Page 22 of Peacocks

Charlie looked at Hunter. “Did the two of you ever…?”

My stomach dropped when Hunter bounced his eyebrows back at Charlie. “Bow chicka bow wow,” he sang, rotating his hips. “Where to begin with me and Jay? Let’s see…” He put his fingertip on his chin and pursed his lips.

I tried to imagine that finger or those lips on Jay—myJay—and the idea made me sick.

“You’re upsetting Lane,” Charlie warned with a growl.

“Ah, it’sLanewho’s upset. Riiiight.” Hunter turned to wink at me. “No, Jay and I never did anything. Correction, we went out for a beer one time, but we ended up mediating a fight between Hux and Kev. I believe it was in regards to pilfered apples, although they seemed to be magical, video game apples… which was a bit confusing and required quite a bit of detailed explanation. Before I knew it, I was knee-deep in harvesting pixelated virility gourds.” He shuddered. “I ended up having to do a six-week detox course just to stop caring about my homestead and orchards.”

Charlie muttered, “Don’t get him started talking aboutHorn of Glory, or poor Tammy Wynette will die of old age before you get a chance to give her a follow-up visit.”

Hunter shot him a look. “I’m clean. One thousand daysHOGsober. And don’t worry. Jay didn’t take to the video game like I did.”

“So you never hooked up with Jay?” I asked, just for clarification’s sake.

“No. Never.” He tilted his head. “Haveyou?”

I let out a breath. “Yes. We… we’re hooking up.”

“You don’t say,” Charlie said in a dry voice.

“And… and I think I want it to be more than that,” I went on in a whisper. The realization made my heart beat like hummingbird wings. “It’s just… I suck at relationships. After my last breakup, I swore I was never going to do that again. At least, not anytime soon. And here I am, wanting more with Jay…”

“Jay’s a good man,” Hunter said. “One of the best.”

“I know. He’s always there to lend a hand. And the man would rather die than ever let you pay him back. He’s… he’s amazing. But that doesn’t mean I know how to be a good boyfriend.”

Charlie slid an arm around Hunter’s waist and leaned against his side. “Actually, Lane… you’d be surprised. Finding the right guy sometimes makes all the difference.”

Hunter pressed a kiss to Charlie’s head. “Agreed. Relationships require two people caring enough to make them work. When they end, it’s never just one person’s fault.”

I took a breath and considered this. When Chad had blamed me, I’d believed him because he was right—Ihadn’tbeen as invested in our relationship as I should have been. But I couldn’t imagine not caring about Jay’s happiness. The man had fascinated me from the beginning, even when I’d been mistrusting and befuddled by his kindness.

“But… what if I tell Jay I want more, and it doesn’t work out? Everyone in town will know. It’ll be awkward as fuck.”

Charlie nodded. “The small-town thing’s hard to get used to.”

“Actually, it’s the opposite. Athens is a small place, too. Everyone knew everything about Chad and me, which was why I wanted to move away after our breakup and his marriage. I want to be with Jay, but I don’t want everyone else’s business in my business about it.”

Charlie shook his head. “That’s not really an option here, I’m afraid. Less than forty-eight hours after Hunter and I went official, people started getting involved. Someone—my money’s on Hunter’s sister—anonymously dropped off a congratulatory lube basket… which is exactly what it sounds like, by the way.”

A snicker burbled out of me, and I clapped my hand over my mouth.

“At least the lube was useful and, like you said,anonymous.” Hunter’s tone was aggrieved. “Unlike your grandfather cornering me outside the Tavern to discuss ‘a Nutter man’s unique needs’ and make sure I’d be ‘a good provider.’ Don’t you dare laugh, Charlton. I was afraid he’d offer me a demonstration.”

Laughing, Charlie buried his face in Hunter’s chest. “I know, baby. I know. It was awful… but also kinda sweet. Meddling comes with the territory around here, I’m afraid.”

I groaned. “So you’re telling me I need to bite the bullet? Just… wreath him in front of the whole town and tell him flat out that I’ve developed real feelings for him? We haven’t even been on a date.”

Hunter shrugged. “You could always tell him with tots first. It’s the time-honored tradition here, after all.”

I glanced back and forth between them, wondering what the fuck they were talking about. “Tots? As in… children?”

“Nope. As in taters. Shredded potatoes.” Hunter settled himself on a stool while Charlie went back to pressing garlic into the giant pot of spaghetti sauce he was making. Hunter’s voice was no longer teasing, and I could tell he wanted to help. “See, we have a date restaurant here,” he began. “You might say it’s the romance capital of the Thicket. And if you take your honey to the Steak n’ Bait?—”

“No.” I glanced between them. “The Steak n’ Bait? Come on.”

“You live in a town that celebrates the Lickin’, the Bobbin’, the Gobblin’, and the Entwinin’, Lane.” Charlie tapped the side of his spoon against his pot of sauce. “Of course it’s called the Steak n’ Bait.”

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