at winter break, I got in touch with Zeb about the position.”
“So you ended up back here.” Silver wrapped things up, nodding at Zeb.
Zeb’s smile at Silver held the dimple plus a shared secret and history Silver had to ignore before his brain exploded all over Eli’s pastel tablecloth. “Well, this isn’t exactly New Freedom, is it?”
“New Freedom?” Eli’s voice went high. “Fuck me, that sounds like a cult. Wait.” He stabbed his fork at Silver, eyes wide under the black bangs. “Were you in a cult?”
“No. It’s a small town right over the border on the Pennsylvania side,” Zeb said.
“Fucking felt like a cult growing up there.” Silver rolled his eyes at Eli.
“Uh-huh.” Eli pushed his chair back. Coming to stand behind Silver, he said, “Gimme a hand in the kitchen,” and yanked on Silver’s collar until he could get strangled or get up.
Eli’s height forced him to shift his grip from Silver’s collar to a belt loop to finish propelling him into the kitchen. A sudden twist and release spun Silver into the counter next to the stove.
“What the fuck is going on? You call me from jail and tell me that guy’s the reason, and now I’m fucking feeding him enchiladas?”
Silver settled his T-shirt back onto his shoulders with a shrug. “He apologized for everything. It was just some ex-boyfriend drama.”
“Really?” Eli’s brows arched under his bangs. “Even Quinn’s ex-boyfriend drama didn’t land anyone in jail.”
“At least not yet.” Quinn’s voice rumbled from the archway as he joined them in the kitchen. “Guys, the man out there isn’t an idiot, and the walls aren’t soundproofed.”
Silver rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it.”
“Silver…” Quinn looked him in the eye, “…if there’s a reason you don’t want this guy around, tell me, and I’ll respect that. But he sounded sincere about wanting to apologize, and my gut tells me he’s a good guy.”
Eli’s cough sounded exactly like the word “Peter.”
Quinn hipped Eli into silence.
“Thanks. I can handle it. I’ll go talk to him.” Silver went back through the archway to find Zeb pushing away from the table.
Again, Silver’s brain froze trying to figure out which Zeb he was talking to, the one he’d loved or the one who’d turned him away.
“I’m sorry to have made everyone uncomfortable, so I’m going to go. I appreciate you hearing me out, Jordan.”
Well, this was fucked. How was he supposed to execute his plan when he couldn’t keep the guy around for dinner? Silver realized he liked this self-assured version of Zeb. It seemed as if the more priggish, self-righteous part of him had grown into a guy who didn’t have to draw attention to doing the right thing.
“I’ll walk you out.” Silver managed to keep from crossing his arms over his chest.
Zeb gave him a sharp look, like the offer was a surprise.
Without any talking, the trip to the car was full of sounds Silver usually wouldn’t have heard. Maybe it was the humidity in the air that made the front door opening and closing so thick, the brush of Zeb’s loafers and slap of Silver’s bare feet echo off the cement walk.
As soon as Zeb started the car, the window whined down. Silver went around to the driver’s side, only to watch Zeb slide his seat belt into the buckle as he said, “They care about you. A lot.”
“At least somebody does.”
“Jordan.”
If his name had been spoken in that patient, scolding tone Zeb had always used when Silver bitched about life in New Freedom, Silver would have backed away. But there was a note in his name, a pleading completely unlike Zeb’s sexy begging in bed, and it sure didn’t fit with his new confidence.
“What?” Silver waited.
“I wish—I hope maybe sometime we could be friends again.”
Silver’s throat was too tight to answer.
“Quinn has my number if you decide you want to talk. Any time.”
Silver nodded and backed away.
After finally falling
“So you ended up back here.” Silver wrapped things up, nodding at Zeb.
Zeb’s smile at Silver held the dimple plus a shared secret and history Silver had to ignore before his brain exploded all over Eli’s pastel tablecloth. “Well, this isn’t exactly New Freedom, is it?”
“New Freedom?” Eli’s voice went high. “Fuck me, that sounds like a cult. Wait.” He stabbed his fork at Silver, eyes wide under the black bangs. “Were you in a cult?”
“No. It’s a small town right over the border on the Pennsylvania side,” Zeb said.
“Fucking felt like a cult growing up there.” Silver rolled his eyes at Eli.
“Uh-huh.” Eli pushed his chair back. Coming to stand behind Silver, he said, “Gimme a hand in the kitchen,” and yanked on Silver’s collar until he could get strangled or get up.
Eli’s height forced him to shift his grip from Silver’s collar to a belt loop to finish propelling him into the kitchen. A sudden twist and release spun Silver into the counter next to the stove.
“What the fuck is going on? You call me from jail and tell me that guy’s the reason, and now I’m fucking feeding him enchiladas?”
Silver settled his T-shirt back onto his shoulders with a shrug. “He apologized for everything. It was just some ex-boyfriend drama.”
“Really?” Eli’s brows arched under his bangs. “Even Quinn’s ex-boyfriend drama didn’t land anyone in jail.”
“At least not yet.” Quinn’s voice rumbled from the archway as he joined them in the kitchen. “Guys, the man out there isn’t an idiot, and the walls aren’t soundproofed.”
Silver rolled his eyes. “Tell me about it.”
“Silver…” Quinn looked him in the eye, “…if there’s a reason you don’t want this guy around, tell me, and I’ll respect that. But he sounded sincere about wanting to apologize, and my gut tells me he’s a good guy.”
Eli’s cough sounded exactly like the word “Peter.”
Quinn hipped Eli into silence.
“Thanks. I can handle it. I’ll go talk to him.” Silver went back through the archway to find Zeb pushing away from the table.
Again, Silver’s brain froze trying to figure out which Zeb he was talking to, the one he’d loved or the one who’d turned him away.
“I’m sorry to have made everyone uncomfortable, so I’m going to go. I appreciate you hearing me out, Jordan.”
Well, this was fucked. How was he supposed to execute his plan when he couldn’t keep the guy around for dinner? Silver realized he liked this self-assured version of Zeb. It seemed as if the more priggish, self-righteous part of him had grown into a guy who didn’t have to draw attention to doing the right thing.
“I’ll walk you out.” Silver managed to keep from crossing his arms over his chest.
Zeb gave him a sharp look, like the offer was a surprise.
Without any talking, the trip to the car was full of sounds Silver usually wouldn’t have heard. Maybe it was the humidity in the air that made the front door opening and closing so thick, the brush of Zeb’s loafers and slap of Silver’s bare feet echo off the cement walk.
As soon as Zeb started the car, the window whined down. Silver went around to the driver’s side, only to watch Zeb slide his seat belt into the buckle as he said, “They care about you. A lot.”
“At least somebody does.”
“Jordan.”
If his name had been spoken in that patient, scolding tone Zeb had always used when Silver bitched about life in New Freedom, Silver would have backed away. But there was a note in his name, a pleading completely unlike Zeb’s sexy begging in bed, and it sure didn’t fit with his new confidence.
“What?” Silver waited.
“I wish—I hope maybe sometime we could be friends again.”
Silver’s throat was too tight to answer.
“Quinn has my number if you decide you want to talk. Any time.”
Silver nodded and backed away.
After finally falling
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