“Damn, what’s your problem?”
He turned when Josh spoke from the kitchen doorway.
“Problem?”he asked, trying to look relaxed.“What makes you think I have a problem?”
Josh laughed.“Oh, you have a problem.You look good, you smell good, but if looks could kill … What’s going on?Are you being forced to dress up to go somewhere you don’t want to?Oh wait – is your mom in town?”
Jake shuddered.“Hell no – thank God.”
“So, what’s going on?”
He grinned.“I have a date.”
Josh narrowed his eyes.“Two questions.”
“Okay, give me the straightforward one first.”This was a routine they’d established since Josh had moved in.He usually had at least one straightforward question followed by a more probing one.Jake had learned to get the easy ones out of the way first.
“I’m not sure either of them is straightforward.”
“Then ask away, I guess.”
Josh leaned in the doorway and folded his arms across his chest.“I think I already answered the first one for myself.”
“Want to share your conclusion?”
Josh was a great guy – smart and insightful.Jake figured he might as well wait and see what he had to say.Sure, he valued his opinion as a friend, but he was acutely aware that Josh and Savannah had been friends since they were little kids.Josh saw her as a kind of little sister.
“You’re seeing Savannah, aren’t you?She’s your date.”
“I am.How did you figure it out?”
“It was obvious – as soon as I got over the shock that you’re finally going out on a date.You haven’t gone out with anyone since I’ve known you.You always claim that you’re too busy with work, and you’re enjoying spending time with your dad and Dom, and your life’s full enough – and I know that’s all true.But we both know the real reason you haven’t been dating is that you’re holding out because you want to go out with Savannah.I can’t see anything that might have changed that recently, so the only obvious answer is that she finally agreed.”
Jake nodded happily.“I always knew you were a smart guy.”
Josh deflected as usual.“It didn’t take much figuring out.But it’s only one side of the equation.”
“What’s the other side?What was question number two?”
“Why did you look so mad?Your expression when I came in looked like someone had pissed you off in a big way – which didn’t gel with the outfit.”
Jake had to laugh.“You’re right, but … See, I was thinking about what I’m wearing –”
“Looking sharp,” said Josh.
“Thanks, but what I meant was that in San Diego this would have been too casual for a date, and I was trying to figure out why …” He might as well say it.“Even when Savannah’s so important to me, why I didn’t feel the need to make more effort with my appearance”
“That’s easy.”
“It is?”
“Yep, it really is.It’s not that you didn’t make more effort.It’s that, one, you feel comfortable with her – enough that you want to be yourself.Two, just in practical terms, this is Summer Lake – you’d look like a dick if you turned up in a suit or something.”
Jake laughed – he had a point.
“And three,” Josh continued, “you’re at home here.And you’re around your kind of people.You’re not dressing up to fit in or to impress, like you felt you had to for dates in San Diego.You’re comfortable being yourself and … I may be wrong about this, but I’d guess you have a better handle on who you actually are, now that you’re a civilian again.”
“And once again, you nailed it.Thanks.”
