Rainbow Christmas

Chapter 26. Jeremy's Confession

Owen opened the door without even checking because he was expecting his ex, his best friend, or his ex-best friend to be on the other side of the door since Paul said he'd be there that night. But to his surprise, it was Jeremy standing outside the door, looking anxious. He let Jeremy in reluctantly.
"I hope you are not going to punch me again." Owen sighed.
"I'm here to apologize and..." Jeremy handed Owen a wine bottle, but he hesitated to continue.
"And what?" Owen stared at Jeremy after he accepted the wine.
"You broke up with Paul again, right?" Jeremy asked finally.
"Why are you asking that of me and not of your own husband?" Owen still felt sour after he broke up with Paul yet again.
Owen put the wine bottle on the kitchen counter, and Jeremy followed him. But to his surprise, Jeremy pressed him when he turned around and rubbed his cheek. Jeremy finally pressed his lips against Owen's; they kissed, and Owen felt hot suddenly. He knew that Jeremy was an attractive man, so he had no objections to the kiss, and in fact, his hand traveled to Jeremy's ass and squeezed it.
Jeremy smiled when they broke the kiss.
"That was a surprise." Owen smiled too.
"I think you are attractive, Owen." Jeremy blushed.
"So you are not doing this just to make Paul jealous?" He raised his eyebrows.
"You probably knew that he wanted me back because of the kid. But.." Jeremy hesitated again.
"But you enjoy being single now?" Owen chuckled.
"Is that bad?" Jeremy wrapped his arms around Owen.
"I'm not the person that you asked advice from. I was in an open relationship with Stella for five years." Owen sighed.
"Really? I thought that Stella would eat you alive if you were eyeing someone else. My marriage with Paul was an open marriage before, but Paul decided to stop. He likes a steady partner. I was in love with one other man we dated, but he was in love with Paul, and Paul decided that he couldn't do it anymore when the guy wanted to exclusively date Paul." Jeremy sighed. "He's such a nice guy; he doesn't deserve us."
"Stella doesn't want me to date a man." Owen smiled bitterly.
"That's odd; she doesn't have gay men kissing fantasies? Because a lot of women found that hot." Jeremy chuckled.
"No, because she had some suspicion that I am in love with Paul and she hates gay people. That's why she avoided you and Paul like a plague." Owen pulled Jeremy in for another kiss.
"You tasted like candy," Jeremy whispered.
"Why are you here kissing me instead of your husband, though?" Owen smiled, and his hand started to grope Jeremy's groin areas.
"Fuck me, Owen, please?" Jeremy pleaded.
"Why?" Owen pulled away a little.
"Because Paul was the last man I have been with for the longest time, and I want to have sex with someone else before I get back with him." Jeremy lied.
"You just want to be with me to make sure that Paul won't go back with me, right?" Owen shoved Jeremy away at last. He can't do that to Paul. As much as he was disappointed with Paul's decision, he refused to hurt Paul on purpose.
"I just want to have fun. You are such a party pooper." Jeremy rolled his eyes.
There's a knocking on the door, interrupting the conversation. Owen knew it was going to be Paul. "Hey, your husband is here. You might need to calm your bone down." Owen winked.
"Oh, fuck you. You had one too!" Jeremy pouted.
Owen opened the door and saw Paul with a pizza box and a big smile. "Your husband is here too, by the way." Owen smiled bitterly.
"Oh! I texted him to wait for me here. It will be like the old days! But with my sister and a baby!" Paul waved at Mia, who waited on the other side of the door with Alan.
"You didn't tell me that you would bring everyone tonight." Owen felt some disappointment. He was the one that ended it, but he still kind of wanted some closure sex with Paul that night.
"Oh.." Paul felt horrible. He got the hint that Owen wanted to spend some alone time for the last time that night. "Mia, Baby Alan, and J, could you leave us alone for a bit?"
"I was about to have sex with Owen. No, I am not leaving." Jeremy grinned.
"Really?" Owen shook his head. He looked at Paul. Paul looks flustered by that.
"Why not? You always slept with someone after you pushed Paul away. I am just proving that to Paul. I told him you would have sex like he was nothing to you." Jeremy clenched his jaw.
"Please just leave, everyone. I don't need any of this drama in my life." Owen pushed Paul away gently.
"You are a horrible man, Owen." Paul dropped the pizza and then ran away. Mia followed behind him.
Owen stared at Jeremy. "You need to leave, too."
Jeremy finally walked out after a few minutes. Owen grabbed some mopping and cleaning supplies to clean up the pizza that Paul dropped. He knew Jeremy was right; he always had sex every time he had a difficult time with Paul. But he also knew that Paul was not ready to be with him, especially after his adoption went through. He doesn't really know how to deal with this because he usually asks Paul for relationship advice. After he cleaned up the mess, he ordered another pizza to bring to Paul. He expected to see Jeremy next to Paul when he knocked on the door, but Mia said that Paul locked himself in. Owen dropped the pizza on the kitchen counter and knocked on the bedroom door. Paul opened it after a while.
"Paul, I am an asshole." Owen sighed.
"No, you are not. I am the one who's an asshole. I want you and Jeremy. But I ended up with no one. Jeremy just texted me that he signed the divorce papers." Paul wiped his tears.
"Paul, I am sorry to hear that." Owen hugged Paul.
"Well, you can have sex with him now." Paul forced a chuckle.
"I don't really want to have sex with him. I just did it because I was hurting. I love you, but I know it's not a good time to be with you." Owen rubbed Paul's face gently.
"Hey.." Jeremy suddenly popped next to Owen. "I still have my keys." He smiled bitterly. "Can we talk? All three of us?"
"Sure.." Paul let the two men come into the bedroom. "We should do this naked. I'm just saying..." Paul smiled.
Jeremy pulled Paul away from the door and locked it up. He pushed Paul to the bed and kissed him. "I want to have sex with both of you. Like what we used to do with Liam." Jeremy smiled.
"J, you can't mention that name again." Paul looks sad.
"Liam actually called me yesterday. He asked if you would finally talk to him again. I texted him a few days ago that we're getting a divorce." Jeremy pulled himself away.
"Why would you do that?" Paul shook his head. Owen sat next to Paul and hugged him.
"May I know who this Liam dude is?" Owen had an idea about who Jeremy talked about, but he wants to make sure.
"One of Paul's ex. The one that almost broke us up It's Liam Jones, the famous gay Broadway guy." Jeremy explained.
"He's your ex?" Owen gasped a little.
Liam Jones is in his late twenties and already has a Tony Award. He was very open about his sexuality, and there's a rumor from a few years ago that he proposed to a guy, and the guy turned him down. He even wrote a song about the guy and about how much he loved him. Owen started to think that guy was Paul.
"I fell in love with Liam, and Liam fell hard for Paul. It was not the best time for our marriage." Jeremy smiled bitterly. "I told Liam I would leave Paul for him. And he proposed to Paul in front of me. Paul defended me so hard and helped me get over him."
"J, I just do what a husband has to do. I care about you so much, and I still do." Paul sighed.
"I got into alcohol and drugs after the rejection. Paul was there next to me every day, saying that I was the best thing that happened to him. I paid his loyalty by cheating on him." Jeremy showed some pain in his face.
"J, please don't say that. I hurt you, and I knew that you were not the only one to blame. I knew you were struggling with Alan, and I didn't help much." Paul reached to hold Jeremy's hand.
"I signed the divorce papers because I don't deserve you. Liam still loves you. All these years, he stayed single for you." Jeremy took a deep breath. "You deserve to be with him."
"I don't think he is that single. I saw him with another man every other  month. Paul scoffed. "And we have a family now. I really want our marriage to work."
Their conversation was stopped when they heard a knock on the door. Owen unlocked the door, and Mia came in with Alan. He gave Alan to Paul and told them that she needed to talk to Jeremy. Paul knew what she wanted to talk about. She took Jeremy to her bedroom. They sat down quietly for a bit.
"I know you are talking with my brother about getting back together. And I don't want to make it more complicated, but..." She sighed. "I'm pregnant, and it might be yours or Scott. I don't want you to be a part of the baby's life, but I know it would be unfair if I didn't tell you."
Jeremy smiled a little. "I'm not getting back with Paul. He doesn't deserve me or Owen. He deserves Liam. The man was his one true love, and he had to ditch him because he tried so hard to help me out of the hole I dug myself. I would love to be back with Paul, but I don't think I deserve him. He never told anyone how bad it was after we cut ties with Liam." He looked away.
"What happened back then, if you are willing to tell me?" Mia stared at Jeremy.
"I fucked up. I got addicted to drugs and alcohol. I hit Paul a few times because I got agitated so easily. He never turned away from me. He was there, cleaning my puke and taking care of me. I started drinking again not long after we had Alan. Paul didn't notice that. But I knew this time I needed to stop for Alan. Liam caught me drinking one time, and he told me that I should leave Paul. I started having an affair after that, so Paul can justify the divorce." Jeremy looked so upset by everything.
Mia hugged him tight. "You knew you did something wrong, and you want to fix it. It's better than any men I dated before."
"Mia, your brother is a great man. He deserves someone better." Jeremy kissed Mia's cheek. "And I will take care of Alan and our child if you let me."
"It might be Scott's baby. But I want to have this baby." Mia rubbed her belly. It's not showing yet, but she knows the baby is there.
"George told me you lost a baby before. I will help you this time, and I promise you I will stay because Alan needs you and Paul." He rubbed Mia's back.
"Do you still want to talk to my brother?" She pushed away a little.
"No, I'll stay with you tonight." He smiled and kissed Mia's lips gently.