Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
My parents and sister have both hit me up too—Court having known I was interested in Anthony, but all of them wanting to check in with me as I’ve never dealt with something like this before.
“No offense taken. It does sound like something you would do. I’m usually much smarter than that.”
He laughs and nudges me with his arm. “How’s Anthony taking it all?”
I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. “I don’t know. Okay, I guess? Most of the time he plays it off as if it doesn’t matter. He hasn’t had problems with photographers being outside his apartment or Lush, but we don’t know if that’s because I’m gone and they know there won’t be a chance to see us together, or if they’re already getting bored.” I’m hoping for the latter, obviously. “I don’t want dating me to bring up bad memories for him.”
“Honestly? There’s no way it can’t. It was hard on Hayes in the beginning—still is. I don’t think any of us can understand what they went through. All you can do is show him you’re not like Malcolm and how worthy of someone better he is. Do you know anyone like that?”
“Ha-ha, asshole.” I give him the finger, something Rylan earns a lot from me.
“I’m giving you shit. This is actually kinda perfect—besties dating besties! We’re going to do everything together all the time now!”
“Please no.”
“Aw, come on. It’ll be fun. My neighbors are thinking of selling. You and Anthony can move next door, and we’d have to find a way to get Eric and Donovan into the neighborhood, but you know me, when I set my mind to something, I get what I want.”
I laugh. “You’re getting ahead of yourself. This is the guy who had no clue we were dating and had to come around to the idea after he found out.” Which honestly sucks. I would never want Anthony to be doing this with me if it’s not something he wants. I keep reminding myself it was the fear that held him back.
“Yeah, well, you’re awesome, Madsies. Ant sees that. It’s the other shit getting in his head. But he couldn’t have picked someone better to get back on the horse with. He went from the worst guy in the world to one of the best.”
“One of?” I tease.
“Obviously, I’m number one.”
“Obviously,” I play along.
We chat for a while longer, then try to nap. I can’t sleep, so I listen to meditative music and try to relax.
Anthony and I have talked every day I’ve been away. Like before, we texted off and on throughout the day, and some of the evenings I ended up calling him. Rylan sleeps like the dead, so it didn’t keep him awake. Sometimes we’d speak fairly late, when Anthony got off work at Lush or when we simply didn’t run out of things to say.
I like having conversations with him, like his sense of humor and how passionate he is about so much. But I also want to make sure he sees that it’s him I want to get to know. Him as a whole that I’m interested in, and though we’ve introduced sex into the mix, me just liking to spend time with Anthony isn’t going to change.
It’s late when we land in LA, so I head straight home and go to bed.
I’ve always been an early riser, so I don’t sleep in. Like our day at the beach, I wait until about ten to message Anthony.
Me: I know a really great brunch spot.
I’m surprised when the bubbles pop up right away.
Anthony: Brunch, huh? An integral part of the queer agenda.
Chuckling, I hit the button to call him.
“Wait. Whoa. Is talking on the phone when we’re in the same city a thing people do when dating? I thought that was reserved for when someone is out of town.” His voice is rough, husky, like he just woke up.
“Maybe it’s not something other people do, but you clearly have a lot to learn when it comes to dating me…or us dating. We do this because we genuinely like talking to each other.”
“So is there like a Dating Kason Maddox pamphlet I should know about? I didn’t even get a chance to study.”
“No. I just make up the rules as I go along. You can make up some too. If you really don’t want to talk on the phone, tell me. If not, I’ll assume you’re dying to hear my voice as much as I crave hearing yours.” I’m being playful, enjoying our banter, but when he doesn’t respond right away, I start to worry my joking hit wrong or that he feels like I’m trying to push him into something.
Just as I open my mouth to apologize, he says, “I see what you did there. Fishing for a compliment while also dishing one out to me. You’re very good at this, Flirty Boy.”