Chapter 3 #2
He pulled into his garage and left the door open for Gray to park, and then he picked up the bag from the restaurant along with his laptop case and walked into his house.
He had just placed everything on the kitchen table when his phone rang.
After fishing it out of his pocket, he glanced at the screen and accepted the call.
“Hi, Kevin.”
“Hey. I’m not interrupting a date, am I?”
Shaking his head, Jack chuckled. “I just got home from work, and I have manners so I wouldn’t answer the phone if I was on a date.”
“True. True.” Kevin paused, and Jack waited for the question they both knew was coming. “What happened with that guy you were seeing?”
“It didn’t work out.” Jack put the phone on speaker and set it on the counter while he paced.
“Why not? You seemed to be having fun with him last Friday night.”
There was nothing fun about his brief time with Devon that night, but there was no point in getting into those details, so Jack tried to nudge the conversation in a new direction.
“Gray mentioned you guys were at the restaurant.” He walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of seltzer water.
“You should have come over to say hello.”
Not one to get distracted from his mission, Kevin said, “We didn’t want to interrupt your date. What happened?”
“He’s not my type,” Jack said, hoping to avoid getting into detail. He tipped the bottle against his mouth and took a drink.
“What does that mean?”
Not surprisingly, the avoidance tactic had failed again.
Kevin wasn’t going to let it go, leaving Jack no choice but to explain why he had no interest in the latest guy he had tried dating and then they’d move on.
“Lots of things.” He finished off his drink and took a deep breath.
“He was flirting with some man at the bar. He’s an early morning person. He doesn’t have a band name.”
“He’s a musician?”
“God no.” Jack snorted. “He has a really shrill voice and no artistic talent.” Now he was being needlessly mean. There was no call for that. Jack rolled his head from one side to the other, trying to stretch out the tension in his neck.
“Then why is he in a band?”
“He’s a business consultant.” Jack got plates out of the cabinet. “Who said he’s in a band?”
“You said you broke up with him because his band didn't have a name.”
“The Hague.”
Jack flipped around at the sound of Gray’s whiskey-soaked voice.
“What?”
“My band name's the Hague. Came up with it in 10th grade when we were memorizing countries and capitals. Sounded cool,” Gray said as he walked over to Jack. He glanced at the phone on the counter. “Hi, Kev.”
“Is that Gray?” Kevin asked.
“Nice name choice.” Jack grinned at Gray.
“What’s yours?” Gray stepped closer to Jack and rubbed his hands over his upper arms and shoulders.
“Abnormal End. It was an error message from one of the first IBM mainframes.”
His eyes gazing into Jack’s, Gray pressed his fingers into Jack’s nape, massaging the tense muscle. “I like it. Very clever and very you.”
“I have no idea what the two of you are talking about. Neither of you has ever been in a band.”
“It’s a name for a theoretical band,” Jack explained, leaning back into Gray’s strong hands. “Just in case.”
“Just in case of what? That you trip and fall into a musical career?”
“This is why we could never date, Kev,” Gray said, focusing his efforts on the spot where Jack’s neck and head connected, and where he carried the most tension.
“Yes. The imaginary band name is our biggest hindrance to a shared happily ever after.”
“Do you want to eat in here or in front of the TV?” Gray asked, eyes focused on Jack’s face.
“Let’s eat at the table. I want to hear what the new production company client means for you. We can watch our show later.”
“Only you two would be having dinner this late. I’ve already finished my skincare routine and I’m heading to bed to read and sleep so I have energy for my morning run tomorrow.”
“We’re night owls,” Jack said.
“That’s right.” Gray gently trailed his fingertips through the sides of Jack’s hair. “Between that and us both knowing the importance of being prepared with a band name, we’re the perfect match.”
Although his neck heated in reaction to Gray’s flirting, Jack couldn’t hold back his smile.
His brain knew not to take the words personally and turn them into something serious—Gray was notoriously effusive with his words and his touch—but Jack’s heart soaked up the attention and his body tightened at the prospect of being wanted.
“The steak’s better warm so we need to get going, Kev. Enjoy your book.”
“No worries. Jack, I’ll call you in the morning. I may have someone to set you up with.”
Gray shifted his gaze to the phone. “I’m making him breakfast tomorrow morning, so he’ll be busy.”
“You’re spending the night there?” Kevin asked.
At the same time, Jack said, “Dutch babies?”
“Yes,” Gray’s response worked for both questions.
“First bands and now babies. What are you two talking about?”
“Oven pancakes,” Jack said with a laugh.
“They’re Gray’s specialty. They’re delicious and he can put them together from what I keep in my fridge and pantry, which let’s be honest, isn’t much.
” When Jack had been at the height of his depression, he’d rarely wanted to socialize outside of the house, so Gray had come over to keep him company, and if he had forgotten to eat, Gray made him Dutch baby pancakes.
“Yeah, well, knowing how many guys Gray takes to bed, he probably has a set morning after breakfast recipe the way other guys have a first-time-they’re-making-someone-dinner meal, and since he never knows whose house he’s at, he has to have a recipe that uses basic ingredients.”
“Kevin…” Jack sighed, hating how disparaging that sounded and yet not sure how to say that without implying there was something wrong with Gray’s sexual history.
Gray picked up the phone. “I don’t spend the night with hookups and my skills in the kitchen aren’t the reason anyone has gone to bed with me.
It’s a recipe my dad taught me. He didn’t do much cooking in our house growing up, but for special occasions, like Mother’s Day or my mom’s birthday, he got us up and we made her breakfast.” He trailed his fingers down Jack’s cheek.
“Seeing Jack first thing in the morning is a special occasion to me.”
“Fine.” Kevin sounded exasperated. “Jack, call me when Gray leaves tomorrow. I need to tell you about this potential guy.”
“I have him covered on that front too, Kev. Have a good night.” Gray ended the call, and Jack breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks for getting him off my back. Between him and Eric, I feel like the only thing anyone talks to me about these days is potential boyfriends. Jaime getting married has them hyperfixating on my love life.”
“Our friends mean well, but they have no idea what they’re doing.” He wrapped his arm around Jack’s back and walked them over to the table.
“In their defense, they probably think I’m falling apart, but Jaime’s been my friend for half my life. I want him to be happy, and I like Oliver.”
“You’re a genuinely good man, Jack Storm.” Gray bent forward and kissed Jack’s forehead. “The best.”
Swallowing down the thickness in his throat and hoping the shiver that went through him in reaction to Gray’s touch wasn’t outwardly visible, Jack said, “Go ahead and sit. I’ll bring the food over.
” It’d give him a chance to get his body under control and an opportunity to return Gray’s kindness by taking care of him, even if it was in a small way.
“You sure?” Gray cupped Jack’s cheek and searched his eyes. “I can help.”
“Of course.” Jack hoped he sounded less out of breath than he felt. “Putting the food on the plates will only take a second.” He licked his lips. “Should I open a bottle of wine?”
“Sounds good.” Gray tipped his head down, and for a crazy second, Jack thought he was going to kiss him, but then he traced his fingers around the perimeter of Jack’s ear and pulled away. “I’m looking forward to this dinner.”