Triple the Love

Lake Date

Jack

The excitement that was buzzing through me was undeniable as I made my way to the lake for my first official date with Corey. It felt surreal, to finally step into this new chapter with him after all this time. However, I couldn’t deny the anticipation bubbling inside of me. I still couldn’t shake the lingering doubts that gnawed at the back of my mind. I was caught between a rock and a hard place, and I hated it. Tori didn’t bring it up, but a part of me had to wonder if my doubts and insecurities stemmed from my failed past relationships. Corey didn’t deserve that and yet, here I was, doubtful and insecure. I pulled into the small parking lot and parked next to Corey’s car. When Corey had asked me to keep our relationship a secret, I had been surprised when he had asked me out. No, it wasn’t the fact that he had asked me out that had surprised me. What had surprised me was that our date was at the lake. Because he had asked me to keep things a secret, I had expected our dates to be indoors. Either his place or mine. The lake wasn’t a buzzing place, especially since the weather wasn’t all that great. But it was outdoors where anyone could see us.

“Here we go,” I muttered to myself as I got out of the car and headed toward where I could see Corey. He had set up a little picnic under one of the larger oak trees. A blanket had been spread out over the grass and a basket sat in the middle of the blanket. Corey was unpacking the basket, and I smiled. The number of containers only showed how much thought he had put into it, which was an added bonus in my mind. The weather was overcast, and the sky threatened rain, but the air was still warm enough to enjoy being outside. The soft breeze caressed my skin as I joined Corey.

“Hey!” Corey greeted me when he looked over at me. He flashed me a smile that made my heart do a little flip in my chest. I couldn’t help but feel like we were in our own little world.

“Hey, boy,” I greeted him as he gestured for me to take a seat. “It looks like you went all out for our first date,” I pointed out as I took a seat. Corey blushed as he started to fiddle with the containers he had set out on the blanket.

“I wanted to do something special…something memorable,” he said softly, and I smiled. Corey lifted the lids on the containers, and I couldn’t help but feel like he was spoiling me. When he grabbed a plastic plate and started to carefully dish up, I also couldn’t help feeling like this was something I could get used to. He placed a long-rolled sandwich on the plate, followed by a few pieces of fruit, potato salad as well as a delicious-looking brownie. He handed over the plate and I gratefully accepted. I didn’t wait for him to finish dishing up for himself as I picked up the long-rolled sandwich. I was delighted to find that it was a classic chicken and mayo sandwich. The crunch of the lettuce, the tanginess of the mayo, the softest shredded chicken. I was surprised by the cheese and cucumber, but it only made the sandwich even better.

“This is delicious,” I remarked as Corey settled with his plate and started picking at his fruit. “Thank you,”

“No problem,” he whispered. Corey wasn’t shy, but I loved how sweet he could be. Innocent even. “My parents are planning to visit soon,” Corey then said between bites. “They love coming to Chasea and every time they visit, they say that they could live here…away from the city,” I slowly nodded as I listened to him talk about his family. It wasn’t necessarily a topic we often talked about. It certainly wasn’t my favorite topic, but with Corey, it felt somehow easier. “I think they may consider moving here when they retire,”

“Oh?” I could imagine it. I had met Corey’s parents in passing. When Naomi and Erik had gotten married. I couldn’t really remember much about them, because they had made me a bit nervous due to the fact that I had developed quite a crush on their son. However, it was clear to me that Corey adored his parents. They were important to him. Especially after everything that had happened with Daniel. However, the thought of potentially meeting them – officially meeting them – filled me with a strange mixture of excitement and nerves.

“They are good people,” Corey continued as he smiled softly. “I think you’ll like them when you meet them,” I smiled at that. I had a feeling I would like them too, but all I could hope for was that they liked me too. I shifted uncomfortably as I set my plate carefully down on the blanket. I wasn’t one who talked about my parents, not because I didn’t want to, but because it was painful to think about. To talk about. Even after all these years, the memory of losing them was like a constant undercurrent in the back of my mind.

“My parents...they died when I was younger,” I blurted out quietly. The words felt heavy, even now, but I wanted to share them with Corey. He set his plate aside and turned to look at me as he reached out and placed his hand on my knee.

“Jack, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” of course, he didn’t know. I hadn’t told him.

“It was a long time ago…but yeah…they died in a car accident,” I revealed. “It was really rough on Tori…but we managed to get through it,” the warmth of his touch did comfort me, and it felt good to share it with him.

“I cannot even imagine,” he whispered.

“Losing them made me realize how quickly things can change, and I guess that’s why I get a little...nervous about relationships. When you lose something important like that, it’s hard not to think about it happening again,” I admitted. Corey nodded as he glanced away.

“I can understand that…” he said. “But I am not going anywhere,” he added. The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. I hadn’t even meant to reveal something so deep and heavy, but hearing him reassure me that he wasn’t going anywhere tugged at my heartstrings. Of course, he couldn’t promise me that, but it didn’t matter. I quickly changed the topic and asked him about work. I didn’t want to linger in the past and while it had felt good to tell Corey that small piece of information about my past, I didn’t want to stay in the past. I wanted to move forward. With Corey. And as I sat there, and we resumed eating, I realized that this was exactly what I had seen in him. Someone who saw me. Scars and all, and still wanted me.