Brian chuckled. “This doesn’t sound hypothetical,” he said.
“It’s not.” Jace looked down at the floor. “It’s really not, and I’m man enough to tell you that I’ve never been so confused in my life.”
“Well, you can identify whatever way you want, and I’m not an authority here, but I’d say you definitely qualify as bisexual even if you’re just now figuring out that boys are hot, too. I’m pretty sure I’ve already congratulated you on coming out, but I’m guessing this is the real thing this time, so congrats again.”
“Thanks,” Jace said. It was a relief, but it seemed too easy considering how worried he’d been about asking. He’d expected Brian to question him, drill him about how many times he’d found another guy attractive—which, on reflection, Jace had realized was more than once. He’d ignored it before, because it had always been a passing thought, and irrelevant to him. Noah was different. It was way more intense, way more urgent than it had ever been. Plus, they were married.
“So one guy is enough?” he asked. “I mean, is it enough to just be attracted to him? I’ve never… I kissed him once.”
Brian laughed again. “For the record, this is very cute. But Jace, let me point something out to you. Youmarriedthe guy. Straight up, no questions about whether that was weird. You offered to marry him because you didn’t want him to leave. You gave him some bullshit about the team, and Noah’s good and everything, but we would’ve been fine without him. If you ask me, you already kinda knew. You just hadn’t figured outwhatyou knew.”
“So you heard us talking, too?”
“Yep.”
“And you didn’t say anything?” Jace asked.
“Nope. Because I’ve seen the way you look at Noah. And I don’t think he’s noticed, don’t worry. You can still be cool about making your approach. But make it soon, because his ex is hot.”
Jace looked out at the track, where Joe and Noah were grinning at each other again. It was good that they were getting along, and great that they were pushing the team toward a landslide victory.
Despite Joe’s many virtues, Jace hated him. That should have been enough of a clue. He was jealous, and he hated it, because Noah was allowed to have friends. Just not this one particular friend, who he used to date and played really well with.
“I realize it’s a lot to take in,” Brian said.
“Yeah, no, I just… that would explain why I haven’t been on a date in two years.” Itwasa lot to take in, but it made a weird kind of sense.
Brian laughed. “It would, yeah.”
“I’m twenty-nine years old,” Jace said. “I should have had my shit figured out by now.”
“Why? There’s no time limit on sexuality.” Brian shrugged. “I mean, do a lot of people figure it out as teenagers? Sure. But plenty of people take longer. Especially bi people, ‘cause it’s really easy to assume that everyone occasionally thinks about how nice it would be to kiss a boy as long as you also want to kiss girls. Or in your case, almost exclusively want to kiss girls. This is not weird at all, though I get how it would feel that way.”
“You oughta take up psychiatry,” Jace said. “We could start calling you Dr. Lecter instead.”
“I don’t think I have either the charm or the sophistication for that,” Brian said. “Also, my patients are great. I don’t need to murder them.”
Jace laughed. “Yeah, I don’t really get bad patients. I mean, I do, but it’s ‘cause they’re scared. It’s hard to get mad at kids.”
“I couldn’t do pediatrics. I think what you do is amazing.” Brian leaned back, looking up at the game. “Noah does, too. He thinksyou’reamazing. He’s into you.”
“How the hell do you know all this?” Jace asked. He wanted to believe that every word Brian was saying was true, but he couldn’t bring himself to.
It was all too straightforward. Too easy. Jace wasn’t used to landing on his feet like this, and he couldn’t trust that the ground wasn’t about to collapse under him.
“I pay attention.” Brian shrugged. “You don’t have to believe anything I’m saying, but why do you think everyone who knows you just went along with you two being suddenly married? You’re so obvious it hurts. I was about to start taking bets on when you’d finally get your act together.”
Jace looked over at Noah, watching him duck and weave his way past the opposing blockers.
He loved Noah. Of course he did. That was why the thought of him leaving had been unbearable, that was why he’d been so relieved when Noah had agreed to marry him after all. He couldn’t face the idea of a life without him.
Jace’s stomach turned as he watched Noah share another knowing grin with Joe. Trust him to realize his feelings just as Noah’s hot, successful ex came back on the scene.
The deep-down cave man part of him wanted to go and drag Noah away from anyone else who might have their eye on him, but he knew he couldn’t do that. Noah had to choose him of his own free will. It wouldn’t mean anything if it was forced, or if Jace dangled their sham marriage over his head. That would make him as bad as Rafe.
Telling Noah how he felt seemed impossible, but he was going to have to.
“So how do I tell him?” Jace asked.
