“Oh, wow. This is bad. This is really bad.”
“You did a number two?” Pearl states flatly.
Now my face is the one that’s gone scarlet. “I couldn’t help it! I had a lot to eat tonight!”
“Of course you couldn’t help it… Well, I guess the only thing to do is I’ll offer to pay my parents for a new toilet. Maybe the company that replaces these things could take the old one away. And like drain it first. Or just carry it off like it is.”
“I doubt that would work.”
“Plumbers deal with poop disasters all the time. I’m sure they can figure it out.”
“I won’t let you pay for it. It’s my… err…problem. I’ll pay for it.”
“No, I forgot to tell you. It’s my fault.”
“I’m the one who did the dirty.”
“Did the dirty? Oh my god.” Pearl smothers a giggle.
It’s not funny. Nothing about this is funny. I’m going to have to face her parents in the morning. I’m going to have to confess my crime, and it’s a big one. Abnormally sized. Well, I’m sorry. I’m a big guy, and I really did eat a lot.
“Just turn the light off and come back to bed,” Pearl says, quite softly. “I’m tired. It’s the middle of the night, and if it’s not, it’s still dark, so it’s way too early to get up. We can’t do anything about it until morning anyway. We might as well try and get some sleep.”
“But I—”
“Have you slept at all yet?”
“No,” I admit. “But don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Is the bed uncomfortable?”
“I’m not normally a side sleeper. I sleep on my back.”
“Oh.” Pearl’s face falls. “You should have said something!” She pats the bed beside her. “Come on then. Sleep on your back. There’s room. I’m fine. I know you’re not going to try anything.” She looks funny when she says that, though, and she quickly looks away before I can begin to decode if she’s embarrassed, regretful, or if she definitely felt that boner this afternoon and is thinking about it. Or the kiss. Maybe she’s thinking about that.
Right. So now is not the time to tell her I’m not actually gay.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, of course. We have three nights here. You can’t just lay awake for every single one of them.”
“But the toilet—”
“Will wait.” With that, Pearl grabs the blanket and turns over. I swear she’s asleep before I even turn out the light.
Which is more than I can say for myself. On my back or my side, with Pearl so close, and the toilet disaster looming for the morning, added to everything else that’s already going on, I know sleep is going to be impossible.
CHAPTER 10
Pearl
I didn’t set the alarm because I knew I wouldn’t have to. Even in different surroundings, even after being woken up in the middle of the night, my internal alarm clock is still alive and well. I wake up and grab my phone, which is on the one small nightstand in the room. Before I even flip it around, I know it’s going to be around seven.
I was right. Six minutes after. The sun was probably up long ago and is drifting in lazy patterns through the curtains. I don’t forget where I am for a second, and the next thing I do is crank my head around so far that my neck protests and reminds me with a sharp pang that I’m no owl. I can’t do the rotating neck and head trick.
Gabriel is on his back, his face serene. His mouth is gaping open, and he’s snoring softly, but even that is oddly attractive. No, maybe not that. I’d use the word endearing if it weren’t so dangerous. He’s not endearing. That would imply he’s special. Lasting. That we have something. That something about him means something to me.
The little tug in my chest, which feels like a shard of glass is stuck in there, tells me otherwise. Okay, whatever. So he’s growing on me. It’s good. That’s a good thing. Natural chemistry will help sell this.
I stare at Gabriel’s dark lashes. They’re resting on his cheek very sweetly. He’s a big guy, and I didn’t think the word sweet could apply to burly and broad guys, but yeah. He’s sweet. Funny. Nice. And charitable, since he’s doing this for me.
Before I can consider it further, I hear the clang of a frying pan hitting the burner downstairs. I ease gently out of bed, deciding to let Gabriel sleep.
I pull my hair into a messy bun and tie it with the elastic I left around my wrist during the night. I don’t stop to check myself in the mirror. Whatever. I know I’m wearing yesterday’s clothes, but also whatever. I’ll change later after breakfast. I don’t want my fresh clothes to smell like bacon and eggs.