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“Do you know how much his parents will flip out if they find any of that shit?”
“Yeah. And so does Mi. I didn’t force him to do anything. We went to a club where there was a drag show, and he said it was something he’d always wanted to do. He’s gotten to try a lot of things this week that he’s always wanted to.”
Alex rolled his eyes. “I don’t need to know the details.” He took a drink of water, then pointed a finger at Jake. “I meant what I said. I don’t get you two, but if you hurt him, I will end you.”
Jake shook his head and lifted the bottle to his lips. It got his hackles up that Alex thought he needed to protect Micah from him. Micah was capable of making his own decisions. But Jake also knew how many times he’d told Alex he wasn’t looking for a relationship, then demonstrated it with the guys he’d fucked once and never talked to again. His track record wasn’t a great testament to his ability to be what Micah wanted. Not to mention, they went to school on opposite sides of the country. They lived three thousand miles away from each other. How would that even work?
Under Alex’s sharp gaze, Jake’s mind continued to spin out on all the reasons he shouldn’t even be thinking of trying to be Micah’s boyfriend. But then Micah walked into the kitchen, all traces of makeup gone except for the red stain on his mouth from the lipstick, and Jake’s traitorous brain whispered, Maybe it doesn’t have to be that way; maybe it can work out somehow…
He watched Micah and Alex ribbing each other. The good-natured teasing reminded him of how he and his brother used to be before their dad’s drinking got serious and Brandon escaped into high-school extracurriculars and then to college in Los Angeles.
“Hey.” Micah touched Jake’s hand, a light caress across his knuckles that brought Jake’s attention back to the present. He looked up, meeting Micah’s intense blue gaze. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Fine.” Jake smiled, then glanced away.
“Huh.”
Both Jake and Micah turned to look at Alex.
“What?” Jake asked.
“Nothing.” Alex lifted the bottle to his lips and drained the rest of the water. “So what are we doing today?”
* * * * *
They spent the afternoon on the boat, then came home to shower and head into the city. Alex borrowed clothes from Micah so he didn’t have to go home. Just as they were about to leave, Alex made a phone call, grinning as he confirmed which train someone would be taking and when it would arrive at Penn Station.
“Yeah, that’d be great. Can’t wait.”
Jake raised an eyebrow as Alex hung up and turned to them. “Something you want to share with the rest of the class?”
As they left the house, Alex told them he’d met someone while visiting his grandparents. “She was visiting her grandparents, who are friends with mine, and…yeah. We hit it off. Best of all, she goes to Cal, so we’re both in the Bay Area for most of the year.”
“Does she have a name?” Micah asked as they got in Alex’s car. “Or are we just going to call her the hookup at your grandparents’?”
“She’s not a hookup. And, yes, she has a name. It’s Robin.”
The stupid smile on Alex’s face told Jake all he needed to know. “Sweet,” he said, while his stomach clenched at the thought of having to listen to Alex gush about his girlfriend all semester long. “Just be sure your roommate’s got plenty of notice so he doesn’t walk in on your ass pumping away.”
“Dude…”
“Dude.”
“I swear,” Micah said, turning to look at Jake in the back seat, “if I didn’t have evidence to the contrary, I’d think you were straight. Dude.” He faced front and turned on the radio to prevent further conversation, but it didn’t stop Jake from cracking up, especially when Alex looked at his friend in openmouthed wonder. “Might want to keep your eyes on the road.” Micah stared out the windshield, but Jake saw the smirk curving the corners of his mouth.
The drive to the station and the train ride into the city were uneventful. Jake had made this trip several times in the three weeks since arriving in New York. Before Alex went to visit his grandparents, he and Jake had gone into the city at least twice a week, sometimes just the two of them and sometimes with Micah as well. Whenever Micah had been with them, Jake had felt a bit like the odd man out. Micah and Alex had a lifetime of adventures in the city, and it was where Micah lived during the school year. They had favorite coffee shops, and stores where they liked to shop, knew which pizza places to hit up, and what parts of the city to avoid. They’d taken him to the Statue of Liberty and the Natural History Museum, but this city, with its towering skyscrapers and crowded sidewalks, was home to them while he was merely a visitor.
In the past week, while Alex was gone, Jake and Micah had taken the train a couple of times. It had become familiar to him, as had Micah’s presence next to him. Alex being there now felt intrusive, and Jake was irritated at how much he wanted Micah’s attention on him rather than split between him and Alex. And then he was irritated at having to pretend he didn’t care that Alex was with them, and at himself for being irritated. By the time the train pulled into Penn Station, Jake felt like he had a black cloud over his head and was one comment away from striking Alex down with a lightning bolt. He knew he was being ridiculous, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling.
As they walked along the platform, Micah nudged his shoulder. “You all right?”
Jake grimaced. He needed to snap out of this funk. “Yeah. Just hungry. I forgot to grab something to eat after my swim.”
From the look Micah gave him, Jake knew he wasn’t buying it, but he let Jake be and caught up to Alex, who’d paused at the stairs leading up to the main floor of the station. Alex was watching them with an expression that was equal parts protective best friend and shocked-as-shit roommate. Both parts pissed Jake off even more.
“What?” Jake asked as they started up the stairs.
“Nothing,” Alex said, then broke into a huge smile as they reached the top, and a vivacious redhead threw herself into his arms. Alex swung her around like they were in some rom-com and kissed her as he settled her back on her feet. “Hey, baby, let me introduce you. Robin, meet Micah and Jake. Guys, this is Robin.”
