And I wasn’t it.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Aiden?” Carter asked, eyes glinting in the firelight as they searched my face.
Don’t fuck this up for him.
Minutes ago I’d been thinking that he deserved a nice, uncomplicated introduction to the exciting world of bisexuality. Uncomplicated meaning his easy,temporaryboyfriend didn’t fall in love with him by accident and get all clingy at the last minute.
“Just wondering if you like kissing me more than you liked kissing Kieran,” I teased, forcing myself to smile at him.
“I’m never living that down, huh?” Carter asked. “Listen, if Kieran was the only boy I ever kissed, I wouldneverhave figured out that I do actually like it. I’m sure he’s a perfectly fine kisser…”
“Well, it’d be weird if I rendered an opinion on that,” I said. “Just, y’know. It’s nice to be better than him at something.”
“I wouldn’t let Kieran tattoo me, either,” Carter said.
“Does that mean you’re gonna letmedo it?” I asked, spike of anxiety practically forgotten in favor of the possibility of inking Carter up.
I could do this. I could enjoy what I had and not ask for more. That’d be best for both of us.
“I’m not completely dismissing the possibility,” Carter said. “Like I said. If I lose my mind.”
“Could be arranged,” I teased. “I’ve got so much more to show you.”
“Need a shower first,” Carter said, looking me up and down. “But then…”
“Lead the way,” I grinned.
21
Carter
I was beginningto think Hallie had made it clear I was still invited to the wedding no matter what mom said because it was cheaper than hiring someone to unfold and all these goddamn chairs for the reception venue.
On the other hand, I’d seen her glowing at Damien this morning and I wanted her to be happy. Someone should have been.
Plus, Dad and Trent had been roped into this, too, and Aiden hadn’t complained about being in charge of putting up the strings of twinkling lights around the walls, despite nearly dying on the first ladder he’d climbed this week.
He was a lot braver than I was, and I kept glancing at him out of the corner of my eye to make sure he was okay. I could only take one fall like that per year and we were right at the beginning of this one.
“This is starting to look kinda magical,” Dad said, pausing beside me as I tucked the last chair under the table. “Still snowing out there.”
“Yeah,” I looked over at the window, confirming that the constant fall that’d been going since this morning was still at it. What else did anyone expect in Quebec in January, though? “Guess it’s really a white wedding, huh?”
Dad chuckled. “Yeah, guess it is,” he said. “Feels like ten minutes ago I was chasing you two kids around the yard.”
“You can chase me outside if you want. No guarantees I won’t collapse, but it could be fun for twenty or thirty seconds, even.”
“Aiden might kill me if I do that to you.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“What? I’ve seen the way he looks at you,” Dad said. “You’ve got a good thing there, Carter.”
“Yeah, right,” I snorted. “Until we’re back in civilization and his options open up again.”
Dad looked at me, head tilted like a confused dog, but I was the one who felt like I’d missed something.
