No Good Deed - Marie Sexton Page 0,1

but I have to get ready for work.”

“I know. And I need to get home and deal with the train wreck I’ve made of my life.”

Charlie followed him to the door, but Gray stopped short before going through. “Thanks, man.” He turned to face Charlie. “I mean it. I don’t know how I’d get through any of this shit if it weren’t for you.”

“No problem. That’s what friends are for, right?” Charlie slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll call you after my shift. See how things went with Jonas. You can always come over and drown your sorrows here instead of Phil’s house. My whiskey isn’t as good, but at least there’s no Rory to deal with.”

Gray laughed. “Sounds like a plan.”

Charlie closed the door behind his closest friend. His heart hung heavy as he made his way to the bedroom. He found his guest sitting up in bed, the sheets puddled around his naked hips.

“How much of that did you hear?” Charlie asked.

“All of it.”

Charlie leaned against the doorframe. “So what happens now.”

“Well,” Jonas said, climbing out of bed. “Sounds like I’m going home to break up with my boyfriend.”

Charlie heard from both of them, once the breakup happened. From Jonas, he received only a text.

It’s done.

Are you okay? Charlie texted back.

Yes. More relieved than sad.

Where will you go?

Hotel, for now.

Charlie debated telling him he could move in with him. Except of course that would cause all kinds of issues, especially since he knew Gray would be coming by later that evening to see him.

He’ll need you tonight more than I do, Jonas texted before Charlie could formulate a response. Don’t worry about me. TTYL

Gray came over that evening and drank until he passed out on Charlie’s couch. He wasn’t sad about the breakup so much as angry, and frustrated that Phil, the man he loved, was still living with somebody else.

Three nights later, Jonas showed up on Charlie’s doorstep, his eyes red and swollen from crying. They sat facing each other on the couch, holding hands as Jonas talked. By the time he was done, Charlie was nearly crying too.

“I don’t see why you have to leave.”

“I can’t stay here. I feel like there’s nothing left of me left, Charlie. No part of me that Gray hasn’t crushed. I have to rebuild myself from the ground up.”

“Fine,” Charlie said. “I get that. But why can’t you do it here?” He squeezed Jonas’s hand. “With me?”

“Don’t. Please.” Jonas pulled his hand away to wipe tears from his eyes. He’d chewed his nails to the quick—a habit he’d developed over the last year as his relationship with Gray fell apart. “There’s nothing I want more than to be with you. I’d love to move in here and wake up with you every morning—”

“Then do it!”

Jonas shook his head. “It’s not that easy. We both know that. Me breaking up with Gray doesn’t mean I can just start shacking up with you without any repercussions.”

“We’ll talk to Gray. We’ll reason with him—”

But Jonas was already shaking his head. “It’ll never work. As soon as he finds out about us, he’ll start wondering how long it’s been going on. And no matter how many times we tell him it wasn’t like that, he’ll wonder. He’ll be suspicious. Every time he needs you but you’re busy with me, he’ll feel betrayed. Every time you choose him instead of me, I’ll feel abandoned. Phil and Warren will feel like they have to choose sides. Every get-together will be more awkward than the last. And no matter how many times I say I won’t allow you to get stuck in the middle, sooner or later, somebody ends up giving you an ultimatum.” He shook his head. “And when you have to choose between Gray and me, I’m not sure I’ll like the results.”

Charlie wanted to argue. He wanted to say it wouldn’t be like that, or that maybe he’d be ready to choose Jonas over Gray.

But would he?

He loved Gray more than anyone—not as lovers, but as friends who’d been through everything together. They were brothers in every way that mattered. He couldn’t imagine a life where he and Gray were at odds with each other.

“If we give him some time…” But he wasn’t sure he believed his own protests.

“Charlie.” Jonas put palm against Charlie’s cheek. He managed a hint of his usual, lopsided grin, but it did nothing to change the heartache Charlie saw in his eyes. “I’m not going to be the Yoko