Page 36 of See My Words

“Don’t look now, but Madison just walked in, and she is glaring at you like you wouldn’t believe.” He pursed his lips like a disapproving old aunt. “You two broke up months ago, dude. What the eff did you do?”

Scott glanced over at the woman in question, grimacing. “Oh. Well, that wasn’t exactly my finest hour.” He hesitated, and Minh rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, I guessed that much all by myself, especially from the way she was trashing you on social media right after.” His tone held a thread of curiosity. “Seriously, Scotty, if looks could kill, you’d be taking a dirt nap right about now.”

He paused with an expectant air, and when Scott didn’t say anything, heaved a theatrical sigh. “Fine, don’t kiss and tell.”

“What is there to tell, Minh? I legit fucked up a good thing. Big surprise.”

Minh sat up and crossed his legs, leaning in close. “So why not confide in your ol’ aunty? Get it off your chest.” He gave Scott a reproving look. “You know it won’t go any further.”

“God, I know that.” Scott sat up, too. “It’s just—well, I’m a dick. You think I want to advertise that?”

“Baby, it’s me. I know you better than anyone, except for maybe our sexy little photographer boy.” He leered. “Who I imagine is right now warm and sated in your bed, leaving that delicious silver fox in need of my wide-spread legs, er, I mean, comforting arms.”

“Jesus.” Scott grimaced. “If you can get Chris out of the picture permanently, I’ll love you forever.”

“Hmm.” Minh shot him a speculative look. “On it. As for our gorgeous Madison?” He waved one hand in a get-on-with-it gesture. “Last I heard about her, she was spending almost every weekend at your place, and all of a sudden she’s calling you a ‘douchenozzle’ on Twitter.”

Scott gave an uncomfortable shrug. “She wanted me to meet her parents when they came to visit,” he mumbled, feeling a remembered misery welling up.

“So? You were heading toward getting serious. That’s kind of, you know, the next step.”

Scott stared at him before he spoke slowly and distinctly. “They’re lawyers, Minh. From DC. Sophisticated, proud of Madison, who’s a successful small business owner in her own right.”

“She owns a fitness pole dancing studio, doesn’t she?” At Scott’s nod, Minh went on impatiently, “I still don’t see the problem.”

“What don’t you see?” Scott hissed. “What would we have had in common? What would we possibly have had to talk about? I would have embarrassed the shit out of her, her uneducated loser of a boyfriend.” He swallowed. “I couldn’t deal, so when she asked me to meet them, I laughed and said, ‘Is that really a thing now? Introducing the parents to your latest fuck buddy? Guess I’d better invest in a new suit, I’m gonna have a lot of parents to meet.’”

The look Minh gave him was ineffably sad. “Oh, sweetheart.”

“It wasn’t true. She was the only one.”

“But it worked, and she left hating you.” Minh put his hand on Scott’s arm. “Did it ever occur to you that maybe they wouldn’t have seen a loser, but a man who made their little girl happy and that would have been enough?”

“But maybe not, Minh.”

“And now you’ll never know.” Minh stood and reached down, helping Scott to his feet. “Then came Lance and that shitshow. If I didn’t adore you so much, I’d fucking drive over to your place and warn Rylan away right now, but I have the distinct feeling that sweet boy can take care of himself.”

A fond smile quirked Scott’s lips as he remembered his and Rylan’s conversation from earlier that morning. “He has my number and then some, Minh. He’s not letting me get away with any shit, believe me.”

“Well, good for him. I knew there was a reason I liked him.”

“Me, too.” Suddenly Scott couldn’t wait to see him again. “Fuck working out. I want to take Rylan away somewhere for the weekend.”

Minh’s eyes bugged. “Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear you say, ‘Fuck working out.’” He clutched his chest and collapsed down to the mat again, gasping dramatically for air. “I think the world must be ending.”

Scott laughed. “Shut up. Where should I take him? San Diego? Grand Canyon? He’d probably want to take pictures.”

Minh pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. “Well, if it were me, I’ve always wanted to go up to Sedona, you know? The red rocks? The artists’ community?”

“Sounds perfect.” Scott paused before asking impulsively, “Want to come with us?”

Minh opened and closed his mouth a few times in apparent shock. “God, I’d love to.” He narrowed his eyes. “Unless you’re tryin’ to use me so he won’t think it’s a romantic getaway or something, that it’s a ‘bro trip.’ Fuck that shit.” His tone was belligerent, and Scott laughed, pulling him to his feet and into a huge hug.

“Nope,” he said. “I just thought it’d be fun to spend time with my two favorite people, that’s all.”

Minh’s lips trembled. “Little grasshopper, he can be taught,” he gasped, dropping the act and cracking up when Scott gave him a shove. “Lemme go grab my stuff, and let’s get out of here. I’ll call Corey and tell him I’m taking a couple personal days.”