“Oh yeah.” Charlie licked his lips, glancing over at the door as it opened. “They’re a little sweet for hot days, but I could imagine sitting in your bakery and eating one of these while it rains outside. And making embarrassing noises while I did it.”
Marcus broke into a grin at that. “That’s the goal. I actually bake these to lure cute guys into the bakery.”
“Iamextremely cute,” Charlie said. “And they’d totally lure me in. I think you’re onto a winner, here.”
The automatic doors slid open again, and Charlie glanced around Marcus to see who was coming in. The disappointment when it wasn’t Scott made Charlie cringe. Was he really that desperate?
It didn’t feel like desperation. He just wanted to spend more time with Scott.
“Are you waiting for someone? ‘cause you’ve looked at the door something like a hundred times since I got here.”
Charlie sighed. He’d been trying to pretend to himself that he wasn’t pining, but that didn’t change the fact that hewas.
“There’s this guy,” he started, pausing when he saw the way Marcus’s face changed.
The look Marcus was giving him was so sympathetic that it made Charlie wince. He obviously wasn’t hiding his hopeless crush all that well.
“You haven’t told him you’re interested,” Marcus said.
“Not yet, no. I mean, there was a little light flirting, but nothing serious. I can’t decide whether I think he’s straight or whether I’m telling myself that so I’ll give up and not get hurt. I dunno. Crushes suck.”
Marcus snorted. “Preaching to the choir, man. Sometimes good things come of them, though.”
“My crush on you did,” Charlie said. “Being your dedicated guinea pig is pretty great. And I like hanging out with you, too.”
Once he’d gotten over his inital crush on him, Marcus had become one of Charlie’s best friends. Maybe Scott would be like that, too. Charlie was always happy to make new friends.
He just also wanted a boyfriend.
“So tell me about this guy,” Marcus said, pulling a chair out from under the desk and settling down on it.
Charlie couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the thought of Scott. “He fosters shelter dogs and he’s studying to be a vet and he has these gorgeous blue eyes that look like they can see right into your soul and he’s built like Captain America. He’s basically perfect.”
As aware as he was that he sounded pathetic, Charlie couldn't help singing Scott’s praises. There was no point in pretending that he didn't have a serious crush on him. He’d just have to suffer through it.
“Aren’t college students getting a little young for you?” Marcus raised an eyebrow.
“He’s not a college student. I mean, he is, but he’s older. It sounded like he took a break after high school. He’s definitely my age. Maybe even a little older than me.”
“Gotcha. Not actually cradle-robbing.” Marcus nodded. “So does Mr. Perfect have a name?”
“Scott,” Charlie said. “Which I didn’t think of as a sexy name until very recently.”
Marcus chuckled. “I think it’s a sexy name, but your type isn’t my type. When are you asking him out?”
Charlie groaned at the thought. He was having enough trouble trying to build a friendship with Scott, asking him out seemed like the relationship equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest in the dead of winter right now.
“Maybe never. We’ve got a kind of… tentative friendship thing going on, but I only ever talk to him when he’s in the library. I don’t know. It seems like a helluva risk to put myself out there.”
“A handful of weeks ago you were complaining to me that you were never gonna find love,” Marcus pointed out. “Which you won’t, if you never even try. I mean, I know you know that. I know you’re tired of relationships not working out. And I know you got hurt last time, but you can’t let that stop you.”
Charlie groaned again. He hated it when people were right.
“I know,” he said. “Iknow, okay? I’m just terrified of rejection.”
“Hey, his loss if he rejects you. I can write you a reference if you want.”
Despite the tight little bubble of anxiety building in his stomach at the thought of Scott rejecting him, Charlie laughed. “I wish prospective boyfriends accepted written résumés and references on request. I could totally sell myself on paper.”
