Page 76 of Finance Bros
“I can’t stay the night. We have work tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“If you ever wanna get out of here, though…you can spend the night at my place. It’s closer to work.”
My stomach does something wild when he says that. Flutters of something—excitement, pleasure, promise? It’s the most generous thing he’s said to me since…well…before. I want more of it. Unfortunately, he looks like he’s about to take it back.
“I just mean?—”
I interrupt him, just in case. “That’d be great. I can sleep on that beanbag.”
He laughs, and that, beyond everything, makes my night. “You really need a better place.”
“I know. It was slim pickings when I moved here. Every place I liked and could afford was taken by the time I said I wanted to fill out an application.”
“Well, it sucks.”
“I know. Thanks for coming anyway.”
“You’re welcome. We still have a lot of money to make.”
“Yeah. Right.”
An explosion on screen catches both of our attention, and it’s a great episode. We maneuver ourselves so we can both watch, and after that one ends, he stays for one more. But then I’m walking him out. At the door, he doesn’t give me another hug, which I totally understand. Really. We’ve been holding each other for three hours.
But he does give my forearm a squeeze and says, “I’ll text you when I get home. In case you’re freaking out again.”
“I won’t.”
“We still used to be stepbrothers, Mal.”
“But we aren’t anymore. I got over that like two hours ago.”
He gives his head a disbelieving shake. “All right. Well, if you do freak out after I go, just don’t be a dick tomorrow.”
“You know what would put me in a good mood?” I ask.
“What?”
“If you asked me back to your place after work. To film content or whatever.”
“I go to the gym after work,” he says. “But yeah. Maybe after that.”
“Maybe doesn’t guarantee a good mood.”
He smirks. “I’ll take my chances.”
15
RYAN
What the fuckwasthat?
I mean—I knowmyanswer—it was me totally losing my mind on him like a lost, starved animal and reeling myself way the fuck back in, buthim? Who even was he?That’sMalcolm Walsh?
Look, I wasn’t kidding when I asked about his meds. I almost had to physically restrain myself from going into the bathroom and raiding his cabinets and drawers for either prescription meds that might be making him delusional or illicit substances that are changing his entire personality. The thing is, I kinda like him like this?
It’s just nothing like how I expected him to be in whatever fantasy or nightmare I dreamed up. He’s always been the douchey jock—reluctant participant—or the dude who punches me in the face for trying to go down on him. Never, ever slutty “leave the towel” guy. Never oncestraddle my lapguy.
