Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
T he week passed quickly. At work, Jack was as busy as always, but he loved it. At home, Harry had moved back into his bedroom with him, and they kissed and cuddled before falling asleep every night. There were a couple of times Jack thought about maybe doing more than kissing and turning up the heat, but he hesitated, not quite sure if they were back where they had been yet. Then one of them would yawn, and sleep suddenly looked a lot more attractive anyway.
Besides, Jack had a surprise planned for their weekend away. He’d booked them into a nice hotel. Well, nice by Goulburn standards, which wasn’t saying a lot. But he’d booked the nicest room they had. Harry thought they were staying at a cheap motel—the sort of place where the doors opened straight out onto the car park and the list of features started and ended with ‘free parking’—but Jack had booked a newer place. It was four stars, which was as fancy as things got in Goulburn, and certainly a hell of a lot fancier than the house they lived in. The hot water probably worked and everything.
God, they really did live in a shithole. But the rent was cheap, and at least tonight they’d get to stay somewhere without mildewed ceilings and knocking pipes and Tristan fucking someone at full volume—or getting fucked. Either was likely.
Jack grabbed his phone and squinted at the time. Just after eleven. He wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. Harry had gotten in late from last night’s bad date and Jack had waited up for him, because Harry was always so pleased when he did, then they’d wound down with a couple of ciders. But he knew Harry had a lunch date at twelve, and they were driving to Goulburn right after.
He reached out and shook Harry’s shoulder gently. The dark mop of hair poking out of the blankets moved, and Jack heard a mumbled, “No.”
“Harry,” Jack whispered. “We have to get up. You have a date.”
Harry made a dying whale sound and flopped onto his back. He was adorably disoriented in the mornings. Jack nudged him again, got out of bed and then turned the light on.
“Come on,” Jack said. “You have to go to the grandad lunch.”
Harry sighed and hauled himself into a sitting position on the side of the bed, pushing his glasses onto his nose. “I’m getting up.” He staggered upright and out of the door to the bathroom, and a minute later Jack heard the pipes rattling.
By the time Harry was out of the bathroom, Jack had made coffee and toast. Harry took his cup gratefully, more awake after his shower, and stole a piece of Jack’s toast. “What?” he said with a grin when Jack raised an eyebrow at him.
“Aren’t you getting fed at lunch?”
“Yes, but I might be super-efficient and get thrown out before the food arrives,” Harry said. “Which I wouldn’t actually mind, because it means we can leave earlier. Have you got the check-in details?”
“Yeah. Are you all packed?”
“Just gotta throw my stuff in the car. I’ll text you when I’m done on my date, and you can come get me.” Harry put his cup down, slid off his stool and wrapped his arms around Jack, burying his face in the crook of his neck. “I’m nervous about your parents,” he admitted. “What if they hate the real Harry as much as bad-date Harry?”
“Impossible,” Jack said staunchly. “You’re a delight. A treasure. A Disney princess.”
Harry laughed, breath hot against Jack’s skin, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Thanks, I think.” He lifted his head. “Seriously, though. You’re sure you want to do this?”
Jack leaned in and stole a soft kiss. “I told you. I can’t wait to show you off to everyone.” He meant it, too. He hadn’t heard from Mia, but he also hadn’t had any phone calls with his mum berating him down the phone, so he hoped they were so distracted by new of their impending grandchild that they didn’t care who Jack was dating.
Harry stole another piece of Jack’s toast, then raced upstairs to get dressed for his lunch date with Gino. Jack made himself some more toast and ate it leaning against the sink, smiling up at the ceiling like a lunatic.
When Harry came back downstairs again, Jack’s breath caught. And not in a Disney princess kind of way. Harry was wearing the peacock suit he’d fought Beryl tooth and nail for the day they’d gone to the op shop. It was—well, it was something. It was possibly even more awful than he remembered. Magnificent in its impact, if nothing else. Harry almost made it look fabulous but, even as adorable as he was, he was no miracle worker.
Jack laughed as Harry did a twirl for him .
“What do you think?”
“Um.” Jack shook his head, still laughing. “It’s certainly very eye-catching.”
It was amazing really, that Harry could be so shy on one hand, but he could also go out in public dressed like that . Combined with his Bad Boyfriend act, there was no way Gino would be getting that fancy job in the family business—or any job. Hell, the suit alone might see him disinherited by the end of the day.
Jack left the dishes for Harry while he went upstairs and had a quick shower. He dressed in shorts and a T-shirt and checked that his bag was packed for the drive to Goulburn—suit, tie, dress shoes and a couple of casual outfits. Also, the wedding present. He’d ended up getting wine glasses, which felt particularly cruel since Mia couldn’t even drink right now, but he couldn’t think of anything else. He’d promised to help them out when it came to painting the baby’s room and stuff, though.
“Bye, Tris!” he yelled as he went back downstairs, carrying his bag with him.
“Bye!” Tris yelled back, his voice muffled by his bedroom door.
Harry was eating a chunk of cheese.
“You already put your stuff in the ute?” Jack asked.
“Yep,” Harry said around his mouthful. “Overnight bag, plus suit bag. I’m set.”
“How long is the date with Gino going to last?”
“It really depends,” Harry said. “If they’re nice and don’t like to cause a scene, maybe about an hour, an hour and a half? But it could be a lot less than that. Why?”
Jack shrugged. “I thought I might go check out Myer or something while you’re at lunch. ”
Harry slid his arms around him. “You’re having second thoughts about the wine glasses, aren’t you?”
“I really am.”
“Well, just so you know, if you don’t find anything else, the wine glasses are fine.”
He leaned in and gave Jack a cheese-and-toast flavoured kiss, and Jack found that he didn’t really care about the wine glasses anymore, not when he had the prospect of a weekend away with Harry to look forward to.
Jack trawled around Myer listlessly. He didn’t find anything better than the wine glasses, though he looked at some fancy vases for a long time, unable to decide if they were chic or just plain ugly. A glance at the price tag convinced him they were ugly. He killed some time in the baby section, checking out tiny little socks and trying to imagine humans that were so miniature they’d actually fit them. Being an uncle was going to be fantastic—as soon as the kid was big enough to at least hold its own head up. Jack wasn’t keen on the helpless, fragile stage.
Harry, though. Jack just bet Harry would be amazing with tiny babies. He tried to picture it and found himself standing there with a dumb smile on his face. A passing sales lady caught his eye and nodded at the socks. “Father to be?” she said knowingly.
Jack dropped the socks like they were on fire. “God, no.” At her pursed lips he said, “I mean, I’m just browsing, thanks.”
She gave him that patented we both know I’m better than you but I’m pretending to like you smile that all Myer ladies seemed to have perfected and sashayed off.
Jack put the socks back and checked his watch, wondering if Harry had finished disgracing himself yet, but it was a bit early, so he went and got himself a coffee and drank it while he people-watched in the food court.
He was just finishing up when his phone buzzed.
Ready to go.
He sent back a thumbs-up emoji and made his way back to the ute where Harry was already waiting, grinning from ear to ear. “What did you do?” he asked.
Harry’s grin widened. “I propositioned Grandpa while Gino was in the bathroom.”
“Oh, wow. You really pulled out the big guns, huh?”
Harry beamed, and he dusted off the lapel of his awful suit. “Yep. And I didn’t even get food on me this time!”
They climbed into the ute, and Jack manoeuvred them out of the car park. All going well, they’d make their destination by four, which gave them a decent chunk of afternoon for… Jack didn’t have plans, exactly, because that would be presumptuous on his part, but he certainly had ideas on how they might spend their time, and it wasn’t visiting the Goulburn Art Gallery.
Harry let out a contented sigh next to him. “It’ll be nice, having some time away,” he said. “And I think Tris was happy to have the place to himself. He’s planning a party.”
“A party or an orgy?”
Harry shrugged. “It’s Tris. Is there a difference?” He squirmed out of his hideous peacock coat, revealing a T-shirt underneath. Then he shifted, lifting his arse off the seat, and Jack heard the unmistakable rasp of a zip.
“Um,” Jack said, glancing over to where Harry was wriggling out of his pants, and flashing an eyeful of his naked thighs.
“Eyes on the road,” Harry said with a grin.
Right. Driving. That was a thing Jack was doing. And yet, as he steered them through the city streets, heading for the highway that would take them to Goulburn, he couldn’t help stealing glances at Harry and the fresh inches of skin he was revealing with each wriggle.
And Harry, he noticed, couldn’t help glancing back at him and smiling.
And when at last Harry had got his suit pants off and a pair of cargo shorts on, Jack reached out and rested a hand on his thigh, and Harry hummed happily and curled their fingers together.
The drive to Goulbourn was a little over two hours down the Hume Highway. The city fell away into suburbs, then towns, then long flashes of gum trees interspersed with service stations, billboards and rundown rest areas. They made good time, and before long Jack found himself counting down the familiar landmarks that told him they were getting close. Goulbourn wasn’t home anymore—it was too small a town for Jack now he’d had a taste of living in Sydney—but he’d grown up there, and there would always be that tug of familiarity that felt at least a little like a homecoming.
Jack got to enjoy Harry’s wide smile when he pulled into the parking lot of the Quest, instead of the dodgy motel he was expecting. “We’re staying here?” he asked, his face lighting up.
Jack grinned back. “I thought we deserved somewhere nice. You deserve somewhere nice. ”
Harry leaned across the bench seat and kissed him softly, and Jack shoved down the impulse to tell him that this was Goulburn and not Sydney, and that public displays of affection might not fly here. He was done being that arsehole, and if country New South Wales didn’t like it, too bad. Harry deserved to be kissed in public.
Harry deserved everything.
Jack knew he was wearing a stupid smile when he pulled back from the kiss. He was probably still wearing it when they got their bags out of the ute and checked in for two nights. And he was definitely still wearing it when they went up to their room, because the mirrored wardrobe doors reflected it right back at him. But that was okay, because Harry was right beside him, wearing a matching dopey grin. It made him look even cuter than normal.
Harry put his bags down and slipped into the bathroom, and Jack texted his parents to let them know he’d arrived safely. He knew they didn’t expect to see him this afternoon, and that he’d probably just add to the pre-wedding chaos if he showed up with Harry in tow. Better to leave it until tomorrow, when Harry could meet them when everyone was on their best behaviour—for Harry’s sake as much as his family’s. His mum in a tizz was an experience all on its own, one he wasn’t sure Harry was ready for.
When Harry came out of the bathroom Jack took him in his arms and kissed him properly before asking, “So, what do you want to do?”
Harry hummed and rested his chin on Jack’s shoulder. “Don’t you need to go and see your parents?”
Jack shook his head. “Absolutely not. It’ll be a madhouse over there. I’ve told them I'll see them at the service, and they’re fine with that.”
Harry pulled back. His nose wrinkled.
“It’ll be fine,” Jack assured him. “Mia is going to tell them everything, and soon the whole Bad Boyfriend thing will just be a funny story. My dad’s actually quite laid back when you’re not tipping water over him. Mum takes a little longer to warm up, but once she’s on your side, she’s there for life. They’re gonna love you.” He shut his mouth before he added on just like I do because it felt too early for that. It was true, he was increasingly certain of it, but he didn’t want to spook him. He knew that Harry had feelings for him in return—they wouldn’t have been together if he hadn’t—but he didn’t want to pressure him to put a label on it. They had plenty of time for that.
Harry bit his lip. “Are you sure?” He sounded like he desperately wanted to believe Jack but couldn’t quite manage it.
Jack cupped Harry’s face in his hands and looked him in the eye. “Harry. You’re clever and kind and thoughtful, and once they talk to you for more than two minutes, they’ll be thrilled that someone as great as you is willing to put up with my sorry arse. Hell, they’ll probably like you better than me. You’re going to be a preschool teacher, and that alone will make Mum melt.”
The uncertainty on Harry’s face was replaced with that soft, shy smile that Jack couldn’t get enough of. “When you put it like that, maybe I am a catch.”
“You really are,” Jack agreed, and stole another kiss, one with more heat to it.
Harry’s lips parted willingly against his, and his hands slid down Jack’s back, pulling him in closer so their bodies slotted together—only for Harry to pull back again as a giant yawn escaped him at the same time as his stomach growled. His cheeks pinked. “Sorry. Driving always makes me tired.”
“I did all the driving. ”
“But I was alert and watched for hazards like crossing animals!”
Jack laughed. “Yeah, that’s fair.”
Harry swayed against him. “That cow at Sutton Forest was pretty close to the road.”
“Mmm. Nothing between it and the highway except that sturdy fence.”
“Who knows how high cows can jump?” Harry asked, then they both said at the same time, “The moon!”
Jack kissed him again, and Harry beamed. Jack squeezed his hip. “Want to get some takeaway, and then we can have an afternoon nap?”
Harry nodded and let go of Jack so he could stretch, and Jack pulled up Menulog, trying to remember which of Goulburn’s Chinese restaurants were decent and which ones should be avoided at all costs. He was relieved to find the good place was still open, and they put in their order.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go out and see the town?” he asked.
Harry raised one eyebrow, spread his arms, and said, “Listen.”
Jack waited for the rest of the sentence.
Harry huffed out a laugh. “No, I mean literally. Listen. What do you hear?”
Jack cocked his head, but he couldn’t hear anything. “Nothing?”
Harry beamed. “Exactly. No traffic, no banging pipes, no Tris and his catch of the day making the headboard rattle. Just us.” He leaned his forehead against Jack’s and settled his hands back on Jack’s hips. “It doesn’t happen often, and I’d like to enjoy it.”
Well, when he put it like that… Jack kissed him again, a brief brush of their lips, then tossed him the remote control. Ha rry slumped down onto the couch and put the TV on, flicking through the channels until he found some romcom.
“Your love of romcoms is disturbing,” Jack said. He lifted Harry’s suit bag from where he’d left it on the bed and hung it inside the closet. Harry was so proud of his nice suit—it was so unlike the peacock-feather patterned one he’d peeled himself out of in the car—and Jack didn’t want it to wrinkle.
“How else am I supposed to learn how to act on dates?” Harry asked. “Romcoms always have a disaster date. This is research for work, excuse you.”
It was a lie and they both knew it—Harry always watched until the kiss at the end.
“It’s going to be so weird tomorrow at the reception,” Harry said. His eyes widened. “Are we going to have to dance?” His voice pitched higher. “Holy shit. Jack? Will there be dancing ?”
“I thought you liked dancing.”
“I don’t know how!” Harry exclaimed.
“We danced in the street that time, remember?”
“When you say it like that it sounds like an amazing music video or an incredibly choreographed flash mob, but really we just drunkenly hugged and kind of swayed!” Harry’s eyes were wide. “That’s not dancing!”
Jack laughed and held his hand out. “Stand up.”
Harry stood.
Jack took the remote and turned the TV off. He found a slow song on his phone, smiling at the way Harry’s face turned pink and he grinned at the floor when he realised what Jack was up to. Jack set his phone down and stepped closer to Harry. He put his hands on his hips. “Okay, put your arms around my neck.”
Harry did and bumped his forehead against Jack’s shoulder before straightening up again .
“Now follow my steps with yours.”
Harry’s head went down again, and Jack turned his head to see the crinkle of concentration furrowed on his brow.
“You don’t have to overthink it. Just go with it.”
Harry stepped on his toes. “Shit! Sorry!”
Jack pulled Harry closer. “Relax. It’s just us, having a romcom moment. It’s practically required for you to step on my toes, okay?”
Harry laughed and relaxed under his touch, and they swayed in time to the music together, tucked up close, for two more songs.
Jack was almost sorry to stop when the Chinese delivery arrived.