“Oh my god, Gav! You could have been seriously injured! What if that monster was still there?” Ellie’s voice raises an octave.
She skips right over the part where Mitch attacked my mouth and goes for the danger. Grinning at her concern, I talk her off the ledge. “I’m fine, El. The guy was gone. And besides, I had Mitch with me.”
“Hmmmm,” she hums into the phone.
“Hmmmm, what?” I lie back on the lounge, close my eyes, and enjoy the few minutes I’m allowed outside.
“Nothing. It’s nothing, Gav. Just…you should hear the way you say his name. You fancy him,” she giggles.
“I do not! I hate him!” I insist. “He’s a total prick. I mean, look what he did,” I rant. “He fucking went and left me here with some guy I don’t know for who the hell knows how long!”
Ellie doesn’t say a word.
“Ellie!” I complain, “I don’t like him!” Great, now I sound like a whiney teenage girl.
“All right, Gavin. You don’t like him. Whatever. You want to get lunch?” Her change in subject throws me off.
“Lunch? What’s Adam up to today?”
Ellie’s husband, Adam, is our lead singer.
“He has some all day photo shoot. He’s already left. C’mon Gav, I’m bored. We haven’t gotten together in ages. The nanny is here for a few hours and I want to get out.”
“Laying it on thick, aren’t we? Fine,” I huff, pretending I’m put out. “I guess I can spare you an hour or two out of my grand plans of doing nothing all day.”
Ellie laughs. “You’re so generous.”
We make plans to meet at one at Rockdale’s, a little seafood shack near my house in Huntington Beach and hang up.
I lie on the lounge for a while, enjoying the cool breeze and the trickling of the waterfall that splashes into the pool. Of course, my thoughts immediately turn to Mitch. I picture his dark, wavy hair curling up behind his ears. Those intense grey eyes that can’t seem to stop finding excuses to look at my mouth. His warm hand clasped around mine as if he’s somehow staking a claim.
Shit. I begin to grow hard.
Jerking off while Marcus watches from the other side of the patio doesn’t exactly sound like a great time. Instead, I groan, ignore my throbbing dick, and head inside to get ready for my lunch date.
* * *
“You look dreadful, Gav.” Ellie pulls me into a hug, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Thanks, El. Love you too.” I squeeze her tight, letting her warmth seep into my frigid disposition.
“You know what I mean,” she says when she lets go.
Rockdale’s is first come first serve. We find an open table on the patio overlooking the ocean.
“Is this too bright for you?” I tease. “That delicate British skin of yours burns so easily.”
“Hey, you’re half British as well,” she counters.
“Yeah, well, I guess that’s one good thing about my dad. I got his tan skin.” I frown at the thought.
“How are things with your dad?” Ellie reaches across the table to put her hand over mine.
“Same as always, El. I don’t have a dad.”
I’m glad to be wearing sunglasses. Otherwise Ellie would be able to see that it still hurts. Ten years since my dad suspected I was gay. Ten years since he beat me and ridiculed me on a daily basis until I couldn’t take it anymore and tried to kill myself. Ten years since I’ve had any kind of relationship with my dad that doesn’t involve him telling me what a disappointment I am.
“That’s so sad, Gav. I miss my dad so much. I just don’t see how he can toss you aside. I’d give anything to have my dad back.”