Chapter Three
As dinner neared an end, Adam and Clay were ignoring each other from opposite sides of the table, and pretty much ignoring everyone else, too. Apparently they both felt compelled to stay, for some reason. What that was, Jesse had no idea. Delilah was stuck between unapologetically fondling Hayden under the table, glaring at Jesse, and drinking too much wine. Benji and Mac were deep in conversation, and had been most of the night.
Jesse sat in the middle of it all, feeling like a seventh wheel. He’d tried to start a conversation between Adam and Clay numerous times, but between one-word answers and grunting, he’d basically given up.
Since Benji and Hay were preoccupied themselves, he had zero assistance in trying to get the pair to talk.
This was a great idea.
Jesse lifted a hand, asking for the check. He was all too eager to get the hell out of there. After the night they’d already had, he wasn’t even in the mood to go head down to Jackson Street, but he was the reason they were all there. Jesse would have to give it a go, for at least a little while. He glanced across the table at his usual wingman.
No… I’m usually his wingman.
Hayden suddenly turned his gaze and met Jesse’s stare.
Jesse paused, seeing something in it he didn’t recognize—but it was gone before he could figure it out. Whatever it was, it twisted in a knot in his stomach. Hay faced Delilah and the pair began eating each other’s faces again, making that knot turn into straight out nausea.
The check arrived, and he grabbed it before fishing out his wallet. The waitress also left a pile of fortune cookies on the table before he handed her cash and the check.
“The rest is for you,” he murmured.
She grinned and glanced around the table. “Have a great night, gentlemen! Thanks for dining with us tonight.”
Jesse reached into the pile of fortune cookies and tossed one to each person at the table. “Let’s see what our future holds.”
“You know the rule about fortune cookies, right?” Delilah said, a smug smile on her face as she opened one. “You have to add in bed to the end of your fortune.” She turned to wink at Hayden before cracking open her cookie.
Gag me. Jesse opened his and pulled out the tiny slip of paper.
Old friends make best friends.
Delilah’s comment slipped into his mind. Old friends make best friends. In bed.
His stare lifted off the scrap of paper, and he saw Hayden staring at him. There was darkness in that stare, and Jesse held it, his heart beating a little faster.
“So what’s it say?” Hayden asked, his voice low.
Jesse felt heat filling his face. “Nothing,” he answered before shoving the paper into his pocket. “What about yours?”
“Nah,” Hayden said, tucking his into his pocket. “You won’t tell me yours, you don’t get to he—”
“Mine says Love will lead the way—in bed,” Delilah said loudly, interrupting Hayden’s answer. She grabbed the back of Hayden’s head and planted a kiss on his lips.
Jesse stared at them… a sense of disgust filling him. He jumped to his feet. “So are we going?”
“I think I’m bailing,” Clay murmured.
“Me, too,” Adam said, tossing his napkin to the table and rising.
“No!” Jesse said. “You two are the reason why we’re here tonight.”
Clay frowned at him. When he turned to look at Adam, the guy wore a similar expression.
“Why’s that?” Adam asked.
“We all know something is up with you two. Whatever fight you had… you need to face each other and get over it.”
“What Jesse said,” Benji added. “We’ve all been friends for too long for the two of you to stay pissed at one another.”
Thank you. Finally he got a little support from the peanut gallery. Jesse eyed Benji before turning to glance between Adam and Clay.
Clay shook his head. “We can’t make the world right on cue just because it makes your life easier, Jesse.” He rose and eyed Adam. “Life happens. People grow up. They move on. It’s just the way of things.”
Clay turned and headed for the door. Jesse followed him. “Moving on? Seriously?”
He paused and turned to look at Jesse. “I love you guys. I do. But don’t pull this shit again. Adam and I… we just need space. Don’t force us to end up saying things we don’t mean to say.”
Jesse watched as Clay left, realizing the issue was even bigger than he’d realized.
Adam meandered over. “I don’t appreciate being lied to.”
Jesse turned to look at Adam. “I figured this was one of you guy’s usual fights… and you just needed a kick in the ass to clear the air.”
“I realize you had the best of intentions, but leave this one be,” Adam said before wrapping an arm around Jesse’s shoulder. “Time heals all wounds.”
“What the hell happened?” Jesse said.
Adam took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Bad shit, Jesse. The kind friends don’t get over.”
Jesse tilted his head, a sense of loss stabbing him in the gut. The five of them had been friends since college. They’d remained tight ever since. If Adam and Clay couldn’t work out their differences, they’d all be forced to make choices… one or the other. That wasn’t cool.
“I suppose you’re not going to tell me anything more.”
Adam shook his head. “Nope. I’m not. Like I said. Leave it be. Maybe after the wound heals, we can learn to be around one another again, but that’s going to take a long, long time.”
After the wound heals? Shit. “We’ve all been friends for too long to just let things be. If it’s this bad, you guys need to talk it out.”
“Stop,” Adam said.
“I don’t want to end up having to choose between you. You’re both my friends, and you need to fix this.”
“Maybe we can… but forcing us both into the same room isn’t the way to make that happen.”
Jesse frowned.
“Promise me you won’t do it again.”
“I promise,” Jesse muttered.
“Good,” Adam said. He released Jesse’s shoulder and glanced out the glass doors. “I think he’s likely gone now. I’m heading out.”
Adam didn’t even want to be outside at the same time? Shit. “If he’s gone, you could still come hang with us. You said you needed something to drag you out of this funk.”
Adam smiled, looking weary as hell. “Not tonight. Maybe next time.”
Jesse sighed as he watched another friend take off. By the time he returned to the table, he realized he was once more the odd man out. Delilah and Hayden were still eating each other’s faces again, and Benji was stuck up Mac’s ass. “I think I’m heading out, too.”
“What?” Hayden said, pulling from Delilah. “No… no, man. It’s guy’s night.”
Jesse widened his stare, looked to Delilah, and then back to Hayden. “No. It’s not guy’s night. Night, all.”
He grabbed his cell and keys from the table and marched to the front door. Seconds after he’d made it out the restaurant’s front door a hand grabbed his arm. Jesse spun, ready to defend himself…
And saw it was Hayden.
It was too dark in the parking lot to really see his friend’s face, but he sensed anger coming across.
“You planned a night out and then bail?”
Jesse sighed slightly. “Adam and Clay were the reason for a guy’s night and they’re gone. Benji is up his neighbor’s ass, and you’ve had your tongue down Delilah’s throat all night. I really don’t want to spend the next couple of hours stuck between the four of you.”
“I came tonight so we could hang out,” Hayden said. “Like you said, it’s been a few weeks since we’ve been able to really talk.”
“I didn’t ask to hang out with your cougar.”
“Why are you being such an asshole?” Hayden asked. He stepped in close, angry. A fire burned in his eyes, almost as if he wanted a fight.
Jesse frowned, unsure of himself. “I’m not.”
“You’ve been rude to her all night.”
“No, I haven’t.” He was taken aback. Delilah had been glaring at him from the first moment…
Hayden jammed two fingers in the middle of Jesse’s chest. “You’re jealous.”
Jealous? “Of what?”
Hayden took a half step closer. “That my attention has been on her and not you.”
They were nearly nose to nose… and Jesse sensed some odd vibe emanating off Hayden. It was too dark to see Hay’s eyes, to be able to better read the situation.
The fine hairs at the back of his neck lifted. Goose bumps rose on his forearms. Jesse suddenly found it a little harder to breathe.
What’s going on?
Hayden leaned in closer, but stopped inches from Jesse’s face. He froze, not sure what was happening.
A little whisper in the back of his mind told him to lean forward. To press his lips against Hayden’s.
His heart pounded in his chest… his breathing quickened.
And it freaked him the fuck out.
Jesse took a step back.
He said nothing, just stared back into the shadows of Hayden’s face.
Hayden sighed. He then spun and stalked away.
Jesse was frozen to the spot, unsure of what had transpired and why he desperately wanted a second chance now that it had slipped through his fingers.
Drawing in a ragged breath, he finally found the will to move his feet. Jesse slid into the driver’s seat and held on to the wheel, his world suddenly feeling like it was completely upside down.