“Thanks! My mom sent a few from my favorite store back home. Although it’s making me miss my collie, Gertrude.”
“It is so hot out!” Jessica said, leading everyone to a cement sculpture with a hole in the middle. Ethan had no idea how this was deemed art, but it brought shade at least.
“I know!” Anna echoed in quick response. “I am so ready for fall.”
“Two more weeks until fall technically,” Jessica said.
In Duncannon, that equals hot, warm, one day of actual fall, then winter, Ethan thought to himself.
“You know how Duncannon falls are.” Dave hopped up and sat in the hole. “Hot, warm, one week of crisp breeze, then winter.”
Everyone laughed, including Ethan, even though he liked his version better. He wasn’t as witty or fast as Dave. His tongue was like a spiderweb, catching one-liners for dinner.
“I don’t want to start class on Monday. I’m so not ready,” Anna said in a whiny voice that she assumed sounded cute but Ethan had not missed over the summer.
“I cannot wait,” Ethan said, bouncing off the side of a statue.
“That’s because you got into your dream class with your dream professor. I’m stuck taking Exploration of the Solar System,” Anna said. “Stupid distribution requirement.”
Ethan had nothing to say back. She was right. Come Tuesday morning, he would be soaking up the legal knowledge of the esteemed Professor Wendell Sharpe, a class he’d been looking forward to since he was a prospective student.
Jessica checked her phone. “Oh, Preston’s coming! He should be here in five.”
Ethan immediately lost all contact with the outside world. His attention drifted to a countdown clock inside his head, ticking away with the promise of Preston Waters.
Just thinking about Preston made his stomach queasy and nerve endings tingle with sensitivity. Ethan had known he was gay in high school, but he hadn’t been excited about being gay until he’d met Preston.
Six minutes later, Preston’s solid jawline, piercing green eyes, and beaming smile greeted them. He should’ve been hung in a museum; he was just that good to look at. And with new thick-framed glasses, he was the perfect combination of sexy and smart.
Preston waved to everyone. “How goes it?”
Ethan gave him an unsure wave back that he immediately regretted for being unsuave.
“Nice T-shirt,” Jessica said.
Preston tugged at his lime-green Browerton shirt, causing his chest to be framed perfectly by the fabric. Ethan’s heart beat like a maniac.
“It’s game day!”
“Oh, I know. Ethan and I fought through throngs of fraternisluts and sorostitutes to get here.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“I have way too many classes up there. Trust me, it is.”
“Am I allowed to sit on these things?” Preston balanced his cup of coffee on one of the structures and sat down, making sure the thing didn’t topple over. “A buddy of mine had kegs and eggs at his place.”
Jessica’s face pinched with disapproval, but Preston didn’t seem to notice or care. In their group, he was a recurring character rather than a full-fledged cast member. Unlike Ethan, Preston hadlotsof friends, one of those guys who managed to float among many groups at Browerton. Including the LGBT group.
Because Preston was gay.
Just like Ethan.
Usually when Ethan found a guy who was naturally and effortlessly sexy, smart, witty, friendly, charming, adorable, and caring, the guy was either imaginary or straight. But how could he get Preston to like him? While he and Ethan hung out regularly, it was always within the group. Ethan was firmly in the friend zone, yet friends could turn into boyfriends, right? That was a big hurdle to cross, but Ethan believed, given enough time, it could be surmountable. They would make the cutest couple.
“So how’s your coffee?” he asked Preston.
“I’m drinking green tea.”
