Beckett trained men in the art of managing interrogation, yet he felt like he’d landed in the middle of the hot seat. He still hadn’t gotten any clear answers. What did “married a few years” mean? Could Arik be married to Julian? The panic of such a thought had heat rising up his neck, flushing his cheeks even as everything inside him rejected the idea of Arik’s marriage to Julian. Julian was single. He focused his attention on Arik. His brain still tried to connect the dots as he spoke. “I haven’t been out very long if that’s what you’re asking.”
“It wasn’t, but why haven’t you?” Arik asked, turning curious or perhaps concerned again.
Beckett tried hard to navigate any possible landmines being set out unseen in front of him. He let out a sigh and tightened his grip on his bottle in one hand and the napkin in the other.
“I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of being gay.” What a major understatement. Beckett took a long drink, draining the beer, washing away the bitter taste of his half-truth.
Arik made a motion to the waitress then pointed to Beckett’s beer.
“Family issues?” Thane asked. Of course, the man would poke around for more.
“About me accepting myself?” Beckett asked. “Nah. It was all me. I was raised in an extremely masculine environment. The survival camp idea started from a hobby my father and I used to enjoy for fun. I struggled. Last year, I realized I was tired of being alone, tired of hiding.” Beckett turned his full attention to Thane, not backing down. “Your club was my first venture into this world of being out openly.”
Beckett sat back in the booth, feeling vulnerable about telling his story. It had taken a lot to get to this point, and just about anything could resurrect that old discomfort. He was a work in progress, to say the very least.
“So, you’re saying your idea of a fun time is to be lost out in the wilderness with nothing but the clothes on your back.” Arik’s gaze slid down his body. “How does it feel to dress like that?” Arik asked. The man was intuitive. Beckett reached for his new beer bottle.
“It’s not easy for me.” Beckett chuckled at his truth then took a drink, watching as both men dug into their food again.
“You know, Layne, in all the years I’ve known Julian, I’m not sure I’ve seen him outside other than to move from point A to point B,” Thane said.
“How do you two know Julian?” Beckett asked.
For the second time in the last few minutes, the uber-sophisticated Thane choked on the bite of food in his mouth. This time, Arik’s whacks to Thane’s back were done with a good-natured chuckle. Thane coughed, then took a long drink, draining his cocktail glass. Thane’s discomfiture made Beckett wonder if Thane and Julian had dated before. He got the draw to the man. Julian was a gorgeous guy, next-level handsome. It might also explain the protectiveness that Thane had over Julian.
“That’s a story for Julian to tell,” Thane finally answered.
“Then tell me why I’m here.” Beckett looked down at his new wristwatch. He had about twenty minutes before he was due at Reservations, and the conversation with these two men hadn’t offered him any worthwhile insight.
“Did Julian call you back?” Thane asked.
That question struck a blow to the center of his chest. Beckett decided Thane hadn’t told Julian about his call. If for no other reason than Beckett was a customer, he’d assumed Julian would have called him back.
“How old are you?” Arik asked. The volley of questions had Beckett turning to Arik.
“Thirty-three,” he answered without hesitation.
Arik nodded at Thane. Something unspoken passed between the two men.
“So, I guess we’re going to do this.” Thane ran a napkin over his lips and pushed his plate a few inches away. “You’ve probably guessed Julian’s been going through something. Those of us who care for him are worried. I’m not from here. I’ve only stayed in California because Levi’s here. We’re heading back to Maryland. Levi’s going back to medical school.”
“And I live in Dallas,” Arik added.
“Julian’s on the mend, but not quite where he should be, at least where I wish him to be. So, Layne and I put our heads together and decided Julian could use some self-defense training.”
The picture being painted didn’t look good. He had no idea what Julian might have gone through, but from the look on their faces and the tone in Walker’s voice, the story was probably bleaker than he’d let himself imagine. His heart took a dip.
“Levi told me that Julian was being promoted within your company. That more of these clubs were going to be built,” Beckett said. That being the main reason Beckett had agreed to do the training so close to the naval station instead of having the trainees sent to him for classroom instruction then straight into the field. He wanted to get his foot in Reservations’ door and to be on Julian’s radar before he took off.