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“Does he know about you …?”
I flush with frustration.
That’s all the answer Connor needs. “Well, alright. I guess I can see how it’s a bit complicated now.” He bites his lip and stares pensively at the pile on my bed, lost in thought.
I squint at him. “I noticed you’ve been stressed out whenever you come home from Wales Weekly lately.” I come up to him and give him a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder, where I feel a knot as tight as steel. “Have you had a bad week? Is that one intern still treating you like a total jerk?”
“Who? Jay?” He snorts. “No, he’s been oddly great. Probably in love with me. Also, I think Bree might be my best friend now. My issue is more …” After a second, he faces me. “Never mind. Are you getting dressed or not? When are you meeting?”
Something’s up with him lately, but I can’t ever seem to get the whole story. Maybe the issue is with his boyfriend. “How are you and Alan?”
“I have a shift at Aubergines in an hour,” he says, dodging my question. “I gotta get ready, too.” He gives my jock a smirk. “Or you could meet him wearin’ just that. I’m sure it’d kill all your birds with a simple, jock-shaped stone.” Connor cracks a smile, then winces. “Nah, shouldn’t have said that. I really like birds.” Then he heads out.
I slip on the red shirt, which hugs my big frame rather snugly. I worked out this morning before my shift, so my pecs and biceps are still pumped. Those skinny jeans Connor picked out do the intended trick of making my ass look like a dessert. I add a light brown belt and matching shoes, then slap on my backwards cap, boasting my university colors of red and white. I quickly run a trimmer over my face to even out my beard, making it look cut and cropped for the first time in months. I give myself a proud smirk in the mirror, pretending not to notice how nervous my eyes look.
It’s been years since I saw anyone from my old frat, let alone Skylar Haas, the hot young cat who stole my heart without even realizing it. He was the complete package of everything I’ve ever wanted in a guy. Unlike most of the guys who occupy my bed lately, he doesn’t have the rock-hard body of a gym rat, which makes my insane attraction to him all the more deep, like he’s been made just for me. Skylar is a perfect mix of goofball, sweetheart, and cocky bad boy, which speaks to all of my inner demons in the best and very worst ways.
And yeah, alright, he might be straight. So?
“I pulled some strings,” Connor tells me after I emerge from the bathroom, “and by ‘pulled some strings’, I mean I called Alan. We set you and your guy up with a reservation at Dino’s.”
My eyes go wide. “Connor …” I start.
“Nope, no need to thank me,” he cuts me off. I wasn’t going to thank him. “Also, since Alan knows a guy who knows a guy, your meal is being comped. Nope,” he insists again, lifting a hand as I open my mouth. “Again, don’t thank me. It’s all Alan! And you deserve the night to not worry about a dang thing except reconnecting with your old fraternity buddy!” Connor grins, proud of himself, then takes me in. “Hey, you look pretty good! But I think you should lose the hat and do your hair.”
I frown. “But it’s my campus colors!”
He takes off the hat for me and tosses it at the couch. “Yeah, and you’re takin’ your guy to a proper restaurant. You don’t wear hats in a restaurant, Brett. Didn’t your mama raise you right?”
“Your Mississippi twang always comes out the most when you’re annoyed,” I tease him.
His face flattens. “You know damned well I’m not from Mississ—”
My phone rings. I race to the kitchen counter where it sits. “It’s Skylar,” I mutter in a total daze, continuing to stare at it as it rings and rings.
Connor studies me as he leans against the back of the couch. “So … are you just gonna stare at the thing until it runs outta battery, or …?”
I snap out of it, breathe, and slap the phone to my ear. “Sky?”
From the phone comes: “Brett? … That you?”
The deep yet boyish sound of Skylar’s voice stirs awake all the butterflies I’ve had all day long.
Reservations for dinner? Really, Connor? How am I expected to eat with all of these winged insects flitting around inside me?
“Yeah!” I finally answer, coming to. “Bro, I’m stoked you’re in town! Are you all settled into your hotel? When do I get to—” I glance at Connor with my panicked eyes for a second. “—g-get to see you? You wanna grab a little bite?” Connor whisper-shouts: “At seven!—and it’s not a ‘little’ bite,” at me. “At seven?” I add, narrowing my eyes at Connor.
