Page 11 of Say Uncle

Rolling my eyes at him, I sucked in a deep breath and dipped my head under the water. Sam was right about one thing: the shipwreck was cool as fuck. Therewere a bunch of colorful fish—no doubt that Nicky knew the names of each one—and I spotted a stingray cruising over the sandy bottom. The shipwreck was covered in sea fans and sponges that swayed gently in the current. It was peaceful down here beneath the surface.

I wished I had my camera with me. The only time I felt at peace was when I was looking outwards through the lens of my camera, instead of within. Because within, there was only chaos and shame, confusion, and anxiety. Photography was my outlet.

We returned to the boat for lunch, showered off the salt water, and changed into shorts for a trip on land. Cass and Sam wanted to hit the market for foodstuffs, and Nicky wanted to check out the coral souvenirs. It took two trips in the small dinghy to usher us and our guests to the small marina where we’d docked.

The market teemed with locals and tourists, which you could easily tell apart. The locals had beautiful dark skin and wore hand-dyed fabrics in bright, bold colors. The tourists, on the other hand, were all sunburnt like lobsters.

“Hey, Nicky, you got that sunscreen with you?”

“Sure do,” he answered, popping a small bottle from his rainbow cross-body bag.

So, he was gay? I guess that explained a lot when itcame to Nicky’s personality. What I found interesting wasn’t that he liked to suck dick, but that he was my age, and yet so comfortable with himself and his sexuality. I wouldn’t dream of wearing a Pride purse in a million years.

“Thanks,” I responded, taking the lotion from him.

“Oohh, look!” He walked over to a booth that sold handmade jewelry. “I’ll take this one,” he told the vendor, choosing a white necklace made of shells, and handed him a couple bucks. “Here you go, Mattie. This is for you.”

I ignored the fact that he called me Mattie again. He must’ve got it from Sam. “For me?”

“Don’t you remember?” he giggled. “You once told me you loved my necklace. It was at the grocery store where you used to work.”

He must be talking about the same necklace he was wearing, an identical replica of the one he held out to me. “Vaguely,” I answered truthfully.

He ducked behind me and slipped the necklace around my throat, clasping it behind my neck. “Now we match,” he chirped, grinning from ear to ear.

Did I want to match him, like junior high BFFs? Not really. But I was oddly touched by the gesture. It wasn’t as if I had a lot of friends, not that I wanted him to be my first, necessarily. Glancing at myself in the mirror on the vendor’s table, I had to admit, the puka shell choker looked pretty badass around my neck.

“Thanks, Nicky.”

He threw his skinny arms around me and squeezed, and when he finally let go, I rubbed at my chest, the damn acid reflux coming back again in full force.Fucking feelings, they sucked.

CHAPTER FOUR

“You want to fill out your captain’s log even when anchored. I record the wind speed and direction, fuel, update my supply list and food and alcohol rations, and the weather.”

I leaned over Mattie’s shoulder, breathing in his coconut-scented sunblock. His skin was tanned gorgeously. I loved he was almost my height. Try as I might to remain neutral, I couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was. Dark hair cut shorter, dark eyes, solid build with a hint of muscle. My nephew was fucking hot. He was lazy about shaving, and his jaw was covered with a dark scruff that made him look more mature than his nineteen years.

“I can do that for you if you want.”

“Yeah? I’d appreciate that.”

I was learning the ins and outs of Matteo’s personality. He had claws, but they were paintedpink. Basically, he was all bark and no bite. I still hadn’t learned the whys, but I sensed I was getting closer to the answers.

He picked up the binoculars from the console and scanned the horizon.

“Thought you said you were sweet on him.”

His gaze had come to rest on the couple standing on the bow, locked in a passionate embrace—Nicky and Cass.

“I didn’t say I was the only one.”

Mattie lowered the binoculars with a gasp. “So, both of you? That little boy takes on both of you?”

I laughed at his gaping jaw. “Are you judging or are you impressed?”

“Honestly? I think I’m impressed. He doesn’t seem like the type.”

“Like I said, maybe you should get to know him. Seems to me like you’re a few friends short of a social circle.”

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