Chapter 28 #2
hopefully survive the wrath of Colbie Paris. And as for his love life? Well, that could remain on the back burner.
“Hey, love,” Bastien said as Jonah opened the door, and Jonah could see him trying not to judge the clothes he was wearing.
“Don’t judge me,” Jonah warned, stepping aside to let him in.
“I feel like I’ve not slept in a year, and I got home to find I had barely any clean clothes, so it’s the old tracksuit or nothing.
” He slammed his front door after Bastien let himself inside and closed out the gale force winds pummeling down the road.
“I don’t care what you look like,” Bastien said as he hugged him. “You smell gross, though, darling.”
“I know,” Jonah said, his voice muffled as he buried his face against Bastien’s shoulder.
“When did you last shower?” Jonah paused as he thought about it, and Bastien groaned and pushed him away. “If you have to
think about it that long, Jonah, it’s time for a fucking bath.”
“I know, I know,” Jonah said, and he led the way to the kitchen. “But I didn’t know you were coming until about ten minutes
ago or I would have made myself pretty for you.”
“You still look pretty,” Bastien conceded. “And I can deal with your stench. I’ve really missed you.” Bastien leaned against
the countertop as he watched Jonah fill up the kettle. “How are you? Or is that a stupid question?”
“You know what, I’m actually okay? I think it’s sunk in now that he’s gone. I helped mum sort his stuff at the nursing home,
and I brought some of his records back with me. I think it’s just going to be a case of making sure Mum is okay now.”
“Is she still drinking?” Bastien asked, trying to keep his voice light, but Jonah could see the concern in the way he twisted
his mouth.
“My aunt is keeping an eye on her. Obviously, she can’t be watched all the time, but I think she’s doing okay, considering.”
“And you’re really doing okay?”
Jonah got two mugs from the cupboard and shrugged. “Yeah. I’m okay.”
“You’ll be back to work soon?”
“Why? Has Colbie sent you to get information out of me?”
Bastien made an unimpressed huffing noise and shook his head. “She’s barely spoken to me in weeks, the cow. Who knew she would
be so bitter about me leaving?”
Jonah scooped out two spoonfuls of sugar into Bastien’s mug. “You didn’t tell me you told her. She didn’t take it well?”
“She’s recast me already,” Bastien said with a laugh. “I thought you of all people would know that.”
“Why would I know that? You think Colbie shares anything important with me? I think she wants me to vanish into the ether
so she doesn’t have to think about me ever again.”
Bastien scowled and grabbed the cup then tipped the sugar back into the sugar jar. “No. I’m on a strict wedding diet. Don’t
make me fat, Jonah.”
“But you always have sugar in your tea.”
“And I’m cutting down. Omari told me the other day I was looking saggy.” He ran his hands down his sides to his hips to emphasize
his physique. “Gotta keep all toned for my husband to be.”
“Oh, he would love you no matter what,” Jonah said and heaped three spoons of sugar into his own cup for good measure. “And
you’re not saggy. Ignore Omari.”
“It’s hard to ignore Omari, though, isn’t it? And I didn’t think Colbie would tell you about the person taking over my role,
I thought Dexter would.”
“Why?”
Bastien frowned, his brows furrowing as he looked at Jonah like he’d just said the most stupid thing in the world. “Because
he’s going to be Patroclus after I leave? I mean, it makes sense, it’s a bigger role than Hector. And he came to talk to me
about it first, which was sweet, and I said of course it’s okay, because I’m gonna be in New York living my best married-man
life.”
“I thought Dexter was taking over Achilles?”
“You’re Achilles,” Bastien said slowly, as if someone had knocked Jonah over the head and he was now giving him all his life
information. “Why would he be taking over your role? Are you leaving?”
“Wait. Is that official? He’s going to be Patroclus?”
“Yeah, he said Colbie had been in touch with his agent. I think they signed contracts a couple of weeks ago. Why is that a
problem? Surely, getting to make out with your boyfriend every night isn’t a bad thing?”
“He’s not . . . We broke up.”
Bastien’s expression changed from trepid concern to annoyance.
“Nope.” He shook his head. “I’ve had Sherrie wailing down the phone at me about breaking up with Romana.
I’m not having the same shit with you. No.
I’m not having all that back-and-forth between the two of you for months, which nearly broke me, by the way, just for it to end so quickly.
Nope. No way. What’s the problem and how do I fix it? ”
“Oh God, I think I’m gonna throw up.” Dexter hadn’t gone behind his back. He hadn’t tried taking Achilles. He was leaving
behind Hector, sure, but taking on Patroclus, a role he played so perfectly back when Bastien was ill all those months ago.
Patroclus. Not Achilles. And Jonah accused him, he shouted at him and told him he didn’t trust him over his own Goddamned
insecurities.
“Don’t you dare throw up on me,” Bastien said, backing away while pointing at the sink. “In the sink, babe, in the sink.”
“I’m such a fucking idiot,” Jonah whined, gripping the edge of the work surface as he groaned loudly. “This is my fault. It’s
all my fault.”
“I’m sure you can fix it.”
“I can’t.”
“Look, don’t put pressure on yourself,” Bastien said, daring to come closer again as he placed a comforting hand on Jonah’s
back and rubbed small circles there to comfort him. “You’ve got a lot going on right now. Give it some time. If it’s meant
to be, then it’s meant to be, right?”
“I should have trusted him.”
“What happened?”
“I saw him at a meeting with Colbie and his agent. And I thought they were signing contracts for him to take over as Achilles.
And I thought that because Colbie had been dropping hints to my agent about not renewing my contract. I hate her, Colbie, I fucking hate her.”
“She’s an absolute idiot,” Bastien fumed. “You know what? Fuck her. Fuck her. She doesn’t deserve you. She doesn’t deserve
me. She doesn’t deserve Dexter either.” Bastien paused then rubbed a hand over Jonah’s back again. “Let it all out, babe,”
Bastien said, and it only dawned on Jonah then he wasn’t just shouting, but he was crying too. A weight lifted from his shoulders,
and he could finally see the end of an endless dark tunnel. He could see light there, and he could run toward it, and hopefully
find Dexter along the way.