“Of course,” the woman said, drawing my attention back to her. “The really sexy ones are always gay.”
I chuckled and winked. “Yeah, sorry not sorry.”
She laughed. “I’ll see you next week.”
“Have a good one.”
I went back to my office, gathered my things, made sure the computer was shut down, locked the door, and headed for the front. “See you later,” I told Jasmine, one of the employees who worked the front desk. “Text me if you need anything.”
It was a Saturday. Kellan and Chase were having a little get-together at their place this afternoon. Kellan had been acting a little strange all week, but then he was Kell, so who knew what was going on in his head?
My house and Griff’s were in town, rather than on the outskirts like the rest of the guys’. Mine sat back from the road, a little blue place I used to stay at when I came to Havenwood to visit my grandma in the summers.
Outside of my childhood best friend, she was the first person I told I was gay because I knew she would accept me. She was the only person who knew about Doug, about who he’d been to me. I’d told her about our first kiss and when I knew I loved him. She’d known our plans—plans that never came to fruition. And when everything went down with him, she was the only person I’d been able to talk to, and she’d come to Raleigh, knowing I needed her.
I shook those thoughts from my head. I’d been thinking about Doug more lately, though I didn’t know why. Most of the time, I did a good job pretending none of it had ever happened.
I checked the mail and tossed it on the table when I got into the house. I went straight for the bathroom off my bedroom for a quick shower and jack-off session before getting changed, then headed to Kellan and Chase’s place.
Their vehicles and Griff’s truck were the only ones there so far. I pulled my Mustang up and hopped out.
In the beginning, Griffin and I were never too close. There used to be a distinct separation between our friends. There was me, Kellan, and our friend Natalie, then Griffin’s buddies Knox and Lawson. Then Chase came back to town, and I’d hated him when he first showed up. He and Kell got all domesticated and in love, and our friends group merged. It was weird for Griff at first. He’d appointed himself Kellan’s protector, even though Kell never needed it. When Griff understood that, it seemed to be a bit of a revelation for him, like he didn’t know what to do with himself.
I started hanging out with him more after that, and realized I liked the grumpy Caine brother more than I’d thought I would. He was fun to give shit to. Griff needed more fun in his life, and I was going to give it to him, even if he did come kicking and screaming most of the time.
I skipped a stair, jogging up the porch, and knocked. Kell called out for me to come in, so I did. The three of them were standing in the living room, Griff and Chase yelling at the sports highlights on TV, while Kellan pretended to pout.
“Hey, babe.” I kissed Kellan’s forehead.
“I did not plan this day so you guys could sit around and watch SportsCenter all day,” Kellan said. “And hi.”
I chuckled. Griff and Chase ignored him, so I stepped in, grabbed Griff’s face, and pressed a smacking, playful kiss on his cheek. “Hey, Griffy!”
He jerked away, his eyes wide. “Oh, I get to be on the list of guys you kiss today?”
“Jealous?” I teased. Sex was one of my favorite things. I’d always been a highly sexual person, and I didn’t see that changing. And why should it? I was single, and they were always consenting adults. Nothing wrong with having fun and enjoying sex. Plus, it was the only thing I’d ever allow myself when it came to another man. Outside of friendship, at least.
“God no.” He wiped off his cheek like he thought I had cooties.
“Real mature.”
“You didn’t even know that guy you were kissing at the bar in Richmond last weekend,” he countered. The group of us had finally made it into the city for a night out, something we’d been trying to make happen for a long-ass time. Somehow, I’d gotten Griffin to go. It was his first time in a gay club, and I’d hoped it would loosen him up a little. I’d wanted to have fun with him—even if not the sexual kind—so much so that I would have told the guy no if Griff hadn’t practically pushed me onto the dance floor with him, after turning me down about dancing himself.
“Again, jealous?” I countered. He was always busting my balls.
“Can you two stop?” Kellan asked. “Josh likes to hook up. We know this. We’ve always known this. Griff doesn’t. Also something we’ve always known. I don’t understand why you guys have to argue about it.” Then Kellan gave me his pissed-off face like it was all my fault.
“What did I do? He started it.” I pointed to Griff.
“Real mature,” Griff said, using my words against me, so I flipped him off. Kellan sighed.
“Who wants a beer?” Chase asked, just as there was a knock on the door.
Their German shepherd, Bowie, came running. He apparently hadn’t given a shit when I arrived, but when Chase said to come in and Law and Remy entered with their mastiff, Bear, followed by Knox, Callum, and their pup, Frankie Blue, I understood why. He wanted to play with the other dogs.
We all got drinks and headed out back. Natalie showed up a few minutes later, and we settled in to what we always did, shooting the shit while someone manned the grill—this time, Kellan.
There was laughter and teasing, the way there always was when we all got together. We were a tight-knit group. I hadn’t had anything like this before. There had been friends other than Doug, but the bond when I was younger had been with him, and now it was with them.
Griffin seemed to be avoiding me. I joked around with him all the time, and he did me, so I couldn’t see why he would have been upset over what I’d done earlier. He’d been acting differently over the past few months, though, even more standoffish than usual, which was why I’d been so surprised I’d gotten him to go to Richmond. Of course, I hadn’t let my shock show. It was a lot more fun to pretend I’d expected it.
I was about to head over to him to make sure we were cool, when Kellan said the food was done. We ate burgers at the table outside while the dogs ran around, all of us enjoying the slightly cooler fall air.
Griff sat with Remy on one side and Knox on the other.
When the food was devoured, I managed to make my way over to him. He was leaning against the wooden railing on the deck, away from everyone else. “Hey, Griffy.”
“I really hate it when you call me that,” he grumbled.
“No, you don’t.” I didn’t know how I knew that, but I did.
“Whatever you say, Joshy.”
“I love it when you call me that. It’s so cute, our pet names for each other.” Forget that we called Knox Knoxy too. It was a stupid joke in our group. But in that moment, it was just about us.
Griff rubbed a hand over his face. “You make me crazy. Do you know that?”
“Yes, yes I do. You need my kind of crazy.” I nudged his arm. “Come on. You’re glad we’ve gotten closer since everyone started to fall in love around us. Admit it.”
“Well, since you’re my only choice, I guess it’ll do,” he replied, making me laugh.