Page 22 of Employing Patience

“The whole reason I suggested the divorce was … was …”

My intuition kicks in before his words do. “Tell me you didn’t suggest it hoping that he’d quit his whole career to stay here with you?”

Mack rapidly turns red. “No. Well, no, not exactly …”

Yep. He definitely brews slower than the average beer. I’m a good enough friend to hold in my sigh.

“So that plan didn’t work. What’s next?”

“I don’t have anything else,” he wails, hanging his head back. “I had to get out of the house. Everything was so … so normal.”

It’s obvious Mack is clinging to any hope he has of everyone forgetting the divorce happened in the first place, but that behavior isn’t healthy. Unlike this flirting game I’ve been playing with Joey, which is the healthiest relationship I’ve had … ever, actually. Because it doesn’t exist.

“Fucked anyone else yet?” I ask.

Mack’s gaze meets mine. “You offering?”

“You know my cock’s always willing to serve—” Especially since, with Mack in love with Davey, there’s no risk he’d fall in love with me. “—but it was a serious question.”

“And I think you know the answer.”

“Then it’s no wonder you’re conflicted. Your dick is desperately seeking out the person he knows he can get a good time from.” Unfortunately, my comment does the opposite of what I’m hoping.

Mack’s eyes get a faraway look about them. “It was a really, really good time.”

“And it’s in the past. Leave it there, and trust me when I say there are plenty of other guys who can take you to the moon and back. You just need to be open to new experiences. Take that heart of yours off hold.”

“I’m not ready.”

“What about Davey?” I lift my eyebrows Mack’s way. “How many men has he fucked?”

I feel bad as soon as Mack’s face pales, but I only want to get through to him. He can’t keep sitting on the fence like this, waiting for Davey to completely crush his fragile heart for good.

“I … we don’t talk about that.”

“You thought he was cheating already though, right?”

“No.” Mack sits forward, finally showing a flicker of passion. “I never believed that. That was … I was an ass. I used to say that to make him angry, because when he was angry, I’d get attention, and then we’d—”

“Have explosive makeup sex?”

Mack groans and covers his face with his hands. “No wonder he was so quick to divorce me.”

I wouldn’t say years of trying to make it work was quick, but what would I know? Thing is, Mack and Davey are both my friends. They both get along, and there’s never any drama with those two. In fact, if I didn’t know they were divorced, there’s no way I would have picked it. And sure, Griff and his ex-wife are still on good terms, but not like those two … Mack being confused isn’t a surprise when they still act like they’re together.

“Let’s go out,” I announce, and my next words are probably louder than they need to be. “We’ll get your dick sucked, and if you strike out, I’ll do the job my goddamn self.” Then, because I’m the shit-stirrer I am, I glance toward the bar, expecting to find Joey giving me “a look,” but he’s not there. No one is.

I made sure the small bar was stocked myself before anyone arrived, so there’s no reason for him to duck off.

“I dunno, Art …”

“It’s simple. Either you want to move on and find someone who deserves you, or you hate yourself so much that you pine after your ex-husband until the day he shows up with someone new, and it makes you so bitter and angry you inevitably end up in jail.” I squeeze Mack’s arm. “You both have a great relationship. Don’t ruin it by holding on to something that doesn’t exist. Hakuna Matata.”

His smile is fast like I’d hoped it would be. “You had me right up until the end there.”

“Should I have said something about the circle of sex-life instead?”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

---