Hollis Thomas sat beside the small swimming pool in his back yard and watched his wife Tiffany and their best friend cavort in the surf of the Gulf of Mexico. In days past as he watched them play together in the surf he would also look at his surroundings and nearly burst with pride. He would be thinking about the culmination of their childhood dreams. They had achieved a major portion of their dreams because they escaped the cold, dreary winters of their birth city in what they considered the cold, frigid north and were living the dream in sunny Florida.

Now, on this day, he was not thinking about them escaping their birth city for this slice of paradise. Now, as he watched the couple play, he became upset once again as he remembered some of the rumors beginning as far back as his high school days and continuing to the present. He totally ignored his pleasant surroundings and keyed in on what was actually occurring in the surf and sand. Up until the middle of the past week, he could honestly say he loved both Tim and Tiff more than any other people on this earth. For years he had trusted them with his very life; with his happiness, even with his soul. They were almost as one. If one was sad or unhappy, they all were. If one of them hurt, they all did. Now he understood the trust and love he once held for them was misplaced.

Hollis, Tiff and Tim met their first day of middle school when they were all placed in the same home room. Somehow they hit it off immediately and formed a bond that lasted through high school and college for him and Tiff. Timothy was a slacker deluxe. He was the typical beach bum even before he had a beach on which to practice his art. He really had no ambition. He always dressed in surfer dude clothes and talked the beach bum talk interspersed with the slang of the drug culture. Every sentence he uttered was filled with surfer and toker slang. Hollis never knew Tim to use hard drugs but he was an expert in the use and abuse of weed and alcohol. Like many young men who acted like he did there was something about him that the women loved. They flocked around him like bees to honey. He was a handsome, tanned young man who knew all the right things to say to a woman. Tim could bed nearly any woman he decided he wanted and it seemed as if he wanted them all. Until recently Hollis thought he restrained his urges when it came to his best friend's wife but now he knew differently.

The three friends graduated high school together and applied to colleges together. The only colleges they considered were those in Florida. The location of the college or University was more important than its reputation or the degrees they could obtain there. They all were accepted to the same college and moved in together when they began their higher education. It only took Tim a semester to flunk out and declare college was not for him. He gravitated to the beaches near Ft. Myers, Fl and lived hand to mouth for the remainder of his friend's college careers, seeing them nearly every weekend and most summers.

While Hollis and Tiff were in college Timothy worked several part time jobs on and close to the beach. He worked at times for a pool company, local beach side businesses and a local beach rental shop. For some reason, that was where he shined. He could rent sand to an Arab. Hollis decided he was so successful because the tourists loved his "surfer dude" patter while he talked them into rentals or purchases. Hollis's employer owned the beach rental company with a small retail store attached as well as a larger tool and equipment rental outlet where Hollis worked. The store in which Tim worked mostly sold used beach rental equipment but also sold anything that could be used on the beach from chairs to swim suits, sun block, drinks and so forth.

Tiffany and Hollis majored in business in college. Tiffany took a degree in Marketing. Hollis had a double major, taking a degree in Management Information Systems and Business Management. When they graduated they both managed to get jobs quickly. Hollis began working in the equipment rental business for Tim's employer, quickly rising to store manager and second in charge to the owner. Tiffany obtained a job selling clothing in a beach side boutique and quickly rose to assistant manager. All three of the friends worked within a half mile of each other and saw each other daily. Hollis and Tim, working for the same employer, saw or talked to each other several times during the day some days.

Many days Tim would make a point of telling Hollis he and Tiff had lunch together. Their businesses were on the same block and they even spent most of their breaks together. Rumors started to circulate once again about Tim and Tiff but, once again, Hollis ignored them. After all, they were all friends from childhood and he trusted them. Tiffany had already gone with Tim when they were younger and found him not to be husband material. After all, she rejected him and married Hollis so he had no reason to worry did he?

Other than women and anything done on the beach, Tim had one true passion in his life. He loved Mustang automobiles. If the conversation was about cars he was in the middle of it talking about the Ford Mustang. His first car was a mustang as had been each succeeding one. He finally managed to get enough money ahead to purchase a new Mustang but it was not just a Mustang. He bought a Shelby in Ruby Red Metallic with Black accents. When he wasn't chasing pussy or hitting the beach, his free time was spent cleaning, babying and modifying his first love—the mustang. Tiffany was the first person to ride in his new car and was seen many times riding with him thereafter.

Hollis remembered the good times when he and his two best friends would take a road trip or go camping or just hang out. Tiffany was always there for both of them but she was his. She was just Tim's friend only, she said. Now it looked as if she was more even back then; she never said she was a friend with benefits but apparently that is what she was and still is. It was only the past week when he was finally slapped in the face with her disrespect and cheating. He finally discovered the rumors over the preceding years were correct.

Hollis almost wished he hadn't volunteered to deliver another set of rental scaffolding to a worksite the day he discovered his betrayal. He was bored and the renter claimed it was urgent he receive the scaffolding immediately so Hollis told his boss he would deliver it. If not for that he could have remained blissfully ignorant a while longer. He would never have known the rumors were true. He felt his stomach clench with anger once again as he remembered what he saw while he watched what he now knew were the not so innocent goings on in the surf. How could he have been so blind? Everything was crystal clear now.

The day his life turned to shit was a gorgeous day. Business was slow, it being a Tuesday, so when the order came into the store he told Mr. Wilson he would deliver the scaffold instead of asking their driver to work late. That not only saved them the overtime they would have paid the driver but got him out of the store for an hour or so and it made a good customer happy. A win, win situation but, in the end, he lost. He decided to return to the store on beach road, the one that meandered past Tiffany's and Timothy's work places.

He passed the small building, almost a shack, in which Tim worked just in time to see Tiffany meet Tim outside the door with a steamy kiss. His hands rose under her loose blouse and mauled her breasts for a moment then he rushed her through the door. As she entered the building he ran his hand under her skirt and she turned, smiling and giggling. She bent forward slightly at the waist and grabbed Tim's arm as she continued into the building backwards. As soon as the door closed behind them she grabbed Tim for another long kiss. There was no doubt she was the aggressor that time.

Tim quickly put a closed for lunch sign on the door and followed Tiffany deeper into the building. Tiffany was laughing and pulling Tim along by his hand. Hollis quickly pulled his new F150 into the parking lot beside Tim's mustang. He walked, almost ran, toward the store and peered into the building. He couldn't see anything. The lights were off and door locked, no one was in sight. That meant they must be in the stock room or exited the building via the stock room door.

Hollis moved around toward the back of the building and moved a garbage can underneath a high, dingy window. When he climbed onto the can he could just barely pull himself up enough to see part of the room. He heard voices but couldn't understand them. He quickly jumped down and stacked a couple of pallets under the garbage can and once again climbed onto it. Now he could see more of the room and his world ended.

Tiffany was laid across some waist high boxes, her blouse and bra open, her glorious breasts out for Tim to see and maul which he was doing. Tiff's skirt was hiked up to her waist and her little panties were pushed to the side. Tim already had his cock sliding back and forth in and out of her obviously wet cunt. As he watched her heels came up and locked behind Tim's thighs. She almost violently pulled him to her with her legs as he thrust inward. Now he could hear her moans and grunts as Tim jack hammered her ruthlessly, her breasts rocking back and forth as she took his cock.

Hollis pulled his phone from his pocket and took several pictures then moved off the garbage can and away from the building. He was seething with anger, his mind whirling with thoughts, many of which he really didn't remember afterward. He was devastated, broken, cast adrift as only can occur in these or similar circumstances. His perfect life shattered in the space of a few painful moments on an otherwise glorious day.

When he returned to work his boss knew something was wrong but Hollis refused to discuss it with him. All he would say was, "I just realized things aren't always what you expect or believe them to be. I found out this afternoon that I was mistaken about something I thought I knew. Now I have to rethink my whole outlook on life."

Hollis shook himself from his memories of the past week and continued watching his cheating slut wife and ex best friend as they wrestled and fondled each other in the breaking waves. He was almost crying as he listened to Tiffany's girlish, happy screams and giggles and Tim's deep laughs. He watched and made plans then discarded them only to make another one. As he thought, he looked around the house and yard. He was going to miss this place, perhaps more than he would miss Timothy and maybe almost as much as he would miss Tiffany. At least all they would be out was the rental. Now he was glad they hadn't had enough savings to make the down payment and agreed to a lease to purchase agreement.

Hollis was still running plans through his mind when a glowing Tiffany came running back into the yard holding Tim's hand and pulling him with her. She was laughing and flirty, one of the things that drew Hollis to her years ago. He loved her effervescent personality, her constant good humor and loving, cuddly personality. Now he knew he should have questioned her devotion to him when she continued displaying those traits to others after they became engaged and married. He just convinced himself it meant nothing, it was just her personality. Now, he knew it wasn't just her personality; or perhaps it was. She was a cheat and a flirt.

When Tiffany came closer to Hollis she stopped and looked at him, still panting somewhat from her prior activity. Only then did she drop Tim's hand. She said, "Honey, why the sour look? It's a beautiful day and we're all together. Why do you look so down?" She bent forward and gave him a quick kiss on the lips that he managed to partly evade.

"Oh, nothing you don't know about Tiff. Just thinking about last week and a problem I uncovered at work. I'll get it figured out and solved pretty soon and get back to normal I expect. So why are you in such a good mood this afternoon?"

Tiffany let her smile slip a little and looked at Tim before she answered. Hollis thought he saw something more than friendship in that look. Honestly, he knew it was the same look she always gave Tim but this time he read the true meaning behind it. She said, "Well, we're all together and Tim and I have had a really fun swim and now we're ready for a nice meal and some quiet time chilling with each other. What are you going to cook for us this evening?"

"Oh, was I elected cook for the group again today? It sure seems as if I am elected to that position a lot. I even have to cook when we meet at Tim's place. Doesn't seem right to me does it you? Oh, well, it really doesn't matter. I'm afraid I never gave it a thought because I was busy thinking about my problem. I guess you and Tim will have to come up with something. Or maybe we can just throw some sandwiches together."

"Oh Hollis, how could you? You always fix a nice meal when we get together. That's part of the fun on the weekends, watching you fix us a good meal then eating it as the sun goes down. I can't believe you just sat there and stared into space and let the meal go. Now what can we do?" Her eyes sparkled and she grabbed Tim's hand then turned to Hollis and said, "I know. You can chill some wine and set the table and Tim can take me for a ride in his Shelby. We'll buy some take out and we can all eat out here on the patio. I've heard about a fabulous new restaurant down town and this will be the perfect time to try it."

Tiffany rushed into their bedroom and quickly changed into a sun dress and sandals. When she came back onto the patio she smiled and said, "Well, come on Tim. Let's hit the road." She grabbed his hand and pulled Tim toward the front door and the parked cars. Her eyes were glistening as she turned back to Hollis and said, "We probably won't be back for about an hour and a half honey. We have to give them time to prepare the food after we get there. I'll call when we start back."

Hollis stood in shock as he saw the front door close. He heard the Shelby rumble to life then the chirp of tires as Tim got on it. He couldn't believe what just occurred. Oh, sure, similar things had occurred in the past but this was more blatant, or perhaps, he was just seeing it with a new perspective. Many times after Tim and Tiff wrestled and rough housed together she or Tim would find an excuse for the two of them to run an errand together. Until now Hollis never thought much about it. They had been doing similar things since middle school. Heck, occasionally he and Tiff would take off and leave Tim alone back then too. Of course they never (or almost never) had sex like he now suspected Tiff and Tim were doing. Of course, now that they were married they didn't have to run off if they got so worked up they had to make love—they just excused themselves and went into the bedroom or waited until Tim left and they went to bed.

Hollis sighed and returned to the patio and his chair. He took his glass and bottle of the Balviene with him. He never even made an effort to chill the wine or set out the plates and silver. He never even moved an hour and a half later when a giggling Tiffany called to tell him they were on the way home. When the two lovers returned almost two hours later he was feeling no pain and, except for walking into the yard to piss, had not moved from his chair or done anything except drink the entire time they were gone.

Tiffany was laughing and chattering as she and Tim came in the front door. They noisily tromped through the house and exploded into the kitchen. When she came out onto the patio her chatter stopped as did she.

Tiffany looked at the still unset table and turned to Hollis. She said, "Hollis what in the world have you been doing? I thought you were going to chill some wine and set the table while we were gone. It doesn't look as if you've even moved since we left. What the hell is wrong with you today? Hurry up and get the table set so we can eat. We're famished."

Hollis looked at Tiffany with sadness but made no comment. Her disheveled appearance said it all. Her hair was mussed, her lips puffy and red and her nipples tented out the thin top she wore. It was obvious she was without a bra. He was positive she had one on when they left. Somehow during a trip to obtain take out supper, her normally neat appearance had morphed into a well fucked one.

Tiff made no notice of Hollis's sorrowful look; she just continued berating him for not being ready to eat when they arrived. While Tiff was talking to Hollis about his failing, Tim unloaded the meal onto the table. He wouldn't, or couldn't, look Hollis in the eye. Hollis looked at each of them then stood and walked into the kitchen without comment. When he returned he only carried his own plate and silver. He quickly loaded it with the admittedly great smelling food and sat down. He was already eating before Tiffany stormed into the house for her and Tim's eating utensils and plates. As she returned she berated him once again for not setting the table for all of them.

Hollis looked up at her and said, "Look. I'm tired and hungry. You were both able to walk into the kitchen for your own place settings. It wouldn't take that much effort for you to carry your own utensils and plates out here so I let you do it." He turned to his meal once again.

After he filled his plate Tim sat across from Hollis and ate a few bites before he said, "Dude, this is so bogus man. Why are you down on us like this? You didn't cook, and then you get all high and mighty after we make a trip for some good food and refuse to even help serve it. Man this is so not like you Dude. We're bros man. You gotta have my back here Dude. Help out, ya know? That is some sweet woman you got there Dude and you not helping her at all is a total insult, ya know?"

Hollis looked up at Tim and felt his anger surge. He glanced at a guilty looking Tiffany before returning his attention to Tim. Tiffany was staring at her plate and trying to ignore the two men at the table. Hollis said, "Well, Tim, I really don't see where it's any of your business what I do in my own house, ya know Dude? I know you're used to me paying for everything when we're together and fetching and carrying for us all but that is going to change. I intend to relax on the weekends just like you and Tiff do. That means I'm through doing it all for you and you need to begin to pull your own weight here Dude."

Tiffany gasped and looked up at Hollis in surprise.

Hollis looked at his wife and said, "What? Do you have a problem with that HONEY?"

"Well, it's just ... Well, you know Tim doesn't make enough to pay his own way when we do things together. He just barely makes enough for his car payment and rent. We've always taken care of each other. Why are you trying to change things now?"

"Well, let me see. We're all adults here. We all work and are responsible for ourselves and our actions. Am I right?"

Tiff whispered, "Yes."

"Well then, that means if we're together we should help each other and when we're separate we should pay our own way. Normally if someone is in a home as a guest they at least offer to help but they aren't expected to do so or to provide food for the homeowner. I have noticed no matter where we get together you and Tim play and party while I fix the meal, serve it and clean up. I am expected to spend our money for the items served as well. I don't believe this is an equal relationship we have here and I'm tired of the inequality and unfairness in the relationship."