Page 34 of Totally Geeked

“You can all just hand your money over now boys, because I came to win,” I say, strolling into Gordon’s house. The guys are already seated around the large poker table he’s had set up in the living room. Alan Beaker, Benny G, Arthur Green, Phillip Marks, and Stevie Peterson. Relief floods my chest when I don’t see Ryan here.

“Dude, how’s the little one?” I ask Stevie, taking the seat open between him and Arthur.

“She’s good, finally sleeping through the night, if you can call a six-hour block through the night, and we do. Don’t burst our bubble, please.”

I laugh. “No worries, six hours is basically what sleep I get.”

“The hookups keeping you up?” Phillip asks, shuffling the deck.

Gordon pipes in. “Harry here says he’s given up on all that,” he states, almost like he doesn’t believe it.

The guys don’t look convinced either.

“It’s true. I deleted all the apps and haven’t been out to any clubs in weeks.”

“I hope it wasn’t our ribbing, because you know we love you, man,” Alan says, and I shake my head.

“I just got over it. I’m getting older. It’s time I found someone to settle down with, I think.”

“That’s great,” Benny says with a huge grin on his face. “You know I have this cousin, he’s a wrestler.”

I laugh. “I’m good, thanks.”

“But he’s a wrestler,” he says, again, widening his eyes like that will make a difference the second time he says it.

“Still good, but thanks.”

“Well, if you’re offering to set a guy up, Benny, feel free to pass along my number. Oh and, Harry, if you meet someone, find out if they have a brother, or a cousin, or a friend they can hook me up with,” Alan says, stacking and unstacking his chips in front of him.

“What happened with Tommy, anyway?” I ask.

“Same thing that happens to every other guy I date. They meet Gramps, then it’s all over after that. Maybe I should introduce first dates to him. If they survive a dinner with Gramps and Precious then they might actually be worth my time.”

“He’s a character,” I say, knowing full well exactly what Gramps is like. Alan's grandfather and his cat Precious, live in the apartment building beside my place. His living room window actually lines up pretty well with my bedroom one, too, and he’s not exactly shy about voicing his disdain for my frequent male visitors. I should probably get some curtains, but where’s the fun in that?

A clatter sounds from the kitchen and all our attention moves to Arlo who’s already kneeling and picking up the pieces of the plate he just dropped.

Gordon and I both jump up.

“You okay?” he asks Arlo, moving his chair back.

“I’ll help,” I say without thinking and move toward the kitchen.

“You okay?” I whisper to Arlo as I help collect the pieces. He nods and a pink blush rises to his cheeks.

“You all remember my brother, Arlo,” Gordon says. “He’s staying with me while his wrist heals.”

“You did the book, right?” Alan asks as he deals the cards out.

“Oh, I have a copy,” Gordon says, jumping from his chair and going to the coffee table. He holds it proudly against his chest cover out for them all to see. “How awesome is it that I’m in a book?”

“I’m in it, too,” I say, and he waves a hand my way.

“Supporting character, not the lead.”

Arlo’s hand brushes against mine as we reach for pieces, and it sends a shiver through me. I wish so bad this didn’t have to be a secret. I want to grab him and kiss him and scream from the top of my lungs how amazing he is and how lucky I am that he wants to be with me. But Gordon would totally punch me in the face.

The guys all pass around the book while I finish helping Arlo with the plate.

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