Page 14 of Returning Your Love
“Are you really asking how I’m feeling about the loss of my NFL career?”
A quick glance my way showed concern in his hazel eyes, but I was too wrapped up in him to feel depressed at the reminder of why I’d come home.
Fuck, he had the longest, most gorgeous eyelashes women would kill for. Full lips a pale pink I wished I could bruise with my mouth.
Jesus.
I tore my focus off him for the pothole-riddled dirt road ahead where the blacktop ended.
“You don’t have to talk about that part if it’s still too painful,” he said. “Fill me in on the last four years. It’s been a long fucking time.”
“Sorry for not keeping in touch.”
I expected Chaz to give me shit, but he didn’t. “Same, man. I’ve been a pretty awful friend.”
“Dad told me you bought the old auto shop and that you’ve been crazy busy.” I offered him an out and a chance for me to avoid the topic of how bummed I was over the loss of a dream.
“Yeah—I’ll use that excuse if you’re willing to accept it.”
“Life gets in the way, Chaz. No hard feelings, yeah?”
A small, crooked smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “Yeah. Now tell me about all the trouble you enjoyed down at Boston College.”
“Isn’t much to share to be honest.”
“Bullshit,” he shot back with laughter. “Jamie Forester, ‘Greek god of football’ with the navy blue eyes girls used to swoon over, didn’t spend four years in the big city without getting intosomefun situations.”
I wondered what Chaz would think about my OnlyFans account and the fact I’d used those earnings to hire a male escort who was a dead ringer of him. Yeah, those two things were definitely not up for discussion. Secret number one of too many to count.
“I was a good boy for the most part,” I said, and he laughed. “What? When did I ever cause trouble?”
As the chief’s son, I asked a serious question. Dad had put the fear of God in me back when I’d been a hyperactive kid but also taught me to respect my elders and follow the law. Hell, even lying was a huge no-no to me, which meant I tended to avoid subjects that would require I speak truth.
“Remember when you were caught underneath the football stands with Jimmy Riley and what was his name…Sam? Silas?”
I couldn’t recall the guy’s name Jimmy had been on his knees for, but I hadn’t been involved. Just unknowingly close by until it was too late to hightail it outta there.
“Fuck you, Chaz—I was in the wrong place on the wrong day. Don’t know how many times I’ve told you that.”
Chaz laughed, and fuck, did I love that sound leaving his lips. His shoulders relaxed, and he seemed more at ease when he glanced at me. “Coach made sure those two got a few days off school while you only ended up with a week’s worth of detention.”
“And I shouldn’t have even hadthat,” I complained. “I wasn’t getting my dick sucked, and I also wasn’t gagging on that dude’s cock.”
“Jesus, Jamie.” Chaz shifted, taking a left to head around the lake’s five-mile encompassing road.
My stomach tightened, my grin fading. He must not like hearing about what gays got up to.
“Ever see Jimmy down in Boston?” Chaz asked.
“No,” I answered a little too quickly, but Chaz didn’t seem to catch wind of how his question caused my insides to go jumpy. “Met a lot of cool guys in college though. Made a couple friends but never anyone like you, Chaz. No one I could call brother or hang with twenty-four-seven like we used to back in the day.”
“Why am I happy about that fact?”
I huffed a laugh. “You always were possessive.”
“Really?” He shot me a glance before facing forward just as quickly. “What’d I ever do to make you think something like that?”
“You hated whenever any of the other players on the field with us wanted to hang out. I remember a few times the entire team got together when we’d had plans with Shelly, and you’d get all pouty.”
