Chance to Bloom Read online

  Then he saw who had come through the door, and instantly wished he’d sent Jack out instead.

  “Ethan, honey, how’s your morning going?”

  Ethan stifled a sigh and tried to muster a smile as he walked around the front counter to greet his mother. Any other time, he’d have been more than happy to see her. While she did tend toward being a bit of a busybody, he knew she always meant well, and her visits usually included her bringing something for lunch or some candy—especially once she’d discovered Gary’s insatiable sweet tooth.

  But now? Today?

  Her timing was a little too uncanny.

  If Ethan had had any idea the night before about what Jack had in store for the shop, he would have been a lot less cheerful when he’d told his mother all about his new boss. About how mysterious and intriguing and damned good-looking he was. He should have known it would fire up her meddling instincts. Now, he was just going to have to suffer through whatever awkward moment she had planned.

  He could only hope it would be over quickly… and painlessly.

  “Hi, Mom. Everything is going great,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t notice the lie. Or question it. “We’re pretty busy, though, so maybe you could come back—”

  His mother had already moved past him, though, her eyes sparkling with delight. “Oh, you must be Jack. Ethan’s told me so much about you.”

  Ethan felt his stomach sink as he turned to look, and to his horror, his mom was already around the counter and pulling Jack in for a quick embrace. The fact that Jack towered over her by at least a foot and looked uncomfortable as hell hadn’t even slowed her down.

  “Yes, ma’am. I’m Jack Davis,” Jack answered her, turning that familiar shade of pink that Ethan had found so irresistible earlier that morning. Well, it was still pretty irresistible, if he was being honest. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs.—”

  “Ms. Massey,” Ethan’s mom answered him, grinning up at Jack with an all-too-familiar glint in her eye. “But you can call me Trudy. I’m Ethan’s mother, but you probably already figured that out. Oh, I’m so sorry about your father, dear. Gary was a wonderful man. Truly wonderful.”

  Jack flinched slightly at the words, but Ethan quelled his curiosity about that. Instead, he tried unsuccessfully to steer his mother back around to the customer side of the counter—or better still, back toward the door. She wasn’t going to be deterred that easily, though—especially after the way he’d gushed about Jack to her the night before—and she maneuvered back around him with a practiced ease that would’ve been impressive if it hadn’t been happening to him.

  “Thank you for the kind words,” Jack mumbled, half-turning back toward the office before she caught his arm.

  “It’s the truth,” Trudy said warmly. “Everyone in town shares your loss and is thinking of you right now. I know that it’s probably been a whirlwind of a time for you.”

  Jack nodded. “Yes, ma’am—um, Trudy. It’s definitely been that. Ethan has been a big help, though.”

  Ethan felt a pang of sympathy as Jack’s eyes met his briefly. Ethan had been so shocked and blindsided by Jack’s news that it had been easy to forget that Jack was doing the best he could to deal with his own grief. He really had sounded sincere about appreciating Ethan’s help, though.

  It felt nice.

  Until Ethan remembered what he’d been helping Jack to do: sell off everything Ethan loved to the highest bidder. Then he started to feel a little sick again.

  “I’m sure he has, dear,” Trudy went on, oblivious. “And I’m sure you know Ethan was a big help to your father, as well. Are you staying here while you’re in town? In the apartment upstairs? Or maybe with relatives?”

  Ethan groaned. Oh, God. She seriously wasn’t going to be satisfied until she found out Jack’s entire life story, was she?

  Ethan was curious about those things too, if he was being honest, but still… boundaries.

  “Okay, Mom. Jack is pretty busy, and—”

  “No, I’m booked for a few more days at the hotel up the road,” Jack answered her, seemingly oblivious to Ethan’s attempt to save him. “I just… couldn’t bring myself to stay here at his place yet, and we—I—don’t have any family to speak of around here.”

  Trudy gasped, looking as horrified as if Jack had just told her he’d been sleeping under a bridge. “That won’t do at all. I’d ask you to stay with me and Ethan if I thought for a minute you’d accept.”

  Ethan felt his eyes bulge out of his head, and noticed that Jack’s face flushed an even deeper shade of pink. Thank God Jack shook his head at the implied offer. If he’d even hinted that he might have taken her up on it, Ethan had no doubt that his mother would have talked the man into staying in their spare bedroom for Lord only knows how long.

  And that would have been… too much. On every level.

  “That’s very kind of you, Trudy,” Jack demurred. “But I couldn’t.”

  “You could,” she said, patting Jack’s cheek. “But I won’t push it. I do insist that you come over for dinner, though. It’s probably been way too long since you’ve had a good home-cooked meal, and I just can’t stand the thought of you having to survive on fast food after everything you’ve been through.”

  Ethan had barely recovered from her last near-invitation, so he was caught completely off-guard by her suggestion of dinner. His brain went into full-on panic mode. This was not happening. This whole day just couldn’t be happening.

  “Mom, I don’t think—I mean, surely Jack has, um,” Ethan swallowed hard as he looked from one face to the other, hoping that one of them would come to their senses and realize what a horrible idea it was for the three of them to sit down and have dinner together.

  But his mom didn’t look bothered at all—why would she? She had no idea what the man planned on doing—and Jack actually had a hint of a very-sexy-but-not-going-to-notice-that smile on his face.

  Ethan blinked. Really? Was he really the only sane person left in the room? In the world?

  “That’s really nice of you, Trudy” Jack said. He was nodding his head slowly in a way that could only mean one thing. And… yep. “You know, I think I’ll actually take you up on that offer. A real meal does sound pretty amazing, I have to admit.”

  “Perfect,” Trudy clasped her hands together, nearly glowing with excitement. “Why don’t you plan on stopping by around six o’clock tonight? Ethan will give you directions, won’t you, dear?”

  Ethan felt his heart sink as low as his stomach when they both turned to look at him, a couple of co-conspirators looking happy as clams. And even though he wanted nothing more than to call the whole thing off, to run screaming and yelling from the building, his traitorous mouth sealed the deal.

  “Of course,” Ethan nodded. He thought about trying to fake a smile, but that was one step too far. He still couldn't believe he’d just agreed. Maybe his mother had raised him to be too polite, or maybe he was still too surprised to come up with a good reason why dinner would be a bad idea. Whatever the case was, the time to object had come and gone. Jack and Ethan had both said yes.

  Dinner was happening.

  “Wonderful,” Trudy said with a sunny smile. “Well, I think my work here is done, boys. I’ll see you both this evening.”

  Jack actually looked happy as he waved goodbye. Ethan, on the other hand, was trying his best not to throw up with nerves. He instantly regretted not having stopped the conversation sooner. As soon as he’d seen his mother walk through the door, he should have just marched over and turned her right back around again.

  He could have said they were too busy to talk, or that Jack was gone, or that the building was on fire, or something. Heck, Ethan would’ve set the place on fire himself if he’d thought of it in time. Anything to avoid the train wreck that dinner with the man who seemed determined to tear apart Ethan’s future was bound to be.

  “Your mom seems really nice,” Jack said, grinning as he ducked back into the office. “I’m looking forward to
tonight.”

  Ethan snorted. “Yeah. She’s great.” He couldn’t bring himself to agree with the rest though. Which was a shame, really, since just twenty-four hours before, a night with Jack?

  That definitely would have been something to look forward to.

  Chapter 6

  Jack

  It had been a long time since Jack had been over to someone’s house for dinner. Well, someone who didn’t happen to be another Marine, anyway. And even then, those hadn’t been sit-down-and-mind-your-manners kinds of meals. More like pizza and beer at the barracks, or take-out in someone’s shitty apartment off base.

  This was different. A lot different.

  It felt almost like he was on a date, even though Ethan’s mom was, well, Ethan’s mom, and Ethan’s attitude had seemed to fall somewhere between “not interested” and actively disliking Jack ever since Jack had broken the news to him about selling the flower shop.

  So… yeah. That part didn’t feel like a date at all.

  But the nerves? The sweaty palms? The dry mouth? That was all very familiar and very much like the way he’d felt during the handful of actual, real-life, movie-and-dinner-and-maybe-get-lucky dates that he’d been on in the past. Except tonight, there was no movie, the dinner had been better than any restaurant he’d been to, and the chances of getting lucky later?

  Yeah, pretty much nonexistent.

  Still, it was time with Ethan, and that was the real reason Jack had agreed to dinner in the first place. He’d never been so attracted to a guy from the get-go, and even though Ethan had pretty much given him the cold shoulder all afternoon—had deprived Jack of that bright smile he couldn’t get enough of—Jack had still hoped something might change.

  What, though?

  He was pretty sure Ethan didn’t even know Jack was gay, let alone interested. It would’ve been awkward enough to make that announcement at the best of times, especially considering how weird Jack had made things between the two of them in the beginning. But now? What was the point? Why would Jack even bring it up, since he just wanted to sell the shop and get the hell out of town as quickly as possible?

  No matter how many times Jack asked himself those questions, he couldn’t seem to come up with a good answer. It hadn’t stopped him from jumping at the opportunity to spend just a little bit more time with Ethan, though. Time outside work, where it didn’t matter at all that Jack was technically Ethan’s boss. Time Jack could maybe use to prove to Ethan that he wasn’t actually an asshole, even if he did plan on selling his dad’s shop.

  “You got quiet, Jack,” Trudy smiled over the half-empty plates that were spread out on the table. “Something on your mind?”

  Jack quickly looked from Trudy to Ethan, belatedly realizing that she was right. He’d lost track, and the conversation had stalled out.

  Well, conversation might have been too generous a term. Ethan had barely spoken two words throughout the entire meal, and even though Jack barely knew the guy, he could already tell that—unlike with Jack—silence was unusual for him.

  Trudy hadn’t seemed put off by how subdued Ethan was acting, though, so Jack had tried not to worry too much. He had no doubt it was due to the news about selling the shop, but maybe—hopefully—Ethan would get over it as quickly as he had the gay thing from the day before.

  Anyway, it was enough just to try and keep up with Trudy. She had enthusiastic questions about—well, everything. And even though Jack normally didn’t open up to strangers, there was something about her that had instantly put him at ease. He’d felt it back at the shop when he’d first met her, and the feeling had been confirmed once he was inside her house. Everything about her was just warm and inviting and… happy. Motherly. It was nice.

  It was easy to see where Ethan got his quick, wide smile and sparkling blue eyes from. Jack had seen hints of the same bright, inquisitive personality in both mother and son, but… maybe not so much tonight, in Ethan’s case.

  Jack smiled as he considered how to answer Trudy’s question. There was plenty on his mind, but only so much of it was suitable for easy-breezy dinner conversation.

  “I was just thinking about how you’ve spoiled me for normal food, Trudy," he finally settled on. “Now I’ll never be able to eat anywhere else without comparing it to your cooking.”

  “Well, thank you,” she said, smiling warmly at the compliment. “It’s nice to cook for someone besides just me and Ethan for a change. And I do imagine it’s better than whatever sort of rations they gave you on the military base. You know you’re welcome to come over for a meal anytime while you’re in town.”

  Jack laughed. Meals on base hadn’t been that bad—certainly not lacking enough to qualify as rations, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. Besides, he’d meant it when he’d complimented her cooking. Rations or not, the food he’d survived on for the last ten years was nowhere near as good as the lasagna she’d prepared for dinner tonight.

  “I appreciate the offer, and I just might have to take you up on that again sometime.”

  Ethan’s fork clanged down onto his plate, and he shot each of them a dark look.

  It was such a contrast to the look Ethan had given him just that morning, when Jack had brought him coffee, that it felt like a cold jab to the gut. That other look—and the sunflower-bright smile that had gone with it—had felt really good. Now, though? Now that Jack knew he was probably mostly responsible for Ethan’s dark mood, based on how quickly Ethan's light had dimmed once he'd started talking about selling that morning?

  Jack didn’t know Ethan very well, but just the thought that he’d upset him left Jack feeling like all kinds of shit. Made him want to make it right.

  But… he couldn’t.

  “Something wrong, dear?” Trudy’s voice was high-pitched and sugary-sweet as she turned to her son. “You haven’t been yourself all night, Ethan.”

  Jack’s gaze darted between mother and son, and he could feel the tension in the air as if it was a physical thing. As uncomfortable as it was to get caught in the middle of, though, he wasn’t about to interrupt.

  “You know perfectly well what’s wrong, Mom,” Ethan said tightly.

  For just a moment—so quickly Jack would’ve missed it if he hadn’t been looking right at her—the smile and sweetness left Trudy’s face, replaced with a steely look that caught Jack by surprise. Just as quickly, though, her face softened again, and she turned back to Jack.

  “Ethan told me before dinner that you plan on selling the flower shop, is that right?”

  That coldness was instantly back in Jack’s gut, making it clench tightly around the amazing meal he’d just eaten. He held eye contact with Trudy, but he could feel Ethan’s gaze lock onto him as the other man waited for his response. He’d never felt the need to weigh his words so carefully in his life.

  “Yes, ma’am, that is the plan.” Jack kept his voice calm and measured. He wasn’t sure if he could ease the tension around the table, but at the very least, he was determined to do his best not to make it worse. Hopefully he could find a way to quickly—and politely—get out of the situation before he said anything stupid.

  “And is that the reason you’ve been so quiet tonight, Ethan?” Trudy turned her attention back to her son, who wasn’t even trying to hide his embarrassment or disbelief.

  “Seriously, Mom? You want to do this now?”

  She shrugged. “I think it’s important to say what’s on your mind. You sitting there being miserable isn’t helping anyone. In fact, it’s probably making our guest feel uncomfortable.”

  Ethan rolled his eyes. “And I’m sure this conversation is helping Jack’s comfort level. But okay, fine. I don’t mind telling the truth and saying what’s on my mind, if that’s what the two of you want.”

  Jack felt like a deer caught in headlights. Of course he didn’t want to keep Ethan from saying how he felt, but at the same time, he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to like the part that came next. Still, there was really only one thing to
do. One thing he’d learned from his dad was that when shit got tough, you had to put your head down and push through.

  It was the one piece of advice that had stuck with Jack, and it had served him well throughout his military career.

  “Yes, Ethan. It’s what I want,” Trudy said firmly.

  Jack could only nod in agreement, even though “want” might have been a stretch.

  “Okay. Great.” Ethan shrugged as if he didn’t mind, but his brows were furrowed and his teeth were clenched as he turned to face Jack directly for the first time all night.

  Damn, but he was still beautiful, even when he was mad. Or… hurt. Or whatever it was Jack was seeing on his face.

  “Yeah, I guess I understand your decision to sell the place, Jack. I mean, it’s your business, your prerogative. But I hate it. I hate that you don’t love it as much as I do. As much as—” Ethan swallowed hard, and Jack’s gut clenched again at the tears he could see welling up in Ethan’s eyes. “Anyway, I just hate it,” Ethan went on, his voice husky with emotion. “I hate that you don’t see what I see in that shop—all the years of hard work and hopes and dreams and love. And I hate that you’re willing to throw all of that away simply because it might be… be hard for you to deal with.”

  Ethan snapped his mouth closed, sucking in a shuddering breath, and the sick feeling in Jack’s stomach got even worse. Then, without another word, Ethan stood up from the table and left the room. After a few moments of silence, Jack heard the jingle of Ethan’s keys followed by the front door opening and then slamming shut.

  Jack sat, stunned, for what felt like forever but was probably only a minute or two. It had sucked to see Ethan hurting… but on top of that, Ethan’s words had stung—had hurt, really—but Jack had been too shocked at the content of his outburst to even think about defending himself.

  And even if he’d had the presence of mind to come up with a good defense, his brain still couldn’t reconcile how Ethan could have loved working at the shop so much.