Zach snorted. “I do have a change of clothes, but I figure if you’re about to feed me pasta I should save them forafterI’m covered in sauce.”
“Yeah, you’re probably wise,” Flynn agreed. “Are you enjoying your classes?”
“I am,” Zach said brightly, a smile lighting up his whole face. “It’s kind of… everything I dreamed of and more. The lecturers are smart and engaging and they really seem to care about their jobs, which isnotwhat I remember from the first time I went to college. My classmates care a lot more, too, because they’re not just doing this because they think they have to for a job. Although…”
“Although?” Flynn asked, glancing up at Zach as he tossed some bacon pieces into a pan.
Zach laughed nervously. “I did have to let one of them down gently by telling them I was married and only not wearing my ring because I didn’t want to damage it while I worked.”
Flynn wet his lips. “You know it’s completely okay if you date, right?”
He was pretty sure he’d said that. He remembered trying to set Zach up with his favorite barista.
“I know,” Zach said. “But it was a much easier let-down than trying to explain to him that he wasn’t remotely my type, and it saved me having to drag out the sob story that my last boyfriend just left me practically at the altar.”
Flynn’s heart twinged. It wasn’t that he’dforgotten, exactly, it was just that he knew in his bones that Zach was better off this way.
Aiden was his brother, and Flynn would always love him, but he wasn’t… husband material.
At least, Flynn wouldn’t have wanted to be married to him, that was for sure. Aside from the fact that they were brothers. Even if Aiden was the prettiest, least related to him girl in the world. He would still have been a nightmare.
Zach, though… Zach had seensomethingin him, enough to want to take the risk, and that obviously still stung, and it hadn’t happened all that long ago. He was bound to still be feeling it.
A wave of tenderness toward him washed over Flynn, his promise to himself that he’d take care of Zach as best he could coming back to him at full force.
“Right, of course,” Flynn said. “Well, feel free to use me as your scapegoat whenever you need. Hell, I might even do the same. There might be a few perks to being married.” He grinned.
“Well, I’m seeing a lot of them. Easy way to let down people I’m not interested in, a couch to sleep on right near my school,andyou’re making dinner. As husbands go… you’re not so bad.”
“I’m getting a lot of use out of that cup you made me,” Flynn responded, since they were apparently handing out compliments now. “So I’ve definitely seen a few perks already. My barista is impressed with me for being environmentally friendly. He gave me a free cookie today.”
“Because he has a crush on you,” Zach said. “Don’t pretend to me you can’t tell.”
Flynn shifted his weight and focused intently on shredding the basil leaves he’d carefully rolled up for the purpose. He’d seen a chef on TV do this once, and he really hoped it’d look as impressive when he did it.
Not that heneededto impress Zach, obviously, but he did like the guy. Flynn wanted Zach to think he was as cool as he thought Zach was.
Zach made things with his hands. Beautiful things. There was no point in pretending that wasn’t impressive.
“I wasn’t sure,” Flynn admitted. “Maybe he was just being nice to me because I was a regular? But it definitely feels like he flirts with me.”
Zach chuckled. “Trust your very gay husband on this one. He’s into you.”
Flynn’s face heated up as he blushed, his ears burning. He’dknown. Sort of. Mostly.
Hell, this wasn’t even the first time he’d discussed it with Zach, though he’d talked aboutflirting, not actually having a crush on him, which was completely different.
But hearing it out loud was a little…
Not embarrassing, exactly. He didn’t mind. It was just…
Honestly, a surprise thatanyonewas interested. He hadn’t felt like the kind of guy who was interesting in a while.
“Maybe I should start wearing that ring,” Flynn mumbled as he scraped basil into his gently-bubbling tomato sauce. “Let him down gently.”
“I guess I’m gonna have to do that, too,” Zach said. “At least for the semester. Oh, and speaking of, can we hold off on signing divorce papers until I get my first semester grades? Grandma wants to make sure they’re good before giving me the rest of the money.”
Flynn smiled at that. Violet loved her grandson, and just wanted what was best for him. She was being a little forceful about it, and Flynn didn’t really think it wasnecessaryin Zach’s case, but he got it and he could respect it.
