I’m on my third glass of wine now, standing with Becky, Josh, and Lisa, trying to play it cool, but I’m totally dazing out. Nate’s on stage, singing like it’s effortless and looking so damn sexy doing it that I can’t stop staring.
It must be obvious because suddenly I feel eyes on me. I glance over and catch both Becky and Josh giving methatlook, the kind that sayswe know exactly what’s going on.
Becky looks amused, her smile soft and supportive. Josh’s expression is more curious, maybe even suspicious. My chest tightens a bit. Josh doesn’t know I’m gay, and I’m definitely not ready to have that conversation in the middle of a charity event.
I tear my gaze away from Nate and blurt out, “What are you looking at?”
Josh smirks. “You keep staring at that singer. Do you know him?”
I hesitate for a beat, then shrug. “He went to my college. We weren’t really friends or anything…I just think his voice is really good. I kinda zoned out for a second.”
Josh gives me a look like he thinks I'm full of shit, but thankfully, he doesn’t press for more. He turns back to Lisa and the conversation shifts.
Still, I can’t help it; I sneak another glance at Nate.
Becky gently rubs my back, saying nothing, but I feel everything in that touch. She knows. She knows I’m catching feelings. And even worse? She knows I’m not even trying to stop it.
Halfway through their performance, Nate and Mel take a short break, so Becky and I head over to grab some food. The buffet-style spread honestly feels like it came straight out of a kid’s birthday party: chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and macaroni and cheese balls everywhere.
Becky grabs a plate and looks at me wide-eyed. “I’m in fucking heaven.”
I laugh, loading up my plate. She nudges me and nods subtly toward Marcus, who's standing a few feet away talking to someone from PR. “So,” she says, “who are you setting me up with tonight? I’m thinking Marcus? He’s cute.”
I shrug. “I mean, yeah, he’s definitely good-looking. Not my type, though, so he’s all yours.”
She smirks. “Perfect. I’m in need of a one-night stand, and I purposely picked this dress because it’s easy to take off.”
I nearly choke on a mozzarella stick, then lean in and whisper, “You slut.”
Becky bursts out laughing, clearly loving every second of this. “You’re such an asshole,” she grins.
“And yet, you still agreed to be my fake girlfriend for the night,” I say, raising my glass toward her.
“Because I knew it’d come with free food and cute guys,” she says, clinking her glass against mine.
After a quick fifteen minutes and what feels like a million chicken tenders, Nate and Mel start the second half of their set. Becky and I are still chatting, but I can’t help it; I keep sneaking glances toward the stage.
Nate catches me looking and smiles, though he quickly shifts his gaze away, trying not to break focus. He’s clearly trying to stay in the zone, but that little smile tells me he sees me, and he likes what he sees.
A part of me wants to mess with him. Maybe run a hand slowly down my chest, do something subtle but suggestive, just to rile him up a little. But I stop myself. He’s performing, and the last thing I want is to be the reason he loses concentration.
Instead, I grab Becky’s hand and tug her playfully. “Come on,” I say.
“Where are we going?” she asks, following without hesitation.
“To stir up some trouble,” I grin, leading her over to a group gathered near one of the high-top tables: Marcus, Josh, Jalen Briggs, and a few of their dates.
Becky gives me a knowing look. “Trouble, you say?”
I smirk. “Depends on your definition of trouble.”
As we approach, Marcus immediately lights up when he sees Becky, and I can already feel the flirtation starting to spark between them. Good; it keeps the attention off Nate and me, which I prefer.
After about another forty-five minutes, Nate and Mel wrap up their set, and the speech portion of the evening begins. I can’thelp but grin to myself, knowing that Nate’s finally done, and now I might be able to steal him for some alone time.
But first, I need to let Becky in on the plan.
I lean toward her and whisper in her ear, “Hey, can you keep chatting with Marcus, Josh, and the others? Just say I went to the bathroom or something if they ask.”
