Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Jude’s jaw tightened, and he rubbed the back of his neck, something he always did when he wasn’t telling the truth. “I can’t…not yet.”
I frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, Christ. I’m fine, Alexander. Stop worrying. I just don’t want to talk about it yet and…and I’m not ready to go home.”
Apparently, everyone was moving in with me now. “You know you always have a place with me.”
“Your boyfriend okay with that?” He cocked a brow.
“Hmm. The two of you are more alike than you realize. You’re both territorial as shit. He’s fine. Linc won’t care.”
Jude nodded. “What are you doing today?”
“After I eat, I want to go for a jog.”
“Are you supposed to?”
“Probably not.”
“Can I stop you?”
“Probably not.” I winked. “But you’re welcome to go.”
Jude grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
It would be nice to spend some time with him. We hadn’t had much time since he got here. “Afterward I want to cycle. I need to keep my endurance up. I have therapy this afternoon, and I also have to make a call to this reporter I’m gonna be doing a story with.”
Jude crossed his arms again, looking surprised. “That’s unexpected. You’ll have to tell me about it. I can take you to therapy today too. Maybe we can grab a bite to eat or something.”
I smiled. “I’d like that.” And I would. I’d missed Jude. It would be nice to have him there, but I still knew something was wrong, and it worried me. Along with my mom…and Linc. I had a whole lot on my mind these days.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lincoln
It means a lot to me to see someone who has dealt with some of the same things I have, stand strong in who they are. That’s Linc. ~ Trey
“Where’s your sexy-ass boyfriend? I’m sure he’s missed my sassy mouth,” I teased Beau when he sat across from me in the booth at Fever Pitch.
“Aw, I’m not good enough for you anymore?” Beau teased back.
“Ugh. You’re okay, I guess,” I replied, and he rolled his eyes.
“He’s with Jace doing some fucking…I don’t know.”
“Some fucking? Holy shit. What are we doing here? That sounds like way more fun.”
Beau laughed and shook his head at me. He did that a lot. Many people did.
“It’s funny they’re so close. One would have thought you and Jace would spend more time together since you both work at the firehouse, but he and Ash seem to get along really well.”
“They do. They sort of bonded a bit when Jace first started falling for Dax; you know, since both of them just realized they—”
“Liked dick? Or boy booty? I’d call it something else, but I’ve heard people don’t like that.”
“Christ, Linc. I can’t believe you sometimes.”
Jace had never been with a man before Dax. Apparently, he’d always known he was bisexual but had never gone there. It solidified my theory that there was something in the water in Fever Falls that turned guys gay or bi.
“You love me.” Beau was the first person in my life I ever truly believed loved me. Well, first and only.
“I guess,” he replied playfully, just as a waiter approached our table.
“Oh…hey. You’re Lincoln and Beau, right? You’re friends with my brother Jace and his boyfriend, Dax.”
I looked up to see a cute-as-hell guy with dark hair and a bright smile. “I see my reputation precedes me. He’s just lucky I take him along for the ride.”
“Not sure if I would consider that luck,” Beau replied.
“Hush, you,” I told him and then looked back at the waiter. “Keegan, right?” I almost hadn’t recognized him without his backward ball cap.
“Yup. How’s it goin’, guys?”
“Good,” I replied. “New job?”
“Yeah, it’s just part-time for now, but could switch to permanent if I don’t keep dropping trays. My buddies and I are planning to move into an apartment together, so I’m trying to earn some extra cash. It’s fun, though. People are nice and the tips are even better, ya know?”
“Not quite as fun as being a rent boy—my first job—but there’s eye candy!” I teased.
“Oh my God.” Beau rubbed a hand over his face, apparently embarrassed by me.
Keegan, cute little thing that he was, looked like he didn’t have a clue. “A what?”
“Nothing. It’s not important,” Beau said. “We’re still getting him socialized. He’s not had much contact with adults…or you know, people in general.”
“He’s just jealous I have a better sense of humor than him. And when you figure out what it is, I’ve never been a rent boy, but hey, you never know what the future holds.”
Keegan let out a boisterous laugh. “Oh, I like you guys.”
“We like you too, sugar.” I winked at him.
“You go to Fever Falls Community College, right?” Beau asked him, obviously trying to change the subject.
“Yup! It’s my freshman year.”
He took our orders a moment later and then disappeared to finish working.