Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
JEREMY
The Washington countryside rolls by, everything a green-brown blur through the water-streaked glass.
I sigh and turn down the music; all the Radiohead that Marcus has been blasting is giving me a headache. “So who else, besides your siblings, will be here tonight?”
We haven’t talked much on the two-hour drive. Marcus turned up his favorite angsty rock station as soon as we got in the truck and has been lost in his head ever since.
He glances at me out of the corner of his eye, a smile playing at his lips. It’s the first sign of joy I’ve seen in him all day. “Are you nervous?”
I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. “No, but I’d still like to know.”
I’m not really nervous for myself, but I am nervous for Marcus.
I know sharing his sexuality with his family will be a huge step, considering how emotionally closed off he tends to be.
Already, he’s reverted to acting moody and brooding, hardly talking to me all day except to ask if I could bring pictures of some last-minute design changes we agreed on to show Sebastian.
I think it’s a defense mechanism.
He nods like he doesn’t believe me. “Obviously, Charlie and her boyfriends, Lincoln and Trey; Sebastian is coming with Fiona and Brantley.”
“Are they a throuple too?”
Marcus laughs. “Not that I’m aware of. Pretty sure Seb hates Brantley.” He turns down a long gravel driveway, the rocks crunching ominously under the tires.
I’m so excited to see Trey. I’ve missed him like crazy. We still text sometimes, but ever since he met Charlie and got together with Link three years ago, he has understandably been distracted.
Marcus stops in front of a little craftsman-style house, and I hop out of the truck, taking in the property. There’s a break in the clouds, and the sun is just starting to set, casting a pink hue on the mist that envelops the fields and forested hills.
Marcus comes up beside me, careful not to touch. “No nearby neighbors, and when the weather’s nice, they have a stunning view of Mt. Baker.” He sounds jealous.
I glance at him. “Would you ever want something like this?”
He shrugs. “You know I want to leave the city. And I want . . . something. Maybe not here, but a peaceful place like this? Yes.”
I smile and edge closer to him. “Can I come with?”
He glances at me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you asking to move in with me?”
“Would that be a bad thing?”
Marcus sighs and doesn’t answer. I reach for him, but he pulls away, clasping his hands together. “Jeremy, I’m scared that I can’t do this.”
I nod, the hope I had in my chest just a moment before dimming. “I know, baby.”
Will he ever be ready?
While I understand it’s his choice to come out, it still hurts my heart. I desperately want to be his.
He looks at me apologetically, and I shrug, feigning nonchalance. What else can I do? We’re here, so I may as well make the best of it, despite my heavy heart. Will Marcus Conner ever put us first? Deep down, I’m terrified and angry that he won’t.
He sighs. “Let’s go inside.”
Marcus leads the way up the planked steps to the storm door, opening it for me.
Laughter meets my ears as we enter the foyer, take off our shoes and coats, and walk through to the kitchen-slash-living-room.
The space is open with warm wood finishes, cozy furniture, a huge movie screen on one wall, and tall windows that look out over the back of the property.
Charlie is in the kitchen mixing drinks, Trey and Lincoln are tucked together on the couch chatting with an older man, and Sebastian, Fiona, and Brantley are standing in the living room like they just arrived recently.
We’re greeted by a chorus of friendly hellos, and I try to hide a smile when I catch Trey’s eye.
“Jeremy?” Trey says, and I smirk at him. I always knew he and Lincoln would end up together. They just needed Charlie to push them there.
I fold my arms over my chest. “Trey Walker, as I live and breathe.”
Trey gets to his feet, pushing golden-blond hair from his eyes, and catches me in a tight hug. He smells like apples and cinnamon, and it brings me back to long evenings spent watching movies and TV shows in his basement.
Just as we break apart, Charlie barrels into me, hugging me tightly, and I can’t help the silly smile that spreads across my face. I missed these people so fucking much.
“Jeremy, I didn’t know you and Marcus are friends,” she says when she pulls back slightly and looks up at me. “What a small world!”
“Hey, Kitty,” I say with a chuckle as I ruffle her long hair. “Small world, indeed.”
I glance at Marcus, who looks extra stiff and awkward, his face clouded with confusion. I suppose I could have told him that I actually know Trey, Link, and Charlie, but he was being standoffish all day, so I chose to omit that tidbit of information.
Oopsie. My bad.
“You were a grade ahead of me at Washington Prep, right?”
I look over, recognizing Sebastian from the photos I’ve seen. He’s almost as tall as Marcus, but slimmer, with messy dark brown hair and light blue eyes.
I nod to answer his question.
“That’s why you look so familiar. Didn’t you and Trey date? I think I saw you guys at some mutual parties . . .” He looks at Link, who’s glaring between us, and I can’t resist fucking with him, which I know will also fuck with Marcus.
I place a hand on one hip and purse my lips.
“‘Date’ is a strong word. We sucked and fucked, but I don’t think we ever went on a date, did we, babe?
” Marcus stiffens at my side as I give Trey a questioning look, and he plays along, shaking his head with a laugh.
Lincoln’s gaze darkens further, and I raise an eyebrow at him.
“And don’t give me that jealous boyfriend glare, Lincoln Evans.
I know what your cock tastes like too.” I’m rewarded when he closes his mouth, a blush coloring his cheeks.
Fiona and Brantley burst out laughing, and Marcus makes a noise akin to a growl. I choose not to look at him.
Stew in your jealousy, big guy.
The older man stands from the couch with a friendly smile. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of that.” He holds out his hand, and I shake it. “John Evans, Lincoln’s dad.”
I should have known; they share the same dark features, other than the shots of gray in John’s hair. “Mmm,” I say with a wide smile. “I see where Link gets his mouthwatering looks.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Marcus mutters angrily.
I give him an innocent glance, and judging by his glare, if looks could kill, I’d be in hell right now.
I roll my eyes.
Am I intentionally pushing his buttons? Absolutely.
Do I care right now? Not even a little bit.
Marcus clears his throat. “You all went to high school together?” He steps closer to me, his voice lowering an octave, obviously annoyed. “Why didn’t you mention this before?” he asks me.
I shrug like a brat. “We went to high school in the same town, not the same school, and it never came up.”
“How do you guys know each other?” Sebastian interjects.
“Oh.” The tips of Marcus’s ears pinken, and I stare at him expectantly. “He’s . . . our interior decorator for the Seattle pub.”
For fuck’s sake.
“Uh, yeah, I’m your . . . decorator.” I turn to Marcus’s brother with a polite, albeit tight, smile. “You must be Sebastian.”
“That’s me.” He gives Marcus an incredulous look. “You brought our decorator with you?”
Marcus freezes up and somehow manages to look even more uncomfortable.
Exasperated, I step in front of him and give Sebastian an apologetic look. “I was free this weekend, so I brought some designs with me to show you. Marcus felt like he wouldn’t be able to explain them well.” I look at Charlie. “I hope that’s okay. I don’t mean to crash the party.”
“Are you kidding?” Charlie says. “You’re always welcome, Jeremy.”
As conversations around us naturally resume, Marcus grabs my elbow a little too forcefully, his lips dropping to the shell of my ear. “You’re going to pay for that lie later, Jer,” he growls.
I pull my arm free and step back a little, putting some space between us because his alpha-male bullshit is turning me on, but I’m still annoyed with him. “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t say anything. It didn’t seem relevant.”
“I’ve talked about Charlie and the guys many times over the last few months.”
“Technically, I’ve mentioned Trey a few times—he was my high school friend I told you about.” I bat my lashes at him. “And how was I supposed to know you’d actually bring me to meet your family?” I snap my fingers. “Oh wait, you didn’t bring me. You brought your decorator.”
His face blanches, but before he can respond, we’re saved by the bell when the doorbell rings.
“Pizza time!” Trey yells, jumping up and running to the foyer.
Sebastian just stole Marcus’s fucking thunder, coming out to his whole family as demisexual, and I can’t help the jealousy that stirs in my gut when he sits down and Brantley joins him, slinging his arm around the back of Seb’s chair.
I look at Marcus. His eyes are so unsure, and they’re wet with unshed tears. I can see he’s proud of Sebastian.
Is he jealous too? Like I am?
He glances at me and gives me an easy smile. It’s my smile, and my breath catches because he’s so fucking beautiful. The conversation around us just fades into the background, and I really want to touch him.
I scan the table.
No one is paying attention to us except for Charlie. She has a knowing look on her face as her eyes bounce between us, and I wink at her.
The sharp sound of glass shattering cuts through our revelry. Someone hard and muscular hits me, pulling me roughly to the hardwood floor and rolling us so that we’re under the large table. Pain explodes where my knee lands.
Someone screams—Fiona? Charlie?
There’s a warm weight covering my body. The smell of cedar and beer floods my senses.
It’s Marcus.
I blink, staring at the broken glass around us, shimmering in the kitchen light like some sort of mirage.