Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
As I was ordering a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a kid’s size chicken tenders, and a BLT just in case Charlie didn’t want the PB&J, Shawn stood beside me, rubbing his palm along the small of my back.
“You’re such a good friend to everyone you know,” I told him after we had the haul of food. We started walking back over toward Charlie and Nathan on the bench. “I hope you know that.”
“Is that right?” Shawn asked, his tone playful. “Thought I was just a construction nerd.”
“A construction nerd who also happens to be an incredible friend,” I told him. “You can be both.”
“I love being both,” he said.
Luckily, when we presented the foods to Charlie, he was interested in all of them, devouring as much as he could.
“Easy, tiger,” I told him. “Last thing you need is to upchuck all of that alcohol.”
“When I’m not drunk anymore, don’t repeat this,” Charlie said, looking up at me and Shawn with bleary, half-lidded eyes. “But I am so fucking jealous of you two. You’re basically the perfect couple, you know? You’re both hot and cool and successful and you don’t cheat on each other and go off and get engaged to idiots like Jim does—”
“I don’t want to hear that name again,” I told Charlie. “Get him out of your mind. But thank you for the compliment.”
Charlie’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “I suggest you guys tell Shawn’s parents the news sooner rather than later, by the way. Overheard your mom at the speed dating sign-ups getting very excited about setting you up on a blind date.”
“Mom has no one to set me up on a date with,” Shawn said, waving a hand.
“She said it was with Jade River’s newest eligible gay bachelor,” Charlie said. “Whoever that is.”
Shawn furrowed his brow. “New gay bachelor? Who the hell would that be?”
Charlie shrugged. “Probably another guy who I’ll eventually get a crush on, then he’ll hurt me in some new, creative way. Fuck if I know.”
Lindsay bumped into us soon after. She was also enjoying margaritas, but in a much slower, healthier way, and she’d apparently made friends with a couple visiting from Spain, who she excitedly introduced to everyone.
“We can take care of Charlie,” Lindsay said to me and Shawn. Nathan nodded in agreement. “Go have fun. Do coupley things. Share a piece of spaghetti like Lady and the Tramp, or whatever it is couples do.”
I snorted. “Thanks, Linds,” I told her.
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” Charlie said. “I’m used to being alone. All alone…”
“Well, you’re not going to be all alone tonight,” Lindsay told him, linking arms with him. “Because I’m about to introduce you to your new favorite thing.”
“Is it a new gay dating app?”
Lindsay snorted. “No. But there is a cute guy selling coffee at a truck nearby, and I think a nice cup would be just what you need right now.”
“He’s cute?” Charlie asked, perking up a little as they walked off together along with Lindsay’s new friends.
“Let’s go break the news to Mom and Dad before I end up on a blind date or signed up for speed dating,” Shawn said.
He grabbed my hand, lacing it through his. We headed over toward the trivia tent, which was the most likely place to try and find Shawn’s parents. When we walked inside, it didn’t take long to find them at the center of the room, holding court. They were at a big table surrounded by tons of other people, chatting and eating in between rounds of trivia.
“Shawn, honey!” his mom said the moment she laid eyes on us. She waved him over and we walked up. “Right there at the end of the table,” she said, her voice low. “You see that guy? He’s apparently moving to this area. He’s rich. And he’s gay, sweetie. Cute too, huh? I figured you might wanna strike up a conversation with him.”
The guy at the end of the table had a cell phone cradled next to his head, having a conversation on it, clearly wishing that he could be somewhere else right now.
“He looks… busy,” Shawn said. I could feel him cringing internally. “And also, Mom, we’ve got news to tell you—”
“You’ve got to give people a chance, hon,” his mom said, leaning in and squeezing his arm. “I’m not trying to meddle in your life, I just want you to be happy. To find someone.”
“I have found someone,” Shawn said, reaching for me and putting his hand in mine. “I’m with Rush.”
All at once, five heads turned our way. Shawn’s parents, Maddy, and two people I didn’t know but were clearly friends with Shawn’s mom and were very excited to have a new piece of town gossip.
“You’re Rushing’s son, aren’t you?” one of the other older people said, and I nodded. My dad had known just about everyone in town, and for a moment, I was a little worried that my dad might have told them some less-than-favorable things about me.