***
Jett had no intention to let April welcome his dad alone. Also, Jay’s crying, being up at six in the morning, and clearly having the hots for April were messing him big time. The dweeb thought Jett was teasing him, but his best ideas always came on the spot like that.
If April were his boyfriend, a lot of things would fall into place. April wouldn’t be bothered at school by idiots, and Jett would have an explanation at hand about why April lived in the same house with him to anyone asking. Also, he would have all the more reason to ask April to get freaky with him, something he was sure now he wanted, a lot.
His brain was no longer foggy after sleep, but all through the night, he had dreamed of April. Not that he would admit that to April since he would be probably made fun of, but the truth was he hadn’t thought of much else ever since the dweeb had walked into his life.
Zane would laugh. Big time. Let him laugh. Jett was a simple guy. He had wanted Theo for so long, in a way that was hazy and unclear about what it meant. Now he wanted April, and that wasn’t that hazy and unclear. Jett wanted to kiss April until they couldn’t breathe no more. He wanted them to sleep in the same bed and do all the sex stuff they could come up with.
Jett had always had a healthy appetite, but this was different. It was like there was a fire lit under his ass, and the more April told him he wanted someone else, the more Jett wanted to convince him otherwise.
His adventurous sex life seemed like a faded memory. He had gone through one-night-stands, one-week relationships, and full-fledged relationships, like they didn’t mean anything, with little exceptions. He had been on the run, sliding through his own life, coasting on his drive to do more, fight more, fuck more, make more money, as he hurried toward a destination that was constantly moving, without letting him touch it at all, grab it and call it his.
As much as the last few days had been a rollercoaster, the truth was Jett had started to feel different. April was a riot, cute, sexy, and fun, and Jay was amazing, smelly diapers aside. And Jett, well, he felt at home, really at home.
He wouldn’t tell the dweeb a thing. April was a scaredy-cat, and Jett didn’t even know what he wanted to say. Did he want April to be his boyfriend? Yeah. But just saying it as an idea to save the day had put April on guard. Jett needed to be careful so that he could buy time and decide what the hell was happening to him.
Fuck. He needed Zane to talk about this. The idiot would make fun of him, but that was his only shot at sorting out the mess in his brain.
Had it been Theo in April’s place, all would have been clear. Jett hadn’t considered the possibility of being attracted to guys since Theo was something else to him, something special. Yet, there he was, attracted to April, big time, and wanting, no, needing to sleep with him for real. And that was new and strange and awesome, all at the same time.
He raced April to the door when the bell chimed, announcing a visitor.
“Jett, please, don’t blow it, please,” April whispered.
He had no intention to do that. By how April had talked to his dad on the phone, they seemed to have a great relationship. Jett couldn’t imagine bothering his father for any reason. If he were to call his dad and tell him the truth that he had a baby and a boyfriend, he would have to cross the border and change his name.
But there was no way in hell he would miss meeting April’s dad. For some reason, it seemed important, and not only because the man was a health care professional and could figure out what was happening with Jay, but also because he was April’s dad, and that was pretty huge.
He let April get the door. Jett stared at the visitor, a man in his forties, tall and slim, dressed in a light sweater and dress pants, carrying a leather bag in his right hand. He searched for resemblances, but maybe April took more after his mom because his dad had salt and pepper hair that seemed taken out of a magazine, light blue eyes, and a charming smile that was nothing like April’s way of making his lips twitch like he was just about to drop some joke.
“Sidney Summer,” the visitor said and offered Jett his hand, as April introduced them. “Everyone calls me Sid, though. Where’s the little fellow?”
April hurried to guide his father up the stairs. Sid took his son by his shoulders and kissed his forehead. “Are you okay, pumpkin?”
Jett put one hand over his mouth. Still, some weird sound came out because April looked at him over his shoulder with murder written all over his cute face. His mouth drew the words. KILL U.
Jett just mouthed one word. Pumpkin.
“Do you need any help from me, Mr. Summer?” he called after their visitor.
“Sid, please. No, that’s all right. You kids can wait here or wherever it’s comfortable for you. April, don’t you have school?”
“I can’t leave when Jay needs me.”
“It’s okay. I’m here now. You can go.”
“I’m already kind of late,” April tried to argue with his dad.
“April, Jay is in good hands now. Go to school.”
April deflated. Probably he wanted to skip school, Jett thought. But no, that couldn’t be the case. The dweeb loved going to school. “I’ll take you there fast,” he offered. “Would you be all right by yourself for half an hour or so, Sid? I’ll give you my number, in case there’s some emergency, or you need me to buy something on my way back.”
“Sure. Let’s see what little Jay is up to, and I’ll let you know. April, get ready for school. When did you decide to have a makeover?” Sid pointed at April’s hair.
“It was something I did on impulse,” April said quickly.
“It’s okay. I’ve never been crazy about you dyeing your hair, but it looks like it suits you.”
Jett caught the small detail right as it flew free into the world. “Have you dyed your hair before, April?”
Another murderous look was the answer.
“He has,” Sid replied instead.
Interesting. Jett would have to interrogate the dweeb about that later.
April took his father to Jay’s room, and Jett searched for his jacket and his car keys. So April did like to dye his hair, after all.
***
“What does your dad say?” Jett asked.
“Babies seem to develop a bit of fever when their teeth grow. Nothing major, but he started checking Jay for other symptoms. So far, so good. I think we pissed our pants for nothing.”
April had his bag on his knees and was looking straight ahead through the windshield. He seemed rigid, and he talked rapidly like he was afraid he wouldn’t manage to let all the words in his head out through his mouth.
“Are you freaking out again? Jay is going to be fine. You trust your dad, don’t you?”
April didn’t look at him. “Of course. I trust him with my life, and I’m not just saying. He wanted to be a doctor and even studied for a while. Life happened; I mean mom and me, and he didn’t pursue that career. In case you were wondering.”
“You are freaking out. You’re one step from trembling like a leaf. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t tremble. I’m totally in control.”
“Look, you don’t have to worry. I won’t tell a thing about us being boyfriends to your dad.”
“Yeah, that. Good. That you’re not telling. Why did you think of that, anyway?”
Jett shrugged. “I told you. It’s like we are, anyway.”
“Two handjobs were enough for you to have an epiphany like that? I’m sure you required much more from your girlfriends until, well, they did become your girlfriends.”
“I’ve never had a boyfriend,” Jett said. “We crossed a bridge or something, didn’t we? So there must be something.”
“Yeah, sure. Pals with benefits. How does that sound?”
“Wrong. I don’t need that. If I needed that, I would ask Zane to give me a handjob.”
“You’re so stubborn when you want to be. Just let things how they are. I’m, sort of, your prisoner. I’m paying back a debt to you. I mean, by taking care of Jay. Not by, you know.”
April seemed uncomfortable. He was even blushing. Jett smiled to himself. “Okay, dweeb. We’re here. Text me when you’re almost done so that I can come to pick you up. I hope your dad can stay with Jay for several hours.”
“He took the day off. His boss is pretty cool.”
“All right. Go learn your computer science. And don’t let any guys get into your pants.”
April rolled his eyes. “I really am here to learn, and so are the others. No one will try anything like that.”
“If you say so.”
April reached for the door, but Jett put one hand on his knee.
“What?” April turned toward him.
Jett threw a quick look through the windshield. A few girls and one dark-skinned dude Jett guessed he was Indian were looking at them. “Kiss me.”
“What?!” April’s eyes grew wide.
“I won’t let you get out until you kiss me.”
“We’re here and not moving. I could make a run for it.”
“And I could run after you, tackle you, and kiss you.”
“Run? Who? You, with your nicotine-filled lungs?”
“You’ll have to come back home eventually.”
“Is that a threat?” April stared at him, but his sexy lips were already twitching, obviously fighting a smile.
“Nah. A promise.”
“Fine.” April drew a deep breath and leaned toward him.
“Wait,” Jett stopped him, “with tongue.”
April rolled his eyes. “How about I straddle you, and you can give it to me while in front of the entire student body?”
“That’s not how I imagine our first time.”
April blushed and looked away.
“Tick-tock, weren’t you already late?”
“Okay,” April mumbled and put his lips over Jett’s.
Fuck it. Jett pulled him close and kissed April for real, with tongue and everything. When he pulled back, April’s eyes were shiny glass. “You’re free to go,” Jett whispered.
April straightened up and cleared his throat. “See you later. If anything happens, call me.”
“Yeah. When you’re almost finished, text me. I’ll come to pick you up.”
“Yeah, yeah,” April kept repeating the same word and nodding.
April licked his lips quickly and looked away. Jett followed April with his eyes, as he jogged toward his friends who were staring at him, their mouths slightly open. Jett waved at them and smiled.
The girls appeared to giggle. The Indian dude waved back.
***
“Now I understand the whole hair color change stuff,” Raj said, as April stared after Jett’s car.
“Um?”
“You got a boyfriend!” Gabriela punched him in the shoulder. “Nice going, dude!”
“And he’s hot!” another girl chimed in.
“He’s not my boyfriend!” April protested.
“Really? Who is he then?” Gabriela asked.
“Just someone who drove me to school,” April said, opting for a lame lie.
“Do you always kiss your Uber drivers?” Raj stared at him, in fake consternation. “I totally get the gig economy, but I’m not sure about this new method of payment.”
“Aren’t you all a bunch of nerds?” April bristled at the entire group since everyone was laughing openly. “You’re supposed to be above gossip and stuff like that.”
“Not when it’s one of us getting a boyfriend,” Gabriela replied.
“Or a girlfriend,” Raj added.
“Let’s just get to class already,” April hurried to shut up his friends. It was an impossible task, but he needed to try.
***
Jett walked into the house and ran up the stairs. April’s dad had texted him, asking for some medicine for Jay.
Sid thanked him. “The boy is all right. He’s asleep now. But I bet he’ll not be too happy for a while with the new teeth he’s growing.”
“That’s great to hear. April freaked out. Big time,” Jett replied.
“And you didn’t?” Sid looked at him with an amused smile.
“Nah. I mean, yeah. A little. Thanks for everything, Sid.”
“You’re welcome. But now, young man, you and I need to talk a little.”
TBC
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