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NOLAN
When I return to the table, the conversation fizzles off into silence and everyone’s heads swivel to me, openly staring.
“What?” I grunt, avoiding their wide, prying gazes as I gesture for Clyde to scoot over.
“What, he says,” Cortland mutters, shaking his head.
His fiancé, and my best friend apart from Mel, tsks, shaking his head. “Something you want to share with the class, Nol?”
I throw Hudson my middle finger and reach for the glass in front of me, lifting it to my nose for a sniff.
“It’s Diet. I tried it. Hand on my heart,” Clyde says next to me, holding up a hand.
Nodding, I take a sip, sighing in relief when the bubbly soda hits my taste buds.
Not that I don’t trust him—them—I know they’ve got my back, and I wouldn’t risk going to a bar with anyone else. Hell, if it wasn’t for this being Hudson and Cort’s joint bachelor party, and the fact I’m one of the best men, I wouldn’t have come out at all.
Speaking of coming out…
They’re still watching me with varying expressions of shock, curiosity, and just straight up confusion.
Frank, another work buddy and mutual friend of Hudson’s nods from across the table. “He’s cute.”
My vision turns red, and I lean across the table, snarling, “Back the fuck off.”
His eyes widen, swimming with mirth.
Someone coughs in a poor attempt to mask a laugh.
“Damn, now I’m out five bucks,” Cort mutters.
I whip my head around, gaping when I see Hudson making a show of wiggling his fingers, indicating for him to pay up.
Shaking my head, I say, “You made a bet? About what?”
Cort shrugs, slapping a twenty on his fiancé’s waiting palm. “We wanted to see how long it took before you cracked. I thought you’d hold out a little longer. Thanks for that.”
I stare.
“As adorable as he is, he’s not exactly my type,” Frank says, chuckling knowingly.
I grit my teeth, feeling heat creep up my neck.
And it’s at that exact moment, Skyler appears with a round of whiskey shots. He makes a point to look at anywherebutme while he sets the tray down and passes shots to everyone but me. “Sorry for earlier,” he murmurs, glancing at Clyde, before dropping his gaze once more.
The big brute next to me nods. If I didn’t know him as well as I do, I’d think he was pissed. But under that massive beard, I’ve no doubt he’s smiling. His eyes say it all.
“No problem, kid.”
Fucking hell.
Skyler freezes, glaring down at the table, his jaw ticking.
I blow out a harsh sigh and glare at my friend. His eyes widen, and he holds up a hand. “Shit, sorry. Touchy subject, I assume?”
Skyler mutters under his breath, “Not a kid,” and I roll my lips together, keeping from saying or doing something stupid.
God, I’ve missed him.
