Page 40 of Your Pace or Mine
Jamie interjected, sounding uncomfortable. “I, I don’t think I can afford that. I don’t have insurance right now, and…”
Sebastien’s puzzled look would have made Darius laugh if he hadn’t known the misunderstanding was completely his fault.
“I won’t charge you, obviously,” Sebastien replied, confusion evident in his voice.
Jamie’s jaw took on a stubborn set. “I don’t expect freebies, and I don’t want Darius to pay for me.”
“But he’s not really paying,” Sebastien replied.
Jamie turned to Darius. “Youdon’t pay for physio? Seriously? That’s somiserly.”
Darius felt his cheeks heat. “It’s not like that!”
“God, Darius, what did you expect him to think if you don’t bloody tell anyone anything?” Seb interjected.
“Yeah, I get it, thanks, I’m selfish, closed-off and out-of-touch.”
Darius saw Jamie wince at the reference to their earlier conversations.
Sebastien ran a hand through his hair. “You’re not that. Bit of an arsehole maybe, sure. But you’re just… still learning to trust people.” He turned to Jamie. “Darius is my business partner. Well, silent partner, I guess. We co-own the clinic, and he funded the programme I run, helping people get back into exercise after serious injuries and illnesses.”
Jamie was silent, a series of expressions passed over his face, but no words came out until he seemed to settle on a softly spoken ‘oh.’
After a short moment to gather his thoughts, he turned back to Darius. “You know this is exactly what you should talk about to sway the selection committee in your favour, and get public opinion onside?”
This was exactly what Darius didn’t want. Sebastien was making him look all altruistic when he’d only backed the clinic and the programme because he hadn’t wanted to lose Sebastien as a friend when they’d broken up after university. He liked helping his mates succeed, and the fact that success for Sebastien looked like saving the world one pulled hamstring at a time just made it easier to justify the funding. Darius was starting to enjoy Jamie’s company, but he didn’t want him getting the wrong idea about him. He was grumpy and irritable and only cared about like five people and, of course, running.
Darius sighed. “I don’t care about public opinion. I just need the selection committee.”
Jamie huffed. “Same thing, you should talk more about this kind of stuff.”
Darius shrugged it off, unsure what he could even say, or how he could explain that it would feel false to do that. Even more so than parading a fake relationship around. Because, really, none of his attraction to Jamie had to be faked at all.
Sebastien had started to cart his things out the door to his small car, which he’d parked on the kerb, but Jamie lingered. “Do you have a minute?” he asked Darius.
Darius nodded, waving to Sebastien as he drove off.
“Of course.”
Jamie shifted uncomfortably. The sun reflected off his eyes as he leaned against the opposite side of the open doorway, theirfeet nearly touching on the threshold. “I wanted to apologise for jumping to conclusions back there.”
Darius smiled. “It’s fine, Jamie. We’ve been doing that a lot with each other, haven’t we?”
“Yeah, for the record. I don’t think you’re miserly, or even an arsehole, like.”
“I kind of am, you can admit it.”
Jamie laughed. “Okay, fine, but only when it’s deserved.”
“Like when someone ruins my favourite jumper?”
“Oh my god, it was an accident.”
Darius looked into his shining blue eyes. “I know.”
“Darius, I…”
Their bodies gravitated closer, and Darius leaned in. The air between them crackled with electricity as he felt Jamie’s breath ghost over his face. A horn sounded from the street, startling them apart. Sebastien was leaning out of the car window. “Forgot my phone on your table, mate.”
