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There was no point in me worrying when I couldn’t do anything more to help. I had to let it go. Like sometimes at work. I could do everything right, give the patient the tools they needed to heal. If they didn’t follow them once they left the ER, that was their choice.
My condo was dark and quiet when I got home. There were no sounds of nature. The birds had gone silent. There wasn’t even a cricket chirping. As I looked out the window over the kitchen sink, I didn’t see a spacious patio or dense trees. I did enjoy being at Xaiden’s house. It was peaceful in a way I hadn’t expected.
But this was my slice of the world. The small space I lived in.
Today was unexpected, to say the least. I started the day nervous. I still was if I thought about it, since I had a date to look forward to. A lot of things were shared. A lot of emotions were present. In the end, I hoped good came out of it. For all of us, because we deserved it.
I had it better than most. I recognized that. After hearing what Xaiden had been through, my heart broke. People probably looked at him, heard his last name, and thought he had everything. If they only knew how deep his agony went.
8
VAL
A closet full of clothes was in front of me. Clothes for the shop when I worked on cars. JJ had coveralls there for us, but we weren’t a formal, have to all look the same, kind of shop. JJ was happy as long as everyone was protected and comfortable. The mechanics wore uniforms, but in different styles, depending on what they liked. This way they didn’t ruin their clothes. I stuck with uniform pants and shirts when I worked in the shop. I liked them better than the coveralls. When I went there to work on my own car, I tended to be in jeans and a shirt I didn’t mind if they got ruined.
I also had clothes for the office when I was at the daily grind at PJS. And clothes for every day running errands and other shit. What I didn’t have were date clothes. What did I wear on a date to Corbin’s house? It wasn’t a restaurant or a movie. Just his house. Did I dress like I did yesterday when I went to JJ’s?
Turning, I gave JJ my best puppy dog eyes. He was down in the shop today working on a car for a customer. I dragged him up here to help me with my clothes crisis before he left for home.
“You’re overthinking this, Val. It’s Corbin. You’re having dinner at his place. Just throw on a pair of jeans that don’t have grease on them and a shirt. Comb your hair. Wear your Chucks since they’re on the clean side. Problem solved.”
“I don’t want him to think I’m a slob. He’s a fucking doctor.”
“He is, but he’s also a guy trying to navigate this like you are. For all you know he could be standing in front of his closet right now trying to figure out what to wear. If you’re too dressed up, he’s going to feel underdressed. Jeans. T-shirt. Chucks.”
I grabbed a pair of dark jeans and a black shirt. Not knowing what he was serving for dinner, I didn’t want to accidentally spill something on myself then worry all he would see would be the damn stain on my shirt. Plus, if I was nervous and sweat a little, it wouldn’t be as obvious in black.
It didn’t bother me JJ was in the room when I changed. We used to live together. He’d seen my bare ass once when I got into the shower and forgot a towel. The linen closet was in the hall, so I had to streak out of the shower to grab one. Of course, it happened to be the same time JJ got out of bed and went into the hall. Not one of my prouder moments.
My jeans fit snuggly. They weren’t skintight like I’d seen other guys wear but they showed off my assets. Namely my bulge, which I was not shy about. I knew I was packing for someone under six foot. My ass also looked good. Constantly moving and bending while working on cars helped keep it from getting flabby. Though the office job and the damn bagels Stefen, the head of R&D, brought in every week didn’t help my figure.
I stripped out of the shirt I was wearing and put the black one on. It didn’t fit as well as the jeans did, but I preferred it a little looser. Like I mentioned, sweat. I didn’t need fabric crawling up my pits.
In the bathroom, I slathered on deodorant then went to work taming my cowlick. It sat on the front of my head on the right side. I got my hair cut today because, apparently, I was going above and beyond, but I didn’t want to go too short. So, the cowlick was making itself known. The only way to bypass this nightmare of swirling hair was to cut it shorter or let it grow long. Long hair did nothing for me and I normally didn’t cut my hair short until summer.
Grabbing the product I kept in the cabinet under the sink, I put a bit in my hair and got it tamed. “I should leave soon, right?” I asked JJ while still fussing with my hair.
He leaned against the doorway. “He lives ten minutes from here. It’s Sunday late afternoon. Traffic will be nearly nonexistent. You can probably get to him in five if the lights cooperate.”
Corbin’s condo was in the good part of East Dremest. The city wasn’t a cesspool, though it did have its nicer and not so nice areas. Where my apartment was and JJ’s shop, not the best. But it was clean. No one was out front dealing or hooking so it wasn’t bad.
I faced JJ. Looked at my best friend. The man I considered my brother. He wouldn’t bullshit me just like I’d never do that to him. “How do I look?”
“If he doesn’t want you then he’s not the one for you.”
“Did you read that in a greeting card?”
He laughed. “No, dumbass, I’m telling the truth. Would you rather I tell you I hope you get your cock sucked or all this will be for nothing?”
My eyes rolled so hard I thought they weren’t going to rebound. “I’m not going there to get off. Corbin isn’t that kind of guy.”
“Every guy is that kind of guy.”
“He wants more. He’s into the whole relationship thing.”
“So? Blow jobs are on the list when getting to know someone. You gotta find out if he likes your cock too, Val, and if you like his.”
“Fuck’s sake. Why am I friends with you?”
