“This is not what I want you around. You shouldn’t have to share a room with anyone. I thought fraternities had some standards of who they let in and how they ran things. We can get you an apartment off campus.”
Hunter’s jaw clenched. “I don’t want an apartment. I like it here. My friends are here. And I like that it’s not the Ritz-Carlton. I can be normal for a while.”
His dad’s lip curled. “Normal? You know what that’s a code word for? Mediocre. I didn’t raise you to be average.”
“My grades are good. I’m going to my classes. I’ve never missed a practice with the team. Where I live is not affecting anything that’s important. Back off, Dad.”
His father stepped forward, fire and brimstone in his eyes. “You watch your tone with me, son. You’re here because I allow you to be. If I think it’s not serving your best interests anymore, I will move you back home. A&M will have a spot for you. And your mother will stop moping that you’re gone, so don’t push me.”
Anger steamed through Hunter, but he knew this was a fight he wouldn’t win. The more defiant he got with his father, the tighter his dad would squeeze. He needed to fake surrender. He let out a breath. “Sorry. I know you’re looking out for my best interests, and I appreciate it. But you also raised me to be an independent man, and I feel like I’ve earned the right to make some decisions on my own. If my grades or performance on the team suffers, then let’s talk. And if you doubt what I said about drugs, check the tests I have to get regularly for the team. I’m doing well here. I don’t want to spend this visit fighting.”
His father tucked his hands into his pockets and stared at him for a long moment. Finally, he took a step back and the tense set of his jaw relaxed. “Fine. You’re right that we shouldn’t argue when it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. We’ll talk about this at another time.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded at him. “Now change into something that doesn’t make you look like a hobo and put on a jacket. We have reservations at The Stermont in twenty minutes.”
“We could just grab a burger. There’s a good place right off campus.”
His father shook his head and glanced at his Rolex. “No. I have colleagues who are joining us and they want to meet you. Ten minutes. Wear a tie. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
Hunter groaned after the door shut. Great. Just what he needed. Not only his father but also his father’s friends. He knew what that kind of lunch would be like. Look at my son the baseball star. Look at my heir apparent. Dance, monkey, dance.
He wished he was still in bed. Even if that meant he’d be faced with an awkward conversation with Devon. He’d take that any day over this.
But this was his life.
Being away helped him forget it was there. But it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
***
Devon waited until he heard the town car drive away before he came out of the chapter room and into the kitchen. “They’re gone?”
Ahmed looked up from the math book he was flipping through at the table. “Yeah, you’re safe. Why exactly were you hiding again?”
“I told them I couldn’t go to lunch with them because I had a date. But I left my keys in the room.”
Ahmed sniffed. “I don’t blame you for bailing. His dad seems like a prick. He talked to me slowly like I didn’t understand English. I wanted to be like, ‘News flash, old man: You’re the one with the goddamned accent.’”
“Yeah, the guy’s a major asshole.” Devon rubbed his arms, the house still chilly despite the sun being up.
Ahmed pointed to the counter. “There’s coffee left if you want some. May warm you up.”
“Thanks.” Devon went over to pour a cup.
“I can’t believe you guys slept here last night. It was like a meat locker.”
Devon kept his back to Ahmed while he fixed his coffee. “Hunter had extra blankets so we just bundled up.”
“When I called him this morning about his dad, he sounded freaked out. I thought he had a girl up there with him or something.”
“No, just me. But we were tangled
up together after a long, sweaty night of hot man sex. Didn’t want his dad to find out.”
Ahmed snorted. “Right.”
Devon smiled and sipped his coffee. It hadn’t been the truth, but it’d been closer to it than Ahmed would ever believe. He turned around and leaned against the counter. “His dad would flip his shit if he knew Hunter had a queer for a roommate. I think Hunter was worried I’d out myself to him.”