“Now listen to me,” Cal ordered. “And listen good.”
James swallowed hard. “Okay.”
“There is nothing wrong with seeing a therapist,” Cal said sternly. “I credit the reason that I’ve been able to stay on the job so long is because of my brother who is a psychologist. When I have a bad shift, there’s someone that I can talk it out with. He works for the department and sees firefighters, police, doctors, and nurses.”
He started to chew on his bottom lip. Did he think he needed to talk to someone about the accident? Not really. James was upset but who wouldn’t be after that scene? “I’ll think about it,” he offered.
Cal grinned. “That’s all I can ask. How was the rest of your night? Did you get some sleep?”
James’s stomach soured like it had the previous night.
“What happened?” Cal demanded.
“I fucked up,” James admitted. “With my landlord.”
“Language,” Cal said automatically. Just like James knew he would.
James grinned. “Really? And you won’t let me call you Daddy.”
“There is no reason to use those words when you can put thought into your words to get your point across accurately,” Cal told him. “And no. Stop calling me that.” His friend wasn’t the one that James wanted to use that word with anyway.
James could picture the lecture that he would receive from Jacob for cursing. It would be fun to see how irritated he could get the professor. If James wasn’t kicked out of his apartment. The kiss. Damn, if James was going to be kicked out, he should have gotten way more than one passionate kiss. Life just wasn’t fair.
“Now tell me what you did,” Cal ordered.
James was relieved to see Beth heading in their direction with two large plates in her hands.
She set James’s pancake platter in front of him then Cal’s much healthier choice in front of James’s mentor.
He hoped the arrival of the food would distract his friend but Cal cleared his throat.
Picking up his fork, James flicked his gaze over.
“I have all day,” Cal warned.
And Cal would probably make James stay right there until he confessed. “Fine,” James said with a sigh. Maybe Cal could actually give him some advice on how to keep him and Scott from losing their home.
* * * * *
Jacob
He was antsy until the package arrived and he’d unboxed the gift that he’d bought for James. Now that he was thinking straight and not riding high from the kiss, worry, and seeing James so vulnerable, Jacob was doubting himself. Was the present too much? Would James see it as strange? It was too late now. The box had arrived earlier.
Jacob had been watching for the delivery all morning, fearful that somehow James would get the box. Not that James had ever taken one of Jacob’s packages or opened anything that didn’t belong to him before. Yeah, Jacob knew that he was having his own little meltdown.
It had seemed like such a great idea when Jacob made the purchase in the wee hours of the morning. Since the store was local, the delivery had been set for first thing.
When James had left earlier, Jacob had nearly chased him down. After such a rough night, Jacob had expected James to sleep in. Instead, James was up and out of the house before Jacob had even showered.
James was back now. Motorcycle parked in the usual spot.
Jacob had caught a glimpse of James when he’d gotten home over an hour ago. The boy had looked tired but better than Jacob had thought.
Looking at the gift on the kitchen counter then back out the window, Jacob pressed his lips together. Should he? James had said he wanted to be a superhero. But was it weird for Jacob to give James a present?
It was weird. Jacob already knew the answer.
Wasn’t he supposed to be courting the boy? Gifts were a part of that.
