“No idea, don’t really care, but I definitely need more alcohol for this,” John says, turning toward a bar, and I follow happily with a massive grin on my face. He givesin to me so easily, and I know it’s because he wants the same things I do, even if he’s afraid to admit it.
The bartender looks between us and smiles. “What can I get you two?”
“Two shots, please,” John requests.
“How about four!” I counter.
“Do you want to remember the wedding you’re about to see or not?” he deadpans.
“Oh, are you two going to get married?” the bartender asks excitedly.
“No,” John answers quickly.
I smirk at the bartender, and he looks between us again with a smug expression like he doesn’t believe John either. “I’ve always wanted to go to a Vegas chapel,” I explain.
The bartender pours two shots and hands them to us. “If you go down two more blocks, there’s a chapel on the left that you can check out.”
“Perfect!” I grin at John. “Are you excited yet?”
“Still no.”
“I bet once you see it, you will be,” I assure him.
“And how did betting go for you back at the casino?” John deadpans.
I let out a laugh. “Great, remember? I’m your good luck charm. Maybe when we get to the chapel and we watch a wedding and are surrounded by loooove, you’ll finally admit that I’m fun and cute and charming and you’re, you know, secretly obsessed with me.”
“Jesus,” he mutters, throwing back the shot. I do thesame, then we thank the helpful bartender as we pay and stand to leave.
John can pretend like he isn’t excited about this, but he’s the one practically running out of this bar so we can go to the chapel.
I grab John’s arm again as we get back outside, pressing close to him as we head down the street in the direction the bartender told us to. “Come on, Grumpy. Elvis awaits! If anyone can get you ready to say yes, it’s him.”
“Say yes to what?” he grumbles, but I think he knows. He’s walking with me, toward a wedding chapel, with his hand in mine.
Now I just need to officially propose.
14
JOHN
Fuck, I shouldn’t have done that last shot.
I’m definitely drunk, leaning into Chad just as much as he is to me. This whole night with him has been so weird and confusing. I’ve felt way too many things, and I didn’t know what else to do besides drink more.
On top of all the other questionable shit he’s done this weekend, he’s now talking about getting married. He tried to backtrack and make it seem like he just wanted to see a wedding, but he said I was his Liam. Which I think makes him my Blake?
So, is this straight man actually trying to get married? To me?
Obviously, that won’t be happening. I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn’t be marrying anyone but Luke… And that’s not possible, so Isimply won’t get married.
I’ll just continue to go along with what Chad says because he’s too endearing to say no to. He’ll see some random people get married, check off that box in his head, then maybe we can go back to that gay club for real, and I can find someone who actually wants to get me off in the bathroom and life will make sense again.
Chad seemed like he wanted to,that unhelpful voice in my head reminds me. But he didn’t really want to. He’s just drunk and friendly.
Way too fucking friendly. Tomorrow he’ll go right back to claiming he’s only attracted to women. I wasn’t going to take advantage of how lonely he apparently is by accepting his offer to help me out. Even if I’m kind of regretting that now as I look over at him with all his muscles and that stupid annoying smile and… nope,focus.
Chad isn’t actually into me, so I shouldn’t be considering if I’m actually into him. He’s straight. This means nothing to him. And maybe if I tell myself that enough times, I’ll believe it.
