27. Tom
Chapter twenty-seven
Tom
I have a rare Friday night off. Abby wanted to swap shifts so she could get a long weekend off soon to go away. I’m at a loose end and texted Cassidy earlier to see what her plans are. Thankfully, she took pity on me and invited me over.
After she lets me in the main entrance, I jog up the stairs to her floor. She has the door open before I get to it, waiting with a big grin on her face.
“Hey,” she says as I kiss her and enter her flat.
“Hey, yourself.”
“So, a Friday night off? How does that feel?” Her voice sounds teasing.
“It’s weird. But Abby is doing well in the assistant manager role and she’s eager for more responsibility. Her stepping up these last few months is allowing me more freedom than I’ve had in a long time.”
“I think it’s a good thing, Tom. I know the bar means a lot to you, but it’s awesome to have staff you trust so you can take time off every now and again.”
She leads me over to the couch, where we both sit next to each other.
“How’s the book going? Are you close to being finished?”
“Actually, I’m so glad you’re free because we are celebrating. I typed The End about an hour ago. And there’s something else too—my divorce papers came through. It’s all finalised.”
“Wow, well done with the book, Cassidy. I’m so proud of you. How are you feeling about the divorce?”
“So glad it’s done. Lessons learnt for sure. Now I can finally close that part of my life for good and move on.”
“I’m happy for you.” I scoop her into a hug, which ends up being a long, hot kiss. “How shall we celebrate?” I ask when we’re both panting and breathless.
“Well, this is good,” she gestures to our close proximity. “I was gonna see if Jack can come over too. I could cook and we could all hang out together?”
“That sounds great. You sure you don’t want to go out and have a night on the town?”
“Honestly? No. I want to have a night in with my guys and as many orgasms as you can get out of me!”
“Sounds like a plan. How about I cook and you can sit back and bask in your writerly success and newly divorced status?”
“Are you sure? I’m not sure what I have, but that would be amazing. I don’t mind cooking, but perhaps baked beans on burnt toast isn’t the best celebratory meal.”
“Can I go and rummage through the kitchen and see what I can find?” I ask as I rise.
“Go for it.”
I look through the pantry and fridge and find a few interesting ingredients. “How do you feel about gnocchi?”
“I feel happy about it. Can you make it? Do I have the right ingredients?” She’s standing in the kitchen doorway, watching me.
“I can. You do. Do you still have the sage I got for you in your window box?”
She nods.
“Excellent, I’ll get the potatoes cooked now so they have time to cool. And then when we know when Jack’s arriving I can get them ready. You’ve got the makings for a decent salad as well.”
I get to work with the potatoes while Cassidy texts Jack to see if he can come over after work. He responds to say he will leave work soon and head over. Cassidy stays in the kitchen and we chat about her book as I cook. Her face lights up as she talks me through the ending of the book and how it all came together better than she’d planned and plotted.
“So what happens with it now? When do I get to read it?”
“I’ll do a read through and any edits I think are needed. Then I might let you guys read it. And confirm my slot with the editor. All going well—I’m hoping to release it in a couple of months.”
We chat for a while before she gets a text from Jack to say he’s on his way. He comes in with a big grin on his face.
“What are we celebrating?” he asks as he comes into the kitchen to give me a hug.
“Cassidy finished her first draft.”
“Clever girl,” he declares, pulling her up in a hug and swinging her around.
“And I’m divorced!”
“You mean I’m not fucking a married woman anymore? Sad times.” Cassidy slaps his shoulder and gives him a glare before breaking into a grin. “I have some news to share too.”
I look at him, trying to get a read on him. “Good news, I hope?” I ask.
“Er, yeah, I think so.” He reaches one hand up to grasp the back of his neck. A telltale sign from Jack that he’s feeling uncertain.
“What is it, Jack? Spill,” Cassidy prompts him.
“See that job in New York that I mentioned?” he asks, looking towards both of us as we nod. “I got it.” I notice that he’s not grinning.
“Wow, congrats, Jack. That’s awesome. You’ve wanted to work there for ages, right?” Cassidy gives him a squeeze and takes a step back as she peppers him with questions.
“Yeah, I have. It’s for three months initially with a bonus tied in to meeting certain milestones. And if the initial project goes well there’s the potential for it to expand into a longer term thing.”
I have never been more grateful for Cassidy than right now. She’s making all the right noises and asking all the questions while I stand in her kitchen feeling numb.
He’s leaving.
He’s talked about it on and off since I’ve known him. But with things feeling as good as they have been, I wondered in the back of my mind if he’d go through with it. Just when this was all starting to feel comfortable and right. When I thought he was coming round to loving me like I’ve loved him for months. Dammit. I try to focus on the conversation, but it’s hard. I can’t feel anything. I know it’s some kind of defence mechanism to prevent me from breaking down, but I feel daft. I can’t move. I can’t speak. I can’t even nod my head or smile along with what they are saying.
Luckily, they are caught up in their conversation, and I don’t think they’ve noticed my paralysis. I concentrate on my breathing, closing my eyes for a second to shut everything out. That seems to help and I’m able to move. I turn back to the salad prep and concentrate on that. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I jump when a hand touches my arm.
“You okay, honey? That was a bit of a shock, wasn’t it? I know he’s mentioned the New York thing, but I’d completely forgotten about it, what with me being introduced to his parents and the big talk the other week.”
“Where’s Jack?” I ask, looking for him.
“He’s just gone back to his to drop his work stuff off and get changed. He did say but I don’t think you heard him." She's looking at me with sad eyes. I heave a big sigh. My eyes are prickling, but I refuse to let a tear form. I resolve to cast any emotion to the side and get through tonight, celebrating with these two awesome humans.
“I’m okay, Mac,” I whisper in her ear as I hug her tight. “Just overwhelmed with all the news. Let’s celebrate my two favourite people in the world. I promise I’ll snap myself out of it.”
“Tom, you don’t have to snap yourself out of it. It’s perfectly normal to have feelings and big emotions. I’m here. You can talk to me.” She tries to push me, but I shake my head with a wry smile.
“Not today, Cassidy. Let me do it my way. And that means celebrating in the best way we can.” I don’t want Jack to come back in and realise I’m upset. I will take the time later to let the feelings out, just like I’ve always done. There’s no need to tangle Jack and Cassidy up in them. I refuse to dull their celebratory buzz.
“Okay, we’ll do it your way. But I’m here for you. I want to support you through this. You and me, we can get through this together. I’m going to miss him too.” She gives me a tight squeeze. She must realise that’s all I’m willing to say on the matter because, as she pulls away, she looks over at the dinner prep. “You gonna teach me how to make gnocchi now?” she asks with a grin.
Ten minutes later, Jack reappears in casual clothes and finds Cassidy and I covered in flour and surrounded by little gnocchi dumplings. He watches, propped against the kitchen counter, as we finish prepping before I show Cassidy how to cook them. We all work together to get the dinner ready. Jack gets out plates and cutlery and serves some of the salad I made. Once the gnocchi is cooked, we toss it with butter and sage, adding it to the plates. Jack produces a bottle of champagne from somewhere and pops the cork to pour each of us a glass. We stand together in Cassidy’s little kitchen and raise our glasses in a toast.
“To finishing the book,” I say to Cassidy.
“To new adventures,” she says to Jack.
He turns to me and gives me a heated look and then, “To the best damn fuck buddies in the world.”
I grit my teeth as we all clink our glasses together. They precede me out of the kitchen, and I take a big gulp of my champagne before I follow. Fuck buddies. Wow, I think sarcastically to myself. I thought we were more than that.
Once we’ve eaten and chatted, Jack clears away the plates. I’m grateful to Cassidy for propping up the conversation and getting all the details of the New York trip out of Jack. He sounds excited about the project he will be working on and also spending time in New York City, which I know he’s wanted to visit for a long time.
I know I’m happy for him, but I’m sad for myself as well. This relatively short run of the three of us, all being together, has been incredible. I have been content for a while now. The uncertainty of what will happen next churns in my stomach.
I watch Jack and Cassidy interact, and they look beautiful together. It makes me wonder what people see when they see the three of us. Does that make as much sense as Cassidy and Jack do together? Or will our unconventional relationship always look weird to other people? And does it even matter now Jack is leaving?
“I can’t expect you guys to wait for me, but I hope you’ll continue to see each other when I leave.” Jack’s face is a picture of seriousness, an unusual look for him.
“We can chat on the phone and stay in touch,” Cassidy suggests. “Just because you’re in New York doesn’t mean you miss out on all my inane stories, Jack. And I can keep filling you in on all the dirty things Tom does to me.” She gives him a saucy wink.
“I mean it. This time together has been incredible and made me realise that one failed relationship doesn’t mean I have to stay single forever. You both mean a lot to me. I want you both to be happy.”
“Well, I’m not going anywhere. How about you Tom?”
I stare into Cassidy’s gaze. “Staying right here, Mac.”
“So we carry on, even though this one…” she gestures with her thumb to Jack. “Is deserting us?”
“Sounds good to me.” I can’t bring myself to look at Jack or to offer to wait for him. But I don’t have to as Cassidy decides it’s time for some fun.
She leaves her place by Jack’s side and comes over, straddling my lap. She places her hands on either side of my face, bending down for a French kiss. Her tongue pokes against the seam of my lips, encouraging me to open up and, when I do, she turns feral. She reaches down, pulling at my t-shirt, breaking away from the kiss briefly to pull it over my head.
My hands work their way over her back. She grinds her hips and my cock is suddenly on high alert, ready for a slice of the action.
“You guys look so fucking tempting,” comes Jack’s drawl from the side. I open my eyes to find him pulling his t-shirt over his head. He stands up and his shorts hit the floor. Huh, no underwear. Interesting. He takes his hardening cock in hand, giving it a few lazy pumps as he watches us. “You two are wearing too many clothes.”
He comes closer, easing Cassidy back, and tilting her chin back to give her an upside-down kiss. He helps her up, getting to work stripping her of her clothes. He glances at me as he does so. “Strip,” is all he says.
He sounds bossy. That’s usually my job. I decide to let it fly and see where he wants to take this.
We stand in Cassidy’s lounge, stark naked. Cassidy takes hold of my cock in one hand and Jack’s in the other, pumping us slowly at the same time. “Such a good girl,” I tell her with a purr.
“Let’s take this through to the bedroom.”
“What do you want, baby girl?” I ask as we follow her.
“I want to be filled with cock,” she says firmly. “I’m going to get on my hands and knees. Jack, you’re going to fuck my pussy. And Tom, my mouth.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I respond.
Jack chuckles. “And here I was, thinking it was my turn to be bossy.”
“It’s never your turn, Jack,” Cassidy sniggers before she climbs up on the bed. “Let’s go.”
“No foreplay—just straight to it?” I ask her with a raised brow.
“I’ve been thinking about this all day. I’m more than ready to take you both. And by the looks of you two,” she eyes our hard cocks, “I don’t think you need any additional prep, do you?” She copies my raised brow.
She’s not wrong. My cock is throbbing and I realise this is exactly what I need right now to take my mind off the future and all the uncertainty swirling around.
I make my way over to kneel in front of her face and she grabs my dick, licking it from root to tip. I groan as my hips surge forward. She stuffs her mouth full, giving a satisfied moan. I look over to see Jack, behind her, lining his erection up with her entrance. The light from the lamp shows a faint gleam of sweat on his chest. Fuck, I’m going to miss him. Better make the most of this. I take delight in the vibrations Mac makes as she moans when he thrusts deep. Our girl is thoroughly stuffed.
When Cassidy is on orgasm number three, I finally let myself think about coming. Jack reaches across and grabs one of my hands and grips it. I look up and meet his eyes.
“Okay?” he mouths, whilst still plunging in and out of Cassidy.
I nod. I thought I’d done a decent enough job of disguising my sadness after the initial shock, but his question makes me think not. I give him a wink and he grins back.
“Cassidy, we are going to fill you with cum. How does that sound?” I say to her in a low, husky voice.
Her mouth is still full so she can’t talk, but she gives an enthusiastic nod and a moan. I watch Jack and our eyes meet. I push any sad feelings far off to the side to concentrate on coming. Jack’s thrusts become wilder as he watches Cass suck my cock. We come within seconds of each other as Cassidy joins us for number four. We collapse in a heap, and it takes a long moment for me to catch my breath. A tinge of sadness settles over me like a blanket. How many more times will we get to do this?
Cassidy goes to the bathroom to clean up, but it feels like she’s gone barely seconds. She nudges me until I wiggle into the middle before climbing on the bed behind me. She cuddles me from behind and I savour the comfort I get from her arms around me.
“Just to repeat myself and make sure it’s all clear, I want you guys to be happy together,” Jack says solemnly. “When I’m not here, I mean… I want you two to keep doing this.”
“It’ll be hard to be Eiffel Towered with only one side of the tower,” Cassidy cackles behind me, and I’m grateful for her attempt to bring light to the situation. She grips me tighter in her hug, and I feel her lips brush against my shoulder blades.
“I’m not letting her go anytime soon,” I promise Jack with a sad smile. We all quieten down and Jack’s breathing slows as he falls asleep. Cassidy keeps hold of me. In the end, I listen to Jack and Cassidy’s slow breathing, which seem to be in sync, and let it lull me to sleep.