Page 96 of Still Bruised
Paulie’s smile faded. “Ah, that’s too bad.”
“Why too bad?”
Paulie shrugged. “In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you with anybody. You know, romantically.”
“That’s because I don’t do relationships.”
“That sounds lonely,” Paulie said.
Jude met his stare.
“Granted, when I was younger, I hopped from bed to bed without any thoughts to the future, but I had the occasional girlfriend when one felt like she might be the keeping kind. Until I met my Lisa, of course, and then Iknew.”Paulie looked himover. “How are you supposed to find a husband if you don’t test out some boyfriends first?”
It was no secret that Jude was gay. Hadn’t been since high school. Even so, he didn’t discuss any parts of his sex life with his team—even Paulie. Work was work, and he didn’t kiss and tell. But that strict separation also meant he’d had no idea how any of them would react if he’d defied the odds and got serious with someone.
With a cutting room filled with big, gruff, assumingly straight men, he’d had some doubts. He’d never been close enough to relationshipland to be interested enough to test their reactions.
Paulie’s concern—and the open acceptance—made the backs of his eyes tingle a little bit.
As long as he’d worked there, the guy was almost family. Paulie was the pain-in-the-ass uncle who sometimes talked too much shit and then occasionally stepped in it, but you couldn’t help but love him regardless. His heart was bigger than his head and almost always in the right place.
“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t plan on ever getting married.”
Paulie chuckled. “Sure, you say that now, but one of these days, the right guy is going to turn your head, and you won’t be able to look away. I’d bet money on it.”
“We’ll see,” Jude said. He eyed Paulie. “But thanks.”
“For?”
“I think you know what for,” Jude murmured.
Paulie smiled at him before clasping his shoulder. He squeezed it and then walked inside the building without another word.
Jude followed him inside and looked around. Everyone had a job to do and had jumped in to do it, just like every other morning. Most of them had been with him for years. A couple of the retail folks had been there since his father was still running the place, too. He rarely had to look over anyone’s shoulder, besides Mario—who was technicallyPaulie’sapprentice since he was the only Master Butcher in the place.
They all pitched in to teach Mario, but everyone else, including Jude, were only journeymen. Paulie outranked them in that regard.
And he was right.
Judedidn’tneed to be there every single day. It was him who’d needed to be there—a place where he’d felt needed. Somewhere to his mind occupied and away from the dark thoughts that sometimes plagued him.
He’d missed a chance to spend a day in bed with Foster because he’d been too blind to see that. Although, it was probably a good idea not to. He was already way too deep with Foster as it was.
After getting a till out of the safe and handing it over to Margot, Jude peeked into the back. “Hey, Paulie… I think I’ll take a couple of hours off. Walk over to the hardware store and get a set of keys made up for you.”
Paulie spun to face him, sharpening one of his knives. “I think we need to educate you on what the meaning oftime offis. Going to get keys is technically work.”
“Whatever. I won’t be here, will I?” Jude asked, grinning. He shoved his work keys into his pocket and headed out. As he walked down the street, he tried to stop smiling, but his face had other plans. His cheeks hurt by the time he walked into the hardware store a few blocks over.
Jude greeted the owner. “Hey, Bob.”
“Hiya, Jude!” Bob said. He had a broad smile as he sidled up to the counter. “What can I do you for?”
Jude pulled out his keyring as he walked over to the counter. “I need to a full set of keys made up for the store.”
“We can do that for you,” Bob said.
He slipped the first one off and handed it over before tackling the second. “You know, I don’t know if I have a spare set of these myself. Might not hurt to get two sets, if that’s not too much trouble?”
