He scoots his chair next to me, his dark brown eyes blown wide. “Oh, I needallthe deets, stat.”
I rub my face and groan. “God, it’s so much worse than that.”
“You… didn’t fuck him, did you?”
I peek at my best friend through my fingers. “No, but… close.”
“Spill. It. Don’t leave me hanging, bro.”
I tell him everything, from all our interactions to the moment Jett made me come in the bar’s bathroom.
“Well, shit. That’s… hot.”
“It’snothot, Den. I mean, what was I thinking?”
“Yeah, whatwereyou thinking?”
I take a sip of my coffee before eyeing him again. “He was so… dominant, controlling. I don’t know… I just let him, and I liked it. It’s weird because I’m pretty dominant myself, but letting go like that felt… freeing, you know?”
Dennis leans back in his chair and nods. “I can see that.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter anyway. He’s an asshole. One minute, he’s being a dick, the next, he’s kissing me. I’m just getting my life started. I don’t need anyone fucking with my head.”
Dennis gives me a knowing smirk.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Not once did you freak out about him being a guy and all.”
“Oh, I am a little. Don’t get me wrong. But I’m not stupid either. I know it happens. Hell, look at Mike. He always dated women until you.”
“That’s true. But you’reWes, Mr. Playboy. Mr. I Love the Ladies Until the End of Time.”
I shrug and take another sip of coffee. “Maybe I’m changing. I think it’s time to find myself a real girlfriend. It’s been a struggle. Who knows why?”
“You’ll find your person. Look at me. Granted, it took a good decade to get Mike, but it eventually happened.”
“Not sure if I want to wait a decade, but I get your point.”
We chat for another hour, but it’s time for me to make the three-hour drive home, so we say our goodbyes and I hit the road.
Coming back home and talking to my family and Den was exactly what I needed. While I don’t have any more answers than I did before, my head feels like it’s screwed on more straight.
I need to stop thinking about Jett and chalk up our interaction as curiosity. I’ll let finding someone happen naturally. Forcing myself to find someone is a good way not to.
Chapter 8
Jett
“Goodjobonthatlast run.” I high-five Jeremiah, who’s one of our most promising 800-meter runners on the men’s team.
He smiles and wipes sweat off his forehead. “Thanks, Coach Cordier.” He pauses, his smile turning into a smirk. “Maybe I’m gonna beat your time one of these days.”
I wink. “Fat chance.” It’s not unlikely, though. Jeremiah reminds me of myself when I was in college. He’s dedicated and takes all my advice to heart. When I started coaching him, he didn’t really have a set training regimen, but over the past few weeks, he’s been sticking to the program I made for him, and it’s paying off.Today we’ve been focusing on race-pace intervals with 400-meter and 600-meter repeats, and speed work with 200-meter repetitions.
“You never know, Coach Cordier.” I take it back. I was never that cocky.
“Do your stretches,” I grunt. “Try this.” I stretch into my favorite cool-down exercise, then immediately wince.
