1
DREW
Irestacked the coasters for what had to be the fifth time, each one aligning with the last with precise neatness. Avoiding River’s perceptive gaze was becoming a full-time job in itself.
Spoiler alert: having your boss as a friend is great when you’re dishing out the advice. Not so much when you’re on the receiving end.
I moved on to the precut fruit for the cocktails, inspecting each piece and ensuring they weren’t cut too big or too small.
“So, Drew,” River said, coming up to the bar as if he hadn’t been staring at me from afar for the last half-hour. “How are the preparations going for tomorrow’s fundraiser?”
The fundraiser for the Star Finders Foundation. The foundation I’d started with my best friend and foster brother, West. I remembered exactly when West had come out and said that kids in foster care deserved the same opportunities as all the kids with moms and dads. He would make sure it happened. It had been a big dream, but we’d done it together.
And now, our dream was no longer something we organized from the small kitchen in our apartment. We’d moved our headquarters to the old hospital building, where we wereworking to function as an emergency shelter and community center for kids in foster care, kids from less privileged backgrounds, and anyone who needed a little help.
I exhaled slowly, finally meeting his eyes. “Honestly? I’m freaking out a little.”
River’s brow furrowed with concern. “What’s on your mind?”
“It’s just…” I paused, struggling to articulate the tangle of emotions. “The auction. Being up there on display like some piece of meat. What if no one bids? Or worse, what if someone does, and I have to go on some awkward date?”
River’s eyes widened. “I thought the auction was for skills. You’re doing cocktail classes, right?”
“Yeah, but…” I felt heat rise to my cheeks. “What if…?” I lowered my voice, leaning in. “What if West bids on me?”
Understanding dawned in River’s eyes. A few weeks ago, I’d unwittingly confessed to him how I felt about West. “Ah. And how would you feel about that?”
My heart raced at the mere thought. “Terrified. Elated. A jumbled mess of everything in between.” I ran a hand through my hair, mussing it further. “God, River, it’s getting harder and harder to pretend I don’t have anything but best-friend feelings for West.”
“You’re offering cocktail classes. How much trouble can you get into doing that?”
I raised a brow. “As much trouble as you can get into when your jilted best friend, and the man you have feelings for, moves into your place,” I said, referring to River’s best friend Adam, who he was totally in love with.
River raised his hands and chuckled softly. “Drew, have you considered that maybe West is struggling with similar feelings?”
I blinked, caught off guard. “What? No way. He’s always so… No, he’s never given me any hints.”
“Have you ever given him any hints?”
He had a point. I’d hidden my attraction to West from the moment I felt anything but brotherly love, and as my feelings grew, I’d become better at avoiding them.
“Maybe this auction is an opportunity for both of you to be honest about what you want,” River suggested.
I mulled over his words, a glimmer of hope flickering to life. “You really think so?”
He reached across the bar, giving my arm a reassuring squeeze. “Whatever happens tomorrow, just be yourself. That’s more than enough.”
I managed a small smile, feeling some of the weight lift from my shoulders. “Thanks, River. I guess it’s my turn to put my money where my mouth is.”
“What do you mean?”
“You and Adam. I said I’d tell West how I feel about him if you did the same with Adam.”
River’s eyebrows shot up, and his eyes widened.
I chuckled. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me, but the next time he comes here while you’re working, you might want to tell him to stop undressing you with his eyes.”
It was his turn to laugh. “I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself. Adam and I…we’re still figuring things out.”
