Page 84 of We Were Never Lovers
“Because, I dunno. It was my business,” Sean said and sat up. “But now I want a few more people in on my business so Jack never has to go through all that on his own ever again. And,” he looked over at Jack and smiled at him as he went on, “and my boyfriend’s hot as fuck, so,” he winked, “kinda wanna show off a bit.”
Jack blushed. “I reckon I’m the one who’s showing off.”
Ben cleared his throat again.
“Congrats?” he said with a grin. “Seriously, Lord knows no woman would be able to put up with ya, Sean.”
“Ah, fuck off,” Sean laughed.
“And Jack’s a catch, eh?” Ben went on, winked at Jack.
“Stop flirting with him,” Sean said and got up. “Fuck, I need a beer.”
“Me too,” Ben breathed out.
“I’ll get them,” Jack jumped up and pushed Sean back down with a firm kiss.
Ben waited until Jack was out the door to lean over and whisper. “Seriously happy for ya dude, and this makes a lot of sense, kinda like how you were so obsessed with him.”
“I wasn’t obsessed,” Sean hissed.
Ben cackled. “Yeah, ya were. Fuck, how did I not know? But also, how the fuck didyoulandthat?”
“Fuck off,” Sean said, “he’s lucky to have me. I’m a fuckin’ delight.”
Ben cracked up. “You’re an asshole. And he’s a legit nice guy. Hot too.”
“Stop pervin’ on my fuckin’ boyfriend,” Sean said as Jack came back in, his face reddening.
“What’re we talking about?” Jack asked like he didn’t really want to know.
“Ben was just sayin’ how lucky I am,” Sean replied and took the beer Jack handed him.
“I think I’m the lucky one,” Jack replied seriously.
Ben heaved with laughter, but Sean could only smile.
They waited until everyone left the BBQ, holding Jack’s sisters back minus husbands and kids, and told them.
Annie said she knew Jack was gay. “I saw your search history when you borrowed my laptop. Believe me, I wasn’t searching forBig Guy Gets Dicked Down by Dom Cock.”
Jack went absolutely scarlet and Sean snorted his coffee out his nose.
“I can’t believe you needed to watch porn so bad—you only borrowed it for a day,” Annie went on.
“You were not subtle,” Amy chimed in and Sean looked at her with his memories intact—he was the closest to her of the four since Amy worked for the Department of Primary Industries and Agriculture, spent a lot of time out his way for work and on her husband’s family farm. They’d always shared knowledge about Country; he’d talked to her for hours at so many dinners.
“Do you remember when we got the house rewired?” Amy asked.
“Don’t—”
But Amy was proceeding over Jack’s protests, smile gleeful. “You could not stop looking at that electrical apprentice. All, ‘I think I’ll do my homework in the kitchen, in the living room, in the laundry’.”
“I did not do my homework in the laundry,” Jack objected, shooting Sean a look to assure him he wasn’t that desperate; Sean laughed at the image of it—young Jack trailing around after some hot tradie, watching his biceps flex as he worked on light fixtures.
Sarah asked why Jack had never told any of them. “Did you think we’d care?”
“No, I dunno. No,” he reiterated. “I just wanted to focus on footy. And then when Mum and Dad…”
