Page 26 of New Neighbor

If he wants me—truly wants me—he’ll come find me.

I just gotta wait.

* * * *

The following Friday…

It had been nearly a week since Benji had heard from Mac. He’d been trying to play it cool, but after a few days of nothing, he was starting to think the guy had been toying with him.

How does one drop a bombshell like that and then disappear? Of course, he could’ve gone and knocked on Mac’s door and demanded answers, but he feared the rejection that could come from that.

Apparently, Mac wasn’t as interested as he’d thought.

And he had no one to talk to about it.

No one knew.

No one.

He couldn’t keep living like that.

He simply couldn’t.

Even if Mac wasn’t going to happen, he was tired of living like half of himself didn’t exist. It was time to come out…

He stared at his phone, trying to decide if he gathered all his friends together and just got it over with or if he told them one on one, privately.

The latter won out. Jesse was his usual workout partner, but he’d barely heard from the guy all week. Maybe everyone was ignoring him.

He pulled up Jesse’s contact info and sent a text.Drinks after work? Boynton’s?

A respond bubble formed within seconds…Sure. How early can you get there? I’m off at four.

Benji chuckled and thought to himself,I’m off for the summer, idiot.He typed up his response.I can be there early, if you want. Might be best because I need to talk. Grab a booth in back if you get there first.

Talk?Sure.

The day was long, waiting for four o’clock. He focused on laundry, trying not to listen for any sound out in the hallway. When he did hear something, he went running, only to see it was the landlord working on the light outside Mac’s apartment. He stood at the peephole, hoping Mac would pop his head out and say something to Mr. Ludwicki, but it didn’t happen.

After a few minutes, feeling like a stalker didn’t settle well and he backed away from the door.

He puttered around the house, waiting for the afternoon to come. He read, but kept re-reading the same few lines so long, he gave that up. He tried his hand at some game Clay always beat him at, but he wasn’t all that interested and gave up. Finally, he found something to occupy his mind. He got so interested in a foreign language program online that he made himself late for drinks. Benji raced down the stairs and into his truck before tearing across town. He showed up fifteen minutes late, and considering he was currently not working, that was pretty stupid on his part.

Benji waved to Jesse, ordered a beer from the bar, and then walked over to sit with it once he’d been served.

“You’ve been quiet this week,” Benji said. “You okay?”

Jesse nodded, looking like he’d lost his best friend. Had he?

“That wasn’t much of an answer,” Benji said.

“You ever had someone show you a side of themselves you’d never known existed… and been terrified and excited all at the same time?”

Benji frowned. “I don’t know what you mean, exactly.”

“A friend of mine… a guy I thought was straight… well, I found out that might not be the case… and I don’t know how to react…”

Panic took hold of Benji. “How the hell did you find out?”

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