AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not that he’s in your category—at least not if what Kieran said is true.”
Jack’s cheeks burned. “He exaggerated.”
“If anything, Kieran didn’t do you justice. I’ve seen you excited before. Cargo shorts don’t hide much.”
Her lips quirked, and he tossed a stray leaf of lettuce at her. “I hate you.”
“Right.” She laughed dramatically. “Let me call the Huffington Post. I can see the headline: ‘gay man with big dick embarrassed by the attention.’”
“Can we please talk about something else?”
She sat back and picked up her sandwich. “Now that it looks like I might be going to your formal for real, we’ll get to double date.”
Sun reflected off Jack’s watch, projecting onto his backpack. “I, um, I have a confession. Something I haven’t told Marcus yet.”
Brittany swiveled in her seat. “Why is my belly churning suddenly?”
“I’ve sort of fucked things up.” Jack sighed and looked her in the eye. “Ed’s not out. I can’t ask him to the formal. Marcus assumes there’ll be no problem bringing him as my date. Thinks I’m all good to stay. Harper has made it more than clear if I lose and don’t move out, he’ll make life shit. Not just for me—for Marcus, Billy, Seth. All the guys who’re rooting for me.”
“Fucker. I can’t believe I ever dated him.”
“He fooled us all for a while.”
Brittany sat back in her chair, expression tight. “Ed’s not out?”
“He doesn’t want to come out. Doesn’t even want to be seen with me on campus.”
“Why not?”
“He knows people who work or go to school here. Think about how it would look for him to show up to hang out with some college kid who has no connection to the area other than going to school here. It’s not like we work at the same place or are on the same rec football team. It’d be hard to explain.”
“You’re his cousin.”
“What?”
Brittany gave him her “you boys are so stupid” look. “He could tell people you’re his cousin. Who’d know the difference?”
“I dunno.” Would Ed go for it?
She put her lunch down and looked him in the eye. Her voice lost its usual snark, and Jack tensed. “I know you really like this guy, but if he won’t be seen with you, he’s not the one.”
“What if he is?” Jack scrubbed his face, wishing he could take that back. “I mean, I have never felt this way with another guy before. Like I’m fucking magnetized to him or something—and not just in the groin. I mean, my stomach flutters, Brit. Flutters. As soon as I see him—or hell, read one of his texts—it’s like I could float the rest of the damn day. This is not normal. This is… crazy.”
“That sounds particularly swoony.” Her grin subsided. “I’m happy for you, really. But is this worth compromising who you are? What if he never wants to come out?”
What if Jack would never be worth the risk?
He swallowed hard. “You think if he won’t come to the formal, I need to dump him?”
Brittany sighed. “I’m not saying that should be the defining issue, but he can’t have places he won’t be seen with you. That’s not how you want to live.”
“I know you’re right, but… yeah.”
“Just think about it.” She bumped shoulders once and moved back to her food. “Now that I know you’re hiding something from Marcus, and he’s hiding from you, the question is: When are you boys going to sit down and talk?”
Chapter Thirteen
Jack’s phone rang. He quickly dug it out of his pocket, grinning.
Oh. Not Ed. Of course, he was taking Becky out shopping for her prom today.
Marcus: Where r u bro?
Jack: Had lunch w Brit and heading back to room now.
Marcus: K see u when u get here
Jack: Something wrong?
Marcus: Want your help on my speech.
Jack groaned. He had set aside the morning to help Marcus, but his brother had slept in. He shook his head and picked up his pace. The things you did for family.
When he reached the house, Harper wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Thank heaven for little things. The house was quiet, typical for a Sunday. Most of the guys spent the day catching up on their studies. Something Jack needed to do too.
He raced up the stairs and heard his phone go off again two steps from the top. He rolled his eyes and opened the door. Marcus sat on his bed, staring over a stack of index cards at the Murphy-Reynolds photo on the side table.
“I told you I was on the way.”
“Huh?” Marcus shook out of whatever daydream he’d been in, laid down his notes, and climbed off the bed. “What’s that mean?”
“Didn’t you just text me?”
“Um… no. You said you were coming. Why would I text back? To tell you to walk safely?”
A jolt zinged through him, and he yanked out his phone. Ed! Finally.
