Chapter 27
JAY
Choosing a seat that didn’t directly face the entrance was supposed to make him look casual, but it wasn’t working.
With every chime, Jay craned his neck and stared at the door, willing Aaron to walk through it.
Dozens of people had filtered in and out of the sushi restaurant over the past twenty minutes while Jay slowly sipped his water and gave the server a guilty smile whenever she passed by.
Drumming his fingers on the table, he checked his phone. There were no new texts from Aaron, no indication of his absence. The last few messages had been a quick exchange, Aaron letting him know his new phone had arrived and asking him to lunch.
They’d never gotten a chance to talk on Saturday.
Not that any coherent conversation would have been possible after their explosive scene.
They had cuddled in silence on the aftercare couch, Aaron’s pliant, exhausted body nestled closely against Jay, his warm breath ghosting across Jay’s skin.
It was paradise, and Jay would have happily stayed in that position all night, but there were limits to how long they could linger.
Each of the six couches in the lounge was taken, soft murmurs of reassurance creating a distant hum, and it was only a matter of time before another couple would need the space.
He’d helped Aaron to the car, tucking him into the passenger seat. Aaron immediately fell asleep and didn’t stir until they pulled up to his building.
“Thanks for the ride,” Aaron slurred, eyes struggling to stay open.
Jay offered to help him up to his apartment, but Aaron shook his head and opened the door to leave.
He paused, looking back at Jay, and a tender expression transformed his tired features.
With a soft sigh, he leaned across the console to kiss Jay on the cheek, his lips pressing against Jay’s stubble and resting there.
His touch lingered long after he left, burned into Jay’s skin.
Seeing Aaron was supposed to alleviate Jay’s need for him, but it had only made it worse.
“Hey, sorry I’m late.” Aaron dropped into the chair across from him. “Meeting ran late, and I kept saying I have a hard stop at one, but I don’t think anyone gave a shit.”
Relief swept over Jay. Aaron was here—slightly out of breath, his emerald-green tie askew, flashing Jay a brilliant smile. There was a faint trace of sunburn on his face. Not surprising, considering how sunny the last few days had been.
As soon as the server approached them, Aaron gave Jay a questioning look, waiting for his nod before rattling off the same orders as last time. She nodded and left with their menus.
“What a day.” Aaron drained his glass of water and eyed Jay. “Was me ordering for you okay?”
“More than okay,” Jay confirmed, butterflies swirling in his stomach. Something about Aaron effortlessly taking charge felt absolutely right. And the way he checked in with Jay, making sure he didn’t overstep, made Jay irrationally happy.
“You can order for me anytime,” he promised with a smile. Aaron beamed back at him, his expression faltering when his phone made a loud chime.
“Sorry.” Aaron scrambled to grab it. “I thought it was in Do not disturb mode, but the buttons are in the wrong place.”
“What happened to your old phone?” Jay asked curiously, trying not to laugh. “You lost it?”
Aaron rolled his eyes while jabbing at the screen. “It took a swim in Lake Michigan.”
“What happened?”
“We went kayaking, and I couldn’t manage to hold on to my oar and my phone at the same time. And that wasn’t even the most embarrassing part. After staring at it there in the sand, so sad and alone, I may have completely lost my mind and jumped in after it.”
“Aaron!” Jay’s pulse picked up in shock. “That’s so dangerous.”
Aaron waved his concern away. “I was fine. We were in, like, five feet of water. The kayak guy got really mad when I came to the shore dripping wet though, so I’m pretty sure I’m banned from that place for life. And it was a stupid thing to do anyway. The phone was already dead.”
“Aren’t phones waterproof these days?”
“Sort of? It was submerged for a while, and I couldn’t dry it off until we got home.
I stuck it in a bag of rice, but it still wasn’t turning on the next day, so I ordered a new one.
Which I should have done right away. Of course—just my luck—that package got lost, so I had to wait for a replacement.
Long story short, I didn’t have a phone for five days.
” He widened his eyes dramatically. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so helpless. ”
“People pay good money for digital detox retreats,” Jay joked. “All it cost you was the price of a kayaking trip. And a new phone.”
Aaron snorted in amusement. Just then, the server appeared with their food and set Jay’s roll and salad in front of him.
Jay caught Aaron’s gaze zeroing in on the bowl and tilted it slightly to demonstrate the distinct lack of tomatoes.
His chest warmed at Aaron’s pursed lips.
He had no doubt that his sweet and fierce protector was ready to jump into action on his behalf.
“Thank you for calling my office to let me know what was going on,” Jay said when they were alone.
“I didn’t want you to think I was ghosting you.”
“You know, my coworker was convinced that’s exactly what was happening. You should have seen her face when Hailey told us about your call.”
Aaron studied him, mirth flickering in his eyes. “You talked to your coworker about me?”
“She noticed me staring at my phone,” Jay said. “I guess I wasn’t very subtle about it.”
“And what did you think?”
“What?”
“Did you also think I was ghosting you?”
Jay shoved a forkful of salad in his mouth and chewed slowly, giving himself a moment to think of an answer. In a matter of minutes, their conversation had gone from joking to serious. Aaron’s tone was light, but the question felt heavy, loaded with subtext.
“Maybe at first,” he finally admitted. “But it didn’t seem like you. You wouldn’t hide behind silence if you wanted to stop talking to someone. You’d march right up and tell them before executing a perfect mic drop.”
The tension in Aaron’s tightly set jaw wasn’t obvious until it melted away, replaced with a smile that softened his features.
“I’m glad you know me so well,” he murmured, turning his attention to the forgotten meal in front of him.
Despite his obvious hunger, he ate with surprising grace, chopsticks expertly lifting each piece of sushi to his mouth, the tip of his tongue making an occasional appearance to swipe across his lips.
Jay forced himself to stop watching Aaron eat and focused on his own food. His chopstick skills were far less elegant, but he was hungry enough to not care.
“So, private courier? Fucking fancy.” Aaron shook his head and chewed thoughtfully before continuing. “I should have thought of that. Could have sent you a nice handwritten letter on some parchment.”
“I’m just glad it worked out. I was worried it wouldn’t arrive on time, or you wouldn’t be home.”
“Me too! Can you imagine missing out on Saturday night?” Aaron’s lighthearted expression shifted, the smoldering heat in his eyes sparking a fire under Jay’s skin.
He wanted to lurch forward and kiss Aaron, feel the curve of his suggestive smile, taste the words coming out of those lush lips.
Shaking off the sudden urge, he tried to concentrate on what Aaron was saying.
“Mark and Rach are leaving on Thursday. I wouldn’t mind coming over for another visit on Friday, if you’re available. ”
Aaron was so different. So unafraid of voicing what he wanted despite the potential for failure or rejection. It was inspirational.
“Absolutely,” Jay said with a grin he hoped came off as flirty rather than maniacal. “What are your thoughts on full-body bondage?”
“You know I’ll go along with whatever you want.”
The words were simple, but their weight was significant. He’d earned Aaron’s trust. That was huge, and he would never do anything to compromise it.
A startled sound escaped Aaron as his eyes darted past Jay’s face at something behind him. He straightened in his seat and cleared his throat. “How do you feel about meeting Mark and Rachel before they leave?”
“I can’t say it’s at the top of my list, but I wouldn’t mind.”
“Good. Because they’re here.” Aaron scowled at the couple weaving their way across the restaurant. The lunch rush was almost over, allowing them to claim an empty table next to theirs.
“Hi, Jay, I’m Rachel!” The tall, exuberant redhead thrust her hand at him with vigor. He shook it politely, amused by her enthusiasm. “I’m so excited to meet you! Air’s been talking about you nonstop—and he wasn’t kidding about how handsome you are.”
Jay stared at her in stunned silence until Mark cleared his throat.
“Rach, boundaries?” He gave his girlfriend a pointed look, then hesitantly offered his hand to Jay. “I’m Mark. I apologize for crashing your lunch. Rachel was…determined.”
Aaron crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back in his seat.
“Well,” he said, glaring daggers at his ex-husband.
“Thanks for dropping by.” There was an undertone of levity under the frustration, a hint of mirth dancing at the corners of his lips.
It reminded Jay of joking around with his sisters.
Everything Aaron had told him about his relationship with Mark suddenly made sense—they were best friends, maybe even platonic soulmates, but there wasn’t a hint of romance between them.
Silence stretched, and Jay realized it was his turn to say something. “It’s a pleasure to meet the both of you. I’ve heard great things.”
“You won’t anymore. I don’t think he’ll ever talk to us again after we leave,” Mark said with a nervous laugh, his gaze flicking between Aaron and Jay. Everything about him seemed tentative, a sharp contrast to his girlfriend’s explosive energy.
“How did you and Rachel meet?” he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
“Aaron never told you?” Mark looked surprised.
“It’s never come up.”
“Okay then.” Mark rubbed his hands together, a spark of excitement in his voice. It was clear he enjoyed telling the story. “Aaron and I were on our way to our divorce attorney—”
“Both of you went to the same divorce attorney?” Jay interrupted, not sure he’d heard correctly.
Aaron sighed. “Stop being dramatic. It wasn’t a divorce attorney—we just wanted to make sure the paperwork was in order so there wouldn’t be any problems with taxes.”
“Anyway,” Mark continued without acknowledging the correction, “we stopped by this cute little coffee shop on the way, and I saw Rachel at one of the tables, working on her laptop. She looked so beautiful and intriguing, and of course, Aaron immediately noticed me staring. He came up with some excuse to sit at her table. We chatted for a bit, and she was so funny and smart…” He trailed off, reaching for Rachel’s hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
“I think I fell in love right there, but we had to leave, and I was too shy to ask for her details. A week later, she called me. Apparently, Aaron went back to the coffee shop, tracked her down, and gave her my number.”
“That’s…” Jay was at a loss for words. Aaron never stopped surprising him, revealing himself one impressive and complex layer at a time.
“Come on, who’s gonna be a better wingman than your ex-husband?” A sly smirk stretched across Aaron’s face as he raised his glass and took a sip. “Besides, that coffee shop was sort of on my way home. Only a tiny forty-minute detour.”
“You can see it when you come to visit! We just moved into the neighborhood.” Rachel clapped her hands together and bounced in her seat. “Air, you can see the new place in person, and we can show your boyfriend around Philadelphia. Jay, have you ever been?”
The table plunged into silence. Aaron’s hand stalled mid-motion as he was lowering his glass, his expressive eyes impossibly wide and focused on Jay.
Mark had also gone still, dropping his gaze to the table.
Rachel was the only one unaware of the impact of her words, scrolling through her phone until she found what she was looking for and shoved the screen at Jay.
“Look, this is the house we bought. Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s almost eighty years old!”
The house was nice, but Jay was more concerned with Aaron’s reaction. Was he horrified by the idea of Jay as his boyfriend? Or just embarrassed by Rachel’s lack of filter?
“You know what? You should visit.” Mark said with a sly smirk. “There’s a lot to do if you like American history. You could even go to a reenactment!”
Aaron turned his incredulous expression toward Mark. “Seriously? No. There are much better things to do than go to hokey reenactments with terrible food.”
Mark laughed. “I see you still haven’t gotten over that authentic blueberry pie. I think Jay will like it. And you could take him to your favorite bar afterward.”
Something warm unfurled inside Jay’s chest at the inclusion. Mark’s initial hesitation was gone. He was comfortable enough to joke around, and Jay could tell that, for Mark, it was a sign of approval.
It was almost three o’clock by the time they stepped out of the restaurant into the bright afternoon.
Mark and Rachel hugged him goodbye, promising to see him in Philadelphia, and then it was just Jay and Aaron.
After walking Aaron to his office building, Jay lingered by the entrance.
“Friday? Text me when you’re done with work. ”
“It’s a date.” Aaron disappeared inside, leaving Jay with unanswered questions. Was it just an expression? Or was it a date?