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TWELVE

BANE

I’d say courting Jerryn is going pretty well. He’s a little suspicious, but that’s okay. He’ll get used to this new version of me, and when he does, I’ll finally be able to tell him that it’s been him all along.

You’d think after being as close as we are for as long as we have been I could tell him directly that I’m into him and we can work around the sex thing, but it’s our closeness that makes it clear that’s exactly what I can’t do.

His insecurity runs deep, and there’s no way he’d believe I wasn’t acting out of some misguided loneliness.

Thing is, I’m not lonely. I never have been.

I have the man of my dreams in my life all day, every day, and sometimes at night.

The early days I spent rotating in and out of new beds weekly don’t do much to prove that I’m not some sex hungry fuckboi, but I would think the recent celibacy should be proof.

I guess I’ll have to tell Jerr that all those other men were nothing but an attempt to get over what I believed was a useless crush on him. I almost laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of my plight, but before I can dive deeper into my musings, Florian shows up with a grin.

“How are the drinks? Do you guys approve?”

Jerryn smiles at him. “Really good. I approve.”

“Me too,” I say, though Florian already knows.

I arranged the whole drink presentation before Jerryn got here.

We put our heads together to come up with a suitable drink and a suggestive name, and one of these days, I’ll tell Jerryn the whole plan I concocted to woo him off his feet no matter what I had to do, even naming a drink after my goals.

I stand and gather the nearly empty plate of pasta. “Ready to do some work?”

Jerryn nods, standing too. “I’m ready. Running to the bathroom real quick, then I’ll be out.”

“Cool.” He walks off, and I watch him for a second before turning back to Florian. “Thanks for the assist.”

“Did it go well?”

“Well enough.”

Florian grabs the empty glasses as I scoop up our silverware. “It’s about time you made the move.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I grin. “Better late than never, right?”

“That’s what they say.”

“What about you? Dating anyone?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. Still sowing my oats. I’m only thirty. I’ve got time.”

“Plenty.”

We walk back inside the bar and go our separate ways, him to the bar and me to the kitchen. After I drop off the plate at the dishwasher, I go back to the counter to see if there are any orders that need running, finding a basket of wings for a bar customer.

“I got the bar order,” I call out.

When I exit the bar, Jerryn is talking to a couple sitting at a table. The guy says something and Jerryn laughs while the woman with him smiles and shakes her head. Jerryn says something in reply, then shakes the guy’s hand before turning to come over to the bar.

“What was that about?” I ask, after delivering the wing order.

“What?” Jerryn asks.

“You were laughing with that customer.”

“Oh.” He looks over his shoulder. “He told me that he and his girl were convinced I was her cousin and pissed off I was in town without telling them. I caught them both staring at me. It was weird, so I went over to see if everything was okay. They figured out I wasn’t her cousin and then told me the story. ”

“That’s kind of funny.”

“Yeah.”

Florian drops two drinks on the bar top in front of us. “Gin and Tonic and a Moscow Mule for table seven.”

“Got it.” Jerr picks up both drinks. “See you later?”

“You bet.”

I watch him deliver the drinks, thinking about my next move.

I have to step it up just a little so he knows it’s different from our normal friendship dynamic.

Maybe I could try… As the thought passes through my head, an excited shiver spreads through me.

I could try a massage. A nice one. Maybe his neck or his feet.

Nothing too sexual—I’m not a creep. Just a little more touch.

He asked for one once a while ago, but he hasn’t asked again, so I can offer.

Yes, that’s a good plan. While we watch a movie, I’ll offer to get some knots out of his shoulders to show him I’m always thinking about him. That’ll work.

Ridley nudges me with his arm. “How’s it going?”

“So far, so good.”

“He liked dinner?”

“He did. He liked Flor’s drink too.”

Ridley chuckles. “Love Potion. It’s kind of sweet how incredibly clueless he is.”

It’s not sweet. It’s because he’s so insecure that he would never assume I was actually interested in him. I plan to fix that though. “Yeah.”

“I can’t wait until he figures it out.” Ridley does a little shoulder shimmy. “You two are gonna be incredible.”

“I think so too. We already are, it’s just another level up.”

“Exactly.” He pats my shoulder. “I’m so here for this.”

“Glad I can entertain you.”

Ridley laughs. “I guess it is entertaining waiting to see two of my closest friends finally fall completely in love with each other.”

His response warms my chest. “I can’t wait to tell him, but I gotta play the long game. I know him well enough to know that I need to pace myself.”

“You do you, man. I’m just here for the show.”

He grabs his drink order, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I know what I’m doing with Jerr, and I’ve waited twenty years for this. A few more months is nothing.