Page 9 of Fallen Stars

OLIVER

A moanmore appropriate for the bedroom spills from my lips as I shove another bite of bacon and gouda macaroni and cheese in my mouth. “So good,” I garble around the bite.

Out of the corner of my eye, Skylar shakes her head, then follows it up with a muted snort. “You’re ridiculous, Ollie.”

I swallow the bite, twist in her direction, drop my chin to my shoulder, and smile. “You love my brand of ridiculous.”

Skylar positions a monstrous burger, sweet potato fries, and a milkshake on the table. After she finagles a few things, she holds her phone up high over the meal and snaps a few photos. Sifting through the images and seemingly satisfied, she shifts the food aside.

While she sets up her next shot, I take a long pull of the milkshake. Again, I moan and garner more stares from customers trying to enjoy their lunch.

“Sorry.” I wave to an older couple and the woman rolls her eyes.

Grumps.

After Skylar takes the final photo, she sits in the booth across from me and starts nibbling.

For the longest time, I’ve asked her to take me with her on work photo days. She promised she’d make it happen, but over the last year, something always got in the way. Conflicting work schedules, band practice, plans one of us made with someone else, our friends’ lives being in danger.

But I held on to hope.

Sure, I’ve lived in Stone Bay my whole life. Without a doubt, I’ve probably tried almost every menu item from every restaurant in town. But not once have I gotten to eat a mountain of delicious calories for free. Today, I got to sample two new dishes coming soon to RJ’s Diner and Dive. It’s a win in my book.

“Sky,” I draw out her name after I swallow a bite of burger. “Feels like I never see you anymore. Has Law been cuffing you to the bed?”

A faint dusting of pink colors Skylar’s cheeks and before she says a single word, I already know the answer. Because Lawrence is a kinky bastard.

“Lower your voice, Ollie.” Her eyes dart around the diner to see if anyone is paying us attention. “And maybe.” She tucks her lips between her teeth to fight a smile.

I load up another forkful of macaroni and cheese and bring it to my lips. “That’s what I need.” I narrow my eyes, nod, and shove the bite in my mouth.

Her brows bend inward. “What?”

I wash down the bite with a sip of Cherry Coke. “A kinky father figure.”

Skylar chokes on the food in her mouth and several sets of eyes turn our way. I rise from my seat, move to her side of the table, and smack her back a few times. She shoos me away as her coughing fit dies down.

“Seriously, Ollie?” She takes a long drink of water. “At least wait until I’ve swallowed.”

“That’s what he said.”

Elbows on the table, she drops her head in her hands. “Why do I love you again?”

I hold up a hand and tick off the answers on my fingers. “Because I’m funny, sweet, talented, devilishly handsome, and the best gay friend ever.”

Lifting her head, she drops her hands in her lap. With a subtle tilt of her head, she arches a brow. “I guess so.” She plucks a fry from the plate and slathers it in sauce. “How’re things with Levi?”

It’s no secret my friends are aware of how I feel about my best friend, Levi. On the nights I hang out with Skylar, Kirsten, and Delilah and drink too much or get sucked into their love stories, I spill too much of my heart. Thank goodness what I share is vanilla and common knowledge among our circle.

But the more time that passes with Levi and I as nothing more than friends, the more I dread the possibility of divulging all the things left unsaid.

My friends would never hold my feelings against me or use them as a coercive tool. They would, on the other hand, use what they know to give me a nudge. Push me to talk to Levi and tell him how I feel.

Badly as I’d love him to be more than my best friend, I also don’t want to lose him forever. Opening my mouth and confessing how I feel about him may do exactly that.

So for the past six years—almost seven—I’ve bottled up my deep affection for Levi West.

“Fine.” I slide the milkshake in front of me and take a long pull from the straw. “He’s been working a lot.”

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