Page 63 of Cross the Line

“Here I am,” Hunter announces, skidding to stop next to Alec.

“Hunter is coming,” Alec says, swinging an arm around Hunter’s waist. “Isn’t that great?”

It’s only years of practice schooling his facial expressions in front of his boss that stop Theo from frowning. He met Hunter the day Theo helped Alec move in. He’d been kind of quiet, blunt, and overall not very memorable. He’d also been, to Theo’s knowledge, straight. Then again, Antonio and Riley are straight and always touch Alec, but this is different. Hunter’s looking at Alec like, well, like he also knows how good Alec looks tonight. Not that Alec seems to notice.

“It’s going to be great,” Alec insists, turning his attention away from Theo and onto Hunter. “You want the front or the back?”

“I get carsick in the back. You mind if I take the front?”

“Not at all. Right, Theo?”

“Of course I don’t mind,” Theo smiles, lying through his teeth. He minds very much. He was looking forward to a few minutes of alone time with Alec before they met up with Jason. He also wanted to find a way to tell Alec how much he enjoyed watching him play, to see if he might casually suggest Theo come again so he’d have an excuse to do just that. Now instead of fifteen minutes alone with Alec, he’s got some kid he doesn’t know climbing into his front seat.

To make matters worse, by the time he’s walked around the car to the driver’s side, Alec has situated himself behind Theo so he can more easily talk to Hunter, who he is instructing to put on whatever music he wants. When Theo starts the engine, something very loud and very country blares through the speaker.

“This okay?” Hunter asks and Theo forces on a smile.

Theo doesn’t like country music. Theo doesn’t like that Hunter is sitting where Alec should be sitting. Theo especially doesn’t like that he’s so put out by the entire thing when he has no reason to care, and certainly no right to have an opinion on where Alec sits or whether he wants to bring a friend clubbing with them.

“It’s fine,” Theo insists, pulling away from the curb with a heavy foot and the sound of tires screeching on asphalt.

“Try not to crash! You have precious cargo in the backseat,” Alec yells.

Hunter laughs and something unfamiliar and unwanted twists in Theo’s gut, the same feeling he’d had watching Alec dance with Riley at his birthday party.

“You laugh, but you know it’s true,” Alec says loudly enough to be heard over the blaring music. “I am irreplaceable.”

Theo’s hands grip the steering wheel so hard his knuckles go white. Where he would normally smile at Alec’s cockiness, this time it’s Hunter who smiles, and that makes something heavy settle in his chest. He tries to ignore the feeling, focusing on the traffic and the annoying beat of the music as he drives them across town. Alec never stops talking, but the majority of it is directed to Hunter, which saves Theo from having to make small talk, but also increases the uncomfortable weight in his ribcage.

It’s a good twenty minutes with traffic before Theo is pulling into the city lot across from the club, at which point he’s developed a headache and aching fingers from gripping the wheel too tightly. It doesn’t take them long to park and exit the car, and Jason flags them down the second all three of them hit the sidewalk.

“Over here,” Jason yells, like they can’t see his massive frame towering above the people around him. “Dude, I was starting to think you guys ditched me.”

“Never,” Theo tells him. As sure as he is that Jason is joking, Theo affirms him anyway.

Sure enough, Jason’s face breaks into a massive smile. The sight reminds Theo of what this night is supposed to be: a few friends heading out to celebrate Alec’s win and take him to his first club.

It’s only a few seconds before Theo’s gaze drifts sideways to Alec, who looks like a kid in a candy shop, his hips already swaying to the beat of the music that spills through the open door. He’s so uninhibited, oblivious to stares as he lifts his arms up and dances.

“Someone is excited.” Jason laughs.His voice drags Theo back from the edge. If he wants any hope of surviving tonight, he needs to get himself in check and remember what’s at stake—his friendship with Jason.

“We should probably get in line.” Theo eyes the crowd of people around them. Aside from the groups milling around street corners and sidewalks, the line itself is already wrapped around the side of the building. With all of the students back on campus it makes sense, but Theo hadn’t really stopped to consider how much more crowded the club might be tonight. Apparently neither did Jason, judging by the silent conversation he tries to have with Theo with his raised eyebrows.

“We’ll be lucky to get in before eleven at this rate,” Jason says with a shake of his head.

Theo falls into step beside him, realizing Alec isn’t following suit. Before he can say anything, Hunter leans in to whisper something that has Alec’s eyes snapping open and a smile blossoming on his face as he nods.

The tightness in Theo’s chest is sharp and uncomfortable and he wishes the line weren’t so long, desperately needing a drink to dull the edges of bitterness taking hold.

“Hey asshole!” Jason yells when he notices Hunter and Alec walking towards the front door. “The end of the line is over here.”

Alec and Hunter exchange embarrassed looks before bursting into laughter. Before they can follow Jason and Theo, the bouncer is lowering the rope.

“He can come in,” the bouncer says, pointing at Alec.

There’s a flicker of surprise on Alec’s face before he grins, blowing the bouncer a kiss. The bouncer appears unaffected but Theo can’t help marveling at the way Alec takes the attention in stride.

“Dance for us, sweetheart!” someone yells from the line, followed by a few catcalls and whistles.

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