"Really?! You're sure you don't mind? He's going to freak out. I always knew you were my favorite brother. Okay, uh-huh, bye-bye now."
My mom hastily set her phone down in excitement and ran to hug me.
"Andrew," she shrieked. "They said yes!"
I had been waiting with bated breath during her short phone call with her younger brother, my uncle Ryan. You see, I had just graduated high school and had been accepted to the University of San Diego. Having been born and raised in New Hampshire, I wanted to get as far away as possible. I was 18 and ready to spread my wings.
Unfortunately, my wings were a bit clipped up until this moment. I'd received a generous scholarship and financial aid package from the school and my parents were able to cover the remaining tuition except for room and board. Lucky for me, my uncle had recently relocated to San Diego with his husband from Los Angeles. Even luckier for me, they had just agreed to let me stay with them.
I had to beg my parents to even let me apply. I promised I would do my best to get scholarships, and I did. As an only child, I've always been super close with my parents. They wanted me to go to UNH or somewhere else local. I eventually won them over. They knew I was gay and everything, so in a way, I think they felt even more comfortable now that I'd be able to live with my gay uncles.
I was nervous and excited. I'd hardly been out of New England and I didn't know my uncles all that well. I saw them once a year a Christmas time, but it will be nice to at least have a home base so to speak. Sure, I had wanted to live on campus, but coming out of college debt free would be much more worthwhile. Plus, to be quite frank, Uncle Ryan and Uncle James were sexy.
Uncle Ryan was 36 I believe. He had short brown hair with a touch of gray at the temples. Green eyes that could light up any room, as did his dazzling smile. He was always clean-shaven when I saw him, and this was true in the pictures I've seen. He was taller than me, probably about 5'11". He was a lawyer that worked for a firm handling Hollywood clients. His husband, James, was equally sexy. He was 45 and owned a tech start-up that developed mobile apps. James grew up in Georgia and spoke with the sexiest Southern drawl. His voice was a deep base that matched his 6'3" stature and broad chest. He had similar dark brown hair and a close-cropped beard that bore tinges of auburn. Both of them always had bronzed skin from time spent in Southern California sunshine. They truly were the ideal power couple, at least in my eyes.
The two and a half months of summer seemed to drag on, naturally. Finally, the day came in late August. On a Friday morning, my parents dropped me off at Logan Airport with a tearful goodbye and I was on a plane headed to the West Coast.
Upon arrival, I gathered my suitcase and bags. I had texted Uncle Ryan once the plane landed and let him know what gate I would be arriving at. Surprisingly, the dry heat outdoors was a welcome relief after the frigid air conditioning from the plane and terminal. I swiveled my head searching for my uncles. I spotted Uncle Ryan and Uncle James standing beside a shiny black Tesla SUV. Both wore tight khaki shorts that came up mid-thigh and hugged every bulge of muscle and groin. They sported equally tight tank tops, baring hairy chests that looked firm from strength training. In winter I only saw them in parkas and sweaters. I never realized how fit they were. They both beamed at the sight of me. It made me feel welcomed and lessened my nervous anxiety.
"Andrew!"
Ryan trotted over to help with my bags.
"Good to see you, kiddo," he said, wrapping me in a tight hug. "Welcome to California!"
"Thanks, Uncle Ryan," I said, inhaling his scent of sweat and cologne. He carried my suitcase instead of rolling it, making his bicep and shoulders bulge. The heat was starting to get me checking him out. Just remember, he's your uncle after all. It's okay to look, though, right?
As we approached the car, James popped the trunk and helped stow the bags. Standing in front of them, they both seemed to loom over me. At only 5'7'', most people seemed to loom over me. My pale skin and blonde hair were a stark contrast to their darker features. You'd never guess we were related.
"Happy to have you with us, Andrew," said James in a deep rumble. His southern accent made me melt even more than the hot sun.
We all piled into the car, the air conditioning now a welcome respite. As James pulled away from the curb, Ryan started asking me questions about the upcoming semester and my major.
"Well, I'm undeclared for right now," I said, "but I think I'm leaning towards pre-med. I'm going to start with all the electives and basics first."
"Sure, that makes sense," said Ryan, "you certainly don't want to rush into anything. But damn, pre-med?! That's impressive. What do you think, James? Who knew our nephew would turn out both smart and handsome."
I was glad they couldn't see me blush. We left the airport and headed north, which confused me.
"I thought you two lived in San Diego?" I asked.
"Well, we do," said Ryan, "but we live just north of the city towards La Jolla. We wanted to be closer to the beach. It's not far from your campus, actually."
"Oh, great! That's convenient," I said.
"With that in mind, you're certainly welcome to use either of our cars to get to and from campus. We both work from home so it's no hassle to us."
"Really? Thanks!" I'd never driven anything fancier than a Toyota. This was a whole new world to me.