Now that he wasn’t even around anymore….
Jack breathed in tightly, rocking forward. He grasped the ring at his chest.
“Whoa, dude.” Marcus jumped onto the bed and flung an arm around him. “Just breathe. You’re okay. I’m here. We’re good, all right? The only thing wrong is your lover boy waking us at crow’s fart.”
Jack inhaled deeply and counted to ten before slowly releasing. His muscles relaxed, leaving only heat stinging at the back of his eyes. “I’m good. Thanks, Marc.”
“Wanna talk about what just happened?”
“Not really.”
Marcus made a displeased sound in the back of his throat but thankfully let it go. He picked his pillow off Jack’s feet and dramatically threw himself back onto his bed. “Turn that thing on silent.”
Jack studied his phone. He unlocked it again, opening to two new messages and a missed call from Ed.
Ed: It’s early and Saturday, I know but….
Ed: Starbucks at 8?
Jack checked the time and threw himself out of bed for a quick shower. He was in his Jeep fifteen minutes later and at Starbucks right on time.
Ed crossed the parking lot toting two coffee cups, and Jack reached over the console and opened the door for him. Through the rearview mirror, Jack caught Ed hesitating at the HRC sticker as he rounded the back of the jeep.
Ed continued into the passenger seat. “Your morning dose of sugar.”
“You, or the coffee?”
Ed smirked and handed Jack his much-needed mocha.
Warm coffee hit his tongue. Jack sipped, then greedily eyed Ed in the passenger seat. He wore a casual pair of jeans, T-shirt, and beat-up leather jacket. Morning sun shone through the side window, bringing out the gold in Ed’s hair and where stubble dusted his jaw. “I thought you were out hiking with the family this morning?”
“Told Mom I had something more important to do this morning.”
Jack wondered what off-road parking lot they were heading to. “That right?”
Ed met his gaze. “Yeah. If I give you directions, will you drive?”
Jack followed Ed’s directions. He frowned as they pulled into a residential cul-de-sac. This wasn’t where he’d been expecting them to end up.
“You can park anywhere here,” Ed said.
“What’s here?”
Ed had been practically bouncing in his seat for the last twenty minutes. He grinned broadly. “The first yard sale.”
Jack braked heavily, breath catching in his throat. “What?”
Ed’s smile fell and he rubbed the back of his neck. “I messed up, didn’t I? You missed hunting for old books at yard sales, and I thought….” He gestured down the street to a house with people ambling around outside the garage.
“You’re taking me out to yard sales?” A soft flutter filled his chest as he looked at Ed.
“We don’t have to. We can turn around and leave—”
Jack reached over and rubbed Ed’s thigh. “I want to.”
Ed linked his hand over Jack’s, threading their fingers. “I’ve three other sales we can check out too.”
Ed found a small bud vase on the table. The sun made the cut glass sparkle. Turning it over, he looked at the small tag on the bottom.
“Three dollars. I bet my mother would like this.”
Jack smirked. “Nope, can’t go wrong at that price.”
They bought it, checked a few more boxes, and decided to move on to the next sale. Unfortunately that one was a waste of time. Jack had them back in the car in less than five minutes. They lingered a bit at the third one. It had more stuff, but nothing like what he wanted. On the ride to the fourth sale, his optimism for finding a first edition book was quickly fading.
Ed checked the directions. “We’re almost at the last one.”
A couple of minutes later, they arrived. This sale was busier than the others—and bigger.
“Looks like an estate sale.” Jack recognized the type. “Bet most of it is already gone.”
“Still worth a look, no?”
“Yep, we’re here.” Walking through the rows of boxed goods, Jack resisted the urge to reach over and entwine their hands together. He did shift closer to Ed, though. When Ed didn’t move away, Jack bumped the backs of their hands together, smiling broadly.
He’d been happy at the thought Ed had wanted to meet to make out. This, though. This had taken him by surprise, and his whole body bubbled with giddiness.
“That,” Ed said quietly, shifting his knuckles so they touched again.
“That, what?”
“That smile makes every yard sale dud worth it.”
They looked at each other, and it took an insane amount of control not to haul Ed into an all-consuming kiss right there, surrounded by locals and dusty ornaments.
“Watch it,” Jack said. “Or I might tackle you to the ground. Right here.”
Ed’s tongue whipped over his bottom lip.
“Looking for something?” a middle-aged woman with curly earrings asked them, breaking the connection.
Jack smiled at her. “Just curious if you had any old books?”
She nodded and told him to wait there.
Ed smiled. “What is it you’re looking for? That’s the fourth time you’ve asked for old books.”
“Yeah, I… um…. Dad and I used to collect first editions.” Jack’s smile ached, pinching his cheeks. “We made it a competition not to wrap up for the day until we found one.”
“Sounds like a good challenge. We can do that.”
Jack couldn’t hold the smile anymore. His throat felt tight as he swallowed. “Thank you.”
Ed reached out and set his warm hand on the curve of Jack’s shoulder. The touch was careful and comforting.
“Why are you doing this?” Jack asked.
“I made you feel bad last night.”
“I’m sorry for pushing you to meet Marcus. I know where we stand.”
Ed frowned and his lips parted. Before he could speak, the woman with curly earrings was back, heaving a large box of books.
“These are all we have.” She pulled out several well-preserved books.
Jack looked through them, and Ed hovered at his side. Unlike most of the books he’d found at the other sales, these didn’t have that musty attic smell. The owner had cared for them, just like his father had. After the seventh book he put the book down and stepped back.
“These are amazing, but I didn’t bring enough cash. I can’t afford anything like these. They’re….”
“Worth a lot?” The woman shrugged. “I had all the books appraised. These are only moderately valuable. Thirty dollars each or two for fifty.”
Jack’s mood perked up. He had fifty bucks.
Ed picked up the top one and opened to the cover matter. He set it down and grabbed another. By the sixth book he put two aside and gave her back the rest.
“First editions.” He tapped the two he’d kept and pulled out his wallet. “We’ll take ’em.”
Jack carefully wrapped the books in a towel he kept in the back seat. When they were seated, he glanced over to Ed.