Jeff called Jennifer Gerdeman and invited her and her family to the ordinary dinner, not to a party. He explained the situation to her and Jennifer said she would make sure her boys, Sam included, understood. The Gerdemans arrived at the hotel a little later that morning to pick Colonel up for the soccer game, and Jennifer asked to talk to Jeff.
"I've tried to explain how Harley feels to Chris, but he is still a little upset about it," she told him. "He wants to do something for Harley's birthday, but he doesn't want to hurt his feelings." Jeff called young Chris over to where they were talking.
"Chris, I understand that you want to get Harley something for his birthday," the man said quietly. The boy nodded bashfully. "The problem is that Harley doesn't want to celebrate his birthday anymore." No one realized that Colonel had been listening in the whole time.
"Chris, you don't have to get me anything," Colonel said as he stepped out of his room. "I'm just glad we're... friends. That's enough of a present for me."
"But I want to, Harley," Chris told him. "I've never had a... friend like you before."
"What if you were to give him something you can't wrap and he can't open?" Jeff suggested. The boys both looked at him in confusion. "Score a goal in today's game for Colonel," Jeff explained to them. Their faces lit up.
"I can do that!" Chris exclaimed happily. "Would you like that?" he asked Colonel.
"That's a good idea, Dad," Colonel agreed. "That would be cool, Chris."
"Will you come to the game too, Mr. Beckman?" Chris asked politely.
"Well, thank you for asking, Chris," Jeff said with a smile. "I think I'll just hang around the hotel for the day, though."
"He's in love," Colonel whispered, but Jennifer overheard.
"Anyone I know?" she quizzed Jeff.
"I believe you do, yes," Jeff answered pointedly. "We stayed up late last night talking."
"Talking?" Jennifer asked suspiciously.
"They said they kissed some too," Colonel announced for his father, who promptly blushed profusely.
"I couldn't be happier for both of you," Jennifer squealed as she gave Jeff a bone crushing hug. "I know it's what someone has wanted for a long time. We talk a lot," she explained.
"Well, you could have just told me," Jeff complained with a grin.
"I was sworn to secrecy," Jennifer defended. "Besides, it's so much more romantic this way." She hugged Jeff again, and said, "That one's for Chris. Make sure you deliver it personally."
"I feel like I'm back in school," Jeff laughed.
"Love does that, Jeff," Jennifer told him. "We have to go, boys. Now Harley, I want to know everything you know about this father of yours." Colonel looked back at his dad.
"Go ahead and tell her son," Jeff advised. "She would find out one way or another anyway. You can talk to Mrs. Gerdeman about everything. She knows a lot more than you boys think." He laughed silently at the look of shock on Chris and Colonel's faces.
"Don't worry, Harley," Jennifer told him. "All my needles are at school. You're perfectly safe. I just want to talk." He still looked nervous, so she told him, "I think Chris chose very well for his first... friend."
Jeff was lounging in a deck chair by the pool a little while later when a shadow fell across his face. He squinted trying to see who the person was, but couldn't because of the glare. He raised his hand to shield his eyes as the figure stepped to the side.
"I have to say it, you don't look like you have aged a day since graduation," the woman said as she sat in the chair beside Jeff.
"Renee!" Jeff cried out. "I'm so glad to see you. I thought you weren't going to make it this year."
"What? Miss the chance to see you again? Not on your life," his closest high school friend other than Claire laughed as she stared at him. "Now why don't you look old like me?"
"Horse hockey!" Jeff sneered. "You look fabulous."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," Renee laughed. "So where is that beautiful boy of yours? I want to see him in person. The last picture you sent is out of date."
"Colonel went to a soccer game with Jennifer Gerdeman and her kids," Jeff answered. "He wanted to watch his boyfriend play."
"So he is a complete clone of you," Renee teased. "Which little Gerdeman is he stuck on?"
"Chris, the middle one," Jeff answered. "Cute kid, he looks like Jennifer."
"That's the one that likes to cook," Renee thought out loud. "That's so cute. He wants a boy just like dear old dad," she said with a laugh. Jeff laughed as well for a moment before Renee leaned over closer, getting serious. "You seem happy." Jeff knew that it was both statement and question.
"Yes, mother, I am in love again," Jeff teased and blushed at the same time. It was the first time he had truly admitted his feelings for Chris.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded. "Wait, this is new, isn't it?"
"It's new, and it's old," Jeff said cryptically, knowing that it would just stir her up more.
"You and Chris Doss finally got together, didn't you?" she asked. Renee was practically giddy with excitement. "Hot damn! It's about time."
"Renee!" Jeff gasped. "How did you.... When did you...."
"Honey, I told you once a long time ago that I knew you were gay back in school," Renee answered him. "I saw the way you looked at him, and I saw the way he looked at you. Don't forget, I was a detective with the police force before Troy died and left me his businesses to run."
"Well, why the hell didn't you say something to us?" Jeff exclaimed.
"Neither one of you was ready to face what you were inside," Renee said with a shrug. "Besides, if you had gotten together with Chris back then, you wouldn't have Colonel now."
"You're right," Jeff nodded. "I can't imagine my life without him."
"How does he feel about you and Chris?" Renee asked gently.
"He was matchmaking us the moment he set eyes on Chris," Jeff said with a laugh. "This morning he actually scolded us for spending the night together talking."
"Wait, Chris spent the night with you and you just talked?" Renee questioned. "Colonel's right; what the hell is wrong with you?"
"We kissed," Jeff defended. He blushed hotly and added, "It was incredible. I've never felt anything like it. That's why it can't happen again," he added firmly.
"I'm so happy for.... What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It shouldn't be this good," Jeff explained.
"And just exactly why not?" Renee demanded. "You two have wanted this for over twenty years. It damn well better be good after both of you being miserable for that long," she added angrily.
"But I wasn't miserable," Jeff countered. "I was incredibly happy with Kyle. This isn't fair to him."
"Jeff, your loyalty to the people you care about has always been one of your most endearing qualities," Renee began. "But are you out of your ever loving mind?" Jeff started to reply, but she stopped him. "You have the chance to realize the dream of a lifetime literally, for both of you. Don't blow that being stupid."
"I feel like I'm cheating on Kyle, or at the least belittling our relationship," Jeff explained. "I loved Kyle very much."
"But it never felt like the kiss you shared last night?" Renee prompted. Jeff nodded, silently wiping a tear from his cheek. "It's not supposed to be the same, fool. Kyle was a wonderful man. He was an incredible lover from what you say, and a fabulous father."
"Yes, he was the best partner I could have asked for," Jeff confirmed. "He was almost perfect."
"Aha!" Renee exclaimed. "You said almost. Now be totally honest with me, and more importantly yourself. Why wasn't he perfect?"
"He squeezed the toothpaste from the middle of the tube," Jeff answered.
"Annoying, I'm sure," Renee agreed. "It's not the real answer, though."
"He snored," Jeff offered.
"Jefferey David Beckman, you are avoiding the truth," Renee scolded. "Didn't you do enough of that before you and Kyle got together? Admit what you've wanted all these years."
"I wished he'd been Chris," Jeff confessed tearfully. "My life with Kyle was a lie."
"No, it wasn't," his friend contradicted. "Did you love him? Did he love you?"
"Yes, I loved him," Jeff replied. "I know he loved me, and he loved Colonel just as much as I do."
"Alright then," Renee announced. "Look at it this way, Jeff. You were in love with Kyle, but you always had a crush on Chris. Now you have the chance to explore a relationship with him. It is possible for a person to fall in love more than once in a lifetime, but it's rare. Don't blow this being stupid."
"I think I should take things slowly with Chris, but last night, my body was screaming for the opposite," Jeff told her.
"What does your heart want?" Jeff whirled around to see Chris standing behind him. There were tears in his eyes as well as he continued. "I respect your mind; I always did. I also really admire your body, now more than ever. Right now, though, I am more concerned about your heart. The last thing I want to do is hurt or even confuse you." He paused to wipe his own tears away, and then did the same thing for Jeff. "I waited twenty years for you, so I can wait another twenty or more if that's what it takes."
"The hell you will," Jeff snapped. "We've lost too much time already. You're already forty. I wait much longer and you won't be able to respond." He walked up to Chris, who stood with a shocked look on his face. The man's emotions were obviously wavering between surprise that Jeff had insulted him and happiness that Jeff had just said they wouldn't wait any more. "So, Mr. Doss, when do you get off?"
"I'm taking the rest of the day off," Chris replied. "I do have a meeting in a few minutes with my new architect to discuss hotel expansion and renovation, but I might be able to get out of that."
"Oh, no you can't," Jeff teased. "I hear he's a real stickler about business and pleasure."
"Never mix one with the other?" Renee asked.
"No, no, no," Jeff corrected. "You have to mix them. All work and no play makes Jeff a very dull boy."
"You could never be dull to me," Chris whispered. Louder he asked, "Do you think it would be alright for Renee to join the dinner this evening?"
"He'll be fine with it, I'm sure," Jeff answered. "After all, it's just dinner, not a party." Seeing the confusion on Renee's face, he and Chris proceeded to explain about the unbirthday dinner they were having later for Colonel.
"Should I not bring the present I brought for him?" Renee asked. "It's a promotional CD from a band from right here in town. They're all boys about his age, and they're surprisingly good."
"Thank you so much," Jeff said sarcastically. "That's just what he needs; another boy band CD to force on my poor ears."
"I like some of that music," Chris added defensively.
"Please tell me that you're joking," Jeff pleaded.
"I am not," Chris retorted. "WestLife is one of my favorites. They have some really nice songs."
"They do have a very touching song called 'If I Let You Go'. It was on their WestLife album back in 1999," Renee added, while sharing a significant look with Chris. "It's also neutral in gender."
"Alright, I surrender," Jeff laughed. "I doubt that Colonel would turn down a new CD."
"Especially from this group," Chris said conspiratorially, with a wink to Renee. To her he said, "Yes, I got Chris started listening to WestLife when he would come over here and visit the kitchens."
"What are you two up to?" Jeff demanded. "What does this have to do with Chris?"
"I swear, I had no idea about this until you told me just now," Renee defended. "Chris Gerdeman and a few of his friends have a band. Chris is the lead singer. He does an incredibly emotional rendition of the song I just mentioned. Sam told me that the boys have no idea that he recorded them. He sent me a tape and I had the sound technicians at the studios work it over. They removed the background noises and enhanced the boys efforts with some computer generated piano. I really am impressed with the results."
"It must be fun sometimes to own your own radio and television stations," Chris observed with a grin.
"My late husband Troy had helped a couple of artists and groups get started before he died," Renee told the men. "I am just following his example."
"It seems to me that you're surpassing his example," Jeff responded. "He left you with a radio station and a pile of bills. You've turned that around and even added a television station as well."
"Well, I've been lucky," Renee said modestly. "I like what I do, and I try to make sure that everyone who works for me does too."
"Tonight's dinner might be a good time to give Colonel the CD, since Chris will be here with him," Jeff told her.
"I can give Chris his copy at the same time, so it will feel a little less like a birthday present," Renee agreed.
"I will make sure there is a player nearby, so they can listen to it," Chris said as he wrote a note on the back of his hand. "This may turn out to be the most special unbirthday dinner ever."
"Thank you so much for this," Jeff told him.
"Hey, it's nothing," Chris protested. "Something I learned when I was pretending to be straight; if you get on the kid's good side, then you'll be on the parents' good side." He grinned mischievously and added, "Is it working?"
"Yes, it is, very well," Jeff confirmed. "Now, why don't we get to that boring meeting before Colonel gets back from Chris' game?"
"Alright, but I warn you that I'm going to have trouble concentrating on business," Chris winked.
Jeff saw the impish grin on Chris' face and added, "You wink at me again, and I won't be able to keep my mind on the building either."
"Oh alright," Chris pouted. "I do want to talk business some, so I guess we'll have to behave."
Comments always appreciated at Boudreaux