Seven Is My Lucky Number

Chapter 3

Chapter 3Altamonte Springs, Florida

The next morning Jake awoke to the smell of fresh coffee. And something else he couldn’t put his finger on. Cinnamon! What were the guys up to? He quickly pulled on his shorts and found his way to the kitchen.

“What are you guys making?” he asked.

Kyle handed him a cup of coffee. “Kirby’s making his famous waffles. How many can you eat? I should warn you they’re the size of a truck tire.”

“Probably several. I’m really hungry. I didn’t have much dinner last night.”

“Yeah, and there’ve been a lot of, shall we say, activities since then. Kirby, better make a double batch.”

The three men sat down to enjoy their first feast together. There wasn’t much conversation as they made quick work of the big batch of waffles. After they finished, they sipped their coffee, Jake thinking about what to say next. Kirby spoke first.

“Jake, Kyle and I have been talking this morning. For some time now we’ve been wanting to open our relationship to a third person. We weren’t quite sure how to go about that. We could post something on a website, we supposed, but given the large number of insincere guys we’d probably have to work through before we found the man we were looking for, if we ever did, we weren’t very enthusiastic about doing that.”

“Then last night you came along,” said Kyle. “You seemed to be exactly what we were hoping to find. Honest, sincere, no attitude. Totally safe as you hadn’t been sleeping around. Your good looks and the good s*x were just the icing on the cake. I think we’d both decided that we wanted to ask you to stay with us even before we brought you home.”

“Stay with you?” asked Jake, not getting their meaning. “What do you mean? For a few more nights like last night, or what?”

“We want you to live with us,” replied Kirby. “Become partners with us in a three-way relationship.”

“We know it’s pretty soon to spring this on you,” said Kyle. “And normally, we wouldn’t ask anyone to live here with us this quickly. But we’ve been looking for a while, and we’re just sure you’re the one. And we don’t want to miss the chance at having you here. From what you told us, you’re looking for a place to live, having just come to Orlando. We decided to extend the invitation to you before you make other arrangements. Think about it for a while if you want if you don’t have to immediately get out of the place where you’re crashing. And if for some reason it doesn’t work out with us, you’d be free to leave.”

Jake was having a hard time processing such a generous offer, one that had come so quickly. “But to be fair to everyone,” he said, “we’d all have to share expenses equally, right? I don’t even have a job yet.”

“We understand that,” said Kyle. “And we’re fine financially. We’re not doing this because we need another person to share expenses with. We’re willing to let you stay here without worrying about that until you find a job. Then we can sit down and figure out what everyone thinks is fair. I’m sure you’ll find a job soon.”

“Yeah,” said Kirby, “actually, we have some friends that work at one of the discount department stores. Almost the whole store is staffed by gay men, including the manager. I’m willing to bet you could get a job there.”

“Well, it all sounds great,” said Jake. “I love you guys, and I’d love to live here. But I’m trying to get a grant for grad school. I don’t know what kind of a lifestyle you guys have. Would it be quiet enough for me to study?”

“You’ll have your own room. Whenever you need to be alone to concentrate, you’ll be able to do that, though we hope you’ll sleep with us most of the time. Our bed is definitely big enough for three. Kirby and I usually just watch TV quietly after dinner, cuddling in each other’s arms. Long ago we learned that we have vastly different tastes in music, so we always wear headphones so as to not torture each other. I think you’ll find that we won’t distract you.”

“Except maybe when we want s*x with you.” Kirby laughed, reaching out to give Jake a hug. “But seriously, when you need to study, maybe pull an all-nighter, we’ll leave you alone.”

Jake put his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have met these two so soon after his breakup with Pete. “It all sounds perfect,” he said. “Almost too perfect. Are you guys sure? I would never want to do anything to ruin what you two have.”

“We’re sure,” said Kyle. “It takes a special kind of person to be able to function successfully in a three-way relationship. There’s a very high degree of sharing and being considerate of others. Kirby and I believe we are that kind of person. And we believe you are, too.”

“Then I’m in,” said Jake. He stood. “I think this calls for a group hug of some sort.”

“Maybe a bit more than that,” Kirby chuckled as the two men stood up and hugged him tightly.

“We never finished off that bottle of wine last night,” said Kyle. “It’s not noon yet, but I’m sure the sun is over the yardarm somewhere.”

“Seems to me that wine got things going last night,” Jake said.

“Yeah, let’s hope it does again,” said Kyle, grabbing the bottle from the ‘fridge and pouring them each a glass. “How about a toast? To new beginnings, new friends, and new relationships.”

“Yeah, and great sex.” Kirby laughed.

* * * *

That afternoon Jake moved his things over to Kyle and Kirby’s house. Larry was surprised he’d found a place so soon. Jake told him that he’d talked to a couple of guys at the last bar the night before who were looking for a roommate. Given that Larry was straight, he didn’t elaborate. He didn’t think Larry would understand. And given the fact that he hadn’t returned to Larry’s house after visiting the last bar, he’d let his friend come to his own conclusion.

Kyle and Kirby gave him a sunny bedroom that had been used as a guest room. It had a single bed, which ostensibly Jake wouldn’t use much, as well as a desk that would work well for studying. To celebrate the occasion, they did a barbecue on the back deck and talked all evening as if they’d been friends forever.

“While you were getting your things,” said Kyle, “I called my friend who works at the discount store, the one we told you about. He told me to send you over anytime. He’s sure they can use you.”

“That would be great,” said Jake. “I hope it’s full-time. But I have another guy to meet this week about a job, too. That one wouldn’t start for a few weeks, and it’s seasonal. So another steady job is going to be a must.”

“What’s that job?” asked Kirby.

“I’d be an actor in a haunted house downtown.”

“We know that place!” shouted Kirby. “Great fun. What would you be doing?”

“You name it. I’ll always be in costume.”

“Cool.” Kirby smiled. “Maybe if you’re dressed as a cop one night your boss would let you wear the outfit home and then we could…”

“Down, boy,” Kyle ordered. “Jake is going to get the wrong idea about why we brought him here.”

“That’s okay,” Jake laughed. “I’ve already experienced Kirby’s healthy libido. I’m fine with it.”

“Just call me the life of the party.”

“Seriously, though, I don’t think I’ll be wearing that kind of costume. The owner told me I’d be in Victorian dress, or maybe a monk or some kind of ghoulish monster.”

“Oh, yeah, we remember those.” Kirby chuckled. “You could wear one of those home any time you want.”

“We’ll see,” Jake said. “But if you really want to play dress up, I’m sure we can find costumes somewhere. It seems to me, though, that last night you were just anxious to have everyone out of their clothes. Never mind any dress-up.”

“Variety is the spice of life,” said Kirby. “Don’t be too surprised if you come home one night and find two mild-mannered nurses in Superman outfits.”

“If you can turn down your thermostat,” Kyle said dryly, “it’s about time for us to be thinking about hitting the hay. We’ve got an early morning.”

“Okay, okay,” Kirby answered. “Jake, will you come to bed and cuddle with us?”

“I’d like nothing better,” Jake replied.

* * * *

The next morning Kyle gave Jake a key to the house and the location of the store where his friend worked. “Just ask for John,” he said. “He told me he’d be there all day. And help yourself to any food that’s in the house. What’s ours is yours now. Don’t worry about replacing anything until you have a job. We can figure it out then.”

“Thanks, guys,” Jake told them. “What would I have done if I hadn’t met you two?”

“I don’t know. Lived a boring existence in a straight man’s house?” Kyle smiled. “Just make yourself comfortable. You have a home here now.”

Jake didn’t waste any time pulling out Wyatt’s business card and giving him a call. Wyatt told him to come right over, proceeding to show him the house and even some of the costumes he might be wearing. Then he took him out to the garage behind the house to show him his 1932 Mercedes.

“Wow,” Jake whistled. “And you park this in front of the house when people are coming over?”

“Yeah. It’s alarmed and all, and there’s a sign asking people not to touch it. But you can understand why I’d still want you to check on it often.”

“Absolutely,” Jake agreed. “So I’ve got the job?”

“Oh, yeah, of course. I thought we’d already decided that. With your background I really don’t need to interview you. I’ll be calling you in a week or so to tell you when I’m ready to start. I still have to hire a lot more people, but once I have a dozen or so I imagine we can get started.”

They shook hands. “Thanks,” said Jake. “I’ll be waiting for your call.” Jake was relieved Wyatt hadn’t asked for references. It wasn’t like he had a police record, but after the dust-up with Pete he didn’t want to have to give his former address or anything else that might lead back to his previous life. The less said about that the better.

He headed on over to the store where Kyle’s friend worked. John didn’t even take him into the office for an interview. “From what Kyle told me about you, I have no doubt you’ll be a good fit here. How many hours do you want?”

“I might have to be a bit flexible for a while. I was just hired to work at the haunted house. I guess you probably know that place. It seems everyone does.”

“Oh, yeah. That will be a fun job. Just let me know what you need. When that job ends after Halloween, I’m sure I can bump up your hours, as the Christmas season starts soon after that.”

It was only noon, and Jake returned home already having been hired for two jobs. He smiled, thinking about how Pete had insinuated that he was useless. Guess he was wrong.

Looking in the refrigerator, Jake was glad to see Kyle and Kirby seemed to maintain a diet similar to his. There was lots of fruit and yogurt, whole wheat bread, and fresh vegetables. He made himself some toast with strawberry jam and had a yogurt and a banana. There was a little leftover coffee in the pot, so he poured it into a mug and placed it in the microwave.

Sitting at the kitchen table and staring out at the deck where they’d had their barbecue the previous evening, he thought about the good times he’d already had with his new friends. No, that wasn’t right. They weren’t just friends. They were already his partners. They already had a strong bond. It was so perfect he hoped it would go on forever.

He smiled as he thought about them. Tall, mature Kyle, often the voice of reason or the one who made the responsible decisions. He was like the glue that held the three of them together. Mischievous, ever happy-go-lucky Kirby. He was the horny little bastard that often ignited things between the three of them.

He wondered what his contribution was going to be, how he’d complement the two of them. They must have thought they were missing something if they’d been looking for a third person to join them. Was it just variety, another person to bring into the bedroom to spice things up? No, he knew it must be more than that. Perhaps they liked the idea of watching someone who was starting from scratch making a new life for himself, sort of like transplanting a tree and watching it grow and mature in its new surroundings. And they could feel they’d enabled the process, having given him a chance when he was down on his luck. Whatever the appeal was, he was glad—and thankful—for it.

He resolved that he would quickly begin to pay his fair share of everything. He already had one job, another one starting in a few weeks. He’d make sure he didn’t take advantage of the guys’ hospitality for very long. But what could he do right now?

He began to rummage through the cupboards, looking for the raw materials for a recipe that had been a favorite of his when his mom had made it: pineapple upside-down cake. There was plenty of flour, sugar, eggs, pretty much everything he needed. He even found a can of pineapple rings in the cupboard and a jar of maraschino cherries in the ‘fridge.

When Kyle and Kirby arrived home shortly after five, they were surprised at the wonderful aroma that greeted them as they walked in the door.

“What’s that?” asked Kirby. “I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“I’m not sure,” answered Kyle. “Is it vanilla?”

“Maybe,” said Kirby. “But I think there’s something else.”

The mystery was solved when they walked into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter was a freshly made pineapple upside-down cake, its bright red cherries smiling at them from their cubby holes inside each pineapple ring.

“Wow,” said Kirby, addressing Jake. “You made this?”

“Yeah. I had to do something. You guys have given me so much already. A home, a loving relationship. You even got me a job.”

“So John hired you?” Kyle smiled.

“Yes, on the spot. He didn’t even interview me. He just said from what you’d told him about me, I was the man for the job.”

“Yeah, I have no doubt about that. You’ll fit right in there.”

“Well, I guess we’d better figure out what we’re going to have for dinner to complement this marvelous dessert,” said Kirby.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got that covered.” Jake laughed. “I went to the store and got some chicken and potatoes for the grill. It’s been marinating for almost an hour. It should be ready to cook any time now.”

Kyle and Kirby exchanged glances. “He cooks, he bakes, he shops, and,” said Kyle, looking around the kitchen, “by the looks of it, he cleans, too.”

“The kitchen wasn’t that dirty. It just needed a little straightening up, that’s all.”

“We’re usually pretty neat,” Kirby apologized, “but sometimes in the morning we leave things a bit of a mess as we’re heading out the door. It’s nice to know you’re the same. It seems to me we’re all going to get along really well.”

“I hope so,” said Jake. “I just had to do something for you guys. You’ve been so good to me, given me so much.”

“And you’ve also given us a lot,” said Kyle. “You may not think so, but you have. We’re so glad you’re here with us.”

“And already we can’t even imagine it without you here,” added Kirby. “You’re such a perfect fit, it’s like you’ve been here forever. There isn’t even a transitional period where we all get used to each other.”

“Yeah, that’s certainly the truth,” agreed Kyle. “Don’t ever leave, Jake. Please stay with us forever.”

After Kyle and Kirby took a shower, they all sat down to their first meal made by Jake.

“Tell me, guys, what do you do at the hospital? Is it a high stress job? Do you work on different floors, or together? Is it the emergency room? Surgery? Or some department of diagnostics?”

“Actually, it is the emergency room,” Kyle answered. “And we do work together. It wasn’t always that way. We were hired at the same time, right out of nursing school, but on different floors of the hospital. Eventually I managed to get transferred to emergency, as it was something I’d decided I wanted to do while I was still in training. I like the fast-paced environment, the challenge of having to make quick decisions under pressure, the feeling of success I get when we save someone in the nick of time or manage to ease the terrible pain they might be in after a car accident.”

“And I wasn’t too sure emergency was for me,” said Kirby. “It took a while for Kyle to talk me into it. But it was a chance for us to work together. I welcomed that. At first the pressure got to me sometimes, but I found having Kyle at my side calmed me down quickly. Now I can deal with almost anything.”

“And it helps that we have pretty much a dream team,” added Kyle. “We’ve all been working together for several years now, and we can almost sense each other’s thoughts. It makes diagnosis and treatment extremely efficient.”

“And last year the hospital recognized us for that,” said Kirby proudly. “The plaque’s on the wall over there.”

Jake got up from the table to scrutinize the plaque. “That’s some accomplishment,” he said. “It’s almost as if the two of you were meant to work together, accomplishing more as a duo than two people who aren’t life partners.”

“I’d like to think so,” said Kyle. “But in all fairness, I should give a fair amount of credit to the people we work with.”

They took their dessert into the living room, turning on an old movie and snuggling against each other. The warm feeling was something that Jake felt he would never tire of. As they began to feel sleepy, they moved to the bedroom, falling asleep in each other’s arms.