Page 67 of Dare to be Different

Mom sets her mug down and leans forward. “That’s why you’re terrified today, Zahn. Because even though it might not be romantic love, as you say, you’ve found someone you can’t live without. It’s exciting and scary because it makes you vulnerable.”

“I don’t want to be vulnerable.”

“Too late, baby.” She laughs. “You already are. Now smarten the fuck up and go be there for Remy today. Stop making it about you. Because guess what? He’s scared no matter how much he puts on a tough front.”

Fuck, I know he is. I know it. “Thanks, Mom.”

She winks and starts to walk inside.

“This is voodoo bullshit you do out here, Mom.”

She laughs. “Works every time.”

“What the hell, Zahn?” Remy scoffs as I throw my bag into the bush plane and climb in. “What’re you doing here?”

I climb into the passenger seat and put on a headset. “I’m coming with you.” I slam the door.

“Because you don’t think I can handle it?”

I look right at him, speaking my truth into his blue eyes. “Because I can’t handle it. Okay?”

His face softens for a second, and then he grins. “Fucking pathetic.”

“So pathetic,” I agree as he fires up the engines.

Whatever. I feel better about it. At least this way, if we crash and burn, we’ll get lost in the wilderness together. And I’m starting to think that, other than my family, Remy is all I need.

Fucking hell, I’ve changed.

The day goes by without a hitch. Remy even showed me where he went down. There was a slight wobble to his voice when he said it, but then he reluctantly thanked me for going with him on his first flight back.

Now we’re at my parents’ for dinner, and my mind isn’t even on the whole work day I wasted by going with Remy. Yeah, I’ve got some catching up to do, but it was worth it.

“You two fuck the other night?” Kolt outright asks across the dinner table. “Heard some screaming that didn’t sound like words.”

“Screaming?” Remy shakes his head.

“More like man moans,” Bass adds. “Sexy ones.”

Remy looks at me, and I shake my head. Because he should have expected this after he forced us to have that blowup in my bedroom. I can’t tell if he’s hesitant about sharing our information or okay with it. I mean, we did make some noise, and everyone was home, so it’s not like they can’t put two and two together to get a shady three.

“You gay, Zahn?” Bo asks.

They don’t even ease into it. No fucking class. “No.”

“He identifies as open,” Remy adds with a laugh. “Just open. Hates labels.”

“So? Did you two fuck around?” Dom asks again.

I drop my fork. “What makes you think you get to know—”

“Zahn jerked us both off,” Remy says while adding more food to his plate, not even looking at anyone. “Rubbed our dicks together. Real hot.”

I gape at Remy as everyone else throws money on the table from some bet they made. “Seriously?” I ask him. “You’re just fucking cool with these idiots knowing that?”

Remy steals my whiskey. “Oh, fuck off, Zahn. Like you didn’t spill our shit to half of them.” He points his fork at my brothers. “And I know you called Laken.”

“So did you!”

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