"Man, I can't believe you kept this from me," Max said. The instant they'd gotten home, June had left him to go to her place while he called his friends around. Dale stood leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms folded. He was surprised by how annoyed Max was. "Dale knew, and yet I'm the one left in the dark."
"I didn't know how to tell you," Trey said. "You're always balls deep in pussy or joking around about shit. This is not shit to me. I love June. I'm in love with her."
"You're my best fucking friend. Both of you are my best friends, and yet you keep me in the fucking dark." Max's voice rose in the small space.
Dale remained quiet, and Trey just looked at him. "I didn't know how to tell you."
"Fuck, Trey. A simple, 'hey, man, I love June' would
have worked."
"And you really think you'd accept that? After
everything we put her through growing up?" Trey asked, getting angrier by the second.
"That was in high school, Trey. We're all different now. Back then I didn't work every fucking day of the week, but I do now. You think I'm irresponsible that's fine, but I pay my rent on time. I'm never late to work, and I get the groceries every Friday without fucking fail. I may love fucking pussy, but I'm not a fucking moron loser who doesn't know right from fucking wrong."
Okay, when Max got angry and upset his language went down the toilet. Trey remembered this from growing up, and he was seeing it now.
"Why are you so angry? I kept it from you. June didn't want anyone to know about us."
"Dale knew before me. Molly knew before me. You guys don't think I'm a great friend at all. I took a fucking arts course and all the shit so I could help you with this place. Get Inked was your baby. I couldn't even stand to touch needles, but I did it for you because I love you like a brother." Max turned on Dale. Trey saw his mistake. He'd been judging his friend like the whole town judged him. "And you, I've been keeping yours and Molly's secret for a long time now. I was the one who helped her home after you'd fucked her because you were too busy drinking off the alcohol. I'm there for both of you. I help you and sacrifice for you."
Trey felt horrible. Everything Max was saying was true.
"I go out and fuck women. They know the score. I'm not going to settle down, but the only thing different between the two us is the fact you both have found that one woman for you. I've not got a June or a Molly to take my troubles away. I've got my two friends but no woman. I fuck women who know the score. I'm not a bad person for being who I am."
Before either he or Dale could stop him, Max stormed out of the house.
"We fucked up there," Dale said.
"We've been judging him the way the rest of the town does," Trey said, running a hand down his face. Coming back home was supposed to be easy, yet he'd just hurt one of his closest friends.
"He does pay the rent on time. He's never late for work, and I remember how much he hates needles. Shit, Max has always been there for both of us." Dale moved away from the counter to walk around the small kitchen.
"Could you bring him back here? I've got to go with June to her parents, and I want to introduce them. Please?" Trey asked.
The door being knocked interrupted him.
"Yeah, I'll do that."
Both men walked toward the door to see June waiting.
The late November month was brisk compared to the heat they'd just come from.
"Hey, June, it's great to see you making an honest man out of my guy," Dale said.
"Thank you." She turned to him. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah."
Locking up the house, he waved goodbye to his friend and helped June into the car.
"You seem sad," June said.
Sitting behind the wheel he set off toward her parents' house.
"I fucked up with Max. He was the last to know, and he pushed some hard truths home about how life has been."
"Tell me about it." June rubbed her hands together. He saw she was shaking.
"Are you cold?"
"No, nervous. You're going to be the first guy I brought home to meet my parents."
"I'll try to make a good impression." To distract her, he told her everything that happened between Max. She stayed silent, listening to him talk. "I want you to meet him tonight."
"Of course. I know Max. I don't need to be introduced to him."
"No, I'm doing this for all of us. I need to show him I trust him. I'm doing this as a couple."
She nodded. "Okay. I can do that."
He pulled up outside her parents' house. She climbed out of the car, and Trey did the same. This was it.
Taking hold of her hand, Trey let her take the lead. He held her hand tightly.
When they got to the front door, June knocked. "You're knocking?" he asked.
"I told them I was home and I'd visit them. I don't want to surprise them too much."
Lexie, her mother, answered the door. Elliot stood behind his wife. Trey met his stare refusing to back down.
"June, honey, you're home."
She was pulled away from him to be embraced by her family. Trey stood back waiting for his moment.
"Mom, Dad, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Trey." June gripped his arm, smiling up at him and tugging him forward.
Her parents hesitated for several moments.
Elliot spoke up first. "Is this what you want, June?" he asked.
"Yes, I love him, Dad. Please, I've never asked you for anything. I'm asking you for this," June said.
"You used to bully my daughter," Lexie said, accusation clear in her eyes.
"It was my biggest mistake."
"Mom, Dad, please."
Trey stroked her cheek stopping her from speaking.
"It's okay. They have a right to doubt me. I love your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong. I'm going to be the best man for the job, and I'm not going to let her go or hurt her."
After his words he was finally let into the house. Dinner was a tense affair, and Trey felt the disapproval coming from Elliot. He didn't want to upset the man who owned his building, but he couldn't walk away from June.
Lexie warmed up to him over dinner, and when it was time to leave he was invited back the following week.
Fixing things with Max was not that easy. His friend was insulted by his lack of faith in him. Trey knew he'd made a mistake and would do everything in his power to make it right.
That night he slept with June in his arms. It was the longest Sunday he'd ever had to deal with. Love was not easy, and being the bully in their story, Trey knew it wasn't going to get any easier until he proved himself.