Nate
Are you walking backward? Since when does it take you two hours to walk a couple miles?
Jack
It COULD happen, is all I’m saying.
Nate
Share your location, I’m coming to pick you up.
Jack
No, it’s fine, I’m going to jog.
Nate
Share it!
Stomach squirming and skin buzzing with anxiety, I step off the sidewalk and share it with him. He’ll only keep bothering me if I don’t, and I really would prefer a ride anyway. If I walked the whole way, I wouldn’t have enough time to calmdown before the meeting. Coach Mackenzie makes me nervous enough as it is without starting off on the wrong foot.
Nate’s truck pulls up to the sidewalk barely five minutes later. He leans across the center console, grinning at me as I climb in.
“I’m sorry,” I say immediately. He’s never once gotten mad at me, but sometimes I worry that he’s hiding his annoyance behind the quick smiles. It can’t be easy being my friend.
“Oh shut up,” he replies fondly, still smiling as he waits for me to get my seat belt on. “I was over at Marcos’ apartment anyway, and it just happens to be right down the street.”
Oh great, now I’m even more sorry.
“Nate, I could have walked. I should have guessed you were over at?—”
“It’s cool. Marcos had some stuff to do anyway, and now I get to hang out with you for a bit.” He glances over at me, teeth shining against the dark tan on his face. He always comes back from breaks looking like he walked off an advertisement for a beach resort. “So, want to head back to your dorm? What have you got there, anyway?”
He nods down at the bag sitting between my feet.
“Just a few books, and your birthday present.” The shirt seems so stupid, suddenly, and I’m wishing I hadn’t said anything. He’s not going to want a ratty, secondhand shirt that doesn’t even have the bottom half any longer. I only spent a dollar fifty on it. Nate is worth more than that.
“Really? I want it now,” he says excitedly, putting his truck in park outside my dorm and holding out a hand. I push it away, blushing.
“You can’t have it now, it’s not your birthday.”
“Two days! That’s nothing. Come on, Mick. Because you love me.” He widens his eyes and softens his mouth, peeringat me balefully. I can see why this trick probably worked for him as a kid, with that beautiful face and the bright eyes. Honestly, it’s starting to work on me now.
“Stop it,” I tell him, reaching for the door handle and snatching the shopping bag before he can grab it. He meets me around the hood of the truck, still giving me begging eyes.
“Okay, fine,” I capitulate, laughing when his smile immediately pops back into place. Fucking faker. “I’ll give it to you upstairs, but don’t get excited. It’s nothing. Less than nothing. Seriously, don’t get excited.”
Instead of answering, he throws an arm over my shoulder and kisses the side of my head. I manage not to blush too badly, and am pleased when he leaves his arm in place for the duration of our walk to the building. Being friends with Nate required a bit of a learning curve on my part, but I’m at the point now where I not only enjoy but crave the affection he hands out. I’ve never received any from the people in my life up until now, and nobody else I know is quite like him. He is the gold standard of men—free with his emotions and affection, and as beautiful on the inside as he is on the out. For the second time today, I’m reminded of how much I love him.
“Your face is so red right now,” Nate notes, peering up at me. I sigh. Of course it is. I can’t ever have a private thought in my fucking life.
“I was thinking nice things about you. Because it’s your birthday,” I add, which makes him laugh. He drops his arm and grabs the door, wincing as he reaches forward for it.
“You good?”
“Fine, just have a hell of a bruise is all.”
I frown as I trail him up the stairs to my room, suddenlynoting how slowly he’s taking each step. Nate never does anything slow.
