James: Hey. How’ve you been?

Nothing. Hours tick by with James leaping for his phone with every notification. When the right one finally comes in his heart wilts at it’s brevity.

Corey: Good.

James considers his options. He should let Corey pull away. He should let him find someone his own age. He decides to be selfish a little longer though.

James: I miss you.

It was stupid to send. Really stupid. Wes still didn’t know everything that happened. Corey was moving on. Or, James thought as the hours ticked by, Corey had already moved on.

He spent a few hours at the bar making sure the crowd didn’t overwhelm his bartenders. Luckily enough, his place was packed and he was able to distract himself cooking pizzas in the back and stepping in behind the bar when too many people were flagging them down for drinks. The jukebox blared the entire evening and the crowd, while large, was in a great mood. If Corey hadn’t been in the back of his mind the entire time, James would’ve loved every minute of it.

People started dispersing around midnight and his bartenders sent him home when they could handle it. His phone vibrated in his back pocket as he put his key in the lock. He froze, mid-turn, and yanked his phone out.

Corey: Me too.

James: Come over.

He didn’t give himself time to think past the initial visceral reaction. Past the need to have Corey there in front of him right then.

Corey: On my way.

James paced until he saw headlights in his driveway. Despite trying to wait until Corey knocked on the door, he ended up flinging the door open at the sounds of feet on the front steps.

Corey stood in the pale light of the front porch. Dark marks decorated his neck and caused jealousy to roar to life in James’ gut. It wasn’t his place. Corey was single. They called things off. Corey hadn’t done anything wrong.

Corey’s eyes were fixed down on the wooden planks of the front porch. His shoulders slumped. James took in the shaven face, the extra product in the curls, and he mentally fixed his way of thinking. Cora.

Without warning, Cora launched forward and wrapped her arms around James’ waist. She buried her face into his shoulder. “Call me Cora.” There was a note of desperation in her voice. Her body quivered in his arms, tight from tension.

“Cora,” he murmured and squeezed her in a hard hug. She shivered at his voice so he repeated her name. Again and again, he said her name until the tension started to leave her body. Until her breath started hitching and the shaking became nothing more than suppressed sobs.

“I’m going to pick you up,” he said into her hair. She nodded. James slipped his hands beneath her knees and easily lifted her into the arms. Her legs wrapped around him, the same way they did the last night they were together. Her arms tightened around his neck.

James kicked the door shut behind him. He took them straight to the bedroom. Nothing else was said that night. Cora didn’t ask for anything sexual. James didn’t want to do anything other than wrap his arms around her and hold her tight to him all night. She fell asleep quickly. The smell of alcohol was thick on her breath. Her deep, even breathing was reassuring to him after the quiet crying she had been doing. After a long while of just listening to her, James followed her into sleep.

The next morning, James woke up to an empty bed and the shower running. James stretched and got up to make breakfast. Cora joined him as he was plating the bacon and eggs. “Biscuits will be done in a moment,” James said without turning to her.

Cora was silent behind him. James glanced over at her. She was wearing skinny jeans, tight everywhere, James took a second to enjoy how they showed off her long legs then chuckled at her wearing his shirt.

“I’m sorry,” Cora muttered. She crossed her arms around her chest in a self soothing hug.

“For what?”

“For… this. I know we called it all off but I still showed up and acted like I belonged here. To you.”

The oven timer dinged. James ignored it to stare at the insecure look on Cora’s face. “You belong here. You do belong here, do you hear me?” Cora rapidly blinked and James turned away so she could get herself together. He pulled out the biscuits. “What happened last night?”

There was silence. James set both plates down on the kitchen table.

“Orange juice?”

“Just water,” Cora said.

James poured her a glass and moved his coffee cup to his plate. “Eat some breakfast. You’ll feel better.” They ate in silence for a moment. “You don’t have to tell me what happen -”

“I made out with someone,” Cora cut him off. “I went to a party and I got drunk and there was this guy but I was drunk and not thinking right so I asked him to call me Cora…” Her voice trailed off. “He just… he got weirded out. Didn’t want me there anymore. Told me to go home.” Her voice cracked and she froze. After a second of deep breaths,she continued. “It wasn’t even anything big. He wasn’t… overly mean or anything, just not into it.”

“That’s bullshit. He was an asshole and you deserve better.” Me. You should be with me. “You need to be with someone who wants you. Not who just wants to sleep with you.”

Cora laughed a hollow laugh and shoved her half empty plate away. “Yeah. Thought I had found someone who actually liked me for me. Turns out all I’m good for is being a secret lover.”

Cora walked out. Out of the kitchen, out of his house, out of his life. James let her. Even as his heart sank into his gut. As he remembered the way she shook, the desperate tone in her voice as she asked to be called Cora. He reached for his phone. He wouldn’t let her be hurt like that again.

James: Come over. We need to talk.

Wes. K. Be there soon.