Page 54 of Sizzle

“So… you’re not upset with me.”

She laughs, loud and long enough that eventually she presses a hand to her stomach as though she’s in pain.

“I’m not upset,” she says, catching her breath. “Although I might be if you make me wait any longer.”

I start the car, returning my focus to the road as I pull away from the curb.

“Do me a favor, though,” I say as we pull into the driveway a few minutes later. “Don’t mention this to Alex just yet.”

I kill the engine and wait for her answer.

“You can trust me, Elliot,” she says, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “I won’t say anything. But for whatever it’s worth, I think you should.”

Maybe one day. Maybe even one day soon. But tonight, we have other things to talk about. It occurs to me that maybe Joelle already knew about Alex being bisexual. She definitely didn’t seem shocked by anything I said.

I haul ass around the car to open Joelle’s door before she does it herself. When she slips her hand into mine, I feel the knot in my stomach begin to ease. Unlocking the front door and drawing her into Alex’s living room, we can hear pans clattering in the kitchen.

“Make yourself comfortable,” I tell her, waving at the couch and TV. “I’m going to grab a beer. Can I get you a drink?”

“I’ll take a beer, too. Thanks.”

I head back to the kitchen, bracing myself. I’d deliberately skipped letting Alex know we were coming, though I guess he knew I’d be home eventually. I haven’t seen him since—since that thing happened and it’s going to be weird as fuck getting around that. Not to mention with the girl we both want sitting right there in the room with us.

But hey, at least this way I won’t be the only one at a disadvantage this time.

“Honey, I’m home!” I call out as I approach the kitchen.

A few days ago, that wouldn’t have been even remotely unusual.

Alex is standing at the counter when I come around the corner, his back stiff. After a beat he turns around, one eyebrow cocked.

“Honey, huh? Nice to see you still live here.”

“Been busy, dude.” I walk straight past him to open the fridge and then turn around to hand him a beer. He takes it, his eyes on the other two bottles in my hand. I take a sip.

“Double-fisting it tonight?”

I choke, beer spluttering all over my shirt. Alex is looking at me like I’ve lost my damn mind and I can’t blame him. My inner teenager is cackling.

Manfully bypassing the obvious joke, I towel off what I can of the mess.

“Joelle is here,” I tell him as I’m cleaning up.

Alex goes very still.

I fling the towel on the counter and wait but he doesn’t say anything.

“Well? Are you coming?” I ask, and head back toward the living room without another word. He barely makes a sound behind me but I can feel him following.

Joelle is standing near the big screen, scanning the bookshelves.

“Who’s the reader?” she asks as I hand her a beer.

“That’d be me,” says Alex, coming up behind us. “Elliot here is too busy to read.”

“Hey, I read. I just don’t like sitting still all that long.”

“No kidding,” Alex and Joelle say in unison.

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