Chapter 20
Ryan
“THERE HE IS!” Jude bounced up from his barstool, waving his hand in the air madly, as I made my way through the crowd.
It was Thursday night, and Jude had texted me at the beginning of the week asking if I wanted to meet up with him and Gabe at After Hours for drinks. It was a bar located in the same building as Gabe’s job, and after last weekend looking after Jameson, it seemed like the perfect way to unwind.
“We were about to send out a search party for you,” Gabe said as he got up to hug me.
After greeting them, I unbuttoned my coat and moved in a little closer to the bar. “No need. I was just wrapping up a few last-minute things for Alexander.”
“I wasn’t talking about tonight.” Gabe chuckled and slid a Cuban daiquiri my way, his half-finished one sitting in front of him. “I meant this past week. You’ve been completely MIA, and a little birdie even told me that you skipped a day of work this week.”
“Marcus has a big mouth.”
“Oh yes he does,” Gabe said as I took a sip of my drink.
“Wait a second,” Jude said, looking around Gabe’s shoulder. “You, Ryan Carrigan, skipped a day of work? I thought someone had to be dying before you’d leave Alexander’s side.”
I thought about Jameson’s pale face and sweat-drenched body and nodded. “Someone pretty much was. Jameson came down with the flu this past weekend, and I was looking after him.”
“Oh shit.” Gabe shifted a little ways back from me.
“I don’t have it.” I shook my head. “And he’s fine now. He went back to work yesterday.”
“But you took time off to look after him?” Jude’s eyes gleamed as he bumped into Gabe’s arm, and they gave each other conspiratorial grins. “Sounds to me like someone has a crush on his new roommate.”
“Because I looked after him?” I took another long sip of my drink and eyed the two grinning fools. “What was I supposed to do, leave him alone while he was running a hundred-plus fever?”
“No,” Gabe said, his lips twitching. “You were supposed to nurse him back to health and give him a sponge bath whenever he needed it. How often was that, by the way?”
“You two are ridiculous.”
“And you risked catching the flu and missed work for someone you barely know.” Jude chuckled. “You’re so crushing on him. You have been from the first night.”
It was true, but I was trying my hardest not to think about that. Jameson and I were finally in a good place. We’d started over, and this friends thing was working well so far. I mean, it’d only been a couple of days, but it felt good. We were more comfortable around each other, and every day he opened up a little more.
“It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”
“Uh, no.” Gabe finished off his drink and gestured for the bartender. “We’re friends.” He pointed to the three of us. “We don’t want to see any of the other two sitting here naked. That’s friends. Do you want to see Jameson naked?”
Hell yes I did, but I couldn’t afford to think about that, otherwise I’d never stop. I was just about to try to Pinocchio my way out of answering when the bartender stopped in front of us.
“What can I get for you guys?” he asked, distracting Gabe, who flashed one of his signature smiles—the one with the dimples—that made just about everyone’s brain melt out of their ears.
“Could we get another round of Cuban daiquiris, please? And we’re going to move to a booth, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. Is there anything else you need?”
Jude snorted, and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes. I was pretty sure Gabe could’ve told the guy he’d like free drinks all night and he would’ve agreed. But when Gabe merely shook his head and thanked him, the bartender walked off.
“Could you get a little uglier, please?” Jude said as he climbed off his stool. “That way the rest of us single people might stand a chance.”
Gabe smirked. “I mean, I could try, but…”
“Oh God. It’s a wonder Marcus ever lets you out of the house without him.” I looked over to the booths and spotted an empty one. “If you think your head can make it across the room, there’s a free booth over in the corner.”
Gabe laughed as the three of us headed to the vacant spot. Once we got there I shrugged out of my jacket and slid into one side, while Gabe and Jude took the other.
“Okay, so back to what we were talking about,” Gabe said, and I almost groaned. “You totally want to see Jameson naked, don’t you?”
“If he doesn’t, I do.” Jude bumped my leg under the table. “A fireman who looks like him and rides a motorcycle? Who wouldn’t want to see him naked?”
I let out a sigh, knowing they weren’t about to let this go. “It’s not like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like…a hookup.” I glanced at Jude as our drinks were delivered. “This isn’t like you and Scruff Guy. I live with Jameson. I can’t just get naked with him. What if it doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does?”
Of course I’d thought of that. Nights in bed with Jameson, morning showers with him. Oh yes, I’d thought about that a little too much, and in very vivid detail. But the flip side to that was losing a roommate. So I just had to be content with looking from a distance.
“No, we’re finally getting along, and I don’t want to ruin that.”
Gabe pursed his lips. “Bullshit.”
“Excuse me?”
“I call bullshit.”
“Mhmm.” Jude nodded at Gabe like they’d discussed this before. Knowing these two, they probably had. “So do I. You like this guy, right?”
“Yes, that’s why I’m not going to do anything to mess it up,” I said.
“Nooo.” Gabe shook his head. “That’s exactly why you have to risk messing it up.”
“He’s right,” Jude said, pointing to my phone. “How long have you been signed up to that dating app we use?”
“Dating app? That’s a rather loose interpretation, don’t you think? How many of the guys have you dated that you met on there?”
Jude shrugged. “Fair point. But…at least I’m getting out there.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
Jude made a face. “Hey, at least I’m trying. You don’t date or hook up with anyone. When was the last time you had sex?”
The table fell silent, and Gabe picked his glass up and eyed me over the rim all innocent. These two were on some kind of mission, and if I was about to get a lecture about “going after your man,” I needed more alcohol.
“I’ve had sex…this year.”
Gabe chuckled. “You sure? Do you want to check your calendar? I’m pretty sure you would’ve scheduled it.”
Smartass. I kicked him under the table.
“Ouch.” Gabe bent down to rub his shin. “Why didn’t you kick Jude? He asked the question.”