“I’ll do a bacon omelette,” I say instead, a little more curtly than intended.
“Good choice,” Cooper replies, scribbling on his pad. Then, as he reaches for Hunter’s menu, his fingers brush lightly against Hunter’s wrist. His eyes flick up, and he winks before walking away.
Hunter blinks after him, stunned. I grip my water tighter than necessary.
“Now you believe me?” I ask, smirking around the rim of my glass.
He frowns, crossing his arms. “Fuck off. You’re not allowed to be jealous. I’ve been forced to watch girls flirt with you at the beach all summer.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, but that doesn’t count. They’regirls. Guys don’t flirt with me.”
He groans. “That’s only ‘cause you’re not… you know.” He flops his wrist dramatically. “Like me.”
I just stare at him, not following
“You’re straight-passing,” he clarifies.
I know he’s not trying to be mean, but something stabs in my chest—the same feeling that haunts me at gay bars or LGBTQ clubs. It torments me and tells me I’m not queer enough. That I don’t belong.
My thumb traces the sweat dripping down my glass. “It’s not like Itryto pass as straight, or whatever,” I mumble. “I’m just… me.”
His expression softens, guilty. “I know. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying that’s probably why guys don’t flirt with you in public.”
I tilt my head. “But you did.”
“That wasn’t flirting. That was just me being awkward, and for some reason, you liked it.”
I laugh, a warm smile melting on my lips. “I did.” My eyes drop to the gold chain glinting against his collarbone, the small beachglass pendant resting there. I nod toward it. “You look good in that necklace, by the way.”
His brows lift, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. “Careful, Burke. Sounds a lot like flirting.”
“Maybe it is.”
His cheeks darken as he ducks his head. He lifts the steaming mug to his lips and takes a sip. “So, what did you think of my family?”
I pause. “They seem nice. Your mom’s a sweetheart.”
He smiles softly. “She is.”
“Your dad is… formal, I guess, but he’s nice. And Kara’s great.”
“Yeah. They’ve been dating for a few years now. I hope they get married—she’d be a great sister-in-law.”
I glance down at the table. “I get the impression Landon doesn’t like me, though.”
His smile drops. He reaches across the table, pressing his hand over mine. “Don’t take it personally. Landon’s a jerk to all my friends—even Derek.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but… what happened between you and Landon? I know you said you used to be close. Was it because of Travis?”
His throat bobs. “Mostly, yeah. Landon supported us dating at first, but when I moved out of our shared apartment to live with Travis, I think he felt… abandoned, I guess. Part of Travis’s manipulation was isolating me from all my family and friends, including Landon.”
He swallows another sip of coffee before continuing. “After the breakup, Landon took Travis’s side. Travis told him I pressured him into dating me, that he was never even attracted to men. He said I made up lies about him cheating and being controlling.” He gives a bitter laugh. “I think it was easier for Landon to believe that story than to admit his best friend’s a narcissistic asshole.”
I squeeze his hand before he pulls back, folding his arms in his lap. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine having a falling out with Maddie, and it must be even harder, beingtwins.”
He nods, staring down at the table. “It was difficult seeing both of them last night. I thought I could handle it. I’m sorry for being such a mess.”
I shake my head. “I don’t blame you, Hunt. Travis was being a dick,” I mutter. “You don’t know how badly I wanted to punch him.”
