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)
“And you’ve crushed on plenty of girls too, so sue me,” I hissed.
He leaned toward me. “Jordan has a thing for you.”
“Nah, he flirts with everyone.” He was also super nice, but just because he was the only other gay guy on the team, at least that we knew of, didn’t mean the two queer guys had to hook up or even like each other.
“You have a thing for Danica from the women’s team,” I pointed out, hoping to turn the tables on him. “You gonna do something about it?”
“I might,” he said with a dreamy smile. “At least she’ll know what this schedule is like.”
“True.” I sighed. It was a full-time job, and anyone we dated had to be okay with our dedication and schedule.
“And you?” Bailey asked. At first, I thought he meant his brother, and my pulse spiked, but then I realized he was still talking about Jordan.
“No way.” I reached for the last mozzarella stick. “Being on the same team would be pretty awkward if stuff went south.”
Plus, the teasing would be brutal. It certainly was in high school, and I didn’t see the college experience being much different, not in a team sport.
He arched a brow. “Or it could be true love.”
I smirked. “How is it over in romance land? Are the clouds fluffy today?”
Bailey usually fell hard and fast, only to get his heart broken.
“Just because I like being in a relationship doesn’t mean I’m naive.”
I playfully elbowed him. “No, but it does make you corny.”
“Okay, spill the tea,” Tim said, thumping Bailey on the back. “Whatever you’re talking about sounds intense.”
“Nah, it’s just stupid shit,” I replied.
Bailey launched into a story about the team antics in high school during family weekend when someone had swapped out the swimsuits for kid sizes. I snorted, remembering how everyone thought they’d shrunk in the wash.
When I looked up, my eyes met Remy’s across the bar. His cheeks were flushed, and he appeared momentarily uncomfortable before he narrowed his eyes and shook his head in Bailey’s direction. I shrugged and stared a little longer before turning away, my heart jackhammering in my chest.
3
Remy
“Your brother and his swim friends are here,” Derek said, pointing out the obvious. I suddenly regretted agreeing to meet him after a late appointment at Indelible Ink.
“I noticed,” I replied, finally breaking eye contact with Alex. He’d always had that toned swimmer’s body, but he’d filled out, gotten taller, and his hair was a bit shaggier but still in a similar style—shorter on the sides, longer on top. He looked older and even more attractive and, unfortunately, made my heart thump a little too hard.
Derek nudged my shoulder. “Aren’t you gonna at least greet him?”
“He’d probably prefer I didn’t.” I sipped more of my beer. “If he doesn’t talk to me at home, why would he at school surrounded by his friends?”
“Still pissed about your parents’ divorce, I take it?”
“Yup.” I clenched my jaw.
“Still won’t admit your father is to blame?”
I shrugged because it was more complicated than that. Deep down, he knew Dad screwed up, but they were close, and that perfect image he had of Dad was difficult to shake. Bailey had always been a bit of a dreamer—and the darling of the family—and wrecking that for him still kept me up some nights.
“He hoped they’d work it out. I think he banked on it. But Mom made the decision for herself after trying to reconcile for months. They even went to therapy.” I sighed. “Bailey needed someone to blame, and that guy is me.”
Dad had moved on to date the woman he’d cheated on Mom with, but it turned out they had their own relationship problems. Nothing I wanted to hear about, to be honest. Besides, Dad appeared to be enjoying his newly unmarried status and, in a way, so was Mom—or at least she was managing. She’d made new friends at work and rediscovered hobbies long forgotten.
“What about Alex? Is he ignoring you too, in allegiance with Bailey?”
“Not exactly…” I stole a glance his way again. His ghost of a smile sent my stomach into free fall. “We’re still friendly, but mostly on the down-low.”
Derek arched a brow. “That makes it sound like there’s some history between you.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Shit. Alex wouldn’t appreciate me telling that story. It was our secret, our moment, one I wanted to keep to myself. “It’s hard not to like the guy. I’ve known him my whole life.”
“Uh-huh. There’s more to that statement, but I’ll let you off the hook for now.” He smirked. “Alex is cute. Not that I’d really notice that as a straight guy.”
“Yeah, because straight men never notice other dudes.” I rolled my eyes. “Listening to Fall Out Boy on repeat back in the day was about the emo music and not about Pete Wentz?”