AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think I want to keep with the same plan…say we’re friends and play it by ear. It’s not that I don’t want them to know, but—”
“Hey.” I reach over and put my hand on his thigh. “You don’t have to explain. Like I said before, telling your truth is always on your terms.”
He groans, a frustrated kind of groan.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Seriously, what? That was sweet as fuck.”
“I know. You’re annoyingly perfect. I don’t want to talk about it.”
I chuckle because it’s not every day someone tells me I’m perfect. It couldn’t be further from the truth, but it still feels good. “Passenger gets to pick the music.” I figure a change in subject might help us both relax.
Theo doesn’t argue while I plug my phone in and turn on the weird indie stuff I know he likes.
Theo groans again, and damn, for such a grumpy sound, it sure does make me feel good.
“The house isn’t much,” Theo says two hours and twenty-three minutes later when we pull down a residential street. It’s filled with one-story, stucco homes, all different shades of brown, beige, and cream. Most of the yards have a desert theme, with a lot of rock and pavers, the latter probably due to the heat and lack of rain.
“What makes you think I’m the kinda guy who would care about that? I didn’t have much growing up. Montgomery gave my mom money, yeah, but it wasn’t enough to have us living a life of luxury. I feel a million times more comfortable in a small, lived-in house than I ever would in a home like where Ty grew up.”
“I know. I’m just nervous about this…us…and also, we had a fucking pop quiz yesterday, and I know I bombed it. I haven’t braved looking at my grade yet.”
“Puppy…no stressing out this weekend. You’re seeing your family, and that’s what matters. And maybe you’ll find the time to talk to them about the pressure you’re under, and you guys can come up with a plan together. As for the test…we’ll study extra hard when we get home to make up for it. Every orgasm I give you will have to be earned.”
“I don’t know if we should go that far.” He chuckles nervously.
“I do.”
Theo pulls up at one of the cream houses. It has one of those barred screen doors on front, with lots of rock around and a few palm trees.
“You ready to do this? I’m about to be the best friend-visitor guy ever. Your parents are going to love me.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Theo says seriously, making me shift uncomfortably. It was supposed to be a joke, but he didn’t respond like it was one.
“That’s ’cause I’m fucking awesome.” I wink, and then I’m the first to get out of the car.
I open the back door to grab my bag, and Theo does the same.
I make sure I’m walking with enough space between us so we don’t look too close. Don’t call him puppy, don’t call him puppy, don’t call him puppy. That might be a little difficult to explain, which is maybe a sign that everyone who said I was different about Theo from the start is right, but I already have too much chaos in my head to contemplate that right now.
Theo opens the screen door, then the main one. As soon as he does, there’s barking and a chocolate Lab jumping all over him.
Theo drops his bag and kneels, giving him scritches while crooning, “Hey, boy. Did you miss me? I missed you too.”
“What? You didn’t tell me there’s a dog. I might never want to leave.” I join Theo in giving him love. “What’s his name?”
“Cooper.”
“Theo’s home!” a woman says, and I look over at her just as Theo stands, rushes over, and hugs her.
“Hey, Mama.”
I stand too. She has the same sandy-colored hair as Theo, strands of it falling out of her ponytail.
“I know it hasn’t been long,” Theo says, “but I missed you so much.”
