Wild Like Us (Like Us 8)

Same old, same old.

He’s trying to be casual and friendly while production is intermingling with security. I like Jack, but I hate production.

Cameras impede security. Their presence is a bullseye on all clients. Passersby will see the camera crew before the famous person and immediately run over to play spot that celebrity.

Luckily, we’re not in the city right now. And there aren’t many threats around.

I smile back. “The same old shit never really gets old for me.” I could watch Sulli climb and swim every day for the next hundred years.

He nods, snapping buckles on a black case. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, there’s a new crew member on We Are Calloway who’s single. She’s super cute. I talked you up for a solid ten and gave her your number.”

My stomach pole-vaults in the ground. “You what?”

Sulli definitely overhears. She turns her back to Jack and me.

Shit.

Banks looks between us like pain is rushing in, a hole in a boat that I can’t plug fast enough.

He wants to comfort her. I know he does.

Jealousy gnaws harder at me, but a part of me wishes one of us could hug her right now without drawing suspicion.

“I gave her your number.” Jack frowns at my distraught reaction. “Is that okay?”

I’m barely breathing.

Jack thinks I’m single.

But I’m actually taken.

Mentally, physically, emotionally closed off to anyone but Sulli right now, and the thought of uttering the words, I’m single to Jack is going to kill me.

It’ll be like casting that into the universe. Breathing reality into it. And then I’ll wake up in Philly without her.

Single.

And I can’t lie again. Not like last time. It eviscerated me, and it’ll eviscerate her.

I try to deflect. “You’re still wingman-ing for me as a married man?”

He stands up. “It’s actually easier now to send women in your direction. Her name is Jennifer by the way.”

Sulli takes the largest swig of water. Her back still to me.

Awesome.

Another Jennifer. Sulli already saw the first Jenny before Yellowstone, and now there’s another waiting for me back there.

“She might call you,” Jack adds.

Perfect.

Just perfect.

I force a smile and run a hand through my hair. “Thanks,” I say into a nod, about to add a but.

Sulli just thuds to her ass on the ground. My whole body clenches in pain. Like I emotionally kicked her.

Shit.

Just shit.

Banks crouches down to Sulli, and quickly, I say the rest to Jack, “But I’m not interested. Can you tell her that for me?”

“Yeah, no problem.” His attention swerves as Jesse approaches.

“Kuya, don’t lift that,” Jesse says, jogging faster. “Let me help.”

I slip away and walk around Sulli. Facing her, just as Banks stands up.

She inhales a strong breath. “Two Jennifers?”

I hold out a hand. “One Sullivan.”

Her lips rise, and she clasps my hand. I help Sulli to her feet.

Unfortunately for me—Jane, Maximoff, and Winona crowd around Sulli. Pushing me and Banks further back from her.

Once we start heading to the RV campsite, I lead out front, and Banks jogs up to my side. I can feel the stress emit off him like toxic smoke.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, readjusting my radio. The trail back to camp hasn’t been cleared in a while, and I’m careful not to trip on rotted logs. “Is it Sul?” I glance back, but she’s still chatting with her family.

He shakes his head, but mention of Sulli causes his eyes to find her too. “Caterer just called and said he’s fresh out of oysters, and I’m now fresh out of fucks.” He unzips his outer jacket like he’s heating up. “I’m thinking about buying a tombstone to bring to the bachelor party. Seeing as how I’ve died about a billion times trying to plan it.”

Jack overhears. “Why are we even having oysters at this thing?”

Banks says, “Because I’m a dumbass and asked Charlie fucking Cobalt what he and his brothers would like to eat.”

“It sounds like he’s messing with you,” Jack says. “He’ll eat anything you give him.”

I’d ask how he knows, but he’s married to Charlie’s bodyguard. And he’s doing a personal travel videography for Charlie, which has given Oscar and Jack more time to be together. Plus, the newlyweds have been filming Suddenly Famous, a miniseries that I’m surprised Oscar agreed to do. More media attention makes the job harder and being Charlie’s bodyguard is already near-impossible.

Banks makes a wounded noise. “I’m getting punked by a twenty-one-year-old.”

Sulli slides between Banks and me. “Charlie is twenty-two.”

“Same difference,” Banks says.

His words fall into quiet, and our eyes drift to each other. None of us touch or flirt. A longing exists. A desire to just…be. I didn’t realize how free I felt with Sulli and Banks until it was taken away.

Now I feel caged.

I brush a tense hand through my hair. I’m just waiting until we head into our own RV and break apart from everyone else. So we can be ourselves again.