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The following afternoon, Bradley sat at a table tucked into the corner. His phone was in front of him, letting him know that he still had another five minutes before Jake was expected to arrive. His eyes kept glancing at the lock screen to the photo of him with Jake at the island resort they just returned from. It was a good photo of them. One he sort of wanted to add to Mav’s collage at the hanger someday. If Mav was okay with that, that was.
At the sound of the bell ringing above the door, he glanced towards it, feeling his stomach somersault at the sight of Jake in uniform. He waved him over with a smile.
“Please tell me that’s—”
“—a skinny vanilla latte, extra foam?” Bradley finished for him.
“Oh, I could kiss you right about now.”
“I wouldn’t exactly be against that.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “I’m trying this new thing Mav and Ice do.”
“What’s that?”
“Not giving a fuck what other people think. Now, come here and greet me properly, Lieutenant Seresin.” He chuckled when Jake took a quick drink from his cup before he kissed him. They laughed when Jake wiped the foam from Bradley’s mustache before he took a seat across from him.
“How’s things going with the fam?”
“Good. Mel’s her usual self, of course. But I forgot how nice it was to be home with them.”
“And how’s things with Theo the Adorable?”
“Eh, he still growls whenever I walk past, but he’s stopped stealing my socks. So that’s a win.”
“Definitely. And things with Mama Mitchell? How’s that going?”
Bradley sighed heavily at that. “About the same as it was before. Did you see the photos I sent you yesterday?”
“Looked like everyone had fun.”
“Yeah, I think we did. Her especially.”
“Wasn’t that the plan?”
He nodded. “Mel and I talked things over, too. After she laid into me about not texting her enough while I was gone and worrying her. But, yeah, we . . . we talked things out some.”
“And?”
“And I wish I could say I was there. I do. I’m not, though. It’s like there’s this thing inside me . . . that just . . . makes me pull back from them. Reminds me how I’m only there because of Maverick.”
“No, idiot. You’re there because you’re family, Bradshaw. Because they love you, despite all your anger issues there, Red Hulk.”
“A part of me gets that. It does. However, I . . . Jake, he took the position because of me. Because he wanted to save me, keep me safe like he always has. But I didn’t want to listen. Didn’t want to be near him.”
“There’s a lot of history between you. Didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that. But you and he worked things out after the mission.”
“We did.”
“Then what more is there to discuss, Bradley? They love you. Legit, honest to God, love you. I mean, hell, Penny would do just about anything for you if you asked. And Mama Mitchell doesn’t give that out to just anyone. She gives that privilege out to her kids, to you.”
“But I was the reason she nearly lost him, Jake. After everything they’ve been through, it came down to me again.”
“You saved him when it mattered, and I saved both of you later on so that point is moot and should be tossed out for garbage at this point.” Seresin then sighed heavily. “I’m not saying she wasn’t maybe upset with you after she heard it all afterwards, but, darlin’, it’s been two years since then. You have got to forgive yourself for that and see the opportunity that’s right there in front of you.”
“What? Another chance at losing even more parents in my life, Seresin? I lost mine. I can’t get them back no matter how hard I try. I mean, I tossed Maverick away. Then we lost Ice. Then I lost Mav again. My life is a revolving door of those I love dying or leaving me.”
“Well, I sure as shit didn’t leave you,” he declared. “You’re the only one I haven’t actually ever left if we’re honest, in the air or on the ground. So, what am I then?”
“A paradox.”
Jake laughed, losing his tension again. “Or in, you know, normal people’s terms, a soulmate, Bradshaw. I’m your soulmate. We complement each other.”
“I think we insult each other more than anything usually.”
“Same difference. And quit being cute. You know what I mean.”
“My parents were soulmates.”
“And you always wanted what they had for yourself one day. I know.” Jake then threw out a hand dramatically. “Do you want me to find a sign to stand under or something here? We love each other. We can lie to ourselves and keep up this same old shit we’ve been doing and say we don’t, but it doesn’t change the truth. You love me, and I love you. And together our stupid hearts beat as one.”
Bradley’s brows furrowed. “Did you stop somewhere for a case of beer before coming here? You’re not usually this . . . open.”
“I might be tired of waiting on you to get off your damn perch this time,” Jake admitted before he took a long sip of his latte. “Because we can have that. Hell, we did have that down at the resort. The only thing stopping us from having that here is us. And I get it, okay? It’s scary as shit to open your heart to someone, to let them in past all the walls you’ve built to pretend you’re not a goddamn mess. I’m right there with you. Scared as hell that if we do this again, I’ll find myself brokenhearted one day. But you don’t just give up on a maybe, Bradshaw. Otherwise, what’s the point to all this anymore?”
He had a point there. “Do you . . . maybe want to go to dinner tomorrow night with me then?”
“You sure?”
“No, but . . . not being around you since we got back has sucked. And having you there with me might help me get over my hangups with them.” Get more comfortable again and less an intruder.
Jake grinned widely, tapping the table. “It’s a date then. I’ll swing by about 1845.”