Since You've Been Gone. (boyxboy)

Chapter 19: The extra place

"Why is she here?"
☆

Jasper keeps glancing at his smart watch at the time as he lounges back on the sofa. He was doing his best to stop his anxiety of what may unfold. Trying hard to not look like his heart was racing at the thought of Thomas coming over for dinner and for only the second time, be in the same room as Beth. He again focuses on the football on the tv. A mild distraction from the world around him. That is until he hears the clattering of cutlery.

"It wouldn't hurt you to get up and help." Beth mutters under her breath, but loud enough for Jasper to hear as he sees the table getting laid. He hoists himself up from his seat, switching off the tv in the process.

As he approaches their small rectangular four seater, he cannot help but see that something doesn't quite add up. "Uh Beth, you've set the table for four people."

"I know." She says rather dismissively as she rolls up a napkin to then thread it through a brass ring.

"It's just Tom coming over right?" He again looks at Beth, hoping she would see her mistake. Maybe it was her baby brain getting things wrong.

She momentarily stops laying the table and looks up at him. "Well... about that."

"RIIING'

Jasper looks at Beth, now wondering who may be behind the door as he heads in that direction to open it. There on his doorstep, a familiar female stood. "Ellen."

"Hi Jasper, sorry I'm a bit early." She says with a grin as she invites herself in, pushing past Jasper in the process. "Beth, I brought wine, sorry I know you shouldn't drink, but that's all I had in the cupboard at short notice." She plants a kiss on Beth's cheek as she places the bottle of white on the table.

"That's ok. Glad you could make it." Beth says as she takes Ellen's coat from her and drapes it over the back of the sofa.

"So, he's not here yet?" Ellen says, eagerly looking around the room to see only Jasper stood by the door with a face like thunder.

"Beth, can I have a word, in the kitchen....now?" he says as he lets the door click closed, his eyes still on Ellen who was presently making herself comfortable on the sofa.

"Just let me get some glasses..."

"Kitchen, now!" Jasper repeats as his gaze now turns to her.

She instantly stops what she is doing, trying to hold together a "Sure," in front of Ellen in order to mask the apprehension she felt about not telling Jasper about the decision she had made to invite her single man hungry friend to what was supposed to be a casual evening for three. Her motives perhaps a little underhand. Her desire to fathom out the true relationship between her finacè and his friend and what may be going on between them, with a little help from her friend.

Ellen seems unaware of the tension, more interested in the bowl of peanuts on the coffee table, as she reaches forwards to grab a handful.

Jasper pulls Beth lightly by the arm into a corner of the kitchen. "Why is she here?"

Beth looks up at Jasper and emits a nervous laugh. "What's the problem? I thought it would be nice. Three's a crowd and all. Plus Ellen wanted to meet him, when I was telling her how he looked, she seemed keen. He's just her type."

"You're trying to set them up?" Jasper snorts a laugh. "That won't happen."

"Why? Isn't he single?" Beth folds her arms and rests her weight to one side.

"Yes...but. Uhh...he." Jasper finds his tongue getting tied in his haste to answer.

Beth squints her eyes a little, watching Jasper's flummoxed expression. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

Jasper looks at Beth before looking down on himself. He knew Thomas had no issues with his own sexuality, but also knew he wasn't one to advertise it. Was it Jasper's place to say? "Look, he's single, but I don't think he is in the zone to mingle." He looks back up at Beth, hoping she would leave it at that.

She drops her arms to the side. "Well shall we let Thomas and Ellen decide mm?"

Jasper again tries his best to retaliate but the ringing of the door interrupts them.

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" Comes the call from Ellen in the other room as before Jasper can set foot outside of the kitchen, he sees the woman already at the door, turning the handle. "Well hello there... Thomas I presume?" She says as her body suddenly seems to lose its strength as she leans against the frame.

"And you are?" Comes the confused reply from the apartment's corridor.

"Ellen..."

"Tom!" Jasper nearly knocks Ellen flying to get to the door. Earning himself a glare from the woman. "You're here."

"I'm here." Thomas grins as he clocks Jasper looking him up and down.

"Well don't just stand there, come on in!" Ellen looks at Thomas before rolling her eyes at Jasper who seemed to forget how to invite people inside as he stands almost statuesque, his eyes not managing to move away from the partially buttoned crisp white shirt which showcased Thomas' olive skin even more than usual.

He finally comes out of his trance and moves out of the way for Thomas to enter, who offers forward the small bunch of flowers he had been holding by his side. "Who should I give these to?" He questions looking at the pair.

"I'll take them."Ellen almost snatches them from his grasp, removing one or two pink petals in the process. "They're beautiful."

"Uh Thanks?" He replies a little confused, the flowers not even intended for the her in the first place.

"Ellen, take them to Beth and get some drinks." Jasper says, closing the door behind them.

"Sure Jas, wine ok Thomas?" She asks, her eyes still glancing over the small bunch of pink and white flowers as she heads to the table.

"That would be nice." Thomas responds as his attention is now firmly on Jasper. "What is happening?" He mutters through clenched teeth. As he leans in a little.

"I didn't know, I swear. I think Beth is trying to pair you two up." Jasper wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. "You can go. I'll make an excuse."

Thomas' initial reaction was to do just as Jasper had suggested. To make up some kind of excuse to leave, but then another thought enters his mind. A more entertaining thought. "Why would I go? She seems nice. We might just get along." Thomas shrugs.

"But you're..." Jasper leans over a little more to Thomas' ear. "You're gay."

"I know." Thomas whispers back with a grin. "Thanks for the reminder."

"Then why entertain it?" Jasper whispers back.

Thomas bites on his lower lip a fraction as it is now his turn to take in Jasper's attire of his fitted black tee, displaying his muscular arms and solid pecs. "Because I want to make you jealous." He replies frankly as he does a quick flick of one of his eyebrows. "You didn't think your tactic at the house was going to be without consequence did you? Now, teasing you has just become a damn sight easier."

Jasper stares at Thomas, finding the need to contain a possible outage of annoyance, which he channels into his fingers as he cracks his knuckles. He senses Ellen's return with two full glasses of wine "Hey!" She says, rather annoyed that after giving Thomas the one glass, Jasper has helped himself to the other meant for her.

He downs it in one, before shoving the empty glass back into her hand like she was a servant. "Beth my love," He calls out. "Would you like a hand?..."

Two could play at this game.