Jaymee and Billy exchange glances with each other. Billy’s jaw tightens like someone who’s already constructed an entire narrative and cast himself as my defender in it.
“That’s their loss, mate,” he says.
I’m aware I’ve let my new friends assume the standard go-to for a gay guy, which is that my homophobic family has a problem with my sexuality, and that’s why I’m estranged from them.
It’s a far easier explanation than the truth.
I’ve always been good at giving people the version of the story they can handle. Jaymee and Billy think they know me, but they know the Captain Giggles version of me. I’ve tried to be honest with them where I can be, but I’m not telling them the full truth now.
There’s something else stopping me from being honest with Leo about how I know the truth about my accident. This game between us is a barrier, and I’m scared of deconstructing that.
Because Leo seems to…see me. Not just the fact that he figured out I was toying with him and decided to serve it back,but the way he’s constantly studying me like I’m a line of code that isn’t behaving the way he expected. Those deep-brown eyes don’t miss anything.
Why didn’t I expect the incredibly competent Leo Brennan to also be able to see through the masks I wear to protect myself?
I get the feeling that if I let him any closer, it’s only going to get worse.
And I’m definitely not in the market for that kind of scrutiny.
But what can I do about it?
The sensible thing to do is to push him away. Tell him I no longer need his assistance, thank him for everything, and let him off the hook for the guilt that’s been driving him. It would be a clean break. No mess. No one gets too close.
But I don’t want that either.
Partly, I don’t want to lose this competition between us. I don’t want to stop playing with Leo.
And doesn’t one perverse part of me actually like the fact that someone seems interested in figuring me out?
After all, I’m letting him see sides of me that I don’t normally show to anyone. Like the competitiveness. The part of me that doesn’t just want to win our little prank war, but needs to. Like the fact that underneath all the jokes and deflection, I’m actually paying very close attention to him. I caught myself explaining my deduction about his Kentucky grandmother, and I didn’t even try to play it down. I wanted him to know I’d figured him out.
It’s almost like I’m showing off to him, which makes absolutely no sense.
My phone beeps before Jaymee has a chance to argue with me, and I pick up the phone one-handed, still holding the guinea pig.
My stomach hollows when I see the message on my phone.
God, I thought things were already complicated. It appears another layer of complication is about to be added to my life.
“What’s wrong?” Jaymee asks.
“It’s my godmother. She’s in London. Shit.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Elizabeth’s really overprotective of me. If she sees me like this…” I gesture to my broken ankle. “She’ll insist on staying to make sure I’m okay.”
“What are you going to do?”
I chew my lip, thinking. Elizabeth loves me fiercely, but her love comes with expectations. She wants to see me thriving. Happy. Settled.
Settled.
The word sparks something in my brain.
“What if…?” I say slowly. “I wasn’t just injured and living with a stranger? What if I’m injured and living with my boyfriend, who’s taking excellent care of me?”
Jaymee’s jaw drops. “You want Leo to pretend to be your boyfriend.”
