The plan was for coffee and brunch at a fancy little café.

A café on the other side of the park.

"I thought you wanted to go to Lola's?" Jack had been looking forward to it and had built himself up in preparation. He was used to disappointment, but it stung differently this time around. He was unaccustomed to the mix of frustration, disappointment, and anger. He reminded himself that it was still free food.

"So did I," Augie replied, his voice jaunty as his eyes roamed over a passing group. He lingered on a tall teen with curly black hair then shook his head. "I seem to have mixed it up with Bricked and Baked."

"I don't see how," Jack mumbled. The marketing between the two was completely different. Their websites were different. Bricked and Baked had his fingerprints all over it, and he had an employee discount despite insisting it wasn't needed.

He almost tripped as Augie wrapped an arm firmly around his shoulders, pulling him in tight. He tensed up, hoping he could pull away without making a scene.

Unfortunately, a witness to his would-be escape was swiftly approaching, frowning down at his phone. Recognition suffocated Jack. He kicked his own heel and would have face planted had Augie's hold not been so tight.

Kieran glanced up and slowed to a stop, his eyes wide.

Jack had never seen Kieran look so shocked and hurt. He shouldn't feel guilty. They weren't dating. He had every right to see another man. Or vampire. Could they sense each other in some way? Was that why Kieran's wide eyes flicked between the pair?

He should say something. Preferably something not stupid, so keeping his mouth shut was in his best interest.

"Kieran O'Byrne, how have you been?" asked Augie, chipper as could be.

"Mr. Caldwell. This is a surprise," Kieran said in a clipped tone. He gave his phone a final glance and sighed before tucking it into his coat pocket. "I was unaware you were in the area."

"I'm visiting my sponsor. She mentioned you set up shop here. I keep meaning to drop by, but I do find myself rather distracted lately." Augie rested his head against Jack's as he smiled at Kieran.

Kieran's eyes narrowed, and he raised his chin. "I see."

"Oh, and where are my manners? Kieran, meet Kyle. We're on our way to brunch. I would love to invite you and catch up, but I know you're such a busy man."

Jack dropped his gaze to the ground as his face burned under Kieran's curious stare. He was allowed to have a rebound relationship under a fake name. He was allowed to go on a walk with his current weirdo boyfriend and be seen by his ex weirdo boyfriend.

All his problems would be solved if he laid off the weirdos. And the vampires.

"Yes. I suppose I'll have to settle on hearing all about your recent travels secondhand from Miss Benoit tonight," Kieran said quietly.

"Tonight," Augie repeated, the joy and color quickly draining from him. His grip on Jack loosened.

Kieran's eyes narrowed and a brow raised. The barest hint of a smile formed. "She likes to keep an eye on me. I find it easier to check in rather than have her show up unannounced."

Augie dropped his arm and took a step back. "Of course. My, how time flies. It is a terrible shame I can't stay to chat, but I do find myself in a bit of a hurry. Have a good day, goodbye!"

Jack turned and watched as Augie hurriedly walked away. He spared a glance as Kieran moved to stand beside him.

"He… He just...left?" Jack looked up at Kieran, whose eyes were still following Augie's retreating form in disapproval. "He left me?!"

"He does that," Kieran flatly replied. He looked down at Jack, his expression somewhere between concern and longing. "Is he treating you well, Kyle?"

"I uh… I panicked. And I haven't exactly gotten around to fixing it. We just started dating." Jack dropped his gaze to the top button of Kieran's navy blue coat and shrugged. "He hasn't fucked with my head yet. So he's already leagues ahead of you."

Kieran sighed and nodded. "Then I wish the best for you both," he said and turned away.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Jack was being unfair and hitting low. "Wait. Kieran, I…" He almost reached out, but turned the movement into shoving his hands into his pockets. "This is just a Christmas fling sorta thing. I've got too much baggage for him to stick around longer. Or to really worry about him knowing my name."

"He might surprise you."

"You don't sound too sure about that." Unless Kieran was purposefully misleading him. Either way, he didn't want to think about it. "You, uh, look good. Like always."

"I would say the same for you, but I would call it 'miserably put together.' No more street urchin chic?" Kieran said, gesturing to Jack. His smile widened as Jack shifted his weight and fought against a grin, trapped between preening and hiding.

"Candy finally got me into one of her boutiques. And clothes that fit." Jack tugged on an earlobe and ran his fingernails beneath the earring. He missed being able to hide behind his hair.

Kieran's smile was light and teasing, and not doing Jack's thoughts any favors. This was not the goal for his mistake of a makeover, and he shouldn't feel like it was the only positive he'd encountered.

"You clean up nicely," Kieran said, his voice soft. He glanced to where Augie had vanished. "Would you care to accompany me to Lola's? I'd be happy to buy you lunch or a drink. Since your date seems to have abandoned you. They offer a lovely mimosa."

"I wanna say yes, but…" Jack slowly shook his head as he looked down at Kieran's brightly polished shoes. He needed to learn to take care of his own shoes before they got too scuffed up.

"I fucked with your head and lied to you," Kieran said, the corner of his mouth lifting.

Jack choked on a laugh and raised his eyes. "At least you're not dressing it up with pretty words."

"Lindsey has been persistent in pointing out my flaws."

"Someone should."

"I'm told there are a lot," Kieran said wryly.

"Nothing physical." Jack mentally kicked himself. He wasn't supposed to be giving Kieran compliments, no matter how backhanded they were.

Kieran licked his lips then said, "I won't bother you if you need to stop at the computer store."

And just like that, all the good will he'd been feeling left Jack in a rush of paranoia. "You've been watching where I shop?!"

"Lindsey has made it a point to tell me whenever Detective Fairchild makes an appearance," Kieran said, sounding more annoyed than defensive.

"Your ghost is spying on me?" Confusion mixed with paranoia, leaving Jack with an uncertainty over who he'd rather have spying on him.

"Be grateful she has a low range." Kieran's accent kicked up a notch as he glared at a tree.

"I'm guessing not low enough for you," Jack said, delight sweeping away the edges of his anxiety. Whatever Lindsey was putting Kieran through, he more than deserved it.

"Her lovely visage has graced my bathroom mirror on more than one occasion."

Jack melted under the lyrical cadence of Kieran's voice. He shouldn't be pining after his ex. And certainly not for something as stupid and shallow as an accent that was a dime a dozen.

They both needed a reminder of how Kieran fucked up. "Not nice having someone creep on you in the bathroom, is it?"

"I grew up with little to no privacy, so I can honestly say it doesn't bother me as much as she believes," Kieran replied with a carefree shrug. "I'm not certain if she'd been a contortionist in life, or if it's a new skill. I've found her in both the microwave and the dishwasher."

Images violently crashed their way into Jack's imagination, and bile threatened to surface. He swallowed as his throat closed up. "That's great. Good for her."

Kieran's full attention came back to Jack, and he grimaced. "I apologize. I only wished to let you know that she has been adamant in displaying her displeasure. She deeply misses you."

The ghost missed him. Jack took a breath then let it out. There was no point in asking if Kieran felt the same. And it would be better if he didn't know.

"As do I," Kieran added softly.

Shit.

"I'm dating someone else." Jack couldn't sound less convincing if he tried. He had one foot out the door in regards to his relationship with Augie, and he'd already admitted that it was temporary. He shouldn't have said anything. It was an open invitation, and both he and Kieran knew it.

And he hated that he wanted Kieran to jump at the chance.

"I suppose friendship is out of the question."

"Do you actually wanna be friends?" Jack asked with an incredulous laugh.

"Yes."

It made no sense. Unless it was just Kieran weaseling his way back in, ready to pick up the pieces when Augie left. It would be a good plan, and Jack had conflicting thoughts on being all for it and wanting to run away. "Why?"

"I don't have many," Kieran quietly admitted, dropping his gaze. "One I once had has recently passed. I… My pool of acquaintances appears to be thinning."

"Oh. Sorry 'bout that. Uh… I guess we could hang out? I could pop in or something?"

"I'd like that," Kieran said with a soft smile.

Jack picked at the seams inside his pockets. It didn't count as a promise, and he had no obligation to actually show up. But he couldn't bring himself to continue ghosting Kieran.

"I'll unblock you." The moment he said it, he felt nauseous with regret.

"I'll letcha reach out first, boyo."

Jack choked on his spit and coughed into his sleeve. "Yeah. Sure." He glanced up, and his stomach flipped at Kieran's mischievous smile.

He fled before he could embarrass himself further.

Or fall for Kieran's charms.

image [https://i.imgur.com/eZY0YUq.png]