A Different Light

by Morningstar Ashley

  “Jaden, this is Mac’s best friend, Allie. Allie, this is my best friend, Jaden.”

  “You, my dear, are gorgeous, although those tattoos look like they had to hurt.”

  Allie laughed before she replied, “And you’re blunt. I like it.”

  Bennett looked at Mac and shook his head as the two of them went out on the porch, talking the whole way. “I think they just made a new friend.”

  “I think you’re right, B. I should’ve known those two would get along.”

  Bennett and Mac took the time to gather plates, napkins, and glasses from the kitchen while they were waiting for the food to arrive. Mac carried it out to the porch, since it was a cool night, it would be a waste to sit inside the house. When the doorbell rang, Bennett had been passing out the beers to everyone.

  “I’ll go get it, B.” When Mac walked passed him, he placed a kiss on his cheek, and of course, the two kids of the group had to make kissy noises.

  “Will you to grow up.” Bennett said as he tried to hand a beer to Jaden.

  “Since when do you think I’d want that, Bennett Cole!”

  “Alright, calm down. I wasn’t thinking. Why don’t you come with me to the kitchen, and we can get you wine and a glass?”

  As Jaden stood, he responded, “Oh, alright. I was comfortable but clearly you cannot be trusted to pick out my drink. Allie, dear. I will be back.”

  As soon as they walked back into the family room, Mac walked down the hall with Danny.

  “Oh, well, my god, who are you?” Jaden purred as he walked right up to Danny. Standing facing each other, Danny and Jaden couldn’t have been more different.

  Danny stood at what Bennett would estimate was probably close to six foot five with a body that was built by hard labor, not just in construction but working on his own land at home. He wore flannel and jeans with work boots almost every time Bennett saw him.

  Jaden, on the other hand, was five foot eight and had a body built in a lab and clothing stores. His clothes may be understated in color, but anyone looking at him could tell that the slim legged shorts and linen shirt were expensive.

  Danny, being the polite guy Bennett knew him to be, held out his hand for Jaden to shake. “I’m Danny. Mac’s friend and foreman at his company.”

  “And this is my annoying best friend, Jaden, who was just coming to the kitchen to get his glass of wine with me.” Bennett said as he grabbed Jaden’s elbow and pulled. “Nice to see you again, Danny.” He waved at him over his shoulder, pulling Jaden behind him.

  “Alright, you can let go now, dear. I wasn’t going to attack the man. Although, he might like me climbing him like a tree. Did you see that perfection?” Jaden asked then started to fan himself.

  “That “perfection” is Mac’s best friend, please be on your best behavior, Jaden,” Bennett begged. “Besides, I don’t think he’s gay.”

  “Of course, my dear. Aren’t I always?”

  “Playing innocent doesn’t work with me. You forget I was there the night we went to that dorm party in our third year.”

  Jaden’s evil little smile had come out at the memory. “Hmm, that was a delicious turn of events.”

  “Alright, Romeo, let’s get back to everyone.”

  “Oh, but I think you might be wrong about the straight thing.”

  They all found seats on the many loungers Mac had out on the porch just for nights when he entertained. Allie had sat in the wide chair, knees bent and feet on the seat in front of her, Mac and Bennett had decided to take the loveseat, and Jaden somehow found a way to be as close to Danny as he could without actually sitting in his lap. Danny had narrowed his eyes at his best friend and was seemingly taken back by Jaden’s closeness. He didn’t shy away though, so Bennett wasn’t sure how to take the look the man was giving Jaden. And now he was wondering if Danny wasn’t as straight as he thought.

  “Hey, guys,” Allie started. “When you plan your next camping trip, I know a campsite that has a beautiful lake for fishing. They even supply you the boat.”

  As Bennett’s face flushed with remembered embarrassment, everyone else laughed. Mac put his hand on Bennett’s leg for reassurance, even as he tried his best not to join the others in their fun. “Ha. Ha. Ha. You guys are so funny.”

  “I could’ve told you that camping is not for you, sweetie,” Jaden said.

  “I told Mac that I hated camping but he…convinced me to go through unfair methods,” Bennett replied, which set them off giggling like loons again.

  “The methods were perfectly within the normal rules,” Mac added.

  “I still don’t understand how you thought leaning back on the side of a boat instead of using the reel was a good idea.” Danny’s deep, soft voice could be heard over the laughter.

  “Because, I had been lost in thought and was extremely shocked that I had a fish.” Mac nudged his leg as if to say continue. “And also, I have never been fishing, so I didn’t know what a reel was, I just thought it was the thing you did.”

  “I do have to say Bennett, that was one fucked up trip. I mean, I’ve never known anyone to collapse their tent, burn up their plates, fall out of their fishing boat, and get poison ivy in two days. Maybe you should see if you made the Guinness World Record for the most mishaps to naturally occur to one person in two days,” Allie laughed.

  Bennett laughed with them that time, because really, the trip had been beyond ridiculous. It was as if the universe had been proving why he didn’t like camping. And he damn well listened and wouldn’t be tempting fate again.

  Bennett smiled at Mac as he laughed and joked with their friends, and it was in that moment, he paused. Sitting back, he looked at the life he could have. The laughter and friends, the warmth of acceptance and trust. Was the empty life of career, career, career really worth keeping if he had to give up all of what was laid out in front of him? He’d been thinking of it all the wrong way. It wasn’t “Was the job worth giving up this life?”, rather it was “Was this life worth giving up for his job?”

  Bennett smiled. Talk about a goddamn epiphany at the oddest moment.

  He’d made up his mind, now all he had to do was follow through and show Mac.

  It had taken a couple of days to find a store that would do what he needed, he had to travel a good forty-minutes to get it, but it was worth it. When you’re being romantic, you damn well needed to work for it. Or rather Bennett did, because he was not a mushy romantic at heart. He blamed Mac for inspiring this ridiculous behavior in him.

  He’d even written flashcards—and practiced them—with notes for what he wanted to say and maybe a few with any counterarguments that Mac might come up with.

  He’d already called his mom and told her his plan. Her surprise wasn’t all that genuine which gave him the biggest clue so far that she had been trying to play matchmaker by asking him to come back to White Acre. Her joy, though, that was real. Bennett wasn’t mad at her, he knew she just wanted him to be happy, and apparently, all those times he had said he was happy hadn’t fooled her.

  He was on his way back to White Acre but there was one more loose end he had to deal with.

  Jaden.

  He loved his best friend, but for what he wanted to say and do, he needed him gone. Time to call a friend.

  “Hey, Bennett.” Allie’s voice rang through the car speakers.

  “Hi, Allie. I need a favor.”

  “You sound like Mac. I’m not sure I like that,” Allie teased.

  “Ha. Ha. This isn’t huge, but do you think you could hang out with Jaden tonight? I need him out of the house, but he has no car, and even if he did, he’d get lost in a second.”

  “Damn, man. What time? ‘Cause I got a last minute emergency repair that just came in.” Allie seemed genuinely disappointed. Bennett knew that she and Jaden had hit it off the other night.

  “Oh, well, soon. I’m on my way back to town, and I know Mac’s already home, but I wanted him gone before I got there. Shit.”

  “Ho
w far out are you?” Allie asked.

  “Twenty-five minutes, if traffic stays good.”

  “Fuck. I mean I can hang out with him, but not for at least ninety minutes.”

  “Oh. Okay. It’s fine. Thank you, Allie. I’ll figure it out.”

  Bennett didn’t know what to do. How could he say all that he planned with Jaden there? He’d feel weird, and he knew Jaden wouldn’t be able to keep his sarcasm and teasing at bay.

  He stewed on it as he continued to drive, no clear answer coming other than waiting one more day. Maybe Allie could hang out with Jaden then, since it was Saturday. The phone rang, and the voice in the car said, “You have an incoming call.” The display screen flashed Danny’s name.

  Bennett pushed the answer call button on the steering wheel. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Bennett.”

  “Is there something you need, Danny? Mac’s at home.”

  “No, Allie called and explained what’s going on. I owe her a favor that she’s calling in. I’m going to go get Jaden and bring him to the diner to wait for her.” Danny stated it all like he was pulling it out of his mouth.

  “You? Are you…I mean…you’re just going to drop him off at the diner?”

  Danny grunted before replying, “No. I agreed to, uh, wait…you know with him.” Danny paused then rushed out, “I wouldn’t want anyone to have to sit alone for all that time anyway.”

  Bennett wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Jaden could be a lot for most people, but for a quiet homebody like Danny, he was like a bull in a china shop.

  “If you’re sure, Danny...”

  Again, another grunt before he said, “Yeah, no problem.”

  Bennett now had all the pieces in place. All he had to do was say the words he wrote down. He looked over at the flowers he’d bought for Mac. He didn’t know if Mac liked flowers or what, if any, flower was his favorite, but he’d seen plenty of people get flowers on romantic occasions in his life, so he got them. Plus, he’d even looked up online how to be romantic. He apparently wasn’t the only person out there that needed the help because there had been page after page of lists and how-tos.

  The closer he got to the house, the more nervous he became. He patted the pocket of his dress pants to make sure the cards were there one last time before he pulled in the driveway of Mac’s house. Looking at his bow tie—in honor of bringing flowers, he wore a purple one with tiny flowers in beige, off-white, and blue—in the rearview mirror and straightened it out. Then he ran a hand, which was slightly damp, down his shirt to smooth it out.

  Grabbing the flowers and the wrapped gift box, he stepped out of the truck. Walking up to the door felt like it took forever. That could be because he was walking as slow as a turtle on purpose, but he wouldn’t admit that to anyone out loud.

  He stood in front of the door and knocked. Mac would wonder why he knocked, but he hoped that the romantic gesture would answer the question. Bennett hid the flowers behind his back, just like he’d seen an actor do in a movie he watched for the occasion.

  Mac opened the door wearing his typical jeans and t-shirt, smiling and amused. “Why are you knocking, Princess?” Mac stepped back to let him into the house, but Bennett didn’t budge.

  Bennett moved the flowers to the front of his body and pushed them out toward Mac while saying, “I wanted to ask you out on a date. So here are some flowers and there’s a card attached.” Bennett could feel his face warm in embarrassment. He felt stupid.

  “You got me flowers, B? No one has ever gotten me flowers before.”

  “If you don’t like them, I can take—”

  “No, I love them.” Mac’s smile reassured Bennett which, in that moment, he had really needed.

  “Good. You have to read the note, Mac. Haven’t you ever watched a romantic movie?”

  Mac laughed, “No, Princess, but I’ll make sure to watch one later.” He pulled the card out of the flowers and read it out loud.

  "Every function without you will always be void of love, purpose, and a home."

  “Is this geek speak for I love you, B?” The lines of Mac’s face softened.

  Forgetting what he was supposed to say next, he pulled out his flashcards. “I’m not just asking you out for tonight, but for every Friday night for the rest of our lives, Mac.” The shock of his words was clear on Mac’s face. And his mouth imitating a fish hadn’t hurt either. Mac being so clueless in that moment helped him continue. Bennett put the cards back in his pocket.

  “I know that we still have a lot to work out and learn about each other, but I had an epiphany. I’ve been going back and forth, making lists of pros and cons, and talking to Jaden. Then, the other night when all our friends were here, I realized I had been asking myself the wrong question. Was this life worth giving up for my job?”

  “Bennett—”

  “The answer is no, if you were wondering. This life gives me much more than a job in Boston ever could. Being home has come to mean being with you, and if this is where you are, this is where I want to be.”

  “But Boston, it’s your dream job, not just any job. I don’t want you giving that up for me.”

  “I would give it up for you, Mac, in a heartbeat, but I’m giving it up for me. You can give me a full life here. I want you. I need you. I’m choosing you. I can get a job closer to home. My home is with you.”

  “Jesus, Princess. When you get romantic, you really go for the jugular, don’t you?” Mac’s eyes filled with hope and love and maybe a few tears, but Bennett wouldn’t mention those to him.

  “Yeah, I had to do a lot of research for this, but the most important part came from me, so I hope that was good enough.”

  “More than.” Mac put the flowers on the small table that sat inside the door and pulled Bennett into a hug. They stood there, at the threshold of Mac’s home, wrapped around each other for a few minutes before Bennett remembered his gift.

  “Oh, I almost forgot, I got you a present.” Bennett turned and grabbed the box off the front porch. Mac walked him into the house, closing the door behind him. Bennett held onto the box until they sat on the living room couch then handed it over to Mac. “It’s nothing fancy, but it means something for us, I think.”

  Bennett was actually looking forward to this part, so much so that he had to hold in his chuckle.

  Mac ripped the ribbon and paper off the box, throwing everything carelessly to the floor. Bennett decided Mac would be fun at Christmastime. Pulling off the lid then all the tissue paper that the lady had put inside, he finally reached his prize.

  It was a pair of boxers, for Mac. They were black with bright purple lettering.

  “Our love is like pi, irrational and never ending,” Mac read out loud. “You got me mushy geeky boxers. I think this may be the best gift anyone has ever given me.”

  “Yeah, although with the way you react to my boxers, I wasn’t sure getting you your own was safe for your crew. I took a risk,” Bennett chuckled.

  “Oh, B, that reaction is all for you. But, I fucking love these. I’m not sure if I should laugh or feel all the mushy love stuff you’re putting out here.”

  “Both are good, Mac.” Mac pushed to his feet and started to remove his pants. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m putting them on.”

  “Now?”

  “Yeah, what better time?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe tomorrow when you need to put clean underwear on.”

  “Nah, you got me an epic gift, so I’ll wear them on my date then you can take them off me later,” Mac winked as he redressed himself.

  Their date ended up being them eating Chinese takeout in Mac’s bed then laying down and watching romantic movies all night. Right before their third movie of the night was keyed up, Mac stopped and turned to him. “B?”

  “Yeah, Mac?”

  “You’re staying, right?”

  “Yeah, that’s what all the romance stuff was for.”

  “No, I mean you’re staying here, in this house,
in this room, in this bed, with me?”

  Bennett’s breath hitched at the naked want and love in Mac’s voice. “Yeah, as long as you want me.”

  “Forever, Princess. I want you forever.”

  Mac: I’m here, B <3

  Mac had just pulled up outside the massive building where Bennett worked. It was Friday. Date night. Mac loved date night. He got to wine and dine Bennett, even if sometimes they just went to Five Guys for burgers and fries.

  Mac climbed out of the truck to wait and enjoy the beautiful spring day. The sun was shining down, and he soaked up the April weather. It was that perfect mix of warmth from the sun and cool from the breeze.

  It took Bennett about four weeks of interviews and tests to get a job close to White Acre. Bennett was a nervous wreck for weeks during the process. Not because he didn’t have faith in his education or know-how, but because he’d wanted it so badly that he was afraid he wouldn’t get it. He’d even started talking about applying for teaching positions at local universities if he couldn’t find a lab to work in. Mac knocked that shit right out of his pretty little head. Bennett might make a great professor, but his dream was working in a lab, and Mac was damned well going to do all the positive thinking he had to do to make that happen.

  T2 Corporation was no well-known global technology firm in Boston, but it was making a name for itself. Plus, they picked Bennett, which meant they could see the value of the man. Now, after seven months of working there, Bennett was settling in. He hadn’t made any new friends, and when Mac pushed, Bennett said, “I have all the friends I need.” Mac let it go. If he wanted more friends, then he’d get them. Mac was just happy that Bennett was happy in their life.

  Together.

  Mac still couldn’t believe that Bennett stayed. That he’d chosen Mac, their friends, and White Acre over the prestige of Boston. Sometimes he found himself, as he lay in bed in the morning, watching Bennett sleep and pinching himself. He had a good life before, but Bennett made it great.