“What have I done now?” Noah asks, sinking into his seat.
“You’re an hour late. Were you too busy doing your hair?”
I stare at Noah’s bald head.
Noah’s unperturbed. “It does take forever to look this good.”
“He’s covering for me,” I admit. “My leg’s still messed up, and I’ve been hobbling everywhere.”
“How’s the recovery going?” Damon asks.
“Slow. So fucking slow.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.” As if reliving a memory, Damon’s face loses some of that couple glow I just witnessed. That is, until Maddox reaches for his hand and gives him a reassuring smile.
All I’ve wanted for years—is for Talon to stare at me the way Maddox looks at Damon.
Noah must sense my unease or takes pity on me for still being sweaty and panting from the easy walk, because he stands and offers to get me a drink.
“Beer. Whatever they’ve got on tap.”
“Thought you weren’t gonna drink,” Noah taunts.
“Yeah, me too.”
He doesn’t question it and disappears to the bar.
“So,” Maddox says, “are you currently happy with your representation?”
Damon covers his boyfriend’s mouth with his hand. “Ignore him. I told him not to do that, but he’s not a very good listener.”
Maddox mumbles something behind Damon’s hand that sounds like “I listen. I just ignore you.”
I smile. “I’ll keep you in mind if I run into any issues.”
Maddox pushes Damon’s hand away. “See. All you have to do is ask.”
“It’s unprofessional,” Damon says.
Maddox waves him off. “Professional smeshional.”
I chuckle. “It’s cool. Jackson talks you up all the time too, but Hewitt and Locke have been my guys from the beginning—”
“No need to explain,” Damon says. “I understand.”
Maddox leans in. “But you should know Damon’s gonna be the biggest agent in town soon, so you better get in while he still wants you. Fucked-up leg and all.”
I find Maddox hilarious, but Damon rolls his eyes and wraps his arm around Maddox to pull him back to his side.
Noah returns with drinks, and before long, one drink turns to two, and then three, and then I realize why you shouldn’t drink while on heavy pain meds. After three beers, I’m pretty loose.
Noah glances at Damon. “Pool table opened up.”
Damon’s out of his seat less than a second later. “Oh, it’s on.”
“They’re competitive,” Maddox says to me as they disappear toward the back.
“I can see that.”
When a couple of women walk by, I don’t miss the way Maddox’s gaze trails after them. They’re in tight dresses that show off more skin than they cover. I contemplate what Maddox checking them out means—if anything—and my confusion must show on my face.
“I’m totally allowed to look. Damon gets to check out guys all the time.”
“You do know they weren’t guys, right?”
Maddox bursts into laughter. “I’m bi, dude.”
My heart beats hard, but I try not to let it show. “Oh.”
“Wasn’t until I met Damon that I considered myself, uh, less than straight.”
“Wait, so only Damon? All the others have been women?” Rude much, inconsiderate asshole? “Sorry. That’s, like, personal.” But it’s not like I meet anyone I can relate to—probably because I haven’t been open about that side of me.
“That’s okay, I’m an open book. I used to fool around with my college roommate who may or may not be a certain teammate of yours, but we don’t talk about that in front of Damon and Noah.”
“Ah. Got it.” I take another sip of my beer, but now Maddox is eyeing me warily. “What?”
“You have questions.”
How is my mouth still dry? More beer goes down my throat. “Isn’t that … wrong to ask questions about that stuff?”
Maddox scoffs and moves into the seat next to mine. “I’m, like, the hardest person to offend. I’m best friends with Damon’s sister, and after hearing the shit that comes out her mouth, nothing coming from you is gonna shock me.”
“I’m just wondering if you freaked out about it all. Suddenly liking guys.”
“Nope. Not at all.”
I’m envious of the way he says that so easily and fast. It’s not like I had a hard time realizing for myself, but I’ve never talked about it with anyone, so I guess in my head I’m still working it out.
“I had trouble labeling it,” Maddox continues, “but if anything, Damon was the one freaking out. He didn’t want to be an experiment and get his heart broken.”
My glance darts over to Damon playing pool. “How’d he get over that?” Because it’d be really handy to know.
Maddox does the wary-eyed thing again. “He fell victim to my charming personality.”
With another sip for courage, I turn to him. “My very straight best friend kissed me, but now he’s ignoring me.”
Maddox’s mouth turns into an O. “You know how I said nothing could shock me? I was wrong.” He reaches for his own drink. “So, I’m guessing you’re thinking of taking a walk on the gay side?”
“I … I’ve … uh, you know, been there, done that.”