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I was honored that Parker was talking to me like this. I knew he wouldn’t say or do anything to betray Declan’s trust, so he would only tell me what he felt comfortable saying. But it was amazing that he was letting me in, confirming the things I already felt or saw in Declan. “Yeah, he’s told me some about his childhood…about his parents not being around and getting taken away from them sometimes. I’m so glad he had his Beach Bums. I didn’t have the same situation. My family is great, but I always felt alone in other ways—hiding who I was, afraid I would lose everything if people found out I’m gay.”
I smiled, and Parker cocked his head slightly, like he was working through something in his mind. “That’s cool that he’s talked to you about those things, and yeah, unfortunately, a lot of us know what that’s like.”
“I knew he was a good man right away. I’m not sure why. I went into the bar, and I was smitten from the start. I kept going back, trying to get up the nerve to talk to him, hoping he’d want to…well, you know.”
Parker waggled his brows. “I do.”
We chatted for a while longer, about lighter things.
“I can see why he likes you,” Parker said eventually. “I mean, the thought of Declan with an actor… It seemed impossible, but as soon as I met you, I knew you were different.”
“Thank you.”
A moment later Parker groaned, and I glanced in the direction he was looking to see a really attractive man with messy brown hair, scruff along his jaw, and an air of confidence that damn near choked me from fifty feet away. “Who’s that?” He didn’t come to Beach Buns, instead lingering in front of the restaurant next door.
“His name is Elliott, and he’s a pain in my ass. He comes here at least a few times a week to give me shit and pretend to flirt with me.”
“Pretend?”
“Well, he flirts, but he knows it’s not going anywhere, so he does it to get under my skin. He wouldn’t know what a relationship was if it hit him in the face, and I’m tired of shit like that.”
Elliott looked up then, his eyes sparking with all sorts of fireworks that looked like he wanted to do more than just flirt with Parker, and then he grinned.
Parker gave him the finger.
Elliott’s smile grew.
I turned away when it looked like he might glance in my direction.
“Oh fuck,” Parker said. “Here he comes.”
I pulled my laptop out of my bag and began to busy myself with it.
“What do you want?” Parker asked him.
“Nothing. Waiting on a date. You jealous?”
“No.”
“Yeah, right. Just remember it’s your fault. If you’d go out with me, I wouldn’t have to date other men.”
Was it me, or was the sexual tension between them basically as hot as the sun?
“I don’t want to go out with you.”
“Why are you always lying to me?” Then Elliott leaned toward me. “He’s lying to himself too.” When our gazes met, I saw his spark of recognition. “Holy shit.”
“He’s a friend,” Parker said.
“Just a friend?” Elliott cocked a brow at him.
“Jealous?” Parker asked.
“Yes.”
Parker’s jaw dropped, but he didn’t speak. Elliott laughed. And then his phone beeped, and he tugged it out of his pocket.
“My date is here. Could have been you.”
“I don’t want it to be me,” Parker countered.
Elliott disappeared, and Parker dropped his head into his arms on the table. “Fuck my life. Avoiding him would be a lot easier if he wasn’t so sexy.”
I chuckled. “That’s usually how it goes.”
We continued our conversation until Parker needed to get back to work.
I scribbled down some ideas, my thoughts running circles around my head. Still, nothing grabbed me. I couldn’t stop thinking about Declan, to be honest.
Me: Hi.
Declan: Hi.
Me: I’m bored. I felt stuck in the house, so I came down to Beach Buns. I definitely recommend the oatmeal cream pies.
Declan: They’re incredible. Everything Parker makes is. Did he hang out with you?
Me: Yeah. It was nice.
I wished Declan didn’t work that night, but I didn’t want to seem needy.
Declan: You should come to the bar tonight. I have to work for a while, but we can hide you, and then afterward…
Me: Afterward…
Declan: I guess you’ll have to come see me at work to find out.
I grinned. No way in hell was I turning down that offer.
Me: It’s a date.
I couldn’t wait to see him.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Declan
It was a weeknight, so things weren’t too crazy at Driftwood. I wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. The more people there, the easier it would be for Sebastian to hide in plain sight. At least in theory.
It probably hadn’t been the best idea to invite him there, but the truth was, I wanted to see him. This whole relationship thing, if that was even what we were doing, was a lot to get used to. I’d never really understood that before—not even with Parker, Marcus, and Corbin. I loved them, they were my family, but I wasn’t that guy who missed people if I went a few days without seeing them. I didn’t try to find ways to spend time with them, but apparently, I did now, at least when it came to Sebastian.
