Page 12 of Good Friends
“Why? Especially if he’s just going to gaslight me.”
“You don’t know that,” Paul insisted. “Honestly? If the guy’s been pretty direct all this time you’ve known him, have you thought Jayce might be bullshitting you?”
Gavin turned. “Why would he do that? He has no reason to.”
Kent arched an eyebrow at him in a way which reminded him so painfully of Porter that his guts clenched and a sharp, piercing pang lanced his soul. “Maybe he’s got his eyes on your guy. What better way to get him than to salt some bullshit around?”
“But he’s my friend.”
“Who’ve you known longer?” Kent countered.
“Well, Porter, a little longer, but—”
Paul snorted. “Dude. Seriously? Youneedto talk to Porter.”
“Look, I’ve survived dating one gaslighting asshole in my life and that was enough. That’s in addition to bullshit I went through growing up. I survived having a narcissist as a dad, and the gaslighting I endured from him could help me make five therapists rich.
“Geoff, the guy I was dating when Porter and I first met as friends? He led me around and bullshitted me and cheated on me. I didn’t think anything was wrong then, until friends finally started telling me because they were worried the guy might end up giving me something.”
“Well, has anyone else said anything to you about Porter and Jayce being together?” Kent asked.
“I mean, I know that they played. Hell, Jayce asked me to ask Porter for him, and I said sure. But Porter’s the kind of guy who doesn’t advertise his shit. That’s one of the things I love about him, that he’s averse to drama. At least, I thought he was.”
Kent and Paul exchanged a knowing look before Paul focused on him again. He motioned between him and Kent. “Wenearly fucked up epically because we didn’t communicate clearly due to our own personal baggage. Taught us both a damned valuable lesson.”
“Amen,” Kent said before sipping his coffee.
“And,” Paul continued, “it taught us to fucking admit shit. Even if it’s stupid shit.Communicate. If you can’t dothat? Honestly? You don’tbelongin a relationship with anyone.”
Gavin bristled at that. “Why the hell hasn’thecommunicated withme, then?”
“Because,” Kent said, “maybe there’s nothingtocommunicate because Jayce is blowing smoke up your ass. Guy doesn’t sound like someone worth putting your faith in, from what you’ve said.”
Gavin leaned back against the counter to sip his coffee, both hands wrapped around the mug.
Tim and Paul both stared at him, too.
“What?”
“At the very least,” Kent said, “do the adult thing and tell Porter you’re back and say look, I’m done. If you don’t want to explain why, okay, fair enough. But don’t pull this chickenshit garbage. That puts you down at his level,ifhe’s even bullshitting you in the first place.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Kent sighed. “I think you’re making a mistake, because I can already tell you don’t want to and will avoid that confrontation, but whatever. You’re an adult.”
But it was Kent’s words still echoing through Gavin’s brains an hour later as he headed north toward his apartment complex on the northern side of Sarasota. Gavin now worked for Addleson Aviation, a company based out of SRQ, also known as Sarasota-Bradenton International. The company’s focus was on helicopter repairs, maintenance, and inspection, with a side business of contracting for aerial photography and surveys.
Upon his return to the States two weeks ago, Gavin had bought a good used pick-up truck, rented a U-Haul, and moved his shit out of the storage unit in Lakeland where Porter had helped him store everything. Before going to Costa Rica, he’d sold most of his furniture, like the couch, bed, and kitchen table. Stuff he didn’t want to pay to store. He knew he could order new IKEA stuff when he returned and have it shipped to wherever he ended up moving.
If he even needed it, because he’d be staying with Porter, at first.
Or, that had been the plan.
Part of him hoped Porter would ask him to move in permanently.
It’d taken every ounce of self-control he’d had not to stop by Porter’s house and have it out with him then.
Except he was afraid Porter might not be home alone, and catching him with someone would have been worse.
