The Ideas of Love

Chapter 03.

Jeff is woken up by Tyler's phone call, but he feels so happy next to Oliver. Oliver whispers something sexy in his other ears. He met Oliver last night and now they lie in his apartment hugging each other. It's not that Jeff had moved on from his breakup with Spencer or forgotten about his love for Tyler. But Oliver is different. He is older than Jeff, and he feels like, for once, Oliver will protect him.
Oliver is in his early 50s, a bisexual doctor in Manhattan with a fancy apartment and his own private practice. He had been married twice before, once to a woman and once to a man. He touched Jeff in a different way, and Jeff felt so weak next to him. Oliver is more muscular than Jeff, but Jeff is so out of shape. Although he did a lot of farm work, he never seemed to grow muscles from it.
As Jeff hung up the call, Oliver grabbed his hips and praised him for being so good last night. Jeff nestled his head on Oliver's chest and rubbed his new lover. He felt peaceful next to him. He started to question if he'd already fallen in love again.
"Um.. can I ask who is that? I'm sorry.." Oliver is not comfortable with asking this question to a man who he had a one-night stand with. But there's a part of him that wants this to turn into something.
"Oh, it's my best friend, Tyler. Oh.. crap.." Jeff bites his lip. Why did he promise a romantic night such as staring into the stars with Tyler while he was laying without any piece of clothing on Oliver's bed. "I'm so sorry, Oli. We've been friends since we were kids. I just.. I'm so sorry.." Jeff buried his face deeper in Oliver's chest now. Smelling his manly scents makes Jeff feel so weak.
"It's okay.. we just.." Oliver felt his chest getting a little tight. He should never feel jealous of a man that he barely knew. They just met last night. How can he get so wound up like this?
"No.. I slept with you last night. I should have been more respectful towards you. I'm sorry. But, just so you know, Tyler doesn't want to tell anyone he's bisexual. So there's no hope for me. That's why I date other guys. We're just friends. And if you don't believe me, you can come to the brunch and to my place tonight.." Jeff sighed. What did he just imply? Is he really attempting to impose a relationship on a man he barely knows?
Oliver chuckled. "Okay, I'm going to say this first. It may sound crazy, but I think you feel the same way as I am. You are more than a one-night stand. I want to date you. I had a lot of fun last night, but I also felt that you are more than just fun."
"Really?" Jeff lifted his face and kissed Oliver's neck.
"Now you are just teasing me.." Oliver laughed. He held Jeff tighter. "I like you, Jeff.."
"I like you too.." Finally, Jeff got his lips on Oliver's.
"So.. brunch?" Oliver rubbed Jeff's face as they ended their kiss.
"Oh.. yes.. and pack your bags, you are going to my place tonight.." Jeff smiled.
"What about your best friend? Don't you want to check with him first?" Oliver stared at Jeff.
"Do you have a young girl you can call? Tyler will be occupied with her right away." Jeff chuckled.
"Hm.. I think I had some young girl, like twenty-three years old or something, try to flirt with me last night too. I mean, I'm fifty-two. I just don't like girls that young." Oliver turned around and dived for his phone. "I'll text her. Maybe she's interested. Give me the picture of your Tyler.."
Jeff scrolled around and found one of Tyler's pictures. He showed it to Oliver. Oliver gasped. "No way.. this is a cruel world... geesh!"
"What?" Jeff didn't understand what had just happened.
"He's my ex-wife's lawyer.." Oliver laughed. "I mean, he's good. I just think that destiny is being mean to me."
"Oh.." Jeff suddenly pushed Oliver. "You will ask me to stop hanging out with him, won't you?" He sat on the bed and moved to the edge of it.
"No.. I would never.. Jeff.." Oliver hugged Jeff from behind. "I have no bad blood against him. I mean, against my ex-wife, sure. But not with him, it's just.." Oliver took a deep breath. "He's building his case against me being bisexual."
Jeff shook his head. He knew that Tyler was a good lawyer, but building a case against someone's sexuality is just cruel. "I need time.. I'm going to go.. I'm sorry.. this is a mistake.." Jeff grabbed his clothes and put them on. Oliver just stared at him. He saw that Oliver was trying to think of how to change his mind. But they are strangers after all.
Oliver just rubbed his face and thought that letting Jeff go was a huge mistake, but he just doesn't want to be too pushy towards a stranger. After stumbling over to put on his clothes right away, Jeff left the apartment. He's all alone again now. He texted his ex-wife to get Tyler's number. Because he knew he could only get Jeff if he and Tyler could convince him that they were in a good place. He didn't actually know that Jeff was more angry towards Tyler than him.
Jeff took a train, then a few buses, back to his home. Tyler kept calling him, but he decided he didn't even know Tyler anymore at this point. He doesn't have anything in common with him anymore after hearing how horribly he treated others that have the same orientation as he is. But, Jeff doesn't have anyone else if he cuts Tyler off from his life. So, he doesn't even know what to do. He just cried on his bed and wished someone would give him love.
Meanwhile, Oliver managed to find Tyler and talk to him while he was having brunch with his friends. After brunch, they decided to head to Jeff's place. Because both of them are worried about Jeff now. They found Logan, the man that helped Jeff with the house, in the front yard, and he said he just picked up Jeff less than half an hour ago at a bus station. He said that Jeff seemed upset.
Oliver decided to stay in the living room while Tyler barged into the master bedroom. Tyler found his friend crying in bed again. "Jeff.." He approached Jeff, but Jeff slapped Tyler's hand away as he put it on him.
"How can you do that!" Jeff is hysterical, he is angry with Tyler.
"I was doing my job.. Look, Oliver is here, and you should talk to him. He was the one that tried to find me. He's a good guy. I apologize to him for what I did." Tyler sighed. "Look, I invited you to the brunch because I have some news.." He stopped briefly. "Julia and Emily want me to buy out the homophobic guy in our firm. I can finally be openly bisexual. I just.." Tyler took a deep breath. "He's the one that forced me to build Oliver's ex's case against his orientation. And he also wants me to represent a guy who killed a gay man. Look, I know you are mad at me. But, I will change it for you.."
Jeff finally stopped crying and looked at Tyler. "He wants you to defend Teddy Lewis?"
"Yes.. He told me to stop pretending to be gay because I'm straight. He's just.. bad.." Tyler bites his lower lips.
Jeff hugged Tyler and then wiped his tears. "Did you bring your clothes?" His attitude turned back to being friendly.
"Well, no.. but, I want to stay here with you and Oliver if you allow me.." Tyler fixed Jeff's hair and then kissed his cheeks. "He's handsome and nice. You should keep him.." There's a part of Tyler's heart that hurts as he said that. But, he can't be that self centered and let Jeff wait for him until he is ready. He knew that Oliver was a good man and he forgave him for going after his sexuality. "Now, go talk to your boyfriend.." Tyler nudges Jeff away.
Tyler stayed in the bedroom and scrolled through his phone out of boredom. He finally saw Diana's text. Basically, Diana said that she dislikes her father as much as Tyler, and that's why Tyler should take her out on a date. Tyler just shook his head. It's ridiculous how Diana tried so hard to win him; she's just so young. Then he scrolled through Lilian's text, which is no more interesting than Diana's. Maybe he's finally bored with all these plastic girls?
When Oliver and Jeff finally went back to the bedroom, Jeff wrapped his arms around Oliver tightly, which kind of made Tyler a little angry. But Tyler knows he has no right to be angry. He is the one that chose to be an asshole to Oliver and some of the men that he was against in divorce cases.
"So.. I invited one of my nurses. She's twenty-five. Her name is Jill. You will like her." Oliver smiled, then stole a kiss from Jeff.
"Oh, great.." Apparently, they set Tyler up on a pity date. But she's a nurse and she's 25, so maybe she is a lot better than his current options.
Jill came to the farm around half an hour after that. She has brunette hair and dark brown eyes with thick-framed glasses. She is cute but not Tyler's usual type, but then again, Tyler knew he had to try something different. So, Tyler took her to walk around while Jeff and Oliver prepared their lunch. Jeff was a decent cook. He had to cook every day because, as he said, he didn't want to waste money when he already had fresh produce in his backyard.
Jill is shy, which is really different than most of the girls that Tyler has dated before. But she is a nice woman, and Tyler likes her. She's a single mom who was married when she was really young, and then her husband just walked out as soon as they had a baby. She had put herself in nursing school while raising her baby with the help of her mom. Tyler admired Jill for that, and he was willing to see what this blind date turned out to be. Jill's son is still four years old and currently with her parents because she said that Oliver always tried to set her up and, fortunately for once, her mom said she could go on a date.
Tyler actually had a real conversation once with Jill, and he had fun. He felt bad that he had been so horrible about Oliver's sexuality before, because apparently Oliver is a good man. He could have set him up with an ugly woman or a horrible one, yet he set him up with Jill. She's just way out of the league of anyone Tyler had ever dated before. After half an hour of just talking to Jill, he felt like he had finally found someone at almost the same intelligence level as him.
They came back to the house and had a great lunch with Oliver and Jeff. Tyler took Jill to the RV to get some alone time after lunch while also giving Oliver and Jeff their space. Jill has only smiled and been extremely supportive of him thus far. But half an hour later, Jill said that she had to get back to her kid. She gave her numbers before driving back to New Jersey. Tyler decided to drive back too, but halfway to Manhattan, he changed his mind. He drove to Jill's place instead, in New Jersey.
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