Second Chances in New Port Stephen - Chapter 38

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Second Chances in New Port Stephen - Chapter 38

It was a small lie, Nick knew, but what made it infinitely more bizarre was that Eli seemed
perfectly content to let it go unchallenged. Maybe it was too much of a hassle to do the whole
explanation if you didn’t plan on ever seeing the person again. Then Nick remembered that Eli
had explained it very clearly to him when they ran into each other at the Wine Barn, and it

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made something warm flicker in his chest to think that Eli might have wanted to see him again
right off the bat.
But then Eli opened his mouth.
“And I’m sorry to have to correct you, but Nick here is still straight as an arrow. He just thought
it might be fun to check this place out with me,” Eli said.
Nick pursed his lips. Not an arrow, he wanted to say. More like… something flexible. Under the
right circumstances. Maybe. Like one of those little hard pellets that bloom into sponge
dinosaurs when you soak them in water. Did they still make those?
But the conversation was already moving forward without his input.
“Oh, that’s cool.” Jamar nodded at them both. “You in town for the holidays too?”
“I am,” Eli offered. “Nick still lives here year-round.”
“Ohhhhhhhh.” The way Jamar said it—pity covered by overdone interest— made Nick want to
sink through the sticky dance floor. “Hey, let me introduce y’all to my husband. Where’s he at?
Ernesto!” he called above the heads on the dance floor, which was no problem given his six-
foot-plus height.
Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw Eli mouth the word “husband” to himself.
A short, chubby man floated out of the crowd of dancers and moved toward them. He was—
Nick couldn’t think of any other word—cute. He had one of those cherub faces that seemed
impossibly serene. Or maybe that was just the way he always looked at Jamar. “Yes, love?”
“Check it out, I went to high school with these guys. This is Eli”—he pointed at Eli, who waved—
“and Nick.” He pointed at Nick. “He’s the straight friend.”
“I’m—I do other things,” Nick said in an attempt to defend his potential queerness, but no one
heard him over the music.
“So nice to meet you! Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas.” Ernesto swooped in for a quick press
of a hug for both of them, then eyed Eli up and down. “Want to dance? Jamar does not like to
dance with me.” He passed a flat hand over his head. “The height. It makes it hard. But you are
just my size!”
“I’m telling you, baby, one wrong move and I could crush you out there,” Jamar said with a
laugh. Ernesto gave him an unimpressed pout.
“I’d love to dance,” Eli said. He gave Nick a questioning glance. At first Nick hoped that it meant
Eli wanted to make sure Nick was okay with him dancing with another man. Maybe they had

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been about to kiss again after all. “You won’t get too uncomfortable being on your own for a
few minutes, right? If any guys try to hit on you, just yell ‘straight!’ and flash a picture of your
kid.”