Struggling to come up with an answer, something popped into Blake’s head, and before he had a chance to think, he spoke. “There aren’t enough hours in the day to talk to you as much as I need to.” He hoped it conveyed the message he wanted to send, and from Jeremy’s huge smile, it was the perfect thing to say.
“I’d love to, but really”—he swept his hand around the room—“you see how busy we are, and it’s only seven a.m.”
“Go on…we’ll cover for you, right, George?” Oscar stood at the entrance to his cubicle.
Blake saw the man nod vigorously.
“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. We all know how Kyle is.”
“I don’t care,” said George with a determined set to his jaw. “That man can take this job and shove it. I’m planning on quitting soon.”
Still doubtful but dying to be with Jeremy, who remained silent, Blake appealed to Oscar. “If you’re sure…”
“Go, go on. Come back when you’re ready. A little extra hard work isn’t going to hurt us.”
“Thanks, Oscar.” Blake jumped up and walked with Jeremy out the front door, terrified at what might happen, but once he set his eyes on Jeremy, there was never any doubt—Blake knew he’d brave anything to be with him. Noah was right. It was time to be a man and tell Jeremy the truth.
“Come, we can go to the coffee shop across the street.” He pointed across the intersection. “We’ll have to buy something, but they let you sit as long as you want.”
“Lead the way.” Jeremy bumped his shoulder, and Blake caught his wink and smile. The weight he’d been carrying since he’d pushed Jeremy away vanished. Maybe everything would be okay. They crossed the street and passed the gym. Jeremy paused a second to peer in the window. “I met the owner the other night. Carter is doing his PR and wanted me to come see his setup. Funny how things work out.”
They reached the coffee shop, and Blake held the door open. “Yeah. Funny.”
Jeremy squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll get the coffee—you get us the table.”
Old habits. How many times had they gone through this routine when they’d been together? Blake couldn’t take his eyes off him as Jeremy chatted with the clerk. He had that indefinable, enviable ability to be at ease with everyone. With the order completed, Jeremy approached him, carrying a tray of food and two cups.
“Here. Eat this.” He took a coffee, put the tray in front of Blake, and sat across from him. “You’ve lost weight.”
The tray held an egg on a bagel, a muffin, and a yogurt parfait. All things they’d loved to eat for breakfast together.
“Thanks,” Blake whispered, but didn’t make a move. He couldn’t believe Jeremy had come. “You said I had something of yours?”
Jeremy reddened. “Yeah. My heart. Since you’ve been gone, I can’t find it anywhere. I figure you took it with you.” He shifted his chair closer to the table. “I miss you.”
Maybe he didn’t fuck this up after all. Blake wrapped his hands around the warm coffee mug, mainly to stop them from shaking. “I miss you too. I was so wrong. I’m sorry.”
“Why?” Jeremy leaned over the small table. Strain lined his face, and shadows dimmed the sparkling blue eyes Blake loved. “Why’d you do it?”
The conversation he’d had with Noah popped into his mind.Tell him the truth. Tell him everything.
“I never thought of myself as a winner. No matter what good happened to me, I always felt something would come and take it away. Maybe it started with my mother dying and Michelle leaving the house. But all I knew was that nothing good lasted.”
Jeremy nodded and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. At his touch, the gray fog he’d been living inside disintegrated. “I get it.”
“Then came you. You burst into my life like some kind of fantasy. The jock and the nerd. A guy like you liking me?Loving me?After a lifetime of being a nobody, I wanted to believe you were going to stay. That I could be your somebody.”
Not letting go of his hand, Jeremy moved his chair around the table to sit by his side, and Blake breathed in his wonderful scent. Oddly enough, being near Jeremy gave him the strength to speak from his heart.
“I feel so stupid saying this to you.”
“Don’t. We should’ve done this a long time ago. Talk to me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here.”
Despite the gravity of their talk, Blake had to bite back a smile at how much like Noah Jeremy sounded.
“It was all too perfect, and I kept waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. For something or someone to come along and take away my happiness again. And then I lost my job, and I thought—here it comes. The first problem. And I thought you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.”
Jeremy gaped at him. “Why? I would’ve supported you and helped you. Babe…” His voice dropped. “I’d have done anything you needed.”
