I grinned. “I’m sorry we made you feel that way. You know we both loved you.”
“Oh, shut up. I’m just saying that what you and Jax had was…”
“Had is the key word there, Lisa.”
She slapped the table hard, and I flinched. “No! When he saw you half-naked at The Dress Barn… Trust me – that look wasn’t the look of a man who didn’t want to move forward. That look was carnal.”
“Well, I am very sexy.” I teased, and she shook her long dark curls violently.
“I would like to argue that point, but it’s true. Why are the two hottest men in town gay?”
“Just the luck of the genetic gods, I guess,” I whispered. “Maybe you should worry more about your love life than mine. I’m fine.”
She cackled so loudly that it almost woke Ms. Jenkins up from her nap on the long couch. “You’ve been pining and kicking yourself for over five years. Trust me, you are not fine.”
“What could come of it, anyway? Even if – and that’s a massive IF – Let’s say Jax, and I did decide to see where the future goes. He’s a Major League star now, and he’s going to go right back to LA and start training in the Spring. I’ll be here, and Jax will still need to be in the…”
“That is so fucking stupid. It’s just as stupid now as it was then, Kenny. Jax didn’t choose to stay in the closet. You made that choice for him.”
“I made it because he was going to make the wrong choice.”
She held up her hand in my face. “You wereneverthe wrong choice.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Nope. Didn’t then and still think you’re an idiot. Come on.” She stood up and stretched. “Lunch is over, and the end of the day is right around the fucking corner. I have to give a test. I hate tests.”
“I only have one more class and then a free period. Thought I would go down and talk to Dad some while I still can.” I stood up and picked up my paper, and held it under my arm.
“I’m glad that you and… Jax!” Lisa stopped in the doorway.
“Jax?”
“He’s here. Maybe he’s looking for you.” Lisa whispered so loudly I was sure half of the school had heard her.
“Hey Lisa,” Jax’s deep voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “Oh! Hi.” He stood on the other side of the door that Lisa was clasping in her hands as if she was about to rip it off the wall.
“Hi, Jax.” I smiled. “Why are you here?”
“The real question we should be asking is why Lisa looks like she’s about to have an aneurysm,” he teased, looking better than a ten-inch dick.
She let go of the door frame. “You caught me by surprise.”
“Did you think I would be mad about last night? I don’t like it when people play games with me, Lisa.” He said so seriously I thought he might have been mad. But then, a bright smile showed across his handsome face. “But I think Kenny and I had a great time. It was nice to catch up. So thank you.”
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” Lisa glanced over her shoulder at me and smiled. “Ok, I have to go. See you soon, Jax.”
She slipped through the door and walked briskly towards her classroom.
“Do you have a class?” Jax shrugged.
“One more. Then I have a free period.” I felt foolish telling him that.
“That’s good.” He looked over his shoulder and then back at me. “Feels weird being back here. I thought I’d surprise Coach and catch up for a bit. You wanna come to meet me after your class and maybe we could… I don’t know… Go have a milkshake or… something?”
An electric current shot through my body.
“Yeah!” I said way too excitedly. “Sure, that sounds good.”
