“Nothing? Really?” Derek smiled weakly.
“Well, regardless what I say—it isn’t going to make you feel better.”
“Nothing’s going to make me feel better at this point, so go on and speak your mind.”
“It’s like this—there’s no way in hell that Patrick didn’t like you. He wassmittenfrom the second he met you. If not, he would’ve never agreed to the date in the first place and he wouldn’t have shown up for it.”
“He didn’t, not really.”
“Yes, hedid.Just because he arrived late doesn’t mean shit. He stillshowed.And hestayedfor the date. The boy was totally into you—whether he admitted it to himself or not.”
Derek groaned. “So, what you’re saying, then, is thatIfucked this up.”
Bailey smiled and kissed his shoulder. “Blame it on Gideon—he was the one who advised you to wait.”
“Yeah…” Derek chuckled. “Yeah, I listened to him. It washisfault.”
Bailey laughed. “There you go. Not your fault at all.”
“Uuhh…” Derek dropped back against the sofa again. “Doesn’t change the result, though. Patrick is still gone for good.”
“Nothing is written in stone.”
Derek shook his head. “Hope erodes the heart and mind and soul.”
“That’s a bit cynical, don’t you think?”
“Maybe. But it’s true. I mean, when you’re hoping for something hopeless. I have no reason to think anything will come of this—especially not now. As much as I don’t want to, the best thing for me to do is try to forget him and move on.”
“You could try to find him.”
Derek chuffed. “Hunt him down like some creepy stalker guy? Yeah, that would put him at ease.”
Bailey smiled. “Searching for someone and stalking them are two very different things.”
“No,” Derek whispered. “I can’t. He made his decision and I have to respect that and just… leave him alone.”
Nodding slowly, Bailey murmured, “You’re scared.”
“What?”
“You’re scared that you’ll find him, and it’ll turn out that hedidn’tlike you. And you’re terrified of facing that rejection.”
Sometimes, Derek hated that he was such a fuckingopen bookto his friends.
The doorbell rang.
Bailey rose from the sofa. “It’s human nature to fear rejection,” he said softly. “Just don’t let that fear keep you from putting your heart out there.”
Derek lowered his eyes as Bailey went to answer the door.
Was that therealreason he’d put off calling Patrick—fear of rejection?Would he have even called today if Bailey hadn’t urged him to do so?
What the fuck does it matter now? Forget about it and move the fuck on.
“Speak of the devil…” Bailey chuckled as he returned with Gideon.
“The devil?” Gideon smiled.
