I knew Grayson was an inherited friend, someone Wesley had met through Hendrix via Miles, so there must have been some history there, but I wasn’t going to ask what. Grayson had proven himself to be a devoted friend and a stand-up man. That was enough for Wesley and enough for me.
“Can I level with you?”
He turned, arms still folded in front of his chest. “Yeah. Why not?”
“I’ve been in the closet for almost a decade, Hendrix. This wasn’t anything I planned. It wasn’t even anything I wanted. But, at the end of the day, I’m in love with your brother and it’s important to him that you know we’re together. In fact, we’ve talked about telling you the truth about us more than almost anything else.” I threw my hands up, letting them fall at my sides. “The rest of it is for him to tell you or for us to tell you together.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Whatever you say, make sure he knows that you still love him.” My voice cracked, and his brows furrowed.
“Why wouldn’t I still love him?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll go wait for him and we’ll come find you when he’s back.” I shook my head and stepped back toward the door, ready to get some air and space.
“Colin, wait.”
My hand was already on the doorknob. I paused.
“A decade?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“But you’re not in the closet anymore?”
I shook my head. “Just make sure he knows that you still love him.”
I opened the door and slipped into the hallway before Hendrix could say another word. He didn’t follow, which I was grateful for, and it didn’t take me long to find Miles and Grayson in the kitchen together. Miles gave me a wary look as I pulled a beer from the fridge, and Grayson had gone from comfortably buzzed to three sheets to the wind.
“You all right?” I asked, cracking the top off the bottle.
“Areyou?” Miles asked.
“Waiting for Wesley. I think it’ll be fine.”
“I can’t believe you’re sleeping with my boyfriend’s little brother.” Miles smirked, looking even more arrogant than Grayson did on his best day. “You never struck me as the type.”
Grayson raised a finger to his mouth, hand shaking. “Miles, it’s all very hush-hush.”
“Not anymore.” I turned back to Grayson. “Are you okay, though?”
He opened his mouth like he was ready to formulate an answer, but nothing came out. Miles rolled his eyes and took the whiskey out of Grayson’s hand.
“Nothing a little water can’t fix,” Miles said, walking Grayson out of the kitchen. I went after them, intent on going to the window, if not to try and spy down on the beach and see if I could make out David and Wesley’s figures.
I wasn’t jealous or anything. I didn’t worry about Wesley suddenly deciding he was madly in love with his best friend or anything like that, but I worried about him. The nerves and the jitters had rolled off him in waves after David’s arrival and how he’d all but called out for me. There was no way I couldn’t have gone to him. I wouldn’t let him stand through any of that alone.
“Hey.” Wesley’s voice from behind startled me, and I turned, sliding an arm around his waist and holding in close. He had a fresh drink in his hand and it looked like Grayson’s whiskey.
“You’re back.” I looked behind him, finding David in the kitchen, staring down at his phone screen. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He nodded, tilting his head back. “We talked. It’s fine. Where’s Henny? He didn’t leave, did he?”
I kissed his forehead. “You’ll have to tell me about David later. Your brother is waiting for us.”
“Did you talk to him?”
“Briefly. I told him I was in love with you and not much else. He has some questions, but I told him they’re for you to answer.”
