'Til There Was You - Jerry Cole Page 0,53

washed his mouth out, splashed some water on his face, stole a little spray of deodorant, and only then did he wander out to see his lover.

“Hey.” Austin tried for cool and casual as he strode into the kitchen. His heart thumped so hard against his chest he was sure that Finn would be able to hear it.

“Hey,” Finn said back without looking. He was cooking eggs... two eggs only, and seemed to be in his own world.

Ordinarily, Austin would have liked to have gone up, wrapped his arms around him and given him a kiss. Maybe gotten him hard and tried for a little morning delight? Basically, let him know that last night wasn’t a one off. But the way Finn was standing, the mental barrier he’d erected between the two, held Austin at bay.

Austin took a seat at the kitchen counter instead, doing his best to not look upset... even though his stomach was collapsing in on itself. “How’d you sleep?” he asked lamely.

“Like a log,” Finn responded plainly. “You?”

“Good... good,” Austin lied. Fuck, it was awkward. “You’re making breakfast?”

“I’m sorry.” Finn forced a grimace. “I didn’t know if you’d be awake... and I didn’t want to wake you. I only made enough for myself...” He indicated to the two lone eggs frying in the pan, and then the single slice of toast beside it.

“That’s fine,” Austin lied quickly. “I’m not hungry, anyway.”

Finn may as well have been wearing a shirt that said, ‘leave now, never come back.’ That’s how obvious he was being. Austin had known Finn was a bit of a player, but never ever did he think this would apply to him. For some reason, some idiotic, stupid, moronic reason, he had assumed that he was different, that last night was...

Austin didn’t want to think about it. As he sat there at the kitchen bench, watching Finn make breakfast for one while doing everything in his power to not look at him, Austin tried to comprehend not just how he had been such a fool... but what he was going to do now. He was hurting. He was aching. He was angry. So many things! And all he wanted was a little reassurance from Finn.

But Finn wasn’t giving it. The man may as well have been on another planet for the way he was acting. And it wasn’t so much rude as it was apathetic. It was like Austin didn’t exist. And honestly, that stung more than anything else. Austin had opened himself up, allowed himself to feel, and this was what he got for it.

“So...” Austin started, not knowing where he would go from there. Thank God that at that exact moment his phone buzzed with a message. Austin could have kissed it!

“Who’s that?” Finn asked automatically, but again without looking.

Austin didn’t respond right away. Rather, he read and then re-read the message, not sure that he was reading it right... or that it was even for him.

“Well?” Finn pressed.

“It’s Freddy... my ex.” Austin’s eyes flicked to Finn, hoping to see a reaction, an indication that this might hit Finn a certain way. It did not. “He wants to grab lunch today.”

“Oh yeah?” He may as well have been a robot.

“Yeah.”

Austin had completely forgotten about Freddy. He’d seen him yesterday in the park, but had basically snubbed him. It was something he would have never thought he’d be able to do, but had done so easily. Freddy had been out, Finn had been in. But that was yesterday.

“Are you going to go?” Finn served up his breakfast then took a seat as far from Austin as possible.

“I don’t know.” Austin reread the message.

“You should,” Finn said quickly. He then coughed and spoke a little more directly, “I mean, it’ll be good for you. With how far you’ve come... your goal was to get Freddy back, right?”

Austin had never been a crier, but in that moment, he could have wept for days. “Right,” he managed. Honestly, he wanted to throw his fucking phone right at Finn’s face. Was he serious?!?!

“Then go,” Finn nodded. “As your teacher, I command it.” He finished with a cheeky grin, but then he quickly looked down to his plate of food and shoveled as much into his mouth as he could.

All Finn had to do was give Austin some indication, the smallest sign that this wasn’t a one-night stand, that he had some level of feelings for him. A smile. A wink. A little playful banter. Something! If he had