Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“Well, duh.” He grinned as I tucked a bite in my cheek. “How was your volunteer thing?”
I chewed and swallowed as he moved around the room, then told him about my morning with the kids while he tidied up the mess he’d left on his bed.
“They’re also looking for artists from the university to paint murals.”
He plopped down on his bed. “And let me guess: you thought of Remy.”
“Of course,” I said around my final bite. “He’s also bi, so maybe he’d want to get involved in something—”
“That’s not him, you know that. He’s always been selfish.”
“Selfish? Just because he doesn’t want to… You know what? Never mind.” I clenched my jaw in frustration. I wanted to point out how self-centered Bailey could be when it came to his family situation, but I held my tongue, not interested in an argument. “Anyway, I’m thinking of heading home for a couple of hours to see my family.”
And not gonna lie, get a home-cooked meal. Mom had hinted at the idea last time we’d talked, and I’d told her I missed having dinner with them.
“I was thinking the same. Wanna drive together?”
“Sounds good.” I stood up to stretch while Bailey used the bathroom to change out of his sweats. Unable to resist any longer, I grabbed my phone and flipped it over, an instantaneous smile pulling at my cheeks. Touché, Chlorine Boy. Catch you later, heading to work.
After we texted our families, we walked to the parking lot and slid into my car to make the trek, hoping for light traffic.
“So…anything happening on the Danica front?” I asked once we got on the freeway.
He shrugged. “I’m trying to go slow this time.”
I blinked. “My friend is finally growing up.”
Bailey laughed. “Shut up. I know I’ve got some work to do.”
“Don’t we all?” I muttered.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Apparently, there’s this dude on campus who calls himself Mr. Romance and, like, charges people to help them plan romantic dates or something like that.”
“No fucking way.” I cracked up. Now I’d heard it all. “I bet he makes some good bank because some of these guys don’t know their asses from a hole in the wall.” Not that I was much better.
“Right?” Bailey looked away, his cheeks striped pink.
“Hey, I didn’t mean you. I was only imagining someone like Tim or…”
“I know.” He grew quiet as if something was weighing heavily on his mind.
My stomach churned. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just being weird.” He shook his head. “Thanks for always being my friend, even when I’m…”
“Annoying as hell?” I teased. “You getting sappy on me, Duval?”
“Whatever,” he said and turned up the music.
9
Remy
I was disinfecting my cubicle at work, but it was taking me longer than anticipated, so I stepped it up because Derek would be waiting for me.
After I finally started my trek home, I couldn’t help wondering what Alex was up to tonight.
The past couple of weeks, I’d only seen him and Bailey at a distance around campus or at Shenanigans when they’d stop in to eat their fourth or maybe even fifth meal of the day. Christ. I’d hung back after the last run-in at the bar in September, and Derek did too, even though he was dying to mess with them again.
Definitely a bummer.
Not that I didn’t still keep up with their schedule. Last weekend, their swim meet had been a few hours away, and since Mom hadn’t traveled to it, I went home to hang out with her. In that regard, Bailey and I were like ships passing in the night, rarely home at the same time anymore.
I still texted Alex, though, that time under the pretense of finding out how their weekend went. It felt clandestine but fun, especially since we’d given each other ridiculous names.
How did the team place overall, Carl? I’d asked the following morning.
Second. Thanks to Jordan’s freestyle.
My gut tightened, despite knowing there was nothing between them.
Awesome. How did you and Bailey do?
Second, third, and fourth across several heats.
Not bad.
Thanks. I’m not the best on the team, but I hold my own.
Isn’t that what it’s all about in these team sports? I thought about Dad constantly stressing the idea of sportsmanship when we were kids and how disappointed he seemed in me for not taking it more seriously.
Is that why you’ve never been on one, Ted? You don’t play well with others?
I laughed. You know me well, Carl.
As I rounded the corner to my place, I could see all the lights in the house blazing. It was true that Derek was a bigger partier than I ever was. He was always up for a good time and sometimes hung out at Stormer, one of the shared houses in Liberty Court. Funnily enough, it could’ve easily been a play on words since he got his edibles from a dude who lived there named Chris. So when Derek decided to have an impromptu gathering tonight, who was I to complain? It was Thursday, it’d been a long week, and I was all for blowing off some steam.