The Delicious Series: The First Volume

by Stella Starling

  “Always,” someone else replied. “But the way Paul was looking at him during the photoshoot earlier, I’m pretty sure the attention will be appreciated.”

  They were no longer alone. Nick reluctantly came up for air, loving the way it took Jeremy a minute to stop looking dazed. J pressed his lips together, touching them lightly with a finger as if he wanted to hold on to the feeling. Jeremy’s friends had surrounded them while they’d been otherwise engaged, but J didn’t seem to notice them. He just stood there—glowing up at Nick with a look that reminded him of the way the grooms hadn’t been able to take their eyes off each other during the wedding ceremony earlier—making it feel like the two of them were in their own private bubble.

  Jeremy’s friends chattered around them, but Nick couldn’t focus on what they were saying. His heart feel too big for his chest, as if it were literally about to burst, and he honestly didn’t know how he was ever going to be able to leave the man in front of him.

  But he had to.

  “Love is obviously in the air,” one of Jeremy’s friends said, laughing. It was Lucy, the woman who ran the bakery near J’s bookstore, and she elbowed the other bakery employee standing next to her—Danny—as she sent a pointed look in J’s direction.

  “Jeremy is in loooooove,” Danny agreed, throwing an arm loosely around Jeremy’s shoulders, the action hinting at a slight tipsiness. J went bright red. Danny threw his other arm around Nick’s shoulder. “So this is love,” he sang, swaying as he pulled the two of them in for an off-balance hug. “So this is what makes life divine…”

  “Cinderella,” Lucy said. “You’re too easy.”

  “Wasn’t that the song you played for the first dance at your wedding, Danny?” Sherri asked, walking up to join them with her husband in tow.

  “Mm-hmm,” Danny said, smiling dreamily as he released them. Then he turned back to J and grabbed his hand, asking with an alcohol-induced intensity, “You do love me, right Jeremy?”

  “Of course he loves you, baby,” Danny’s husband, Mace, said, wrapping his arms around the slight man with an indulgent smile. “Who wouldn’t?”

  Despite his insta-blush, Jeremy was laughing along with his friends, at ease and comfortable with the teasing camaraderie of the little group. It spoke of deep familiarity and long-lasting friendships, and as much as he loved the fact that J had that in his life, seeing it also gave Nick a twinge of anxiety. It reminded him that J had his roots here. These were his people, this was his home. Being at the wedding—watching Ben and Gavin promise each other forever—had filled Nick with the desire to have a version of that, too. But even if he and Jeremy could figure out a way to make it work, how could he ever ask J to leave the people he loved?

  “You know what I love?” Sherri asked. “That cake.”

  Danny lit up, following her glance at the table where his masterpiece was on display. Instead of two groom figurines on the top, the uppermost layer of the three-tier cake looked like an Italian Renaissance villa. Jeremy had told him that it was an exact replica of the Philbrook Museum here in Tulsa. Danny had recreated the museum’s lush, manicured gardens in the lower portion of the intricate cake, and a set of stone steps sculpted from fondant curving down the side.

  It really was amazing. Completely realistic looking, right down to the expressions on the two grooms faces. Nick had laughed when J told him the story of how Ben and Gavin had first gotten together, and he agreed completely that the cake was perfect. The Gavin-groom had obviously just tumbled down the cake-stairs, and the Ben-groom had him in his arms, looking into his little painted eyes with the same utter devotion that Nick had seen during the ceremony.

  “I’ve always considered you a woman of good taste, Sherri,” Danny said, grinning with unabashed pride. “God, it really, really turned out well, didn’t it? Maybe Gav and Ben will hold off cutting it for a while… did anyone get pictures?”

  “You already took about a thousand, baby,” Mace said, his lips twitching in amusement. “And I’m pretty sure Cash’s latest conquest got a few, too.”

  “Seriously, Danny, it’s gorgeous,” Sherri said. “It makes me want to get married all over again, just so you can do one for me.”

  “Oh my God, Sherri, that would be so much fun,” Danny said, clapping his hands together gleefully. “You should totally ditch Kevin so I can design a cake for you.”

  Sherri’s husband snorted, and she shook her head, laughing. “I was thinking more along the lines of renewing our vows.”

  “Hm. Well, that could work, too,” he said, nodding thoughtfully. He sighed happily. “I love designing cakes for my friends.”

  “Well, then I’m just going to have to talk Kevin into it,” Sherri said, winking at her husband. “Because you’re running out of friends to marry off, Danny.”

  “What am I, chopped liver?” Lucy asked, raising her hand.

  “Worse. Single,” Danny said, waving a dismissive hand. He turned to Jeremy, his voice pure innocence as he asked, “How did you and Nick meet again? Drunk dial? I wonder how that would look on a cake…”

  “Jesus, Danny,” Jeremy said, turning that amazing shade of red he was capable of and shooting Nick an apologetic look.

  Did he actually think Nick would be bothered by Danny’s completely unsubtle wedding innuendo? Nick grinned. Nuh-uh. He kind of liked having one of J’s friends in his corner.

  The emcee tapped the microphone, interrupting their conversation with a request for guests to take their seats. They made their way over to their assigned table—both Nick and Jeremy were seated with the wedding party—and Nick felt a familiar flash of nerves when he saw the cute little hand-written cards waiting by each place setting.

  “Oooh, mine says Lucy: Woman Most Likely To Prank The Newlyweds,” Lucy read gleefully as she picked one of the little placecards up and plopped down into the seat in front of it. “What does yours say, Danny?”

  Jeremy tugged on Nick’s hand and pointed toward an empty chair with a subtle little nod. Unless he was out with Beck, Nick wasn’t used to having anyone know how much trouble written words gave him, and after they both sat down, he squeezed J’s knee under the table in silent gratitude. Jeremy smiled back at him, and Nick’s nerves melted away, warmth suffusing his heart. Jeremy hadn’t made a big deal of it, and the feeling of not facing it alone, not hiding it—at least from one person—was… nice.

  Better than nice.

  Pretty fucking wonderful, actually.

  While Danny circled the table looking for his place card, J plucked his own and Nick’s out of their cute little holders, reading them both out loud to the group. According to the newlyweds, Jeremy was the man most likely to catch the bouquet—“There is no bouquet,” Danny said, looking disappointed as he finally slid into the seat next to his husband, to which Sherri replied that it was the thought that counted—and Nick was labeled the man most likely to catch Jeremy, when he did.

  Jeremy blushed, shooting Nick another one of those half-apologetic, half-delighted looks as he read them. As Danny read his, giggling his way through it, Nick leaned over to whisper in J’s ear.

  “I like the way your friends think,” he said, hoping the comment wasn’t pushing Jeremy too fast. But fuck it. If they had to be apart, he didn’t ever want Jeremy to wonder about where they stood.

  Jeremy’s eyes widened, and he made his little rabbit sound, squeezing Nick’s hand under the table.

  Nick had missed whatever Danny had read from his place card, but whatever it was had the platinum-haired man laughing almost to the point of tears.

  “Maybe you should have eaten something earlier, baby,” Mace said, managing to look amused, even though his face stayed almost-expressionless.

  “I did,” Danny answered his husband cheekily. “Champagne.”

  Mace raised an eyebrow, handing him a glass of water. Danny pouted, but took a dutiful sip anyway.

  “Oh my God, seriously, though. I was too excited for food. I’m just so happy for Gavin,” he said
, looking around the room expectantly. “When are they going to get here? Did they take the scenic route from the church?”

  “If I’d married someone with an ass like Ben’s, I know I would,” Lucy said, not quite under her breath.

  Danny snickered as he pointed toward the entrance. “Looks like you were right, Luce.”

  The newlyweds were just walking in, and even though they were both still wearing the tuxes they’d gotten married in, they definitely looked… mussed. Nick grinned, stealing a glance at J. He wouldn’t mind the opportunity to muss his Pumpkin up a bit, if the opportunity arose. He leaned back in his chair, casually looked around the reception hall as he scanned for places that might offer enough privacy to steal a moment alone with J.

  “Alcove. Behind the cake,” Jeremy whispered, giving Nick a mischievous smile.

  Nick stifled a laugh. Jeremy was… perfect.

  “But first you have to dance with me,” J added, lacing their fingers together as the emcee took the microphone again.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, please help me welcome the happy couple as they take the floor for their first dance as husbands. May I present, Mr. and Mr. Campbell-Edwards.”

  As Ben took Gavin into his arms, Nick wrapped his arm around Jeremy’s shoulders, watching J watch the couple as they started to dance. Jeremy was glowing, and Nick couldn’t look away. The song that the newlyweds had chosen launched into its second verse, sounding like it had been written just for Nick.

  Pardon the way that I stare

  There's nothing else to compare

  The sight of you leaves me weak…

  He tightened his arm around J, determined not to think about the fact that he’d be flying back to Seattle the next day. It turned out that Howie did own a gym out there. He’d been more than happy for Nick to transfer, but he also needed him to start immediately in order to guarantee him a position. Nick had been able to delay his return long enough to make Gavin’s wedding, but he couldn’t put it off any longer. Jeremy would be coming out in September for the Tough Mudder, but that was almost three months away.

  Eighty-seven days.

  And even then, they’d only be together for two weeks.

  Nick swallowed, turning his attention back to the couple on the floor. He wanted what he saw there. He wanted forever, but for now, he’d take what he could get. He managed to shove his melancholy feelings aside and lifted Jeremy’s wrist to his lips.

  “It’s a date,” he said, nodding toward the alcove.

  And when his whispered promise made Jeremy’s glow ramp up a notch, the brightness in his boyfriend’s eyes was enough to banish those blue thoughts completely. They’d figure it out, because brightness wasn’t the only thing he saw when J looked at him. Even without the cute little rabbit squeak from earlier, Nick was pretty damn sure that Jeremy wanted the same things he did.

  And if not—Nick grinned—well, he was willing to work for it.

  More than willing.

  Eager, even.

  16

  Jeremy

  “This heat is ridiculous,” Jeremy said, putting his hands on his hips and throwing his head back as he walked in little circles to try to catch his breath. “Exercise should be banned during the summer.”

  Gavin tossed him a water bottle, and Jeremy used the bottom of his shirt to wipe some of the sweat off his face before taking a drink. Seriously, though, how was he supposed to make it through the Tough Mudder if he couldn’t even go the distance on this easy, paved trail? Although from what he’d heard about Seattle, there was no way it would be this hot and humid there, so that would probably help. He’d always hated summers in Tulsa, and the fact that he had actually managed to stick to the training regimen Nick had set up for him for the past two months was nothing short of a miracle.

  Well, either that, or love.

  Also, Gavin.

  For real, ever since he’d shared his Jeremy 2.0 list with his friend, Gav had been relentless in encouraging him to follow through. Sometimes it made Jeremy want to throttle the man, but if he were honest, it was actually pretty awesome, because a) Jeremy was great at setting goals and making plans, but didn’t exactly have a history of being good at following through, and b) he really did want to make it through the full mud run with Nick, and c) not just because he wanted to impress Nick, although for sure that, too, but also because d) he kind of liked the feeling of accomplishing things, of being Jeremy 2.0, of actually doing what he set out to.

  And—not to sound vain—but he didn’t mind what the whole summer of training had done for his ass, either. He was definitely going to buy some jeans that showed off the new and improved rear view before he flew out to Seattle.

  “This is why I suggested we hit the gym this morning instead,” Gavin said, laughing as he finished off his own water. “It really is too hot to do this kind of thing outdoors in the afternoon.”

  “Next time I think I’ll believe you,” Jeremy said, finally starting to feel like he could breathe without panting. “But that still doesn’t mean I’m going to show up for your predawn workout. I don’t know how you and Ben manage to get up so early, Gav. Now that you’ve got Luce for the morning baking, don’t you ever want to sleep in? And oh my God, seriously, do you have any more water?”

  “In the car,” Gavin said, chucking his empty bottle in a trash bin as they headed to the parking lot. “And I do sleep in now. Sometimes.”

  “What? Five in the morning? Gav, that totally doesn’t count.”

  “This morning I didn’t get out of bed until six,” Gavin said, as if he actually believed that was supposed to qualify as “sleeping in,” even if it was three hours later than he used to wake up back when he did the opening shift at Delicious. Then, grinning, he added, “Not that I was actually sleeping that whole time.”

  “Married life working out well, then?” Jeremy asked, smirking.

  “Mmmm,” Gavin said, nodding. “Yeahhhhhh.”

  “Oh my God, stop,” Jeremy said, laughing at the expression on Gavin’s face. Shit, he was going to need some chocolate now. Well, he was going to need Nick, but that was still three and a half weeks away. So chocolate would have to do, plus maybe some FaceTime action…

  “I miss him,” he said, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

  “I like Nick,” Gavin said, his eyes softening as he popped the trunk of his car and opened the little cooler he kept back there.

  Seriously, could the guy be any better prepared? Jeremy took the cold bottle of water gratefully, holding it against the back of his neck for a blissful minute.

  “Me too,” he said. Understatement of the century.

  “He’s not like the other guys you’ve dated,” Gavin said, since apparently understating the facts was contagious now. “Any chance he’ll ever come back to Tulsa?”

  “Nope,” Jeremy said, a part of his brain noting that he’d now fully adopted the Nick-word into his vocabulary.

  He grinned, wondering what Gavin would say if he started calling him “dude.” But then that made him think of Nick—well, kept him thinking of Nick—and he had to take a drink, hoping it would help with the sudden tightness in his throat.

  There was no way Nick was coming back, and even though Jeremy was still unequivocally on board with the sometimes-not-never relationship plan, it still… sucked. More than he’d thought it would. Nick may have been the best part of every one of his days, but missing him was also the hardest.

  It was like the ache of a missing limb.

  Well, okay, so he’d never actually lost a limb—thank God—but he had an active imagination, and Nick… Nick felt like a part of him. A necessary part. The part of his heart that he hadn’t even known existed until he’d finally found him.

  And even though missing Nick was something that had become a constant—a 24/7 undertone of lack in his life—it wasn’t like he spent all his time pining for the man. He’d been keeping himself busy, and not just busy in the sense of trying to keep his mind off the absen
ce of Nick, but Jeremy 2.0 busy.

  His days were filled with plenty of things that had nothing to do with Nick, things Jeremy had always wanted to do—like the swing dancing class he’d taken with Lucy the month before—and things that he sort of hated but knew he should do anyway, like that ugh-worthy retirement planning seminar that Gavin had talked him into going to the month before.

  But even if his life wasn’t empty without his man, it also wasn’t quite… fulfilling.

  Telling Nick about his day on FaceTime wasn’t the same as actually sharing it with him.

  Jeremy was in it for the long haul, for sure, but somehow he’d assumed that the long-distance thing would get easier as time went on. And okay, it had only been sixty-one days so far—a drop in the bucket compared to the forever that Jeremy was hoping for—but on every one of those days, it had gotten harder to be away from Nick, not easier. And maybe, ironically, it was because the longer they were apart, the closer Jeremy felt to him. Not because of the distance, but in spite of it.

  They talked every day, and every moment with Nick just reaffirmed and strengthened what Jeremy had already known.

  Nick was the one he wanted to wake up next to, grow old with, lean on when he needed to, support when he could. The two of them turned into something better when they were Team Us. Like somehow, when it came to tackling life, Jeremy’s one plus Nick’s one added up to way more than two.

  But the answer to Gavin’s question was still no.

  Nick wasn’t coming back to Tulsa.

  And even though Jeremy was 99% sure that Nick felt the same way he did, they’d never talked about the possibility of Jeremy moving to Seattle. Jeremy just didn’t see a way to make it happen, and the fact that Nick hadn’t brought it up… well, there was a tiny, 1% part of him that needed Nick to go first. That needed to know that Nick wanted him to.

  One of the worst things about being apart was just how many non-Nick hours of the day there were during which that 1% of uncertainty could start to grow into full-fledged doubts and fear. Most of the time, Jeremy told himself that he was being ridiculous. Nick may not have said the words, but the man showed him how he felt with every action, every thoughtful consideration, every word he did say. But still, that annoying little 1% was there. Fed by the memory of all the failed relationships in Jeremy’s past, and fueled even further by the absence of all the things that neither he nor Nick had said.