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The atmosphere at the bowling alley is lively. It’s combined with a bar, so it’s mostly groups of friends hanging out or people on dates. Buck hasn’t seen any kids since they arrived, and he’s glad for that considering how much some of the people seem to be drinking nearby. There’s one group of guys who are bordering on rowdy, and he notices that he’s not the only one keeping an eye on them.
“If they keep it up, they’ll end up getting kicked out,” Eddie says, shaking his head. He picks up his ball from the return system and walks closer to the lane. Buck’s gaze lingers on his ass for a moment to long before he looks away, focusing on Tommy.
“I’d imagine they’ve hit their cut off from the bar by now,” Tommy says, glancing at the frat bros, as Buck’s taken to calling them in his head.
“I don’t know how strict a place like this is about that,” Buck says. “They didn’t even card me, and I don’t look that old. I’m only thirty-two.”
“You’re still sore about that, aren’t you?” Tommy grins at him. “They didn’t card Eddie, either, and he’s got you beat for having a baby face.”
“It’s his round cheeks,” Buck says solemnly. “They turn rosy and give him an innocent look even if he’s being an asshole.”
“Who’s being an asshole?” Eddie asks, falling onto the bench beside Buck. He’s sitting really close, his leg pressed against Buck’s. “I got seven that round, by the way. Since you two were too busy whispering to each other to see my excellent bowling skills at work.”
“You just want to show off, Eds,” Buck points out. “Besides, we were talking about the drunk frat bros over there, so it’s not like we were whispering sweet nothings.”
“Still, you should have been watching me,” Eddie says, nudging his arm against Buck’s. “This isn’t date night, guys. We’re here to have fun.”
“Watching you bowl is fun?” Tommy asks, his sass coming out slightly. “We really need to give you some new definitions of the word, Diaz.”
Buck watches Tommy get up and retrieve his ball, admiring the way his jeans fit when he walks to the lane. A sharp elbow in the side makes him look at Eddie. “What’s that for?”
“You’re watching Tommy, but you didn’t watch me,” Eddie says, reaching for his bottle of beer. It’s his second one, so he’s been nursing it for a while. He looks like he’s sulking.
“Tommy’s my boyfriend. He doesn’t mind if I ogle his hot ass when he’s bowling,” Buck points out. “Whereas you, my dear bestie, would feel awkward if I was staring at your booty.”
Eddie arches a brow, rolling the beer bottle against his bottom lip as he stares at Buck. “Awkward, huh?” He huffs a laugh. “You don’t have a clue, Buck.”
“I managed to get eight,” Tommy says, sitting down and entering his score into the computer. “Your turn, Ev. Let’s see if your lucky streak continues.”
“Hey, I warned you both that I am a bowling king,” he says, looking away from Eddie’s intense gaze. “It isn’t my fault that you didn’t believe me.”
“I don’t know if I’d say king, but you’re definitely better at bowling than you are at basketball,” Tommy teases, his eyes crinkling in that adorable way of his when he smiles at Buck.
“Way to give me trauma flashbacks, Kinard,” Eddie groans, leaning into Buck’s side. “My poor ankle did nothing to deserve its harsh treatment that day.”
“It belonged to a cocky ass who started playing way too hard for a friendly game,” Buck says, rolling his eyes. “And it was an accident. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Eddie looks at him and smiles, a sharp smile that he doesn’t flash too often. “I know that, Buck,” he says. “You wouldn’t have deliberately injured me even if you were feeling left out and jealous about me spending time with Tommy instead of you.”
“Don’t even go there, Mr. Ask Me to Babysit so you could hang out at a karaoke bar with new bestie,” Buck mutters, getting to his feet. “That was low, and you know it.”
With that, he gets his ball and goes to their lane. It’s silly to be annoyed by something that happened over three months ago, especially when he’s now out and dating Tommy and understand better why he felt so anxious about their hanging out. The anxiety has settled, he no longer feels like he’s going to be left behind or forgotten, but he can’t really handle being teased about those days. It makes him feel insecure, like someone is poking at a wound that hasn’t quite healed.
He doesn’t know why it hasn’t healed yet, but it’s something he doesn’t want to examine too closely because he suspects it involves Eddie and feelings he’s learned to pretend don’t exist.
Buck focuses and takes two steps before letting his ball go. It rolls perfectly down the middle of the lane, and he smiles triumphantly when he gets a strike. That’s five so far, and they’ve only been playing half an hour. He does a little victory dance on his way back to the seats.
“I am on fire tonight,” he brags, leaning over to press a quick kiss against Tommy’s lips. “Bowling is far superior to basketball, obviously.”
“You mean entirely based on luck, which isn’t even real?” Eddie asks, meeting his gaze evenly when he looks at him. “Anyone can roll a ball down a lane, but not just anyone can shoot a three pointer from center court.”
“Someone’s feeling feisty,” Buck says, narrowing his eyes. “I know you don’t like to lose, Eds, but not being great at bowling doesn’t mean it’s inferior to your running around dribbling sport.”
“Eddie, it’s your turn,” Tommy says smoothly, interrupting before Eddie can respond. “I think we can appreciate both sports within the realm of their respective—“
“You’re already fucking him, Tommy,” Eddie says, standing up and scowling. “You don’t have to constantly kiss his ass to get some.”
Buck moves closer to him, standing in his personal space. “What did you just say, Diaz?” he asks, staring into Eddie’s eyes. “What the fuck has crawled up your ass and given you this attitude tonight?”
“I don’t have an attitude,” Eddie denies, looking almost petulant as he leans forward. “I’m just not going to cater to your ego by saying it takes more skill to bowl than it does to play basketball.”
“I think it might be wise if you two took a time out,” Tommy says, his tone thoughtful as he touches Buck’s lower back. “You’re going to make the frat bros look mature if you let this escalate any further.”
“We aren’t kids,” Eddie says, his gaze moving to Tommy. “You aren’t even forty yet, so don’t act like you’re so much more mature and wise just because you’ve got, like, seven years on us, and came out years ago.”
Tommy’s eyebrows rise at that, and he gives Buck a curious look before focusing back on Eddie. “What does my coming out have to do with anything, Eddie?”
Eddie scowls, a nerve in his cheek twitching as he purses his lips. “Look, this isn’t working out tonight,” he says. “I’m in a bad mood, and I need to get out of here.”
“I drove you,” Buck reminds him. “And you were in a fine mood until recently. What’s going on, Eds? Is something wrong with Christopher?”
“No, God. He’s fine, Buck. This isn’t about him,” Eddie says, his shoulders slumping suddenly. “I’m going to get an Uber home. I need to get out of here.”
“We’ll take you home,” Tommy offers, giving Buck another look. “You know you’re going to win anyway, so we don’t need to stay.”
“True,” Buck says, looking at Eddie and seeing a flash of panic cross his face. What the hell is going on? “Don’t make me tie you up and force you, Eddie. I’ve still got rope in my car from our rock climbing last weekend, and I know how to tie a strong knot.”
Eddie chokes on air, his face flushing as his eyes widen. “Bathroom,” he stammers out, pushing past them and practically jogging to the bathroom.
“Okay, what the hell is going on?” Buck asks Tommy, looking at him because Tommy’s smart and observant. “He was fine, wasn’t he? Then he started getting all bitchy.”
“I’m starting to develop a few theories,” Tommy says slowly, that thoughtful look on his face. “Evan, he started getting irritated when we were talking about the frat bros and didn’t watch him bowl.”
“And? I mean, I know I tease him about wanting to win, but Eddie’s never been someone who demands attention,” Buck says. “I’m the needy one in our relationship, and Eddie’s the calm rock who indulges me.”
“Maybe he’s just getting exhausted trying to get someone’s attention,” Tommy says, giving him a pointed look. “Instead of an angry game of basketball, he lashes out about your ego and my attempt to keep the peace.”
“Wait, you think Eddie wants you?” Buck asks, blinking stupidly because he hasn’t thought about that but maybe he’s right. “Oh God. Am I a homewrecker? Were you dating him when we kissed? I cheated once before, and it was the worst thing I’ve ever done, and I promised that I’d never do anything like that again, but you’re telling me now that Eddie’s mad at me because I stole you from him.”
“Well this got incredibly awkward incredibly quickly,” Tommy says, running his hand through his hair. “No, that isn’t what I’m saying, Evan. I think we probably need to go find Eddie before he tries to sneak off.”
“I’ll go to his house if he does,” Buck mutters, his mind reeling from what Tommy’s said and how Eddie’s behaving. “Something is bothering him, and I need to find out what. He does this thing where he puts his problems and emotions away in boxes and represses them, thinking that’s going to make them go away, but it just leads to things blowing up eventually.”
“I’ve noticed,” Tommy says dryly, leading Buck towards the bathrooms. “The repressing his emotions and ignoring problems part, that is. I think I might be witnessing the blowing up part, too.”
“Like Eddie said, you aren’t that much older than we are, so you can stop the cryptic wise old man routine,” he says. Eddie is leaving the bathroom when they reach it, and he looks like he’s been caught. “You had better now have the Uber app open on your phone, Eddie.”
“Jesus, can’t a guy go piss in peace?” Eddie asks, his bitchiness still present. “What? Were you hoping for a show, Buck? Into watersports now with all the other new experiences you’re going through?”
“If I punch you, you’re going to deserve it,” Buck says, clenching his jaw. “You’re just trying to provoke me, aren’t you? Why? Is it because Tommy kissed me when he was taking you out on dates? It’s not because I’m bisexual, you’re not a bigot even if you’re being a dick right now.”
“What?” Eddie looks at Tommy. “You were taking me on dates? I mean, I thought flying me to Vegas for an expensive fight was really beyond the boundaries of a new friendship, but I figured you had an extra ticket anyway.”
Tommy groans, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “No, I wasn’t dating you,” he says, giving Buck a look. “I wasn’t dating him. Sure, I was interested because he’s hot and we have a lot in common, but it was immediately clear that it was platonic, and he had a girlfriend. Besides, I felt sparks with you when we did the tour, and I was planning to get that beer you owed me and see if anything happened between us.”
“Who’d blame you for wanting Eddie?” Buck asks, smiling wryly. “He’s gorgeous and kind, even if he can be a bitchy asshole when he wants to be. He’s also got a great kid.”
“Evan, I’m not dating you by default,” Tommy says, reaching over to touch his jaw. “I saw you in the copter, and you were adorable, then I saw you in action, and you were sexy as hell.”
“But you’d have made those hang outs into dates with Eddie if he hadn’t had a girlfriend and had any shown interest at all,” Buck says. “I’m not mad, Tommy. Like I said, I totally get it.”
“No, Buck,” Eddie says, moving beside him, his attitude giving way to concern. He touches Buck’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “You’re not doing this. There’s no reason to withdraw like that. You’re an amazing man, so beautiful and kind and funny and loyal. Anyone would die to have you as theirs, and you’re not the second choice for Tommy. I’ve seen you two together, and he cares about you a lot. I’m sorry I let my bad mood cause so much trouble. I should have just shut up.”
“Why don’t you tell him why you became so bitchy, Eddie?” Tommy says, looking at Buck with a soft smile. “I never said that I dated Eddie. I said I was initially interested, the way anyone might be when they’re around someone fun and attractive, but you’re the one I couldn’t stop thinking about.”
“Can we get out of here? I’d rather not explain things in such a public place,” Eddie says, looking frustrated as he avoids Buck’s curious gaze.
“I’m parked outside,” Buck says, taking Tommy’s hand and squeezing it. He reaches for Eddie’s hand with his other one, gripping it tightly so he doesn’t try to slip away. “Let’s go. I’m ready for that explanation, Eddie.”
It doesn’t take long for them to leave the bowling alley and walk to his Jeep. Tommy gets in the back, which leaves the passenger seat free for Eddie. Buck starts the car, waiting until seatbelts are fastened before he drives off.
There’s a McDonald’s down the street, so he heads there. The silence in the Jeep is getting heavy, and he figures shakes and fries are a good ice breaker. He doesn’t have to ask for orders, already knowing what Eddie and Tommy prefer. Once they have their order, he drives towards the coast.
“Care to share, Eds?” he asks after the silence indicates that Eddie is going to have to be pushed to talk. That isn’t unusual, even if therapy has helped a lot.
Eddie sighs. “I was out of line,” he says. “I didn’t mean the things I said about you, Buck. I was just frustrated that you weren’t giving me attention, neither of you were, and I’m already sharing you with Tommy, and I felt like you were going to get tired of me being the third wheel. I can’t lose you, Buck.”
“You were jealous,” Tommy says bluntly. “It might be a new concept for you, Diaz, but you were acting like a rude asshole, and you said some very derogatory things about the man we love.”
“And I’m sorry, but I’m just so tired of seeing you two together and not being part of it. I want to hold your hand and kiss you and whisper sweet nothings, too, damn it,” Eddie says, looking at Buck with a stubborn expression on his handsome face.
What?!
Buck pulls over into a 7-11 parking lot and turns to face Eddie. “What?” He stops and looks at Tommy, eyes widening. “Wait. Back up. You said the man we love. We as in plural. And love.”
“Am I wrong?” Tommy asks, looking at Eddie. “If I’m wrong, just say it, Eddie.”
Eddie gulps and looks panicked again before he slowly shakes his head. “You aren’t wrong, Tommy,” he says quietly. “I love you, Buck. I’m in love with you, and I might be falling for Tommy, too, and it scares me to death, but I promised you that I wouldn’t lie to you, and I’m not about to start now.”
“Is that—is that something we can even do? Like three of us dating? Having sex together?” Buck asks softly, looking at Tommy. “Would you want that, babe?”
“I can’t say that I haven’t had the random fantasy or two about it,” Tommy admits. “It wouldn’t be easy, but would it really be much different than what we’re already doing? It would just let us actually include Eddie in the intimate moments that we share”.
Buck nods, thinking about it seriously because this is a huge deal. “Okay. Then why not? Let’s try this,” he says finally. He catches Eddie’s gaze and leans forward, moving his hand to his chin in a move he totally stole from Tommy. “Last chance to back out, Eds.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Buck,” Eddie whispers before he leans forward and kisses him.