Triple the Love

Hank - Part One

Corey

I felt torn. Giddy with excitement, but nervous. After my sort-of-dinner date with Jack, I was worried about how to proceed with Hank. The drive to his place felt heavier than usual, even though the road was quiet. The sky was a dull gray, and it felt like the weather was a reflection of the tension building inside of me. Thick storm clouds hung low and packed so tight it felt like they would burst at any moment. But it wasn’t just the weather that was making me nervous. Jack and I had kissed last night. It had been perfect. It had also been my first kiss since Daniel and that alone felt like such a huge thing. But now, less than twenty-four hours later, I was on my way to see Hank. I wasn’t just going to see him, I was going to suggest we start dating. It made my stomach twist with guilt, but I wanted them both. I still wasn’t sure how to make it work, but I wasn’t ready to give up either of them. Maybe it was selfish of me, but I couldn’t stop myself. All I could do was hope that things would eventually work out. One way or another. I pulled into Hank’s driveway and the sight of his small brick house nestled between the tall oak trees made me smile. His place was always so inviting, with its big porch and large windows. It felt cozy to me. Usually, coming here felt like I was being wrapped in a warm, fluffy, blanket. Today, it only seemed to make me feel even more nervous than before.

“Stop taking your time and get in here!” Hank called out, and I looked over to see him standing by the front door, a big grin on his handsome face. I took a deep breath as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. This was Hank. My Hank. He was laid-back, easygoing and an overall amazing person. I needed to get out of my head and try to enjoy my time with him. I got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Hank had already gone back inside and the first thing that hit me was the smell. The scent of dough and cheese wafted through the air and my stomach growled. Hank made a killer homemade pizza, and I had no doubt that was what he was doing. And I knew he probably had a cold beer waiting for me in the fridge. Of course, Hank was in the kitchen and the pizza was on the kitchen island. He was adding more cheese and when he heard me come in, he looked up and smiled. His hair was a bit messy, but his blue eyes were bright with excitement. He looked happy to see me and that only tightened the knot in my stomach.

“Hey,” I greeted with a forced smile. I was happy to see him too, but my nerves were taking over, and I needed to get myself under control as quickly as possible.

“Glad you decided to come inside before the rain hits,” Hank remarked with a wink. I blushed as he came over and pulled me into a hug. His hug was warm and inviting, but the smell of the pizza was distracting. “Grab a cold one from the fridge,” Hank said as he went back to his pizza. He added the last bit of cheese before he put it back into the oven. “We will eat soon,”

“Great…thanks,” I replied as I grabbed a beer from the fridge. I popped it open and took a long sip. It was crisp and refreshing, which was exactly what I needed. Silence fell between us as Hank took a beer from the fridge as well. The silence stretched on, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Hank wasn’t the type to fill the air with unnecessary chatter, and it certainly gave me a minute to think about how I wanted to approach this. However, when he looked over at me curiously, I realized that he wasn’t used to me being quiet.

“Is everything ok?” he asked, curiously, as he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. A casual smile on his face helped ease the tension inside of me. “You seem…quieter than usual,” I wasn’t surprised that he had picked up on it, but I had been hoping he wouldn’t notice that something was up. I looked away, and I could feel his gaze on me. There was no point in stalling. I had come here for him. To take things to the next step, and he had just given me the perfect opening.

“Well…I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” I started as I set the beer down on the counter and met his gaze. “About us,” Hank smiled and the flash of hope in his eyes gave me a little bit of confidence.

“And what exactly have you been thinking about?” he asked. There was no turning back now.

“I think I am ready for something more…with you,” I said as my heart pounded in my chest. Could he hear that? “Ah…I think I’m ready to give this a real go…but I need to take it slow…and private,” Hank’s eyes widened slightly and for a moment I could see the surprise in his eyes. But it only lasted for a moment before he smiled so wide I was a bit worried that his face would split.

“Are you serious?” he then asked, and I slowly nodded.

“Yes, I am…just…I’d like to take things slow and see where this goes…just the two of us…I don’t want any pressure from anyone else,” I explained as I watched him closely. Hank unfolded his arms and took a step toward me, but then he stopped.

“Corey…if you need slow, then that’s fine by me…so long as it’s you and me…I’m good,” he said and the relief I felt was almost overwhelming. Hank didn’t question me. He didn’t push for more details or make any demands. He was just happy. Overjoyed, even. I knew what he needed from me, so I took a step toward him. He smiled and pulled me into his arms. The way he held me felt somewhat different. Warmer somehow and I felt like I could stay in his arms forever.

“Thanks, Hank,” I whispered as I pressed my face against his chest. Hank’s arms tightened a bit before he released me.

“We will take it at your pace…I’m just so happy that we are finally moving forward,” he said, and I could see it in his eyes. I blushed just as the timer on the oven went off. Hank hurried to get the pizza out of the oven and set it on the counter. The bubbling cheese made my mouth water, and my stomach growled loud enough that Hank chuckled. “Yup, time to eat,” I nodded, excitedly, as I grabbed our beers and followed him into the living room where we got comfortable on the couch. Hank turned on the TV and I knew the rest of the afternoon and evening would be relaxing.