5. Chapter Five #2
He’s going to make me work for this, isn’t he? Fine. “It’s pushy to ask, but where do we go from here? I’m not looking for a hook-up. I want a relationship. If that’s not what you want, then I can accept that. Just be honest with me.”
Jack snorted. “You sound like those dating commercials.”
“Probably.” He admired Jack’s ability to avoid a question. “What do you want from this?”
“If I say a good time, you’ll bolt, won’t you?”
“Not exactly.” He’d walk away from the sex part, but they could still be friends. He liked working with Jack. Why stop being platonic?
“What’ll you do?” Jack asked.
“You don’t want to answer, do you?” Henry disengaged from him and sat up.
“Look, I’m tired of getting used. It’s happened a lot.
People want me because they think I can help them.
If you’re not interested in dating, then tell me.
I can’t get your restaurant featured on television or in magazines and I can’t make you famous. All I can be is faithful to a fault.”
Jack sat up and stared at him. “I’ve been used, too. People want to gossip and they expect me to tell them what everyone else has said. They want money, too. It’s nuts because I’m a simple guy who runs a hot dog shop. I’m not important. I don’t need fame or lots of money…or to be on television.”
Some of the anger dissipated within him. He and Jack were on the same wavelength, but looking at the situation two different ways. “I disagree about your importance. You’re vital to this town.”
“You’re being generous.” Jack chuckled. “But I appreciate it. I also appreciate your forthright approach. You’re good at blunt, and I’m better at quiet.
We’re also pretty damn good at being defensive.
” He sighed. “I’m not a good boyfriend. I spend too much time at the shop or working on the books for the shop.
I don’t talk much and I seem closed-off.
Ask Anna. She’ll tell you I don’t say much. ”
“You open up when you want to,” Henry said. “You’re opening to me.”
“You’re easy to talk to,” Jack said. “You’ve asked for the truth and here it is. I want to keep this going with you. I like working with you at the restaurant and getting together with you has been awesome. I feel alive again.”
“But?”
“I’m scared and worried you’ll want things from me I can’t give,” Jack said. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.”
“Then we do that. We try, but we go slow.” Henry stretched back out on the bed and reached for Jack. “We give us a chance and realize we’ve both been hurt. Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I do have one restriction.” He had to get this out now or he’d regret not speaking up.
“One?”
He shrugged as Jack snuggled up to him. “If we decide to date, then I want it to be just us. If you’re wanting to play the field, then I’m not the right guy.”
Jack nodded, then draped his arm across Henry’s abdomen. “I’m a one-man kind of guy, too.”
“Good.” Relief washed over him. He needed to know he was the only man in Jack’s romantic life. He was too old to play games and he wanted to settle down eventually. No, he wanted to settle down with the right guy.
Jack?
Maybe.
The next afternoon, Jack headed up to the shop. He should’ve gone in the morning, but he and Henry had had too much fun lounging in bed. The respite soothed his soul. Henry seemed to know how to rile him up, but also how to calm him back down again.
Unfortunately, their relaxation could only last for so long. He needed to balance the books and order more supplies for the coming weeks. Besides that, he needed to make the chili for the week and ensure he had enough cheese grated for when he opened on Tuesday.
He’d had a wonderful weekend. For the first time in forever, he felt normal. He wasn’t stressed or irritated. His ex showing up hadn’t been the best thing that could’ve happened, but Henry had leveled him and encouraged him to delete Dexter’s number from his phone.
His pocket buzzed. He didn’t bother to check the notification right away. Someone must’ve called. Let it go to voicemail.
Once Jack had ventured into the shop and locked the door behind him, he retrieved the message. His ex-boyfriend Ray had called. He had fond memories of Ray. They’d liked to watch baseball together and he wasn’t altogether sure why they’d split. He played the message.
“Hey. If you still have my number in your phone, you know who this is. I’m in Cedarwood and thought I’d drop by. I’m right outside watching you. If you’d have turned around, you’d have seen me before you went into the shop.”
Watching? He looked up, and Ray stood on the other side of the door, waving.
Jack unlocked the door. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Ray stepped into the shop. “This place hasn’t changed. Not in the three years since we were together. Do you ever consider redecorating? Switching things up a bit?”
“I like the décor.” Jack locked up again and leaned against the counter. Why was it that the moment he had a boyfriend, his exes decided to show up?
“You would.” Ray turned one of the chairs around and sat on it backward. “The food scene is really exploding in San Francisco. This place, drab as it is, would be very chic out there. They like weird little joints. Have you ever considered leaving Cedarwood?”
“I like it here.” He crossed his ankles.
“It’s a great place to live.” He stared at Ray, really looking at him.
He’d been attracted to this man. Ray tipped his head and raked his fingers through his blond hair.
Ray had always been a put-together kind of man.
His suits were always tailored to his body.
He wore the right cologne and walked with grace.
But his attitude could be abrasive. His green eyes twinkled, but Jack could never tell if Ray was laughing at or with him.
“You’re not being challenged. There’s no scene,” Ray said. “You need more than this town.”
“I’m perfectly fine.” Now he remembered why he and Ray hadn’t worked out—Ray wanted him to think bigger than Cedarwood. Ray’s attitude sucked. If Ray wasn’t getting what he wanted, he wasn’t happy and let everyone know it.
“Gourmet dogs—not the simple stuff and this atrocious place. It’s so bland.
” Ray stared at him and waved his hand. “Tell me you get gossip. Tell me you get something else out of this place than just slinging awful food. There must be something about this place that keeps you here. You’ve got the goods on someone, right? ”
“I hear things, but I don’t remember any of it.” He needed to get to work or he’d be behind. “I’m busy and I don’t talk about what I’m told.”
“You’re too busy for a friend?” Ray asked. “You and I are tight.”
“I’m busy now, yes, but us being tight…Ray, you’re overthinking this.” He didn’t know what Ray wanted, but he wasn’t going to get any information out of him.
“I hear you’re seeing someone.”
“Yes.” That must be what Ray wants—dirt on my dating life. Jesus.
“A chef?”
“No.” God, he was nosy. “A man.” He refused to give any names. For all he knew, Ray had heard rumors and would hunt Henry down.
“Is it serious?”
“It’s new.” He didn’t want to tell Ray much, but his relationship with Henry wasn’t any of his business.
“Good. Then it won’t be a big deal if you have dinner with me.” Ray stood and reached for Jack. “You’re going to because you want to, and we’ll have fun.”
“I can’t,” Jack said and backed up. “I’m busy. Remember?”
“With the boyfriend?”
“No, here.” Reason number two why he and Ray split—Ray demanded his time when he didn’t have any to give. “Come on. You know what goes into prep. I’m the only worker I have right now. You know this. What’s wrong with you?”
“It’s just dinner and you can have someone else come in,” Ray said. He rolled his eyes. “I know you have other workers.”
“No, it’s just me. This is my business and my responsibility. I can’t just walk away when there’s no one else here,” Jack said. “I have too much to get done today, but thanks anyway.”
“You used to be fun,” Ray snapped. “You used to be the guy I liked to hang out with, but you changed.”
“You used to not be a dick.” He opened the door for Ray. “Bye Ray.”
“Ouch.” Ray stood in the open doorway. “You’re mean.”
“It’s true. I’m mean and you’re a dick.” He might not say much, but he wasn’t afraid to be blunt.
“When you’re ready to upgrade, call me.” Ray leaned in and kissed him on the lips before Jack could react. He backed up and grinned, then walked out of the restaurant.
Jack slammed the door and hit the lock, then faced the miniscule dining room.
His entire body tensed. He gritted his teeth and the muscles in his back ached.
This always happened, but he’d forgotten about his internal reaction to Ray.
The stress sucked. Having Ray there reminded him why they weren’t good together—Ray wanted more when he had nothing left to give. Everything was about Ray.
No wonder he’d been drawn to Henry. He liked the laid-back, easy qualities of him. Henry was sweet and worked with him when Ray did nothing but argue. Henry was better suited to him.
He spotted the bins behind the counter and sighed.
Although almost everything Ray had said was wrong, he probably needed an assistant.
If nothing else, he’d be better off with some company, instead of being alone.
But he couldn’t expect Henry to come up now.
Henry was a nice guy, but nice guys could be pushed too far. He didn’t want to do that to Henry.
Jack rounded the counter and hefted the box of onions onto the counter. If he was going to open on time tomorrow, he’d need onions and they wouldn’t chop themselves.