Marcus’s eyes narrowed. “Whose side are you on?”
“I didn’t know there were sides.” He swiveled in time to see Ed get out of his truck.
“There aren’t. She’s irritating and hard to get along with.”
“And calling her annoying, irritating, Loch Ness, and worst of all, a ‘chick’ isn’t going to make you any friends. Not with her or any other girl who hears you talk about her like that.”
Marcus flopped to the left. His lips parted in protest—
“Hey, Jack.” Ed’s smooth voice ended their conversation.
Jack lurched up and thanked the stars the tables were bolted into the floor or it would have tipped with his enthusiasm. As it was, only his thighs might be bruised. He chuckled and hurriedly sat down. Standing was too much. And Marcus was giving him one ultra-arched brow. “Glad you made it.”
Sliding over, he made room, and Ed settled in next to him. Close, but not too obvious. Ed subtly snuck his hand over the bench and squeezed Jack’s. Reassuring and cool from being outside.
Jack soaked in the sensation as he made introductions. “Ed, this is my brother, Marcus Reynolds.”
Marcus leaned over the table, extending his right hand. “Nice to meet you, Ed.”
The waitress arrived with their drinks.
“Sorry, hon, didn’t see you walk in. You mind sharing a menu with your friend?”
Ed waved off the menu Jack was sliding his way. “I don’t need to look. I know what I want.”
She took their order, collected their menus, and was gone in less than a minute. When no one spoke, a knot tightened in Jack’s gut.
Ed broke the silence. “Jack tells me you two like motorcycles.” Thank you, Ed!
Marcus’s face split into a wide grin. “Yeah. Been something of a pipe dream for us both. Mom and Dad aren’t about to let us get one before we’re fifty.”
Ed’s lips tipped up in a smile. He leaned forward with a sneaky wink at Jack. “You don’t have to get one to ride one, you know?”
Wednesday lunch, Jack met Ed at the Barnes and Noble café. Finding time to be together was an art, apparently.
Ed all but collapsed into the seat opposite. “Stick a fork in me, I’m done.”
Jack passed Ed the coffee he’d ordered for him. “Drink up. Then we’ll take a romantic walk to the ‘How To’ section. It holds a fond place in my heart.”
Ed’s smirk played peekaboo with the rim of his coffee cup. “Swear to God you stole my breath that day.”
“And a few days since, one hopes.”
“I fear for my health.”
Jack’s turn to hide a grin behind his mocha. “How’s work?”
“Slow. Boring. Pays the bills. How’s classes?”
“Been a bit distracted these last weeks. Can’t think why….”
Ed shifted in his chair, foot bumping casually against Jack’s inner ankle. “If only there were something I could do.”
Jack subtly repositioned himself. “If only there were someplace you could take me. I could stick a… fork in you and check just how done you are.”
Coffee burst out of Ed’s mouth as he simultaneously laughed and choked. He flushed as he grabbed napkins and mopped up the area.
Jack tutted. “That’s twice you’ve made a mess in here.”
“And three times with you.”
They grinned at each other. Ed rubbed his ear. “About last Sunday.”
“You mean meeting Marcus?”
“I never should have hesitated to meet him or any of your friends.”
“He likes you too. Hasn’t stopped talking about how to convince the Reynoldses he’s getting a bike. The bravado will vanish as soon as we get home.”
Ed laughed. “You guys have good chemistry together.”
“Funny, he said the same thing about us.”
Ed sipped more coffee, then cleared his throat. “Are you busy Saturday evening?”
“How long do I have to wait so my answer doesn’t sound ridiculously eager?”
God, Ed’s laugh warmed him to the toes. “I can’t promise there will be any time to fork, though.”
“Then I’m busy. Totally busy.”
Ed nervously played with his cup. “My parents have wondered why I’m out more than usual. I told them I’ve been hanging with a friend.”
Jack managed not to let his smile slip at that distinction. “Uh-huh.”
“Long story short, they’d like you to come over for dinner.” Ed looked up, all kinds of hope and nerves in his eyes. “Still busy?”
Chapter Eleven
On Saturday evening, Ed picked Jack up from the bookstore parking lot. Jack had been anticipating the evening since the moment he’d agreed to come. It wasn’t like he was being introduced as the boyfriend, but still….
“Last guy I dated was spring semester last year.” How on earth had their conversation turned to their exes? “He turned out to be an asshole.”
“Sorry.” Ed didn’t press it, but Jack could tell he wanted to know more.
“It happens. Once I mentioned how Dad and I went to yard sales, and he told me he was sorry I had to go to such a ‘low class’ event. His words, not mine.” Dumb fuck. It wasn’t the money that mattered.
“Nice guy.”
“Yeah, I know. I told him a few things about me and my family that I thought would be private. My mistake. After we broke up, he made sure to tell anyone who would listen some of the more personal things we shared. Enough things that I really haven’t wanted to date anyone else from campus.”
Ed shook his head and swore under his breath. He settled a hand on the back of Jack’s neck and gently squeezed. “Sorry, Jack. The guy sounds like an ass.”
Jack sighed into the touch. “What about you? You mentioned an ex….”
“He was a guy I knew in high school. We banged into each other at the library a couple of years back. When he noticed I was checking him out, he and I got… friendly.”
Jack snickered.
“He wanted our relationship to be in the open. Didn’t care who knew, but I did. Told him I wasn’t ready. One day I get home and a friend of mine is sitting on my steps, on edge, nervous. Evidently he let slip about us to force my hand.”
“That’s pretty shitty of him.”
“Things didn’t work out.” Ed shrugged. “He certainly wasn’t ‘the guy’ worth the risk of coming out.”
Jack’s breath stalled. Hope and frustration and disappointment glugged through his body, settling heavily in his feet.
Stop being ridiculous. You’ve only known him three weeks!
He was meeting Ed’s family, though.
As a “friend.”
Ed pulled his hand back and changed gears. “I guess I understand how you felt betrayed by your ex.”
Jack laughed tightly. “Because of him, I’ve acquired a reputation as a stuck-up snob who thinks he’s better than everyone else.”
“How’d that happen?”
“Got a few minutes?”