“No problem,” I say, grabbing my beer. “George is a burden I carry with grace and dignity.”
“A burden. That’s totally you,” George mutters from the couch.
“A very rewarding burden,” I correct, winking at him. “Like a giant stubborn houseplant that demands constant attention.”
Trevor laughs, and some of the tension in my shoulders finally loosens.
The game rolls on with more shouting, laughter, and friendly sabotage. Kim slides closer during the next round, touching my arm when she laughs. “Want to grab a drink after this? There’s a bar down the street.”
She’s giving me a clear opening, and any other night I would’ve taken it. But tonight my head’s somewhere else entirely.
“I might be too wiped after this week though. Sorry, Kim.”
She smiles, but I catch the flicker of confusion in her eyes.
The night wraps up around eleven. Trevor walks us out to George’s truck, which I’ll be driving home alonebecause George will stay at Trevor’s for the night. “Thanks again for coming. And for looking after George. It means a lot.”
“Stop thanking me, man. You’re making it weird,” I tell him as I unlock the car door. “He’s my friend. Of course I check on him.”
Trevor claps my shoulder. “Still good knowing he’s got someone reliable.”
George glances back at me once before following Trevor inside. I lift a hand in a quick wave, then slide into my car alone.
My phone buzzes at a red light on my drive home.
Kim: Had great fun tonight. Coffee tomorrow?
I stare at the text, thumb hovering, then lock the phone and toss it onto the passenger seat without replying.
When I finally crawl into bed, my phone lights up again. This time, it’s George.
George: You made it home?
Me: Yeah. Just got in bed.
George: Good. Get some sleep.
Me: You too. Leg okay?
George: Fine.
There’s a pause. The three dots appear, disappear, then appear again.
George: Tonight was…
They stop. I wait, but nothing else comes. I type out a few replies, delete them, then settle on something simple.
Me: Yeah. It was.
George: Night.
Me: Night, G.
I set the phone down and stare at the ceiling. I just deepthroated my best friend in a bathroom, came while doing it, and now I’m lying here replaying every second like my brain’s stuck on repeat.
Right now, everything feels…recalibrated. It’s like my usual instincts on women are still there, just being crowded out by something else that’s starting to demand more of my attention.
I close my eyes and tell myself it’ll all make sense in the morning. But even I don’t believe that bullshit.
