Page 50 of It's Complicated

“Oh,that.” I waved dismissively. “Yeah. All good. That was just a misunderstanding. We’re fine.”

“Good. It’s weird when you’re not in each other’s pockets. You’re the most codependent people I’ve ever met, but somehow, you’re not toxic together.”

“I know there’s a compliment in there somewhere, so I’m just going to accept it and pretend like that made all the sense in the world.”

He chuckled and kicked off his boot. “I just mean you two are good together. You balance each other out. It’s weird when you’re not getting along.” He shoved his foot into his shoe.

“We’re fine,” I insisted, a little too forcefully.

Jesse either ignored my tone, or didn’t notice it, and started unlacing his other boot. “Did Asa already leave?”

“Yeah, a few minutes before you came back.”

“Is it just me, or is he getting even more secretive about stuff? He’s always rushing off and has to leave things early, and he stopped taking overtime shifts.”

“It’s not just you,” I agreed. “I noticed too. But you know him. He won’t talk about it unless he wants to. Sounds like someone else I know,” I added with a pointed look at Jesse.

He shot me a sheepish smile as he stood. “That does sound familiar.”

Jesse wasn’t as bad as Asa, but he wasn’t the talking type either. He kept things bottled up until they got to be too much, then he either did something destructive or turned his turmoil inward and took it out on himself.

“But it’s not like I’m one to talk,” I continued. “I must have missed the class on how to communicate like an adult because I’m just as bad as you guys.”

“It’s easier when you have someone you trust to talk to,” he said softly, his eyes on the bench as he pulled on his sweater. “Someone who knows you and understands why you do the things you do.”

“Bas is that person for you?”

Jesse nodded, his eyes shining with love at the mention of his former rival-turned-boyfriend. “I’m not saying you should only talk to one person about stuff, but it’s easier to be open with other people when you have that kind of support from someone you care about. Someone who chooses to love you.”

“Chooses to love you?” I asked. I had a feeling that statement went deeper than just finding a romantic partner, and it resonated with me for some reason.

Jesse’s gaze darkened slightly, some of his earlier happiness fading. “Biology doesn’t mean shit when the people who share your DNA don’t show up for you. It’s the people who choose to love you who matter, not the ones who have to because you happen to be related.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” That was exactly how I felt; I’d just never had a concise way of saying it before. “I’m stealing that.”

“Go for it.” He closed his locker. “Ready to head out?”

“All set.”

10

ISAAC

The front doorto our apartment flew open.

“I hate my boss,” Jamie announced as he stomped into the apartment. “And my job and the bank and everyone on the planet except you.”

“Rough meeting?” I asked from where I was sprawled on the couch.

“You could say that.” With a weary sigh, he closed the front door and trudged over to the couch, tugging his tie loose.

I tried not to stare as he flopped down next to me. Jamie worked at a bank, which meant he had to dress like an adult when he went to work. I always thought he looked good in business clothes, but I was starting to appreciate them more and more.

The light blue shirt he had on complemented his eyes, but it was the fit that elevated it from hot to suit porn levels.

The chest pulled tight around his pecs, and the sleeves stretched over his muscular arms, but it was still loose enough that the buttons didn’t pull or gape at all.

His slacks, which were the same cut as all of his work pants, hugged him like a second skin, showing off his thick thighs,rounded ass, and narrow waist. Like his shirts, they were just loose enough to not look indecent.

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