Page 15 of The Fete of Summer (Tales of Crumbington #1)
After a short stroll from the village hall across the frost-crusted village green, they were welcomed by a hug of toasty air inside The Crumbington Arms. Cheeks tingling, Nathan spotted Jaymes at their regular high table with three other people and a tableful of drinks.
Jaymes’ gaze that transformed into a friendly grin on seeing Nathan stoked the warmth in him and, despite a moment of trepidation, had him smiling back.
Until something caught his eye.
Nathan knew two of the people standing with Jaymes, teammates Dennis and Benny.
But the petite, attractive brunette on Jaymes’ right laughing at something he had said and resting a proprietary hand on his forearm, he did not.
Unusual, too, because he thought he knew everyone in Crumbington.
When Jaymes’ attention turned elsewhere, the woman stopped laughing and peered curiously in Nathan’s direction.
A baffling annoyance unsettled him, which must have shown on his face because when Jaymes looked over at that moment, he tilted his head to one side and frowned quizzically.
Caught off guard, Nathan forced a smile and raised a hand in greeting.
When Polly excused herself to use the restroom, Nathan stood for a moment and trailed her departure across the bar until he had regained his composure. Only then did he join them.
“Nate. This is Kelly,” said Jaymes, nodding at the woman. “Kell-Bell, this is Nate, the town baker.”
“Don’t call me Kell-Bell, Jaymes,” she replied, laughing. There was a familiarity bordering on intimacy in the way they interacted. Maybe Kelly was an old girlfriend. Her attention turned to Nathan now. “A worthy profession, Nate. Nice to meet you.”
Nathan waited for Jaymes to explain how he knew Kelly, but no explanation came.
“Nice to meet you, too,” said Nathan.
Without removing her clutch on Jaymes’ forearm, Kelly carefully repositioned her glass of wine on the table and offered her free hand to Nathan. Her thin, chilled fingers clasped his own. When he released them, he wanted to wipe his palm on his coat but thought that might appear rude.
“How’d it go tonight?” asked Jaymes, probably out of politeness.
“You know. Usual boring stuff—”
“Sorry,” interrupted Mikey, grasping Nathan’s shoulder. “But we need to bend Nathan’s ear. Something important needs ironing out.”
Once out of earshot, Mikey explained the predicament. “For the shoot, the guys are asking if they’re going to be expected to do any poses together that might be suggestive or misconstrued.”
When he glanced back, Jaymes and his friend had their heads together again, deep in conversation, oblivious to everyone else around them.
“Not this again,” said Nathan, turning back and exhaling with irritation. “Come on, guys. No, of course not. Why are you even asking?”
“Arlene said the photographer wants to shoot Benny and Ken together.”
That made sense. Ken and Benny had to be the youngest, best-looking and fittest members of the team. The two of them pictured together would ensure the sale of a good number of calendars.
“And?”
“I didn’t request to be photographed with anyone else,” said Benny. “I’m just wondering why.”
“Fair point. If that idea makes you uncomfortable, I’ll talk to Jenny. I’m sure she’ll be happy to change things around.”
“Look, I don’t want to be a pain—”
“Benny, you’re doing us a favour here. For the committee and ultimately for charity. If you’re not comfortable, then Arlene can go to hell and I’ll change things around myself.”
“It’s not that, Nathan,” said Dennis, nudging Benny. “Tell him, Benny. Before Polly gets back.”
“Look, no offence, Nathan. But Ken bats for your team. And I don’t want people thinking—”
“Wait. What ?”
“Ken’s gay,” said Mikey, smirking at Nathan. “Don’t say you didn’t know?”
Rightly or wrongly, Nathan had always assumed he was the only gay man on the football team. Good-looking Ken always had a couple of pretty girls with him whenever he joined them for drinks after a match.
“Are you sure?” asked Nathan.
“Told you he didn’t have a Scooby,” said Benny.
“Apparently, my gaydar’s beyond repair,” said Nathan, making them laugh. “Hang on, though. How do you know?”
“We came down on Christmas Eve. You weren’t around.
He introduced a few of us to his boyfriend.
Well, hardly a boy,” said Benny, shaking his head.
“Nice guy. Older, but smart and funny. Looks a bit like an older version of you, actually. I’ve got no issue with Ken, Nathan.
But I just wondered why they’d want to put us together on the shoot. ”
“Does Ken know about this?”
“No idea. I suppose so.”
“Leave it with me,” said Nathan. “Let me talk to him and the photographer. I met her tonight. She’s really great and, honestly, if you’re not one hundred per cent comfortable during the shoot, it’ll show. She knows that better than anybody.”
“Thanks, mate,” said Benny before looking up, his earnest face transforming into a broad smile. “Good evening, Miss Wynter.”
“Please don’t,” came Polly’s voice as she approached. “I don’t like being called Miss Wynter outside the school confines. Actually, Benjamin, can you and I have a word? In private?”
A startled Benny grabbed his drink and followed her.
Once they had settled in a corner, Mikey started on his favourite topic, the new hypermarket on the outskirts of town, trying to put them all out of business.
Letting Mikey’s gripes wash over him, Nathan’s gaze took in Jaymes laughing along with the woman, her eyes shining with affection as she brushed something from his shoulder.
The closeness between them was unmistakable.
At least, that’s what it looked like. Nathan couldn’t help wishing he had someone who felt that way about him.
Bloody good luck to Jaymes. At one point, he looked over to find Jaymes’ friend Kelly standing alone, checking messages on her phone—Jaymes either at the bar or in the restroom.
Nathan chose that moment to make his escape.
Quickly downing the last of his drink and without disturbing Polly, he said a brief farewell to the boys and slipped out.
Barely ten minutes down the cobbled lane in the freezing night air, his phone beeped with a message. Fully expecting to get a cursory text from Jaymes or Polly, he pulled out his phone and read the words on the screen.
Cliff: How’s my hottie bff?
Cliff: Am I forgiven for bailing over the weekend?
Cliff: Fancy meeting for dinner one night this month?
Cliff: My treat at my manager’s restaurant.
Cliff: Private room, just a few close friends.
Cliff: By way of an apology.
Cliff: Bring Jaymes if you wish.
Each message popped through so quickly that Nathan could almost visualise Clifton’s thumbs flashing across the onscreen keyboard.
He stopped beneath a lamppost and breathed out a steamy sigh.
He had never been entirely comfortable with Clifton’s suggestion to meet up, and with Raul back, perhaps that was just as well.
In the space of one evening, he’d reconfirmed his single status.
Right now, his fake boyfriend had a girlfriend to seduce, and his ex-boyfriend was probably curling up next to his partner.
How should he respond to Clifton? If in doubt, delay had been one of his father’s tactics.
Nathan: Let me check and get back. Jaymes is really busy at the mo.
Right then, a flurry of messages pinged onto his phone like a short-circuiting pinball machine.
Jaymes: Where the hell did you go?
Polly: Where are you?
Cliff: Benedetti’s in the West End. If he can’t make it, then just you
Jaymes: Mike said you’d left. You barely said hello.
Polly: Wanted to ask if you’re up for a meal out on Sat. You, J & I. What do you think?
Jaymes: Did I do something to piss you off?
Polly: Don’t let me get stuck with him. You owe me that much, Nathan!
Cliff: Sleep tight. CUIMD
Nathan snorted. CUIMD. See You In My Dreams. Clifton had used the same secret sign-off in emails when they’d been kids in love.
A vision came to him of sitting in a posh West End restaurant, waiting alone like a doting lover for a celebrity friend who was never going to show.
Taking a deep breath, he scanned down the list of messages again.
Overwhelmed and unsure of how to reply to any, Nathan did what he always did in those kinds of situations.
He switched off his phone.