Page 14 of Coming Clean

Jeremy wasn’t sure why itmattered so much to him but he didn’t want Connor to belittlehimself. “You could do whatever you wanted if it was importantenough to you.”

Connor studied him for afew seconds. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

Jeremy realized he did. Hewasn’t just saying those words like he might to a student, not thathe looked down on his students—not most of them anyway—butsometimes he just didn’t have his heart in teaching. But Connor? Hedid believe Connor was a man who could accomplish anything, and hewanted Connor to believe it too. “Yes, I do.”

Connor smiled, a soft smilewith none of the command he’d shown earlier.

****

After ordering a mocha anda slice of spinach-and-onion quiche, Jeremy found a table by thewindow. He’d resisted the sticky bun he really wanted but there wasa huge chance he’d return to the counter for it later, after a doseof protein and vegetables.

Jeremy opened the file forhis book and sighed. How could someone want to write a book sobadly, complain endlessly about not having the time for it, andthen resist writing it with every fiber of his being once he hadtime? He clicked on his browser and scrolled aimlessly throughTwitter, not caring about the posts he read. People sharing theirown coffee and breakfast choices. Complaints. Bragging. Ads. Herarely posted anything himself. He was one of those social mediaspies, watching everyone else’s life but not contributing. Tumblrwas much more fun but he knew better than to open it inpublic.

Email? Nothing ofconsequence there. He could always read some blog posts by otherprofessors not doing their work. Or he could actually write thebook he said he wanted to write.

Several minutes later, hefound himself taking a quiz on which career he should have. Writer,it said. As if. He hadn’t written one word yet.

Get to work.

Right. Work. He pulled outthe notebook he’d scribbled some ideas in: references to track downand poems to re-read. That wasn’t writing either, but at least ithad to do with his book. He made a few more notes but the puppieson Buzzfeed were calling him. Surely he needed to see more puppiesbeing cute and puppyish.

Several hours later he’dmanaged a few thousand words—all of it crap—and was ready forlunch. There was a sandwich shop down the street, he could headthere and keep “working”. As he packed up his laptop, a man he knewhe should recognize walked in. He was tall, with exquisitely styledauburn hair and broad shoulders, his muscular arms shown off by histailored dress shirt. Jeremy should be salivating over him butthere was something off-putting about him.

“Jeremy Parks!” heboomed.

Jeremy resisted the urge tolean away from the sound wave. “Hi.” Who the hell are you?

“You remember me,right?”

No.“Um…”

“Tony, from the litmagazine.”

Oh, Tony. The beautiful,popular boy who got caught cheating on an English test and wasforced to work on the literary magazine with the nerd crowd. “Ofcourse. How are you?” Still bullshitting people, if Jeremy guessedright.

“Great. I own a dealershipon Patton Avenue.”

“Of course you do. I mean…that’s great.”

“You live in theneighborhood now?”

“Temporarily. My aunt anduncle passed away recently and I’m staying in their house while Iget it ready to sell.”

“Ah. I’m sorry for yourloss, but it’s great that you’re close by now.”

Seriously?Jeremy hadn’t spoken to him in nearly ten years.Tony sat down without asking and looked Jeremy over like he wasassessing his worth. “We should get together. Do you have planstonight?”

Wait. Is he flirtingwith me? He’s straight, isn’t he? Ordid he somehow think Jeremy was going to do his bidding like he’dvery stupidly done in high school. God, how Jeremy had wanted himthen. His teenage hormones had gone nuts over the body Tony hadhoned playing every major sport he could fit into his schedule.Jeremy might have been a sex-crazed idiot back then, one who’d“helped” Tony with his articles—aka written them for him—but he hadno need for Tony’s shit now.

“I’m gay.” The words burstout of Jeremy’s mouth with no warning for his conscious mind. Whatwas wrong with him? Maybe he really was as socially hopeless asDavid feared.

He half expected Tony toshove his chair back and run so no one would see him sitting with agay man. Instead, he grinned. “I know. That’s why I asked youout.”

Jeremy frowned inconfusion. “You’re looking for a gay friend?”

Tony’s boisterous laughseemed to fill the whole shop. “That’s a good one! No, I’m gay too,and I want you.”

Jeremy stared, trying tomake sense of Tony’s words. “W-what?”