Page 55 of His Surrender

“What?” Jay asked me once the waitress left. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“That’s a lot of food,” I responded. “You don’t look like you’ve ever eaten a carb in your life.”

He laughed. “That’s why I work out.”

“When do you find the time? I can’t even remember the last time I went to the gym.”

“It’s not without effort,” he responded. “I wake up early and go on morning runs, and other times I hit the gym before I go home for the evening. I work hard to look like this, but I appreciate the compliment.”

When had he ever thanked me for complimenting him? It was like Jay was slowly, but surely, turning into someone else. Or… perhaps he was feeling more comfortable with me, just like I was with him. He was able to be himself.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Jay Foley wouldn’t be changed in one either.

But it was a start.

Chapter 13

Jay

Over dinner, Remi and I talked more than we ever had. And I liked it. A lot.

I refused to call it a date. It was dinner with a friend… even if thatfriendfelt like much more than that. He talked about his students and told me Foster got the solo, which I’d already known because Foss had called me when he got out of school and gushed excitedly.

I didn’t share many details about me, though, and I was sure he picked up on it. When he asked a general question, like favorite music, movies, et cetera, I answered. But I avoided the tougher topics. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever tell him about Andrew, but if I did it wouldn’t be in a crowded restaurant. I would also need a few drinks in me first.

“Can we go to the 906 after this?” Remi asked, once we’d finished our food. “Johnny and the guys are playing and asked if I’d come by.”

“That’s fine with me. I could use a drink and a cigar.”

Remi grinned. “Do you smoke regularly? Or just when you’re there?”

“I have the occasional cigar when I’m home, but I mostly smoke them at the bar,” I answered, and then my gut sank a bit when I thought of something. “Does that bother you?”

“Not at all. I like lighting up sometimes too.”

We shared a smile before I asked for the check and paid, leaving a big tip for the waitress since she’d been super attentive.

“She totally wanted to take you home,” Remi said, as we exited the restaurant and got on the sidewalk.

“Who?”

“The waitress,” he answered with a light laugh. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice her lingering stare and how she only talked to you when she came to our table.”

“I didn’t actually.” And it surprised the hell out of me. I always noticed shit like that. The reason for me not having noticed was currently staring at me with the most adorably confused expression. My attention had been solely on him all during dinner.

“Oh.” He looked away and scratched the side of his head.

“You didn’t want to wear your hat tonight?” I asked, noticing how he seemed to try to grab it out of habit and adjust it like he sometimes did. “I haven’t seen you wear it in a while, now that I think about it.”

Remi faced me once we were beside my car. “I was told it looked stupid, so I stopped wearing it.”

“Who the hell told you that?” Fire blazed through my veins, an unexpected response, I admit. But the thought of anyone hurting his feelings threw me into some kind of crazy protective mode.

“Nathan.”

“The asshole who tried to force himself on you? You’re going to listen to him?”