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But he knew it wasn’t that simple, that throwing big declarations would freak him out and send him running, that outside consequences couldn’t be ignored. Hunter didn’t need a boyfriend. He needed space to figure himself out. “It’s okay, you know. Whatever it is, it’s okay. I’m not asking you to declare something. Just know that either way, it’s okay. We can be friends like we’ve always been. We can be friends who do this. We can be whatever you need right now, all right?”
Hunter ran a hand over the back of his head and looked his way. “I didn’t like seeing you kiss Mark tonight, even for a joke. It pissed me off and made me feel sick all at the same time.”
“Hunt . . .” Unable to resist, Devon grabbed his hand and guided him down next to him. Hunter stretched out alongside him carefully but without protest, heat radiating off of him. Devon leaned his head against Hunter’s shoulder, exhaustion from the whole damn night taking over. “I fucking hated Sparkles, wanted to rip her hair extensions out one by one.”
Hunter made a noise that could’ve been a laugh but was too tired sounding to be classified as such. “We’re a fucking mess.”
“Yeah.”
It was a long few seconds before he spoke again. “You should get some sleep.”
“You can stay here,” Devon said, knowing he shouldn’t ask but unable to help himself.
Hunter sat up. “No, I really can’t.”
The resigned tone in his voice twisted something in Devon’s gut. “Okay, no worries.”
Hunter sighed. “I don’t want to hurt you . . . your ribs.”
“Right.” His ribs. Sure.
“Good night, Dev.”
“Night, Hunt.”
It took a long time for Devon to fall asleep, but eventually his body gave in. He never heard the bedroom door open and shut. He never heard Hunter leave. He didn’t hear anything at all until the shrill ringing of the phone in the early-morning hours. Devon barely found his phone in time, his brain fuzzy and his bones hurting. “Hello?”
“Devon Crowe?” the voice barked.
Devon blinked, trying to shake the sleep off. “Uh-huh.”
“We need you down at the hospital right away. There’s been an accident.”
Chapter 10
Present Day—Dallas
Devon gripped the wheel, watching the mile markers fly by as they headed toward the resort. He didn’t know why he was so angry. Yes, Hunter had bailed on their friendship, but Devon had been the one to let things go too far. And hell, all Hunter had done was taken the advice Devon had given him originally. Devon had told him that if he was bisexual then to choose the other side—find a girl. He’d told Hunter that if he had a choice, to not to ruin everything with his family. Devon had been there, and he wouldn’t wish that kind of alienation on anyone. A crappy family was sometimes better than none. But part of him had started to hope that Hunter would choose him anyway. It’d been a stupid, young-love notion.
“Why did you get in the car that night? Where were you going?” Devon asked.
Hunter shifted in the seat next to him, not looking his way. “I couldn’t sleep. And all I could think about was how unfair it all was. I had all these mixed-up feelings for you. You were my best friend. But there was this attraction. And if I did anything about it for real, my life would fucking blow up around me. My family would freak. My teammates would ostracize me. The press would run with the story of the conservative senator’s son going gay. I’d have to put up with idiots and their prejudices. It just all felt so hard. Overwhelming.”
“Not worth it,” Devon said, his voice flat.
Hunter frowned. “I didn’t know up from down. I went downstairs and started drinking again. And then the house felt claustrophobic. I thought maybe if I took a drive, I could clear my head. I just wanted some air, some distance. I wanted to think through options. I didn’t realize how drunk I was.”
Devon shook his head. “I can still remember getting the call that morning. I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life.”
Hunter looked over at him. “I’m so sorry, Dev. Truly. I was an idiot. I still have nightmares where I run into someone else and not just a tree. And I’m sorry it was your car that I took. Mine was blocked in from some people who stayed over after the party.”
He sighed. “I didn’t care about the car. Your dad thought that was the biggest issue. He sent me a new one afterward.”
Hunter’s eyes went wide. “He what?”
“He warned me to keep away from you, but I could have a Mercedes in exchange for my trouble. Nice, right? I told him to keep the fucking car.”
Hunter rubbed the spot between his eyebrows. “He’s such a prick. He thinks he can control everything with his money.”
