Chapter 19
The sexy, sweet twink next door.
Of course he didn’t say that to Ross. It was tempting though. But really he didn’t want to make Ross jealous, because Ross was just a friend to him and Drake wasn’t even sure he was a good friend, really. They hadn’t had that much in common when they’d first met and now about the only thing they had in common was that they were both gay and worked with criminals. Drake caught them and Ross prosecuted them.
It was like having a friend in kindergarten who you met years later and finding out you’d both changed and it would never be the same again. Same thing with him and Ross. Only Drake had tried to hold on to something that had never been terrific in the first place. He tried to remember a really great time with Ross when they were boyfriends and he couldn’t come up with anything.
“A case we’re working on,” Drake said. “It’s really kicking my ass.” He yawned dramatically. “In fact, I need to fire up my laptop and do some more work before I can crash. I really need to get to it.”
“What about me?”
Drake gritted his teeth. “What about you? Jesus, Ross. How many times do I have to say it? We’re not going to do the Ross uses Drake to get even with his boyfriend for not putting up with his outrageous antics anymore.You need to stay away from me and work out your own problems or find another idiot to use. It won’t be me.”
“God, you don’t have to be such an ass.”
“I do. Nothing else seems to work with you. You and I are officially over. You want to continue to be friends, fine, but only if you bring Stan or whoever you are seeing with you.”
“Haven’t I been a good friend to you? Do you think you would have made detective as fast as you did if I hadn’t put in a good word for you?” Ross asked.
“Even if that is true, I would have made detective on my own.”
“Not as fast.”
“Maybe. But that’s not the point. This isn’t about what favors you can do for me as my friend or my sometimes lover, whatever you want to call it. It’s about how things need to change between us if we’re going to remain friends. I’m not trying to hurt you, Ross. It’s just more than past time we set some boundaries.”
Ross huffed. “Fine. You want to make it an issue, okay. I have to go—my other line is ringing. Bye.”
Ross had hung up before he could respond further, but that was fine with Drake. He’d been close to claiming another call just to get rid of Ross, too. He tossed the phone down on the sofa and rose to go into his kitchen, suddenly starving.
Even as he grilled himself some fish and vegetables, he kept listening for the sound of Jay entering his apartment. It was kind of déjà vu. But once again Jay had disappeared on him and once again he was left wondering how to contact him. Drake did have his cell number, but he hadn’t bothered calling it this time. The younger man had ignored his calls last time so Drake decided not to go there. Anyway, if he wanted to talk to Jay it needed to be face to face.
And did he? Was he going to change his mind about what he’d said about their age difference? Relationships were hard enough without adding extra obstacles.
But at the very least he needed to apologize for being a prick.
He’d just finished rinsing his dinner plate when he heard someone in the hallway. Then he heard a thud. Frowning, Drake went to the door and peered out.
Jay stood at his front door, shuffling several large empty cardboard boxes, trying to get his key in the door.
“Here, let me help you,” Drake said, taking three of the large boxes from Jay.
Jay jumped a little, but then smiled tentatively. “Thanks.” He turned the key in the lock and stepped inside with the two boxes he still held. Drake followed in with the others.
Drake figured Jay must have come from work as he was dressed in nice slacks and a white buttoned-down shirt. Around his neck he wore a plaid knitted scarf.
Gesturing to the boxes, Drake closed the door behind them. “What’s with those?”
“Oh.” Jay removed his scarf and laid it over the back of the couch. “Um, actually, I’m thinking of moving.”
The air whooshed out of Drake’s lungs. “What?”
The blond man shrugged. “Yeah, maybe. Want some tea or coffee or something?”
“Coffee would be nice,” Drake said, automatically, still reeling from what Jay had said.