Page 57 of Reluctantly You

Damn pretty man.

“Yeah, thanks.” I don’t believe his words though. Gideon’s not talking about me to anyone. Rory is just being…nice.

Disgusting really. He won’t make it out in the world like this.

You have to be tough, Mitch. No one likes a fucking pussy.

My eyes sting slightly, and I take another sip of my water, swallowing roughly.

“So, have you been here before?” Shiloh asks me, and I shake my head.

“No.”

“Oh, you’re going to love it,” Shiloh says, and I can see Rory nodding.

“They have really good Greek meze, and my god, their hummus is to die for.”

“Yeah, sounds good,” I reply, keeping my conversation light and simple. No one wants to hear what I have to say anyways. Even if it is about cheese and olives.

“Would you like something to drink?” Gideon asks and hands me a menu.

I stare down at it, my eyes skimming over the selection of drinks.

“I’ll take an old fashioned,” I reply, and Gideon nods his approval. For some reason, that makes my heart flutter in my chest.

“Oh good choice. Very manly,” Rory says with a waggle of his eyebrows. “Me, not so much. I’ll take a strawberry lemon drop. You, Shiloh?”

“Oh, just a water for me. After this, I’m headed over to the scrapyard to do some more work.”

Gideon huffs and Rory leans forward. “Oh, do tell. Tell meallabout these sexy guys.”

I shift in my seat, peering over at the two of them. Shiloh is blushing, his cheeks now matching his shirt. “Well, there is Caleb and Sem, they’re both very nice guys, but taken. Very taken.”

My eyes slash to his. Fuck. Sem? There aren’t many people around here named that. Oh my god. Have they talked about me? Do I ever come up in conversation? Shit.Shit!

Rory waves his hand around, as if asking him to continue, but before Shiloh can, the waiter comes and we place our drinkorders. Gideon requests two appetizers, meze and hummus, and it seems Shiloh thinks he’s gotten out of his previous conversation, but Rory hasn’t let it go.

“Okay, back to it,” Rory prods, his eyes intent on Shiloh. “There’s someone else. I can tell.”

“I hate you,” Shiloh hisses and then rolls his eyes. “Fine, there are a few more employees. Colton and Hunter, and also Axel.”

The way he says that last name, the sigh in his voice, makes Gideon let out a knowing chuckle.

“So we know who you’re interested in. Axel. What a hot, buff name.”

“I’mnotinterested in him. He’s straight and way out of my league. Plus he’s younger than me. I’m an old man. Basically dead soon.”

I let out a snort at that, and Shiloh grins at me. “See, Mitch agrees.”

“No, you’re not old,” I say, weighing my words carefully.

“Oh, you’re just trying to flatter me,” he says, batting his eyelashes. Makes me shift nervously in my chair, but Gideon reaches out and links his foot with mine, making something crimson flare up within me.

“How old is Axel then?” Rory asks, his eyes intent on his friend.

“He’s twenty-five.”

“Oh, such a good age. Can I meet him?”

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