Page 113 of Unspoken Rules

“Tell me them. I want to set your thoughts straight.”

“We’d be here all night.” He chuckles. I run my fingers up and down his back and he sighs, relaxing into me.

“For starters, I don’t know your relationship with men. I don’t know if you prefer women. She’s older than me, probably more mature and established. She can sit on your desk and flirt with you out in the open. You can be with her and no one would bat an eye. Your son wouldn’t hate you for it.”

I hum an acknowledgment, leaning forward to kiss his neck.

“I have no preference on gender. As for everything else, I understand why you feel that way. I won’t argue with you and say they aren’t true because they are. But them being true doesn’t mean I want you any less. It just means we will have to work harder.”

He settles into me, resting his head on my shoulder. “How do you always make me feel better?”

I wrap my arms around him, holding him tight. “The same way you make me feel better. We just do.”

And that is the most truthful thing I’ve ever said.

Chapter Forty-Six

Bryson

I stare at my phone, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

Cole: I’m taking you out tonight to celebrate your first successful work week.

He sent it twenty minutes ago, and I’ve been unable to respond or stop looking at it. The week has been perfect. Cole and I have fallen into a routine ever since we agreed to make this a thing. Whatever type of thing it is, I’m not sure. It feels weird calling him my boyfriend, because he’s Cole, but we’re more than fuck buddies.

I still feel guilty because of Chris, but I keep telling myself there isn’t much I can do about it. If he was truly my best friend, he’d want me to be happy. And if this were Chris from a few years ago, I think he would accept it. But with the way he is now? I’m not sure. But how fair is it to let him dictate my life? Cole and I don’t talk about it, but I’m sure he feels the same way. There’s no way he doesn’t. Chris is his son. He doesn’t want to hurt him. But Chris isn’t doing the same. He knows he’s hurting his father, and he doesn’t care. All he had to do was talk to him about what has him so mad and everything could have been fixed. Each day that passes, the more I want to tell Cole what Chris is upset about, if only to get the weight off his shoulders. The not knowing would eat me alive. I don’t want Cole feeling that way. Not if I can help it. Yet I’m staying loyal to my friend. Why? No idea.

“You okay?” Jessie takes the seat across from me. We usually spend our lunch together in the cafeteria. He drops his lunch box in front of him and pulls out a sandwich stuffed with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and some kind of meat. His wife really knows how to make a hearty sandwich.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’ve been smiling at your phone for a while. Wasn’t sure if you’d lost your mind or something.”

I chuckle, stabbing a cherry tomato from my salad. “I’m good. Just got news that my boyfriend is taking me out tonight.”

It feels weird to say because I’m talking about Cole, but I guess I should get used to it. It’s a term others will understand.

“I make sure to take my wife out at least once a month. And I always keep it a surprise. She loves it.”

“That’s a great idea.”

“How long have you been together?”

“Officially? A week.” I laugh. “But I’ve known him for a very long time.”

“So it’s about time, then?” He smiles.

“Something like that.”

We make small talk as we eat our lunches. Jessie and I get along well. He’s the only person I’ve spent time with or got to know this week, but I expect that’ll change once I’m on my own. I’m feeling confident about my duties so far, and I’m looking forward to Monday and figuring out my own routine. I have a meeting to attend next week, to get started on my very first project. Tonight is the perfect night to celebrate. I can’t wait to share all of this with Cole.

When we finish lunch, we head back to our floor and spend the afternoon working on sketches for an ad Jessie is working on. I draw up my own stuff on my tablet to familiarize myself with the program they use while listening to what Jessie is saying and checking out what he’s doing. We compare sketches and pull ideas from one another, then go back to the drawing board.

A few minutes after two, my phone rings. I check it, but it’s Daniel, so I ignore it.

He calls again.

I sigh and end the call again.

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