"Really?! You're sure you don't mind? He's going to freak out. I always knew you were my favorite brother. Okay, uh-huh, bye-bye now."
My mom hastily set her phone down in excitement and ran to hug me.
"Andrew," she shrieked. "They said yes!"
I had been waiting with bated breath during her short phone call with her younger brother, my uncle Ryan. You see, I had just graduated high school and had been accepted to the University of San Diego. Having been born and raised in New Hampshire, I wanted to get as far away as possible. I was 18 and ready to spread my wings.
Unfortunately, my wings were a bit clipped up until this moment. I'd received a generous scholarship and financial aid package from the school and my parents were able to cover the remaining tuition except for room and board. Lucky for me, my uncle had recently relocated to San Diego with his husband from Los Angeles. Even luckier for me, they had just agreed to let me stay with them.
I had to beg my parents to even let me apply. I promised I would do my best to get scholarships, and I did. As an only child, I've always been super close with my parents. They wanted me to go to UNH or somewhere else local. I eventually won them over. They knew I was gay and everything, so in a way, I think they felt even more comfortable now that I'd be able to live with my gay uncles.
I was nervous and excited. I'd hardly been out of New England and I didn't know my uncles all that well. I saw them once a year a Christmas time, but it will be nice to at least have a home base so to speak. Sure, I had wanted to live on campus, but coming out of college debt free would be much more worthwhile. Plus, to be quite frank, Uncle Ryan and Uncle James were sexy.
Uncle Ryan was 36 I believe. He had short brown hair with a touch of gray at the temples. Green eyes that could light up any room, as did his dazzling smile. He was always clean-shaven when I saw him, and this was true in the pictures I've seen. He was taller than me, probably about 5'11". He was a lawyer that worked for a firm handling Hollywood clients. His husband, James, was equally sexy. He was 45 and owned a tech start-up that developed mobile apps. James grew up in Georgia and spoke with the sexiest Southern drawl. His voice was a deep base that matched his 6'3" stature and broad chest. He had similar dark brown hair and a close-cropped beard that bore tinges of auburn. Both of them always had bronzed skin from time spent in Southern California sunshine. They truly were the ideal power couple, at least in my eyes.
The two and a half months of summer seemed to drag on, naturally. Finally, the day came in late August. On a Friday morning, my parents dropped me off at Logan Airport with a tearful goodbye and I was on a plane headed to the West Coast.
Upon arrival, I gathered my suitcase and bags. I had texted Uncle Ryan once the plane landed and let him know what gate I would be arriving at. Surprisingly, the dry heat outdoors was a welcome relief after the frigid air conditioning from the plane and terminal. I swiveled my head searching for my uncles. I spotted Uncle Ryan and Uncle James standing beside a shiny black Tesla SUV. Both wore tight khaki shorts that came up mid-thigh and hugged every bulge of muscle and groin. They sported equally tight tank tops, baring hairy chests that looked firm from strength training. In winter I only saw them in parkas and sweaters. I never realized how fit they were. They both beamed at the sight of me. It made me feel welcomed and lessened my nervous anxiety.
"Andrew!"
Ryan trotted over to help with my bags.
"Good to see you, kiddo," he said, wrapping me in a tight hug. "Welcome to California!"
"Thanks, Uncle Ryan," I said, inhaling his scent of sweat and cologne. He carried my suitcase instead of rolling it, making his bicep and shoulders bulge. The heat was starting to get me checking him out. Just remember, he's your uncle after all. It's okay to look, though, right?
As we approached the car, James popped the trunk and helped stow the bags. Standing in front of them, they both seemed to loom over me. At only 5'7'', most people seemed to loom over me. My pale skin and blonde hair were a stark contrast to their darker features. You'd never guess we were related.
"Happy to have you with us, Andrew," said James in a deep rumble. His southern accent made me melt even more than the hot sun.
We all piled into the car, the air conditioning now a welcome respite. As James pulled away from the curb, Ryan started asking me questions about the upcoming semester and my major.
"Well, I'm undeclared for right now," I said, "but I think I'm leaning towards pre-med. I'm going to start with all the electives and basics first."
"Sure, that makes sense," said Ryan, "you certainly don't want to rush into anything. But damn, pre-med?! That's impressive. What do you think, James? Who knew our nephew would turn out both smart and handsome."
I was glad they couldn't see me blush. We left the airport and headed north, which confused me.
"I thought you two lived in San Diego?" I asked.
"Well, we do," said Ryan, "but we live just north of the city towards La Jolla. We wanted to be closer to the beach. It's not far from your campus, actually."
"Oh, great! That's convenient," I said.
"With that in mind, you're certainly welcome to use either of our cars to get to and from campus. We both work from home so it's no hassle to us."
"Really? Thanks!" I'd never driven anything fancier than a Toyota. This was a whole new world to me.
Half an hour later we were driving into their neighborhood. The wide street was lined with expensive-looking homes and well-manicured lawns. At the end of the lane, James pulled into a driveway of a more modest stucco-style ranch. He parked next to a navy BMW convertible and we all exited the car. I went to grab my things but my uncles beat me to it. They led me through an open garage door and past storage bins, boxes, and bicycles.
I followed them into a kitchen full of chrome appliances and white cabinets. It connected to a great room complete with a dining table set, brown leather couches, bookshelves, and a large flat screen television. The space was naturally lit by vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. Everything seemed tinted with golds, tans, and soft blues. A large sliding glass door looked out onto a tiled patio, an inground pool, and a large succulent garden. Two separate hallways are attached to the end of the dining area and the side of the living room. The house seemed almost shaped like the letter E, only the patio and pool in the middle.
"Oh, wow," I said. "Your place is amazing."
"Thank you," exclaimed Ryan.
"We bought the cheapest house on this street and fixed it up to our liking," said James.
"C'mon," said Ryan, "I'll show you to your room."
Ryan took off towards the hallway off of the dining area and James tailed him with my bags. I followed them and found the place I'd be staying for the next four years. The room was simple but decorated similarly to the great room. It had a queen size bed, a dresser, and a small computer desk.
"This is perfect," I said. "You guys are amazing, really. I don't know how to thank you."
"Well, for starters, you can take up some of the cleaning around here. I'm sure we can think of more things," said Ryan while grinning at James. "Let me show you around the rest of the house and then you can get settled in."
Ryan gave me the grand tour. There was a full bathroom complete with a washer and dryer just next to my room. He showed me to the other end of the house where he and James had their offices and master bedroom. That room was a palace all on its own. It had a large king-size bed, a walk-in closet, and an en-suite bathroom. We walked back to the great room and outside to the patio. I was happy to see in addition to the pool, there was a hot tub as well. I couldn't believe my luck, this place was an oasis.
"James and I will get dinner started," said Ryan when we returned to my room. "Why don't you unpack a bit and I'll let you know when it's ready."
"Sure thing, thanks again, Uncle Ryan."
Ryan merely smiled and squeezed my shoulder. They left, leaving the door open behind them. I opened the blinds and was happy to see my window looked out onto the patio, and pool. The hot tub was just outside my window. I took a deep breath and went about unpacking. I got lost in my organizing. I wasn't quite sure why I'd brought so many sweaters. Oh well, those can go in the back of the closet. I was folding the last of my underwear and setting them in the chest of drawers when James softly knocked on the door.