Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 145402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
"Can you tell us why he's transferring?"
"I can't get into all the details because it's not my place to tell his personal business, but I can say we're excited to have him. I think we have a lot to learn from each other. Next year is going to be amazing. I think you're going to see a lot of changes across the board. We've all got to take another look at what we bring to the court."
Nicky reached for the remote and cut the TV off. "I've got a theory that Renee and Jeremy are long-lost siblings. What do you think would happen if they ever joined forces?"
"They'd get murdered," Aaron said, getting up from the other beanbag chair. "War's profitable; no one wants their world-peace nonsense."
Nicky made a face at him. "Thanks for that cheery dose of reality."
The five of them went down to the car together, and Neil rode in back between Aaron and Nicky. Andrew took them by Sweetie's first for some ice cream. Nicky and Aaron were distracted talking about their room assignments next year and didn't seem to notice that Andrew bypassed the salad bar and its bowl of crackers. It wasn't until the end of the meal when Aaron was paying that either of them clued in. Aaron picked up every single napkin on the table looking for cracker dust and frowned across the table at Andrew.
"How many?"
Andrew hadn't said a word to any of them all evening, but he finally dragged his stare away from the far wall and looked at his brother. "Zero."
"Zero," Aaron echoed, like it was an unfamiliar number. "What do you mean, zero?"
"We're not getting any?" Nicky asked, stupefied.
Andrew ignored him, uninterested in repeating himself. Nicky and Aaron exchanged a long look, confusion on one face and disbelief on the other. Andrew didn't stick around for them to figure it out but slid off the bench and started for the door. Neil followed with Kevin right behind him, and the cousins caught up to them at the car. The ride from Sweetie's to Eden's Twilight was silent, and Andrew dropped them off at the curb as usual. Kevin collected a parking tab for him while the bouncers gave Nicky and Aaron enthusiastic welcome-backs. They went inside to find a table as Andrew pulled away.
There weren't tables open yet, but there was enough room for a body at the bar. Nicky stole the stool and waved when he caught Roland's eye. Roland came by as soon as he'd caught up with his current orders.
"Long time no see," Roland said, and added a pointed, "Again. You guys have got to stop dropping out of contact."
"It's been a crazy year," Nicky said.
"So I heard," Roland said, and looked past Nicky at Neil. "How're you holding up?"
"I'm fine," Neil said.
Roland looked ready to say something else, but after a glance between Nicky and Aaron he shook his head. He got to work mixing their drinks instead, and Nicky regaled him with stories about their spring break. The club was too loud for Neil to hear Andrew's approach, but suddenly Andrew was pressed into his side by the crowd. Roland looked from Andrew to Neil and back again, brow furrowed a bit in badly-concealed concern. Neil realized then he was looking for a sign they were all right after what he'd let slip back in January.
Nicky knew when he was being ignored, and he had no problem interpreting Roland's searching stare. He interrupted his own story to demand, "Don't you dare tell me you knew about them before I did! Oh my god," he said at Roland's startled, guilty look. "Oh my god, you did. How the hell? We just figured it out a couple weeks ago. How long have you known Andrew was gay?"
"Are they a 'them' now?" Roland asked instead of answering. His smile was back, wide and pleased, and he stopped filling their tray to pour them shots. Ever the optimist, he set one out for Neil, too. Nicky passed the glasses out and Neil accepted his after a slight hesitation. Roland plucked his own shot up and tipped it in a toast. "I'll drink to that. It's about damned time."
"It's not something to be proud of," Aaron said.
"Hater," Nicky said, and half-turned to make sure Neil wasn't pawning his drink off on Andrew. They knocked their drinks back as one and Roland collected empty glasses. Nicky pointed at Roland as he went back to mixing drinks. "I noticed you avoided my questions, by the way. You're not sneaky. And what do you mean 'about damned time'?"
"You can pry that story out of Andrew," Roland said.
"Getting answers out of these two is like trying to get a stone to bleed," Nicky said. "It's impossible and I'm about to get my fingers broken for trying. How'd you know? Is your gaydar more advanced than mine is or—" Nicky's jaw dropped as he clued in. "Wait. No way. No way! Did you two—?"
"Don't," Aaron cut in. "Just don't. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to think about it. I want to drink and pretend I don't know any of you."
"I thought we were friends," Nicky said to Roland. "How could you keep this from me?"
"I'm a bartender," Roland said. "I don't spill drinks or other people's secrets. With that one ill-timed exception," he corrected himself with a small grimace at an impassive Andrew. "Sorry about that, by the way. Didn't mean to jump the gun."
"Roland, we are fighting effective immediately," Nicky said with a huff. "Maybe you can win my friendship back with enough drinks tonight. Come on, Aaron, let's see if a table opened up."
Kevin went with them, likely to get away from the turn this conversation had taken. Andrew took the stool so no one could get between him and his drinks, and Neil stood as close to his back as he could. Roland split a shaker's contents between two tall glasses, poured a couple straight sodas for Neil, and was finished. He rinsed the shaker out in a waist-high sink and slid their impossibly full tray closer to Andrew.