“They both look nervous,” I explain. “Which could indicate a first, but look at the way they’re laying, with their legs intertwined. That’s not first date positioning. My guess is that they’re gonna bang for the first time after this.”
Remi barks out a laugh. “You got all that from their legs?”
“Yeah, man. How did you not?” Tipping my head to the left, I say, “What ’bout them? What’s their story?”
Checking them out, he smirks, dragging his gaze back to me. “They’re friends,” he says. “Best friends, probably. But she”—he gestures toward the brunette woman, who has to be at least mid-thirties, her dark brown hair tossed into a messy bun—“is definitely in love with her”—talking about the friend, similar age, wearing flip-flops, and waving her hand in front of her face at the mosquitos trying to feast on her—“and she is completely oblivious.”
“Think so?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “What do ya think?”
“The same thing.” I snort.
Remi reaches into the backpack he brought with us, handing me a bottle of water before grabbing one out for himself. Comfortable silence settles as we take in the sights. I think what I love most about my friendship with Remi isthere’s never been this uncomfortable need to fill the silence. He and I have known each other for so long, been through various chapters of life together, that there’s no need for useless small talk. That’s true friendship, in my opinion; being able to simply exist together and find comfort in that.
Clearing his throat, Remi glances over at me after a while, and asks, “So, when were ya gonna tell me?”
My stomach bottoms out, and I break out in a sweat all over again that has nothing to do with the heat. He doesn’t have to clarify what he means. I can see it in his eyes. Rubbing the back of my neck, I blow out a breath. “How’d you know?”
“So, it’s true?” he asks, his brow arched, but I can’t read his expression. “You and Ford?”
Wincing, I nod, my heart clear in my throat. “I’m sorry, man. I would’ve told you, but I wasn’t sure how you’d react. At first, we were just havin’ fun; it was just sex, so tellin’ you seemed like it would stress you out more than necessary, and?—”
“At first?” he parrots.
“Huh?”
“You said,‘at first we were just havin’ fun.’Is it more than that now?”
“No.” I shake my head, the two-letter word falling from my lips before I even process the question. “Well…”
“Oh boy,” he murmurs. “I’m gonna need you to start at the beginning.”
Fuck.I guess we’re doing this.
“It wasn’t intentional,” I preface before diving into it all. The app, how I didn’t know it was him at first, then how I found out it was him. I lay itallout for him, and by the time I finish, I’m not even sure I took a breath once.
I still can’t read the look on his face, and for a moment, hedoesn’t say anything. “Why’d it have to be Ford?” he finally asks. “You could’ve picked anybody, but you picked my captain. You picked my boss…again. What the fuck, Hollis?”
His tone isn’t angry; maybe a little annoyed, but not angry, which I’m taking as a good sign.
“I didn’t know it was him at first, I swear to you, Remi.”
“Yeah, but even if you did, you probably still would’ve gone for it,” he mutters.
“Ouch.” I chuckle. “You think so highly of me.”
“I’m not sayin’ it to be mean, but we both know it’s true.” He pins me with a look, like he’s daring me to disagree. “You haven’t exactly been quiet about your attraction to him.”
“Okay, yes,” I say slowly. “But that doesn’t mean I would’ve done it. I knew how you felt because of what happened when we were younger, and I wouldn’t have done that.”
Remi pauses, and I swear, I see the corner of his lip twitch. “But you did do that.”
“Well, yes, but the circumstances were complicated.”
He scoffs, this time unable to hide the smile as he rolls his eyes. I continue before he has a chance to respond.
“By the time I found out who he was, I was already into him, and when I confronted him when we were campin’, I wasn’t exactly thinkin’ logically.”
