Hearing the warning from the conveyor belt, I glanced over. A light squeeze of my hand brought my attention to Sutton.
“I’ll grab the bags.” He released my hand and went to find a spot. As always, it was easy to do. His height and bulk struck an intimidating figure. The small crowd seemed to part for him. A clearing of a throat pulled me short, and I snapped my attention to Ryan and Nate’s direction.
Ryan’s brows almost hit his hairline. “So it’s real?”
“Ryan, I told you not to do this.” Nate glanced at me, his stare apologetic.
“Come on, how could I not ask? I’m just, I don’t know, blown away, I think.” Ryan shook his head. “And engaged? When did that even happen?”
Aiming for casual, I flicked them a smile. “All you need to know is it happened.” Already we’d decided to be loose with the details rather than digging further into lies. We’d stick as close to the truth as possible.
“We’re happy for you guys,” Nate said, his tone warm. “It makes sense he flew all this way so quickly considering,” he continued. “I bet he was worried sick.”
Aware that Ryan stared at me hard, I cast him a quick glance. “What? Just say what’s on your mind.”
“Maybe wait till later,” Nate suggested, peering around us at the milling passengers.
“Fine. I can wait.” Ryan bobbed his head, and I rolled my eyes at him.
As our friend, of course he’d have questions. Me coming to Australia in the first place without Sutton being an almighty one, I expected.
The sound of wheels drew my attention. Sutton headed our way, rolling both our bags, his full attention on me. The way he stared at me with such intensity shot a spike of adrenaline into me. Had Sutton always looked at me this way? I blinked and shook my head, not quite sure what I was reading in the way he focused on me.
All I did know was every time he did, warmth bloomed in my chest and my heart went out of whack. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
Concern colored Sutton’s words when he reached my side. “Is your head hurting?”
I made eye contact. “No, it’s still okay.” I smiled, genuinely relieved that I hadn’t been plagued by a migraine over the last couple of days. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to not have a fluff-filled head.
Relief bled into his gaze. “That’s good.”
“Uhm, right, shall we get going?” Nate asked.
Sutton handed off one of the bags to Nate, surprising me with a nod. When I realized it was to free up his hand to hold mine, my heart did that wild beat again.
Something was most definitely going on. There was little doubt in my mind that dating Sutton wouldn’t be a hardship at all. What I did have to worry about was figuring out how to make my screwed-up declaration of “really” dating not drag my heart into the mix.
Our broken friendship had hurt my heart once. If real feelings got involved, which made me want to hold Sutton’s hand and share kisses with him, I didn’t think it could survive the fallout a second time.
But with a squeeze of my hand and the reassuring warmth of his skin against mine, I wouldn’t back out. No chance of that.
* * *
Sutton had gonewith Nate to collect takeout, leaving me alone with Ryan for the first time. Certainly the first time it felt safe enough to ask the questions I’d somehow managed to keep bottled in.
I’d had a whole day without painkillers. My reward was the light beer I was cradling, complete with a fun stubby holder a term I found both weird and hilarious with the words: “I’m the Rainbow Sheep of the Family.”
As soon as he sat his ass down on the chair opposite me, I let loose. “When did you know you were gay? Did you just know? Or was it like… a big buildup, like a revelation or something? Have you only ever been gay with Nate, or were there others? Did—”
“Whoa.” He lifted a hand out before him, eyes wide. Rather than amusement, concern burned brightly in his gaze. “Let’s just take a breath.” Both his brows shot high, and he indicated for me to take a deep breath. I rolled my eyes at him but did the whole overexaggerated breathing thing to get him talking.
Patience was not a virtue of mine. I opened my mouth to speak when he continued to stare at me. Before I could get the first word out, he shook his head. “Listen, I’ll answer all the questions you have, okay, just tell me something.”
Pursing my lips, I waited for him, hoping it wouldn’t be a question I had to lie about.
“Are you okay?”
My face scrunched in confusion. “Course I am.”
