Just Jack (7 page)

Jack folded his arms and tensed his jaw. He might be a trickster, but he didn’t appreciate being the butt of someone else’s joke. “All right, you little freaks, you want to play games, how about this one?” Focusing on the largest of the lights, he pointed his finger, smirking as there was a strange squeak and the light stiffened and fell to the ground. The rest of the cluster hummed as they scattered in a frenzy of bright sparks. “Yeah, you better run.”

With a sigh, Jack eyed the fallen light. His victory felt hollow over such a small being. Carefully, he scooped up the snow where the tiny faerie had fallen and gently dusted her down.

“Okay?” he checked.

The familiar and welcome hum returned as the light rose from out of his palm. The small faerie circled him before darting off down the side street, gaining height and disappearing up into the night sky.

Resting his hands on his hips, Jack looked along the alley. Someone was crouched down beside one of the dumpsters. He stepped forward when he recognized who he was looking at.

“Leo?”

Chapter 7

Leo looked at his cell phone. Though Mac never showed at the office that day, he had instead sent Leo a handful of text messages and three voicemails since lunchtime. With each message, Mac sounded more and more desperate and somehow had managed to twist things into making Leo feel like it was actually his fault Mac had gone with another man.

“Not my fault.” His voice was uneven as he leaned back against the side of the building. He should have followed his head, not his heart. His mother had always told him he was too quick to fall in love. Mac had been so charming, and yes, he had a reputation as a bit of a player, but he had been such a gentlemen, showered Leo with attention, and stole Leo’s heart.

Leo scrolled through the messages, deleting one after the other, and he felt that little bit lighter with each one, cared that little bit less. He was drunk and emotional. Exiting his messages, he closed his eyes at the sight of the image used as his cell background. The photograph had been taken at a music festival last spring. Mac was smiling as Leo kissed his cheek. The screen faded to black, and Leo cursed his foolishness as a tear escaped through his wet lashes. Mac wasn’t worth his tears.

What was the point of love when it hurt this bad?

Pocketing his phone, he rested his head back against the brick wall, then slid downward. He crouched on the snow-covered ground. Reaching inside the collar of his shirt, he pressed his hand to his chest just above his heart. Was it always going to hurt like this? Love? Because if it was, he didn’t want to ever fall in love again. Mac had betrayed him, more than once, and Leo didn’t have the strength to forgive him again. How was he supposed to trust anyone anymore? He’d grown up with this notion that people were good, people were decent, and true love was a real thing no matter what anyone said. Disney princes, magic, and fairy tales—as a child he’d imagined his own prince waking him with a kiss as he pranced around his bedroom in his sister’s heels and ballerina tutu.

Leaning back, he looked up at the night sky. He blinked as snow fell on his cheeks. Everything looked so peaceful and easy as he stared up at the dark nothingness. Clouds had covered the stars. There was nothing but dark gray above him, and in some way it helped him reach a decision. He was done with love. He was done with entrusting his heart to others and expecting them to feel the same way. Love sucked.

A sharp pain struck him in the chest, and he curled his fist against his collarbone.

“Sure, kick a guy when he’s down.” He grunted and briefly dipped his head before looking back at the sky. Arching forward, he studied the blank canvas of the sky, surprised when a soft glow lit the clouds, then faded away. He raised a hand to his cheek, his fingertips brushing something solid and cold. His eye twitched as he picked at the icy scab and hissed as he eventually peeled it from his face. Tilting his head, he studied the mysterious droplet. Was that his tear? He ran his fingers up the frosty path his tear had taken. Fluttering his eyelids, he brushed at his stiffened lashes.

What the hell?
He rubbed beneath his eyes, then looked at his hands. Slowly, he curled his fingers, surprised by how heavy and solid his hands seemed. Maybe it was colder outside than he’d realized. He had been drinking, after all. He went to stand, but came over lightheaded so instead sat back down. Blinking, he looked up at the sky. The light was back, a blue glow among the clouds like muted sparks of lightning. He leaned back and watched the light, his breath clouding the air in front of him.

Was the light moving closer? It seemed brighter, intermittent as it moved toward him, spiraling as if falling to earth, and yet it moved with a purpose, controlled almost. He closed his eyes as the chilled air stung his cheeks and waited, expecting the light to consume him.

“Leo?”

Leo opened his eyes, surprised to find the light was gone and instead someone was standing over him.

“It
is
Leo, right?”

“Did you see…?” He looked up at the sky. There was nothing but darkness.

“See what?”

Had it been real?

Sniffing, Leo wiped at his face, his fingers tracing damp trails on his face. He didn’t understand and pulled away his hand, a hemisphere of liquid sitting on his fingertip—a tear.

The man crouched down beside him. “What are you doing out here?”

Leo recognized him from when he had fallen at lunchtime. “Jack.”

Jack smiled, seemingly pleased Leo remembered him.

Leo stared at the man beside him, his attention firmly on Jack’s eyes. Even in the low light, they appeared so bright, so blue. Spurred on by alcohol and the empty feeling inside his chest, he leaned forward, pressing his mouth to Jack’s in a cool kiss. The moment felt longer than it was, and Leo was overcome with panic when Jack gently pushed him away.

“I’m so sorry.” What the hell was he doing?
Embarrassing myself, that’s what.

“Hey, are you okay?” Jack didn’t seem angry about the mess of a kiss Leo had instigated, just concerned and a little confused. “Let’s get you inside, yeah?” Jack rested his hand on Leo’s. Even against Leo’s chilled skin, Jack’s touch still seemed so much colder than anything Leo had felt before.

Their eyes met, and something changed on Jack’s face, as if he had seen something he didn’t like. Leo pulled his hand back and opted to use the wall and the dumpster to help him to his feet. Dusting his hands on his suit pants, he eyed Jack.

“Where did you come from anyway?” Quirking an eyebrow, he looked Jack up and down. “You just hang around waiting to play hero?” He couldn’t decide if Jack stumbling across him for a second time was fate or just plain creepy.

Jack laughed, and his smile lit his whole face. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he stepped closer. “If you must know, I work here.” He pointed at the building they were standing beside.

Leo stared at the brick wall. “The club?” He didn’t remember seeing Jack inside, but that didn’t mean Jack hadn’t been there. Leo hugged himself. The difference in temperature between himself and his surroundings was more prominent. Maybe he was sobering up.

“Yes, the club.” Jack seemed to study Leo, his gaze lingering on Leo’s folded arms.

Could he see how Leo was now shivering? A breeze blew along the alley, and Leo pulled his jacket closed.

“Come on,” Jack said and held open his arms, inviting Leo to walk past him and head inside. “How about a coffee to warm you up? My treat.”

Leo hesitated, but eventually relented. A hot drink sounded good. “Thank you.” He walked past Jack, glancing back over his shoulder when Jack fell in behind him. He briefly checked Jack out, coming to the conclusion that whatever the chances of seeing him again, whatever the coincidences, Jack was anything but creepy. Blinking, Leo turned away as the tightness in his chest eased. Maybe Mac hadn’t broken his heart entirely after all.

* * * * *

“How do you take it?” Jack stood on the other side of the bar. He waited for Leo to settle on the stool.

“Black, please.” Leo rubbed his forehead. “With sugar. Lots of sugar.”

“I’ll get it,” Abe said from behind Jack. He grinned and looked between him and Leo.

Jack went to protest, but Abe was quick to walk away to the other end of the bar to fix the drink.

“You all right?” he asked Leo.

Finding Leo outside in the cold had unsettled him, especially when he had seen the brief but bright blue of Leo’s eyes, the waves of silver and blue in the air above him. The scene had stirred an unwelcome mix of regret and fear and flashes of what his life might have been, and Jack didn’t like it. No matter how much he thought he was over what had happened, what he had lost, and who he now was, there were moments that brought what few partial memories he had back to the forefront.

“To tell you the truth…” Leo huffed a weary breath. “I’ve been better.” He gave a wry smile and leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the edge of the bar. “You?”

Jack looked into Leo’s eyes, pleased to see they had returned to their beautiful smoky green. Leo’s gaze still held a deep sadness, the sadness of a lost and confused young man. Straightening up, Jack looked down the bar. Abe turned away as their eyes met, a smirk on his face as he had been caught out spying on them.

“I’m okay,” Jack said finally and focused on Leo. “But I wasn’t the one sitting outside in the snow.”
Or trying to kiss strangers
. Instinctively, he touched his lower lip, but quickly pulled away when he noted Leo watching him.

Leo rubbed his hands over his face. “I’m an idiot.”

“Personally, I think
he’s
the idiot.” Jack cleared his throat and closed his eyes. What the hell was he doing? “I mean, he’s not worth it.”

“I used to think he was.” Leo pinched the bridge of his nose and massaged his eyes. “Sorry. Not your problem.”

Leo was right, this wasn’t Jack’s problem, and yet he couldn’t help but feel something. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling, a weird combination of sympathy, the fact he could relate to the betrayal of another, and that for some reason he was actually moved to care about what path Leo might be heading on himself.

Gently, Jack pressed a hand to his chest. His heartbeat seemed to echo through him, a muffled pounding in his ears. Maybe there was something more he felt for Leo.

Impossible.

“Here you go,” Abe said. He placed the mug of coffee on the bar in front of Leo, then pressed his hand to the small of Jack’s back, casting him a look before he headed back along the bar to help the other bar staff with service.

Leo blew on his coffee, nursing the hot mug in his hands.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Jack asked. He didn’t know where the desire to help came from. He just knew he didn’t want to see Leo give up on love and life as quickly and as easily as he had. This was no life.

A smile curled Leo’s mouth as he sipped at the sweet, dark liquid. Shaking his head, he lowered the mug to the bar.

“It’s okay. My friends will find me in bit, tell me how stupid I am, and send me home to bed.”

“You’re not stupid.”

Leo shrugged. “Thanks, but I am. All this over some guy.” He pressed his lips together and stared thoughtfully into his coffee.

“Love makes us do foolish things.”

Their eyes met, and Jack felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time—the urge to reach over and stroke Leo’s cheek, to tell him it was going to be okay, to kiss him.

It was Leo who looked away first. “My mom used to tell me that. She always said I was a fool when it came to love. Too quick to say
I love you
and serve my heart up on a plate.”

“That’s not always a bad thing.”

“Maybe.” He looked at his drink, and his shoulders slumped.

Jack didn’t know what else to say. Leo seemed quite a sensitive guy, someone who wore their heart on their sleeve and was able to talk about feelings and stuff. Jack wasn’t good at that, partly because he rarely had a strong reaction to anything. Luckily for Jack, the awkward silence they had fallen into was broken as two people he assumed were the friends Leo had been talking about appeared at the bar.

“You look like crap,” the woman said and slid onto the stool beside Leo. The man she was with stood behind her, circling her waist with his arms. “Could I get an orange juice, please?” she asked Jack.

“Sure.”

“So, have you had your moment?” The woman twisted her finger in a lock of her long blonde hair. “Screamed at the universe and ready to move on?”

Leo laughed. He glanced at Jack and then at his friend. “I guess, yeah.”

“Here,” Jack said. “On the house.”

The woman looked at him curiously. “Oh, thanks.” She looked between Jack and Leo. “Is everything okay?”

Leo opened his mouth, then shrugged. With a sigh, he said, “Ruby this is Jack. He…” Leo frowned.

“I helped him out earlier today.”

“Helped?” Ruby asked.

“When I fell while I was at—” He shifted in his seat as he avoided stating where he had been earlier that day. “Jack played the Good Samaritan.”

Ruby’s eyes brightened. “He did, did he?” She smiled, mischief on her face as she looked Jack up and down. “Nice to know there are still some gentlemen in the world.” She squeezed the hands of the man embracing her, clearly to ensure he knew he was included in the count.

Gentleman? Jack wasn’t sure he deserved the praise. There were plenty of other people he hadn’t stopped for today or ever.

“You should thank him, and I mean properly,” Ruby said to Leo.

“I said thanks.” Leo looked uncomfortable.

Ruby clicked her tongue in annoyance. “No, dummy, I meant like a drink or something.” She turned her attention to Jack. “You’d be up for that, right?”

Wow
. Ruby clearly didn’t do subtle.

“Ruby.” Leo winced in embarrassment.

“It’s okay. He doesn’t have to.” Jack really didn’t want the fuss. Hell, it was his fault Leo had slipped and near enough knocked himself out.