Noel chuckled. “Yeah.”
“That makes perfect sense,” Jack said, his heart full at the thought of his beautiful boyfriend. “Fitz loves love. He has a unique way of seeing things, and somehow, he can sense when two people are right for each other.” His smile dimmed. “Don’t be as stubborn and shortsighted as me. I spent two years thinking about Fitz, hoping for more, and after all the heartache and danger we faced to be together, I’m risking it all because I’m too stubborn to lean on him or anyone else.”
“Hey, at least you’re seeing it before it’s too late.” Noel pulled up to the cabin and smiled. “Good luck.”
“Thanks. You too.” Jack hopped out and hurried up the steps to the front door. Inside, the house was filled with the sound of his brothers, many of who were gathered in the kitchen. Ace was in the living room with Colton and their new fur baby, Cocoa.
Ace turned Cocoa to face Jack. “Look, Cocoa. It’s Uncle Jack. That’s right.TheUncle Jack who made Uncle Fitz sad.”
“Are you seriously using your puppy to make me feel even worse?” Jack asked as he hung up his coat.
“You bet.” Ace pointed to Cocoa’s furry head. “Look at that face. That’s the face of disappointment.”
Jack arched an eyebrow. “That’s the face of someone who eats his own poop.”
Colton snickered, and Ace scrunched his nose. “We’re working on that,” Ace murmured.
“Have you seen Fitz?” Jack asked.
“No. Sorry,” Colton said. “We didn’t see him when we got in, and he hasn’t come downstairs.”
“Thanks.” Jack went upstairs to their bedroom at the end of the hall. He stood outside the door and paused. He didn’t hear anything. Was Fitz asleep? Jack cracked open the door, but when a fluffy bouncing poodle didn’t meet him, he knew Fitz wasn’t in their room. With a sigh, he took a quick shower and dressed in sweatpants, a black t-shirt, and thick socks. He left their room in search of his boyfriend.
Fitz hadn’t been in the kitchen because Jack would have seen or heard him when he walked through the front door. The house had several gathering rooms, a library, and a billiard room with a bar. Fitz was in none of those. Then he remembered the most likely place Fitz would be. He should have started there.
Heading to the movie room, he stopped in the doorway. Fitz sat with his legs pulled up on the plush couch, wrapped up to his neck in a fluffy blanket with Duchess curled up against him.While You Were Sleepingplayed on the giant screen.
“That bad, huh?” Jack asked softly as he walked into the room. Sandra Bullock rom-coms were Fitz’s go-to comfort movies. Duchess hopped off the couch and bounced excitedly, her butt wiggling fiercely, making him chuckle. Before walking farther into the room, he gave her lots of pets and love. He spotted the box of tissues and doubted those were for the movie. Fitz’s eyes were red, and Jack’s heart hurt. He hated knowing he was the cause of his sweet boyfriend’s tears, that he’d made Fitz worry like this.
Jack sat next to Fitz, who side-eyed him warily. “Baby, I am so sorry. You’re right about everything. I’m sorry I worried you. I’m an ass.”
Fitz sniffed and pulled his arm out from beneath the blanket. He patted his lap, and with a relieved sigh, Jack lay down, his head on Fitz’s lap. Duchess resumed her spot on the couch to Fitz’s other side and curled up.
“Talk to me,” Fitz said softly as he ran his fingers through Jack’s hair.
“I’ve been avoiding hiring someone, and at first, I told myself it was because we didn’t need to fill that position, so I took on all the extra work. I convinced myself it was no big deal and let myself get lost in the work, not realizing how much I’d taken on. If I hadn’t wanted to give the work to the rest of the team, taking it on myself was not the right answer.”
“Is it because of him?” Fitz asked. “Is that why you don’t want to hire someone new?”
Jack nodded. He met Fitz’s gaze. “I have so much to lose now. Not that I didn’t before, but…I have you now, and after almost losing you because of that psychopath….”
Fitz let out a heavy sigh. “I understand that, but if we never get to be together, it’s kind of the same thing, isn’t it?”
“I hadn’t looked at it that way.” Mostly because he hadn’t wanted to. “I guess I hadn’t worked through as much of what happened as I thought. I should have trusted my family to have my back. They always have and always will.” He cupped Fitz’s face and stroked his cheek with his thumb. “As soon as we get back, I’ll hire someone. I promise you, I’ll do better.”
“I’ve missed you so much.” Fitz turned his face and kissed the palm of Jack’s hand. “I love you, Jack.”
“I love you too, baby.” Jack sat up and turned, smiling when Fitz straddled his lap, his blanket still around him.
Fitz slipped his arms around Jack’s neck and kissed him. “You smell so good.”
“I took a quick shower when I got in.” Jack ran his hands up Fitz’s thighs and under his sweater to stroke his soft skin.
“Is that a candy cane in your pocket,” Fitz purred, rolling his hips against Jack’s growing erection. “Or are you just happy to see me?”
With a laugh, Jack patted Fitz’s butt. “How about you let me jingle your bells back in our room?”
Fitz snickered. “We’ve been spending way too much time around Ace.” He stood and took hold of Jack’s hand. “Duchess, go find Uncle Joker.”
