“I know what he did was wrong. Dion admitted he was a dick. He put the boyfriend—Ian—first. But you know how it is, when you’re in love? You do stupid things because you don’t want to believe anything negative about the guy you love, and who supposedly loves you back.”
Simon nodded, somewhat reluctantly. “I guess, but that doesn’t change what he did. He still turned his back on you when you needed his support, his friendship. No one should be made to feel uncomfortable in their own home.”
“You’re right. But he made a mistake. Nobody is perfect, and he’s trying to make amends. He says he’s sorry and regrets what happened. It took him a while to sort things out, and then it’s taken him all these months to work up the courage to reach out. He’s extending the olive branch, wants to rekindle our friendship.”
“And that’s what you want? To be friends again.”God, Patrick’s a bigger man than I am. I would have had that guy out the door and on his ass before he so much as blinked. Better still, I wouldn’t have let him over the threshold in the first place.
“I think I do. Dion is a good guy, or at least he was before all the shit went down.” Patrick stepped closer and put his hand on Simon’s arm. “Listen, I understand why you don’t like him very much, but he’s worked really hard to build a good life for himself. He didn’t have the easiest upbringing, from what I know. His dad was an alcoholic and from what I remember, he left Dion and his brother alone a lot. I think they ended up living with their grandfather. Dion’s done a lot to change his life around. He spends a lot of time working at the hospital. And he was a good friend to me when I first moved into the apartment, did stuff….”
“Like what?” Simon prompted when Patrick trailed off and stepped back again.
Patrick shook his head. “Nothing too important. He used to cook dinner for me, and worry about where I was. I once thought Dion had a crush on me.” Patrick rolled his eyes. “How wrong was I? I think he was just trying to take care of me, like he used to do for his little brother. Dion’s just one of those people who likes to help out, which is why he went into nursing.”
“Are you sure, 100 percent certain, he didn’t have a thing for you?”
Patrick gave a small chuckle. “When he first brought Ian home, Ian being over six foot four and built like a brick shithouse, I realized there was no way Dion was interested in someone like me.” Simon raised a brow, and Patrick ran his hand up and down in front of his body. “Not exactly built here.”
“You look perfect to me.” And he did. All lean and hard and glowing.
Patrick’s grin was infectious, and when he winked, Simon couldn’t help but smile back. Maybe he was overreacting just a bit. After all, Patrick didn’t seem overly worried and he was the one who knew Dion best. Simon didn’t really know him at all.
“Listen, I’m sorry for going all caveman on you, but I truly do worry, especially with everything else going on in your life at the moment. But if you say Dion can be trusted and he’s a decent guy, and you’re willing to give him a chance, then I won’t say anything more.”
“Thanks, Si.” His heart lightened when Patrick’s lips touched his, and skipped a beat at the use of the nickname. The shortening of his name was a first.
They made their way back downstairs, just in time for dinner. Mike and Dion had dished up huge bowls of pasta drenched in a chili tomato sauce. The garlic bread was hot and crunchy, and made a perfect accompaniment to the already carb-laden meal. The conversation lulled as they appreciated Mike’s culinary skills, only starting up again once the plates were empty, and the spicy sauce sopped up with the last of the bread. Mike gave his excuses, heading to his room to hit the books for the evening course he was taking, leaving the others to clean up as per their house rule—the person who cooked didn’t have to wash up.
“So, tell me what’s been happening with you, Dion,” Patrick asked as he pushed his plate away.
Dion shrugged. “Not a lot. Mainly working.”
“Patrick tells me you do shift work. At the hospital, right?” Simon asked.
“Yeah. I’m a nurse.” Dion switched his attention from Patrick to Simon, a lot more animated as he told Simon about his work. “I mainly work afternoons and evenings, but I take overtime whenever it’s offered. I also do some delivery work for my gramps’s hardware store when he needs me. Trying to save the bucks, you know?”
“Sure. I think we’re all trying to save for something,” Simon said, thinking of his dreams of owning his own place one day, maybe a house he could do up—him and Patrick.
“Speak for yourself,” Patrick huffed, but his tone was teasing. “I just want to keep a roof over my head. There’s no extra money left for saving. Not like you, Mr. Financial Wizard.” Patrick jostled Simon’s shoulder as he winked.
“What do you do, Simon?” Dion asked.
“I’m a paramedic.”
Dion leaned an elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand as he studied Simon. “Wow, that sounds amazing. I see the guys coming into the hospital and they always look so focused. It must be such a stressful but interesting job. I bet you’ve saved lots of lives.”
Simon shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, yeah, a few.”
Patrick chuckled, and wrapped an arm around his neck. “He doesn’t like to play hero, this one. He’s a quiet achiever.”
“Do you still work at the school?” Dion asked, drawing Patrick’s attention away from Simon. Simon missed his touch when Patrick let him go to sit back in his chair and answer Dion’s question.
“Uh-huh,” Patrick confirmed. “The pay isn’t huge, but I love the job. Plus I’m fortunate I’m doing something I really like, and lucky to have a job at all. It was a bit rocky there for a while, because I started as a temp, filling in for someone on leave. There was a chance she’d come back to work and I’d lose the position.”
“But that’s changed now?”
Patrick nodded. “It looks like they’ll be keeping me on for a while yet. They’ve extended me indefinitely.”
“Oh, that’s good then.”
