“Not happening,” George says.
“This guy?” I snort. “Hard pass.”
The conversation rolls on without me for a second, Trevor circling back into something about honeymoon. I take a moment to lean back in my chair, letting the noise of the table blur just enough to create some brief peace.
Across from me, Adrian's still tucked against Vince's shoulder. I lean in over the table toward him, dropping my voice enough that it won't carry past the two of us.
“Hey,” I say to Adrian under my breath. “You remember last night, when I was at the bar? Can't remember shit after a certain point. Any chance you could help me fill in the blanks?”
Adrian leans in too, meeting me halfway, his eyes lighting up. “I can try.”
“Good,” I say. “Great. Fantastic. Fill me in.”
He shifts closer, shit-eating grin on his face. This is already going wrong.
“You mean you don’t remember a thing about coming back to the bar from the dance floor with Becca’s cousin all over you,” Adrian starts, not even trying to keep it down, “and then you and George sat there drinking, looking like you were about to eat each other?”
The table goes quiet for half a second, then breaks into good-natured laughter. I turn and stare at Adrian like I’m seriously considering throttling him for sport.
“Dude,” I say, sharp enough to cut through the noise. “Subtlety. Or basic human discretion. Pick one before I strangle you.”
Vince immediately puts a firm, protective hand on Adrian’s arm, his eyes narrowing at me. “Easy, Bradford. You got your answer.”
“Back off, Holloway. Your man will live. For now.” For a guy who likes to share his boyfriend in bed, he sure gets possessive fast when it counts. I love that for them.
Adrian laughs, completely unbothered. “What? You asked! And you don’t do subtle yourself.”
“Bro code, Adrian. Do I have to teach you everything?” I shoot back.
Trevor is already losing it. “Hang on, mate. What was that about eating each other?”
“Did we miss something?” Becca asks, delighted.
“Nope. Nothing to see here,” I tell them.
Adrian props his chin on his hand, clearly enjoying himself way too much. “You came back to the bar, George was there. You two started talking, and the vibe just…shifted.”
“The vibe,” I repeat flatly.
“Yes,” Adrian says, completely unfazed. “The vibe.”
“And you know all this because you were standing there the whole time taking detailed notes on everyone else’s social lives on a wedding night?”
Adrian’s cheeks go pink. “Yeah, I mean, I was thoroughly fucked in a tent a little way down the beach before that, so my memory’s not exactly pristine, but I’m telling you, I saw it happen. You can still trust me on that part.”
Even I let out a laugh at that one. The image is ridiculous enough to crack the tension for a second. Vince just sits beside him looking smug as hell, not even remotely bothered, like Adrian being this loud and unfiltered is exactly what he signed up for.
George doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t say anything at all.
He’s already watching me when I look up, like he knew I would. The corner of his mouth tugs, almost a smirk before it flattens into an unreadable expression, like he’s caught between finding it funny and not giving anything away. I can’t tell which it is, and that somehow makes it worse.
I break eye contact first. “You’re full of it,” I tell Adrian.
“Maybe,” he says lightly. “It’ll come back to you. And if it doesn’t…well, some things are better figured out in real time.”
I reach for my coffee again, the mug feels too warm against my palms. Everything at the table feels slightly off balance now, with the laughter a little louder, the teasing a little sharper, and the space between me and George suddenly way too small.
And I still don’t have enough of last night to argue my way out of any of it.
