Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“What?”
“Derek and Luke Henley. The guy he’s seeing.”
“He’s not seeing anyone.”
“I know for a fact they’ve been hooking up for at least a month now.”
Has Derek seriously been seeing this guy without telling me? I’m used to him sneaking off to trick out with some random hookup from Scruff or Grindr. He’s like Travis. He could have sex with everyone in town and then start all over again without giving any more or less fucks about anyone he was screwing around with. But if Eric’s right, something’s up. Derek’s never been secretive about the guys he’s fucked around with.
“He sure as hell hasn’t told me about it,” I say, replaying the past few weeks in my head. “And he was like two seconds from having sex with a guy the other weekend.”
“They’re not exclusive or anything,” he says. “But Luke’s a big relationship guy, and Derek, well…you know, I don’t exactly see him that way. So I doubt anything’s really going to come of it.”
I’ve never known Derek while he was in a relationship. He was in one for three years with a guy he met during his brief stint at Georgia State University. That was before he dropped out and went to cosmetology school…before we ever met. But since I’ve known him, he’s always waved that single-flag high and proud.
As I go back through the past few weeks, I try to recall him saying anything about a guy he was messing around with. Have I been that shitty of a friend? Should I have noticed he was being secretive? Although between recovering from the Peter and Evan shit and my new phony relationship, I’ve been a little preoccupied.
I return my attention to the Notepad doc, and I notice a piece of code Eric misplaced. As usual, it’s just a careless error with major consequences…and a colossal waste of everyone’s time. I make the adjustment, re-upload it to the site, and make sure it’s functional.
Problem solved. Superass saves the day again.
A sense of ease fills me. Aside from Travis and Derek, coding has been the only thing that’s distracted me from my breakup. Just like when I was growing up and it distracted me from Mom and Dad’s constant worry and grief over my sis.
When I get off the phone with Eric, I return Travis’s call.
“Hey, what’s up?” I ask as soon as he answers.
“Not much.” He says that like he doesn’t have anything else to say, but I know he called for a reason.
Silence. Strange, uncomfortable silence.
“Did you butt dial me earlier?” I ask.
“Oh, no. I was just thinking maybe we should get together tonight and make a list of guys we can convince to work with us on the fundraiser. I was on the phone with Steven, and we need to make sure we have some guys good to go for the event.”
“Is that an excuse?”
“What?” He sounds defensive.
“To stalk some hotties on Facebook,” I joke.
He laughs. Although I’m wondering why he’s on edge. Something’s clearly bothering him right now.
“Oh, yeah. You know me,” he says.
His response confirms my suspicion.
“You wanna swing by around six?” I ask.
“Sounds good. I’ll pick up some food on my way over.”
We hang up, but I’m uneasy. I should have asked him what was wrong, but it’s none of my business. I don’t know him like that, and if he’d wanted to talk about it, he would have. I continue working on my other major projects for work—the ones Eric pulled me away from to fix the clusterfuck he created. Before I know it, it’s four fifty. I unlock the door and text him that Jacob isn’t home and to just come in whenever he gets here.
***
The sound of the door opening and closing precedes a boisterous, “Honey, I’m home.”
I turn off the water and open the glass door to the shower. “Be there in a minute, darling!”
He chuckles.
I grab my towel and dry off before tying it around my waist. I put on my glasses and head into the bedroom. Travis lies across the bed, eating from a plastic container with a salad in it. He has another placed beside him on the bed.
“Just make yourself at home, why don’t you?” I tease.
“Don’t mind if I do,” he says as he checks me out. It’s clear, as it always is, he likes what he sees. Makes me feel pretty fucking good about myself.
“You have a thing for salads?” I ask.
“I figured I might need to watch my waist.”
“Why would you need to watch your waist?”
“I was talking to Steven and he mentioned I should participate in the fundraiser. I was going to ask you about that tonight.”
My muscles tense up. We didn’t say anything about him being one of the guys stripping.
“What? You want to be in it? Like taking your clothes off?”