Chapter 10
“I’ve met someone.”
Anna glanced up from squeezing lemon on her grilled barramundi. “That explains it then,” she said with a knowing smile.
Jeremy lifted his eyebrows at her. “Explains what?”
“The look you’ve had on your face ever since you picked me up.” She chewed on a bite of fish while gesturing at him with her fork. “You’re giddier than usual.”
Rolling his eyes, Jeremy cut into his steak. “I am not giddy.”
A sound of disbelief met his statement. “You were born giddy. Giddy and gay, that’s my brother.” Anna seemed delighted with her succinct description of his personality. “Although for the last few years you’ve just been gay. Which is fun in and of itself, but not the same.”
She was referring to his relationship with Aaron, and Jeremy could hardly deny the man had made him miserable, especially in the last couple of years they were together. Anna had been worried about him during that time—especially after he began spending less time with her. Aaron had seen her as a competitor for Jeremy’s affections and had come to resent any time Jeremy spent with his sister.
For a long time, Jeremy had stood firm, continuing to see Anna regularly even though she and Aaron didn’t get along. She wasn’t just family, she was his best friend. He couldn’t not spend time with her. But Aaron had worn him down in the months after he openedFandom. He’d been working constantly, getting the store up and running, and Aaron had been by his side, using the knowledge gained from his business degree to help Jeremy every step of the way. So, when Aaron insisted any free time Jeremy had should be spent with him—and only him—it had seemed like the right thing to do. He’d agreed to see Anna less often, but that hadn’t been enough.
He and Aaron had begun to argue every time Jeremy suggested they invite Anna over, or made plans to see her. Aaron claimed Jeremy was taking him for granted. That he was ungrateful. He didn’t care that Anna’s dislike made it uncomfortable for Aaron to be around her. Surely Jeremy knew how hard it was for him to be around people he didn’t know or trust after the way he’d grown up. How could Jeremy want to hurt him like that? They were supposed to be in love, they were supposed to take care of each other. Every word had hit Jeremy in the gut, increasing the weight of his guilt until he would have done anything to keep the peace.
He’d stopped returning Anna’s calls. When she showed up at the store, he fobbed her off with lame excuses about being too busy to see her. Eventually, he’d even stopped listening to her voicemails because it hurt to hear her pleading with him. One day he realised he hadn’t spoken to his sister in over three months—and he’d missed her birthday. That night he packed his bags and left. It wasn’t the first time he’d walked out on Aaron, but it was the last time. When Anna had opened the door to find him on her doorstep, she’d thrown her arms around him and told him everything would be okay.
“Personally,” she added now, oblivious to the dark nature of his thoughts, “I’m tickled pink to see the giddy back in the gay.”
Jeremy gave her a smile, grateful to have her back in his life. “How the hell did you say that without tying your tongue in knots?”
Anna gave him a cheeky grin. “You don’t want to know about my talented tongue.”
He burst out laughing. “You’re right, I don’t.”
“So, tell me about your new man.” She sat forward, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Jeremy gave her the usual details. Where they met. What Harrison did for a living. The lettering he’d been doing in the store. Work on the wall had come to a halt while Harrison was occupied with night work for the security company, but that was due to finish in another couple of days. Meanwhile, they’d talked on the phone every day they couldn’t see each other, and they’d already made plans for Harrison to continue working on the wall the following Wednesday night. “He’s an amazing artist,” Jeremy told his sister. “You’ll have to come and see the wall when it’s done.”
“I’d love to.” Picking up her glass of white wine, she skipped to the question she’d obviously been dying to ask. “Is he cute?”
“Hotter than the freaking sun,” he told her. “I swear to God, Anna, he’s so beautiful I could stare at him for days. And his accent…” His eyes rolled back in his head at the thought. “He was born in England and still has those last traces of the accent. It’s like he’s trying to seduce me every time he opens his mouth. And his body…” Jeremy fell back in his chair with a groan, “un-fucking-believable.”
“Holy crap, you’re completely gone over this guy.” Anna laughed at his enthusiasm. “Any more details and I might have to stick my fingers in my ears.”
“Sorry about that.” Jeremy straightened in his chair, his cheeks heating. “I got a bit carried away there.”
“No kidding,” she said with a grin. “He sounds perfect. When do I get to meet him?”
Jeremy shook his head. “Not yet. We’re not in a ‘relationship,’” he said, using air quotes to emphasis the word. “We’re just getting to know each other. It’s a casual thing.”
Frowning, Anna tilted her head to one side. “I got the impression you really like him, what with the babbling about his hot bod and all.”
“I do like him,” he assured her. “But I don’t want to rush into anything. And I don’t want to go getting attached until I know more about him.”
“Thatsoundsfair,” she said, though her scepticism was obvious. “Now tell me what’s wrong with him?”
Jeremy gave her an exasperated look.
“There’s obviously something going on,” she said, returning the look. “Now spill.”
Sighing, Jeremy gave her a shrug. “I don’t know yet. Maybe nothing.” He didn’t want to have to spell it out, but she sat there in silence, staring at him. “He’s got some odd quirks and I don’t know what to make of them.”
Anna narrowed her eyes as she munched on a hot chip. “What sort of quirks?”
