Page 21 of Watch Over Me

"Don't mind him," James said loudly, looking around. "His brain is off the clock already."

"So many things I could say to that." Martinez appeared in the kitchen entrance. "It's honestly hard to pick."

"Yeah, welcome to my world," James told him, slipping inside when Martinez stepped back. "I need coffee for more than one reason."

"Weren't you guys about done for the day?"

James opened the cabinet with the protein bar stash and grabbed two coconut bars for Ryan and a peanut butter one for himself.

"That was before the senator called with a change ofplans," he said as he turned towards the coffee machine. "We're going to the same gala you're going to tomorrow."

Martinez offered a grunt to that, which made James turn around.

"What?"

"Nothing."

James sighed, leaning against the counter. "I already know Eddie's going, if that's what you mean."

"Uh-uh." Martinez took a sip of his own coffee. "Good."

"Listen, I'm—" James hesitated. He'd cleared the air with Eddie, but he only now realized that might not have been enough. "I made a mistake and I'm not going to do it again. I know it's not my business and it's not on me to decide who goes where."

"That's true. And even if it were, there are better ways to do it than out in the open for everyone to hear."

"It wasn't—" James started to protest, but then caught himself.

It didn't really matter how many people were there. He hadn't been thinking about that at the time, either way.

And he should have.

"Like I said, I made a mistake. I already apologized to Eddie, if that's your concern."

"Good."

"And I hope you know I wasn't implying a lack of confidence in you or Jeremy."

Martinez leaned against the counter as well.

"I sure hope so, since we're great," he said with a slow-building smile.

"Damn right. If he had to—" James caught himself quickly, but from the way Martinez raised his eyebrows, not quickly enough.

Fuck.

"I should shut up until the caffeine kicks in," James mumbled and swallowed a few gulps of too-hot coffee.

"Or you should put your money where your mouth is and finally ask him out."

James choked. "I'm not—"

"Don't even," Martinez cut in, straightening with a shake of his head. "I'm too tired for this level of denial, so I'm going to go. See you tomorrow, I guess."

With that, he walked out, and James was left staring after him.

Did everyone think—?

Fucking hell.

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