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“Finish your game. The Longhorns are playing tonight.” He points toward the TV with the hand holding his beer.
I glance back at my game, unable to focus on it now. “Uh…yeah. Sure.”
Quickly saving my progress, I turn off the PlayStation. Instead of going to my room to hide, which is what I normally do, I find myself sitting in the empty recliner next to my dad.
* * *
Present Day
I’ve never worn a tux before. Standing in the mirror of my apartment, I stare at the man in the reflection. This feels reckless. Like I should know better.
Getting so attached to these two is dangerous, but Iknowit’s dangerous, and yet, I’m doing it anyway. This isn’t like me.
Before leaving my apartment, I take a selfie in the mirror. Then I send it in a text message to my dad. He’s not great with his phone, but he loves getting pictures, so I know he’ll enjoy this.
The family I’m staying with invited me to a charity thing.
Fancy people shit. I’m going for the free food and booze. How do I look?
Guilt assaults me at the reminder that I haven’t gone to see him in over a week. I’ve been so distracted with everything, and that’s fucked up. I went from taking care of him every day to barely seeing him and never talking to him.
The man is dying. What is wrong with me?
I’m halfway out the door when my phone buzzes. Glancing down at the screen, I smile.
Looking sharp, kid. It’s nice to see your face.
Fuck. His response has me freezing on the stairs.
God, I’m such an asshole.
I’ll come see you tomorrow, okay?
Don’t worry about me. Have fun tonight. Send more pictures.
Okay.
I want to tell him that I miss him or that I love him, but as cool and as laid back as my dad is, he’s not the greatest with emotions and feelings. We keep things simple.
By the time I reach the house, Abby is already gone. Briar’s sister picked her up a couple of hours ago. The house is quiet, so I quickly jog up the stairs and creep around the corner to see Briar sitting at her bathroom vanity, applying her makeup.
The sight of her takes my breath away. Her blondish, brownish hair is down and curled at the ends. Her dress is dark blue and sleek. It’s short enough that when she crosses her legs on the small chair, it exposes her soft, pale thighs.
My mouth waters at the thought of burying my face between her legs and feeling those thighs wrapped around my head.
Caleb walks out of the large closet, buttoning his shirt as his eyes collide with mine. Slowly, his gaze rakes down my body as if he’s soaking in the sight of me in his clothes.
“Hey,” he says, clearing his throat, and I enter the room, showing off the way his tux fits me like a glove.
Briar’s eyes lift as she takes in my appearance. “You look so good,” she says with enthusiasm.
“It fits perfectly,” I reply, turning slowly.
“Yeah,” he stammers. “You should keep that. It looks better on you than it did on me.”
“I find that hard to believe,” I reply with a wink.
He turns his gaze to the mirror, clearly uncomfortable with my flirty nature.
