No Good Deed - Marie Sexton Page 0,56
as it did with Jonas. I knew I was falling for him. I knew he was vulnerable. And I…” He sighed, remembering. “I was so damned lonely after Tad left. You all still had your partners, and I was the third wheel.”
“I think that would have made you the seventh wheel.”
Charlie laughed. “Yeah. Like that’s any better.”
Gray nodded, rubbing absentmindedly at the label on his beer bottle. “You’re always so busy helping us, you never bother telling us when you’re the one who needs help. But Jonas was the one who paid enough attention to know it anyway. He was the one who offered comfort back.”
Charlie nodded, considering. “I guess so, yeah. We understand each other. We just…fit, I guess. It’s like we’ve always been on the same page.”
“I wish you had told me. I guess that’s the other thing. I’ve always told you everything. And to find out you were keeping a secret that big for six fucking years? That hurt more than you sleeping with him.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t have any other secrets from you, but I didn’t know how to tell you I’d fallen in love with your boyfriend.”
“But you could have,” Gray said, leaning closer. “Especially once we broke up. You could have told me. I would have given you my blessing.”
“No, you wouldn’t have,” Charlie said. “Not back then. You were still too angry.” Charlie took a deep breath. “But I sure wouldn’t mind having it now.”
Gray narrowed his eyes, assessing him. “I worry, you know? I don’t trust him. And I realize that’s based on shit that has nothing to do with you, and maybe it’s unfounded and I need to give him the benefit of the doubt. But I worry he’s going to break your heart all over again.”
Gray’s determination to protect him made him smile. “It’s my heart. I’m willing to risk it.”
“You really think he’s worth it?”
“Absolutely. I feel like I’m getting a chance to fix one of the biggest regrets of my life, Gray. But I don’t know what to do if having him means losing you.”
This time, it was Gray who reached across the table to take his hand. “It won’t. Jonas and I used to fight about everything. But the one thing we can both agree on is that we won’t turn this into a tug-of-war with you in the middle.”
Tears filled Charlie’s eyes, and he hurried to wipe them away. “Thank you. I know it has to be awkward for you, and for Avery.” He shook his head. It was possible the whole thing was hurting Avery more than anyone. “How’s he doing, knowing your ex is suddenly back in your life?”
Gray shrugged half-heartedly. “Trying to pretend he doesn’t care, but we both seem to be tiptoeing around Jonas’s name.”
“I feel bad about that. I wish he could merge right into the group the way Avery did.”
Gray tilted his head, almost smiling. “Avery didn’t fit in right away. It took a while, if you remember.”
That was true, but that was because Avery had been a real pain in the ass the first couple of times they’d all met him. Jonas wouldn’t do that. The real question was would Gray, Phil, and Warren give him a chance?
Gray pursed his lips, thinking. “Maybe you should go ahead and schedule that poker game. You’re the only one with a table big enough for all eight of us anyway.”
Charlie winced at the thought. “I’m not sure the group’s ready for that.”
“I believe you once told me that waiting for the right time is the perfect excuse for wasting time.”
Charlie laughed, surprised. “Since when do you actually listen to the things I say?”
“Since always,” Gray said. “The longer you put it off, hiding Jonas from the group like some kind of dirty secret, the harder it’ll be down the stretch. Do exactly what you’d do if Jonas was some guy you’d just met instead of my ex. The sooner they all get used to the idea of him as your partner instead of mine, the easier it’ll be.”
Charlie blinked at him, surprised that Gray had apparently put some thought into it. “When did you start being the smart one?”
Gray laughed. “I’ve always been the smart one. I just hide it well.” He shrugged, suddenly sheepish. “I figure that’s what you’d tell me if the shoe was on the other foot.”
It made sense. It’d be uncomfortable as hell at first, but putting it off wasn’t going to change that. If anything, it’d only