“I guess we’ll have dinner out at some point. If not, I’ll abandon him and come home for leftovers.”
Mrs. Jules chuckled. “If he’s smart, he’ll feed you so you don’t,” she said. “I’m so happy for you. It’s been so long since you dated. I was afraid you were never going to again.”
“Gee, thanks, mom.” Charlie smiled wryly. He knew his mother didn’t mean any harm by it, but the reminder that he was hopeless when it came to his love life wasn’t one he needed right now.
He had high hopes with Scott. He needed to break his normal dating pattern if he wanted to keep him.
Of course, it was less a pattern and more a kind of person he tended to pick. Scott seemed different. Sweeter. Kinder. Charlie felt as though he could trust Scott with his heart.
“You know what I mean. I just want you to be happy, honey. You were talking about leaving here to find someone, and I don’t want you to have to move away from your home for the sake of a hypothetical boy.”
“I know, mom,” Charlie said, taking the container from her. He’d talked to her about applying for jobs out of town, like he did about most things in his life. Nothing had come of it yet. “What is this?”
“It’s half a Spanish omelet. Eat it while it’s still warm,” she said. “And invite Scott over for dinner sometime. I’ll invite Owen and Jude and Kayla for the same night, so it won’t be awkward. Just a big family dinner.”
Charlie liked the sound of that. He loved that Scott was someone he felt he could bring home for a family dinner and not have to apologize for him or explain him or anything else like that. Scott was a wonderful man. Charlie was lucky to have caught his attention at all.
“I will,” Charlie promised. “Thanks, mom. For the omelet and for approving of my choice of boyfriend.”
“He doesn’t have the official stamp yet,” Mrs. Jules joked. “You have to bring him over first. Then we’ll see.”
“Okay.” Charlie cracked open the container his mom had handed him and found both a generous serve of omelet and a fork inside. “I love you, mom.”
“I love you too, honey. I’ll let you work in peace. Good luck on your date in case I don’t get a chance to talk to you before you go out.”
Charlie waved as his mom walked away, already halfway through his first bite of lunch. He hummed happily as he chewed on it, savoring his mother’s cooking like he always did. Maybe he could convince Scott to stay with him on the basis that his mom would cook for them alone.
He needed to get through their date first.
For once, though, he wasn’t nervous at all. He already knew Scott. He knew they’d have a great time together.
All he had to do was show up, and he could hardly wait.
Chapter Twenty
Scott stood on Charlie’s porch, holding a bunch of flowers in his hand and wondering if he was about to look like an idiot.
Maybe guys didn’t give each other flowers. He had no one to ask, no one that would take the question seriously, anyway. He’d thought of Dylan, but he didn’t want to tell him that he was suddenly dating—or hoping to date—another man. Not after he’djustawkwardly told him he was straight.
It felt like the kind of thing he wanted to keep to himself, just for now. Just until he was sure of Charlie.
Just until he knew he wasn’t going to screw this up so badly that Charlie never spoke to him again.
The flowers probably wouldn’t do that. Charlie might think it was dumb, but he probably wouldn’t dump Scott over it.
Hopefully.
Taking a deep breath, Scott convinced himself to ring the doorbell, his heart pounding so hard that he didn’t even hear the sound past the rushing in his ears.
Hedidhear the sound of footsteps on the stairs a moment later, though. Heavy, enthusiastic-sounding footsteps.
The door swung open in front of him, revealing Charlie in older, more faded jeans than he usually wore at work and a baggier sweater with a hole in the sleeve that he had his thumb shoved through.
Sometimes, Charlie seemed older than he was. More mature. Right now, in his old jeans, loose sweater and oversized glasses, he looked twenty-four.
He looked alotless intimidating than usual. Not that Scott was afraid of him, but he always seemed so put-together that he felt a little untouchable sometimes. Scott had felt weird about messing up his hair even when Charlie was sucking his cock.
This was a softer, warmer Charlie, and Scott liked it a lot.
