Chapter Travis
Travis
No.
The knock on my door puts my entire body instantly on alert because I know it’s not Jameson—who, let’s face it, is pretty much my only friend. He’s on a date with his guy tonight. They’re going to dinner and a movie.
He was talking about it when I saw him leaving from work today.
It’s Friday night, and I know who’s at my door before I even pull it open.
Sure enough, Oakley Easton stands there with a smirk on his way too handsome and annoying face.
“No,” I say out loud this time. My Friday night, sadly, consists of reading, thinking about college and Ryan, the nice guy I’m still chatting with occasionally. But it’s still my Friday night, and I’m not in the mood to deal with Oakley.
“Come downstairs to the bar with me.” Of course, he’s not at all deterred by my attitude. I swear, the meaner I am to him, the more he pushes me.
“No.”
“Come on, Travis. It’s Friday night.”
“Yes, I know that, and I was enjoying it until some guy knocked on my door.”
He walks over the threshold, not at all worried about my death glare, and wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his big body. “Come on now, Wyatt. You know I’m not just some guy. I’m your new bestie.”
“Oh God,” I groan, and he only laughs.
“Come on.” He doesn’t give me a chance to argue, dragging me out of my place. I reluctantly lock my door and follow him downstairs to the small tavern below. They’re known for their barbecue, and as soon as we walk through the door, I’m hit with the smell of the delicious slow-cooked meat.
My body reminds me I haven’t had dinner yet, and my stomach growls. Oakley grins knowingly, making his way to the bar. He orders a slab of ribs and enough sides to feed the entire town, although, I have no doubt Oakley will eat it all.
We’re lucky to find a booth to sit down because, for a small town, the place is already packed. When Judy, the waitress who’s always working and who’s part owner of this place, brings our food over, we both thank her and dig in.
I don’t eat food like this often, usually trying to keep my diet healthier. But I have to admit, after a hard week at work, it hits the spot.
It must for Oakley too because he’s unusually quiet while he eats. But the quiet doesn’t last long. He wipes his face with a napkin, and I see the mirth lighting his eyes before he asks, “So? Did you ask your cutie out yet?”
I roll my eyes and take a drink of sweet tea, settling back into the booth. “No, I didn’t. And it’s none of your business.”
“I don’t get it, Trav. Why not?” I’m not sure if him calling me Trav or by my last name annoys me more, but I have to correct him.
“Travis.” He just grunts and starts in on some potato salad. “And why the hell are you so worried about my love life?”
“You mean your lack of a love life?” I clench my jaw, and he shrugs. “I don’t know. It bugs me that you won’t go out with this guy when he clearly likes you.”
“Look, he’s smart. Really damn smart.”
“So are you,” he answers instantly.
I shake my head, dejected and tired of this argument. “I didn’t go to college. I work for a landscaping company, and it’s not looking like I’ll be leaving anytime soon. Please, just drop it.”
But I know he won’t. And I’m right. “Why didn’t you go to college?”
I sigh, picking at the ribs in front of me with my fingers. “I messed up my scholarship. No way my parents were going to pay for college. So, I was just fucked.”
He frowns at that, and I silently beg him to drop it.
I’ll never forget the pain that sliced through me the day I opened the rejection letter that changed my life.
I didn’t see it coming. I was so arrogant.
I thought I had it. “Wasn’t there anywhere else you could go?
You were the annoying little pain in the ass in school. It was like you actually enjoyed it.”
“No. Because I didn’t apply anywhere else. This one school had a special scholarship for out-of-state students. I thought I had it, and I was a fucking idiot. Okay? Drop. It.”
He studies me carefully, and I’m sure he’ll argue with me, but he’s quiet.
He’s quiet for so long, all I can do is sit there and think about how fucking stupid I was for not applying anywhere else.
I had tunnel vision because I wanted out.
I thought I had it, and it was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.
By the time I was rejected from that school’s program, it was too late to get financial aid anywhere else other than taking out loans, and I didn’t want to start out my life in debt. And okay, maybe I was too depressed to even try.
My dreams were crushed, and I was defeated.
“Well, you could get financial aid now, I’m sure.”
“Loans. And no. I’m trying to save up so I can pay for it, but it costs a lot of money.”
He swallows a big bite, then takes a drink of his tea. “Okay, so in the meantime, you should fool around. Have a little fun, man.”
“Yeah right.” My eyes scan the bar, full of people who are exactly like the ones I grew up with. Small town. Country music blasts from the jukebox. Some big burly farmer types are playing pool. “And where would I find someone to fool around with?”
Because I know he’s talking about sex. He’s always talking about sex.
“There has to be someone around here if you won’t go out with your dream boy.”
The mention of Ryan hits me square in the chest. He’s exactly what I want. Smart. Going to college. Driven. Cute. Not a fucking jock who’s obsessed with football. But I know I’m not good enough for him yet.
“Yeah, pretty sure there’s no one here.”
“Look, this town is bigger than Kensley. Odds are, there are gay people here too. Think about it. There were two gay guys we know about in Kingston and Camden’s grade.
” I don’t want to follow his logic, but the way he’s becoming completely serious has my lip twitching almost in a smile. “You, Dixon, and Jameson in our class.”
“What’s your point?”
“My point is there are gay people everywhere. You just have to find them.”
You know, I should probably be offended, but he’s so damn serious, I can only chuckle at his determination. “I don’t want to find anyone, Oakley. I like nice quiet Fridays.”
He purses his lips, clearly not buying it, but thankfully he moves onto other topics as we finish our dinner, talking about work and the firepit he built for Jameson and Garrison’s backyard.
When we’re finished eating, he insists on walking me up to my apartment, which would be odd for anyone else except Oakley.
“You know what you need?”
I groan loudly as I unlock my door. “I don’t care about getting laid.”
He twists his gorgeous face into mock horror. “Jesus, Trav, get your head out of the gutter! Not everything is about sex.”
I roll my eyes at him, but damn it, my lips are doing that smiling thing again. “Fine. What do I need, Oakley?”
“A Kensley Panthers football game.”
My look of horror is definitely not fake. It’s completely real as I stare at him. “No.”
“Yes. Next Friday. We’re doing this.”
He’s already walking away as I yell, “No, we aren’t.”
“Yes, we are,” he singsongs as he walks down the stairs.
Shit. I already know we’re going.