Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SPENCER
It’s Sunday morning, and Jake and I are lounging in the living room playing Call of Duty.
We had Lucky Charms for breakfast because Jake was in charge of the cereal choice this week, and my energy is already crashing from the sugar.
I miss the big, healthy, protein-rich breakfasts Shane used to cook for everyone before he and Toby moved out.
“What are your plans for the week?” Jake asks casually, while his finger mashes the trigger button, and he gets another kill streak.
“Work mostly, but I’m meeting Tate for lunch tomorrow.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jake asks with a raised eyebrow, glancing over at me from the opposite couch. “You two have gotten awfully close lately.”
I guess it’s time to come out.
“I really like hanging out with him, and before you ask me again, I’m not gay . . . I’m bisexual. I wasn't comfortable enough with that part of myself when you asked me last time, but being with Tate has honestly helped me embrace it.”
“No shit?” The game ends, and Jake sits up straight, setting the controller down on the coffee table between us. “Guys and girls, huh?”
I huff out a breathy and slightly offended laugh. “I mean, yeah, technically speaking.”
But right now, I only have eyes for one feisty blond.
I back out of the game lobby, so we’re not thrown into another match, and set my controller down with his.
Jake peers at me speculatively, his eyes slightly squinted like he’s thinking way too hard. “So, are you two hooking up? As in . . . fucking?” he blurts out, unable to keep his obtrusive thoughts inside his head where they belong.
“Take it easy,” I warn, but he doesn’t stop.
“As in your dick in his—”
Before he can finish that sentence in one of two disrespectful ways, I grab the throw pillow next to me and smack him directly in the face. Hard.
Jake holds his nose, speaking nasally. “Ow! Damn, Spence! I was just messing around. You know I’m cool with it, bro.”
Now I understand—more deeply—all those times Shane looked like he was on the verge of strangling Jake. He constantly takes things too far.
“Then watch your fucking mouth and keep it respectful, bro.”
Jake holds his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, dude. I’m just curious. Can’t help it. Can I ask one more question?”
With a deep breath and a loud sigh, I agree. “What?”
“Are you two boyfriends?”
“No.” I’m way too quick to answer, and it feels like a lie and a cop-out.
“No?”
I shake my head. “We have an arrangement, but that’s it.”
Jake’s blond brows shoot up in interest, and he swipes his hair off his forehead. “What does that mean? I’m even more intrigued now. You can’t leave me hanging, Spence.” He scoots to the edge of his seat, leaning forward, with his elbows on his knees.
“In the simplest terms? Friends with benefits. No strings attached, and no feelings,” I respond matter-of-factly. That makes our connection sound like a business transaction, and a lot less intense and explosive than it actually is.
“Oh, come on. Give me more details than that,” Jake pleads. “Something a little juicy.”
I grab another pillow, ready to strike again.
“Fine. Fine,” he laughs, leaning back against the couch. “But isn’t a lunch date sort of blurring the lines of such an arrangement?”
I let his words sink in for a moment. “Maybe.” I shrug. “But it’s not an actual date. I need to eat. He needs to eat. So, why not eat at the same time in the same place?”
“Pfft. Okay.” Jake shakes his head like I’m the idiot here, and it’s a weird fucking feeling to have our roles reversed.
“Look. They’re Tate’s rules, not mine. If he wasn’t comfortable meeting for lunch, he would have said no. Besides, when are you the voice of reason?” I tease.
“Ain’t that the truth,” he laughs. “For real, though, man. I want you to know we’re cool, and I’ve got your back. As long as you’re happy, then I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Jake.” Despite his dumbassness, I really do appreciate his loyalty. I grab the controller from the coffee table. “Another round?”
“Son, have you finished that expense report for Nicolette? She needs it by four-thirty at the latest,” my dad says distractedly as he flips through a folder, looking for a specific invoice.
“Yes, sir. Two days ago.”
Where the hell has he been?
“That’s great. And what about Mr. Levine’s proposal.”
“Done. I’m completely caught up. Is it cool if I take an extra half-hour at lunch? I’ve got some errands to run.”
My parents don’t know I’m into guys, and I honestly have no reason to tell them right now. Besides, it’s not a lie, I need to stop at the florist before I pick up food.
“Nice work,” Dad says without paying me a second glance. “Go ahead and take off now. Make sure you’re back for the two-thirty meeting.”
“Of course. Thanks, sir!” I grab my keys from my desk drawer and make sure I’ve got my phone and wallet in my pockets. Loosening my tie on my way out the door, I couldn’t stop my smile even if I wanted to. A two-hour break and lunch with Tate. Not a bad day at all.
I stop at the gas station to fill up and grab some drinks and snacks, since I have extra time.
Two Diet Cokes and an unnecessary amount of candy later, and I’m on the way to my next stop, the florist. Frannie’s Flowers is in the same strip mall as my favorite Chinese spot, so my last two errands are conveniently close.
Before I go in, I text Tate and let him know I’m available to meet earlier, just in case he can sneak away. Otherwise, I’ll need to take my time with this bouquet.
“Good afternoon, welcome to Frannie’s. My name is Ella. How can I help you?
“I’m looking for something bright and fun, and a little chaotic. Wildflowers, maybe?” I shrug, not knowing if that’s even a thing. A wildflower bouquet.
“That would be an excellent choice! We have a whole section of wildflowers over here. You can build your own, and I can help you, or you can choose from one of the premade bouquets.” Ella points to a section with beautifully wrapped up bouquets of all colors and sizes.
There are so many options, and they’re all so beautiful.
I’m not sure if I should even attempt to create something as stunning by myself.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and it’s a text from Tate.
Leaving early! Meet you at the pier in fifteen.
I smile, quickly texting him back.
See you then.
That decides it. I grab a beautiful premade bouquet with giant fern leaves, hot pink pointy flowers, and round orange ones.
“You look so happy,” Ella says. “That’s a beautiful choice. She’s a lucky girl.”
I freeze for a moment, my heart skipping a beat, and stuttering inside my chest. My smile slips, and I hate it. I’m caught off guard, but I’m not hiding who I am. “Boy. A lucky boy. But we’re just friends.”
“Oh,” Ella says with a wide and accepting smile. “How sweet. Well, I’m positive he’ll love the flowers. Anyone would. Just make sure to follow the directions on the packet of plant food inside.”
“Thanks, Ella.” I grab my receipt and the flowers, heading a few shops down to Jade Palace to pick up my usual: sweet and sour chicken and vegetable lo mein.
My last stop is the boardwalk. Tate and I both work close to the beach, so it isn’t hard to have lunch with a view.
I get here before him, standing at the end of the pier with a paper bag full of Chinese food and an overfilled bouquet of colorful wildflowers behind my back. Beautifully chaotic. Just like he is.
I see his car pull into the parking lot, and soon enough, he comes into view. “Hey!” Tate calls out, walking over in slacks and a fitted button-down.
“Hey! I brought Chinese,” I say, holding up the brown bag as evidence. “Hope you like sweet and sour chicken.”
“Who doesn’t, babe. Thank you,” Tate says with a bright smile that grows even wider when I pull out the flowers from behind my back and hand them over. “Oh wow! How beautiful,” he gushes, breathing them in. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“It’s nothing,” I insist, brushing off the effort like it’s no big deal. Because it’s not.
If you were mine, I’d treat you like this every damn day.
The thought hits me full force, and I’m a little stunned before I compose myself.
“Shall we?” I hold my elbow out, and Tate loops his arm through mine.
“It’s not nothing. It’s the best I’ve been treated in a while,” he admits quietly.
His words give me pause, and the thought of other guys treating him badly really bothers me. I file it away for later, wishing he’d open up more about his past, but not wanting to press.
We walk to the end of the pier and find an empty bench, taking a seat and propping our legs up on the railing.
I set the paper bag between us, getting out our Diet Cokes and the takeout containers.
I hand him a pair of chopsticks, and we dig in, passing the little white boxes back and forth and sharing effortlessly.
Every moment we spend together, I realize just how compatible we truly are.
The sun warms my skin after being stuck in the freezing-cold office all morning, and I close my eyes for a moment, turning my face up to the warmth. Waves crash beneath us, and seagulls squawk overhead, enhancing this blissful, picturesque moment.
“Mmm. This is perfect,” Tate murmurs with a contented sigh, staring off into the ocean while he chews a bite of lo mein.
I wish I could know what he’s thinking right now. What self-reflective or life-changing thoughts are circling around his mind? Is he thinking of me the way I’m thinking of him?
“Mhm,” I agree, shoving another piece of sweet and sour chicken into my mouth.
I could see this in my future—working our dream jobs, meeting for lunch everyday and returning home to our cats, all while pursuing our goals and supporting each other along the way. It sounds perfect.
“Do you want a family one day?” I blurt out completely against my will. That’s exactly what I wasn’t supposed to say.