Chapter Thirteen

Gage

T here's a loud knock before the door opens. "Gage, you decent? I got something to tell ya." It's Max, and he sounds happy. I forgot I invited him to come over.

"Gage, where are ya?" he calls my name again and I raise my hand, waving it in the air to catch his attention.

"Gage, what the fuck happened? Are you okay?" He comes rushing over with the sound of extra footsteps echoing behind him. Both he and Jaxon find me on the floor, witnessing the extent of my despair, covered in tears and snot.

"What's the matter?" he asks, concern clear in his voice as he drops in front of me. Clasping the crumpled letter in my hand, I wave it at him. Taking the paper, his eyes scan over the words before passing it to Jaxon. I gesture toward the top of the counter behind me, prompting him to get up and read the next one.

"Well, shit. No wonder you're sitting on your butt like a self-pitying asshole. Get up, come on!" he insists, tugging me upright. Using the bottom of my shirt, I wipe away the tears and snot that stain my face.

Jaxon approaches me, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug. "Hey, you."

Aware of Max watching us, I only briefly return his hug. My friend is uber-possessive of his man. "Good to have you back. This chump has been miserable without you." Looking at Max, I remark, "No wonder you haven't visited me. Makes sense." Winking, I continue to tease him. "You've been busy in Poundtown !"

Max's arm wraps around his man, bringing him in close and keeping him snug against his side. Yup. I called it—possessive bastard.

"My bad for keeping him away, but he wouldn't let me out of his sight." With a look of pure adoration, Jaxon locks eyes with Max, and it's as if love hearts are bursting out of his eyeballs. Seeing their affection for each other makes me feel a twinge of envy and longing for a similar connection with someone. And suddenly I can't help but think of Doc's words earlier today. Maybe I do need to dive further into these unfamiliar feelings I experience whenever Ash is near.

"Once Max saw your message, he was insistent that we both come over. So how about we take a seat, and you can bring me up to speed on everything?" he suggests, gesturing toward the letters.

Just then, Ash comes through the door, carrying a basket of laundry. He must have been in the downstairs kitchen when I entered through the front doors.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he quickly apologizes, his cheeks turning a cute shade of pink. "I'll just go..."

He pivots and starts walking away, but I call out after him, "No, Ash, please come over and meet Jaxon," I insist.

Turning around, he shifts his basket to one side and walks over to us, his black joggers and band T-shirt giving him a casual and laid-back appearance, while his unstyled hair flops to one side. With his hand outstretched, he reaches out to Jax in a friendly gesture.

"Hi, I'm Ash. I'm new in town."

"And you're living with Gage? You're a brave man," Jax chuckles, throwing me a smirk as he shakes Ash's hand. "I'm Jaxon and I proudly claim the title of Max's boyfriend. It seems I missed your arrival, but now that I'm back, I'm excited to get to know you."

"See, I told you he'd come back," I say to Max with a grin. "I hope you don't plan on leaving him again because he was a complete dickhead without ya."

"Takes one to know one," Max mumbles under his breath, and I catch Ash looking between us, a small smile playing along his lips. His pink lips. His plump pink—shit. There are those not-an-allergic-reaction tingles again. This shit needs to stop. Doc said to get to know him, not jump his bones.

With a warm embrace, Jax presses a gentle kiss on Max's cheek. "I'm here for good." I can't help but notice a subtle blush coloring my best friend's face. It's gotta be nice to have someone who makes you feel special like that.

My eyes flick to Ash, who's standing awkwardly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. I can't help but wonder if he feels uncomfortable around me and my friends. It's easy for me to forget that not everyone is accepting of same-sex relationships. If he isn't, then this arrangement of house sharing won't work. I'm not changing how I act for anyone, and neither should my friends.

"Something the matter? You not comfortable with gays?" I blurt out my words hanging between us with accusation.

"Gage," Jaxon scolds me with a stern tone.

"What? I'm just asking." I notice my voice shaking a bit. "I mean, it's relevant, dontcha think, all things considered?" I wave my hand at Max and Jaxon.

Ash's face flushes and there's an indignant edge to his voice. "No, I'm perfectly comfortable."

"Well... that's good to hear." Now, I feel like a prized prick for impulsively calling him out in front of everyone. I clearly suck at being a roommate. I'm embarrassed over how much the thought of him being a homophobe disappointed my tingle-related hopes. Fuck if I know why. It's not like I want to tingle, and him possibly being homophobic sure would've cured that odd current in me. "Sorry," I murmur, "I'm just having a bad day." Bad fucking year is more like it. Still, doesn't give me the right to be an asshole when Ash has been nothing but nice to me, grateful for the room and all.

"It's fine," he says, voice tinged with resignation. "I'll just go to my room."

"Wait!" I say way too loudly. I'm killing it today with my outbursts. He looks back at us. "You might as well come and sit with us. Since we'll be living together, you'll hear everything, anyway."

With a single clap of his hands, Jax breaks the tension in the room. "Right," he says, his voice filled with amusement. "Now that Gage has caused a scene, let's all find a comfy seat in the living room, shall we? I have a feeling we're in for a ride."

Positioned in my designated corner spot of the sectional, I watch Max and Jaxon cramming themselves together. They're practically humping on my sofa. When Ash appears lost, unsure of where to take a seat, I motion for him to sit beside me. He throws me a wary look, putting his laundry down beside the sofa. Then he positions himself on my left so that we all have a clear view of each other.

"Thanks," he murmurs, making sure to keep some space between us. I really fucked up this time. I'll add it to my ‘ How many people can I disappoint in my lifetime ?' list.

Jaxon takes charge and demands I provide him with a detailed account of everything. Max and Ash sit in silence, their attentive ears capturing every word as I pour out my heart. Max knows most of it already, but Jaxon and Ash don't. Once I'm done, Jaxon rises and walks over to me, motioning for me to get up. Then he wraps me in another warm hug.

"You big dummy!" he scolds. "Why didn't you open your mouth and tell us? You knew perfectly well that Max would've been there to lend a hand."

Letting out a long, exasperated sigh, I hastily gather my hair, securing it with the band I always keep around my wrist. Going over everything has me feeling hot, flustered, and stupid; a failure once more. Story of my fucking life.

Without warning, Ash gets up and takes off one of his shoes. Reaching inside it, he pulls something from it, extends his hand toward me, and says, "Here. It may not be much, and it's certainly not enough for what you'll eventually need, but it's a starting point."

Shifting my focus from his outstretched hand to the folded bill, I ask, "What's that?"

"Like I said, it's not much, but this is my emergency fifty dollars."

"And you're giving it to me?" I swallow because now I feel even more lousy about making any assumptions whatsoever about this... this kid who's now offering me his only cash. I basically just accused him of being a homophobe a few minutes ago, and he still treats me with nothing but kindness.

His eyes, green as fresh spring leaves, shine with sympathy. "Trust me, I know what it's like to be in a tough spot. My friend and his dad have helped me over the years, so now it's my turn to pay it forward and extend a helping hand to someone else."

My heart quickens its pace, and a wave of goosebumps covers my skin. Is this kid for real? Pay it forward? The tingling sensation that I tried to suppress when he sat next to me intensified. It's not allergies, and it's not purely sexual. It's… like a magnet or a radio wave—a signal telling me that my soul identifies with something precious in his soul. Accepting his kind gesture, so I don't slight him once more, I look down at the folded bill. I've always believed that everything happens for a reason. Here's this guy, down on his own luck it seems, whom I've only known briefly, willing to give away his last dollar without hesitation. For me.

Jaxon springs back out of his seat and wraps Ash in a tight hug this time. An oof escapes a surprised Ash as Jaxon squeezes him to the brink of suffocation.

Turning toward me, Jaxon exclaims, "This guy is absolutely adorable, and you're incredibly lucky to have him as a friend. Don't fuck this up." Spinning back to Ash, he quips, "I like you and I hope you'll stick around in Hope."

A cute shade of pink splashes over Ash's face. "Thanks," he near whispers.

Jaxon walks back over to Max, but his attention shifts solely to me as he talks. "Okay, I've heard everything. Gage and Aunt P both made mistakes, but now it's time to move on and fix everything. Just to give you some background, Ash, I had amnesia and found myself washed up on the beach next to Max's Lighthouse. I somehow managed to convince him he's my soulmate, and the rest, as they say, is history. When my memory returned, I went back home to deal with personal matters concerning my family. It's worth mentioning that my parents are no longer in my life, but it was a decision I made and one that I do not regret."

Max takes Jaxon's hand in his, a look of love in his eyes, as he continues.

"On a positive note, after getting my memory back, I remembered I'm fortunate enough to have money. In fact, there's a lot of it. So much so that I'll never in my lifetime get to spend it all. Therefore, I present a proposal. Gage, if you'll let me, I'll take care of your medical bills and then provide you with the funds to restore the bar."

What. The. Hell?

"Absolutely not," I exclaim as I rise from my seat and start pacing back and forth in the living room. God, I've become a charity case. I hope to hell that's not what they think I intended by venting. "I can't let you do that. It's my responsibility to rectify my mistakes." It is. I messed up big time and now I have to deal with the consequences.

"No," Max interjects, getting up. "It's our mess to fix. We're friends, and friends help each other. Do I think it's too much for Jaxon to give away his money? Yes. However, it's his decision on what to do with it, and he wants to help you. We all do. So, it's your choice: continue struggling and possibly lose this place, or set aside your pride and accept help from the three of us?"

Ash comes over and looks at me. "For what it's worth, I think you'd be crazy not to take the help. Just imagine how incredible you could make the bar again. You can do all the things you ever wanted, and like Max said, we're all here to help you."

"Let us love you, Gage," Jax says, coming to stand next to Max.

The room falls silent as they all stare at me, anticipation written all over their faces. Can I really bring myself to accept such a considerable sum of money from Jaxon? It would certainly solve all my problems. For some reason, my friends see something in me I can't see myself. Despite being just an average guy in a small town, these men have faith in me and want me to thrive. I'm a lucky son of a bitch to have friends like these, and although I'm not entirely sure I deserve them, I'm also humbled by their loyalty.

"Okay, but it could take me years before I can pay it all off," I say, finally letting out the breath I was unconsciously holding.

"Okay?" Jaxon asks, tentatively. "So, you're saying you'll accept my offer?" His voice is tinged with disbelief, since he knows my stubborn nature by now.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I look over to my friends, "Sure, I'm willing to accept your help."

Jaxon gives Max a hug and exclaims, "Excellent! I'll get in touch with my attorney first thing and set this in motion. I'm excited about this, Gage, but I do have a few stipulations."

"Fine, but I won't be your third, so don't bother asking," I say, looking at both of them.

"Gross, gonna have to wash that vision out of my brain later," Jaxon complains, wincing.

"No worries, babe. I'll give you a way better visual when we get home," Max says, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Now who's gonna have to clean their eyes with bleach?" I groan.

Ash coughs to clear his throat, grabbing our attention.

"Sorry about that. Let's get back on course." Jaxon shakes his head. "First, you bring in skilled experts to renovate the place to perfection. This way, you'll have concrete documentation to present to the Business Owners Association, proving that you have fulfilled their requirements. We'll rebuild this place and it will surpass its previous glory. Plus, Max and I will enjoy free drinks for a lifetime."

A chuckle escapes my lips as I agree to the deal.

"Second, you'll hire someone to tend to the plants outside because let's face it, you're shit at it."

"Hey, now that is something I take offense to—I absolutely adore those... sticks."

"Exactly," Max says. "‘ Sticks ' being the operative word. They're dead."

I let out a frustrated huff and glance at Ash, who is trying, unsuccessfully, to hide a smile.

Continuing his point, Jax adds, "Third... you add some TV screens. By showing sports, you can attract a larger crowd."

"Yeah, it's about time you catch up with the times, old man. It's 2024 after all," Max throws at me.

"I still have a month until I turn forty," I retort. "And don't forget, you're not that much younger than me."

"But still younger," he winks.

"Kids," Jaxon says. "I'll be done soon, and then you can go play in the park."

"I'm sorry, babe, keep going." Max affectionately kisses Jaxon's head.

"Does the word ‘ fourthly ' exist? Regardless, I'm going with it. Perhaps we can discover a local band to perform and enjoy some live music at the bar. Ooh, we should organize a karaoke night. Have you heard Max sing? He has an incredible voice," Jaxon says, positively swooning.

"I don't want to hear about his pipes, thank you," I tell them, covering my ears. "Keep it in the bedroom, guys."

Max smirks, a mischievous gleam in his eyes, while Jaxon rolls his eyes in exasperation.

"I play," Ash suddenly says, his voice cutting through the room as we all turn to face him. He stands there casually, hands tucked nonchalantly in his pockets.

"For real?" Jaxon inquires.

"Yeah, sing too, though mostly cover songs. I used to work at a bar, music always drew a crowd. I've got my guitar in my room."

"That's awesome! Our very own rock star. So, you'd be willing to provide some music?"

"Sure, if it will help." He shrugs, but the glimmer of excitement in his eyes doesn't escape me. "Since I've been working at the store, I've had little time to practice, but I'll make sure to get back into it. I'd love to perform for a crowd again."

"You and Max should totally sing together!" Jaxon beams. "Gage can give you a paycheck, too."

"Oh no, I'll play for free," Ash insists, his voice filled with sincerity. "That's the least I can do. I don't earn enough to pay rent as it is, so this is my way of giving back for staying here." For a moment, I'm speechless, just staring at him, before I regain my composure.

It's my turn to interject now. There's no way he's gonna give up his time and not get paid for it. "Look, I understand your intention to help without expecting payment, but if we're all gonna be involved in this, then I'll be compensating you for your efforts. By helping me out playing, you'll save me the trouble of searching for someone to fill the spot. Customers will enjoy the music and happily purchase drinks, making it a win/win situation," I tell him.

"Believe it or not, Gage has the ability to be a decent person when he puts his mind to it." Jaxon grins at Ash.

"What are you trying to say? I'm decent all the damn time. I'm a goddamn delight. If only you'd noticed me instead of Max, my enchanting, irresistible charisma would have won you over."

Max and Jaxon both respond with eye rolls. "This is what I meant when I said he's cocky!" Max tells Ash, pointing at him. "But don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough."

Ash just stands there, smiling at me. Biting his bottom lip, he murmurs softly, "I already think he's already great."

Be still my stupid heart, but just like me, my heart is stubborn because it doesn't listen. It's just running rampant.

Jaxon warns, "Don't let him fool you. I'll come to your rescue. Now, show me your guitar, so we can leave them to figure out the renovation specifics."

They stroll toward his room, Jaxon's arm encircling Ash's shoulders, their voices carrying through the hallway in animated conversation. "So, how many times have you been called a ‘ flatlanduh ?'"

Ash laughs. " So . Many . Times ."

The sound of their hushed whispers lingers in the room until the door finally closes. Turning my attention to Max, I ask, "You sure you're good with all this? It all seems excessive, and I dunno if I'll ever be capable of settling my debt with Jaxon."

"Did he ask you to?"

"Well, no, but..."

"How about once the place is thriving again, you could consider contributing a portion of your earnings to a charity that helps those struggling with gambling addiction? Aunt P would have benefited from such support."

"That… that's a brilliant idea, actually. I'll see if there's a local charity." Walking to the kitchen, I grab us both a cold beer from the fridge.

"While they get acquainted, I just wanna say thanks again for everything and apologize for not being more helpful when Jaxon left."

"Don't sweat it. I wasn't the friendliest, either." Handing over a beer, he eagerly accepts it.

"It's great to have Jaxon back home." I take a sip of the cold beer, feeling the refreshing liquid slide down my throat.

"Yeah, it is," his voice fills with love and devotion. "He's my everything. You'll have it one day, ya know? Or, scratch that, I don't think anyone has the courage to take you on," he cackles.

"I should kick you out, you dickhead. I'm a catch and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah." Max clinks his bottle against mine. "Here's to new beginnings."