Radio Waves (manxman)[Match Maker Series]

Chapter Three

Jake

I woke up to the sound of knocking on the door. I looked over and saw that Wesley was still asleep in the next bed so I quickly pulled on my sweats and opened the door. Match stood there with a frown on his face. “Trying to get you up is like trying to wake the dead.” He pushed past me and sat on my bed.

“Why the hell are you banging on the door at … What time is it?” I scratched my head and closed the door.

“It’s after ten, you should have been up and in class by now.” Damn. Professor Miller would throw a fit thinking that something else had happened.

“Is that the only reason that you showed up on my doorstep?” I was feeling tired and grouchy and I didn’t have the patience for guessing games.

“You live in a dorm building, you don’t have a doorstep. But to answer your question, I’ve come to be the bearer of bad news. Victoria called me last night.”

“My cousin Victoria?” Wesley mumbled from the tangle of blankets on his bed.

“Yes. She said that Gabe had to leave town yesterday when he got word that his father died. So we’ll have to take a rain check on meeting him.”

I gasped and plopped down onto my bed. “Oh, no. Poor Gabe he must be so upset.” Duh, understatement you douche. I mentally kicked myself for my stupid comment.

“She says he’s going to be gone for a week, two tops.”

“Sure. I hope he has someone there with him and he’s not alone.” I felt numb, like it was my own family member who had died. Poor Gabe was going through one of the worst things that anyone could possibly go through in their life and I was aching to be there for him. I know it might sound strange to everyone that I could feel like this about a person that I had never met, but . . . It’s just hard to explain how I feel about him.

“He’ll be fine, man.” Wesley sat down on the bed next to me and threw his arm around me.

“Wesley’s right, he will. He has siblings and his mother. They’ll all lean on each other and help each other through this.” Match reassured me.

“Thanks, Frankie.” I stood and started picking out some clothes. “Is that all you wanted or did you have any more bad news?” I grabbed my towel and toiletry bag.

“No, that’s it. I’ll let you know when Victoria tells me anything else.” Match slapped me on the shoulder and let himself out.

“That sucks.” Wesley said.

“Yeah.” I gave myself a mental shake and put on a smile. “I’m going for a shower I won’t be long then you can jump in and we’ll grab something to eat at the diner. What do you say?”

“Sounds great, I love their muffins.” Wesley wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively and cracked up in a fit of giggles. It was good to hear after the last day and a half of sullen silence.