Heat Stroke (Beach Kingdom, #2)(24)

Jamie poured a pint of Sam Adams and set it on the bar, gesturing at Marcus. “Have one while I finish up.”

Andrew gave them both a look of speculation, but continued to count cash from the registers and make notations on a clipboard. Marcus was too curious about why Jamie wanted to speak to him to taste even one sip, but he made an effort to finish it. Rory and Olive came out of the back office after a while, Olive looking dazed, Rory seeming like he wasn’t even remotely finished with her. Andrew shook his head and told them to go home.

“You, too, Jamie. I’ll lock up.”

Jamie glanced over from where he was combining two half-empty liquor bottles into one. “You sure?”

Andrew waved him off but watched Jamie and Marcus with interest as they walked out of the Castle Gate together a few minutes later.

“Jesus,” Jamie muttered, stepping out onto the boardwalk, the wind picking up his hair and throwing it around. “I’m going to get the third degree from Andrew in the morning.”

“Yeah?” Marcus gave a jerky roll of his shoulder. “What are you going to tell him?”

“Nothing you don’t want me to say. Promise,” Jamie said with a tight smile. “I’ll tell them I’m just helping you out with the juice shop.”

Marcus nodded his thanks, even though there was a pit of discomfort in his stomach over Jamie lying on his behalf. Having to hide something about himself because Marcus wanted to hide. “I sign the lease this week.”

Jamie brightened a little. “Great. Do you…want me to come along?”

Relief made Marcus groan up at the rainclouds that still lingered above. “Would you? I’ve been having nightmares about reading all those tiny words.”

“Sounds like I should be there,” Jamie said dryly.

The tightness Marcus had been experiencing all day in his chest relaxed. That wounded look Jamie had gotten on his face last night when Marcus pushed him away was no longer flashing in his head every two seconds. Jamie was still planning to help him with the shop and he already had a guarantee they were hanging out next week. Normally he would have been ecstatic. And he couldn’t deny the anticipation of being around Jamie—it was there like a hot ripple in his gut. But before last night happened, he’d resolved to stay away. Because Jamie deserved better. Better than someone like Marcus who…God, would he deny a relationship with Jamie, if push came to shove? Could he hurt him like that?

“So,” Marcus asked, his voice sounding hoarse to his own ears. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

Jamie stopped at the railing of the boardwalk, bracing himself on his forearms. He started to speak but broke off on a huffed laugh. “I like reading about people having serious conversations, but I hate them in real life.”

Marcus leaned sideways against the railing, facing Jamie. “Is it serious?”

“Yeah,” Jamie muttered, scratching his chin. “Listen, Marcus. Like I said, I take full responsibility for what happened last night. You’ve expressed to me that you’re not ready for anything close to what we did, or at the very least comfortable with it. So that was all on me.” He adjusted his glasses. “You were trying to put some distance between us and I should have let that happen. It probably would have been for the best. But, um…you’re my friend. Or something. And despite whatever else is there between us, I…” He gave a long exhale. “Like you as a friend, too. Or something.”

It was the weakest admission in history and Marcus might as well have been ferried off into the sunset on a gondola. “I like you as a friend, too, Jamie Prince.”

“Okay.” Not looking at him, Jamie nodded. “Good.”

“Is that it?”

If so, they were so bringing it in for a hug.

“I wish that was it,” said Jamie, passing Marcus a sideways glance. “I was reminded earlier how hard it was for me when I realized I was gay and I didn’t have an example to learn from. So I just wanted to offer my help. You can take the offer now or in twenty years, okay? Your terms, Diesel. That’s how it should be.” He paused, maintaining eye contact with Marcus. “What I’m offering to you…it’s a serious thing. And I want to make it clear that I’m on your side with no ulterior motive, so last night can’t happen again. Sex convolutes everything.”

Marcus narrowed his eyes slowly. “And convolutes means…”

“Complicates.”

“Right.” Brow furrowed, Marcus turned to face the ocean and attempted to absorb everything Jamie said. He was offering to guide him. To help Marcus make sense of his new needs and feelings. As a friend, only, though. Why did that make him feel hollow? It’s what Marcus needed to happen so he could live the way he’d always lived. No major changes. Nothing that would label him as different. “What happened that day on the beach, Jamie? With the incident?”

Jamie’s look was searching. “Why are you asking me that now?”

Marcus didn’t even know how to answer that. Call it intuition. Maybe he was just more attuned to Jamie than…anyone he could think of. Or maybe he’d suspected since the day of Monster Jam that something more serious had taken place the day Jamie was assaulted. Bottom line, he wanted to know. Needed to know. “Please?”

Jamie’s jaw flexed and he went back to staring out over the dark beach for several moments. All that could be heard was the sound of waves rolling up onto the sand, wind traveling down the boardwalk. Until Jamie spoke, his voice cutting through the humid night air. “His name was Chris. I met him at Bed Bath and Beyond when I was buying a new toilet wand, which should be the most embarrassing part of the story, but it’s not.”