Second Chance(49)

“Yes.” Nate got his phone out of his pocket and made the noise stop. “But I don’t need to leave for ten minutes and I reckon we can finish this game by then.”

“I don’t want to risk you being late,” Jack said innocently. “Maybe we should call this one a draw.”

Nate snorted. “Um… no. Nice try, though.” They were currently tied on three wins each, so this would be a decider, and Nate was way out in front with almost all his pieces already in his home board.

Jack laughed. “Worth a shot.”

Sure enough, Nate finished while Jack still had half his counters on the board. He gave a fist pump. “Victory is mine!”

“I’ll have to try to get you back another day. Time for you to go?”

“Yeah. Unfortunately.”

Jack looked at his watch and only then realised how late it was. Not far off midnight, his parents were due home any minute. Nate had started to put the counters away, but Jack stopped him. “Let me do that. You go and pack your bag of tricks upstairs.”

“Don’t you mean my bag of dicks?” Nate grinned.

Jack laughed despite his rising nerves about his parents’ imminent return. “Yeah. That.”

“Okay.” Nate left Jack to finish tidying up the game.

Nate returned quickly, much to Jack’s relief, with his coat and shoes on, and the bag slung over one shoulder.

“I’ll see you out,” Jack said.

Nate stopped by the front door. “Thanks for tonight. I had a great time.”

“Me too.” Jack was on alert, listening for the sound of a car engine. “Drive safely.” He reached for the handle and opened the front door.

“Don’t I get a kiss?” Nate raised his eyebrows.

“Of course you do.” Jack pulled Nate into a quick hug and pressed their lips together. Nate hugged him back hard, deepening the kiss, and weakening Jack’s resolve. Would it really be so bad if his parents worked out they were more than just friends?

But then he remembered some of the things his parents had said about Nate and about transgender people in general. He didn’t want to expose Nate to their shitty attitudes, not if he could help it. Gently disentangling himself, Jack said, “You’d better go get your daughter.”

“Yeah. I should. I can’t really tell her off for missing curfew if I don’t stick to the times myself. Okay, thanks again, and see you soon?”

“Yes. Text me, or I’ll text you.”

“Night, Jack.” Nate gave Jack one final quick kiss, and then hurried towards his car.

Jack waited on the doorstep until Nate had driven away, mixed feelings tumbling around like clothes in a dryer. Happiness, wistfulness, and trepidation, all wrapped up in a layer of confusion.

Reaching up to put the backgammon set away on the shelves in the living room, Jack heard the front door opening. Bloody hell. His parents must have almost passed Nate on the driveway. It was a good thing Nate had left when he had.

His father came into the living room, “Oh hello, Jack. You’re still up.”

Jack tried not to roll his eyes at the statement of the obvious, “Yes. I’m on my way to bed in a minute though.” He was about to ask whether they’d had a good evening, but his dad had already picked up his newspaper, so he went to the kitchen instead where he found his mum stirring a cup of tea—peppermint by the smell in the kitchen.

“Hello, Mum, did you have a nice time?” They’d been out to some fundraiser or other, Jack couldn’t remember the details.

“Yes. The band wasn’t bad, and the food was wonderful. But as a result, I ate far too much, so I’m hoping this will help settle my stomach before I sleep. How was your evening? Did you get up to much?”

“Not really. Just watched a bit of TV.” Jack felt heat creep up his neck at the prevarication.

She sat down at the kitchen table, and that was when Jack noticed he’d forgotten to put his and Nate’s mugs in the dishwasher. They still stood on the kitchen table, one red with white stripes, and the other red with white spots. A rather obvious not-quite-matching pair. “You had a friend round I see. Anyone I know?”

Irritation flared, making Jack feel like a bolshy teenager again. “It’s not really your business, is it?” His tone was harsher than he’d intended.

His mum blinked in surprise, but rallied. She fixed him with a steely gaze. “When you’re living under my roof I don’t think it’s overstepping to ask about who you’re inviting to our house when we’re out.”

She had a point. “Yeah, okay. Sorry. I’m not used to having to answer to anyone.” Jack still didn’t want to tell her who he’d been seeing. He had a bad feeling about his parents knowing too much about his involvement with Nate. “It’s nobody you know anyway. Just some bloke I met online.” Jack picked up the two mugs and turned away so he could hide his smirk. That ought to shut her up. She might be of an older generation but she wasn’t stupid.

A sharp intake of breath. “Oh.” Then a pause. “Is that safe?”

“I’m a big boy, Mum. It’s not the first time I’ve met up with a stranger, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

He braced himself for her to come back with objections, but she remained silent.