Chapter 5 #3
“Was today the same emergency patient as Friday?” Teddy asked once they were seated at the table. It sat four but could accommodate more with an extended leaf. As it was, Teddy and Finn sat kitty-corner as a delicious-smelling chicken piccata was served.
“Yes,” Finn said with a groan, twisting his pasta around his fork.
At least Teddy could tell it hadn’t been a made-up excuse.
“She’s recovering from back surgery, and I am totally sympathetic, but she is getting chronic now with the tiny little things she comes in for.
I’m trying to ease her mind and ease her off thinking she needs a checkup every time she feels a twinge, but she’s this super sweet old lady without any family and—”
“And Finn is a pushover,” Rose said.
“She’s seventy-five!”
They all laughed, and Teddy had to comment, “Ignoring HIPAA again, are we?”
“Technically not a violation unless I give identifying information about the patient,” Finn said with practiced ease. “Did I say she? Coz I meant them.”
They laughed again. Finn was so charming without trying, especially when he was relaxed.
That part of him wasn’t fabricated; he just had sorrow in him that crept up from time to time.
Teddy liked knowing that, because it rounded Finn out as someone real and within his grasp, if only he could convince him to give this another try.
“I hope you shared those cupcakes,” he said. “Or did you hoard them all to yourself?”
Finn waved frantically beside his plate as if trying to get Teddy to backtrack.
“Um….”
“Cupcakes? From where?” Blaise zeroed in on Teddy.
“We don’t talk about outside baked goods in this house,” Finn said in an over-the-top whisper.
“I’m not jealous.” Blaise balked in a way that betrayed his lie. “I’m curious.”
“A friend from the city sent them to me,” Teddy explained. “He has celiac disease, so everything he makes is gluten free.”
“Those were gluten free? Wow.” Finn jumped when Blaise’s attention snapped to him. “I mean, they were fine. You never make gluten free anyway. You always say it’s impossible to get things moist enough.”
“It is! Or it’s supposed to be….” Blaise trailed off with a grumble.
“You and Dan will have to meet sometime,” Teddy said. “Should be entertaining. You’ll either claw each other’s eyes out or get along like gangbusters.”
That teased out a smile again—from Blaise and Finn.
“When theater season calms down for his husband, I’m sure they’ll be out to visit. Tell me, Blaise, only sensitive about outside baked goods around your loved ones? You don’t mind Finn cooking for your wife on their sibling nights?”
“Oh, Finn doesn’t count.”
“Thanks?” Finn shot him a funny look.
“You know what I mean. The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach, but you’re not exactly a threat. She’s your sister!”
“Honey,” Rose said with a judging head tilt, “a married gay man who lives in the city and sent Finn’s neighbor cupcakes isn’t going to steal me away either.”
“I know, I just like being everyone’s main sugar supplier,” he said like it was something illicit—and considering how addictive sugar was, it really should be.
“Blaise”—Teddy stole his attention again—“I vow to you now, you will be my main supplier from now on whenever I need a fix. But when Dan visits, I will disavow all knowledge of your existence.”
The table erupted into laughter again.
“In all seriousness, you don’t mind missing movie night?” Teddy asked.
“Not for those movies. I mean, I like action and cheesy ridiculousness fine, but I can also live without it.”
“His one flaw,” Rose said dreamily. “Thankfully, I still love him.” She leaned over the corner of the table to kiss him soundly on the mouth.
They were very cute, natural, the kind of easy couple everyone not in a relationship hated—just like Rick and Dan. Teddy knew he probably looked at their interaction with more longing than he should have, but then he soon felt eyes on him, and there was only one person they could belong to.
Finn dropped his gaze to his food when Teddy glanced over.
His smile was gone now, replaced with more of that sadness.
Teddy wasn’t sure if pushing further was worth it if Finn was intent on ending things.
He had to accept Finn’s wishes, whatever they may be; he’d just hoped Finn would change his mind like Frankie and Rose had hoped too.
Once they’d finished eating, Teddy tried to help clear the table, but Rose told him to stay put. They’d have coffee and dessert soon, and as the guest, he was meant to be served.
Blaise got a phone call, a supplier for his bakery, so he took it upstairs, while Rose and Finn went into the kitchen to put everything away.
It wasn’t long before Teddy got antsy, afraid he’d run for the door if left to his thoughts for too long, so he wandered out of the dining area into the living room.
It was homey, warm, all plush furniture and photographs, not bare and artsy the way Teddy kept things.
As he moved past the mantelpiece, he noticed it was filled with photographs from Rose and Blaise’s wedding from about five or so years ago, he’d guess, mostly just the two of them, their wedding party, and close friends and family.
Which included Finn, very handsome in a tux. In several photos, there was another man with him, usually touching him, or Finn was hanging on to his arm. That had to be his boyfriend—now ex.
Oliver.
Teddy could admit the man was attractive.
Built. Blond. Steely. Like an underwear model.
But then, Finn was equally as attractive in Teddy’s mind, if more lean than obvious muscle.
Oliver had a look to him like he wasn’t comfortable smiling, like his natural state was surly, next to Finn’s blinding jubilance, preferring anonymity to goofing off in front of the camera.
Maybe Finn had a type.
Teddy couldn’t help but notice that Finn seemed happier in photos with just Rose and Blaise, though, or with other friends, always more strained when he was next to Oliver, like he’d already known back then that it wasn’t a relationship he wanted to last forever.
A returning ex wasn’t what Teddy had to worry about, but he had plenty of other things standing in his way.
“Maybe I am mad!” Finn’s voice carried from the kitchen.
Through the dining room, the door kept out any sound, but now Teddy stood around the other side at the end of the living room and paused to listen.
“You didn’t even warn me.”
“You left me little choice with how you were brooding the past few days,” Rose said. “Why ruin things with Teddy before they’ve even started? You were so happy—”
“I can’t, Rose. Not now. I shouldn’t have gone after him at all. I don’t even know him that well.”
“Finn Archer, you said you had more chemistry with Teddy the first day you met than you ever felt with Oliver. Is that feeling gone?”
“No,” Finn said quietly.
“Then stop being an idiot.”
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why? Because he saw the real you?”
“What if he’s just being nice?” Finn echoed what Teddy had been worried about far too many times lately.
“He didn’t come to dinner just to be nice, Finn.”
The pause that followed allowed Teddy to relax against the wall, a smile tugging at his lips with the rekindling of hope.
“I’m not always a ray of sunshine,” Finn grumbled.
“So? Who is? Who needs to be? Stop being such a hypocrite.”
“I am being a hypocrite, aren’t I?”
“Yep.”
“I’m doing exactly what I said I wouldn’t when I moved here.”
“Yep.”
Teddy grinned at the clipped way Rose answered and understood why she and Erina had gotten along so well.
“It was easier chasing Teddy when he kept playing hard to get. Stupid, I know, but now he’s chasing me, even after seeing me like that, and I… I am freaking myself out. I am so lame.”
“No.” Rose giggled. “Well, yes. But all that matters is do you like him?”
Teddy’s heart fluttered like when Finn had grasped his hand in the kitchen.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Hey, Teddy. Ready for dessert?” Blaise appeared, making Teddy’s heart flutter for a different reason, but he hadn’t been so loud as to draw attention from the kitchen.
It was only moments later when they went back to sit at the table that Finn came in with a decadent-looking chocolate cake from Blaise’s bakery, and Rose asked, “How do you take your coffee, Teddy?”
He couldn’t resist. “Got any ice cream?”
“Guess I’m a bad influence,” Finn said, following Teddy out to the porch after they’d finished dessert and their affogato, Blaise had informed them. Finn’s concoction had a name, though he’d seemed as surprised as Teddy to learn that.
“Terrible. But it made for a better dessert. I’d offer you a ride home, only….” Teddy indicated both their vehicles in the driveway.
“I promise I won’t race you,” Finn joked. He’d seemed more at ease ever since his conversation with Rose in the kitchen, but he was nervous now; Teddy could see it in the tension of his shoulders.
He leaned against the railing of the porch beside Teddy, the evening calm and cool and lovely, though Teddy still preferred seeing Finn highlighted in moonlight glinting off water in the distance.
“Listen, I swear I didn’t cancel our appointment today to avoid you. I really did have a patient emergency.”
“I believe you. How about next time? Do you want to avoid me then?”
Finn looked down, ashamed.
“That is what you said, you know, drunk as you may have been.”
“Huh?” Finn glanced up again.
“You told me you weren’t going to avoid taking chances anymore, not when you really want something. Also”—Teddy leaned against the railing too, tilting his head close enough to see the freckles in Finn’s eyes from the light of the porch—“I never do anything just to be nice.”
“Y-you heard all that?” Finn was so smooth usually that Teddy forgot how often he tripped over himself and showed insecurities, something Teddy had seen long before he’d known about Finn’s past.
“I heard, and I agree with Rose,” Teddy said, “but only if you want me. If the baggage between us feels too heavy, then I get it. Funny thing about that, though, is I’ve heard it’s easier to carry baggage with help. Of course, I already have Smudge to fill that role, so—”
Finn’s lips were on him so quickly, Teddy sucked in a breath, breathing in the aftertaste of chocolate and coffee, sweet and addictive enough that he opened his mouth for more—
Just as Finn pulled away. “Shit, sorry, I wasn’t thinking, I—”
“Finn,” Teddy said in a growl, though he let his actions show the gentleness of what he wanted, that he wasn’t angry, just eager.
When Finn met his eyes, still ashamed and unsure, Teddy reached for his face, cupping his jaw and teasing fingers along the hairs at Finn’s neck.
He felt Finn shiver, and that was enough to encourage him forward, stepping into Finn’s space and kissing him this time—bold, hungry.
The taste of chocolate was stronger when their tongues met, exploring without holding back.
Teddy had nothing to lose but what he’d already been denied, though he hoped Finn wouldn’t pull away again.
After what seemed like minutes uninterrupted, just the slow motion of their mouths and Teddy’s thumb smoothing along Finn’s cheekbone, it was only when Finn clutched at Teddy’s shirt and whimpered that they parted for breath.
“So,” Teddy said through an exhale, “about that date.”
Finn’s giggle was answer enough, but Teddy only felt relief when he heard the words, “Okay. Wednesday after your appointment to make up for last week?”
“Deal. We’ll call it a do-over.”
The smile on Finn’s face banished all his demons. They still lurked, but they didn’t have to take center stage, and neither did any of Teddy’s.
When Teddy walked down the stoop to his car, he felt a lightness in his step he hadn’t known in a long time, sore hip or otherwise.
It was tempting to wait for Finn to get in his car as well, follow each other home, end up at one destination instead of two, but rather than spoil how perfect that moment had been by rushing this, Teddy drove away with Finn still staring after him.