Page 59 of Worth the Wait

Callum walked by Jack, much closer than necessary and raised up on his tiptoes for a quick kiss. Jack seized his mouth and kissed him fervently, the heat simmering between them.

“Alright, that’s a bit much. Let’s not get carried away,” Verity clucked from behind the bar. “Our little Callum has some more limes to chop.”

Callum’s cheeks turned red again and he stepped away from Jack, joining Verity behind the bar and resuming the lime cutting he’d been doing earlier.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Landon’s voice was quiet and close behind. “Besides that, you’ve been here a week and I haven’t heard a fucking word from you.”

Jack watched Callum dump limes into a plastic tub under the bar while he laughed at something Verity said. His eyes darted across the bar to Jack then quickly refocused on the fruit in front of him.

“I’ve been occupied, Landon. I’m sure you understand. As for the other, we had a fight when I got home from the hospital. I didn’t know if he still wanted to be with me.”

“What did you fight about?”

“You.”

Landon was beside him now. “What do you mean you fought about me?”

“I mentioned my friend Landon was out from LA. He obviously knew you were gone to New York and we realized you were you. He wanted me to send you home and let him come out.”

Landon huffed a disbelieving sound.

“When did you stop fighting?”

Jack cast a sidelong glance at Landon. “Uhm, Monday?”

“You’re an asshole, Jack.”

“I’m his asshole.” He shoved his arm around Landon and relaxed when he finally cracked a smile.

* * *

Jack hadno interest in being the clingy, annoying kind of partner that hung out at Callum’s work all night, especially after they’d agreed he’d be going to stay with Landon and Verity. So after the doors opened, he decided to go for a cruise by the beach. He borrowed Callum’s car for the time being, but he’d need to make other arrangements soon.

The commute had taken a ridiculously long time, even at eight o’clock on a Friday night, but Callum didn’t get off until after two so the drive time wouldn’t be an issue. He was disappointed to find out the Hot Dog on a Stick was closed, so he grabbed a taco from an overpriced restaurant on the pier then went down to the beach.

Jack took his shoes and socks off, tucking them under his arm and wading into the cool sand. It was summer, the air was still warm and the temperature of the sand sent a shiver through his body.

When he reached a spot that was as removed from people as he could find, he sat down and unwrapped his taco. It was dark, but just barely, the sun having set not too long before and Jack counted off the differences he’d already tallied between California and New York.

The sunsets obviously being one, the nicer beaches being another, and Callum being the bright and glaring third.

Jack had been surprised in the way his heart danced when Callum was in his proximity. It was a feeling he didn’t know how to describe beyond anything other than zen. When he was with Callum, it was almost as if everything else faded to a dull, ignorable hum. Jack had been in relationships before, some serious and some not, some men, some women, some a little bit of both or neither, but no one had ever made him feel the way Callum did.

He was equally surprised that feeling didn’t leave him unsettled. Instead it was a comforting feeling that danced around daydreams involving things like wedding rings, pets, and well-curated gardens.

A girl shrieked with laughter somewhere down the beach, pulling him out of his head. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted Bowie.

Me: By the way, I moved.

Bowie: I know.

Me:How do you know?

Bowie:Verity told me.

Me:It literally just happened less than a week ago.

Bowie:Hmmn. Good news travels fast?