Page 28 of Chasing You

“Yeah, no.” Adele came to a stop in front of the bakery and shoved his fingers into his hair. “I…there’s this thing. This issue. I’m…it…”

“Adele.”

“I’m in love with Kash.”

Bowen met him with silence, but before Adele could panic, he asked, “Wait, isthatthe revelation?”

Adele groaned. “I know I’m obvious. I know I’ve been obvious to everyone. Probably even Kash, which is why he’s been weird with me?—”

“He definitely doesn’t know. He’s worse than you,” Bowen said quietly. “What is this about though?”

We had sex. Ish. A sex thing, and I want to make it permanent. I want it to be a forever sex thing. But he couldn’t say that to his brother, so he went in another direction. “I know the risks of getting into a relationship with my best friend. I know what’s on the line and what I could lose. But I love him. I have always loved him. So, I think I’m ready to take the leap.”

“And he’s not on board?”

“He, uh…well, he still doesn’t know,” Adele said. “And I’m about seventy percent sure the reason he and I have never been a couple is because he doesn’t love me ba?—”

“I’m gonna stop you right there. That man is ass-wild in love with you.”

Adele grimaced. “Is that even a word?”

“It is now. And that’s not the point, dickhead. Kash has been in love with you since I can remember. Before you knew you liked to put your mouth on another guy’s mouth.”

Adele flushed. “Oh.”

“I think for a long time, he didn’t realize he had a shot with you. Then you came out to him, but right after that, you got married. Then he moved, and it all went to hell.”

Adele glanced to his right and saw a wrought iron chair and immediately collapsed into it. He pressed his elbow tohis knee and dropped his face into his hand. “Shit. I can’t keep living like this.”

“But let me guess? You don’t want to talk to him about it.”

“That has never worked with either of us.”

“That is the most ridiculous thing you have ever said, but…fine. Do you have a plan, or are you going to keep pining and praying?”

Pining and praying did sound like a lot less work, but he meant what he’d said to himself in the bathroom. He was done living this life. Unless Kash nailed that coffin shut, he was going to make this work.

“I want to woo him.”

“You are a fucking grandpa.”

“Yeah, and that’s part of my charm,” Adele shot back.

Bowen laughed. “I guess. But okay, fine. You want to woo him. Why are you callingmeabout this?”

“Because I need help. You have a history of having people with no business falling for you trip head over heels.”

“Thank you?” Bowen said, sounding like he didn’t know if he should be insulted or not.

Adele groaned, pressing a hand over his face. “I only mean I don’t know how to navigate this. I don’t want to go too far, but it’s Kash. I don’t think sitting him down and saying, ‘Hey, I want to bone until death do us part’ is going to work.”

Bowen snorted. “Yeah, no. I think you’re right. You two are way too alike.”

Adele grimaced, but Bowen was right. If Kash said that to him, he wouldn’t have believed him. And that was the core of the problem.

“How do I make him know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s the one for me?”

“Let me think on it,” Bowen said. “And you should too. Use this time to be with him and pay attention to him. Not just the things you want to see but the things he’s showing you. You know him better than anyone. I’ll help you, but you’ll probably know how to navigate this better than me.”

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