Chapter 4
“How long has Kev been trying to set you up with people?” Gray asked as he cut his steak.
Jack swallowed his potato and then dabbed his napkin against the sides of his mouth. “We’re talking about Kevin Rodley.” He arched his eyebrows. “At some level, he’s been trying to set me up since the moment he found out I was single.”
“Kev really is a master meddler,” Gray said with a chuckle. “Although with me, it’s less about him coming up with actual guys he thinks I should meet, and more about him pointedly expressing disapproval about the way I handle my personal life.”
“For a person not in a relationship, he is oddly obsessed with getting everyone coupled up.”
Shrugging, Gray said, “It’s something he wants for himself so he’s sure everyone else should aspire to it too.”
“That’s very true. He’s coming from a good place.” Jack rubbed his lips together and furrowed his brow in thought. “Now that I think about it, we should be coming up with someone for Kevin. He’d actually appreciate a setup.”
“Are you implying that you don’t appreciate it?”
Shrugging, Jack said, “I know our friends are trying to help me and I appreciate the sentiment, but the actual dating people part?” He shook his head. “Not so much.” He drew in a deep breath and then looked down at his plate and poked at his meal. “Not at all.”
Unable to maintain any sort of distance when Jack looked that downtrodden, Gray reached his hand out and rubbed it up and down Jack’s arm. “It’s been that bad?”
Giving him a weak smile, Jack said, “No. I’m being dramatic as usual.”
“You’re not dramatic, Jack.” Gray had no idea who had planted that particular seed in Jack’s head, but he wanted to extinguish it.
“What’s the problem exactly? Are they jerks like that guy from last week?
” He swallowed and then forced himself to ask the question he really wanted answered, “Or is it that you aren’t ready yet? ”
“Not ready?” Jack drew his eyebrows together.
“You mean because of Jaime?” He shook his head.
“I’m happy to say that I am well and truly over that relationship.
Seeing him and Oliver together was like a miracle cure on the healing front, and now I wonder how I could have spent so many years thinking we could work. ”
Gray had wondered the same thing, but he didn’t express that opinion out loud. “So, what’s the issue?”
“Honestly?” Jack sighed. “I think I’m not meant to be in a relationship.”
“What?” Gray reared back, surprised. “Why would you say that? You are the most loyal, giving partner possible.” Those qualities had been wasted on Jaime, which bothered Gray to no end, but that failure of a relationship wasn’t on Jack.
“You didn’t do anything wrong with Jaime.
” Gray didn’t fully understand why Jaime hadn’t appreciated what he had in Jack, but whatever the reason, his feelings had been clear.
It was telegraphed by Jaime’s body language, by the way he looked at Jack, even by the way he spoke to him.
There had been no passion, no true warmth.
Jack had always deserved so much better.
“Whatever his issues were, they were his alone and there’s nothing you could have done to change them. I hope you realize that.”
“Thanks.” Jack smiled and cut himself a small piece of steak.
“It’s not about what happened with Jaime, mostly.
I just…” He sighed, put the steak in his mouth, chewed it, and then swallowed.
“I go out with these guys and there’s nothing there, you know?
It honestly feels like a chore. And if that’s how it is with every person I date, then I’m the common denominator, you know? ”
“There are a lot of people in this world, but most of them are annoying idiots. That’s the common denominator.”
Jack laughed so hard he started coughing.
“Drink your water.” Gray grinned and handed him his glass.
Jack swallowed his water, set his glass down, and wiped his mouth. “You’re terrible.”
“You love that about me.”
Jack shrugged. “Guilty.”
“Now tell me why dating feels like a chore.”
“Ugh,” Jack groaned. “There’s always the same string of inane get-to-know-you questions.” He held up a finger. “What do you do for work? Why do they ask me that when they already know? There is no way whoever set us up didn’t tell them, and even if they missed the details, they have Google.”
Gray nodded in agreement.
Holding up a second finger, Jack continued, “What do you like to do for fun?”
“That doesn’t sound bad.”
“On the surface, yes, it seems like a simple question, but I have no idea how to respond. Everyone likes to travel and it’s not like I’m going on a trip with someone I just met, so how is that a useful answer?
Plus, most nights, my fun consists of sweatpants, potato chips, and bad TV.
That’s for sure not a date-appropriate confession. ”
Chuckling, Gray said, “Hey now, don’t discount those answers. If I heard them, I’d ask for a second date on the spot.”
“Well, you’re my friend so that’s different.” Jack held up a third finger. “And then there’s my least favorite question: What are your dreams? I think I’m supposed to say I want to make a bunch of money or progress to a higher echelon in my career or get married and adopt a bunch of kids?”
“You’re already insanely successful, plenty wealthy, and you don’t want to have children.”
“I know that and you know that but saying it to someone I barely know sounds obnoxious, and besides, it doesn’t answer their question. But if I’m being real, my dream is finding a suit that’s appropriate for work, as soft as sweats, and also repels grease stains. I can’t tell someone that!”
Gray laughed so hard, he started coughing.
“Now it’s your turn to drink some water.” Jack picked up his glass and handed it to him. “Are you okay?”
It took him a little time to get himself together. “You crack me up,” he croaked, wiping tears away. “Thanks.” He accepted the glass from Jack and drank a little. “So you don’t admit your clothing dreams to these guys?”
“Of course not. I know how to be socially appropriate on the outside even if I’m a hot mess on the inside.”
“You’re not a mess. You’re hilarious and I’m glad you’re not showing that side of yourself to anyone else because I’m already struggling to land you and I don’t need the extra competition.
” He winked at Jack. “Seriously though, you don’t have to keep going out with whoever our friends send your way.
” Gray admitted to himself that he wasn’t giving that advice solely because Jack hadn’t enjoyed the dates to that point.
He was also worried that eventually, one of the men lucky enough to be fixed up with Jack would be decent enough for them to make a go of things.
“Tell them you’re not interested in more setups. ”
“I should.” Jack dragged his fork through his potatoes. “But I don’t want to hurt their feelings by turning down people they suggest. Plus, I like my friends and my friends like these guys, so that means I should like the guys.” He raised his gaze. “Do you know what I mean?”
“I’m familiar with the transitive property, yes.” Gray squeezed Jack’s shoulder and laughed. He did that a lot when they were together. Jack made him happy, which was one of the many, many reasons he enjoyed spending time with him. “But people aren’t math, Jack.”
Smiling at him, Jack said, “You’re right. I wish they were though. I’ve never had any trouble solving a formula, but figuring out men…” He tapped his chest, pointing at himself, and shook his head. “Hopeless.”
They focused on their food, the background sounds of a ticking clock, the humming air conditioner, and the whirring refrigerator familiar and comforting. And then Gray had a brilliant idea.
“Hey, I have a solution to your setup problem.”
“You’re going to make my dates enjoyable?”
“Yes, I am, actually.”
“How?” Jack asked disbelievingly. “You briefly met Devon, so you already know he’s—”
“Insufferable. Yes, I’m well aware. Whoever set you up with him should be banned from having any future opinions about anything.”
“I don’t know that I’d phrase it quite like that.”
“You wouldn’t because you’re the nicest person in the world. Sometimes I hate that for you, by the way.”
“Same.” Jack chuckled.
“I, on the other hand, have no compunction about calling a spade a spade and that guy was a tool.”
“Nice play on words.” Jack smiled at him.
“The English minor comes in handy sometimes.” Gray grinned back and then clasped Jack’s forearm and squeezed it. “Seriously though, I have a plan that will get our friends off your back and ensure all your dates from here on out are an absolute delight.”
“Please enlighten me.”
“Choose me to be your date.”
With an eye roll and a head shake, Jack glanced down at his plate and forked his next bite. “I already have dinner with you more frequently than I do with anyone else so I guess you’re right.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Lips around his fork, Jack glanced at him and furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Right now, Kevin and everyone else keeps throwing men at you because you’re single and they think you’ll be happier if you have a boyfriend. I happen to agree with them on that last part so let’s solve it. I’ll be your boyfriend.”
Jack gulped down his food. “You’ll be my boyfriend?”
“Yep. I realize I don’t bring a ton of experience to the table for this exact role, but I think my other qualifications make me the best candidate for the job.
Plus, I’m willing to do whatever’s necessary to prove myself.
We can think of it as an unpaid internship that could result in a permanent position if I do well enough. ”
After a few moments of silence, Jack said, “Gray?”
“Yes?”
“I have no idea what we’re talking about.”
Sliding his hand down to Jack’s, Gray wove their fingers together. “Let me be clearer.” He raised Jack’s left hand, leaned forward, and kissed the back of it. “Jack Storm, I’d like to date you.”