Chapter Two #3
“Wow. That’s so nice.” Henry thought that this was going to be all about business, and here Jackson was making him dinner. Maybe… No, you can’t think that way, he told himself. “So where would you like to start?”
“The chicken has about another fifteen minutes to bake. I figured that I could show you the living room, let you see what you’ve got to work with, and then we could discuss it over dinner.”
“That sounds great.” See, Henry, he just wants to discuss the house.
“Tell me what you like and don’t like, that way I can keep that in mind when I envision the finished project.
” Jackson led him to the living room where two black leather sofas and a huge recliner dominated the room.
Henry took a seat, and the other man sat down next to him.
“Okay, let’s talk about colors.” He didn’t care for the stark white walls.
“Nothing too aggressive,” Jackson warned.
“I was thinking more of a pale shade of gray.” To match your eyes. But Henry didn’t add that; instead, he looked around. “How attached are you to these leather sofas?”
“Not very. I told you my mom and sister picked all of this out. They were tired of my house looking like a bachelor pad, or fuck shack as they called it.”
“What did it look like before this?” Henry asked with a chuckle.
“Ratty old couch, one recliner, and a coffee table. My bedroom was the main event, so that room is kind of awesome.” Jackson shrugged. A timer dinged and he excused himself, leaving Henry to examine the room.
In addition to the couches, there was a massive black entertainment center that housed a large television and a minibar along one wall. On the walls hung several seaside prints, and not necessarily good ones. There were so many possibilities there.
“Dinner’s ready.” Jackson interrupted his thoughts, and Henry followed him to the dining room.
“I made a rosemary and herb chicken.” He nodded to the whole chicken sitting in the middle of the table surrounded by seasoned red potatoes then gestured for Henry to sit.
“What’s the verdict?” he asked as he began carving and serving the bird.
“I do have a few ideas already. I’ll put together a couple of presentations for you to choose from.”
“Tell me what you immediately thought of. I could see in your eyes that you had some pretty good ones.”
“Okay,” Henry agreed. “As I said before, a pale gray on the walls and a plush velvet dim-gray sectional with an oversized recliner. Then replace your makeshift minibar and the artwork. After that, I would mount the television, place a bookcase on either side, and add a fake fireplace underneath. I could sketch it out for you.”
“After we eat.” Jackson nodded. “Wouldn’t want your food to get cold.” Henry smiled and took a bite of the perfectly cooked chicken and practically moaned. It was seasoned to perfection and all but melted in his mouth. “Good?” Jackson asked.
“Very.”
Jackson smiled at Henry’s blushing answer and began to eat himself. “So how long have you been in design?”
“About ten years. I started Design by Henry five years ago.”
“Did you always want to be an interior designer?”
“There was something else I wanted to do, but I didn’t think I could pull it off.” Henry shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong though, I love my job and know that this is what I was meant to do.”
“What did you really want to do?” Jackson asked between bites.
“Don’t laugh, okay?” Henry preempted.
“I promise.” Jackson patted his arm.
“I wanted to join the military.”
“Why would I laugh at that?” Jackson asked seriously.
“I know that I don’t exactly look like the soldier type.” Henry was of slight build and had no real muscle to speak of.
“And what’s a soldier supposed to look like?” Jackson wondered.
“You.” Henry blushed again, causing Jackson to chuckle.
“Soldiers come in all shapes and sizes. It’s the heart that counts.” Jackson told him. “So why didn’t you join?”
“Honestly, for that reason. I didn’t think I could pass any of the physical exams.” Henry sighed. “I had a couple of enlisted cousins who used to laugh at me and tell me I was too much of a weakling to join.” He shrugged.
“Your cousins are kind of jerks,” Jackson said, causing Henry to nod his head and chuckle. “I wish you wouldn’t have listened to them.” The man looked him up and down. “You don’t look like a weakling to me.”
“Thanks.” Henry couldn’t help the heat that crept into his cheeks. “But I’m in better shape now. I play tennis with one of my friends every week.”
“Tennis is a great form of exercise. I had a buddy who loved tennis. He would make us watch matches anytime we were somewhere they were televised.” Jackson stopped and seemed to go somewhere far away.
“Are you okay?” Henry asked, looking into his troubled eyes.
“Of course.” He smiled, or tried to.
“I could…” Henry stopped himself before he crossed another line. Jackson, he was sure, didn’t want him to pry. “Draw up that concept for you,” he said instead of offering to listen.
“That would be great.” Jackson rose from the table, taking dishes to the kitchen. Henry did the same.