Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 19458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
“Speaking of which,” I say, pulling myself out of my own thoughts, which seem to be out-of-whack at the moment, “where did you put the you-know-what for the you-know-what?”
Hayden’s been holding the ring for me the past few days since I didn’t trust that I could hide it around the condo in a place Travis wouldn’t discover. And I’ve worked too hard at keeping this a secret to go and blow it like that.
He reaches for his back pocket. “You want me to flash it to you so that you know I still have it?”
“Wait. You brought it to the bar with you?” I ask, horrified that he’s getting drunk around town with something that cost me two months’ salary.
He grins and pushes against my shoulder playfully. “I’m kidding you, Gary. I was just trying to get you to lighten up a bit. This is supposed to be a special occasion.”
“It is special. That’s why I’m having heart palpitations and about to curl up into a fetal position to have a full-on panic attack.”
“Oh, come on, Gary, relax. You’ll be fine.”
I take a deep breath. “Thanks again for hanging on to it, by the way, and for keeping it a secret from Cody. I can’t imagine that’s easy.”
Cody is Hayden’s boyfriend, and considering Cody and Travis are best friends, I figured it was for the best that we keep this between the two of us. Even though I don’t imagine Cody would tell Travis if we asked him to keep it a secret, I’m not so sure that Cody could know without Travis walking into the room and reading it all over his face. That’s just the kind of friends they are.
“Actually, this whole keeping a secret thing,” Hayden continues, “has been good prep for Cody’s surprise birthday party. I’m just impressed we’ve been able to keep it from Derek as long as we have.”
“Did someone say my name?” Derek asks as he sidles up beside Hayden.
Oh, fuck.
Derek winces as he glances between us like he knows we’re up to something, and even though he’s twisting up his expression, it hardly puts a dent in that youthful-looking face of his, which makes him look like he’s in his late teens, not his late-twenties.
“What are you two plotting?” Derek asks.
I knew better than to keep talking about it with Hayden, but the stress is too much for me. It’s been snowballing for the past few weeks, growing increasingly stressful as responsibilities have stacked on top of one another for the fundraiser and the proposal. And how can anyone expect me to keep this secret when all I want to do is shout to the world that I love Travis and want to spend the rest of my life with him?
“Wait.” Derek glances around the bar before moving even closer to me and whispering, “Are you proposing to Travis tomorrow?”
“What? How could you have possibly known that?”
“Oh my God. You guys are the worst at keeping secrets. You two have been like stupidly married pretty much since you got together. It says it all over your face.”
“Really?” Hayden asks. “Or did you sneak a peek at my texts when you took my phone for that selfie last night?”
“Okay, in my defense, I was trying to pull up sexy pics of you and your hottie boyfriend.”
Derek smirks as Hayden gives him a cross look. “Kidding! Obvs,” Derek says quickly. “You had a text from Gary on your phone when I grabbed it. How is this my fault?”
Now I’m freaking out a little. “Are you sure Cody doesn’t know about it?” I ask Hayden.
“Gare, you’re being overdramatic,” Hayden says.
“Yeah. Relax, Gare-bear,” Derek adds. “I’ve known since last night, and the fact that I haven’t spread this rumor through Midtown already just shows what amazing friends we are. Now, take your shots, guys. They’re getting cold.” He winks, obviously joking.
We drink the shots together. As soon as we finish, Evan walks off the steps in front of the stage and heads our way. He doesn’t seem to notice the occasional “boos” shouted his way as he passes the crowd, who isn’t all that pleased with his auditory assault.
“My competition’s heading this way,” Derek says. He’s teasing. He’s been nothing but a sweetie to Evan since we discovered what an ass my ex, Peter, was to him. I know Trav has a hard time understanding, but he doesn’t get Peter the way I do. I’ve been that guy he’s duped. I’ve been under his spell and fallen for all the lies and the excuses. As much as I may have felt slighted by Evan in the past, now that I know him, I’ve discovered that he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, which was probably one of the reasons Peter preyed upon him.
Evan stops beside Derek and asks, “How was I?”