“When do we get to meet him, baby?” Miranda asks.
Lie looks at her warily. I’m not sure if that expression is because of Miranda’s constant little jabs at him, and he doesn’t want her to say something in front of another person—his supposed secret boyfriend. Or because his secret boyfriend is me.
“You already know him,” Lie says, shrugging. He becomes animated again, wiping up the counter.
“Ohhh,” Nason says, laughing. He looks at me. “You know who it is, don’t you? Have you become my son’s confidant?”
“Yes, Laiken knows, and no, he’s not sharing. It’s a secret.” He grins and heads for the newcomers at the bar before I can.
Jerk.
Miranda and Nason look at me expectantly. I feel like I’m a deer caught in headlights. Shit. What am I supposed to say right now?
“Do we get a hint?” Nason asks.
I shake my head. “Nope. I’m not breaking his trust.”
“But we’ll like him, right?” Nason asks.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell them they already love him. But the idea that maybe they won’t once they find out stays my words.
“Yeah,” I say.
“You sound sad about it,” Nason says, laughing.
There’s no way to explain that, so I don’t. I give Nason a smile and head for the kitchen when the green light flashes. Once behind the door, I take a breath.
I can’t shake the feeling that they know. And if they don’t, they’ve already put together that we’re both seeing someone we’re keeping secret. How long before they put it together?
And how long before we can move beyond his anger and live happily ever after?
The ache in my chest and the dread that fills me suggest that I’m being naïve. When Nason figures this out, he’s going to lose his shit. I’m not sure there won’t be severe casualties. Scars that will never heal, no matter how many years pass.
I’m in too deep now. There’s no getting out of this without some pain. Once, I knew which relationship I’d have put over any other. Now, I’m not sure I can make the choice.
Ican’tlive without Lie. He’s my entire heart. My whole world.
But how do I live my life without my best friend at my side when he’s been there for two-thirds of my life?
Chapter Twenty-Five
LIE
Livingin a place like Kala means that I rarely know what day of the week it is. The vast majority of businesses are open daily. They don’t close early, depending on the day of the week. Not many places even close on holidays. Holidays are simply modified to accommodate the guests who are here.
The only way I truly mark the days is when my mom works. Since she works for the school, there is a distinct Monday through Friday schedule and school hours.
This is why I know it’s Saturday. Mom is in and out, doing errands and puttering around the house.
Because Mom’s home, I don’t dare lock myself away inside Laiken’s house and ride his cock like I really want to. I suppose I’ll have to be satisfied with the twinge in my ass.
It’s not like I can’t spend the day with Laiken, anyway. That’s not really out of the ordinary. Besides, Cash is working, so it’s either hang out outside or inside, where I run the risk of being the subject of one of Mom’s subtle comments about literally anything about me.
At least when she was accusing me of hiding a partner with my dad the other night at the bar, she got the gender right. There have been many times over the years that she randomly forgot that I’m into guys.
I’ve been done bemoaning that for a long time. I don’t care. I am who I am, and nothing she says is going to change that. Dad loves me this way. The rest of the damn island loves me as I am. So what if Mom wants to see me more masculine and with a damn woman?
Laiken dangles a glass in front of my face. I grin, grabbing it, as he walks around the lounge chair I’m in and takes a seat in the one beside me.
