Richie cracked his neck and looked at his phone. It was Eddie. He rubbed his eyes, tired from looking at the screen all day. He was thrilled that his record label was a success, even if it meant pulling lots of long days. His label was big enough that he could probably leave early but he still felt like he needed to double check things before signing off on them.
He powered down his computer and answered the phone. "Eddie Spaghetti! It's been too fucking long! How's it hanging?"
"Low and proud," Eddie answered with a slight laugh. The two were on opposite sides of the US, Eddie in NY, helping to run a limo company while Richie was in LA. The two visited each other several times a year, as time allowed. They saw the other losers at least twice a year, at their bi-annual vacation. They all rented a timeshare in Hawaii together and went twice a year, no excuses. Spouses were invited, Bill usually brought his wife, Audra. Bev never brought her husband, Tom. None of the losers like Tom and they all tried to convince Bev to leave him but she would just give them a small smile and say that they didn't understand.
"How are you?" Eddie asked.
Richie smiled into the phone. Even though the men weren't close in location they were still best friends. The two talked several times a month, using skype to catch up when they could. They often talked late into the night, Richie lying on his bed, Eddie on his.
"I'm good Eds, working too hard but what can you do? Empires don't build themselves. What about you? How's it going getting your company into China?"
"It's going slowly but we'll get there. I called with some other news actually."
"Yea? You finally getting a stripper on retainer?" Richie grabbed his coat and locked up his office. He was the last person to leave, as usual. He waved good bye to the night janitor as he walked to his parking spot.
"No um,I got...engaged." Eddie said hesitantly.
"What?!" Richie knew Eddie was dating someone. Moana? Marcie? Something like that. But Eddie rarely talked about her, he assumed it wasn't serious. "You got engaged to..Mary?"
"Myra. And yes, I asked her yesterday and she said yes." Eddie sounded nervous, not excited.
"Eddie, none of us have even met her. You've only been dating, what, 9 months?"
"Well, we'll fix that. She wants to get married soon. We're having an engagement party in two weeks, can you come?"
Richie wanted to yell into the phone. No, he didn't want to celebrate Eddie marrying someone else. Someone none of them knew. This was wrong.
Richie knew he loved Eddie, was in love with Eddie. He also knew Eddie was straight. Fine, he dealt with it- with alcohol when he was younger and now with a constant flow of younger men. He could handle with just being Eddie's best friend. But this? Having him marry a woman none of them knew? This was too much. Richie decided swallowed his feelings for now. He needed to talk to the other losers.
"Of course I'll come. Text me the date." He needed to meet this woman who won his Eddie's heart.
"Ok, great," Eddie sounded relieved. "I'm calling everyone else to ask them too. You can all meet Myra."
Fucking great, Richie thought. Ou tloud he said "sounds good Eds."
"One other thing?" Eddie asked.
God, wasn't this enough 'good' news? "Yea?"
"Would you...be my best man? I promise it wouldn't be much work, I can't imagine standing up there without you by me."
Richie had entertained similar thoughts, only instead of watching Eddie marry someone else it was them getting married. He closed his eyes, trying to keep out that thought. "Yea Eds, who else will throw you the raunchiest bachelor party ever?"
"Great, okay, thanks. Well, not for the bachelor party part but the rest" Eddie sounded relieved. "Ok. I'm calling Bill next, gotta ask him to be a groomsman."
"Good, great. Talk to you soon Eds." Richie hung up. He needed a drink, or five.