Accidentally On Purpose

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

Alan sees Jim to the door. The detective stops just outside and turns to give Alan a nod. “Thanks again for the coffee.”

“Anytime,” Alan tells him. Before he can think better of it, he adds, “And I mean that. You don’t have to wait for Brooks to get into trouble to stop on by. You know where to find me.”

Shut up, he thinks, sure he’s said too much. You’re ruining a good moment here. Shut up, shut up.

With a shy grin, Jim ducks his head. It’s a move Alan finds endearing.

“Well, I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Jim glances up, meeting Alan’s gaze with a frankness that makes his heart weak. “Have a good night, Alan.”

“You, too, Jim.”

Wrapping his arms around himself, Alan steps out to watch Jim walk the short distance to his car. After opening the car door, he gives a little two finger wave, a playful salute, before dropping behind the wheel. Alan waits until the car starts and Jim backs out of his driveway before he steps back inside.

As he’s closing the door, a voice behind him says, “You owe me.”

Alan turns to find Brooks at the bottom of the stairs, hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie, a knowing smirk on his face that Alan wants to wipe off. “What’s that?”

“You owe me,” Brooks says again. “Pay up.”

“All right, all right.” Alan fishes his wallet out of the back pocket of his trousers, grumbling, “You know I’m good for it. Not like you’re going to the mall again tonight to spend it now, are you?”

Selecting a ten dollar bill, he folds it in half between his fingers, then folds it again before he holds it out to Brooks, who looks at it but doesn’t take it.

“Go on, then,” Alan says, giving the bill an enticing shake. “You earned it.”

Brooks gives him a sardonic look. “I think I earned a bit more than that tonight, don’t you?”

Alan’s taken aback. “For what?”

“He was here for a while, wasn’t he?” Brooks smirks and raises his eyebrows suggestively. “I get ten just for him bringing me home. I should get more when he decides to stay.”

“How much more?” Alan asks, indignant. “We had a cuppa, that was it.”

“But he came in,” Brooks argues. “Things are heating up between you two. You can’t deny it.”

Alan shakes his head. “Bloody hell! It was coffee, not a kiss.”

Brooks shrugs. “It’s only a matter of time. I mean, you like him, it’s obvious he likes you—”

“You think?” Alan’s heart soars at the thought, and a five joins the ten in his hand. “Why do you think that? Did he say anything earlier?”

This time Brooks takes the money. “No, but I can tell.”

Alan scoffs. “You’re fourteen. What do you know about it?”

“Hey, s*x is everywhere nowadays, hello.”

“Cheeky bastard,” Alan mutters. He forces himself to remain calm as he pockets his wallet. The boy’s just saying what he thinks I want to hear.

Brooks makes the money disappear. “How’d you two meet anyway?”

It’s an honest question. Brooks knows Jim from getting picked up for breaking curfew, but it’s Alan who drops him off at the mall after hours in the first place. And why? So Jim will bring him back, and hopefully Alan can steal a moment or two with the sexy detective. Pretty good gig for ten bucks, if he says so himself.

And tonight…how did Brooks put it? Things are heating up between us.

God, I hope so.

But how did he meet Jim in the first place?