Mine To Love (manxman)

10-Shopping Down Memory Lane

A/N: Quick note, if you're following me the link for chapter 11, since it was made private is below. Just click on external links beneath this chapter.

JEREMY

I slowly made my way through the isles in my local supermarket barely noticing what was on the shelves and passing by items that I needed. I was pushing a cart that had maybe five items in it and my mind kept wondering to my conversation with Sam last night. She'd tried to convince me to go to poker night tonight at Frankie's but I told her that things would be too awkward between us and the boys would get curious and ask questions that I just wouldn't be able to answer.

Sam had known for the past three years that I was in love with Frankie. I hadn't told her that it had been even longer than that since I'd begun to have these feelings or that I'd tortured myself by listening to his women boast about their bedroom antics. I was a pathetic fool.

I let out a deep breath as I slowed the cart and tried to concentrate on the deli counter. The food before me all blurred into nothing and again my mind slipped back to Frankie. All I could see in my minds eye was his cheeky grin and the sparkle in his eye as he looked at me. My sister Maggie had had a crush on him briefly when he'd first started coming to my house and I couldn't blame her. He was a very good looking boy and he'd grown into a strikingly handsome man. Sam had only been a baby back then so she'd grown up thinking of him as another brother and was thrilled to learn of my infatuation with him. She'd been convinced that we'd get married and make him a genuine member of the family. Sometimes I think she's even more delusional than I am.

"Hi stranger." A hand gently landing on my shoulder had me turning around and my first genuine smile in days spread across my face.

"David?" He pulled me into an embrace and gave me a friendly squeeze before stepping back.

"It's been a long time since we've run into each other. How have you been?" He asked me.

"Um, I've been okay. I'm still working the same job, living in the same place and playing poker every Thursday night. What about you? How have you been? Are you still working at the club?" I avoided the subject of Frankie, it was a sore issue for me today.

"I'm really good. I'm now manager of the club so the pay is better." He laughed. "And...." He beamed and flashed me his left hand. There was a beautiful wedding band on his finger that was obviously custom made. Entwined strands of white and red gold were surrounded by glowing yellow diamonds.

"That ring is gorgeous. Who's the lucky man?" Whoever had snatched up David was definitely a lucky man. He was sweet and loyal to a fault and his cooking was to die for. He was the only one that I regretted not being able to love. If I'd never known Frankie and the depth of emotion that I felt for him, then I knew that I would have kept David for always.

"His name is Anthony. I met him when he moved into the apartment across the hall. We finally hit it off when we got stuck in the lift together for two hours." He blushed a bright shade of red and I had a feeling that I knew how they'd amused themselves for those two hours.

"I'm really happy for you, David. I hope he treats you right."

"He spoils me. Today is our anniversary so I'm making him a special meal to show him how much he means to me. Speaking of which, I better get back to getting those ingredients or the only dinner we'll both be having will be from a takeout box." He pulled me close again and I wrapped my arms around him, holding him tight. I was happy for David, he deserved to coddled and loved and I hoped this man of his knew what a gem he had. "It was really nice seeing you again Jeremy." He gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"You too. Now go get that dinner sorted." I gave him my cheeky grin and moved back out of his arms. "Goodbye David."

"Bye." He gave me a wave and moved away. I turned back to the counter and pulled a ticket from the machine. Looking up at the queue I realized that I had a bit of a wait.

"Hi." A voice said tentatively behind me and for the second time I turned to see who'd addressed me.

"Frankie." I stood frozen in front of him and neither of us spoke for what felt like hours but was only two minutes at most.

"Was that your old boyfriend?" He looked in the direction that David had gone.

"Yeah, that was David. I haven't seen him since we broke up." I looked into his deep blue eyes and saw an emotion that shocked me to my very core.

Jealousy.

Was he jealous of David?

"Are you guys getting back together?" Worry joined the jealousy swirling in those sea blue depths and my heart rejoiced.

"No. He was showing me his wedding ring. Even if he wasn't married I wouldn't be interested in getting back together with him. He knew when we broke up that my heart could only ever belong to one person." I took a hesitant step closer to him. Why was he jealous? He'd said he was in love with someone else. Could I dare to hope that someone was me?

There was only one way to find out.

"You said last week that you were in love with someone. Who are you in love with?" My heart stopped beating as I waited for his answer. Whatever his reply would be it had the capacity to change my life forever. It could crush the last piece of me that clung to hope or it could bring true every wish and dream I'd ever dared to imagine of a future with Frankie.

Frankie raised his hand and stroked his palm over the rough hair on my jaw. "I thought you knew and that's why you ran away that night." He chuckled and his eyes brightened. He was breath-taking and I longed for him to be mine.

"Tell me. I need to hear it." I begged him. I'd waited so long to hear the words, I felt as if I'd die if I didn't hear them.

"Come home with me and I'll tell you." He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. The smile on his face could only be described with one word.

Blissful.

I grabbed his hand and pushed my almost empty cart to the checkout. While we waited for our turn I kept looking at him. He was finally mine. I could feel it with every fibre of my being. He was mine and we were finally going to be together.

"Damn. I'll be right back." I said as a thought occurred to me. I ran down the aisle and picked up what I was looking for. Frankie gave me a shy smile as I placed the lube and condoms on the conveyer belt with my shopping. Oh yeah, this was going to be fun.

I followed him home in my car with a pounding heart and sweating hands. The anticipation was killing me. I knew we needed to talk first, there was a lot we needed to say to one another and I really needed to hear him say those words, but my blood was on fire with my need for him.

Frankie finally indicated and pulled into his driveway. I followed him in and pulled up behind him. I watched him step out of his car and look back at me. He looked nervous and I noticed his hand shaking as he closed and locked the car door. I counted to ten before getting out and walking up to his front door. I stood behind him, close enough to feel the heat coming from his body as he struggled to fit his key into the lock.

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A/N: I'm going to try to get another chapter up later and things will be getting incredibly hot ;D