EDGEWATER DR by Mike Austin
nasstop@yahoo.com
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II.
As soon as we returned to the house, passing a few neighbors and their waves as we drove through the neighborhood, Jack emptied the Explorer and asked, "mind me using the washer/dryer set-up" and then went on, "Second thought, lemme just run through outside first, you got a bin or something I can wash em in first and then maybe use the washer"? "I can spray off the duffle bags too out back and let em air dry on that back side of the carport in the sun". I reached for some powdered soap I used to scrub the carport pavement, in the small utility closet, returned and handed the box off to Jack who nodded as he located the big plastic tub I used to start tomato plants, but hadn't this year. He went about soaping the clothes down in the tub, rinsing them and started the first washer load of his now pre-washed clothes. That followed with two additional loads of laundry and he followed suit by soaping and rinsing out the duffle bags, then hanging them to dry out back of the carport as planned. The entire process occupied 2 ½ non-stop hours of his Sunday morning. "Mind if I wear these shorts and stuff while in here and I'll wash em after all my stuff is done, that way well, my clothes won't be so raunchy in here, messin' up your place", he asked? "Keep em well I mean wear em long as you need, no rush to wash them or such, Ben won't be back until late Summer, if then and likely won't recall even leaving them here" I countered. All laundry done, he joined me at the bar again, and found me making a list of groceries and other supplies. "What sort of stuff do you like eating, besides burgers and fries and what personal items, you think you need, I'm making a WalMart list and want to get your input and needs on the list at the same time", as I showed him my list and asked for his add-ons? He looked it over, moved the list back to me and asked "well it would be swell to have some chocolate ice cream", I nodded agreement and added it to the list.
He then approached the yard design project. "What did you have in mind, and will your current yard guy get pissed at me doin this instead" he posed? I grinned, crooked my finger to summon him to follow me to the patio. Off the living room was an enclosed and lattice-covered patio with 24" pavers as the base and a 4-place patio table and chairs, all surrounded by 30" high benches or planters and everything in them was dead. I then led him out of there to the back yard, waved wide at the sparse grass and mesquite tree punctuated lawn and broken down redwood plank fence that outlined the property. Turning once again, we walked through the carport to the sides and front yard, again waved wide and said, "this is the task before you, should you chose to tackle it all"? The neighbor in the new MacMansion across the street, came out, climbed in his Range Rover without even a glance or nod, much less a wave, donned his sunglasses and drove away. "That's David. He and his partner, lover, husband Jackson are both attorneys and stuck up BIG TIME, impressed with their new place and consider mine `in their backyard' since they face Ocean Drive and the bay and you may or may not get the, uh-huh, pleasure, of meeting them if you're around long enough", I went on, "they were here last Summer and had pool parties almost every weekend and were noisy as fuck, prompting some of the other neighbors to call the cops on them". "I stayed out of sight and just turned up my stereo to counter their insensitivity, but figure they think I was the one phoning the cops, but wasn't". Jack just shook his head a few times and asked if I had a large tape measure, pen and pad? I took him to my office for those items, "holy sweet Jesus, this is amazing" he offered as he scanned the 50s designed furniture, art and accessories. "This room is my sanctuary, when I need to escape, or get depressed and need to regroup, or when I just want some classic rock, a glass of wine, take in a sunset and let the day end", I added. While the rest of the house is pretty much public domain, this space is private and personal for me" I closed the cabinet and the conversation and led Jack back downstairs. "We'd better be giving some thought to lunch unless you're not hungry yet", I asked? Jack held back his enthusiasm until he was about to explode and added, "not now, I wanna get some dimensions done before it gets too hot and get some ideas down for us to talk about" he paused and added, "what's the budget or do we need to just take one piece at a time"? I replied openly, "show me your overview and then we can discuss specifics and any ideas or suggestions, etc that I had in mind, and about the budget, you don't worry about that one".
My cell rang, it was Brandon another nephew, asking if I had plans for the July 4th weekend as he and some buds thought about coming down for the week and crashing if I was going to be away it would be cool? I told him I had some plans but not any that had me out of town that weekend and suggested he make other arrangements. I explained to Jack that Ben and Brandon were brothers, two years apart and both jocks who had most things given to them, including BMW SUVs and neither was out of college yet. My brother and I had had more than one set to about spoiling them and well that conversation usually ended in door slamming and one of us storming away. I sometimes reminded him that dad wouldn't sanction them being spoiled to the extent they are. Jack listened intently, then raised the pad, pen and tape measure and nodded to the patio, to begin taking his measurements. "You never answered me about lunch", I reminded him. "Your call dude" came his response. His ass looked so hot in those Hang-10 shorts I thought to myself. Stunning, just stunning. I returned to the kitchen to begin a meal.
The a/c came on with a torrent and I realized the temp must be heading up and fast. I opened a bottle of sweet tea and walked to the patio, no Jack. Went to the carport, no Jack, went out back passed the drying duffle bags and found him at the far edge of the property line in the back yard, retrieving the tape measure, and could see even this far away that his Tshirt was soaked from sweat and outlining his upper torso, pecs and hard pointy nips. My dick rocketed in my cargo shorts. I waved him to head this way and as he neared, told him lunch was about ready and handed off the sweet tea which he downed like a vacuum flask, and suggested it was getting pretty warm out and he'd better wrap it up for a while.. As he neared, you could see the outline of his crotch in the wet shorts and the dimple that was his belly button, where the Tshirt was clinging. I found myself envious of that Tshirt. "About 15 minutes to lunch, time enough for you to hit the shower and change, I'll see if there's another pair of shorts and T handy for you to change into" I offered. He grinned, raised his arms, pinched his nose and we both laughed as he disappeared to "his suite" and a shower.
Lunch was ready. I ran up to the guest room and rested another set of shorts and a T, back downstairs and over to Jack's `suite', knocking before entering with the clothes. The shower was running, he was humming some unknown tune and I hollered in, "clothes are on the bed", the shower curtain tugged open and he asked "what" to which I repeated and told him not to delay, lunch was ready; then returned to the kitchen and got plates set for a self-serve meal. Jack appeared, hair still wet against his head, "damn didn't know I was this hungry all of a sudden; oh and BTW that David guy was pulling in as I crossed the carport, I gave him an eyeful, tugged up the T n showed him some skin and treasure trail, just to fuck with em". We both guffawed, then set out loading up plates of oven roasted chicken breasts, twice baked potatoes, some Italian green beans and for dessert- chocolate pudding, which I apologized for since hadn't had a chance to hit the store yet for the ice cream. "You really showed off your treasure trail to David" I asked. "Hell more than I've even seen", I countered, with that he stood up, raised his T and stomach pumped his abs a bit then sat back down and resumed eating. We finished eating, had dessert, cleaned up the kitchen and I asked about his favorite TV shows or if he even had any for Sunday night? He admitted to liking Nature and NOVA on BS but that he didn't often get to see them at the Y. I scanned the channels and found both on in succeeding hours so offered the remote his way and advised there's when they'll be on tonight. He was excited as a little kid, "you mean it, we can watch these you're ok watching these"? It was hours before they came on, so we set about going over some of the dimensions he'd taken for the patio and back yard, as he reassured me the sketches weren't to scale or anything yet, but this was the general area s/f to be addressed in each zone. I listened closely, impressed with his knowledge of measurement areas, description of plantings, the conditions of water sources, lawn, soil, trees, shrubbery, built-up containers and "THUH FENCE" as he emphasized, rolling his eyes. As I expressed my degree of his knowledge, he admitted to liking plants and had worked for a few landscape contractors but never in a "big capacity" just mostly a laborer. I suggested we may need to explore his skills there.
Getting direct, I asked if he smoked, did pot or any drugs or drank, liked watching porn or had any dicey practices? He looked stunned after our serious conversation about PBS and the landscaping project. "Just asking" I added, "since we don't really know much about each other", then " yet"? "No to cigs, drugs or taboo shit, sometimes pot and HELL YEAH to porn" came his reply. He looked for acceptance, I nodded and added, "pretty much the same here, though enjoy wine and frozen margaritas- not an alcoholic though" and closed, crossed the room to the den PC display and keyboard and pulled up Pornhub. No password on this device so you can pull up whatever you like to watch. If you hang around long enough, we'll see about a laptop for YOUR SUITE and we both laughed. I'll give you a list of family who may come around and their stories and some neighbors, good and bad ones as well. As a little background, my folks were one of the first to build here in Country Club Estates. When they built this place, I heard there was a scandal about the contemporary design, but the out of town architect that designed and supervised construction, shut the naysayers down big time, even getting it featured in the local paper. That suited my mom as she always pushed the envelope and dad just let her run the home show and be a bank president's charming wife and entertain the pants off guests and neighbors. When us three kids came along, she was devoted to us, our schools, homework and school fund raisers where she championed activities and the PTA. We were spoiled but never realized it, but looking back, WE WERE BIG TIME!! !!! Oh and there'll maybe be days when I'm out at properties or buried in my office upstairs and you'll be on your own, just don't get crazy and cause a ruckus or think I don't enjoy you being around. I'm just used to doing my thing and going my pace and such and may not always remember to ask if you need anything or go anywhere. "Do you drive, I mean have a license" I queried. "Yep and it's current" Jack replied. I nodded approval. "Uh Brad, one thing well couple of things more" Jack posed, "what about us doin things, ya know sex: and I appreciate the food and room/board, but ya think there's anyway to spare a few coins too, case I need to run across that street for Coke or ice cream and you're not around and uh who do I say I am if your family or neighbors show up"? Leaning back against the desk where the PC sat, I remarked, "I said there were no strings", then added "unless you want sex, which I would enjoy in point of fact, I think you're HOT; ah yes how's $100/week for the landscaping and other chores sound and you get all the showers, food and ice cream you can eat; and as for who you are- well you're Jack my right hand guy, my go to guy helping me around here and the properties and you stay in the side room- suite; and if anyone takes issue, they can come to me- though doubt anyone will", I closed and walked upstairs. In my office, I poured a glass of wine, donned the headphones and relaxed to the long version of Led Zeppelin's track of "Stairway to Heaven" and a Moody Blues album, leaving Jack downstairs to search for and enjoy porn.
About an hour and couple of glasses of wine later, I came downstairs. Jack was asleep on the couch and neither the tv or pc were on. While the afternoon sun was beaming hot outside, the a/c had the place cool and shade over the patio assured there was no reflected heat on the wall. I lifted the lightweight shawl off the Eames chair and laid it across Jack, left him asleep and went out to the Explorer for a file in my case. David and Jackson were pulling out of their drive, saw me, paused and lowered the driver window, "saw your new `friend' nice", nodded and drove away. I returned to the kitchen, fixed an iced tea, sat at the bar reviewing the file on the Leopard Street property, when Jack came from behind, reached around me and gave me a hug. "I'm very lucky right now" was all he said and disappeared upstairs, urging me to follow..........