Page 7 of Eternally Devoted

I’ll do what’s right, but it doesn’t mean I have to do it sober.

CHAPTER

THREE

TODAY IS INCONVENIENT BONER DAY, ISN’T IT?

Dash

“Now what?” Keanu asks as he pulls into a parking spot in front of the Eat O Rama. We’re heading in for some sodas since today is, per usual, pretty slow where crime is concerned.

“Nothing,” I say as I obsessively check my phone. Relief smacks me when I see Sterlingfinallytexted me back. He’s oneof those guys who doesn’t give a shit about his phone. There are no bright icons for social media on his home screen, he doesn’t use it for music and he’s not a big texter.

And something about how content he is without all that shit is…hot.

I read his message and let out an uneasy sigh.

Keanu unclips his safety belt, pinning his blue eyes on me. “You helped that kitten out of the storm drain. And you’re still all…mopey,” he says, opening his door while waiting for me to unclip. “You usually love that corny shit.”

“I know,” I sigh, staring at the toes of my boots. “It’s Juniper.” Finally, I look at my partner, finding a lopsided grin on his face.

“How’d I know?” He preens, outstretching a leg into the parking lot. Getting out, I meet him on the curb, his blond hair streaking over his eyes as a breeze hits. He tucks it back, nodding as he hits me with a knowing grin. “Finally gonna make a move?”

Strolling forward, the double doors of the market slide open for us. A clerk that went to school with Keanu nods hello. We nod back, veering toward the back of the store where the cold drinks are stored.

“Finally what?” I retort. “No way.” My lies crawl up my neck and tingle my cheeks but thankfully, we reach the case of cold drinks just in time. I revel in the cool that swamps my face after pulling the door open. Keanu reaches past me, grabbing two bottles of Coke by the necks.

“Bro, you’re so super in love with her, just ask her out already,” he says coolly, passing me my drink as the door swings shut.

“I’m—” I stop myself, both my feet and words. Keanu halts a few paces up, tipping his head to the side.

“C’mon, man, don’t be dramatic. If we check out quick enough, we’ll get to the farmers market before all the good fudge is gone.”

Keanu is typically unhurried with the exception of farmers market day. He is motivated by sugar and pussy. And—world’s smallest violin here—I don’t want to stopanotherperson in my life from having what they want. Catching up to him, I keep my voice low as a woman pushes her cart past me, giving me a shy smile.

“Badge bunny,” he says, hooking his thumb over his shoulder after we pass. “She was trying to eye fuck you,” Keanu points out in a whisper after we’re at the end of the aisle. “See, you’re in love with Juni. Guys inloooovenever notice other women.”

I shake my head as we filter into the line. There’s only one checkstand because small towns, you know?

“Here’s the thing,” I tell himquietly—because small towns, you know? “Sterling has known her longer. They’ve been friends longer. If either of us should ask her out, it should be him.”

Keanu, with his aviators back on, drags them down the bridge of his nose with a finger. Peering over the top, he says, “Love isn’t first come first serve.”

I roll my eyes. “Stop saying love,” I retort, neck strained. “And if we both…like her,” I say, dragging the words apart slowly, “then it’s shitty if I ask her out now. We’ve been hanging out together for two years, man.”

The woman in line ahead of us pays, and we hand our bottles of Coke to Martin, the man who has been checking groceries at the Eat O Rama as long as the store has been open, legend has it.

“Coffee’s better for ya,” he says, holding his hand out for the three dollars and twenty cents that Keanu fishes from his wallet.

“I don’t like coffee when it’s hot. Makes me get sweaty,” Keanu replies, passing him three one-dollar bills and a quarter.“Keep the change,” he says, pushing his aviators up the bridge of his nose.

Martin drops a nickel in the plastic “HELP FEED FAMILIES” box. “Generous. Thank you.”

We edge outside into the sun and enjoy the satisfying whoosh as we twist our Cokes open. “I’ve been getting this sense from Sterling lately that he’s… I don’t know… maybedown? And I wonder if he and Juni had time without me, maybe it’d cheer him up. He deserves that.”

I tug my own shades over my eyes, hiding how far away I go for a moment while sipping my cold drink, envisioning Sterling climbing over a naked Juniper, sliding what is likely a perfect cock into the softest, sweetest place between her legs. Another burning sip of carbonation and I add, “I’m telling him tonight that he needs to go for her. He should ask her out.”

“What if they actually do, though?”

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