Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Sawyer shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Glancing over, I noticed Cam’s eyes run the length of Jude’s body, which was strange. Jude was gorgeous. Of course I knew that. But Jude wasn’t Cam’s usual type.
“Well, aren’t you pretty,” Cam said.
Linc laughed.
Sawyer sighed.
Jude blushed. “Oh…I…thank you?”
“You’re welcome.” Cam winked at him.
“FYI, he’s straight. He hasn’t drunk the water yet,” Linc said.
“So? I can’t think a straight boy is pretty? Tsk, tsk, Short Stuff. I’m just being polite.”
“Wasn’t Ash straight when he moved here?” Dax asked.
“That’s what I said!” Lincoln added.
“Well, I was always bisexual, but never found a reason to jump at the opportunity until I met you,” Jace told Dax.
“I’m irresistible,” Dax countered. When I glanced up, I saw Keegan watching the exchange, his eyes darting back and forth between everyone as though the conversation meant something to him. Hmm. Interesting.
Before we had the chance to continue, Kenny’s phone rang, and then he was excitedly trying to speak to the group of about fifty people.
“It’s okay, slow down. We have time,” Beth told him.
Kenny took a couple of deep breaths. “That was Ash. They’ll be here in five minutes!”
We all did our best to be quiet or hide. It wasn’t long until I heard the car in the driveway, then the front door open, and everyone yelled, “Surprise!”
Beau did his job, and in fact, appeared surprised. Kenny hugged him, basically dancing in his brother’s arms, and Beau thanked him. Their relationship was fucking awesome. Kenny’s with Ash as well.
Soon music was playing and people were dancing and talking and eating. Beau and Ash made their rounds, speaking to everyone before joining us.
“Thanks for coming,” Beau told us before leaning in and kissing Linc’s temple.
“Where else would we be? And you look older since the last time I saw you. How is that possible?” Lincoln told him, and I felt something squeeze in my gut. I wasn’t the jealous type. Never had been, but I’d also never been in love before.
Beau flipped him off. “Fuck you.”
“No, thanks. I only fuck Rush.”
Okay…well, that helped some, even though I knew it was all a joke.
“Guys, this is my best friend, Jude,” I told Ash and Beau.
I knew he was dying a little inside. Jude fucking loved football, so meeting Ash was a big deal, but he kept it together well.
“Jude’s staying in Fever Falls for a while. It’s nice to have my friend around.” I wrapped an arm around him.
“It’s a popular place lately,” Dax added.
“Yeah, felt like a change. I just wanted something different,” Jude said. “Next stop is looking for a job.”
“What do you do?” Cam asked. “I own a construction company. We might be looking for someone soon.”
“I heard Fever’s looking for bartenders,” Jace added.
“I’ve never worked construction before. I used to tend bar in college. I actually loved it,” Jude replied.
“Oh, the boys are going to eat you alive, sugar,” Cam told Jude, who squared his shoulders.
“I think I can handle it.”
Cam cocked a brow. “Good to know.” What in the fuck was going on?
“And on that note, it’s time for cake,” Ash said before leading Beau to a six-foot table at the front of the living room. Everyone gathered around as they stood in front of us. Beau thanked everyone for coming, then asked if we were ready to dig into the cake.
“I think we’re gonna have to wait a minute for that, Campbell,” Ash said, and then holy fuck, he got down on one knee.
The room went silent except for Beau’s quiet, “Ash?”
“Right?” Ash replied, then cleared his throat. “We might not have been together long, but I’ve loved you for more years of my life than I spent not loving you. Even when I didn’t know it, even when I couldn’t accept I was gay, even when I hadn’t seen you in years, I still loved you, Campbell. Like K-man says, we’re ABC. What could be more meant-to-be than that?”
“Nothing,” Beau replied.
“Thank God. That would have been really embarrassing if I thought you might say no. Beau Campbell, will you marry me?”
“Ashton fucking Carmichael…you never cease to amaze me. There’s nothing in the world I want more than to marry you.”
And then there was hugging, kissing, clapping, and cheering. When I turned to look at Linc, he was watching them, not moving, not clapping, just…watching.
Damned if it didn’t feel like that look had broken my heart.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Lincoln
Sometimes I wonder what Lincoln’s afraid of. ~ Trey
We were quiet on the way home. Jude chatted a little about looking into getting a job at Fever, and I replied appropriately and so did Rush, but there was a heaviness to the air that hadn’t been there on the drive to the party. I had this strange feeling of discomfort lodged in my chest, and I didn’t know why. It was silly. That part I knew. Beau was my best friend, and I was happy as hell for him…so why did it also hurt?