Page 6 of Slam Dunk
“In all those years, I never once suspected I’d hired a homophobe. I’ll give you that.”
Yep. He was fucked. “You didn’t.”
Tip looked his way and held Quince’s stare.
Quince refused to look away. “You didn’t.”
Tip chose a spot and sat across from him. “Then what in the fuck is going in, because I got to tell you, Quince, Jathan is one of the nicest people on the planet. Being mean to him is like kicking a puppy. Why in the fuck would you say that shit to him?”
Quince took a breath. He didn’t know where to start.
Tip obviously took his hesitation as him searching for a lie. “I need you to be honest with me. If Jathan feels like he can’t come here, then I’ll be dealing with more of this—sleeping alone. I much prefer Jathan come to Artem. If he won’t because of you, then I have some thinking to do.”
There it was. His job was on the line. Quince couldn’t be a bitch. “I like him.”
Tip looked as if he waited for more, and it hit Quince. He didn’t know what Quince meant.
“I like him, like him.”
Tip sat back. “Huh. Okay. Were you one of those kids that pulled people’s hair when you had a crush?”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Quince laughed. “No. Believe it or not, I didn’t have much interest in anyone until I was like sixteen. But no, I’m not the type to act like this. I’ve never dated a guy. This has got me a little fucked up, but I tried to talk to him again before he left, so I could apologize and explain. He wouldn’t talk to me. Not that I know if I can explain what even I don’t understand.” Quince swiped his hand over his face. Aggravation rose inside him, making everything feel overwhelming and pissing him off. “And you know what, if I had anywhere else to go, I’d walk away from this job right now. I’ve worked my ass off for you for twelve years and you’re really ready to fire me over one thing. That’s bullshit. I thought we were friends.”
“I didn’t say that. In fact, I can’t think of many things you could do to make me fire you. This is your home. You’re more than a friend. You’re like family to me. I only meant I might have to find a way to guarantee you’re nowhere nearby when Jathan stops by.”
Quince’s shoulders dropped. It had truly been the worst day. “I really don’t know how to fix this. There’s a reason I live out here and barely have anything to do with anyone. I’m not good at this part of life. Part of me thinks that’s exactly what I should do. I should just make myself scarce when he comes to visit and let it be. The rest of me really wants to say I’m sorry.”
“Text him.”
Quince blinked. He felt a little stupid. Jathan’s number was in his phone. Texting was so much easier than talking. He could just text him. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll try. Hopefully, he’ll accept my apology, and—at the very least—be okay with coming back out here for Artem.”
Tip stood. “I’ll leave you to do that. No doubt Artem will let me know how it goes.”
A snort burst from Quince. “I’m sure.”
“Good luck.” Tip flashed him a smile and headed out, leaving Quince to figure it out.
Quince pulled out his phone and stared at Jathan’s name. He didn’t want to do this here. Quince made his way to his truck and quickly drove around the property to his place. Once there, he decided to shower first. Only when he couldn’t avoid it any longer did Quince start typing.
Quince:So, turns out I might be a little gay. Since the other night, I’ve had thoughts about you I’ve never had about a guy. Too late, I realized how incredibly ridiculous my reaction was to realizing how you make me feel. I feel so dumb. First off, you didn’t deserve any of that shit and I’m sorry. No excuses. I’m just sorry. Secondly, how stupid am I thinking someone like you would even think about someone like me in that light? I can’t fucking believe I automatically acted like you’d want me just because you were nice to me. Jesus. The more I type, the more I realize you shouldn’t ever talk to me again. I deserve your hatred. Before you block my number, just let me say I’msorry. Being with you was the most fun I’ve had in well over a decade. I’m fully aware this is my loss. Good luck with the rest of the playoffs and have a great life, I guess.
Quince read the text four times before hitting send. He knew he had said too much, but he also couldn’t think of what to cut out. Jathan deserved a thousand-word essay on how much Quince regretted losing a friend. If he had one defense, it was that he had always been a terrible judge of character. It made sense he would ruin something good.
Quince headed for the bedroom. He plugged his phone in and set it on the bedside table before he stripped down to his underwear. After climbing into bed, he stared at the ceiling. Maybe he should have said more. He could have confessed to a million things. Nothing changed anything, though. He’d had a shot at some level of happiness and blown it. Maybe he should take Carey back after all. He couldn’t say she was wrong for cheating on him. What did he have to offer at the end of the day? Nothing.
His phone buzzed.
Quince’s gaze slid toward the device. A loud, annoyed sigh burst from Quince. It was always like conjuring up the devil with Carey. He had dumped her a million times and taken her back every time, so it was fair for her to think he would do it again. It wasn’t like he felt anything for her anyhow beyond the fact that she was familiar. She was someone he didn’t have to work for. He snagged the phone. In no universe did he expect to see Jathan’s name, but there it was. His hands shook as he opened the message.
Jathan:Can I call?
Well, shit. So much for texting being easier.
Quince:Yes.
His phone rang almost immediately. He took a steadying breath before answering. “Hello?”
“Hey.”
