“That doesn’t sound so bad,” I said, even though it kinda did to me. “But, I mean… I’m the kind of guy who’d rather stay in pajamas and eat onion dip out of a can while binge-watching Netflix. Um… not that I do that kind of thing or anything. Gross.”
Jack snorted. “That sounds like my kind of day. Relaxing instead of stressing about cleaning the bathroom and arranging the decorative sticks just so in their vase.”
“What are decorative sticks?”
“I’m not really sure, but Ty had several different sets.”
“Did you ever try to get him to spend your days off the way you wanted to? You know, try some of the couples communication all the books talk about?”
“Definitely. But I always felt like I was disappointing him or at the very least, boring him. And when he asked me to marry him, all I could see was a life ahead of us, made up of little moments of disappointing him.” He looked down at me. I could see the sadness left over in his eyes. “So I said no. Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
My heart hurt for him, for both of them, really. It was a reminder that you can love someone but not be able to be with them. And you could love someone who wasn’t your best match.
“I’m sorry.”
Jack snuggled me closer. “Me too. It still weighs on me. Every time I see him, I feel like I’m still letting him down.”
I sat up and looked at him. “Wait. You still see him?”
“He’s kind of my brother-in-law. Millie married Ty’s brother, Kirk. And now Millie and Kirk are expecting their first baby, so I’ll probably see Ty even more often. It’s the first grandchild on both sides.”
“Oh. Well, shit.”
“Mm-hm. It was almost as hard to tell my sister about the breakup as it was to break up with Ty in the first place. She was furious. She’d spent two years happily planning our joint futures together. We’d live next door to each other and help with each other’s kids. It didn’t matter that Ty and I didn’t live in Indiana. Millie always treated that like a small bump in the road instead of a major obstacle. It’s been six years and Millie still gives me hell for breaking up with Ty.”
“And now you live in Chicago,” I said. “So you’re much closer.”
He nodded. “And Ty is supposedly interviewing for jobs in Chicago to move closer to them too. Their parents are gone, so Ty and Kirk are each other’s only remaining family.”
Great. Perfect Ty was going to move to Chicago and be closer to Boyfriend Jack. Fucker.
“Maybe things will work out now that you’re in a more predictable job,” I suggested. I pulled out one of the peach gummy rings I’d been snacking on and slid it over his ring finger. “Maybe you’ll decide to settle down after all and find someone to put a ring on.”
He sucked the gummy candy off his finger in a lewd gesture. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about you. I think it’s time to go find some dinner since you keep snacking. Clearly you’re hungry.” He winked before pressing his lips to mine and kissing me silly. The taste of sugary peach was delicious on his lips.
We didn’t quite make it out of the room in time for dinner.
Or breakfast.
Or lunch.
14
Jack
After twenty-four hours in the hotel room together, we decided to venture out into the small town of Goose Bay. We’d learned from the woman at the front desk that there was a winter carnival on, so we followed her directions to the town’s sports complex in time to take advantage of the chili cooking competition. There were craft and vendor booths set up and a DJ playing music.
“How do I decide if I don’t like this because I don’t like chili or I don’t like it because this particular chili is bad?” Teo asked.
I glanced over at him. He was wearing my Colts hoodie again since all the clothes he’d packed were more suitable for business meetings in Frankfurt than a cold Canadian winter carnival. It was huge on him but still pretty damned cute. “I thought you were vegetarian?”
He shrugged and took another hesitant bite of the chili. “Depends on my mood. I should be. It’s better for you as long as you eat healthy and like legumes.”
I used my own chili spoon to point at his bowl. “That’s a bowlful of legumes you don’t like.”
Teo tossed the half-eaten chili in a nearby trash can. “I think I need a sweet treat to cleanse my palate.”
I laughed. “You’re a sugar addict. I’ve never seen anyone eat as many sweets as you, especially someone who has such a tight body.”
His cheeks pinked up. “I’ve been putting on weight since changing to an office job. I should probably stop with the candy now. At my old job, I was on my feet, moving around, lifting patients. I took several patients for walks every shift, even if it was just around the corridors. Now I spend so much time at a desk, I’m surprised my ass hasn’t flattened to giant pancake size.”