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“You didn’t flirt with her at all. What’s wrong?”

Jack took a swig of his whiskey sour and sucked the liquid off his lips with a wince. But he still didn’t say anything.

“Come on, Jack, talk to me. Are you feeling alright?”

He waved me off, but he wouldn’t look into my eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine, man. I’m . . . well, you’re not wrong. Something is going on.”

My eyes widened, but I didn’t interrupt. I’d known him long enough to know he’d keep going if I kept quiet. I just had to let him get it out.

He leaned in, finally meeting my gaze. “So you know it’s been awhile since Jill left.”

I nodded. He’d been with Jill for almost eight months, a record for him, but she’d left over two years ago.

“I . . . okay, so this stays between us, right? I mean, a few people know, but not many.”

My brows flew to my hairline. “Who the fuck would I tell? Of course, man. Always.”

He offered a humorless smile. “Thanks.” Then he took a deep breath. “It was so lonely—you know I’m man enough to admit that.”

I just nodded.

“And I . . . well . . . I just missed the connection, you know? I guess I was ready to move on to something more permanent after sleeping my way through half the consenting single female population of Seattle. So . . . well, I’m . . . I’m seeing someone.”

I gasped—I couldn’t help it. “Like, a serious someone?”

My best friend actually blushed. That had to have been a first. “Yeah. I mean, I . . .” He took another big gulp from his drink, almost like he was bolstering himself to admit what came next. After he said it, I knew that was exactly what he’d been doing. “So I’m still into women, too, but the someone I’ve been seeing is a . . . well, he’s a guy.”

My jaw was nearly on the floor already, so I snapped it closed.

“Blink, man,” Jack quipped.

I did as he suggested.

After a moment of silence, perhaps for my dignity, Jack spoke again. “So . . . you’re just not gonna say anything?”

I blinked of my own volition this time, mostly to try to shake myself from my stupor. “Uh, yeah, um . . . well, wow,” I breathed. “I mean, you’ve always been straight. Like, super straight.”

He chuckled nervously. “Yeah. Shocked me, too.”

I shook my head a little to clear it and finally regained my senses. “How did this happen? I need this story.”

Jack’s eyes actually lit up, and I knew this was going to be good. “Okay, so this is a major stereotype, but I actually met him at the gym.”

I gulped down some more of my old-fashioned, grateful that the burn had lessened, then our conversation halted as Jai Lin set our plates in front of us. I was ravenous, so I dug in as soon as she walked away.

Thankfully, Jack continued his story, because I needed to know. “I went to a new gym this time. You know, one of those places where you exercise in a group?”

I nodded as I scooped some mashed potatoes onto my fork.

“He was doing his own workout across the gym. But I could see him watching me in the mirror.”

I wiggled my eyebrows, and Jack’s playful glare told me if we hadn’t been at a steakhouse, he might’ve thrown something at me.

“So of course, I had to impress him. I didn’t realize I was attracted to him at the time—it was just a bro competition in my head.”

I snickered after swallowing a sip of water. “Of course.”

“But he started showing off for me, too. I pushed myself to lift more weights, made sure my form was impeccable. He was doing the same; I could tell.”