I immediately felt bad and pushed against Theo’s knee for him to sit back down. “Sorry.Sorry. It’s recently come to my attention that I maybe have an issue with, um, deflection.”
“You think?” Theo snorted. He narrowed his eyes. “How’d this come to your attention?”
I shrugged. “A friend pointed it out.”
“Yeah, right. You don’thavefriends, Con.”
“Hey!” I protested, because seriously,what the fuck?“I havetonsof friends, asshole.”
“You have guys you’re friendly with. Not the same.”
“I’m friends with Jamie Burke, and with Silas Sloane. And this guy, Tyler, I text occasionally. And um…” I drew a blank. “Jordan! Over at The Hive.”
“Okay, Jamie is Julian’s friend, and you basically only see him when you’re together,” Theo ticked off on his fingers. “Silas is your coworker at the police station. I don’t know Tyler, but occasional texts are not friendship. And Jordan pours you cherry Cokes.”
“Shirley Temples.”
“Whichever. Those aren’tfriends. Dude, evenIknow the difference. I have Sam and Rae and Dante who’ve always got my back and call me on my bullshit. Who calls you on your bullshit, Con?”
“Well.” I smoothed my eyebrows with my fingertips and stood up. “Okay, then. I’m a friendless loser. This has been a great brotherly conversation, Theodore. Gee, I amsoglad Mama asked you to help out here this morning. Why don’t we do this more often?”
“Real talk? There’s something going on with you, Constantine. You’ve been borrowing my car almost daily for two months, and you haven’t been happy in at least that long.”
“You’re barking up the wrong tree. I mean, spending everyminuteof every Saturday morning in this goddamn booth doesn’t exactly fill me with glee.” I glared around at the three canvas walls and studiously avoided looking toward the front and across the aisle. “But I’mfine.”
“You wanna play it that way? Okay.” He shrugged. “You’re not, though. And maybe Jules hasn’t been around enough to see it the past few months, and maybe Mama doesn’twantto see it, but I see it. So what I’m trying to say is that I’m here, if you wanna talk. Or if not… I hope whoever thisfriendis keeps calling things to your attention. ‘Cause you’re, like… a really good brother. And youshouldbe happy. Okay?”
Theo looked uncomfortable, butJesus. What kind of balls did it take to actually say real shit like thatout loud?
“Am I dying?” I demanded. “For real? Because I was pretty sure I was dying earlier, and now I’m starting to wonder if maybe I imagined it into reality. I do that sometimes.”
“I don’t think being an idiot is fatal.”
“Sexual frustration might be.”Fuck. Had I said that out loud?
I groaned and pushed my hands through my hair, sitting back down on the cooler Theo had vacated.
“Really?You?”Theo folded his arms over his chest. “No fresh meat at The Hive these days?”
“I wouldn’t know,” I said. “I haven’t been there since the day my car broke down.”
“Months ago? But you can use my car. I honestly don’t—”
“Nah. It’s not that,” I said. “I appreciate it, though. I just haven’t… wanted to go, I guess. I haven’t had the time or energy.”
“Forsex?” Theo demanded. He likely wouldn’t have been as shocked if I’d announced some kind of religious conversion. “Why?”
“I don’t know, man. I’m as shocked as you. Maybe this is adulthood or something.”
Maybe it was that I’d become fixated on sex with one particular guy, who wasn’t showing the first sign he was interested in making it happen.
Theo looked over at Micah’s booth again. “Or something,” he agreed. “Oh, FYI? Micah’sstilllooking this way, and he definitely wants to plant a flag insomething. It’s making me a little uncomfortable and a little turned on.”
“What?” I jumped to my feet. “I’m gonna kill him.” Micah couldn’t evenseeme when I was sitting, which I knew since I couldn’t see him, and if he was shooting sex looks at my little brother…
“He’s not eventhere, you asswipe.” I turned from Micah’s booth, where Micah’s sister stood alone, and glared at Theo. The fucker looked way too smug.
“Hmm? Weird. I could’ve sworn—”
