Page 24 of Forever Finn
“What can I say? I’m a happy guy,” I reply easily, stroking the wriggling bunny in my arms.
“True.” He grins, “but that’s not a happy Wyatt smile, that’s a lazy, smug, almost bordering on self-satisfied smirk…. Someone’s been doing something they’re not supposed to… or maybe doing someone…”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply innocently, as I tuck Mr Snuggles back into his carrier with a last pat of sympathy. I’ll never understand why people give their animals such terrible names.
“Sure you don’t.” Jesse’s mouth curves in amusement. “So you haven’t been sneaking around the past few days with a smug grin, taking secret phone calls, constantly texting someone and… and…” he reiterates pointedly. “I have it on very reliable authority that you’re not going out to Diego’s tonight.”
“Nope.” I click my pen and begin to fill out the notes on my little fluff ball patient.
“But you always go to Diego’s on a Friday night, it’s your hunting ground. You literally have the libido of Mr Snuggles.” He glances at the white rabbit now trying to hump his water bottle.
“I’d like to think my technique is better than his.” My mouth twitches as I continue to write, only looking up when Jesse crosses the room and leans over the other side of the exam table, propping his chin on his hands as he stares at me. “That may work on Deak but not on me,” I reply as I write.
“Come on…” Jesse whines. “I’m a boring old married man now, I have to live vicariously through you. Honestly, listening to what you get up to is better than an episode of Hollyoaks.”
“Jesse, anything is better than an episode of Hollyoaks.” I glance up at him.
“Okay, I’ll give you that one,” he concedes with a nod. “Come on, tell me what you’re doing tonight, or rather who you’re doing.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re incredibly annoying,” I sigh.
“Deak… all the time,” he replies easily.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” My eyes narrow as I tap the pen restlessly against the notes.
Jesse smiles.
“Fine… I met someone,” I admit. “Satisfied?”
I know that Jesse is just playing around with me. If I really didn’t want to talk, he’d respect that, but the truth is, he’s my friend. In the months I’ve spent in the bay, we’ve become very close. I know I can’t tell him about Finn, at least not by name, but I find myself wanting to talk about it. I have all these unfamiliar and conflicting emotions churning in my guy right now, and I need someone to talk to.
“Hey.” Jesse’s playful smile drops, and he tilts his head studying my face. After a moment, he grabs a rolling stool and takes a seat opposite me. “Do you need to talk about it? No teasing I promise. You look like… well, I know we haven’t known each other long but I’ve never seen that look on your face before.”
“He’s…” I shake my head slowly. “I can’t tell you who he is. It’s still new, and he’s not exactly out, although I think he might be heading in that direction.”
“Is it serious then?” Jesse asks.
“No… well, it’s not… it’s complicated.” I shrug.
“The ones that matter usually are,” Jesse says softly.
“This is crazy.” I drop the pen and scrub my hand over my face. “I’ve only just met him. We’re not even dating exactly. We’re kind of together but not. It’s temporary. He doesn’t live around here and he’s not going to stay, I know that.”
“So it’s a fling then? He’s a tourist?”
“Something like that,” I murmur. “It’s just that…”
“What?” Jesse asks curiously.
“I’ve had plenty of sex…”
“I am aware.” Jesse nods.
“I enjoy sex a lot.”
“Again… I am aware.” Jesse smiles slowly.
“But he’s… different,” I finish lamely.