Second Chance(65)

“Nate, I’m sorry….” Jack hesitated, unsure what words could make this better.

“What the bloody hell was that about?” Cass demanded.

“Cass,” Sue said, putting a hand on her arm.

“Seriously though. You jumped away like he’d bitten you! Why?”

“Stay out of it, Cass,” Nate said quietly. He was staring at Jack as though he was a stranger. “Jack’s parents don’t know about us, and that’s Jack’s business, not yours.”

“It’s your business though. Why are you letting him treat you like a dirty secret?”

“Cass. That’s enough!” Nate snapped. “Just drop it.” He pushed his chair back. “I’m sorry, Mum. I don’t want any dessert. I need some air. I’ll see you back at home later.” He had to squeeze behind Jack to get out. Struck dumb by mortification, Jack watched Nate’s retreating form.

“He left his coat behind,” Adam said.

“I’ll take it.” Galvanised into movement, Jack stood and grabbed Nate’s jacket from the back of the chair. “Sorry,” he said to Sue. “Sorry I ruined lunch. Thank you for inviting me.” He felt like an utter bastard after they’d welcomed him and treated him like one of the family. “I’m going to try to fix this.”

“Good luck with that.” Cass’s voice was all sharp edges. Jack thought he heard her mutter, “Spineless wanker,” as he turned and hurried after Nate.

Out in the street, Jack wheeled around, scanning to see which way Nate had gone. He caught sight of him turning down the track that led to the river and started to run after him. Nate was walking fast, and Jack was breathless by the time he was within earshot.

“Nate, wait for me,” he called.

Ignoring him, Nate kept walking. The path was bleak and exposed, flat grassland and reeds offering no shelter from the cold wind. In the distance the water rippled, muddy grey under the paler grey of the sky.

Putting on a last burst of speed, Jack caught up and fell into step beside him. “Nate. I’m sorry.” The wind whipped at Nate’s hair, the icy gust reminding Jack he had Nate’s coat in his hands. “Your coat.” He offered it to Nate who took it and shrugged into it. He still wouldn’t meet Jack’s gaze. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say to make it better other than that I’m sorry.”

“It’s too late to be sorry. You humiliated me in public in front of my family. You acted like you were ashamed to be with me. You can’t take that back.”

“I’m not ashamed of you,” Jack’s voice rose in distress at the suggestion. “I just wanted a chance to tell my parents in my own time. I didn’t want them to find out like that.”

“But you don’t have to tell them,” Nate’s voice was as cold as the wind that stung Jack’s face. “Like you said, it’s none of their business. Why do they need to know who you’re fucking? And that’s all this is, isn’t it, Jack? Friends who fuck. So there’s nothing to tell.”

Jack winced at the hurt and anger in his tone. “It’s not like that. I was going to—”

“It’s exactly like that.” Nate stopped and wheeled around to face Jack. Bright spots of colour painted his cheeks. “You don’t want them to know about me, it’s obvious. I was stupid to hope for more. But I’m done, Jack. I can’t do this anymore. The whole thing was a mistake, and now I don’t think I can even go back to being friends.” Nate’s voice cracked. “I’m done.”

“But I’ll talk to my parents. I’ll tell them about you, about us. I wanted to tell them, but wanted to talk to you first to make sure we were on the same page. I want more than friendship with you—or I want to try at least, if you will?”

Nate shook his head, expression shuttered. “I should never have got involved with you in the first place. I should have trusted my gut. I was in love with you for years when we were at school, and I always thought I could never have you. I couldn’t keep my feelings out of the equation and I was an idiot to think I could. The temptation to take what you offered was too much, but I was stupid to risk my heart again. You were never going to feel the same about me.” He turned and started to walk away.

Jack stood, stunned, reeling from Nate’s anger. “Nate, please. I had no idea this meant so much to you. I’m sorry. But we have to talk; we can’t leave things like this!”

“Just go, Jack. I need some space to think.”

“What does that mean?” Jack called after him. “Is there still a chance we can fix this? Please, Nate?”

Nate didn’t reply. Shoulders hunched, hands in his pockets, he walked away towards the water without looking back.

Helpless, Jack clenched his fists and growled his frustration up at the overcast sky. Seagulls wheeled overhead, their mournful cries echoing the painful tug of Jack’s heart.



By the time Jack got home, he’d made a decision. Whatever happened with Nate, he was going to be honest with his parents. Nate deserved that. Jack wasn’t ashamed of him, and he wanted to prove that to himself as much as anyone.

He was sitting on the sofa in the living room when his parents got home. Getting up, Jack went to greet them as they came in the front door. “I need to talk to you both,” he said immediately, skipping any greeting or social niceties. He wanted to get this over with.