do you mean by honest?"
"The food is not covered or hidden in heavy sauces. And the sauces that the Italians use are neat, clean, simple."
"It appears you do understand our way of cooking." Gio was fascinated, not so much by what Teddy was saying, but more by the sparkle in his green eyes and the play of a smile in the corners of his full luscious lips.
When the waiter had informed Gio that there was a young man looking for work out front, he'd been irritated to be interrupted. He'd wiped his hands and headed into the dining room with the intent of giving the man his boot. But when he saw Teddy standing there, his heart pumped faster and his blood rushed to places other than his head. The tall, barrel-chested young man looked so unassuming. His head was bowed, his stance defeated as he stood in the doorway holding his duffle with both hands. 'Angelic,' Gio thought.
Gio wanted to hug him and assure him that things were going to be good for him, but business and appearances came first. He had to first find out what the handsome auburn-headed young man could do.
When Teddy told him he was a trained chef his spirits soared. Maybe this was the one he was looking for... the one to become his partner in life as well as in the restaurant.
"Well, this is a surprise. I could use the relief in the kitchen. You can start when?"
Teddy looked up with his soulful green eyes full of gratitude. "Right now, if you want me to."
Gio glanced over at the duffle laying by the door. "You have no where yet to live, but you are willing to go right to work?"
"To work in a restaurant like this I would do almost anything."
Gio gulped. "Come into my office. I will make a telephone call. First, we find you a place to live."
Teddy followed behind Gio through the modern stainless steel kitchen to the small office. He couldn't help but admire Gio's back side as he walked behind him, and then felt guilty for ogling his new employer.
Gio sat down at his cluttered desk and scrolled through a well used Rolodex until he found the number he was looking for. He dialed the number and waited for an answer. "Jason, my little friend. How are you?"
The phone speaker was turned up loud enough that Teddy could hear the reply. "Gio, I'm fine. What can I do for you?"
"Jason, I remember you had told me that you had three bedrooms that you and Pete were thinking of renting to students. I know Charley Hill is staying with you, but do you have another one still?"
"Yes, Gio, we still have the other two, but we haven't discussed with Dave about renting them out. Charley is a guest."
"Can you do me a favor? I have, standing here, a young man that needs a place to stay. Maybe I can talk to Dave for you and he can pay rent to you or to Dave, whichever."
"Well it's Dave's house, so the rent would go to him. But Pete and I would have to meet him and agree on him staying."
"Well, for a day or two, could you put him up?"
"For you, Gio, of course we could. I don't even have to discuss it with Pete. I know he would do it as a favor to you."
"Jason, you are a darling. Thank you."
"Does he know how to find the house?"
"No, he just came into town."
"Gio? Do you even know this fellow?"
Teddy blushed as Gio looked up at him.
"He is starting to work for me tomorrow."
"Well, if you vouch for him, I guess that is good enough."
"He is blushing as he listens to us talk about him," Gio said, smiling at Teddy. "I say that must mean he's a good guy."
"Gio, you are so bad."
"You don't really think that, do you, Jason?" Gio worried.
"That was just an expression." Jason remembered that Gio didn't comprehend many American colloquialisms. "It means the opposite of what it says."
"English! I will never learn to understand it." Gio exclaimed.
Jason laughed. "I'm now on the Quad. Send him over and I'll take him to the house. Oh, how will I know him?"
"He is big, like Tim. Dark red hair. Oh, and he'll be carrying a big canvas bag. And he is very handsome." Gio grinned as Teddy again blushed.
"I'll be looking for him." Jason closed his phone, shaking his head at Gio's blatant flirting with his new employee.
Teddy couldn't believe that things were suddenly looking up for him. When Gio stood up, Teddy embraced him. "Thank you, Gio."
Gio hugged him back and then pushed him away before Teddy could feel his excitement rising under his apron. "I did nothing. A simple telephone call."
"Yeah, a simple telephone call and I have a place to live... and I have a job where half an hour ago I had nothing."
Gio smiled and patting him on his back, gave him a description of Jason and directions on how to get to the quad. Teddy picked up his duffle as he headed out the door. As he walked, he started paying attention to things around him. He hadn't realized that he was just a block and a half off campus.
As he passed the corner with tables in front of the bookstore he noticed a handsome blond fellow sitting alone, looking very depressed. 'He looks like a cop or a marine. I wonder what his problem is,' he thought as he walked by him. 'Damn, there are some handsome dudes around here,' he thought as he passed a man dressed like he was right off the ranch, cowboy boots, Levi's, and a plaid flannel shirt. He crossed the street and entered the campus. The broad walkway led him right into the Quad.
Jason saw him coming and gasped at the sight of this big Irishman, striding toward him with a duffle slung over his shoulder. 'Damn, Gio really knows how to pick'em,' he thought as he stepped out to greet him. "Ted?"
"Hi, you must be Jason."
When they shook hands, Jason's hand disappeared in Ted's.
Pete trudged up the steps to the front door, tired and glad that the school day was over. He couldn't wait to get a hug from his baby. He didn't use that term out loud to Jason, having learned early on that Jason strongly objected to anything that reflected on his diminutive size. But still... in his mind Pete always thought of him that way. He dropped his books on the hall table and headed for the kitchen, following his nose toward dinner and Jason.
Teddy was perched on a chair with the back of it turned so he could rest his arms on it as he talked and watched Jason cooking dinner. Jason had informed him that if he became a permanent resident that he could share cooking detail, but tonight he was a guest.
Pete stepped through the door unnoticed. His heart jumped into his throat seeing the handsome young redhead. He hadn't completely recovered from Jason's reaction to the episode a couple of months ago of Arlen's infamous kiss. He momentarily wondered if Jason was revenging the kiss, but put it out of his mind as ridiculous. Still he watched a moment to see what the relationship between the two was, and not seeing any hint of familiarity between the two he said, "Hi, Honey, I'm home." From the look of delight on Jason's face he knew that his suspicion was unfounded.
Jason laid down the wooden spoon he'd used for stirring and approached the love of his life. "You just outed us to our new housemate," he grinned and stepped into Pete's arms.
Pete looked at Teddy and shrugged. "You're going to find out sooner or later. So it may as well be right now." He ducked his head and took his time kissing Jason who showed no hesitation in returning it.
Jason let go and turned in Pete's arms. "This is Ted Edwards. Gio asked us to be his host until he finds a place to live. He's starting to work for Gio tomorrow. Teddy this is my Pete."
The two young men shook hands. "I am envious of you two. It's good to meet you, Pete. And thank you in advance for your hospitality."
"Nice to meet you, Ted. How did you come to work for Gio?"
As Jason went back to making his own version of Chicken Paprikash, Pete and Teddy sat down at the kitchen table and Teddy told him of his serendipitous discovery of the restaurant.
Jason checked the pan of water to see if it was boiling, and then stood behind Pete with his arms draped over his shoulders and his chin resting on top of his head. Pete automatically reached for Jason's hands and clasped them against his chest.
"You just got out of the Air Force two days ago? I would think that you'd have gone home for a visit." Pete commented.
"I can't go home." Teddy dropped his head to his chest.
"Why not?" Jason asked.
"I'm gay. I got caught and kicked out of the service."
"And your parents don't know this?" Jason asked.
Teddy shook his head.
"Won't they accept you?" Pete asked.
"I can't tell them."
Jason pulled loose from Pete and turned back to stir the chicken pieces. He sprinkled a little more Paprika over the chicken and added the onions that he'd very carefully sliced on the vertical. After putting a lid on the pan, he turned back to see Pete's hand atop Teddy's as Teddy said, "My oldest brother is a career Marine. From the beginning he ridiculed me for joining the Air Force. My dad was a Marine in the Viet Nam war. How can I tell them?"
Pete patted Teddy's hand and said, "Don't worry about it for now. It'll happen someday. Until then, don't sweat it."
Later that evening when they were getting into bed, Jason wondered aloud where Charley could be and Pete told him not to worry about the man, he was a cop and was well able to take care of himself.
Jason and Pete had already left for early classes, leaving Teddy on his own the next morning. Gio had called Teddy earlier and asked Teddy's clothes size so he could order work uniforms for him and informed him that they would be ready tomorrow, then he'd told him to take the day to get settled in and explore the neighborhood, leaving Teddy at loose ends. He straightened up his already neat room and then sat down on the edge of the bed and thought about how things were looking up for him.
Charley sloughed into the house, exhausted, having sat in a bar talking to a stranger until the bar had closed. Then not wanting to face his bed without Jake in it, he'd sat in an all night coffee shop until he was sure the two young guys who lived here were in class. He unbuttoned his shirt as he headed to the kitchen for a tall glass of cool water. Feeling grimy, not having bathed since yesterday morning, he pulled off his shirt and lifted an arm to smell his pit... not knowing he'd acquired a new house mate.
Teddy heard the noise of someone coming into the house. Thinking it would be either Jason or Pete, he went out to greet them. Instead of one of them, he walked into the living room and saw the tall, well-muscled blond that had been sitting in front of the coffee shop yesterday when he'd left the restaurant to meet Jason on the quad. Teddy padded barefooted across the room to greet him as the man was taking his shirt off. When Charley lifted an arm and sniffed his pit, Teddy, standing close behind him, inhaled deeply and said without thinking, "Smells good, like a man should."
Charley whirled around to see who that baritone voice belonged to and saw Teddy standing there wearing a big grin, a pair of low hanging cutoff Levi's and a tight undershirt with a low cut neck that exposed the abundant auburn hair on his chest.
"You must be Charley Hill. Jason told me you were living here while your partner is in the hospital. I am Ted Edwards," he said, and offered his hand to Charley.
The man's good looks and self confidence made Charley uncomfortable. He shook his hand, and quickly let go, as he cleared his throat and said, "You startled me. Yeah, I'm Charley. Nice to meet you."
"I saw you yesterday sitting in front of a bookstore across from the campus. You didn't look very happy."
"No, I wasn't... I mean I wasn't very happy." Charley balled up his shirt.
"Things are better now?" Teddy stepped past Charley into the kitchen and parked his butt against the sink.
"Much better." Charley'd recovered from Teddy's ambush, and his police persona took over. "Why are you here? Are you a friend of Pete and Jason's?" he asked.
"No, I just met them yesterday afternoon. I'm a guest here at the moment, but hope I'm going to be renting one of the bedrooms."
"You're a student?" Charley asked, stifling a big yawn.
"Not yet. I hope to save up enough for tuition for a couple of years before I start next fall." He stuffed his hands deep in the pockets of his cutoffs to hide his growing excitement.
Charley recognized the move but ignored it, took the water bottle out of the fridge and silently offered Ted some. Teddy declined with a shake of his head and a little smile. "So you're working around here?" Charley asked, getting a glass out of the cupboard and filling it.
"Mr. Paolini at Gio Gio's Italian restaurant hired me yesterday. He told me to take a day to get settled in. I start tomorrow."
"Which Paolini hired you?"
"I didn't know there was more than one, so I guess the one that runs the restaurant, Gio."
"Oh, I didn't know his name was Paolini, too," Charley said. "I was thinking that Joe or Johnny had hired you, and I couldn't understand why they'd be hiring someone for the restaurant. I heard Johnny call Gio 'Cuz', but it didn't register that he's a Paolini too." He drank the water and set the glass in the sink. "Listen, I've got to get a shower and some sleep. I'm feeling really grimy and exhausted."
"Please, don't let me stop you," Teddy said with another little half smile. He didn't know who Joe and Johnny Paolini were, but figured he'd eventually meet them.
Charley had noticed that Teddy made several short inhalations through his nose as he'd walked past him to the fridge, so after replacing the water bottle and closing the fridge door, he raised both arms above his head in a total body stretch and yawned as he sauntered back to the cabinet and closed the door which he'd left open. "I know you like my scent, Ted. But I don't play around. Jake is my one and only." Charley grinned at him. "But you're free to sniff if you want." His intent had been to embarrass the handsome redhead. Ted pushed off the sink, walked past Charley, grinning over his shoulder, while inhaling deeply. "Thanks, Mr. Hill. You do smell good... manly," he said. Charley gawked in surprise as he watched Teddy close his door.
Charley chuckled, slightly embarrassed, and headed for the private shower in the master bedroom, thankful that he didn't have to share a bathroom with that handsome redhead. He let the heat and the strong force of the spray beat some of the tiredness out of his body. After leisurely toweling off and brushing his teeth, he stretched out on the bed and covered his middle with the sheet. As he dozed off he could have sworn that he heard the door knob jiggle, but he was too tired to care if Teddy did take a peek.
Teddy had stopped at Charley's door and laid a hand on the knob as he considered knocking and visiting more with him, but hearing a light snore, he wandered on through the house and ended up in the livingroom. Plopping into the big recliner, he lay back and thought about his life.
He'd immediately enlisted in the Air Force after graduation. His oldest brother, Al, a career Marine, was so much like his dad. And Jeff, his other brother, had always copied everything that Al did, so he had become a Marine, also. His dad had expected Teddy to join the Marines, too; but Teddy, knowing himself to be gay, figured he'd get through four years in the Air Force more easily. But when he'd been offered a chance to train as a chef in one of the most prestigious schools in the world, he had thought why not, and agreed to sign up for an extra four years.
What he hadn't figured on was being seduced by an officer and getting caught in his bed, sucking on his cock. He'd known that it was stupid to fraternize with an officer - as well as it being against regulations. But the Lieutenant had been so handsome, so suave and debonaire that he'd been swept off his feet. Then the Lieutenant had blamed him for the seduction, not that it mattered at that point, they were both processed out.
Now here he was, isolated from his family and friends in a strange new city. But the gods that be, must have been watching out for him. He'd already found himself a good job, a nice place to live and some neat guys that would probably become great friends. So what if he had gotten a dishonorable, the only person it would matter to was his dad, and he really didn't care about that since he'd never been given love like his parents gave to his two older brothers. His parents had always looked upon him as an imposition from an unwanted pregnancy, born seven years after his older brother, Jeff, who had resented his coming into the world and taking his place as the youngest. His mother's career as an up-and-coming lawyer had come to an abrupt halt for the first year of his life. Then a nanny was hired to take care of him until he was old enough to be put into day care.
He eventually figured out that no matter how hard he tried, no matter that he was an outstanding student and athlete - he was not going to earn his parents love... so he quit trying. Still he was never a problem teenager like many kids in his situation. He never rebelled, he simply obeyed his parents and went his own way as much as he was allowed. He became self-sufficient and lived for himself... in his own world - and graduated an honor student. Then instead of going on a mission like all good Mormon boys do, he joined the service, and had absolutely no regrets over leaving his family and former life behind.
Gio was ecstatic. He didn't know if Teddy was straight or gay, but he had a really good feeling about hiring the young man. Teddy had an openness about him that gave Gio a good feeling. Plus, he was so breathtaking to look at. Gio was enthralled by his dark auburn hair... how it complemented his creamy white skin, the hint of light freckles across his nose, and his startling emerald green eyes.
Gio was surprised to see Teddy standing in the doorway to the kitchen that mid-afternoon since he'd told him to not come into work until tomorrow because his uniforms wouldn't be delivered until then.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked. "You are supposed to be getting settled in."
"How settled in can one get? I unpacked my clothes yesterday." Teddy shrugged. "Nothing else to do."
"So, why are you here?"
"I thought it would be interesting to see how you work, so I can adjust and work with you more quickly."
Gio was impressed once again. "Well, pull up a stool and keep me company."
Teddy pulled a stool up to the stainless steel table opposite from where Gio was working and watched him add breadcrumbs, herbs, crushed garlic, milk and eggs to a large stainless steel bowl of ground beef.
"Meatballs," Teddy said.
Gio nodded and set the bowl into the cradle of the big commercial mixer. After attaching the mixing hooks and turning the machine on, he turned and pointed Teddy to four one-gallon cans of Italian plum tomatoes. "You can open those for me."
Teddy looked around for the big hand-cranked commercial can opener. Not finding it, he shrugged at Gio, who grinned and picked up a little electric gadget small enough to fit in his hand and gave it to Teddy.
Teddy laughed. "This looks like something my mother would use."
"Try it. It works easier than that old crank opener."
In seconds, Teddy had the first can opened and started on the next. Gio took each can and emptied it into a big pot on the stove. Teddy moved around to where he could carefully watch exactly what, and how much of what, Gio was adding to make a 'Red Gravy' as Gio called it.
Gio was impressed by Teddy's scrutiny of what he was doing and nodded to himself thinking, 'I didn't make a mistake in hiring him.'
Soon as the sauce was stirred and simmering. Gio turned the mixer off, took the bowl of ground beef to the table and started forming balls. Teddy watched for a minute, looked around, found an apron and put it on, then washed his hands and pulled the bowl to his side of the table. He started scooping out measured amounts and dropping them onto the work surface in front of Gio, who grinned at him, took each gob of meat and rolled it into a ball and placed it on a large cookie sheet. In minutes the task was done.
"We haven't discussed your wages, but I think I need to raise the amount that I was thinking of offering you."
Teddy raised his eyebrows. "And how much was that?"
"I was thinking of starting you off at nine dollars an hour, but I think I should raise it to fifteen."
"Fifteen?" Since Teddy had no idea what a trained chef could command in the civilian world, so fifteen sounded fantastic.
"That's to begin with... in two months, if you are as good as I think you might be, I will give you a raise."
"Thanks, Gio."
"Don't thank me. You are going to be working for every cent. In two months I am opening a new restaurant downtown. If you prove yourself, you just might be one of the chefs there."
Teddy looked at him, surprised. "You are kidding me."
"I kid and joke much. But this is not a joke. I have put out advertising to several of the cooking schools around the country for chefs. We will be hiring eight to begin with. More as we see the need. And just maybe, you will be one of them."
"Geez, Gio, I don't know what to say."
"Say nothing. Just show me I am right."
Teddy left the restaurant at Gio's insistence an hour before the doors were opened to the public. He wandered around the commercial area next to the campus, checking out the bookstore, Fine's Grocery/Deli, and the coffee shop. He headed back to the house filled with enthusiasm. Wow, working as a chef at a new restaurant; he couldn't believe it would happen so quickly.
He burst through the door eager to tell his new roommates the good news. Neither of them was in the living room, but there was a young good-looking stranger sprawled in the lounger fast asleep. He quietly walked over and checked out the big guy. Teddy decided that he must be a football player from the way he was built. He studied the handsome face, almost angelic in repose with nearly military short brown hair that complemented his clear tanned complexion. The bulge of his biceps, even relaxed, was awesome. His tee-shirt was pulled up showing a flat belly with a slender pencil line of hair from the top of his Levi's to his navel, tempting Teddy to run his finger down it.
As Teddy watched, the big guy stretched and opened his eyes, then smiled. Teddy smiled back.
He brought the chair into an upright position, stood and offered his hand as he gazed into Teddy's deep emerald green eyes. "You must be Teddy. I'm Arlen Aldridge, a friend of Pete and Jason's," he said, taking in the creamy skin accented by the dark auburn hair.
Teddy took his hand. "Yeah, I'm Ted Edwards."
"Jason didn't tell the full truth," Arlen said with a lascivious grin.
"About what?" Teddy tried to pull his hand away and blushed when Arlen resisted, then let go.
Offering no explanation for his statement, Arlen said, "Cool. So you're going to go to school here?"
"That's my plan." Teddy took a couple of steps back to put some space between them. He was relieved at that moment to hear a car pull into the driveway and two doors slam.
Seconds later, Jason and Pete came through the door. "Hey, Teddy," Jason said, heading to the kitchen to drop his books on the table.
Pete nodded at them and asked, "What are you doing here, Arlen? I thought you had football practice this afternoon."
"I do, but I had to come see if Jason was telling the truth." He grinned at Teddy then turned to Jason who had come back in the room and said, "You lied."
"What are you talking about?" Jason bristled.
"You told me Teddy was good looking. Hell, he's about the most handsome dude I've ever seen."
Teddy turned a dark red, nearly matching his hair. Pete, seeing him blush, couldn't help but kid him more by asking, "He is purty, isn't he?"
"I am not an object, guys. I can't help my looks, so stop it."
Arlen grinned at him. "Sorry, I was just telling the truth."
"Well, keep it to yourself, or talk about me behind my back." Teddy stomped off to his bedroom and slammed the door.
Arlen looked surprised. "I guess I blew that didn't I?"
Jason couldn't resist the chance to get a dig in at Arlen. "Didn't know you were into blowing."
Before Arlen could respond Charley walked into the room stretching and scratching his bare hairy chest. "What's all the ruckus?"
Arlen ogled, while Pete and Jason grinned at his response to seeing Charley bare chested. "Pete and Arlen just embarrassed the hell out of Ted, talking about how handsome he is," Jason said.
Arlen's blatant stare aggravated Charley, but he chose to ignore it, frowned at Pete, grunted and turned back down the hall to his bedroom.
"Who was that?" Arlen asked, nearly drooling. Jason went into a long explanation, while Pete went into the kitchen, dropped his books on the table and opened the fridge, looking for a snack. "You guys want something to eat?" he yelled out.
"I've got to get to practice, I'm going to be late if I don't get going," Arlen yelled back.
Jason walked into the kitchen after Arlen left. Pete offered him a bite of his sandwich. Jason took a big bite, chewed and swallowed. Then picked up Pete's glass of milk to wash it down. Pete watched him with loving eyes. "I guess I'd better go apologize, huh?"
"Uh huh," Jason grunted in agreement and took the rest of the sandwich out of Pete's hand and stuck it into his mouth. Pete grinned at his little piggy.
Gio closed up the restaurant for the night and headed to his condo. He'd found the place when he had first come to the States with Joe four years ago. It was on the tenth floor, a big roomy comfortable place with three bedrooms. He liked it and hadn't seen any reason to look for a house, even though he knew a house was a better investment.
As he undressed, getting ready for a hot shower, his thoughts returned to Teddy. He'd been right at home that afternoon when he'd stopped in, he obviously knew his way around a kitchen. He wondered again if Teddy might be gay. He'd certainly not given Gio any clues. Gio fantasized about what Teddy looked like naked as he washed his own body. He could see a dark auburn treasure trail pointing to the treasure below. He stopped to wonder if he was circumcised. Gio liked an uncut cock, but he knew that most Americans were cut. He visualized Teddy both ways and decided that a big mushroom head on a trimmed shaft fit him best, and went on with his fantasy.
As he dried off, he recalled Tommy, who he'd had an affair with until the end of last semester. Tommy had been a sweetheart. It had been difficult to let him go. But Tommy had been honest with him from the start. He had plans on getting his masters degree at UCLA. He wanted to be a movie director.
Gio had talked him into living with him until he graduated, and they had been intimate lovers until the day he left for California. Tommy had promised to keep in contact, but like all long distance affairs, the calls and letters became fewer and fewer until they finally stopped.
Joe had offered to help Gio get started with a new restaurant on the West Coast, but Gio knew that the tether had already been severed, and it would be just a matter of time before Tommy would drift away... even if Gio had moved.
Gio sighed and wondered again if Teddy might be gay. After turning out the light, he lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. He imagined a scenario where Teddy became his lover, and partner in the new restaurant on top of Joe's new office tower that was nearing completion. Maybe tomorrow he'd invite Teddy to accompany him to Dave and Joe's party Sunday night. It would be a good time to introduce him to the family. He sighed, and wondered for the thousandth time if Teddy might be gay.