Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Ugh. Why had I said that?
“Aw! Our little boy is growing up! Did Griff have the birds and bees talk with you yet?” He laughed, and I again gave him the bird, which only made Chase laugh harder.
“You do realize I’m eighteen, right? I haven’t needed that talk in a long time. Hell, for all you know, I might not even be a virgin.”
Chase playfully plugged his ears and started chanting, “Lalalala.”
And I was supposed to be the kid? Sometimes you could forget he was twenty-two.
“Can you leave me alone?”
Like I said, Chase had been a fixture in my life for as long as I could remember. Even when Griff went off to school, Chase had stayed in Havenwood. He’d been apprenticing at an automotive shop, and had likely reported my activities back to Griff every day.
“Come on, Twerp. I ordered pizza, and I figured we could watch some horror flicks.”
“No, thanks. I’m not hungry.” My traitorous stomach growled.
“It’s all veggie, just how you like it. I even got that apple-cinnamon dessert you devour.”
Why did he have to be so nice? Chase liked all-meat pizza, and he’d gotten veggie for me. “Fine, but only because I’m hungry.” Trying to pretend I wasn’t as interested in spending time with him as I was, I got off the bed and ignored Chase as I made my way into the kitchen.
As far as weekends went, it could have been a lot worse. We spent Friday night eating crappy food and watching movies. On Saturday I ran errands with him, he took me out to lunch, and then we explored some walking trails.
It was Saturday night that everything started to go to shit. One could say it was mostly my fault. The day had been so awesome, so perfect. I hadn’t felt like a favor to Griff, or Chase’s friend’s kid brother, or even his little bro. It made my insides start feeling things they shouldn’t.
We were watching movies again that night, when I got a text from my best friend, Natalie, asking me if I wanted to go over. Chase, nosy as ever, looked over and read it.
“You can go if you want. You don’t have to hang out here with me. I’m pretty sure Griff knows Natalie’s house is safe,” he teased, and this panic clung to me.
“No, no! I don’t want to go.” It was stupid, and a little pathetic, but I wanted to spend more time with him. I’d been so angry that Griff made him stay, but then it had been awesome too.
“It’s not good to keep your girl waiting.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Huh? She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my best friend.” Come on. He had to know that. Nat was really the only friend I had. There weren’t many boys like me in Havenwood.
“I was kidding with you. Do you have one? A girlfriend?” Chase asked, and damned if my heart didn’t take a nosedive to my gut.
“No.”
He was quiet…watching me. I wouldn’t look at him, but I could feel his penetrating stare trying to see through me to steal all my secrets.
“Boyfriend?” he asked after a few moments, and I thought I was going to throw up. Nausea twisted my gut, and my vision went a little blurry.
“What! No! Why would you ask that? I can’t believe you just asked that.”
Chase held up his hands and chuckled. “It’s okay, Twerp. I didn’t mean anything by it. I thought I’d put it out there, if that was something you were worried about, and let you know it was okay. That Griff would be okay.”
He knew. Oh God, he knew. Both Chase and Griffin knew my secret. That was exactly what he was saying. Chase wanted me to know that Griff had guessed and he was okay with it. Until that second, I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed to hear those words. That they made this calm feeling wrap around me. Griff was my family. He was all I had. Even though logically I knew it wasn’t a real possibility, the fear of losing him had been overwhelming.
“I’m going to tell you a secret, one that no one knows, not even Griff.”
I nodded, unable to look at him.
“I’m bisexual.”
My whole body froze, my brain basically exploding. Chase was bi? Chase liked men?
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it—being gay, bi, or anything else. I haven’t told anyone close to me yet, but that’s not because I’m ashamed. It’s just…fuck, I wasn’t ready, I guess, and if you’re gay or bi, I won’t tell anyone about you either. It’s your truth to tell, whenever you want. You don’t even have to answer the question now.”
It took me a moment to realize I was crying. It wasn’t until Chase wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close, murmuring, “Shh, it’s okay, Twerp,” that I felt the wetness running down my face. Somehow I knew my tears were confirmation, and Chase did too because he added, “You know we love you. This doesn’t change anything.”