Unleashed

Dean left for the kitchen at 10:40pm to observe Alex and Jared before their shifts ended at 11pm. The men seemed to get along, yet there was a trace of tension. Could it be from the owner watching their every move or did Alex and Jared have an attraction to each other that made them nervous? He'd talk to Jared once they were grocery shopping. The head chef would be immersed in getting the right ingredients, leaving Dean able to sneak in unsuspecting questions.
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Dean took the job of pushing the cart inside 'Organic Foods' market. "Only the finest ingredients," Jared had stated in the car.

'More like overpriced,' Dean tsked at seeing the costs. "Isn't this where the hotel gets it food?" he asked walking through the fresh produce area, amazed by the fruits he'd never heard of before. 'Rambutans, and ... Mangosteens?'

"Yes, some of it. I believe Alex just renegotiated with this market for another two years." Jared navigated them to an aisle and searched the shelves. He chose a box, read the ingredients, then put it back on the shelf. "Oh look!" he said and dashed ahead.

"Food really excites you, huh?" Dean glanced around as he wheeled the shopping cart forward. Jared put a few boxes of something in the cart and moved on. "So what about Alex? You two appeared tense in the kitchen tonight."

"We're getting to know each other. It's a process…," he trailed off and rounded the corner to search another aisle.

Dean caught up and asked, "Do you remember that time we were going to make spaghetti as a surprise for your family?" He laughed.

"No," Jared replied, distracted.

"I had the box of spaghetti noodles and garlic bread in my hands and you had two jars of sauce in your arms. I tripped you and the jars broke as you went flying down the aisle. Sauce splattered everywhere."

"God yes!" Jared screeched, speaking loudly, "I was so embarrassed. The grocer thought I did it on purpose."

"He was wrong. I was the one who did it on purpose. The old coot shouldn't have kicked you out though."

"He's probably dead now, so don't hold it against him." Jared walked on with a smile on his face. "There was that time you and I greased all the teachers car door handles. We almost got caught because we were the only ones laughing."

"That was awesome!" Dean exclaimed, then frowned after reading a bag on the shelf in front of him. "What are these? Seaweed flavored chips? Ew."

"Organic." Jared nodded. "They're not bad."

"Not bad? I'd have to down a bottle of Johnnie Walker to get the balls to take a bite of one."

"You're such a pussy." Jared tossed the bag of chips in the cart. "You always were when it came to new foods and flavors."

"I'll have you know," Dean lifted a finger in the air, "I have refined my taste. I've had sushi, alligator, rattlesnake, cow tongue and even liver and heart. I puked it up each time when I went to the bathroom with a sudden fake 'headache', but at least I can say I've tried it."

Jared tilted his head back and laughed loudly.

Dean looked on, amused. "So, how much more do we need?" He looked into the cart.

"Much more. I need spices and fresh vegetables and to order the meat. Why don't you go over to the liquor section and find a nice red wine for the meal?"

Dean put his hands in his slacks and left Jared to his own devices. Dean knew what wines he liked, ones that weren't too sweet or too dry. He chose a seventy-dollar burgundy from France to go with their steak and turned to the grocery aisles to join Jared. He smiled when he saw his friend scanning the shelves. Dean's phone went off, alerting Jared.

Jared turned to the sound and saw Dean with a frustrated expression and a bottle of wine in his hand. "The wife?" Jared spoke out.

"Yeah," Dean nodded, reading the name on the screen. "You go ahead. I'm gonna take this." He watched Jared leave the aisle and answered his phone. "Hi, honey."

"Where are you? Do you know what time it is?"

"I'm shopping with Jared."

"Right," she rolled her eyes. "I never said you could spend money on the woman you're going to sleep with. What are you shopping for? Clothes or jewelry?"

"Food," he snickered.

"Oh that's real funny. Who are you really with?"

"Jared."

"And what is 'Jared' wearing?"

"Um, camouflage jeans and a tee shirt."

"She sounds horrendous."

"Yeah, well Jared's a guy, so…" Dean forced his laugh down before his wife got madder. "I'll be home soon. We're almost finished."

"It would have been nice of you to call. I worry about you when you don't come home at a reasonable hour, your definition of a reasonable hour that is."

"I'm sorry for worrying you. It won't happen again."

"You're forgiven. I'm heading up to bed. I had a long day. See you when you get home, baby. Love you."

"Love you too."

"Trouble?"

Dean jumped and whirled around. "Jesus, you scared me. Uh, no." He looked at his phone and put it in his pocket. "I'd forgotten to call her and she wondered where I was."

"I bet I can guess." Jared turned the cart around, heading for the meat department. "Did she think you were out being single?"

"Mm, maybe. She did accuse me of being with a woman." Dean snickered and elbowed Jared.

"Yikes. No wonder I can't get a date. I'd better stop wearing so much makeup. I'm giving off the wrong vibe." Jared teased and ordered three steaks for pickup tomorrow.

"She said you sounded hideous according to my description of you."

"You played me up that well, huh?" Jared smirked, his eyes playful.

"Just your clothing." Dean glanced down at the well worn jeans. They fit him really well.

"Ah, I see." Jared was at a loss for words. Dean was staring at his feet or his knees or something. He coughed, finally getting his friend's attention again. "We're ready to check out."

Dean's gaze shifted to the items in the cart: butter, white mushrooms, garlic, green onions, parsley and enough other ingredients to make the sides for the steak, and dessert too.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jared asked, following Dean's gaze, assuming he thought it was too expensive.

"You're not getting out of cooking for me that easily."

"And for Jess," Jared reminded.

Dean blushed, pulled the cart away, and walked the front of the store to a cash register.

Once the groceries were loaded into Dean's car, he faced Jared. "Thanks for tonight. I had fun."

"It was just grocery shopping." Jared's mouth was on the verge of a grin.

"Still, I liked it. I'm glad we're friends again. I don't have many, unless you count Jess's friend's husbands. They're all a bunch of rich assholes if you ask me."

"I'm sure they're fun to hang around with." Jared patted Dean's shoulder.
﴿﴾ ﴿﴾ ﴿﴾
Dean parked next to Jared's car at the hotel and opened his trunk. He rifled through the grocery bags looking for Jared's snack. "Here, you forgot your seaweed chips." He tossed the bag to Jared.

Jared caught it, but pitched them back and said, "They're yours."

"No, I bought them for you."

"Nah-ah, I made you buy them for yourself. Try them. I guarantee you'll like them." Jared wiggled his brows and continued to speak, "I have to run. I might not make it to bed in time before I turn into a squash." He laughed and waved goodbye. Dean watched him go until he couldn't see or hear his car anymore, then he went home, put the groceries away, and crept up to bed, relieved to see Jess had already fallen asleep.