Revised version copyright 2006 by the author.
It was Terry who introduced me to Richard and Wes. He'd called on Saturday afternoon to make sure I was going to be at Splash, the new downtown bar, that evening.
"My friends from Houston are in town and I'd really like you to meet them," he said.
"Any friends of yours are friends of mine, Terry, but you know," I said, "I'd be more excited if it was ONE friend you wanted me to meet."
He wasn't in the mood to listen to me lament my current state of singlehood. "Be there or be straight. Gotta run."
The bar was noisy, smoky and packed. I bought a beer, fought my way through the crowd, and found Terry with two men. He shouted out introductions and we all shook hands.
"Why don't we go out to the back patio," Terry suggested.
There were fewer people outside and the music wasn't piped out here. We found a place where we could all sit and look at, as well as hear, one another.
Terry's friends, as I'd guessed, were partners. Richard was tall, fortysomething, clean-shaven and putting on a bit of weight. He wasn't what I would call handsome but had a pleasant, open face and a nice smile. Wesley, Wes for short, was about five years younger, a few inches shorter, and very definitely what I would call handsome, with a square jaw, dimples, and a bushy mustache.
I'm slow to warm up to new people, but I liked them right away. Richard let Wes do most of the talking, smiling when his partner said something funny. Wes kept a hand resting most of the time on Richard's knee. His striking looks caught stares from the regulars, but Richard didn't seem in the least jealous. He even pointed out an especially obvious and hot cruiser who walked by.
"Honey, go snare him so we can take him back with us," he said.
Wes laughed as he got up to take a leak. "You wish."
At that moment Terry excused himself to greet another friend, so Richard and I were left by ourselves. By now I was a bit drunk and found myself glancing at the bulge between his legs. Looking up, I saw that he had caught me checking him out. His smile told me he didn't mind.
"It's our first visit to Austin and we've had a wonderful time," he said. "All of Terry's friends are so nice. I hope you'll visit us next time you're in Houston."
"Actually I come down pretty regularly," I said. "Business and the opera."
His face lit up. "You go to the opera? Wes and I subscribe. Which series?"
It turned out we had the same series, Saturday matinees.
"This is great. Most of our friends at home aren't into opera. You'll be there in January for Rigoletto? Give us a buzz and we can go together."
By the time Wes returned, we were deep in conversation about the opera season.
"Brian heard Pavarotti sing the Duke live, Wesley. Can you imagine?"
Wes looked at me and made a wry face. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into, Brian," he said. "Once Dickie here finds a fellow opera queen he does NOT let go."
I shrugged and smiled. "I don't mind." It was true. I wanted to spend more time with these men.
Terry came back at that moment. "So how's it going, guys?"
"Brian's going to be our house guest when he comes down for the Verdi," Richard said, then turned to me. "Right, Brian?"
All I could do was say, "Sure."
Terry raised his eyebrows in my direction. "My, don't we rate. I've never gotten a weekend invite from these two cheapskates."
Wes snorted. "Some people just aren't cultured enough."
Terry shot back a smartass retort and our conversation quickly degenerated into bitchy hilarity.
"They're darling," I said in the sudden quiet of Terry's car. We had just dropped Richard and Wes off at their hotel. My voice was hoarse, my sides sore from the evening's talk and laughter.
Terry nodded as he swung the wheel to take me back to the bar and my own vehicle. "Together ten years and still crazy about each other. I don't know how they do it."
He grinned. "Don't you go trying to break them up. I saw you giving Richard the eye."
"Okay, I admit I thought he was hot. But so is Wes."
Terry nodded. "They're both quality guys." He raised his eyebrows at me. "You really lucked out, getting invited. I want a full report."
"Brian!" Richard's voice exclaimed on the phone six weeks later. "We've been waiting for you to call. You're still coming this Saturday, I hope?"
"If you'll still have me."
"Of course! Meet us in the lobby of the theater for drinks, about a half hour before? We'll make plans."
They were waiting for me at the top of the escalator that led up from the ground floor of the opera house to its elevated lobby. Richard was dressed up like a Texan, in sport coat, jeans, boots and bola tie, while Wes looked more conventionally dapper. I stepped off the moving staircase and was gathered with a shout into their open arms.
Richard and Wesley were serious fans--they had orchestra seats. During intermission I came down from the balcony and found them in the crowd, holding drinks. To my pleased surprise, there was a glass of wine for me.
We discussed the performance so far. I laughed at Wes's blunt assessment of the leading tenor.
"Honey, I'm clapping for those tights he's wearing, not for those squawks he calls high notes."
"What are we doing after?" I asked, during a pause in the conversation.
Richard and Wes exchanged a glance. "Well, dinner for starters."
Warning chimes sounded at that moment and we started to return to our seats. I felt the light touch of Richard's hand on my back.
After the opera we met in the lobby and walked to the restaurant. It was small and convivial, an oasis of intimacy on the ground floor of an otherwise dark and silent skyscraper. The manager greeted Richard and Wes as old friends and seated us in a booth, the two of them sitting across from me.
The food was delicious and conversation flowed as easily as the wine. By dessert time I was quizzing the two about their past.
"So how did you guys meet?"
Wes said, "Richard cruised and seduced me. End of story."
Richard rolled his eyes. "He's so crude. I went to buy a new suit. Wes was working in the men's department. Something clicked when we saw each other. I took a suit into the fitting room, got my pants off and before I know it he's knocking on the door, asking if he could help."
"Excuse me?" Wes said in mock indignation. "I believe I remember you asking ME for help, standing with the door wide open so the whole store could see the hardon in your boxers."
Richard winked. "What can I say, it was a slow night." He gave Wes an affectionate shove. At that moment I became aware of a pressure against the outside of my left calf. Richard was sitting opposite me. Was this a come-on? There was no way to react without making a scene. My heart began to beat faster and I said the first thing that came into my head.
"You guys are great together. What's your secret?"
The two of them looked at each other and chuckled. Richard turned to me. "There's no secret, Brian. You work hard at it, that's all."
"I think we do have a secret," Wes said. "We share everything."
"Maybe that's true."
The pressure on my leg was gone, but now I felt a gentle hand squeeze my right knee. Was it Richard again, or Wes? I felt dizzy from the long day, the wine and covert attentions I was receiving. When Richard raised his eyebrows and said, "Shall we?" I stood so quickly I upset my fortunately empty coffee cup. They smiled at my sudden enthusiasm.
Richard paid the bill, waving away my inquiries about how much I owed. At the door he turned to me.