Chapter Four
“Hi, Jackson,” Henry said to the man when he opened the door.
“Hey, Henry.” Jackson kissed his cheek then took the tote he was carrying. “Come in.”
“My friend Justin will be here soon,” Henry told him as they walked into the living room. He had tasked his friends with building Jackson’s shelves. “I’m going to finish up the walls.”
Jackson put the tote down next to him. “Do you need an assistant?”
Damn, he loved Jackson’s sexy seductive smile.
“Like I’m going to turn down having a gorgeous guy by my side all day.
” Henry chuckled with a wink. He opened the tote, taking out the wallpaper border, paste, and his tape measure.
His first step was to measure and mark the wall.
“Did anything interesting happen today?”
Jackson shrugged. “Just physical therapy.”
“Was it a good visit?” Henry tried to keep his voice casual. He wanted to know everything about Jackson’s progress, but he knew it was a sensitive subject for the man.
“Yeah, I’ve actually regained a ton of strength.” The doorbell drew Henry’s attention. “I’ll get that,” Jackson said.
Henry heard his best friend’s voice when Jackson opened the door. “Hey, good evening. I’m Justin Ashton. I’m meeting my friend Henry Andrews.”
Jackson shook his hand. “Jackson Owens. Henry is in the living room.”
“Hey, Henry,” Justin greeted from behind Jackson as they entered.
He finished the measurement he was taking before turning toward them. “How’s it going, Justin?”
“Great, man.” Justin looked around at the room. “Where are we putting things?”
Henry walked over to the back wall. “The entertainment center here. Corner shelf, there.” He pointed. “And the minibar goes into the wall over there.” He pointed that out as well.
“Got it.” Justin pulled out a tape measure and made his own markings on the wall. “I’ll get the prefab pieces in place first.”
“Do you need help?” Jackson asked him.
“Not gonna turn it down. All my people were tied up today.” Justin led the way out to his truck.
While they were outside, Henry finished his measurements then moved on to applying the wallpaper.
The border they picked was a soft-beige color with small green leaves on scrolled vines.
While he worked, Justin and Jackson brought in the wooden pieces.
He heard them exchanging small talk as Jackson helped with the install.
“You’ll never believe what happened to William yesterday,” Justin said to him as he came closer to them.
“What?” Henry asked.
“He’s covering a story on Winston High’s undefeated baseball season. He got asked out when he interviewed the team.” Justin laughed.
“William is a hottie.” Henry shrugged. “It happens.”
“Yeah, I know.” He laughed again. “But Evie was with him, and she heard the coach invite him to lunch.”
“Uh-oh.” Henry chuckled. “Evie is Justin’s teenage sister, and she is a little firecracker,” he explained to Jackson. “What did she do?”
“She, very sassily, turned the guy down for him, telling him that William’s boyfriend, her brother, would not be okay with that. William said the guy turned red, apologized quickly, then all but ran into the locker room.”
Jackson was grinning. “She sounds super protective.”
“Yeah, Evie and William have gotten extremely close. She adores him.” Justin shrugged. “My whole family does.” Henry looked over to see that Justin and Jackson had positioned the entertainment center, and Justin was drilling in the first screw. “You should see him with my nephew.”
Henry noticed a dreamy, want-filled quality to Justin’s voice at that statement.
Does he want a family with William? Having basically raised his younger sisters, he hadn’t been sure that actual fatherhood was something his friend was up for.
Apparently, it was. Henry heard Jackson ask Justin about his nephew, but it had faded to background noise.
He had never thought about children even once in his life, so why was he suddenly designing his dream nursery in his head.
What the hell? He shoved the thought away, only to have it replaced with images of Maddox’s wedding.
Stop it! He could not be thinking about things like marriage and children in regard to Jackson.
He was not a forever kind of guy. But damn if the man didn’t fill him with want.
Thank goodness he could do his job on autopilot.
He pulled himself out of his unwanted thoughts just enough to participate in the pleasant, lighthearted conversation that filled the next several hours, and soon enough, the work was completed.
“Don’t forget, the Saint tonight,” Justin said as he packed up his stuff.
Henry glazed in Jackson’s direction. “I don’t know, Justin. I don’t really feel like going out tonight.”
“Too bad, dancing queen.” Justin chuckled, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head. “It’s Thursday.”
Since all their lives had gotten busier, he and his friends decided they needed a way to continue to prioritize their relationships, so they got together every Thursday.
Sometimes it was dinner, sometimes it was board games, and sometimes it was dancing.
Usually that was his favorite one, but not tonight.
He didn’t want random guys dancing close, putting their hands on him, or trying to get him into bed.
The only one he wanted to go to bed with was Jackson.
But no way was he ditching his friends for a guy. “You’re right.”
“Usually am,” Justin quipped.
Henry chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll be there at seven.”
“That’s what I thought.” Justin laughed then turned toward Jackson, who was looking over the new shelves. “It was great to meet you, Jackson. Thanks for the help today.” He extended his hand, and they shook. “Later, guys.” Then he was gone.
Henry walked over to stand next to Jackson. “These really did turn out just the way I envisioned.”
“They do look great.” Jackson grinned. “This bar he created is something else.” He looked away from the shelves and over at Henry. “Clubbing with your friends sounds fun,” he commented.
Henry shrugged, suddenly getting a brilliant idea. “It is. You should come.”
“Me?” Jackson laughed. “I’m forty, remember? My club days have been over for quite some time.”
“As long as you can still dance, I think you’ll be okay, Grandpa,” he teased. He was totally into the idea of Jackson, in a skintight T-shirt, pressed against him on the dance floor.
“I’m going to have to pass.” Jackson shook his head.
“That’s disappointing. Are you sure?” Henry turned his tone incredibly flirty. “I can personally guarantee that you’ll have a good time. I am a great dancer.”
“I bet you are.” Jackson looked him up and down before speaking again in a sultry tone. “I’m well aware that you know exactly how to move your body. What…” Jackson stopped himself and shook his head. “I hope you have a good time, Henry.”
“I would have a better time if you came, but…” Henry shrugged. “I’ll see you tomorrow to get everything all finished up.” When Jackson nodded, Henry gathered his belongings and walked toward the door.
“Good night, Henry,” Jackson said as he showed him out.
“Good night.” What was I expecting to happen? he wondered on the way back to his house. Was I expecting him to ask me not to go? Was I hoping for an order not to hook up? Was I waiting for him to be jealous? Yes, yes, and yes. That was exactly what he wished had happened.
Henry was a little late meeting his friends. Honestly, he’d stayed home right up until seven, hoping that Jackson would change his mind. He walked into the Saint at a quarter after seven and quickly found his group.
“Punctuality hasn’t been your strong suit lately,” William joked. Henry rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“If you had seen his neighbor, you’d understand.” Justin chuckled. “From the way he was looking at you, I expected him to come.”
“I asked. He declined.” Henry shrugged, dropping onto the couch next to Emmanuel.
“What’s the deal with you guys?” Maddox asked.
“I’m helping him with his house, and we hang out,” Henry said vaguely.
“And?” Justin asked.
Henry shrugged. “I’m sure William told you that we’re messing around.”
“I think it’s a little more than that though,” Justin said.
“Maybe, and I really don’t know what to do about it,” Henry admitted.
“Hey, Henry.” A cute guy named Joshua came over to them. They had danced together several times, and he had gone home with him once. “Come hit the floor with me.”
Henry hesitated. Joshua was not the one he wanted, but what would one dance hurt? “Why not?” He took Joshua’s hand, allowing him to pull him up. “Be right back,” he told his friends.
He and Joshua made it over to the dance floor. Thankfully, the song playing was fast paced. After a few minutes, he felt himself relax and started to move with the beat.
Joshua put his hand on Henry’s hip, pulling him closer as the song changed. “What do you say we go back to your place?” The man put his lips close to Henry’s ear to ask.
Usually, he’d be all over that offer. Joshua was gorgeous, and he was good in bed. Jackson’s face flashed before his eyes. “I’m just here to dance tonight. Thanks though.”
“You sure? It was incredible last time.” Joshua raised an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry, but I am.” Henry shrugged one shoulder.
“Okay, then. See you around, Henry.” The song had ended, so Joshua squeezed his hand then walked away.
As Henry walked back to his friends, he was stopped by another man. “Hey, Henry, dance with me.”
“Sure.” Henry smiled, allowing the dark-haired Cal to spin him around.
When the dance ended, he turned down anything more. After a third encounter, with a man named Buck, ended the same way, Henry finally made it to his table.
“One, two, three strikes. Guess you’re out for the night,” Justin joked.
“Shut up.” Henry chuckled, rolling his eyes. “I’m just not feeling it.”
“I’m pretty sure I can guess why.” Maddox laughed.
“Henry.” Yet another man approached with a huge grin.