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For some reason, Lucas whipped his head up and looked at me. I gave him the universal ‘what?’ face, but he shook his head and went back to his phone, a secret smile playing on his lips. Getting back to my conversation with Cass, I said, “He told me his story, begged me to write it down, and I had no choice but to listen. Does that sound weird?”
“No. It makes you sound like an author. I am so honored that I’m on this journey with you. Make sure you dedicate this book to me. The world needs to know I’m your muse.”
I shook my head and chortled. “Of course, love.”
“Add Lucas too. It is obvious he’s your muse as well.”
I was drinking water when she said that, and I almost choked. I coughed roughly, patting my chest. Lucas looked at me and reached out, but I waved him away. “Why do you say that?” I asked, still trying to clear my throat.
“Your character’s name… Wyatt. That’s Lucas’ middle name. I figured he told you.”
I looked over at him and said, “No, he didn’t tell me his middle name was Wyatt.” He burst out a laugh that he tried to cover with a cough. “Why would that come up in a conversation?”
“I don’t know. Thought that was where the name came from since y’all are friends now.”
“No. I started thinking about this character on my drive up. Wyatt was his name when I met him, so to speak.”
“Hmm… I like it. I like this whole I-have-fictional-characters-who-speak-to-me-but-I’m-not-a-weirdo vibe you have going on.”
“Thank you, crazy girl.” Lucas motioned with his hand, asking for my phone, so I said, “Hold on, Cass,” handed it to him, and got up to look for a snack.
“Hey, little sister,” he said tentatively. I hated how nervous he sounded talking to her as if he didn’t think she wanted to hear from him. I didn’t want to intrude on them reconnecting, so I made to leave the kitchen, but he reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me back to lean on his lap and kissing me lightly on the neck.
“Yes, he accepted my apology. I didn’t understand my feelings, so I fell back on the bullshit I heard as a kid. Because I did not know how to tell you a truth I didn’t know myself. I’m not homophobic, Cassie. I promise. In the words of your best friend, I might have been closeted?” He bumped me with his shoulder, making me snicker. It took a second, but I clearly heard Cass shout, “What?”
“Yeah, long story. When I see you next, I’ll explain. But I have been talking to Tristan about some things, and he’s helping me figure some stuff out. When I talked to you the first day I was here, I was confused about my feelings. Both of you called me on my shit and made me analyze myself. So he and I are good. Forgive me?”
She said something that had him moving his hand from around my waist and putting the phone on the counter. He turned on the speaker and said, “Okay, we can hear you.”
“Tristan, I love you so much. Thank you for taking care of my brother, even when you didn’t like him. Thank you for helping him. I know you know how hard it is to come out, so I appreciate you for treating him gently.” Her words touched me and made me blush. She and her brother were so honest. You could see they were raised the right way.
“Of course, love.”
“And Lucas, thank you for making my best friend feel comfortable and being man enough to apologize to him. Even with your… situation…” she seemed to have searched for the word that fit, “… you didn’t have to come to him and make it right, but you did.” I turned around to look at Lucas, who was blushing, remembering how he made it right. “I’m glad you’re getting along.”
“We are…” he said, his words filled with innuendo, “… very well, as a matter of fact.” With my dick down his throat, I was sure we were.
“Good. Well, I’ll be there next week for a few days. I decided to bite the bullet and drive up to see you guys. Jacob was being a dick, trying to deny my time off, but I told him I was going, so he could either approve it or find someone else to work there.”
“Cass—”
“Cassie—”
We both stopped and looked at each other, then busted out laughing.
“Oh no,” she said. “I did not sign up to get lectured by both of you today. Go back to not getting along so I won’t have to.”
I nodded toward the phone, letting Lucas handle it. “Cassie, you can’t just threaten your boss. What if he told you he would find someone else?”
“He wouldn’t. They haven’t filled Tristan’s vacancy, so they would only have one editor in our department. So I played the card I had.”
“Well, I am sure Tris will want to give you shit about it, so I’ll let him have the floor. I’m gonna go sit in front of the TV and let it rot my mind. Haven’t been on vacation in five years. I need to relax.” I stood up so he could move around me, and he spun me around to him, his lips meeting mine and our kisses growing heated when Cass broke our bubble.
“Did you just call him Tris?”
We both froze, not knowing how to answer that question. I pulled away from him and shooed him off, letting him know I would field the question. “He did, but he’s teasing. When we weren’t getting along, that’s what he called me because he was being a dick.”
“Hmm.” She didn’t say it, but I don’t think she believed me. I was a terrible liar. Everyone who knew me knew that. “Anyway, I need more book, so write me more book, please. I expect to see chapters seven and eight before I get there next week.”
