Bittersweet Irish Cream Ch. 02

Thank you for the love and the comments! Jack and Ethan are a slow burn, but it's coming! I actually have this whole story written out but I need to separate it into sections and chapters, and proofread it to be able to upload it here, so you will get pieces of it every few days. Keep commenting and don't forget to vote!

~~~~~~~

Jack stopped by the Inn the next day to help Ethan with the fence and between the two of them they were able to finish it by dinner time. Ethan ordered pizza and they sat in the dining area and talked. Jack realized they had not exchanged numbers the night before so they did so.

When Jack got home he sent him a winky face emoji via text.

Ethan texted back: Thanks for helping me today. I appreciate it.

Jack texted: Anytime. You're picking up EJ tomorrow?

Ethan: Yup. I miss my little nugget so much.

Jack: Cool. If you ever want company to take that ride, just let me know.

Ethan: Slow down there kid, I don't know you like that. I don't just put anybody in my BMW.

Jack: Dude. It's an X5. You have a mom car.

Ethan: Shut the fuck up.

Jack: LOL :'D

Ethan: :P

Jack: Is that a tongue? You're soooo gay.

Ethan: :O *eggplant emoji*

Jack: LOL

Ethan: Good night, Jack.

Jack: Night E.

~~~~~~

The following week, Jack stopped by every day to help out, but he ended up babysitting EJ which he didn't mind at all. After a full week of Jack coming around and Ethan giving him tasks, Jack said, "You should just hire me part time."

Ethan scoffed. "As what, my babysitter?"

Jack feigned sadness. "I do more than that around here. I literally cleaned your gutters yesterday."

Ethan liked the idea of having Jack around every day but played it cool. "What about the warehouse?"

"Henrietta is home with her fancy Management degree from Harvard, so she is going to take over running the warehouse. Honestly, I am happy to step aside."

Ethan said, "OK. Facilities Management. Monday through Friday 1pm to 5pm, that's 20 hours a week."

Jack was delighted, he did not think Ethan would go for it that quickly. "Yea? For real?"

Ethan shrugged. "Someone has to clean the toilets around here." He smiled.

Stacy who was within ear shot of the conversation laughed as well. Ethan said to her, "Add Jack name to the system and show him the ropes. Jack, that's your immediate supervisor. Do what she tells you to do." He winked at her. Jack groaned and Stacy smiled slyly.

Jack started working for Ethan the following Monday, second week in June. He did whatever that was asked of him, from cleaning rooms, changing bed clothes, mowing the grass, grocery shopping and repairs around the Inn. But his favorite pastime was was keeping EJ occupied. If Ethan was on an important phone call, or going through the books or had to run an errand, he would put EJ in Jack's capable hands. And Jack would feed him, play games, sing nursery rhymes and rock him to sleep for naps. Ethan gave Jack access to the basement apartment so that EJ would be comfortable, but maybe he also wanted Jack in his space. A couple of times a week, Jack would hang out there after work with Ethan, and they would watch sports or Netflix shows.

The last week of June that EJ was with his grandparents, Ethan had Jack's friends, who were quickly becoming his friends too, hang out in his apartment every night with them, Henrietta and Brayden, Mina and Sam, Connor and Afia, Liam and June. They sat around, ate lots of take out and drank wine and beer. Ethan considered asking Jack to take the drive with him that Sunday to pick up EJ but at the last minute chickened out, still unsure of why Jack made him nervous sometimes when they were just friends.

In July, Jack and Ethan spent Independence Day together making a barbecue for the occupants of the Inn, then on Wincheck Pond with the rest of the town watching fireworks in the evening with EJ between them on the blanket. June teased Jack when he came home and said, "For two people that are just friends, you two sure did look cozy."

He brushed her off. "We're just friends, Junie. If there was something more, you know I would tell you." But Jack was slowly beginning to wonder himself.

Jack and Ethan continued to hang out at the Red Rock in his basement apartment, with or without their friends. Hanging out with others reminded Ethan that he used to be a fun guy and he let down his guard a bit more every day. But the moments when it was the two of them was just as nice, if not nicer. Ethan grew to really like Jack. He was definitely intelligent, thoughtful, and quick with his humor and comebacks.

He also had such a calming personality, very slow to overreact to pretty much anything, from broken pipes to EJ's incomprehensible crying at times. He had the patience of a saint. Everything had a bright side, a positive outlook and Ethan appreciated that. He also appreciated how easy on the eyes Jack was. Whenever his shirt rode up as he stretched for something Ethan admired his washboard abs. His body was fucking amazing, he thought every time he saw pieces of it, and the summer time allowed him to see more and more of it, which he liked a lot.

Jack saw Ethan's fun side as well as his serious side, and liked them both. When he was rolling around on the floor with EJ making him laugh or taking people's money playing pool or making snarky comments, his smile made Jack smile. And when he was going though the books, or repairing a door, his face screwed up tightly, brown hair that was a bit longer in the front falling over his right eye, Jack thought he was sexy. He imagined more than once that face over him while fucking. Then he would laugh the thoughts off or push them down. He had no intention of of turning this into anything more than what they had- a friendship, albeit a close one.

On the first Saturday in August with just the two of them hanging in his apartment, Jack asked Ethan, "You say you are Catholic but you don't go to Mass. Why?"

"Jack, I am gay and divorced. The Catholic Church does not want to see me come through those doors." He sighed.

Jack asked, "Are you going for them or going for your own faith?"

Ethan sighed again. "I don't know. While thinking I was going to change one sin, the other sin happened."

"E, shut up about sins. You can't change who are. But have you ever just thought about getting it annulled? The church will understand why you got married, it was kind of under duress."

"I thought about it once, and it immediately bothered me. How could I say it never happened when the most important thing in the world came out of it?" Ethan said seriously. Jack wanted to point out the conception happened way before the marriage, but Ethan wasn't ready to hear logic right now. Instead he tried a different angle.

"Okay. The divorce thing and communion gets tricky. But the gay part, I mean, I'm in there every Sunday, taking communion, getting my sins forgiven at confession weekly like everybody else. Because I am just like every body else. WE are like everybody else."

Jack paused, then asked, "Are you out?" He had been wanting to ask Ethan for a while now since all this time they had been hanging out with their friends, it had never come up.

Ethan paused, then said, "Define, 'out.' "

"Er...Okaaaay."

"I mean...my friends and family members all know," Ethan said. "They were more shocked that I ended up marrying a woman. I don't broadcast it because my private life is private, but I won't deny it if I'm asked outright. But I'm also not hanging a rainbow flag outside of the B&B."

Jack smirked. "So, don't ask, don't tell?"

"No, I'm not that bad. I'm just not introducing myself as Gay Ethan. I mean, you didn't tell me you were gay until I told you."

"But everyone in town knows I'm gay so you were going to find out anyway. And yea, well I wanted you to know you had an ally, so I told you myself."

"Right, you tell the people who matter when it matters."

Jack couldn't help it. "So I matter to you?" He smirked.

Ethan said, "Shut up." His stomach flipped and he found himself smiling.

"Back to my original question," said Jack. "Come to Mass with me tomorrow. Father O'Donnell knows I'm gay and I still get to partake in communion and get after church crumb cake."

Ethan shook his head. "I don't know."

Jack asked, "Is EJ baptized?"

"Of course."

"Well it's my duty as the good Catholic to tell you as the bad Catholic that you are damning his sweet soul to purgatory unless you get that sweet face into Mass. And you can come too."

Ethan looked over at EJ playing with blocks, thoughtful. "Ok, we'll go."

Jack clapped his hands. "Great, I will come over at 7:45am and walk over with you guys."

~~~~~

Ethan was ready on time with EJ in the stroller. He wore his best dark blue slacks, button down white shirt and a blue designer tie. He was highly annoyed that Jack showed up in blue jeans and a regular button down shirt. At his disapproving look, Jack laughed and said, "Hey, it's you who has to impress Jesus, Mary and Joseph, not me."

Ethan was nervous walking over to St. Cecilia's Church, but Jack as usual in his calm way put him at ease by talking about random stuff. They came in and sat a few rows from the back together. Jack nodded at his family on the other side near the front, his uncle Henry and aunt Marie, Henrietta, Mina and June all took up one row. Stacy, who he assumed has the emergency front desk phone, and Liam along with a couple of others who he assumed were their family members, sat directly behind them. Stacy gave Ethan a thumbs up.

BJ sauntered in late and sat in the row with Jack and Ethan. Ethan noticed pretty much the whole town was here. He wondered who were the Lutherans who went to the other church on the other side of town. He realized he did not see Brayden, which he rarely sees without Henrietta, and figured that's where he and his family were on a Sunday morning.

EJ started stirring in Ethan's lap but Jack was ready with a toy to occupy his attention. Mass began, a combination of English and Latin, which he approved. It felt good, reminded him of St. Gabriel's in the Bronx. He did not get up for communion nor did Jack look to him to do so when he got up, which he appreciated. But other than that brief uncomfortable moment, everything else was great. Afterwards, instead of going out, everyone met downstairs and there was indeed crumb cake, which made him laugh out loud.

He shook hands with the other residents of Rockville, some he had only seen in passing. He also met other business owners who created a council to advocate at city hall for the needs of small businesses and was invited to their next meeting.

He met Stacy and Liam's parents who thanked him for giving their youngest children jobs and steady income. They had seven children total and the twins were the last to leave the nest. Jack introduced Ethan to his aunt and uncle who playfully told Ethan to keep him over at the Inn as much as he wanted. And everyone loved EJ. He ran around and enjoyed being picked up by everyone and ate everything.

Ethan met no nonsense Mrs. Rieger, who owns the daycare, Just In Time, and he learned that Jack worked there when he was in high school and stayed on until he got the sanitation job. And Ethan understood why Jack was so good with kids.

She asked why EJ wasn't in preschool. Ethan didn't have an answer, except that he wanted to keep EJ close. Mrs. Rieger said sternly, "Unless you're planning on home schooling him, get him around other kids his age and let him learn properly and socialize with his own peer group. Even if it's just a few days a week, a few hours a week. I run a tight ship and the results are excellent. All my children are well taken care of, Jack can attest to that. Come over on Monday, do a tour and then decide." Ethan agreed.

Father O'Donnell picked EJ up at one point and introduced himself to Ethan. "I was wondering when you'd show up, the one who finally got Ian McKinley to leave town and head to Florida to be with his daughter and grandchildren. Father O'Donnell."

He shook Ethan's hand. "Ethan Starling," he said shaking his hand back. "Nice to meet you, Father. It's was a good Mass."

Father O'Donnell smiled. "Well I hope so, I've been doing it here for over 30 years." They talked a bit and then the subject of EJ's mother came up.

"We're not together anymore. We're...divorced."

Father O'Donnell nonchalantly, "Well that happens, doesn't it? I hope that's not why you stayed away from us here at St. Cecilia's."

"No. Well, maybe a little. I don't know. I've been through a lot."

"Well my door is always open if you ever want to talk about it. In or out of the confessional, your choice. In the meantime, don't be a stranger, come again."

"Thanks Father, I will." He handed EJ back to Ethan and went to greet other parishioners.

Jack came up from behind. "So? You didn't burn up upon entry. Nobody threw stones at you for being an adulterer or being here without a wife. And Father O'Donnell didn't exercise the gay out of you at first sight. I think it's been a good day."

Ethan nudged his side with his free hand, then smiled. Jack then said, "Have lunch with me and my family today. Liam and Stacy will be there. Brayden too." Ethan agreed with a simple head nod.

Jack's family plus Liam, Ethan and EJ in a stroller walked through Frazier's Orchard to the 3000 square foot farmhouse. Stacy went back to the Inn and said she will come over when the food is ready, between 1pm and 2pm. The women went right into the kitchen to begin making lunch, Mina talking EJ with him; the men sat in the den watching the game. Brayden showed up at 11:30am and he was right about Brayden being Lutheran. They talked about it for a bit until Jack let it slip that Ethan is a Yankees fan which started a friendly uproar.

At one point Liam disappeared and never returned. At 1pm Stacy arrived and Henrietta came in to tell them the food was ready so Ethan went to find a bathroom. He turned a corner to find Liam and June in a heavy make out session complete with petting private parts, and he's pretty sure she was getting fingered. They jumped apart.

Ethan immediately said, "Sorry!" He quickly walked back to the dining room, only then remembering he still had to pee. Liam came out first, then a few minutes later June came out and sat on the opposite side of the table from him next to Jack. Ethan avoided both of their eyes.

Lunch was baked chicken, pasta salad, regular salad and homemade biscuits. For dessert it was apple pie, baked fresh every Sunday like clockwork. Conversation flowed. They asked Ethan about his plans for the B&B, Mina talked about her clincials at Providence Hospital and her BSN program, and Brayden joked about marrying Henrietta now that his girl is back in town although Ethan wasn't so sure it was a joke.

They have been together since she was 17, officially, and he followed her to Boston for college. She stayed an extra couple of years for internships and getting her MBA at Harvard, while he moved back home and worked for his father, and they never actually broke up. Ethan wouldn't be surprised if he popped the question in the next month or so.

Ethan still had to pee but held it until the end and everyone started moving around. As he got up to head to the bathroom, June cornered him. "Can we talk?"

She pulled him to the kitchen before he could answer, with Liam's eyes followed them. June closed the door and faced Ethan. "You can't tell Jack. He will flip the fuck out if he knew Liam and were...hanging out. I mean, he still thinks I'm a virgin."

Ethan grew increasingly uncomfortable. "Um...yea, none of my business so...yea, no."

June looked relieved. "OK. Because I will tell him myself, when the time is right. We don't even know what this is to tell him. So we're just hanging out until I go back to school in two weeks. I can't do what Henrietta did, neither of us is interested in a long distance relationship. But for now, I have needs."

Ethan was officially uncomfortable and wanted this convo to end. "He won't hear it from me, promise. We're good," he said, patting her on the head before heading out and really finding a bathroom.

Jack walked Ethan and EJ back to the Inn. "Sooo, next Sunday we do it all again?"

Ethan smiled. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

~~~~~

Ethan and Jack where installing new light fixtures in the hallway in the east wing. Ethan had been working up the nerve to ask Jack all day, not sure why this made him so nervous. The worst Jack could say is no. With his back turned, he took a deep breath.

"Hey Jack, you feel like taking the ride with me to Greenwich tomorrow? To pick up EJ? I know you don't want to miss Mass and all so I get it if you can't."

Jack smiled, his back turned as well. "Oh yea sure," he said coolly. "I've never actually been to Greenwich before, just passed through. What time?"

Ethan smiled. "I leave her at 9am. It's about a two hour drive give or take with traffic. I usually spend the day with my parents then drive back in the evening."

"Cool, sounds like fun."

Truthfully Jack has been waiting for an invite for a while now. Not in a romantic sort of way, he told himself, but a way to get to know him a little better, his life outside of of Rockville, his family. He wouldn't shy away from a relationship with him, but he knew Ethan didn't want one so he was satisfied with their bromance.

Jack showed up by 8:55am Sunday morning, in a white V neck t-shirt, light blue jeans and white Nikes. Ethan's stomach jolted when he saw him, even though Jack hadn't smiled yet. Jack was hot, no doubt about it, and today he just looked exceptional in the most basic outfit. Ethan had been admiring Jack's body all summer long: The curve of his biceps and triceps, his defined collar bone, his six pack. He was toned in all the right places, which Ethan liked a lot.

Ethan himself was more athletic built, though without a nearby gym he felt like he was starting to lose definition in his arms and abs. He suddenly felt insecure, like he wasn't good enough for Jack. He tried to brush those feelings away, it's not like they were dating, right?

Jack saw something in the way he looked at him but couldn't pin-point it. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing. You look.....clean."

Jack laughed. "Well I did use soap today so..."

Ethan turned to Stacy at the front desk. "Hold down the fort for me, call me if anything comes up."

He handed her the keys. They got into his light grey BMW x5 and headed west. After about 20 minutes of silence, Jack synced his Bluetooth and started playing songs from his playlist, starting with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Ethan snorted. "God, you are so white."

Jack laughed. "You know, growing up in the whitest part of the Bronx does not make you any less white than I am."

"No but your taste in music certainly does."

Jack rolled his eyes and put on Ne-Yo. "Better?"

"Hell yea. You got the first ride, I got the next."

Ethan drove and Jack switched around the music. They talked a bit until Jack said, "Let's play a game, A or B. Choose between two answers, first thought that comes to mind, no over thinking, no going back. Then the other answers the question, and you get to ask the next question. I want to see how alike we are."

Ethan said, "Hmmm...OK. Give me an example though."

Jack asked, "Red Sox or Yankees?"

Ethan said, "Yankees, bitch!"

Jack laughed. "Red Sox. OK your turn."

Ethan, "Um, Christmas or New Years?"

Jack, "Christmas."

Ethan, "New Years."

Jack, "Apple or Android?"

Ethan, "Apple."

Jack, "Android."

Ethan, "Shit do we have anything in common?"

Jack laughed. "Your turn."

Ethan, "um...big or small?"

Jack "Big."

Ethan, "Big."

Jack, "Hip-Hop or R&B?"

Ethan, "Hip-Hop."