Castlebrooke was NOT a small town much to the annoyance of Jace Matthews. Going anywhere was a pain in the ass most days. Like, why did it have to take THIRTY minutes just to visit his parents for dinner?!
The audacity of Castlebrooke was mindboggling!
Jace was thoroughly annoyed that he liked Castlebrooke enough to stay.
His blue eyes narrowed in thought as he lay on his back, his legs resting parallel and against the wall. His brown hair was ruffled to an alarming degree and he had his phone held above his face.
“Shit.” Jace muttered as he rolled over and pushed himself into a sitting position on his living room floor. “Shit and a waterfall!”
Annoyed, Jace grabbed his hair in frustration before dialing his older sister’s number. Surely, SHE would have some idea as to what he should do.
“Don’t tell me,” Melissa said the moment she answered. “You’re strapped for cash because Castlebrooke is plotting against you and always has ever since you were in middle school?’
Jace groaned loudly as he put her on speakerphone and opened his laptop to his translation work. “Do you know how DIFFICULT it is to find a job?” He grumbled as he scanned a comment from his boss. “And NO, I haven’t been strapped for cash ever since you hired me two years ago. This is different.”
Melissa’s sigh could be heard a mile away. “Jace. The last time you called me about something important, I got a backlash of phone calls from a bakery asking me about cake.”
“Melissa. That was a VERY important situation.”
“I’m sure it was,” Melissa was quick to agree. “It’s not like someone accidentally ordered twenty cakes when they were supposed to have only ordered TWO.”
Jace sighed dramatically and flopped over on his back, his phone resting against his stomach. “The manager was scary!”
Melissa’s laugh filled Jace’s apartment through his phone. “It got sorted in the end. My employees really appreciated all that chocolate and strawberry cake.”
Jace rolled his eyes and sighed once more. “It’ll never happen again. Trust me.”
“Only because you’re too scared to show your face.” Melissa shot back, a smile in her voice.
“Am not.”
“Who’s the one lying on his living room floor with that bakery’s number blocked?”
Jace immediately shot up to a sitting position, regretting it the moment his head felt dizzy. “I am NOT lying on my living room floor. And I don’t have that bakery’s number blocked!”
“Yeah, okay, little bro. Sure.” Melissa made sure to drag out the last word. “What’s really up now that we’ve established you’re terrified of a bakery manager and can’t communicate over the phone? Is it Alex?”
“World, just take me now!” Jace sighed dramatically as he fell back against the floor.
Melissa’s laugh filled his living room again. “Is that a yes?”
Jace scrunched his face up in annoyance. “Yes, it’s a yes. Happy?”
“Extremely,” Melissa replied dryly. “What did he do this time?”
Jace was quiet for a long minute before he finally steeled his nerves and said, “He invited me over to his house for THE WEEKEND all because his mom wants to eat dinner with me Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday.”
“I know what a weekend is, Jace. You didn’t have to explain.” There was a mischievous smirk in her voice.
“Melissa! I’m being serious! Why did you clear our schedules for this weekend? I’m freaking out!”
“You never believe me when I tell you Alex LIKES you.” Melissa stated, her voice still teasing but there was an undercurrent of seriousness there. “Might as well give him a chance to show you.”
Jace was beside himself. “That’s crazy! Alexander DOESN’T like me. I would know!”
Melissa didn’t bother hiding her laughter. “Jace. You didn’t realize when Leigh had a crush on you last year. And the year before that, when Mom’s gardener—”
“Oooookay! Stop!” Jace interrupted. “So I’m a little bad at picking up the signs. “That still doesn’t explain how someone like Alexander could like someone like me. I mean. Have you MET me?”
“No. Not at all.” Melissa replied with a huff through the phone. “We’ve never met. Who are you again?”
“Melissa!” Jace whined. “I’m serious! Alexander is amazing! I’m just me. Do you know how many men have told me I’m not enough?”
“Stop.” Melissa interjected, her voice serious and lacking the teasing that was previously there. “Those ‘men’ only wanted one thing from you. That’s it. They do NOT define who you are as a person, Jace. There are honest people out there. Alex is one of them.”
Jace rubbed a hand across his face and sat up, slumping forward as he rested his cheek against his coffee table. “I know, Melissa. I’ve just never had a crush like me back. It’d be weird if one actually DID.”
“You’ve liked Alex for two years. I’d say you’re past the point of crush.” Melissa replied in a lighter voice though she didn’t give her brother a chance to respond as she kept going. “I don’t want you to lower your standards or think your worth is only what others perceive it to be. You’re amazing, Jace. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”
“Thank you,” Jace mumbled, his voice a little garbled because his cheek was still resting against his coffee table. “I haven’t lowered anything and I know not to judge my worth based on others opinions of me. I’d just be shocked if Alexander liked me back.”
Melissa was silent for a moment before saying, “Sorry. I know I always bring this up whenever you talk about men. I worry for you, is all. I’m your big sis.”
Jace let out a light laugh. “I’m no longer twenty and naïve, Melissa. Let’s just drop it. We always have the same conversation at LEAST once a month.”
Melissa let out a reluctant chuckle. “Okay, little bro. Just promise me you won’t freak out on Alex like you have in the past? And it was his mom that asked to clear both your schedules, not Alex.”
“Meaning?” Jace prodded, knowing his sister was going somewhere with this.
“Meaning,” Melissa laughed, “that he invited you to his place all his own! I only called him to my office today to ask about rearranging his schedule and telling him why.”
“I got you.” Jace muttered. “No more meddling though! I know how you get.”
Laughing, Melissa quickly agreed. “I need to call Dad soon.”
“Why? Is he having trouble with his computer again?”
“No, he’s having trouble with the smart T.V. our aunt just HAD to get him for his birthday,” Melissa replied, her voice full of irritation.
Jace chuckled to himself. “Give him a break, sis. He didn’t grow up with technology like we did.”
“I would but this is the eighth time he’s asked me for help.”
“Oh,” Jace let out, trying his best to hold back his laugh. “I see.”
“Shut up.”
His laugh exploded out of him. “Sorry, sorry! I can only imagine Dad’s questions!”
“Haha. Laugh all you want. Just wait until he calls YOU.” Melissa threatened.
Jace rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Stop wasting precious time and go help Dad!”
“Don’t forget you’re working the opening shift again to make up for the schedule changes. Alex will be joining you as opener and cook.”
“Sounds good, boss.” Jace gave a salute to the phone that his sister couldn’t see. “Talk to you later!”
“Love you, little bro.”
“Love you, too, sis,” Jace replied before ending their call and picking his face off the coffee table.
He didn’t mind his sister’s constant nagging about knowing his own worth and that other people weren’t the ones to decide it. It helped having a reminder every now and again. And he knew her heart was in the right place.
“Shit!” Jace exclaimed as his eyes widened far too dramatically as it just clicked that he would be working with Alexander again.
Did they have the opening shift for the next three days?!
“Melissa!” Jace shouted just soft enough not to disturb the neighbors around him.
He couldn’t believe his sister was torturing him like this. He already had to mentally prepare to spend time with Alexander for the ENTIRE weekend. Why couldn’t he catch a break at work, too?
Sighing, he quickly checked his notifications and smiled when he saw an update about Kayden Smith.
Kayden Smith had helped the LGBTQ+ community in Castlebrooke in so many ways. He was a smart, successful business man that was constantly vouching for their community and making it an overall safe place to live in Castlebrooke. He had an entire team dedicated to offering services to their community and there was so much diversity within the team that no one felt left out or overlooked.
And he LISTENED to what they said instead of pretending and ignoring the problems for later.
Kayden wasn’t just saying empty words. He ALWAYS followed through on his promises and did so many amazing things, not just for the LGBTQ+ community.
His main company, Wanted, was so successful in helping families connect safely with future family members through a very thorough and safe adoption process. He made such a massive impact on so many families lives and made sure ethical practices were followed to a T.
Not only that, he had a handful of smaller companies stationed out of Castlebrooke that employed hundreds and hundreds of people!
He did so much and expected nothing in return.
One of his scholarships had even helped Jace during his second year of college when he and his family were struggling a little to pay his tuition.
Jace had so much respect for Kayden Smith and was beyond happy to have met him earlier that day, albeit very discreetly. He had been surprised to see him on a date but the other man, Eric, seemed like the perfect fit for Kayden.
NOT that he had ever entertained the idea of who Kayden Smith should date.
Heaving a sigh, Jace glared at his open laptop before taking a drink of his iced coffee—caramel flavored—and getting to work.
His translations were due in two days and he was so close to being done.
He ignored the silent motivation brought on by the approaching weekend and settled in for a long evening of changing English to Japanese.
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