Page 10 of The Hookup Mix-up

“On that note, I’m out.” They can go from talking shit to each other to the bed banging against the wall in no time flat. Thank God my room is at the opposite end of the house.

I close the door behind me and flop on the bed. I consider messaging Theo, but I’m sure he’s hungover as shit. While I’m cool with a lot of people, I haven’t made any real friends since moving to San Luco, not if you don’t count my brother and his boyfriend. I’ll hook up with people, hang out with people and shit like that, but nothing that is substantial in any way. To be honest, it’s been like that my whole life. While Brax is antisocial, he at least has his best friend Miguel, but I don’t even know who I’d say is my best friend. I’ve just never really worked that way. I don’t know why I’m lying here obsessing about it today.

I look at Theo’s nickname in my phone: Hot Dancing Guy. It can’t hurt to shoot him a text just to make sure he’s okay, right? He had a hard night, and it seemed like he’s going through some things.

Me: Good morning. You alive? Do you need me to come over and perform mouth-to-mouth?

I’m surprised when the three dots pop up right away, showing me he’s already texting back. Jesus, I thought he would sleep at least until noon. Maybe he has shit going on today. The stab of disappointment I feel at that is unnerving.

Hot Dancing Guy: I don’t do hangovers. I feel great!

Hot Dancing Guy: Also, you put your name as Knight in Shining Armor in my phone. He adds laughing emojis.

Me: What do you mean you don’t do hangovers? What are you, superhuman or something?

Hot Dancing Guy: Just that good, I guess. Thanks for last night, BTW. Sorry I was a mess. It’s been a…let’s just say fucked-up weekend.

Me: Do you want me to make it better?

Hot Dancing Guy: You’re down to meet up? I’d be game.

“Fuck yes,” I say.

Hot Dancing Guy: I figure I at least owe you lunch after the way you babysat me.

Well…that’s not what I had in mind. That probably means no anal, but I’m cool with just BJs.

Me: We can skip lunch and just have some fun.

Just as I hit Send on my message, one comes through from him at the same time.

Hot Dancing Guy: I’m fucking starving, but it’s gonna have to be cheap.

Hot Dancing Guy: Oh… You want to skip lunch?

Well, how can I not let him eat first? He needs fuel to come as hard as I plan on making him come.

Me: No, we can eat. You need your energy.

Hot Dancing Guy: Sounds like you have lots of plans for us today! I’m gonna shower. Be here in an hour?

Me: I can’t wait.

I grab some clothes and head to the hallway bathroom to take a shower. Brax and Ty have one in their room, so this one is basically mine, except when people come over—which is mostly Ty’s lacrosse friends. They graduated but ended up staying around San Luco, and as Ty says, everyone but him has to be a grown-up now, something he has time to avoid since he’s still in school, so they don’t hang out as much as they used to.

I clean out my ass in case Theo changes his mind and wants to fuck me instead of having lunch. One can never be too prepared. Luckily, Brax and Ty aren’t in their room when I get out of the shower, so I have my brother take me to Shenanigans to pick up my car. I’d taken a car service home from the party and don’t want to have to put out the money for another one.

“How’s your mom doing?” Ty asks when we’re on our way. It’s a delicate balance between getting close and sharing things while also tiptoeing around our reality. Ty had a lot of anger toward his dad last year, and in some ways still does. Montgomery Langley robbed us of a relationship, but Ty also grew up with him being a father in his life. It’s not as easy for Ty to walk away. In my case, Montgomery Langley and I were never close—and I’m not willing to give us the opportunity to get close either.

“She’s good. She misses me, but she gets it, ya know? Me wanting a change and getting to know you.”

I’d wanted to leave Massachusetts before Ty and I started talking, so building a relationship with him was the perfect reason for me to do that.

“For sure.”

I can tell he wants to say something about his dad, but luckily, he doesn’t. I’ve gotten to know Ty well enough to know that the reason he sometimes talks to me about getting to know Montgomery is for my benefit, but I’m still not ready and don’t know that I’ll ever be.

He drops me off at Shenanigans, and I go straight for my car. It’s a short drive to Theo’s, and when I get there, he’s standing outside, waiting for me. My pulse kicks up in excitement.

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