Chapter 5
JAY
Jay had spent countless meals dealing with tomatoes—either painstakingly picking them out or enduring the uncomfortable aftermath.
The concept of a mild allergy never resonated with his parents, and the symptoms were dismissed for years.
Even after he did the tests as an adult, finally vindicated with an official diagnosis, he didn’t want to make a fuss, so nothing ever changed.
But Aaron had made a fuss. His immediate and fierce outburst made something bloom warmly inside Jay, like the first rays of sunshine after a long winter night. The whispered thank-you didn’t seem like enough, but it was the best Jay could do without getting choked up.
“Of course,” Aaron said. “Allergies can change throughout your life. Repeat exposure can make them go from mild itching and burning to anaphylaxis.”
“That’s scary.” Jay shifted in his seat. How had he never known that? He was the one with the allergy, yet Aaron knew more about it than he did. “I don’t usually talk about this stuff—the migraines or the allergy.”
“Not even with your partners?”
Jay couldn’t tell if Aaron was fishing or simply curious.
There might have been a trace of flirtation in Aaron’s voice, though it was probably just wishful thinking on Jay’s part.
He didn’t want to answer Aaron’s question.
They were just starting to get to know each other, and this was a side of Jay he hated to share.
He considered changing the subject, but he couldn’t keep doing that forever, and a part of him wanted Aaron to know him. “Not really. Haven’t been with anyone long enough to want to spill my darkest secrets.”
Aaron chuckled and shook his head. “Ah, you’re one of those. Commitment-phobe or just playing the field?”
“Neither,” Jay said, rolling his eyes at the idea.
“Just bad luck, I guess. Sometimes I wonder if it’ll happen at all.
” The words slipped out before he could stop them.
What was happening to him? Instead of doing his best to impress Aaron, he was getting emotional over a salad and sharing his innermost fears.
Aaron didn’t seem to mind, responding with a playful smile. “Oh, hush. If it’s not too late for me, it’s definitely not too late for you. I promise.”
This time, it was unmistakable. There was a flirty edge to Aaron’s voice, and Jay’s heart skipped a beat. He tried to school his expression and steer the conversation to a different topic. “And what about you? Any secret allergies or monster migraines I should know about?”
“Everyone’s got something,” Aaron said with a shrug. “I threw my back out a few years ago, and it’s been giving me warning twinges whenever I overdo it. That’s old age for you.”
Jay filed that piece of information away. Not that he’d need it. Not that he’d ever be in a situation where he’d have to worry about Aaron’s back.
“Right. Your old age,” Jay huffed a chuckle. “The same age I will be entering in just a few years myself, so I should get ready.”
He didn’t understand why Aaron kept making such a big deal of his age. A few white strands caught the light when Aaron dragged his fingers through his hair, but that was the only indicator of their age difference that Jay could see.
Before Aaron could respond, the server swept up to the table and placed a new plate in front of Jay. Aaron leaned over to inspect it, concentration written on his face, as if making sure not a single piece of tomato was hiding in its depths. It looked fine to Jay.
The server set down another plate at the center of the table. “Here’s some edamame, on the house. I’m sorry about earlier. Sometimes I get on autopilot and…” She shrugged at Jay and flitted her glance to Aaron.
“We get it,” Aaron said. “You have a lot of tables and not enough help. Thank you for being so accommodating.”
She flashed a relieved smile and hurried away.
“How did you do that?” Jay couldn’t hide the awe in his voice. “You basically just told her to do her job better, and she apologized and gave you a freebie instead of getting angry.”
Aaron didn’t respond right away. He placed a pod of edamame between his full lips, working the beans out with his teeth.
As his tongue darted out to capture the stray bits of salt, Jay’s heartbeat picked up.
If he was going to be this sensual with every bite he took, Jay was sure to experience one of the most awkward erections of his life.
Thankfully, instead of grabbing another piece, Aaron laced his fingers together and hummed in thought, finally answering the question Jay had already forgotten he’d asked.
“But I didn’t tell her to do her job better, did I?
I explained what we needed and asked for her help.
I didn’t blame her, because that would put her on the defensive.
I mean, everyone makes mistakes, and service workers have to deal with enough rude people as it is. ”
“Let me guess, you majored in psychology?”
Aaron laughed. “Actually, I did. But most of this stuff I learned on the job. Despite screaming left and right that I’d never take part in work politics when I was your age, I had to deal with a lot of it, and learned quite a bit along the way.”
“What kind of politics?” Jay gestured for Aaron to continue before trying to gracefully shove a forkful of lettuce in his mouth.
“My industry can be a little nebulous. There are some metrics when it comes to employee engagement, goals, and strategy, but those numbers will never be as concrete as something from Finance or IT. A lot of strategy is long-term, so it’s harder to figure out if things are working.
” Aaron sighed and absently stirred his soup in slow circles.
“When you can’t rely on numbers, you have to justify your role on the strength of your image.
And if you project confidence, if you sound like you know what you’re talking about, if you have their respect, only then will they agree that you’re a necessary part of the team. ”
“They hired you, so don’t they already know you’re necessary?” Jay asked.
“Theoretically. But I still have to worry about being allowed to make decisions or given room to work. If people don’t trust me, I can’t drive any meaningful change, and eventually, it’ll be obvious if I’m not making a difference.”
“So you play politics to get people to like you?”
Jay wished he could take the words back the moment they were out. They sounded too judgmental, and even though Jay was indeed one of those people who loudly proclaimed their distaste for work politics, he was also growing to truly admire Aaron.
“Not like.” Aaron shook his head. If he took any offense to Jay’s snarky words, he didn’t show it.
“Respect. I need people to take me seriously if I’m going to do my job successfully.
And let me tell you, trying to get people to take the quiet, skinny, gay guy wearing tinted lip balm seriously can get pretty tricky.
” He paused his aimless stirring to sip the hot broth.
Jay struggled with what to say next. His job was very different—a casual environment where he was one of several programmers on a tight-knit team.
In his world, work politics boiled down to who got to pick the restaurant for team lunches and being careful with your words at client meetings.
When Jay was offered a chance to supervise two summer interns last year, he’d given his COO a dramatic speech about never wanting to be a manager, and she’d just smiled and passed the interns to his coworker Dev.
Now, hearing about the challenges Aaron had faced, Jay’s rant seemed childish in comparison.
Aaron was breaking down walls while staying true to himself. Jay wasn’t even sure what his true self wanted, so buried under the weight of expectations and pressure he’d put on himself.
“It’s better now,” Aaron continued when Jay didn’t say anything.
“Earlier in my career, it was rough. Everyone assumed I was a pushover because I was an introvert. Some days, it felt like I had to shout to make myself heard. Now that I have a fancy title and know how to carry myself, it’s much easier.
I’ve changed so much, people who knew me in college wouldn’t even recognize me.
I’ve slowly morphed into this perfect persona of an outgoing, confident executive who’s great at public speaking and doesn’t get rattled by anything. ”
He smirked and went back to sipping his soup. Jay studied him, finding it hard to believe that anyone who’d known Aaron for longer than five minutes would miss the steel core inside the adorable package.
The conversation shifted to safer topics when the sushi arrived.
Aaron hadn’t had a chance to explore Chicago since moving, and Jay took pleasure in telling him about his favorite spots.
Some—like the best hiking trails or interesting museums—Aaron could probably find with a single internet search.
Others—like the ice cream shop he loved as a kid or the Northeastern University library, where he’d spent most of his freshman year—were deeply personal and mostly useless, but Aaron listened to every word with interest.
After swallowing the last bite, Aaron glanced at his watch.
“I’m sorry to eat and run, but I’m presenting at a town hall in an hour, and I should really go and prepare.
I hope we run into each other again soon.
” After dropping a few bills at the center of the table, Aaron offered Jay a coy smile and headed to the exit.
The tailored suit showcased his lithe frame, and the form-fitting slacks stretched and hugged every curve of his perfectly-shaped ass with every step.
Jay’s gaze followed him helplessly, drinking in the view until he disappeared, and the heat in Jay’s chest lingered long after he was gone.
Aside from being one of the hottest men Jay had ever met, Aaron was truly impressive.
If Jay had to present at a town hall, he’d probably spend the entire morning glued to his desk, obsessively going over his speech and worrying about what could go wrong.
He certainly wouldn’t be going out for lunch, radiating calm and poise.
Checking the cash to make sure the meal was covered, he chuckled to himself. Of course, on top of treating Jay to lunch, Aaron was thoughtful enough to include a generous tip.
Jay took the long way back to his office, enjoying the leisurely stroll with his phone tucked away.
The midday sun made everything brighter, the soft breeze caressed his skin, and he was greeted with smiles from everyone he passed.
Brimming with anticipation, he took a brief detour past Aaron’s building and noted the coffee shop across the street.
Next time, it would be Jay's turn to hunt Aaron down.