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“A bisexual? Now what in the heck is that?”
“You like both men and women,” I said, laughing just a little. “That is a real option.”
“Tell ya the truth, I think I’d be lying.”
He stood and walked to the railing, where he gazed at the water. “You’d be lying?” I asked, joining him by the railing. “About what part?” I asked, leaning against him, feeling his familiar power.
“The lie is that I know I prefer men,” he muttered. “But I just like the idea of being seen with a woman. That’s easier.”
“Love is never easy, my friend.”
He turned to face me. “Friend, huh?” I nodded. “Don’t like the idea of that, Chad. Not gonna lie. I just don’t.”
“I’m a good friend,” I stated. “You can count on me.”
He studied me carefully. I think he was making sure that what I was saying was what I meant. I assumed he needed the clarity. “I can use a friend,” he said.
“Me too,” I confessed. We locked eyes before he finally looked away. “Are you going to be okay?” I asked.
“Can I reach out to ya if I’m not doing so good down the road?”
“Always,” I said. “Always,” I repeated.
“Well… okay then. I’ll leave ya be.” He pulled me into him and held me gently. We embraced for several seconds before he buried his face in my neck and spoke in a broken voice. “I’m sorry about the note. You deserved better, and I let you down. I won’t let you down again,” he said.
His words were precisely what I’d needed to hear. Sensing his sincere apology, I relaxed into his arms further. And then I opened my eyes, facing the opposite way as him. He couldn’t see what I saw.
Cole stood halfway up the steps that led from the beach trail, staring at me, hurt evident on his face.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO: Cole
At first, I wasn’t sure what was happening when I came out of the tall grass and could see Chad on the lower deck. I’d taken Marla’s advice and decided to speak with him directly rather than create issues in my head, something I was quite good at.
I made my way further along the trail to investigate and started up the steps, making it halfway. He was facing me, but whoever had him in their arms was unknown to me. I knew this, though. Whoever it was, was a giant of a man. His back was massive, and he made Chad seem like a mere child in his arms. I was instantly devastated over what I was witnessing, jealous of whoever it was with Chad in their arms.
The stranger had his face nuzzled into Chad’s neck and the vision appeared sexual to me, especially considering how Chad had his arms around the man’s neck in return. As soon as Chad’s eyes opened, he spotted me. I knew guilt when I saw it and I felt like I’d interrupted something trial worthy.
“Cole,” he cried. He pushed the man away and then the stranger turned to me as well. I was a big guy. Fit and muscular, but this guy was a whole different breed of man entirely. His muscles had muscles, those muscles had muscles. His entire body was several generations of muscle.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I mumbled, turning to leave.
“You haven’t,” Chad defended. I was back down the steps quickly. “Wait up,” he yelled. I hurried and started making my way down the trail before he grabbed my arm after running me down. “Stop, will you?”
“No,” I stated, brushing his hand away. “I saw enough.”
“You saw nothing, Cole,” he said. “You saw me hug a friend is what you saw.”
“A friend with his lips on your neck,” I argued. “He was… he… you two…” I lost my train of thought.
“I was doing nothing,” he insisted. “You saw nothing of the sort.”
“Who is…” I began, before realizing exactly who that was. “Is that Clint?” I asked. “He’s still here?”
“He is, but he was just leaving. We just finished a talk about us,” he said.
“A talk about us? Me and you? Or you and him?”
“Not me and him,” he defended. “And no, not us, like you and me, but like Clint and me not being, you know, me not going back to him.”
