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There were definitely people that Buck could have done without seeing on the morning of his second first date with Tommy. Taylor came to mind. Ali came to mind. Natalia. Most especially Abby. He hadn’t thought about Jade or Zane in months so he didn’t even notice them at first while he got in line to order coffee for him and Tommy, this time knowing exactly what to get for Tommy. He was looking at his phone, smiling at the their text thread.
Meet tomorrow for coffee? Call it a date?
I’ll get your order right this time.
The way Tommy had just hearted it. He sighed. This second chance was a long time coming. Weeks of texts and phone calls leading up to them admitting that actually they should give it a shot and try again. Slower. With more intention. More communication. All their cards on the table.
He was next in line and he stepped forward, placing his order with the friendly girl behind the register and then adding a couple of muffins as he was about to pay because he knew Tommy liked a sweet snack. He had just stepped to the side to wait for his order when he spotted Zane.
Buck turned away at once hoping he hadn’t been noticed as well except that of course his eyes met Jade’s instead. Naturally. Her reaction was to smile wide and move directly towards him.
“Buck! Hi!”
“Hi,” Buck said back.
“You’re looking good,” Jade said. “You know, we still think about you sometimes. Our unicorn.”
Buck coughed. “That’s nice?”
She giggled. “You know, the door is always open if you’re ever ready to be more than a half.”
Buck couldn’t even believe that she remembered what he’d said when he turned them down. He hadn’t even remembered until she was quoting back at him.
“I—”
“Evan,” Tommy said.
Buck turned and he felt relief flood him. “Tommy,” he said and he took a step closer.
Tommy frowned at him and looked past him to Jade. Buck wrapped an arm around Tommy’s waist, pressing himself into his side.
“Jade, this is my boyfriend.”
She was not subtle at all as she looked Tommy up and down.
“And we’re very exclusive,” Buck added.
Jade made a noise of disappointment. “Oh, well. I guess you’re more than a half now.”
She smiled at them and luckily her order was called. As she passed them with two cups in her hands she smiled again.
“Boyfriend?” Tommy asked.
Buck inhaled. “Sorry, I know we’re not—”
Slow. They were taking things slow. This was not what they had talked about.
“No,” Tommy said. “I think I’d like to be your boyfriend again.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Only if you explain what that was all about.”
Buck groaned and closed his eyes.
“Evan, I won’t judge.”
“Actually you might,” Buck said. “In fact, you should.”
He went to grab their order when it was called and Tommy took his cup off of him as they started walking out to one of the outdoor tables. Jade and Zane were at least nowhere to be seen. They sat down across from each other.
“So?” Tommy asked.
“I told you I went on a few dates while we were broken up,” Buck said.
“She was one of them?”
Buck nodded. He was glad he’d opted for an iced coffee because he could drink it right away without the fear of burning his tongue.
“And her husband,” Buck said, glancing at Tommy for a reaction.
Tommy’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”
“I didn’t know either of them was married or married to each other at the time.”
Tommy’s laughter washed over him. The corners of his eyes crinkled.
“Bisexual problems,” Buck said.
That just made Tommy laugh harder. “Explain this to me, how did you find out?”
So, Buck went through it. The night out with Ravi and Eddie. How he wound up getting two numbers instead of getting Eddie a date. How he called both of them because dating was casual and he didn’t know if he’d hit it off with either of them.
“I was kinda torn,” Buck explained. “Two hot people. Both pretty interesting. Kinda bossy. Dates went pretty well. Then, Eddie and Ravi were looking at their social media and they had pictures with the same older woman. We thought they were siblings or cousins.”
Tommy chuckled again.
“Yeah, so I broke it off with both of them and they showed up at the station. Together.”
“What?”
“Yeah,” Buck said. “They came to ask if I’d be their third.”
As Tommy broke down into more laughter, Buck suddenly realized that actually it was good to tell Tommy about the mess that his dating life had been in the months they’d been apart. He shouldn’t hide any of it and Tommy should be able to accept it and know that no one Buck met in that time had ever really even come close to feeling like a real option to build a life with. Not like Tommy.
“And I know we said we’d take it slow,” Buck said, “do it right this time.”
“We did,” Tommy said.
Buck reached for his hand. “I just want you to know that slow as it goes, you’re going to be my last.”
“Yeah. I think you’ll be mine too.”