Love in Focus (BxB)

8) Unanswered Questions

Jamie lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts of Alex.

The dinner had been wonderful, yet there was a lingering sense of uncertainty. Why were things moving so slowly?

He had hoped for a kiss goodnight, something to show that they were on the same page. But Alex seemed hesitant, almost guarded.

Jamie sighed, running a hand through his hair.

In the city, relationships had always been fast and fleeting. People moved quickly, looking for instant connections. And it was easy. He'd go to a club or scroll through Grindr and–boom!–he'd find a guy to spend a few hours with.

Here, in this quiet town, things were different.

Which, he had to remind himself, was the plan. He'd moved in search of a change in pace and a chance to rediscover his passions.

But he didn't expect things to go this slow.

Was he expecting too much too soon? Or, was it something else?

Maybe Alex wasn't all that into him. Maybe he wasn't looking for a new relationship. Or maybe his past was holding him back. Or maybe... could he be straight?

Jamie had no one to discuss his theories with. Emily was the only other person he knew in town, and while she was friendly, their conversations had never ventured beyond that of server and patron. And his friends from the city had always been more about fun and less about deep conversations.

Jamie sighed again, feeling a bit lost. All he could do was stare at his ceiling, his thoughts spinning faster than a pinwheel on a windy day.

But eventually he must have fallen asleep, because suddenly it was morning.

Determined to clear the air, Jamie decided to stop by the bookshop after it opened.

When Jamie arrived, he found Alex behind the counter, organizing a new stack of books. The sight of him, so focused and calm, made Jamie's heart flutter. He took a deep breath and stepped inside, the familiar bell above the door chiming as he entered.

"Hey, Alex," Jamie called out, trying to keep his tone casual.

Alex looked up, a smile spreading across his face. "Jamie, hey! It's good to see you."

Jamie walked over to the counter, feeling a bit more at ease. "I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing."

Alex's smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "I'm good, just busy with the new arrivals. How about you?"

"Same," Jamie replied, glancing around the shop. "Just trying to get settled and figure things out."

Before he could say more, the door chimed again, and a woman walked in. She was about their age, with striking features and an air of confidence. Alex's demeanor changed instantly. He straightened up, his smile becoming more rigid.

"Hi, Alex," the woman said, her voice smooth and familiar. "Got a minute?"

"Samantha," Alex replied, his tone a bit flustered. "Of course. What can I do for you?"

Jamie watched the interaction, feeling a pang of curiosity—and something else he couldn't quite name. Samantha leaned on the counter, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "Can you believe how much the Harvest Festival cost the town this year?" she said. "And I heard a rumor that at tonight's town hall meeting, someone's going to propose increasing the stall fees for next year."

Alex responded politely but seemed unusually tense, his eyes flickering toward Jamie occasionally as if he were aware of being watched. "Yeah, I heard about that. It's going to be a tough discussion," he said, his voice a bit strained.

After a few minutes, Samantha glanced at Jamie, her eyes flicking over him appraisingly. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Jamie," Alex said quickly. "He's new in town. Jamie, this is Samantha."

"Nice to meet you," Jamie said, forcing a smile.

Samantha nodded, her attention already back on Alex. "Anyway, I'll see you at town hall tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll be there," Alex replied, giving her a tight smile.

With that, Samantha left, leaving a silence hanging in the air. Jamie turned to Alex, his curiosity piqued. "Who was that?"

"Just someone from town," Alex said, avoiding Jamie's gaze. "She's involved in a lot of community stuff."

Jamie frowned, sensing there was more to the story. "You seemed a bit flustered. Everything okay?"

Alex busied himself with the books, his movements a bit too quick. "Yeah, it's fine. Just a lot on my mind."

Jamie wanted to push further, to ask more questions, but he could tell Alex wasn't in the mood to talk. He felt a wave of frustration and confusion. How much about Alex's life did he not know?

"Okay," Jamie said slowly, feeling a bit defeated. "Well, if you need to talk or anything, I'm here."

"Thanks, Jamie. I appreciate that." Alex finally looked at him, his expression softening. "I just... probably need more coffee."

"Well, that's something I can definitely help with," Jamie said. "I'll be back in a jiffy."

He left the bookshop with more questions than answers, wondering if he'd ever truly understand what was going on in Alex's mind. As he walked across the street to the cafe, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something important Alex wasn't telling him. And it left him with a sense of unease he couldn't ignore.

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