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Gabe flops back as Bennet pushes him aside. “Ew! You really do stink, bro. Move over.”
“You don’t smell like roses, either, man,” Gabe counters, and the two continue their banter, and I notice that Forrest does not join in like he usually does.
I want to ask him what’s wrong, but I don’t dare with the cameras still rolling, so I hold my tongue until we arrive at the cabin, and the crew finally retreats to the trailer, giving us the peace and quiet I’ve been craving for hours. Anya disappears with them, and I allow myself a proper breath, staving off a panic attack.
On a whim, I whip out my cell phone and text both my mom and Chris. Almost immediately, they respond, reassuring me that they’re all right. I tuck my cell in the back pocket of my jeans and follow the men into the cabin, where Gabe is still grouching.
“They’re so obnoxious,” Gabe complains to me and Bennet, stalking toward the door.
To my surprise, Forrest lingers outside by the firepit as the rest of us amble inside.
“Forrest?” I call to him. “Are you coming in?”
He shakes his head. “I just need a minute.”
Pressing my lips together, I look back toward the house where Bennet and Gabe have already retreated. I’m not sure if I should remain there or follow the others.
“Do you want me to stay with you?” I ask him warily, unsure if he wants to be alone or needs the company. I’m not used to seeing him like this.
He doesn’t answer me, his back to me. I consider asking again, but a deep fear of rejection keeps me from trying. I head inside and hear water running from the second floor. I pull open the stainless-steel smart fridge and take out a bottle of water, peering out into the pitch blackness of night. I can barely see Forrest out there.
What is he doing?
“What are you doing, Heartbreaker?”
Without turning, I answer Gabe, my eyes still fixed on the shadow outside. “Forrest…” I mumble, unsure if I should be talking about my concerns about him.
Gabe joins my side and strains to look into the night. “What’s he doing out there?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “He hasn’t been himself since the game. I think something’s wrong.”
“Is he tired?” Gabe suggests, cocking his head curiously.
I shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t think that’s it.”
“You should go see what’s up.” Gabe gives me a playful slap on the ass before he slips onto the counter, snatching my water playfully from my hand to take a long swig.
“What?” I ask dubiously.
“Go talk to him. If he’s upset, he’s more apt to talk to you than me or Benny Boy.”
Confusion overtakes me. “You think I should go talk to him?”
“Who better? You certainly have a way with me and Bennet, don’t you?” He winks at me suggestively, and my jaw drops.
My cheeks stain crimson, and I wonder how he knows that I’m attracted to Forrest, too. Am I that transparent?
“I don’t know if he wants me to?—”
“Sure he does,” Gabe insists. “I would want you to come and talk to me if I were out there moping. You won’t know unless you try. Go on. Bring our boy back into the fold.”
Stunned, I gape at him, trying to understand him. Isn’t he jealous? Doesn’t he care that I might look at Forrest the same way that I’m looking at him and Bennet? But there’s nothing in Gabe’s eyes that hints at malice or anger. He’s sincere in his advice, and I want to go out there. Even if I don’t understand any of what’s happening here in the least.
“You guys okay?”
My head raises, and I see Bennet leaning over the railing from the second floor. He’s fully naked but for a towel draped around his perfectly shaped hips. His hair is damp from a recent shower.
“Something’s up with Mr. Hollywood,” Gabe explains. “But Heartbreaker’s going to bring him back inside before he gets eaten by mosquitoes, aren’t you?”
