The Party Boy's Guide to Dating a Geek (Clumsy Cupids) (23 page)

Moon. Ash hadn't even heard the apartment buzzer

ring. Someone else must have let Ty in.

"Nothing," he said as Ty set the case of beer on

the counter and ripped open the top. "Want to put

some of those in the fridge? We only have Killian's

in there right now."

Ty nodded and passed him a few bottles. Ash

took them and shoved them into the fridge

wherever he found room. "Did you see Fee out

there by chance?" he asked, striving for

nonchalance.

Carley snorted, which made Ty shoot him a

puzzled look.

"Yeah." Ty handed Ash another pair of bottles.

"I think I saw his car drive past, actually. He's

probably hunting for a parking spot."

Relief surged through Ash's chest. "Oh, cool. I'll

go wait for him so he doesn't have to ring the bell."

He ignored Carley's knowing look and slipped

out of the kitchen, double-checking to make sure he

had his keys in his pocket. He had almost made it

to the front door when Jack stopped him.

"What are you doing Sunday?"

"Why? Is everything okay?" Ash was anxious to

go downstairs to meet Fee, but he couldn't blow

his brother off to rush outside.

"Everything's fine. Why are you so suspicious?"

"Uh, because I'm already supposed to come over

Sunday?"

"I meant earlier in the day, numbnuts. Mari's

going to be shopping with her sister, and I was

wondering if you wanted to come over to watch

the game."

Ash checked his watch again. "Sure. Fee's going

to be hanging out as his folks' place, so I'm free."

"Glad you can pencil me in," Jack said with a

chuckle.

"Hey, you were the same way when you started

going out with Mari, and you know it."

"Dude, I'm just busting your balls. Simmer

down."

Ash sighed. His balls were busted enough with

how slow he and Fee were taking things. Sure, the

make-out sessions were hot and the heavy petting

was incredible. Ash didn't think he'd ever get used

to Fee's hands on him, but he was getting anxious

to get to the next level with Fee.

The door opened, and one of Jae's line cooks

walked in. Ash shifted his weight between his feet.

"I know. I'm just …"

"I get you, bro," Jack said in that big brother

voice he used when he thought Ash needed to be

talked down from doing something crazy. He

patted Ash on the shoulder. "No worries."

"Thanks. I'll be right back, okay?" Ash bolted

out of the apartment before Jack could say anything

else and jogged down the stairs to the front stoop

of his building.

A few minutes later he spotted Fee coming

down the sidewalk in his direction. Ash bounded

out to meet him. "Hey," he said, peering up at Fee

with what was probably a goofy grin on his face.

Ash couldn't bring himself to care. He flung his

arms around Fee's neck and tugged him down for a

kiss. "I missed you. Where've you been?"

Fee smiled against Ash's lips and transferred the

bags he was carrying into one hand so he could

wrap his free arm around Ash's waist and tug him

close. "Donovan's computer was a mess. He

opened an attachment from an unknown sender and

unleashed a pretty nasty virus." Fee shook his head

and squeezed Ash a little tighter. "I don't get it.

Donovan should've known better. He said he just

misread the name at first. Could've happened to

anyone, I guess, but it took me forever to get it all

sorted."

Ash resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Misread

the name. Yeah. A likely story.
He'd bet good

money Donovan had wrecked his computer

intentionally. "Why didn't you text me to let me

know?" he asked.

Fee shrugged and nuzzled his throat. "Sorry. I

would have, but I forgot my phone at my apartment.

At least, I hope it's there. I don't want to have to

buy another one."

Ash frowned. Fee's lips felt good.
Really
good.

It would have been nice to just tilt his head back

and enjoy it, but he couldn't stop thinking about

Donovan. "Do you think he might have done it on

purpose?"

Fee drew back and blinked at him. "What?"

"Donovan. What if he knew it was a virus and

opened it anyway?"

"Why would he do that?"

Ash sighed. "I told you. He wants you, and he

hates me."

Fee's arm fell away from his waist. "Ash …"

"I know you don't believe me, but I'm telling

you, that guy has glared at me like he wants to rip

my balls off for the last
three
book club meetings,

and not just because I didn't read the book the first

time. Didn't you notice him yesterday?"

Fee shook his head, his expression doubtful. "I

noticed him asking you more questions than anyone

else, yeah, but I thought it was just because of what

happened the last time when we discussed Tinka.

He doesn't like to be wrong."

True.
Ash could tell that about Donovan, despite

their limited acquaintance. But deep down, he

knew whatever resentment Donovan harbored

toward him had less to do with the book club

discussions and more to do with Donovan's

feelings for Fee. At the meeting the day before

they'd talked about a dystopian sci-fi novel, one

that Ash hadn't enjoyed anywhere near as much as

the steampunk romance from the month prior, but

he'd still diligently read the book and prepared

himself for whatever questions might come up.

Unsurprisingly, he and Donovan had argued over

some plot points, and the group had been split

down the middle between the people who agreed

with Ash and those who agreed with Donovan.

Ash figured Donovan hadn't been particularly

happy about the fact that Fee had sided with Ash

instead of him.

"Ash," Fee said slowly. "Even if you're right—

and I'm not totally convinced that you are—it

doesn't change anything. I don't want him anymore.

I'm over it. You and I are together. Just us. You

told me I could trust you, and I do. So do the same

for me, all right? Let this stuff with Donovan go."

As much as Ash didn't like the situation, he

couldn't argue with Fee's words. It'd been almost a

month to the day since they'd made things official,

since he'd asked Fee to trust him. That sort of thing

had to go both ways. Ash couldn't ask for trust but

not give it back.

He pushed the thoughts of Donovan aside and

grinned up at Fee. "As you wish," he said, hoping

to lighten the mood. He didn't want to let his

jealousy ruin the night.

After a moment, Fee shook his head and

chuckled softly. "See? And now you're in on all

these jokes, Farm Boy." He leaned down and

kissed Ash, slow and lingering. "So you can't say

he suits me better than you."

Ash laughed. Yeah, thanks to Fee, he knew all

about
The Princess Bride
, and the Inigo Montoya

T-shirt finally made sense. He couldn't believe

he'd somehow missed that movie growing up, but

he'd never had much interest in films that didn't

involve explosions, crazy car chases, or lots of

blood and gore. It had surprised him, actually, how

much he'd enjoyed the movie when Fee made him

watch it a couple of weeks ago.

"Come on," Ash said. He reached for Fee's hand

and smiled broadly when Fee's fingers laced

together with his. "Let's go inside before Carley

sends out a search party."

10.2

Ash showed up at Jack's apartment just after

kickoff on Sunday afternoon. "I brought friends,"

he said, holding up a six-pack of beer when his

brother answered the door.

Jack laughed. "Well, a man can never have too

many friends."

Ash followed him back to the kitchen where

Jack already had pizza waiting. Jack set two

bottles of beer on the counter and put the rest in the

fridge.

"Come on. Game's already started," Jack said as

he popped the tops off the beers. Ash picked up the

pizza and took it to the living room. He set the

pizza box on the coffee table and settled on the

couch with a slice. Jack was his usual mad man

self, commenting after every play, trying to coach

from the living room.

"I don't think they can hear you. Maybe if you

yelled from the porch?" Ash suggested.

"Oh, come on!" Jack shouted at the TV. Ash

chuckled and got two more beers from the fridge

as the game clock ticked down to end the half. He

handed one to Jack, and Jack muted the halftime

show.

"I'm going to propose to Mari," Jack said.

"I thought you already asked."

"We talk about it a lot, but I think it's time."

"It's past time, bro."

"I'm going to do it right."

Ash chuckled. "There's a wrong way to do it?"

He'd never considered proposing himself, but now

that Jack was talking about it, Ash wondered if Fee

would want that. Someday.

"I know we tease her about it, but I think she

really wants it. The ring, the ceremony." Jack

shrugged. "Maybe even kids."

Ash elbowed Jack in the side. "Who are you

kidding? You've always wanted to be a dad."

"Well, we did have a good role model."

"Yeah, we did," Ash said quietly. Their father

had always been there for them. They'd both

caused their share of trouble growing up, and their

dad had always been on their side, no matter who

started it. At least until they got home. Then he'd

let them know how disappointed he was in them.

That was always the worst. Ash would have

almost preferred he yell at them, ground them or

something. "Still, I was so afraid after the Landrys

caught me and Bobby Wayne kissing behind their

shed."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to come out like that, to let him

down that way."

"Let him down? Are you kidding?" Jack put a

hand on Ash's shoulder. "He was proud of you, you

know. He still is."

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Because after that, you started being who you

are. You stopped hiding it."

"What do you mean hiding it? He
knew
before

that?"

"Dude, we all knew. It's not like he needed a

crystal ball to figure it out or anything. You did

come out to us when you were twelve."

"I did not."

Jack laughed. "Did, too. Don't you remember?"

"No." Ash shook his head. The first time he

could remember talking to his parents about his

sexuality was when he was sixteen, after the

Landrys had called to tell them Ash wasn’t

allowed near Bobby Wayne ever again.

"You came in and said 'I don't think I like girls

that way.' Mom looked at you and said 'Okay, dear.

Eat your peas.' And that was it. You really don't

remember that?"

"And you guys thought that was coming out?

Come on, I was twelve."

"And?" Jack asked with a shrug.

"And …" Ash started to respond, but then he

thought about it. He had lost his virginity the next

year, so maybe he had known then. "I just didn't

want him to be ashamed of what I was."

"What, his son? I'm sure he realizes that can't be

helped. Although I did ask for a sister, not a pain

in the ass," Jack said, reaching over to ruffle Ash's

hair.

"You're funny." Ash smacked at Jack's hand and

smoothed his hair down. "So, how are you going to

do it?"

"Propose?"

Ash rolled his eyes and pointed at the

television. "No, coach for the Bears. Of course

propose, dummy."

"I was thinking," Jack started.

"That's always a dangerous thing."

Jack

glared

at Ash

before

continuing.

"Thanksgiving. Since Mom and Dad are flying in.

Mom's going to let me have Grandma's ring."

Ash took a long sip from his beer. "And you're

going to give it to her in front of all of us?"

"Well, yeah. And Marisol's family. What do you

think?"

"Don't believe in doing anything small, do you?"

"Ash."

"I think it's great, man. Really. And if that

doesn't pressure her to finally say yes, nothing