Chapter 35
Chapter thirty-five
Duncan
We could be joking about cum.
"So like, what are you and Rhys to each other?" Caroline asks me as I build the perfect charcuterie bite on a piece of toasted baguette while Crosby and Laila make their way inside. Crocs immediately starts stretching like it’ll help him when we all know wearing crocs for the Turkey Bowl won’t help him at all.
"Friends." I answer because that's all we can be until his stupid publicity team says otherwise.
I feel like such a jackass after calling my parents to say Rhys and I were dating.
My mother squealed. Literally squealed. My dad had a bunch of questions about how I plan to date him during my busy season.
Meanwhile, Rhys was inside plotting whether or not we could tell people.
"Who kiss?" Caroline asks hopefully.
Instead of answering because I don't want to lie, I just turn to her and shrug.
She glances over her shoulder and then leans into me. Her oxblood manicured finger presses into my chest and her whispered words send chills down my spine.
"Listen here Pay Day. You know I have a lot riding on your relationship status and I'm going to need you to take some action here.
Man up and ask that boy out." I pull back and look into her frenzied eyes.
"I have eyes on you." She says cryptically before turning away from me and heading out to the backyard where her kids are climbing on her husband, Johnny.
Aiden steps up next to me and fills his plate with cut vegetables and an olive tapenade humus.
Olives.
Fruit.
My nose stings with the memory of how good it felt to be Rhys’s boyfriend for those few fleeting moments. I felt chosen, wanted. Rhys invited me into his life and I had no idea how badly I wanted it.
And no idea how to keep it.
"Hey, did you and Harper have any problems making your relationship, I dunno, official?" I ask Aiden.
"Not really, her mom is a piece of work so we had a little navigating of that situation but I asked her to move in with me on the first date."
"That’s right." I laugh. He was ready right away. "And, umm, what about secrets? Or, not really secrets but like having plans that don’t include the other?"
Aiden sets his plate down and his blue eyes hone in on mine like he’s watching a play on the ice unfold.
"We tell each other the important stuff, especially if it involves the other. But I don’t need a recap of every client call or property showing she had.
Just like she doesn’t need an exact accounting of goalie practice. "
"Yeah, yeah that makes sense."
"What’s going on Duncan?" He asks but I shake my head. I don’t understand what’s happening, there’s no way I could explain it.
He looks out across the party to where Harper and Caroline are talking.
Felix brings a platter of gourmet pigs in a blanket to the counter and I reach for two before he can set it down.
Aiden goes back to his vegetables. "Harper is planning a surprise for us at the wedding. "
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. So, I guess we have some secrets but she at least told me she’s planning something."
"Makes sense."
His big hand comes down on my shoulder. "Relationships are two way streets, all parties have to participate for it to work."
"Good advice." I nod and start building another perfect bite.
"Okay everyone," Felix calls out. "The game is in five minutes."
I take a deep breath. How am I supposed to bring my A game to The Turkey Bowl when my mind is fogged up with questions about Rhys?
Is he thinking about me right now?
Why didn’t I call him last night?
Too many emotions are swirling in my stomach, my heart races trying to keep everything under control. Why does Rhys need to come up with a plan? Does anything need to actually change? I like the way we’ve been lately, the ease of our time together, the connection we have in and out of the bedroom.
Yeah, I didn’t call him, but, why didn’t he call me?
My phone hasn’t made a peep.
Fear takes over and I can only think, what if he doesn’t come?
And then.
We could be joking about cum.