Tobias is typing…
Tobias is typing…
Tobias is typing…
RILEY:Great job, everyone. You broke Tobias. Yes, Josh, wear underwear to the gym.
COLE:Better make sure he does, Ri!
RILEY:::middle finger emoji::
13
HOW IS HE DOING THIS?
Riley reread CJ Rollins’ new book blurb for the fifth time.
Ricky and Joseph have been best friends since they were born, thanks to their parents living on the same street. They’ve gone through school together, started a graphic design business together and spend all of their free time together. The one thing they’ve never tried? Admitting their feelings for each other, because they both think they’re straight.
It’s obvious to everyone but them that these two are meant to be. For New Year’s, the whole gang is sharing a house, but Ricky and Joseph are stuck sharing a bed. Will the forced proximity help them realize their relationship goes beyond platonic? Or will making one of them jealous do the trick? Only time will tell.
Ricky and Joseph. That was so close to Riley and Josh, not to mention forced proximity for New Year’s, a graphic design business, living on the same street.
There was no way this was a coincidence.
Was this author fucking stalking them? Was he writing a book about them? How did he know all of this?
On his laptop, Riley switched to the original email from CJ Rollins to see if there were other clues. The only line that stood out was, “I think you two will really enjoy this book.”
Why did he think they’d enjoy it? They had never discussed reading any of his books.
Riley tapped the reply button atop CJ’s email and typed a response that he hoped didn’t sound too panicky.
Hey CJ, we read the new blurb. Sounds like an interesting story. How did you think of it?
Hopefully, he’d have answers soon. He picked his head up from the screen at the sound of the front door opening. Josh had run out to grab lunch and his return meant Riley had to decide whether he’d show him the blurb or not. He technically got the email too, but they tended to ignore emails that were already open and replied to. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to worry Josh with it.
“I got those spicy nachos you like,” Josh said, spreading their lunch on the coffee table, then going to the kitchen for drinks. “They were on sale too!”
Josh was all smiles as he grabbed each of them a beer from the fridge and plopped on the couch next to Riley.
Damn it, he couldn’t keep anything from this guy.
“Hey, you’ll never believe—” Adingcut Riley off. He snapped his gaze to his computer, where a new email was sitting at the top of the screen.
He hesitated for a moment before clicking it open and felt a chill as he read CJ Rollins’ response.
I’ve been watching you.
“Oh holy shit,” he said, recoiling from the screen like it had zapped him. “Josh, I think we have a stalker.”
Josh slid on the couch until he was plastered against Riley’s body, the warmth helping to calm the chill in him.
Riley showed him the original email, the blurb and the creepy followup response, then waited for Josh to freak out with him.
Instead, he shrugged, said, “Sounds like a good story,” and took a bite of his hoagie.
“A good—Josh, this is about us.”
