“What? No.” God, he was useless. “I wanted to see if we could get dinner or something. And talk.”
“Are you asking me on a proper date?”
“If that’s…if you wanted me to.”
“I was going to call later today and ask you the same thing,” Callahan teased. “You’ve saved me the trouble.”
“I don’t even think I’ve ever been on date before,” Jace admitted.
“Really?”
He tried to think, but couldn’t recall anything that was more than a drink bought in exchange for a quick fuck before the sunrise.
“Yeah.” He swallowed. “Seems like you’ll be my first.”
“Seems I’m not the only one who has two sides,” Callahan remarked casually, but the comment was biting, and Jace winced, thankful no one was there to see it.
“Are you saying I’m two-faced?”
“No!” Callahan nearly yelled his ear off. “No, that’s not what I meant at all. Just that when I met you, you were so cocky.”
“And now?”
“You’ve gone soft,” Callahan said.
Jace licked his lips. “I’m a little out of my element with you.”
“Me too, I think.”
The small timer in Jace’s pocket started to beep, indicating his break was over. He fished it out of his pocket and hit the off button.
“I need to get back to work,” he said.
“When did you want to apologize, then?” Callahan asked, his breath returned, his voice light.
“Tonight,” he answered before he could think better of it. He was so desperate. So transparent.
“Do you want to come over to my place?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll text you my address, then. Is six okay?”
“Six is good,” he said.
“Do you want to get delivery or do you want to cook?” Callahan asked.
“I’m not much in the kitchen.”
“You work at a pastry shop.”
“I’m a barista,” Jace reminded him. “I make coffee to support my photography habit.”
Callahan made a rough noise on the other end of the line. “You should bring your camera tonight.”
“Why?” he rasped.
“In case you see anything inspiring.”
