A chorus ofawws ripples across the party as Jackson and I break away from each other and take the last couple steps down to join the rest of the crowd.
“I don’t get what the big deal is,” I hear a gruff, familiar voice say, the words sounding louder than I’m sure was intended in the temporary lull of the crowd. “It’s not like anything’s really changed. It’s just now they’re banging.”
It takes me all of a microsecond to find Bryce amidst the partygoers, standing not too far away with Emme, Spencer, Will, and a teenage girl I’m surprised to see here—Paxton’s daughter, Kaley. Jesus, I swear this girl gets taller every time I see her. Or maybe it’s just the cute little heels she’s wearing for the fancy occasion..
I can tell from the genuine bafflement on his face that there was no malicious intent with Bryce’s words, but I feel my hackles rise anyway. I don’t like that people are making an automatic assumption that Jackson and I are havingsexsex. Fucking. Banging. Whatever. I can understand why they would, but I still don’t like it. Or maybe I just don’t like that I don’t know how I’m supposed to handle what should have been quite a predictable development. We didn’t discuss this prior to arriving at the party, so I have no idea if Jackson wants to correct the assumption or not. I’m not sure if he’s okay with people outside the small circle or me, Drew, Deacon—and presumably Tanner and Sullivan—knowing about his asexuality. And he’s being no help whatsoever right now.
I decide to simply play the comment off like it’s not a big deal. We can talk about this when we get a moment alone. “Jesus, Bryce. Not everything is about sex,” I say with an eye roll.
There are a couple of raised eyebrows among the other members of the little group, but Bryce looks like he’s been stupefied. He stands there just staring at me, slack-jawed, for several seconds before finally managing to shake himself out of his daze. “Um…are we sure this is actually Skyler,” he asks the others, his wary gaze still fixed on me. “He could have been replaced with an alien look-alike or something. You know, like inCaptain Marvel.”
I give another dramatic roll of my eyes. “Oh, damn. You got me.”
Emme’s lips curve into a long-suffering smile. “Bryce, honey—I’m not sure Skyler was thrilled about that reductive comment you just made about his relationship.”
Bryce turns his puzzled gaze on his girlfriend. “What does reductive mean?”
I let out a soft breath of laughter and give Emme a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Well, at least the kid’s got a fifty percent chance.”
She quirks a brow at me, unimpressed. “Okay,nowyou two are even,” she says, waving a finger between me and Bryce.
I just shrug and offer a wry smile, while Bryce looks like he’s given up on trying to follow the conversation and is instead mentally replayingCaptain Marvel.
“Skyler!”I hear a familiar voice call out and turn to see Judy Stapleton—Deacon and Sullivan’s mom—striding purposefully through the crowd, a radiant smile on her face. When she reaches me, she holds her arms out and I indulge her with a hug.
I’ve known Judy and the rest of the Stapletons for almost as long as I’ve known Deacon. I remember the first time I met them all I thought I’d stepped onto the set of a TV sitcom or something. One with happily married parents, two gay sons, and three daughters who couldn’t be more different from each other if they tried but managed to get along anyway, albeit with frequent bickering. And a dog. Of course, there was a dog. I honestly didn’t realize families like that actually existed in real life until then. I guess it’s no wonder Deacon was so shocked by the revelations about my childhood.
“Oh, this is so exciting!” Judy gushes, releasing me from the hug and stepping back to smile at both Jackson and me. “I’ve been wondering when you two would finally get your act together, so I was absolutelythrilledwhen Deacon filled me in. Honestly, it’s just the best thing to happenall year.”
My brows shoot up in a mix of surprise and amusement. “Um…thanks, Judy. I’m sure Sully will be delighted to hear you say that.”
She lets out a little huff, waving her hand dismissively. “I said it was the best thingthisyear,” she emphasizes. “Sullivan and Drew have been engaged since October. Why they’ve waited untilnowto hold this party, I have no idea…” She sighs, as though at a complete loss. “I thought it was sweet them not wanting to steal Willow and Dean’s thunder last year, but I think six months is pushing things a bit.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Judy,” I say, offering a commiserating nod as I hear a few people around me try to disguise snorts of laughter as coughs.
Because of the whole fake engagement thing, there are only a handful of us that know Sully and Drew onlyofficiallybecame engaged a couple weeks ago. For the rest of the people at this party—including Sullivan’s own parents, apparently—it seems the luster has well and truly faded.
“I didn’t realize there was a time limit on these things,” Will murmurs to Spencer, eyes wide with apprehension. “It’s been three months already—we should probably get a move on with our engagement party plans.”
Spencer lets out a breath of amusement and leans over to kiss Will on the cheek. “Whatever you want, babe. We might have to wait for some of the dazzle to fade from these two first, though,” he adds dryly, gesturing at Jackson and me.
“You’ll be waiting a hell of a long time,” I say with a smirk.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Jackson
This hasto be the weirdest engagement party ever. Well, I guess the one my mom went to a few years ago with the Revolutionary War theme might have been a little stranger, but I wasn’t there so I can’t confirm it. This is a different kind of weird, though. It’s weird in the sense that the engaged couple’s friends and family seem way more interested in fussing over Skyler and me than they are in anything that Sullivan and Drew are doing. And they aren’t even trying to be discreet about it. It’s no wonder Sully was so annoyed with us earlier. He could jump up on a table and start dancing the Can Can right now and hardly anyone would even notice.
“Should we maybe split up for a little while?” I ask Skyler when we finally get a moment to ourselves. We had to actually leave the main party and find a shadowy spot in an alcove near the bar in order to get it, but at least we can finally talk for a moment.
Skyler frowns at me. “Why?”
I shrug. “Maybe people will stop being so fascinated if we’re not…you know…coupley,” I suggest. Even if we weren’t supposed to be celebrating another couple, the attention everyone’s paying us is still fucking weird. Skyler might have taken exception to what Bryce said earlier, but I can’t help agreeing—I don’t get what the big deal is either.
“Is it making you uncomfortable?” he asks me, genuine concern written all over his features. “Having all this attention on us?”
I shake my head. “No. But Sully and Drew—”
