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“You okay there, buddy?” Jim’s concerned voice had him opening his eyes at once and clearing his throat.
“Yeah, just a little hot. I’ll go get something to cool me down. Wantanything?”
“Water’s good,” Jim said, turning back to listen to something Jude was saying. Jax walked away, avoiding going anywhere near Noah. He remembered passing by a shaved ice truck to his left, down on the boardwalk as they were coming in. He headed over and stepped gratefully up to the window, thankful no one else was in line.
“I’d like your largest mixed flavor shaved ice, please, and a bottleof water.”
After he paid for the items, he stepped away from the window and took a big bite of the icy treat, letting it melt on his tongue before swallowing, hoping to cool the fever of his thoughts before he had to return to Jim. He walked slowly back to where his friend stood, sucking on the sweetened ice, aware that Noah was still somewhere in the crowd, probably watching him. Resisting the urge to look for him again, he handed Jim the water and resolutely looked at the passing parade. But when he swallowed the last of his icy treat, he turned to see if he could find Noah in the crowd, because he couldn’t bear the need pulsing in him to look his fill on his last chance at love, even if he had lost it.
“Parade boringyou, bro?”
Jim’s sardonic question brought his focus back around to the spectacle passing by them. There was a float going by now, though Jax had no idea what it was supposed to represent. He scrambled for something to say to explain his distraction.
“No.”I’m looking for someone I used to know.“Someone bumpedinto me.”
He looked over his shoulder again, and Jim gave him a look that said he was full of it, following his gaze to where Noah had last been standing. Relief shot through Jax when he couldn’t see him there. He wouldn’t have to explain anything; he could keep his secret. Unless and until Noah showed any sign of wanting to renew their acquaintance, despite his words from the night before, Jax wouldn’t make any moves. He’d given up that right when he’d walked away all thoseyears ago.
“Bound to happen at these kinds of events,” Jim said, smirking at him.
Jax shot him the bird but smiled, glad for the brief respite from the tension riding across his shoulders and down his spine. Noah was here. Why the hell hadn’t he thought of that? He would at least have prepared himself for the possibility of seeing him again. It wasn’t as though the town was so large that they could miss each other at this festival. He tried to focus his attention on the float that was now approaching, but a few minutes later he felt that same prickling at the back of his neck, and he knew without having to look that Noahwas back.
He looked around again, trying to be surreptitious about it, but Jim turned with him, followinghis gaze.
“Who was the hottie glaring daggers at you, bro?” his friend asked.
Jax hunted around in his suddenly vacant head for a convenient lie but before he could fashion a believable one, he heard his name called and he swung in the opposite direction and came face to face with one of the last people he had ever expected to meet again.
“Jackson Knox, as I live andbreathe!”
The man calling him by his full name was a handsome, burly man with a full head of thick silver hair and a beard that was as dark as the hair on his head was not. Jax sighed and plastered a smile on his face. Gordon Monroe was Emeritus Professor of Music at The Prescott School and Jax’s one-time mentor. He was a harmless enough fellow these days and a brilliant jazz musician, but Jax could never forget how the man had made a pass at him that had left him not only disgusted but reeling from disappointment.
And yet, despite all that, you went and had an affair with a student!The thought slammed into him unbidden, and he gasped at the pain it caused, prompting Jim to turn to him and ask, “You okay there?”
Jax nodded and caught his breath before saying, “Just lost my wind for a second.” No way was he going back to those memories here or now. He turned to the older man standing there clearly waiting to be introduced and said,“Jim, this is Professor Gordon Monroe, virtuoso jazz pianist. Gordon, my friendJim Bell.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bell,” Gordon said, shaking hands enthusiastically.
It had been decades since Jax had seen the man standing before him, but he could still feel the residual disgust he’d felt when his then-mentor had groped him backstage after a rehearsal. He was reluctant to shake hands with him now, wondering if the professor had overcome the impediment—rumor had it—that had ultimately led to his being forced to retire.
“It’s good to see you again, Jackson,” the older man said, bringing Jax back to the moment.
He had his hand outstretched and Jax stiffened his spine before taking it. He kept the handshake brief and slid his hand away as soon ashe could.
“How have you been?” the man continued, ignoring the parade going by. “I’ve followed your career since you graduated. A doctorate from Eastman and a stellar career. I always knew you had it in you.”
Jax didn’t know what to say and settled for “Thank you.” The thought that this man knew anything at all about him was unsettling at best, repulsiveat worst.
“Rumor has it that you’ve left Rochester. Where are you headed?”
Jax was damned if he’d tell this man anything he didn’t already know. “Just taking a break for now,” he answered casually, but turned his eyes to Jim’s face, hoping his friend would get the message and not offer any further information.
“Uncle Jay, can we go see the boats now?”
Jax’s shoulders heaved in relief at his godson’s interruption. “We sure can, Jude.”
He turned back to Gordon. “Well, it was good catching up, but I promised the boys I’d take them to see the boat show. Enjoy the rest of the parade.” He managed another fake smile and said to Jim, “You coming?”
Jim nodded and said his farewells, only speaking again when they were standing in the boatyard and the boys were entranced by the pictures of the boats currently berthed in the harbor. Jax kept an eye on them even as Jim said, “Hmm … you have anything you’d liketo share?”
