AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s with you?” my best friend, Skyler, asks me as I slip into the booth seat opposite him at, Doyle’s, one of our favorite bars.
“What do you mean?”
He reaches across the table to run a finger over the space between my eyebrows. “I’m talking about this. Your brow is furrowed. Deacon Stapleton does not have a furrowed brow. Should I call an exorcist?”
I bat his hand away, rolling my eyes. “Shut up, asshole. I’m allowed to frown once in a while. I don’t always have to be the happy, shiny, nice guy.”
“Ah, but you are,” Skyler says wryly. “Like, basically all the time. It’s very annoying.”
I give an exasperated shake of my head and flag down a server so I can order a beer.
“So what is it that’s got you all twisted up?” he presses.
Figuring he’s not going to stop pestering me until he gets an answer, I relent. “I think I have a crush on a parent.”
“Well this just got juicy.” His eyes widen in excitement and he leans forward across the table, as though not wanting to miss a morsel of this story.
I roll my eyes. “Calm down. There’s nothing juicy about it. Nothing’s happened, and nothing will.”
“Why not?”
“Well, because he’s a parent, for one. And also I’m pretty sure he’s straight.”
“What makes you say that?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. He just doesn’t give off those ‘I want to have sex with men’ vibes.”
“Not everyone gives off those vibes,” Skyler points out. “I mean, look at Spence—closeted for years, and then bam! Happily banging his male assistant.”
“Um, I don’t know how happy he is considering they broke up,” I point out.
Skyler gives a dismissive wave. “They’ll work it out. Besides, my point is that none of us thought Spencer was into guys until recently, so who’s to say that’s not the case for your crush?”
He has a point, although I think he might be clutching at straws. One important fact remains, however. “Even if by some fluke chance you’re right, he’s still a parent.”
The server brings my beer and I take a generous swig.
“What’s he like?” Skyler asks, sounding like a little kid asking about a magical fairy creature. “Paint me a word picture.”
I let out a sigh and take another sip of my beer. Damn it, Isoshould not be arming him with this information, but what the hell. “I can do one bette.r Google Tanner Grimsay.”
His eyes widen with excitement and he grabs his phone from his pocket, completing the search in record speed. “Holy fucking shit balls!I mean, he’s not exactly my type, but…damn.”
I sigh in defeat. “You can see my dilemma.”
“Deac, you havegotto go for this guy,” Sky insists.
I almost choke on my beer. “Are you insane? He’s a parent. And he’s probably straight. And he could be in a relationship for all I know.” He doesn’t wear a ring, and I’ve never seen any sign of Izzy’s mother in the months since she’s been in my class, but that doesn’t mean Tanner’s single.
“Let me do some digging—”
I snatch the phone from his hand, my eyes narrowed at him in a hard glare. “No. No, no, no. Donotdo any digging. Just forget I told you any of this. Got it?”
After a long beat of hesitation, he sighs, visibly deflating. “Fine.The most interesting thing to happen to you in ages, but whatever. I’ll respect your wishes because that’s what buddies do.”
I quirk an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, whyarewe buddies again?”
“Because you were the only guy in our frat who didn’t want to suck my cock,” he reminds me, one shoulder lifting in a casual shrug.
