At one and a half million views, the video was explosive. Lily couldn’t even begin to keep up with the comments, so she turned off that post’s notifications. People would say what they wanted to say and assume what they wanted to assume. At the end of the day, South Side MMA was trending, and that was all that mattered.
@teamblack212: the things I would let that man do to me… #thatgymguy
@lover_grl_toni: I don’t believe the rumors they’re together. Like, that kiss? That’s pent-up passion. Bet they’ll be together soon.
@beastman_J: Seriously? Like you’ve never heard of acting?
@ben_shrapnel: hey @taurusvov2002 [user unavailable] & @livinlavidaluka, isn’t that Lily?
@livinlavidaluka: Yooooooo wtf
@whitesoxgirly: Are you new here? @literallyLily runs their business page
@ian.beckbill: I hope the kid he knocked out is good. What a hit! They selling tickets for the fight yet?
@heyitsmae: I hope they really do get together! They’re so cute.
@crookedmind: lol ok? So, he can beat up his own fighters who aren’t in his weight class? Good luck facing actual professionals at the tournament. Fucking loser.
@authorjanessa.bright: Will the fight be live streamed? I don’t live in Chicago but need to watch for inspiration!
@dylanisonfire: it’s supposed to be. Set a reminder for August 5th
ChapterSixteen
Search: what to pack for a night on the beach?
Kieran stared at the results. Swimsuits, bug spray, extra towels, water shoes… Did people actually wear water shoes? And what the hell was a Dopp kit?
He turned his glare to his laundered clothes and rooted through the pile he’d not had time yet to fold. Sweatpants and a hoodie in case it got cold after dark, a change of clothes for tomorrow, an extra pair of boxer briefs, his swim trunks, and a towel, of course.
His phone buzzed, and Sebastián’s name appeared on the screen. Seb wasn’t the texting type. Too impatient.
Kieran put it on speaker and tossed his phone onto the bed. “What?”
There was an undercurrent of sound in the background, brassy and lyrical.
“‘What?’” Sebastián repeated, his tone scandalized. “I call my best friend. My brother from another mother. And all you can say to me is ‘what?’”
He huffed out a laugh. “What would you prefer? Kieran’s House of Pain. You beg, we please. How may I be of service?”
Sebastián’s crow of laughter filled Kieran’s bedroom. “Shit, Sullivan, that sounded too real.” There was a shuffling, like the man was physically pulling himself together to speak without laughing. “So anyways, my cousin Mariana’s having a party tonight. Lots of good food and good music. Good tequila, too. You in?”
Kieran shook his head to himself. “Nah, I’m busy.”
“Too busy for your best friend, huh? What could possibly be keeping you busy?”
Nosy bastard. Kieran folded a hoodie and tucked it into his bag. If he didn’t answer, Seb would come to his own conclusion. Most of the time, it was more exciting than what he was actually doing, which was being a responsible adult.
“Or maybe it’s not awhatbut awho…”
Kieran could almost hear the rust grinding between the gears in Sebastián’s head.
“Is it Lily?”
It wasn’t quite two weeks ago he’d kissed Lily like a starved man on live video. But even when Neal dragged him into his office and asked what was going on between him and Lily, he’d handled it. It was just for the views, he’d explained. The hype surrounding their kiss would drum up even more excitement for the Local Legends tourney. Everybody loved a romantic hero, right?
Neal came around, but that didn’t stop Kieran from feeling like an asshole, especially when his boss threw in an extra helping of guilt in the form of a “don’t lead her on” speech.
