Rose Tinted (boyxboy)

Chapter 21: Love detective

"You know what they say about spooning?" 

☆

Jerry locks the door behind him and pulls Tayce lightly by the arm into the back of the shop and through into the locker room. 

When he finds out they are alone, he finally speaks. "Ok, I'll ask you again, what did I witness out there on the street?" 

Tayce, straightening the crumpled sleeve of his jacket looks at Jerry confused. "What do you mean? Max just dropped me off...you knew he was, I told you that last night on the phone." 

Jerry rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Duh I know that, don't get funny with me."

"I'm not!" Tayce says, rather offended.

"I saw the way you were looking at each other, like...like..." Jerry cannot find the words. 

"Like what?" Tayce now wants to know exactly what Jerry is implying.

"Like you're a couple." Jerry squinted his eyes a little, scrutinizing Tayce's reaction. Tayce looks a little like he is in shock. Was it that obvious that something between them had changed, albeit small? 

Of course Tayce tries to deny any knowledge of such suggestions. "You're talking out of your backside." He laughs nervously.

"Excuse me? I think not. You know I'm the king of all things romance. I have a skill in it." 

"Sure you do." It's now Tayce's turn to roll his eyes.

Jerry refuses to let it drop. He will prove he's right. "Ok then, I bet Jojo and that roommate of Max's are doing the dirty." 

"What?...how do you?" Tayce suddenly becomes speechless at the fact that Jerry is 100% accurate.

"...And Faith and Micky." Jerry now has a smug look on his face." 

"Hang on...what?" Tayce is now literally speechless. "How the hell do you know these things Jerry?"

Jerry sighs a little as he explains. "You notice the things you want more, when you don't have them." He looks down at the ground a little melancholy. "Also I saw the touches that guy was giving Jojo at the apartment and as for Micky and Faith...I caught them making out in the store cupboard." A cheeky smile spreads across his face. "And as for you my friend..." Jerry wiggles his eyebrows.
"Mr grumpy pants couldn't stop looking at you the other day at his place and even now, just outside. That confirmed it....you like him back don't you."

Tayce felt a little cornered. Jerry was right on every count. He knew Max liked him, he had honestly told him, but it seems Tayce's actions speak louder than words. He likes Max back.

"You think you're so clever don't you." Tayce side eyes Jerry, who is now sat on the bench beside him. 

"Yeah whatever, I'm a genius. Just tell me what's happened?" Jerry is now pulling at Tayce's sleeve, making him wobble on the bench as he uses his pleading voice.

In all honesty, Tayce wanted to tell someone. An impartial third party. Maybe Jerry could have the right solution. "He kissed me yesterday, when we were in bed together." 

"Woah...hold up, you're sleeping together and kissing? I thought it was just a little glance." Jerry sits back in shock of the revelation.

"Why do you make it sound so shady?" Tayce says rather annoyed. "It's not like that!"

"Then please do tell me what it is like." Jerry is now all ears. 

"We spoon."

"You spoon?" 

"Yes. we spoon. I'm the little spoon." Tayce says smiling fondly of the interactions.

"You know what they say about spooning?" Jerry says grinning mischievously.

"What?" Tayce asks, looking confused.

"Spooning leads to forking...ow!" Jerry is punched lightly on the arm. 

"No it doesn't!" Tayce says, slightly embarrassed by the suggestion. "We cuddle like that because it makes me feel safe. I sleep better." 

"Ok ok." Jerry concedes. "What about the kissing though?" 

Tayce pulls his lips a little into his mouth. "Last night I fell asleep when he was reading his story to me..." 

"Oh my God. That is so cute." Jerry gushes, causing Tayce to frown at him for being interrupted. 

"Anyway, something on my lips woke me up and I realised it was Max...he had kissed me. I confronted him about it this morning and he denied it at first, then he admitted it and told me he had feelings for me." Tayce cannot help but smile at the thought of it.

"You two are making my heart tingle. Does he know you like him back?" Jerry asks eagerly.

"I guess?" Tayce replies, his voice is a little sombre. "I wanted to kiss him again, but he says he won't pursue it because of the whole Frank thing." 

"How do you feel about that?" Jerry asks. 

"It's too soon right?" Tayce says, now looking at Jerry, hoping he had the correct answer.

"I guess, but, Frank...you're not planning on going back to him are you? Please say you're not." 

Tayce dares his thoughts to think about the man he had desperately tried to forget over the past couple of days. "No." He replies. Even surprising himself at how easy it felt to say.

"Then I guess you just need to go with it. Let nature take its course. Frank has controlled your life for long enough. Don't let him control this too." Jerry says. Patting Tayce gently on his shoulder.

"It wouldn't matter anyway." Tayce chuckles lightly.

"Why?" Jerry asks 

"Because he won't date work colleagues." Tayce says with a sigh. 

"Well, maybe you'll be the first."