Chase dipped his paintbrush into the can and slapped the rich new forest green shade on the fairway fence. There was something very freeing about painting this way, one color, covering every past imperfection. No requirement for creativity or visualizing how it would all come together as a whole. It would be a green fence; that was it, no imagination needed. He'd begun to enjoy his time working on the golf course with Tyler. Their time mostly consisted of trimming trees, taking care of the greens, and raking out bunkers. It provided ample thinking time.
Tyler and Chase had been working on this fence all day in old jeans, sneakers, and ball caps, under the hot sun. Both had green streaks of paint across their arms, on their stomachs, and decorating their faces. This was a slop-it-on job, and in their haste as much paint found its way onto their bodies as onto the fence.
"You know, you should hit up Christie," Tyler said, dipping his brush into a can again and pulling it out sopping with paint up to the handle.
"Not really my type," Chase said, biting his tongue. Not this again. He had been hoping to get through the day without having to deflect Tyler's prodding efforts to get him to date.
"Man, don't be so soft. You don't have to marry her, just play like you mean it." Tyler laughed, grabbing a fence pole and pumping against it.
Chase dipped his brush in the paint and slapped it across the fence. "I don't wanna 'play.' I told you, I'm not into her. Just leave it alone."
"I'm calling Bre," Tyler said, pulling his cell phone out of the back pocket of his jeans. "She'll set you guys up for tonight."
"Tyler, just stop it, okay?"
"What? What's the matter with you, man?" Tyler asked, slowly letting the phone drop to his side.
"Listen, I should have told you this before. If you're gonna be mad and wanna kick me out or whatever I'd rather it be now." Adrenaline kicked in as the moment had come, and he had no intention of turning back.
"Chase, what are you talking about? Why would I kick you out?"
"Because if you can't deal with it, then I'd rather not be around you either."
"Dude, you're not making a whole lot of sense," Tyler said.
"We're friends, right?" Chase asked, catching Tyler's eye.
"You're my best."
"So it shouldn't matter, but I understand if it does, and I just don't want to pretend anymore. It's exhausting. So if you're gonna hate me, just fucking hate me and let's get it over with," Chase said, turning back to the fence.
"Are you gonna tell me what the hell you're talking about?"
"Tyler, I'm gay." He said it, and simultaneously wanted to suck the words back into his mouth and felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders. The hardest part was looking at Tyler to gauge his reaction.
"Yeah, right," Tyler said and laughed.
"Seriously, I am."
Tyler dipped his brush in the can and went back to painting. "No, you're not. You're shitting me, right?"
"Nope."
Tyler turned slowly and looked at Chase again. "Holy shit. For real? You're actually like... you like guys?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Chase couldn't tell how Tyler was taking it. "Are you cool with this?"
"Yeah. Yeah. But I know you've been with girls... haven't you?" he asked.
"Been with... but not been with," Chase admitted.
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Mulligans
General FictionChase never had many friends, but at college, he meets and forms close ties with straight jock Tyler Davidson-a connection he fears he'll lose if he tells Tyler he's gay. Keeping his sexuality secret becomes harder for Chase as he joins Tyler and hi...
