Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
27
Gary
I check my phone again. Eleven o’clock.
I won’t get any sleep tonight; I know it. I keep expecting to look over and see Travis lying next to me. We didn’t spend every night together, so this shouldn’t be strange, but I think my body is recovering from the shock of knowing I won’t get to have him anymore. That I’ll never get to experience those hot, sweaty nights…those nights of such intense passion that left me shaking in ecstasy. Even worse, the mornings of seeing him lying peacefully next to me in bed.
We’re still friends.
But that’s not enough. Not anymore.
I set my phone back on my nightstand, and it vibrates. Again…and again. I grab it quickly.
Travis?
I’m destroyed when I see it’s a Facebook message from Hayden. Last time we chatted was when I messaged him to help us with the fundraiser.
HAYDEN: You guys free?
ME: I am.
HAYDEN: You out? Lance went to Kansas City for a work thing. Wanna go to Ten?
I don’t want to do anything. Not after what happened this morning with Travis. It wasn’t a breakup, but that’s what it feels like. And it hurts. So fucking much.
It won’t help me to spend the night feeling sorry for myself. Not gonna get any sleep anyway. I agree and meet him outside. He walks over from Viewpoint, and we walk to Pump together. It’s where most guys start drinking before heading to Flirt, which is on the opposite side of the street. Three guys head down the sidewalk toward us. The man in the middle’s arms are slung around his friends’ shoulders as they help him along. “And if I want another one,” he says, slurring his words, “I should get to have another one.”
“Not anymore, buddy,” says one of his far more sober-sounding friends.
Once they pass and are out of earshot, Hayden glances behind us and says, “Oh, he is trashed.”
“Right?” I force a chuckle to seem amused and not so defeated.
When we get to Ten, we head to the bar in the main space where everyone’s hanging and drinking. We catch up about work and life while we have our first cocktail when he finally asks, “So what was up with you and Travis that day at the pool party?”
He has a suspicious look in his eyes. “It’s a long story,” I say. “One I’ll have to tell you when we aren’t in public.”
“Fair enough.”
Once we finish our drinks, Hayden glances around. “I’ll get us another cocktail and meet you on the dance floor.” I smile because I like the idea of dancing with him, escaping from all this bullshit that’s stressing me out. That’s what we used to do together when Peter and Lance would hang with guys at the bar to chat. I walk into the adjoining room, where the dance floor is. People crowd it as they dance to Whitney’s “I’m Every Woman,” which plays on the TV screens behind the bar on the other side of the room.
Derek stands at the end of the bar. He scratches at his arm like he’s uneasy about something, his expression more serious than I’ve ever seen it before. Luke Henley, who I recognize from some events he’s talked to Peter at, stands in front of him. A tall guy in his forties, he wears a tight tee that shapes around his impressive, toned body.
Even though I’m not near them, I know the conversation they’re having. I’ve seen it before. It’s the sort of conversation I’ve overheard hundreds of times just by being within the proximity of a couple in the bar.
He’s getting dumped. It reminds me of how Travis looked when I told him I didn’t want to hook up with him anymore. Although it’s not the same. He’s just going to miss the sex. I’m going to miss a hell of a lot more than that.
Derek’s face lets me know how devastated he is. I recall his concern at the fundraiser when he was texting someone—surely Luke. He obviously knew things were heading this direction already.
I’m glad I came out tonight. Neither of us need to be alone right now.
I push my way through the dance floor and reach him while Luke walks over to a small group of guys, who I’m assuming are his friends.
“Hey, man,” I say to Derek.
His eyes are on the TV screen like he’s trying to look anywhere but toward Luke.
He turns to me, his eyebrows twitching as blue light from the TVs sparkles in a fresh tear forming in his eye. He runs his hand through his lengthy blond bangs.
“Hey,” he says, his voice cracking.
“You okay?”
I think my question just made it worse because the tear releases and starts down his face. He shakes his head.
I want to hug him right now, but I don’t want to cause a scene that Luke and his friends would notice because within my periphery, I see they keep looking over here like they want to see how Derek is reacting to the news.