Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
“You won’t do that when you and I are out on the town. You’ll be having too much fun.”
“Seriously, let me call my friend Vee. He’s always the life of the party. He’ll probably bring along some of his housemates, and you’ll all have a great time.”
“Definitely invite them,” Ever said, “but I want you to be there, too.”
“I don’t know.”
“Just give it an hour. Come with me and introduce me to your friends. Have a couple of drinks. When the hour’s up, if you’re truly not having a good time, I’ll call you a Lyft.”
He really wasn’t asking for much, just an hour of my time and a few introductions. I could do that. “Fine. I’ll message Vee tomorrow.”
His face lit up. “Awesome! It’s going to be so fun!” He was a lot more optimistic than I was.
We ended up talking until nearly one a.m. I was tired when I finally fell into bed, but I couldn’t shut my brain off, so I stared at the darkness for a while and replayed our conversation.
Tonight had been surprising. While it was true that I was less closed off now than I used to be, it was unusual for me to feel so relaxed with someone new, or to open up that quickly.
There was just something about Ever. Maybe it came down to his natural charm and charisma. Everyone he met probably felt good around him, the way I did.
But I needed to avoid reading too much into his friendliness, or getting too attached to him. Right now, I was literally the only person he knew in this city, and while his fitness center was under construction, he had time to spare. But once his business opened, and as he met more and more people, he wouldn’t have time for quiet evenings, or late-night conversations. Or me.
Phil startled me when he jumped onto the bed. I rolled onto my side, and as he settled in under my chin, I whispered, “I’m going to miss you when you move out in January, cat.” I was going to miss his beautiful owner, too.
7
Ever
On Friday night, I was buzzing with excitement. After Tracy and I ate dinner, I showered and got dressed up in a pink shirt and royal blue suit. Then I went to fetch my roommate, who I found sitting on his bed.
He was wearing his glasses—which made him look so sexy—and reading a book with my cat on his lap. The dark blue cardigan he’d layered over his usual T-shirt and jeans was the only sign that he actually planned to go out tonight.
When he saw me standing in the doorway, he took off his glasses and murmured, “Oh wow, you look great.”
“Thanks. So do you.”
He frowned at that. “I look like I always do.”
“And you always look great.” He thought I was full of crap. He didn’t tell me that, but his frown deepened.
He got up with my cat in his arms and asked, “Are you ready to go?”
“Yup, and a Lyft is on its way. I plan to have a few cocktails tonight, so I didn’t want to drive.”
“I’m surprised you drink, since your diet is so regimented.”
“I think it’s important to allow yourself a few indulgences. You shouldn’t feel like you’re constantly depriving yourself.”
He kissed the top of Phil’s head before setting him down on a pillow. “We’ll be back soon, cat,” he said. It seemed he and Phil had been bonding.
Tracy was quieter than usual as we left the apartment, and it only got worse on our trip across town. When we turned onto Castro Street, which was jam-packed on a Friday night, he crossed his arms over his chest and sort of shrunk into himself. I’d thought a night out would be good for him, but I could tell he was already uncomfortable.
This became even more obvious when we got to the club. It was called Thrust, and it was huge, loud, and packed. Fortunately, I’d called ahead and reserved a table in the VIP section. It was much less crowded, and far enough from the dance floor to let us carry on a conversation without yelling over the music.
Right after we got settled into the big, dark red booth, Tracy’s friends joined us. First, he introduced me to a petite brunette named Yolanda and her wife JoJo, a curvy blonde with a radiant smile. They were followed by two cute twinks named Embry and Lark, along with Lark’s boyfriend Dylan, who was a tall Black guy with a muscular build and a no-nonsense demeanor.
The last person in the group arrived with a pitcher of margaritas in each hand, accompanied by a waiter with a tray full of glasses. “It’s an auspicious occasion, friends,” he announced. “We finally got Tracy to come out with us!” He put down the pitchers and grabbed my hand in both of his. “Ever Daley, as I live and breathe! You’re even more gorgeous in person than you are on Instagram. I’m Vihaan Khatri, but everyone calls me Vee and you should, too.”