Borrowing Trouble(16)

“Hey, babe,” Brittany said, bussing a kiss on his cheek. “Long time no see.”

“Yeah,” Landon said. He hadn’t gone down to visit them in Jackson in weeks. Not since he and Jay had started hanging out more regularly over the last month. “Sorry. It’s been a little busy. I’m glad y’all could come down.”

Mitch patted Landon’s shoulder, then bussed a kiss on his cheek as well, which Landon noticed made Jay squirm. Fuck, The Gay Elephant was really gonna suck for the rest of the evening. Landon’s flinch at the kiss on his cheek made Mitch look at him drily and mouth Problems?

Landon gave the slightest nudge of his head to signal Mitch to drop it. He felt bad. These were his best friends. He’d known them since they all attended college together. He didn’t want to ask Mitch to dial it down, even if his initial instinct was to do just that. He gnashed his teeth. Oh, well. If Jay was going to make it awkward, what could Landon do? Mitch was gay. Landon was gay. Landon’s parents dealt, so Jay would have to as well. They were in Landon’s house. Jay could get over it or get out. Hopefully, without a scene.

A small part of Landon was sad because he’d thought he and Jay could be cool. He knew it was his fault for almost kissing the man, but thinking on it, no way was it just Landon who’d felt… whatever that moment had been.

“Sun’s almost down. I’m gonna get the fire started,” Landon announced. Brittany and Mitch followed him out, talking about mutual friends and good-naturedly teasing about the long drive to the boondocks.

Bless them, neither one attempted to ask about the tension between him and Jay.

Everyone ended up outside, shortly, sitting at the patio dining table Landon set up for the get together. The laughter eased some of the dread in Landon’s stomach, but he still felt a slight edge of discomfiture around everyone. He and his daddy worked on frying things while everyone else drank and chatted. Landon noticed a couple of times, though, that Jay was hanging close to Brittany. He didn’t read too much into it.

Or tried not to.

“Landon, you okay?” his mama asked.

He gave her a startled look. “Ma’am?”

“You seem out of sorts.”

“No, I’m fine.” He would not cast a glance Jay’s way. Could not. She eyed him skeptically. “Really, Mama, I’m good.” He gave her his best smile and she didn’t look like she was buying that any more than his first answer. He needed to get his mind off Jay Hill. Anything but.

“So, Daddy, how’s it coming renewing the contract with Jensonite?”

“Oh, Lord, anything but work,” his mama groaned. That didn’t deter his father though, who started complaining about the new regulations the paper mill wanted to place on their drivers to renew business with them into the new year. The conversation served as a good distraction.

Mitch eventually joined in. Mitch and Ricky Petty had an awkward but amusing kind of relationship, in which Ricky was uncomfortable around Mitch, and Mitch knew it and gave the old man hell about environmental regulations. Landon didn’t know which made his daddy more uncomfortable; the fact that pretty-boy Mitch was just on the other side of flamboyantly gay, or that Mitch was a democrat.

Landon left them to it, making his way to check on the bonfire, which was going good now, before going inside to dig out the long skewers and marshmallows.

As he dug through the pantry, he heard the distant flush of his guest bathroom, before turning to find Jay walking back through the kitchen. Jay’s anxiety was obvious, and Landon sighed.

Jay nodded toward the bag in Landon’s hands. “Roasting marshmallows?” Landon wondered if he should accept the avoiding of the topic they probably should steer clear of with mixed company just outside the sliding glass door behind them.

But no one ever said Landon was always smart.

“Look, Jay. I’m real sorry about—”

“Leave it,” Jay said with a glare. His posture did not promise good things in the event Landon pushed him.

Landon closed his burning eyes, feeling a keen pain in his chest. “Can we just be civil? You can punch me later, okay.”

“Landon,” Jay said on a frustrated sigh. When Landon opened his eyes, Jay had deflated, cheeks pinked a little, embarrassed. “I’m not going to punch you. Let’s just drop it for now.”

Landon swallowed and nodded. That was all he could manage. The door behind them slid open and loud laughter from the patio could be heard. Landon turned with a grin and held up the marshmallows. “Dessert!” he said to his mama.

She smiled fondly. “Such a child.” She spoke to Jay next. “We can never have a fire without this one wanting to roast marshmallows. It’s been his favorite forever.”

“At least I didn’t make up roasted hot dogs this time, too.”

“Thank Heavens for small favors,” she said. “I’m just glad you’ve got skewers.” Again to Jay she turned to speak. “He’s made us mess up more than a share of wire hangers over the years just for a hot dog and a marshmallow.”

“Worth it,” Landon chirped, turning to Jay. Jay looked between Landon and his mother with something akin to amusement. The slight thaw was enough to make Landon’s muscles relax.

“You boys go on out. I’ll bring the plates,” she told them. Landon and Jay gratefully fled the kitchen and gravitated back to where they’d been before, Landon frying with his dad, Jay sitting at the table with Landon’s friends.