Attraction - 2. Chapter 2 – Friendly Intervention

As it turned out, Cara had also made plans for her, Trevor and a few of their friends to go for Sunday’s game. I roped in my fag hag so as to not feel completely out of place. With Jenny for company I was looking forward to a great evening of rating hot guys.

When I first moved to Portland, the charm of brown eyed boy next door types that populate this city had blown me away. Everyone was cool and dressed to impress. However, it was not always easy to tell the straight ones apart, especially due to my tendency to be attracted by the gruff looking ones. Jenny’s taste in men was similar, so we developed this habit of rating guys on their potential slot on Kinsey scale. It was our favorite way to kill time in public places.

We met Cara, Trevor and their friends at the stadium. Our group was a healthy mix of girls in sunny dresses and guys in shorts & tees. Drew & Marissa – who I had met before were married with kids, Drew being Trevor’s college mate; Ashley – buxom brunette, was Cara’s BFF; Jake –blonde all American, was Ashley’s BF; and finally Kent – tall, dark, bearded dream boat, was Cara’s brother. Jenny and I exchanged a look as soon as Kent was introduced. Our entertainment for the evening had been decided. We’d work on the ‘Is Kent Straight’ puzzle.

Soon enough the game started and we settled down with our beers, Jenny squeezing in between Kent and me. Now just so you know, I actually do enjoy watching soccer. But the thing is, Timbers are not the winningest of all teams and American soccer is not all that electric. I turn up mostly for the amazing atmosphere which the Jeld Wen field offers; that and the eye candy. After following the game on the field for a bit, Jenny and I started on our other own.

Jenny set the ball rolling.

“So where do you live Kent?”, she asked, her voice sophisticated and husky.

“San Francisco, well temporarily in Seattle” Kent replied, keeping his eye on the game. “How about you?”

“I am over on the East side of Portland. We’ ve got the best bars there.”

“I’m sure”, Kent nodded, looking directly at Cara and offering a smile of agreement before taking a sip of his beer and resuming watching the match. Brilliant! Not only was the man easy on the eye, he was polite and boyishly shy. Jenny let him be after that, not intending to come across as clingy. A chic looking svelte blonde, she was wearing green hot pants and had her slender legs crossed. It was my job to see whether her shapely limbs were having any effect on our companion. So far, beyond a casual once over that even I would give, there hadn’t been any strong indication of interest despite my friend’s best posing. After a while Jenny and I diverted our attention elsewhere. She would discretely point out guys and we’d each say a number. At half-time Kent got up to get some more beer. He asked if we wanted any. Both Jenny and I said yes.

“But how will you carry them?”, Jenny asked in a concerned voice. “Jon! Why don’t you go with Kent?”

This was Jenny’s push for me to take over as the active investigator. Since it was also a sensible suggestion I agreed, but not before ribbing her for offering my services.

“You’d think that in the twenty first century women would stop expecting guys to carry drinks for them.”

That earned me a bird from Jenny and prompted Kent to let out a guffawing laugh.

He joined in, “Totally man. That and opening doors. It’s exploitation.”

Conversing with this dude became easy thereon.

“You work with Trevor right?” he asked.

“Yes. Well we work in the same office but for different business groups. I am into product planning and intelligence.”

“Must be interesting.”

“It is, plus it pays my bills. I better find it interesting.”

He laughed at that. It seemed that Kent was quite eager to be pleased by me. Then I chided myself for reading too much into simple gestures. I decided to get more inquisitive as we joined the line at the bar.

“So what do you do?”

“Oh, I am going to Grad school.”

“Where?”

“Stanford” he said, avoiding my eyes. “Working on my business degree.”

My eyebrows hit the roof which he noticed.

“I was just lucky to get in.”

“You don’t have to be apologetic about it” I chided, “ Hmm… Impressive! So when do you finish?”

We had reached the bar. He answered my question after placing our order.

“Another year. At the moment I’m in Seattle, doing my internship. Took it up because it was closer to Cara. I was looking forward to vising her on weekends.”

“I am glad you did.” Oops, that slipped out inadvertently. I kept my cool and gave a well-meaning smile to diffuse un-necessary awkwardness. I shouldn’t have bothered though, because Kent ignored my remark completely. Or he did not read too much into it. He too two drinks leaving me to carry only my own.

“There you guys are” Jenny shouted over the noise when she saw us. She had shifted over to sit next to Trevor, leaving Kent and me next to each other. The ice seemed to have broken as Kent became more talkative, with both Jenny and me.

He was genuinely embarrassed about his academic credentials which we milked for multiple jokes. Pretty soon he had earned the nick name of ‘hot shot’. The pun was not lost on him as evidenced by blushing cheeks. By the time the soccer match finished, mine and Jenny’s game had been forgotten as we became more interested in getting to know the great guy that Kent seemed to be.

Outside the stadium we said our byes. Trevor, who had pretty much ignored me throughout the evening gave me a fist bump. Surprisingly, Cara hugged me. Jenny hugged Kent and offered to take him to the bars on her side of town on his next visit. There was no hint of any flirting; I looked.

Next up, I was about to extend my hand when Kent opened both his beefy arms and engulfed me in them. Instead of patting my back in bro style, he rubbed it warmly. This was cozy and I could not help getting all tingly. Upon releasing me he looked both at me and Jenny to say,

“I expect to be entertained well by you guys on the next visit.”

Watching the glint in his eyes as he held my look, I realized that the girlfriend, boyfriend topics had not been broached at all. That was quite stupid of me. Did the guy know I was Gay and therefore susceptible to his charm? Waving him (and others) off, I treaded back with Jenny towards my apartment.

“So?” she asked.

“So what?” I retorted knowing fully well what she meant. That earned me a pinch.

“Ow. Don’t abuse me.”

“Then stop acting dumb.”

“Fine!”, I sighed. “He’s sweet and gorgeous. But we didn’t figure out if he’s gay.”

Jenny did not say anything. As I looked at her sideways, the knowing smirk on her face annoyed me.

“What?” I asked.

“What, what?” It was her turn to get punched in the arm.

“Bitch!”, she screamed.

“What do you know?”

“Why should I tell you?" she growled rubbing her arm. " You’ll just act all loserly anyway.”

Before I could punish her for that she jumped away.

“You know I’m right”, she argued.

“Just tell me will you?”

“Well” she dragged on, “when you guys went to get our drinks, Trevor told me that Cara had invited her brother over with a specific purpose.”

My heartbeat picked up.

“What purpose?”

“To set him up…” Jenny made a dramatic pause there and turned towards me with a megawatt smile, “…. with you.”

I stopped in my tracks. An immense dread had taken over and my heart seemed to be on the verge of explosion. Jenny burst out laughing at my panicked expression.