When Grant Hayes invites his introverted roommate and best friend Ryan Kane to join him for spring break, he has no idea Ryan will become the victim of a cruel prank. Feeling guilty for what is happening, Grant becomes Ryan’s self-imposed protector for the duration of the trip.
Ryan Kane should know that when football quarterback Jake Francis shows an interest in him after four years, something is up. Ryan has a crush on Jake since their freshman year, so when Jake asks him out on a date, naturally he accepts, even though he has a feeling that something isn’t right. He should follow his first instinct and turn him down, because now he is the victim of a heinous prank that could cost him everything.
“I want my payment in cash,” Jake Francis said to Cameron Peters, a line-backer on his football team.
Some of the other fellows laughed and high-fived him.
Cameron handled Jake an envelope loaded with money.
Jake stuffed it into his back pocket.
“Aren’t you going to count it?” Cameron asked.
“No, I trust you,” Jake answered. “We’ve known each other all of our lives.” Like him, Cameron was also from Key West.
Teddy Brown, another football player, tossed Jake a beer.
Jake caught it, popped the tab, then sipped from the opening. “Ah, this tastes good.”
“So, how was it?” Cameron asked.
“How was what?” Jake asked.
“Sex with the preacher’s son,” Cameron said.
“His name is Ryan.” Jake chuckled. “Sweet. He was a virgin.”
“Was is the right word,” Teddy said. “He’s not a virgin anymore.”
“I’ve never done a guy before,” Albert, the waterboy on the team said.
“It’s all the same in the dark,” Jake said. He took a big sip of his beer.
“Do you think Ryan’s saw the video yet?” Teddy asked.
“Who cares?” Cameron asked chuckling.
“You should have blurred our faces,” Jake said. “Or at least mine.”
“You’re embarrassed?” Cameron asked.
“Hell yes. Now the whole team is going to be teasing me about liking boys. And I know Veronica is going to be mad.”
Veronica Tyler was the young lady he’d been dating since high school. Now they both attended the same college. He was there on a football scholarship and she was an art major. Their families were expecting them to get married after graduation and Jake had been drafted to a professional football team. This was their senior year and unfortunately, Jake hadn’t been drafted. So now, after graduation he would fly back here to Key West and work with his father.
“You won’t be able to talk your way out of this,” Teddy said to Jake. “What will her parents think?”
“The video is on-campus only. I doubt if they’ll find out about it,” Jake said.
“I hope you’re right,” Teddy said.
“Let’s go see what’s going on outside,” Cameron said as Jake locked his money up in his portable safe. Even though he was from Key West, he didn’t want to stay with his parents, so he’d rented this beach house with the other three players.
They ended up poolside where it looked like every young adult in Florida was there either listening to music, dancing or swimming in the pool. It was dark now, so no one was allowed to swim in the ocean.
Someone had started a volleyball game. Teddy, Cameron and Albert joined them.
Jake looked around. Ryan and his friends were nowhere to be found. He didn’t know why he expected them to be. They were all probably hiding out because of the video Cameron had uploaded. He’d been a little upset too when he found out what Cameron had done. His explanation for filming it was because he needed proof that intercourse had actually taken place. He paid Jake’s younger brother Vince to put the camera aboard the yacht. If Cameron messed up his chance with Veronica, he would be pissed.
Some of the people were looking at him strangely. Why? Just because he’d had sex with Ryan. It wasn’t like he had screwed someone underage or had coerced Ryan into sex. Ryan had been a willing participant and he had lost that pesky ass virginity. Ryan should look at it as him doing him a favor.
Jake grabbed a beer out of the Styrofoam ice cooler. The foam on foam made a squeaking sound. He found a lounge chair and sat down to watch the volleyball game. Two girls scooted their chairs away from him like he had the plague. He shrugged it off. They weren’t even cute so, so they had nothing to worry about.
