Last Friday Night (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 8

"Hey baby, how are you?"

With just a couple words, River had thrown cold water over any heat smoldering inside of Hunter. His mind sobered immediately. How could he lust after a taken man?

River didn't speak for a while, smiling and nodding silently to the person on the phone. Then he gestured to Hunter, pointing at his open office door before leaving. Nice of him to not force Hunter out of the office. But regardless, Hunter could still imagine every word being exchanged over the phone.

Was River cheating on his partner? Pretending to be faithful to his girlfriend or husband while flirting with people at the bar? Hunter felt disgusted to have been a part of his ploy. Or maybe, he wasn't really cheating at all. River did try to push him away, Hunter just assumed it was due to a fear or lack of trust. Maybe River was just trying to let him down easy.

The speculation was driving Hunter up the wall. He just had to know for sure if River was taken.

Hunter stilled his breathing and willed his ears to pick up as much as possible. Maybe he could hear something important. Unfortunately, from his position, all he heard were muffled noises. Holding his breath, Hunter began to tiptoe towards the door. His steps were light but he still winced from every creak the floor tiles made. Finally, he was at the doorway, leaning his body to get a better look at River.

The man was still listening, nodding at what seemed to be a bounty of words coming from the person on the other end of the line. The expression on his face was soft and caring in a way Hunter had never seen before. He'd seen glimpses of it, sure, but never this. The love on River's face was reckless, every emotion on full display. But not for Hunter. For that mystery person on the phone. A voice broke through Hunter's thoughts and he realized that he'd missed some of River's conversation.

" . . . when I get home, alright?" River whispered, his low, rocky voice foolishly making Hunter react. "I love you."

By the time River's call ended, Hunter was already standing back in his office, staring at those aged band posters. It would be so much easier to be one of those posters, just stick to a wall. Maybe he would stay glued there forever. Maybe he would peel off with time. Either way, he would never have to mourn a love that never really existed.

This whole thing would have been a lot easier if he knew that River was taken. All of that progress Hunter thought they'd made and he never mentioned a partner? What a cruel way for Hunter to remember that he still didn't know this man at all. Even in the face of another rejection, a failure, Hunter was upset to find out just how little River was telling him.

The sound of steps grew louder and louder and Hunter snapped his hand back from the wall, curling his fingers into a fist. Who was he to feel jealous or hurt? At the end of the day, River was unavailable. It was high time Hunter accepted that he didn't have a chance.

"I'm sorry about that. I hope you weren't too bored waiting for me," River joked, slipping his phone into his back pocket. Hunter's eyes followed the movement of that device. He wished he could see what River's love's contact looked like. Did it have hearts surrounding the name? Or maybe River simply put 'wife' and that was the end of it.

"Nope, not bored at all," Hunter chuckled. He could feel how hollow his voice sounded and swallowed, hoping to correct it before River noticed. "I was just wondering if you were free this Saturday. I play flag football on the weekends, thought you might want to join me."

"Flag football?"

"Yeah, my friends and I do it all the time. And since we are friends, I thought you might like it too."