Chapter Thirteen
“Hey, man, long time no see,” Mike greets when I answer his call.
“Hey. Yeah. Sorry. You know how work can be this time of year.” I cringe at the small lie, glad that this is only a voice call.
I have to admit, Imighthave been avoiding my best friend.
Okay, okay, there’s nomightabout it: Ihavebeen avoiding him.
It’s irrational, but I’m almost afraid that I’ll open my mouth and he’ll justknowI’ve been doing unspeakable things to his son, and that his son has done unspeakable things to me, and that we’ve both enjoyed every filthy second of it.
And that I’m starting to think that I might have gotten a little too invested in his son along the way.
“No need to explain.” Mike’s cheerful dismissal of my half-assed apology only increases my guilt. “I know the festive season heading into Valentine’s Day is insane for retail. But” —his toneturns into the same exasperated one he usually uses when we’re discussing my job— “I hope you’re taking time tolive, too, Ken.”
It’s almost jarring to hear the nickname coming from anyone other than Cody these days, which is absurd because Mike has been calling me by the shortened version of my name since we met in grade school. Still, it’s probably a good thing that I don’t get the warm, buzzing feeling in my belly when Mike says it.
It shouldn’t be a good thing that I feel that way when Cody says it.
We’re just friends. Friends who share orgasms, but just friends.
“Seriously, Ken.” Now Mike sounds concerned, and it’s probably because I haven’t made my usual attempts to convince him that my life is totally balanced. “Tell me you’re not working yourself to death. Aaron says he hasn’t heard from you since we forced you to go out for your birthday, and Hank is threatening to have the cops come and do a wellness check on you.”
I snort. “Things aren’t that dire,” I assure him. “I’ve actually been going out.”
There’s a brief, surprised pause. “Oh? With anyone in particular?”
Taking a seat on the couch where I first defiled his son, I feel my cheeks heat. Basil slinks into the room and leaps up beside me, butting his gray head into my thigh. I distract myself by scritching behind his ears, relaxing as he begins to purr.
“Nah.” I find myself lying again, closing my eyes and silently apologizing to Cody for not even having the balls to tell Mike that we’re friends. Though why I can’t do that, I don’t know. Mike wouldn’t have a problem with us being friends. He’d probably be pleased that I’m keeping an eye on his kid or something. Which just makes me feel guilty all over again because I’ve been taking advantage of the sweet young man instead. “Just…getting around. Nothing serious.”
The last admission is the truth, but it tastes just as bitter on my tongue as my lies.
Most likely because it’s just another lie…
Mike huffs out a little laugh. “Will wonders never cease. First Cody, now you. Is there something in the water in the city?”
My fingers still in the soft gray fur behind Basil’s ears and he chirps his complaint, but I stop petting him completely, raising my hand to my head and carding my fingers through my hair anxiously.
“Cody?” I query, hoping I sound nonchalant.
My heart is suddenly beating wildly. Did he say something to his father? Have I just been caught out in my web of lies? Is my best friend going to tell his son that I’m such a coward that I couldn’t admit we were friends?
Mike doesn’t sound angry or even upset as he answers, “Yeah. He’s apparently dating someone.” There’s a soft exhalation of breath down the line before he continues, “Becca and I are so relieved. He’s even more of a hermit than you, usually. At least you date, however casually. And I am using ‘date’ as a euphemism.” He chuckles.
I try not to let the assessment, however true it might be, sting. I used to be proud of my playboy reputation; why does it make me uncomfortable now?
“But Code? I thought he might be…I don’t know…asexual or something. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” he’s quick to add. “But…I just don’t like the idea of him being lonely.”
He’s not, I want to argue.He’s got Sylvia and me. Sure, it’s not a huge social circle, but he’s happy.
Instead of saying that, though, I make a sound of vague agreement. “So…he’s dating someone?”
“Well, he didn’t exactly say that” —something that feels a lot like relief has my shoulders relaxing— “but he’s got a date for Valentine’s Day.”
Wait.
Mike continues, oblivious to the tightening of my chest on my end of our call. “Some colleague of his. Brett? Brandon?”
