Tripp’s brows are raised, his eyes getting wider the more I tell him.
“Wow,” he finally breathes out when I’m finished.
“I know.”
“I’ve never gotten bi vibes from Finn. Like, ever. And I feel like my gaydar is pretty on point.”
“I didn’t either,” I say. “But what if he’s not, and I’m reading way too much into this?”
Tripp scrunches his face up, shaking his head. “I don’t think you are. I’m not exactly a pro at spotting flirting or sexual tension, but even I can agree there’s…something going on with him.”
Downing the rest of my beer, I pour another glass, not sure what to say.
“Do you like him?” Tripp asks after a moment.
I chew on the inside of my cheek while I think about how to answer this. “I mean, he’s cool to hang out with, and he’s obviously extremely attractive.”
“But…”
“But he’s my boss and my sister’s boyfriend. It doesn’t really matter what I think or feel. He’s completely off limits, even if the fantasy of it all is enough to make me jizz all over my bed.”
Eyebrows pinched, Finn looks at me with a puzzled expression. “I’m assuming that very weird statement isn’t just a hypothetical?”
“Not at all.” I chuckle.
“Well, could’ve gone my whole life without knowing that.” He breathes out a laugh. “But alright. So, what are you going to do?”
Elbows on the table, I rest my head in my palms. “I don’t know. Taking this job was probably the worst thing I could’ve done. Leave it to me to crush on my sister’s man. Just like old times.”
“What do you mean?”
Oh, shit. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
For a brief second, I consider changing the subject and not answering him, but I’ve already come this far and told him everything else, so why not drunkenly lay everything out on the table tonight?
Releasing a heavy breath, I rake my fingers through my hair, my head a hazy mess. “Me and Violet are twins,” I start, then chuckle. “Obviously. I’m sure you knew that. Anyway, because of that, we were always kind of in the same circle in school. Any guy I would like would always end up liking my sister, without fail. They’d end up dating, and I would sit on the sidelines, pissed off and bitter.”
“Fuck, that’s rough. Does she know how you feel? Like, have you ever told her?”
I shake my head, taking a drink from my beer that’s now more than a little warm.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s embarrassing. I tried not to feel any type of way toward my sister because I know she never did it on purpose. Half the time, I don’t even think she knew I was into them, and most of them were straight, so even if she knew, it’s not like I could’ve even tried to be with them. It’s not her fault, and I feel like shit for resenting her for it.”
Tripp’s quiet for a moment. “Maybe talking to her about how you’ve felt will help. I can’t imagine it’s easy keeping all of that in. And I’d imagine it has put quite the strain on your relationship over the years.”
“I don’t think so.” I shake my head. “We get along great. When I was living in Portland, we’d FaceTime several times a week.”
“And now that you’re back in town?”
Pressing my lips together, I think over the question, realization dawning on me. “We’ve barely seen each other.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say maintaining a relationship with your sister was easier when you lived so far apart because you knew she couldn’t steal anybody from you.”
“I don’t think she stole anybody from?—”
Tripp holds up his hand, cutting me off. “You know what I mean. Maybe being back in town is resurfacing those old feelings that you’ve been able to bury over the years, and maybe your crush on Finn is too.”
