Falling for His Father Pt. 03

Two hours later, we'd been all over the northern part of the county...looking at the place where the Rams' stadium used to be in Anaheim before they left for St. Louis in the mid-90s...seeing the area of Anaheim where Gwen Stefani is from...and a whole bunch of other things that I couldn't have cared less about. But, of course, I had to act like I was in awe of all of it.

Right around the time when I thought I'd had a fake smile plastered on my face for so long that it was going to stay permanently frozen like that, we pulled into a seafood restaurant in Newport Beach.

Minutes later, the hostess seated us out on a back patio that looked out over the water. It really was a breathtaking scene. I would've enjoyed it a lot more if I didn't have so much on my mind. As she slipped menus onto the table in front of us, she smiled. "Tristan will be your waiter today. He'll be with you shortly!"

"Thanks!" Pete said as she walked away. "So... Before our waiter gets here, there's something I want to talk to you about. I've been thinking a lot lately...going back and forth. But, I think it's the right thing to do and I want to see what you think."

"Okay," I said, inwardly freaked-out at what this might be. "Lay it on me!"

"I feel like bringing you down here to introduce you to my parents, even though you didn't get a chance to meet my mom because of her health scare, I think it's brought us closer together. Rob, I know how I feel about you and I know what being with you back at school this past semester has done for me. I flatter myself to think you feel the same way. Otherwise, why would you be here with me right now, on my home turf, meeting my family? I think the time's right for us to move in together."

This is the point where, if it wasn't an absolute necessity that I keep my wits about me, I would've fainted from shock. It's really striking how two people can perceive a series of events in completely different ways. Where Pete thought this week had brought us closer together and reaffirmed how he felt about me and thought I felt about him, I thought this week had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that I just wasn't that into him. What could I say? In roughly six hours - give or take - Pete would be told that not only was his idea of our blossoming relationship a mirage, but that it was his father that I was truly interested in. I had to slow Pete's roll on this plan or he'd only end up more hurt. "Uh, are you sure about this, Pete?"

"Absolutely!" he smiled. "I've been thinking about it for weeks. This is right. I can feel it."

When I hesitated, because I was searching for the right thing to say to put him off, he took my lack of a response as proof that I wasn't into the idea. Of course, I wasn't. But, I couldn't let him know that. Ted wanted to be - and should be - the one to tell Pete about us. I had to continue playing the devoted boyfriend (shudder) for the time being. "I don't think it's the right time to think about us moving in together."

"Oh," he said, glancing downward to his menu.

"Listen, Pete," I continued my explanation. "We've both got a lot of our plates when we head back to school tomorrow. We've got the rest of the semester to get through. We've got final projects, final papers, and final exams. Why don't we talk more about it over the summer?"

There wasn't exactly elation on his face, but it wasn't the look of crushing disappointment that had been there just a moment ago. "Okay. I guess I can understand your point. We'll talk more about it before the fall semester starts. But, I want you to give it some serious thought. I think it's the right time!"

"I will," I smiled. I felt like a total ass hat for stringing him along like this. But, telling him that I'd rather move in with his old man wasn't the appropriate response in this situation.

We'd been looking the menu over for another couple minutes when the hostess returned to see no water or utensils on the table. "Excuse me, guys. Has Tristan been by to greet you, yet?"

"No. He hasn't." I replied.

She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry about that. I'll go find him. He'll be over shortly."

"No worries. We're still looking at the menu," I called to her as she hurried away to find our wayward waiter.

"I'm really looking forward to the rest of our day together," Pete remarked. "After we're done here, I want to drive down the coast through Laguna to Dana Point and show you that area down there."

"Oh, good!" I grinned at him, trying to make a funny. "We can see where L.C., Stephen, and the rest of the gang used to hang out," making a reference to the MTV reality TV show from a few years back, Laguna Beach.

Pete chuckled. "You and your reality TV addiction! I'm not sure if we'll have enough time, but maybe we can head farther inland from The Point and see some of that so you can see that The OC is more than just beaches and seaside towns. Then, I wanna get you back home for the rest of our evening."

My eyes widened. I needed to change the subject fast before Pete had a chance to spring the idea of dinner and an intimate evening in bed on me. Maybe now was the time to tell him I was heading back up to campus tonight. "Speaking of that, I have some news you might not like."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"I've decided I'm going to head back up to school tonight."

"What?! Why?!" Pete's eyes widened and I could tell he was disappointed. "I haven't done anything to cause this, have I?"

"No. Of course not! I have a paper that's due in a couple days that I need to put finishing touches on and I have a project for another class that I need to put in some work on. When we get back to your dad's, I'm going to call an Uber and arrange to have someone take me back."

"I'm sorry that you're leaving ahead of schedule. But I understand why. Why pay for an Uber, though? I'll head back early with you so that you don't have to pay."

No way was I going to let that happen. Pete needed to stay so that Ted would be able to clue him in to the fact that something was going on between us. "I think you should stay and come back tomorrow morning like you planned," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Between this sightseeing trip and tending to your mom, you haven't had a chance to spend any time with your dad, just the two of you. I think you should call him and make plans to have dinner together and spend some quality time before you go back tomorrow."

"Are you sure, Rob? I mean, I don't mind driving you back. Dad understands that I'm a man now...with a man of my own." I had to try hard not to let a look of distaste cross my face.

"I insist, Pete. You stay and chill with your dad. I won't hear any more talk about you cutting your trip short to drive me back to campus!"

Pete grinned. "Okay. You win! I can't argue with you when you've made up your mind."

"Good!" I said, smiling at him and inwardly relieved that I'd talked him out of leaving early with me. "Let's finish up figuring out what we're going to have to eat. If this waiter of ours ever shows his face, we should know what we want to order."

I may have only had my eyes on my menu for about 30 seconds when I saw someone approach out of the corner of my eye. "Hi, fellas. I'm Tristan. I'll be your waiter tonight." I could sense him placing water glasses and utensils on the table while I continued to survey the menu. "I'm so sorry about the delay. What can I bring the two of you to eat?"

When I looked up from my menu to look at Tristan for the first time, my heart dropped at the familiar sight in front of me. I had come face to face again with the guy who, along with his older boyfriend, Rick, had happened upon Ted and me yesterday afternoon at the beach after we'd just had sex.

Before I could utter a word, Tristan got excited when he saw me. "Hey! It's so good to see you again! Small world, huh?"

"You know our waiter?" Pete asked.

Ignoring Pete's question, or maybe not even hearing it, Tristan kept talking excitedly. "I know I said so yesterday, but I can't tell you how beautiful it was to see you and your man so in love and so hot for each other that you were moved to have sex on the beach like that. I couldn't stop gushing to Rick for the rest of the day. I think he was almost ready to put a piece of duct tape over my mouth eventually." Tristan looked around. "Where IS your man, by the way?!"

"Uh..." I couldn't think of what to say. I didn't dare look at Pete. This was it. Exactly what neither Ted nor I wanted to have happen had happened. Our affair had been exposed before Ted had a chance to let Pete down easily.

Tristan rubbed my shoulder. "Actually, I'll be right back to take your orders. Okay, Sweetie? I promise I'll be back in two minutes!"

As Tristan walked away, I slowly turned to face Pete, his face red with anger. "Sex on the beach with your man, yesterday?! What was that guy talking about, Rob. You and my dad didn't... You know... Did you?"

He had inadvertently given me a small opening to weasel my way out of this sticky situation. Was I clever and deft enough to actually do it, though? "What?! You think your dad and I had sex yesterday while we were at the beach?"

"The waiter just said he saw the two of you. And you WERE at the beach yesterday..."

Trying my best to seem offended at even the suggestion Pete was making, I snarked. "You're going to believe someone who barely makes minimum wage over me? I've never seen that guy before in my life. All your dad and I did yesterday at the beach was look at the water and have a long talk, getting to know each other better."

"Then, why would he sound so convinced that you were the person he'd seen having sex on the beach?!"

"Look at me, Pete," I said, pointing at my face and hoping I was sounding convincing. "I'm one of the most non-descript-looking white guys on the face of the planet. Do you know how many guys there probably are in the entire Greater Los Angeles-Orange County area who look like me? It was probably some other guy our waiter saw."

For a moment, Pete just glared at me. Then, exhaling, he seemed calm. "You know... You're probably right."

It was working! "Of course I am, Pete! I wouldn't do that to you." Inside, I felt like I was dying just a little bit. I hated lying like this. But I wasn't going to cheat Ted out of being the one to tell Pete about us. I knew he could soften the blow better than anyone else.

He laughed. "Yeah. The idea of you and my dad. Completely ridiculous!"

Trying to convincingly laugh along, I got out of my seat. "Before he comes back to take our order, I'm going to hit the restroom. I'm feeling a little lightheaded. I want to splash some water on my face and take a leak." As I stood up, my phone fell out of my shorts pocket.

When I leaned over to pick it up, Pete seemed concerned. "Are you okay, Babe?"

"I'll be fine!" I smiled at him.

"Okay. But you'd better leave your phone here with me. You don't want to falling out on the men's room floor and breaking. Or, worse, in the urinal."

Grimacing at the prospect of having to fish it out of a urinal, I placed it on the table. "Thanks! I'll be back in a jiffy!"

Later on, I stood in front of the sink, looking at myself in the mirror after having just splashed water on my face, I didn't like the person I was looking at. I hated all of this subterfuge and lying. It wasn't who I was. I couldn't wait to be in a car, heading back up the coast so that I wouldn't have to look Pete in the face and lie to him anymore. And, to that end, I needed to find Tristan before I went back to the table to make sure he didn't bring up my tryst with Ted again. When I exited the men's room, fate had me practically run face first into

Tristan. "Hey. I'm glad I ran into you. We need to talk..."

Ignoring my statement, Tristan said in a rush, "Hey! I just put your order in with the kitchen. It's gonna take a while to make an order that big. But I'll have your food out to you as soon as it's done!"

"What do you mean? Did my friend order our food?" I didn't like anyone else ordering my food and I hoped that Pete hadn't ordered for me.

"Oh. The guy with you ordered six entrees of the most expensive item on our menu and four bottles of our most expensive champagne."

"WHAT?! What in the world is he thinking? I have no idea what's going on here. But, I'm going to find out." I started to turn and head back to the table, completely forgetting that I wanted to tell Tristan not to bring up yesterday again, when he grabbed my arm.

"He said you knew what the plan was. Your friend placed the order to go, told me that you were going to wait for the food to be prepared, and then he left."

Completely floored, I couldn't hide my shock and confusion. "What the fuck?!" It was then that I remembered I was in a public place. "I'm sorry. I just don't understand any of this." I turned and walked back out to our table with Tristan following closely behind. Just as Tristan said, the table was empty. He'd even taken my phone with him! "Oh my God!"

"You didn't know what he was doing when he placed that order, did you?" Tristan asked.

"No. I didn't. Do you think you can cancel that order? I don't have the size bank account to afford six $30 meals and four $300 bottles of champagne."

"Yeah. I'll go tell them to stop now."

When Tristan left, all I could do was stare out over the water. I was dumbfounded. How could Pete do this?! I thought I'd covered my tracks pretty well. But, he must've known I was lying when I told him his father and I hadn't had sex on the beach yesterday. How could I have been so stupid?! I even left my phone with him!! I had Ted's number saved in my phone, but I didn't know it off the top of my head. I didn't even know Pete's number by heart. I couldn't call either of them.

It was then that Tristan rejoined me with the hostess from earlier joining him. Tristan touched my shoulder. "Hey... I canceled the order and explained to Heather what happened. She agreed that you don't have to pay for anything that was ordered." The hostess nodded sympathetically.

"Thanks," I said to both of them. "I really appreciate it. Listen, I hate to ask this, but I need a huge favor. I need to get back to the house I'm staying at ASAP. Is there any way you can drive me?"

Tristan got excited. "Absolutely!"

"Uh, no!" Heather interjected. "You're always ditching work, Tristan. I've had it up to here with you. You leave now and you can just not bother coming back!"

Tristan looked dejected. "I'm sorry, man. I really need this paycheck. I can't drive you back."

"I understand," I was kind of pissed at Heather. But, given how embarrassing this whole affair was and how big a fool I'd both been made and made out of myself, I didn't feel like I was in any position to cause even more of a scene. "My friend took my phone when he left. Can either of you at least call me a cab or an Uber?"

"Sure. I'll go call now." Tristan said, walking back inside to grab his phone.

Because of factors that were out of my control, it took nearly two hours for the driver to pick me up and another 45 minutes to get back to Ted's house. When he dropped me off, I didn't see Pete's car in the driveway. Maybe, by some stroke of luck, he hadn't come back home and Ted and I could strategize how to deal with all of this.

I paid the driver and rushed inside, finding Ted in the kitchen with a half empty bottle of Scotch and a glass halfway empty.

"Oh my God, Ted! I'm so glad you're here! We've got a BIG problem. Has Pete been back here?"

Ted downed some of the Scotch in his glass. "Yeah."

"Where is he now?"

"Halfway back up to school. Somewhere else. At this point, who knows?"

"So then, you know that he knows about us?"

"Yeah. I figured that out when he got back home earlier."

"I'm sorry, Ted. It all happened so fast and I thought I'd covered our tracks. But, it turns out I didn't. Where we went for lunch... Our waiter was that young guy from the beach yesterday who was there with his boyfriend. Before I could do anything to stop him, he blabbed about seeing us yesterday."

Something was off about Ted. I mean, it was obvious from the way he was acting that he and Pete had had a big fight when Pete had gotten back home. But Ted seemed disconnected from everything that was going on. I guessed that the half-empty Scotch bottle had something to do with it. "Hey... No use crying over spilled milk, right?" Ted downed the rest of the Scotch in his glass and proceeded to pour some more.

"I know this isn't how either of us wanted this to come out. But, at least now we can stop lying. Pete can start healing and you and I can be open about how we feel about each other." I reached up to try and rub his shoulder, but Ted jerked away from me.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Rob." Ted said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

It wasn't lost on me that he hadn't called me Robby. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean that you and I... We aren't going to happen."

Had I just stepped through the looking glass into an alternate reality? "But everything that we both felt over the past week. The moments we shared... The way it felt when we kissed...when our bodies were together in bed or on that blanket on the beach. You said you wanted to explore the spark between us."

"Yeah," Ted spat out before taking a drink. "I said all that stuff so that I could get you into bed. I'm a divorced man, Rob. I haven't had sex in more years that I care to count. I figured out that you were hot for me and I was horny enough to take advantage of you."

"No you didn't," I said to him smugly. "I would've known if that's all you were doing. I felt something genuine between us and I know you did too!"

Ted laughed. "I'm really good at saying whatever I need to say to get what I want. And what I wanted was to get off. I used you, Rob. Not that it was that difficult. A whore like you made it pretty easy." He knocked back the last of the Scotch in his glass.

Before he could pour more, I reached out and covered the glass. "Stop it! I know why you're doing this. You think that, by pushing me away, you'll make up for Pete finding out about us the way he did. All you're doing is hurting everyone involved."

Ted sneered at me and snatched his glass out from under my hand. "All you piss ant college kids think you know everything. Don't try to psycho analyze me! Now, I think it's time you head back to college. Find someone there to psycho analyze." He poured yet more Scotch into his glass.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not until you snap out of it and we figure out a way to make things right with Pete so we can be together."

Ted took a drink. "Not gonna happen, kid. Now, let me put this to you in a way that even a dumbass like you can understand. I've called an Uber and made arrangements for someone to drive you back up to school. You have from now until the car arrives to go upstairs, get all your shit together, and get the hell out of my house!"

I wouldn't have moved from the spot, except that I felt tears starting to well up in my eyes and was actually on the verge of crying. I didn't want Ted to see that he'd had that effect on me, so I turned and went upstairs. I could tell in my heart or hearts that Ted was doing this because of Pete. But, I felt that, if I did anything more to press the issue, it would only cause more trouble. So, I did what Ted asked. I packed my stuff up and, in ten minutes, I was back in the foyer just as a knock came. It was the Uber driver.

I walked back into the kitchen to find Ted where I'd left him, Scotch bottle in hand. "The car's here. I'm heading out."

"Good." Ted practically spat at me, spittle on his lips.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Ted," I said sadly.

"Yeah," he said back with no emotion in this voice. "Shit happens."