Chapter Seven
Adam
Adam settled back against Jack’s chest and relaxed as the conversation flowed around them. He and Jack had been invited over for dinner at Ronan and Caleb’s after the couple learned they had gotten back together. Because of all of their busy schedules, this was the first time during the holidays the group could since the disastrous charity event.
Well, for Adam anyway.
With great food courtesy of Caleb and wonderful company in their friends, Jack and Adam found themselves having a great time. Adam felt guilty that he’d been so wrapped up with Jack and their relationship that he’d neglected his friends over the past couple of months, but enjoyed catching up.
When Adam had arrived at the party, something about Ryan and Max alerted him that something was off between the two. When Max had moved in around the time of Ryan’s divorce, he’d noticed his friend had moved on past his bad marriage and amicable divorce in quick succession. He believed it was all due to Max’s influence. Max had attended dinners and even Ronan and Caleb’s wedding and he’d integrated into their group with ease. Ryan and Max had been inseparable, even though neither of them realized their friendship bordered on more.
Max was a popular personal trainer and he was speaking to Dylan’s new fiancee, Jessica, across the room and it gave Adam an opportunity to grill Ryan on why they were avoiding each other.
“How are you, Ryan?” Adam noticed it took a minute for Ryan to pull his eyes away from Max. When Adam glanced at Max, although he spoke to Jessica, his gaze never wavered from Ryan.
Ryan sighed. “Erica found out that I had a roommate and dropped by one afternoon when I was at work.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. When I walked in, Max was trying to put distance between them and when he spotted me, he darted behind me. She had the nerve to flirt with him and I’m sure it was more awkward for Max knowing she was my ex. I asked her to leave and not come back, but you know Erica. She’s going to make herself a nuisance. After, Max started to keep to himself.”
Adam held his breath. “I have a feeling there’s more.”
“A couple of weeks after, I missed hanging out with Max, who had started to go out more and asked him to hang. We watched a couple of movies and got a little drunk. I was stupid enough to tell Max that I started to have feelings for him. In retrospect, with my ex-wife flirting with him and then me needing liquid courage to tell him how I felt wasn’t the best idea.”
“It went that badly?”
“He said he wanted to be friends and offered to move out if I found it weird. I barely managed to talk him into staying, and in return, I promised to stay out of his way. I think I can move past my feelings for him, but I miss our friendship.”
Adam understood exactly how he felt. Although Ryan had never had an interest in men before Max, it was obvious to Adam that he truly fell for Max in the time they’d known each other.
“Why don’t you go and talk to him? Work at his pace. If friendship is all he can offer now, be his friend. But he could be scared because although he identifies as bisexual, he’s only dated women. Also, I don’t want you to get your hopes up or rush him into anything, but he hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night.” Jack said as he wrapped his arms around Adam’s waist and pulled him closer.
Adam nodded in agreement. He had also seen the way Max watched Ryan since they were introduced and he understood the look on Max’s face whenever he looked at Ryan. It was the same look he probably had whenever he looked at Jack before their relationship.
Jack kissed the top of his head and Ryan smiled. “I’m glad you guys worked it out. You’re good for each other.”
Ryan got up and walked toward the kitchen, disappearing from view. Adam settled against Jack and they both watched as a few minutes later, Max followed. Adam knew that somehow, they would be fine.
Hawk and Garrett came in from the kitchen and took seats next to Jack and Adam. When Adam noticed the teasing look on Hawk’s face, he decided to bypass whatever the ginger had planned for him. Earlier, Hawk had gone on a fact binge, quoting statistics about marriage and the rate of divorce, how cheating is prevalent among all married couples, gay or straight, and on and on. It didn’t bother him, but Jack took offense because their relationship was still new, two weeks since they’d gotten back together, and he still felt guilty.
Knowing how much Hawk hated knowing the details of Adam’s job, he pulled out his phone. “Hey Hawk, do you want to see the stomach contents of an eighty-five-year-old who wasn’t discovered dead until several days after her passing. They’re really interesting, but we were trying to determine if it was corn or hominy.”
Hawk blanched, turning as white as a sheet, and quickly walked away. Garrett laughed and moved closer to them on the couch. But when Garrett noticed Jack tightening his hold on Adam, he sobered and glared at Jack.
“I know I fucked up. I’ve been seeing a therapist and we’re working on my issues.”
Garrett nodded and his expression lost some of its intensity. “When I left the service, I need to see one for a couple years. It took me a while to open up, but once I did, it helped. I still contact him from time to time if I need to talk.”
Jack nodded and Adam smiled when he loosened his hold. “I was scared the therapist would blame everything on me, even though I know it was my fault I hurt Adam and I drove him away. I started to understand why I made the decisions I had. Adam has helped me a great deal since we got back together.”
Ronan clapped Jack on his back and smiled. “I’m happy for you two. And that you finally pulled your head out of your ass.”
Adam laughed when Caleb smacked Ronan’s arm, and Caleb squealed when he was pulled to sit on his husband’s lap.
“No, I deserved it, Caleb. But yes, I did, Ronan. Thanks for the friendly advice.”
Ronan laughed and the conversation started on what everyone planned for Christmas and Caleb wondered if they could get together the day after for dinner. They all agreed, but this time, Adam and Jack offered to cater the dinner at their place.
Adam kissed Jack as the conversation flowed, happy to be in Jack’s arms and with their friends around them, especially during the season.
“I love you, sweetheart.”
Adam turned and pressed a kiss to Jack’s lips, loving that he could in front of everyone. When he opened his mouth to tell Jack how much he meant to him, Jack’s phone rang. Adam hoped it wasn’t a work emergency.
Jack reached for the phone in his back pocket and laughed when he had to tighten his hold on Adam’s waist and sit up to grab it. But when he glanced at the screen, he paled. Adam reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze, letting him know that he was here. When Jack looked at him, Adam somehow knew who was on the line and kept the curse from slipping past his lips. Barely.
Adam nodded, moving closer to Jack and wrapping him tightly in his arms as Jack answered.
“Hello?”
Everyone stilled at the sound of Jack’s choked voice. Jackson Wright’s voice boomed through the phone and Adam thought he might have growled aloud.
Adam had never liked Jack’s dad and he had a long list of reasons. Jackson had missed most of the milestones in Jack’s life due to his work, but Adam truly believed it was by choice. He skipped every event Jack participated in from baseball to his academic achievements. He didn’t even attend Jack’s graduation from high school or college. Whenever Jack had gone to see his mom during college breaks, he’d taken Adam as a kind of buffer, thinking Jackson wouldn’t berate him in front of his friend. But nothing stopped Jackson from being degrading and demeaning to his son.
Jackson hated it when Jack had gone off on his own, building his own company from scratch, but what had alienated Jack from his entire family was his business had been more successful than Jackson’s.
Jack had created a company based on keeping connections in business and saving as many jobs as possible. His company had expanded several times over the last couple of years. Jack would promote from within before looking elsewhere and would supply a generous salary and benefits. All his employees loved him. He knew the feeling all to well.
Adam snapped back to the conversation when Jack tensed against him.
“What do you want?” Jack’s voice tight and unwelcoming.
“Your mother has passed and the funeral is scheduled for Monday at Trinity West.”
Fuck. The funeral was the day after tomorrow.
Jack clenched his jaw so tightly that Adam worried he’d break his teeth. Adam distracted Jack by turning his hand over and kissing his palm. When Jack looked at Adam, he blew out a breath and relaxed.
“When did she die?”
“Last Monday. I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
Jack stared absently at Adam and he spotted the hatred he had for his father in the flash of his ice blue eyes, and the sentiment was echoed in Adam as he gathered Jack in his arms. But he also spotted sadness for his mother. The woman who wouldn’t leave Jackson although he treated her more like a servant than his wife.
“Nothing. Nothing at all, father. I will be there Monday.” Jack ended the call and threw his phone on the table.
Adam worried for Jack, who had grown silent in the long minutes that passed since he’d spoken to his father. It wasn’t until Ronan pulled Jack into a crushing hug when Jack snapped back to the present.
“We’re sorry for your loss. If there is anything we can do, just ask.” Ronan hugged him again before Caleb pulled Jack close. The next few minutes, Adam gave a sad smile as every one of their friends pulled Jack close. He’d never been so grateful that they were together when Jack received the news.
“Let’s go home, baby, okay?”
Jack nodded and with another round of hugs and thanks, they both promised they would keep in touch and headed toward the car. Jack’s silence worried him, but he didn’t want to push. He didn’t really get to know Jack’s mother, although Jack had spoken about her in general terms, nothing memorable stood out.
Adam drove home and his concern growing after each mile they covered and he wondered if Jack would be okay. His silence made Adam’s chest ache with sadness for him but also for what he would have to endure during the funeral.
They were silent as they locked up the house and went upstairs to get ready for bed. Adam draped himself over Jack and snuggled his face into Jack’s neck, loving it when Jack wrapped his arms tightly around Adam and held him close.
“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here. I’ll always be here with you, baby.”
“Do you know what I was thinking when he told me?”
“No.”
“I kept thinking about how I’d messed up and lost you. Even if it was a little space in time, I understood I couldn’t live without you. Father sounded like he hadn’t cared one way or the other about mom, the woman he’d been married to for thirty-five years. It was as if he were talking about a stock tip, not his wife.”
Jack cleared his throat and met Adam’s gaze for the first time since he’d gotten the news.
“Although I didn’t have any insight into my parent’s relationship, they were married and that had to mean something. Or at least I thought it had to. But in that moment, I knew I’d been looking at my life completely wrong. It wasn’t what you had, it was who you chose to love and spent your life with.”
Jack turned and kissed Adam, the soft press of their lips filled with meaning.
“I love you and everything else in my life is a bonus. And I know I will never take you for granted again.”
Adam gave him a watery smile. “And I love you, Jack. For the rest of our lives.”
Jack turned and held Adam. Adam loved the feel of Jack’s hot breaths on his neck and he took comfort in his familiar smell and the feel of his arms around the man he loved. They undressed and without bothering with anything else, slid under the covers and held each other tight. Soon, they fell asleep from the exhaustion of the news and the emotions of the night.