Page 3 of 10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love

“All right?”

“Yep,” he says quickly.

“It’d suck if you’re getting a cold.”

“No, I’m good. Just a…thing. In my throat.”

I nod, getting my shirt over my head and grabbing my towel to do a quick dry of my hair. All set, I grab my bag and shut the locker.

Joey watches me as I head his way. I stop in front of him and hold up my fist, and he slowly bumps his own into mine.

“See more of you soon, Joey Kangaroo.”

I add a wink for my new gym-bro, and he makes a sound like something is still stuck in his throat.

“Yeah, uh… See ya, Brad,” he replies roughly.

Poor dude. He’s probably coming down with something.

Slapping his shoulder, I make my way out of the locker room and gym, humming once I set off along the Las Vegas sidewalks toward home. I have a few things to finish up this afternoon: a couple bugs to fix in the newest video game the company I work for is designing and some emails to reply to from the folks in admin. And then I’ll likely cap off my day by logging some game time in one of my favorite co-op shooters.

After that? Dinner. Alone. Maybe browsing a dating app? It has been a while since I’ve had a girlfriend, and, admittedly, I miss it. I miss spending time with someone. Learning everything there is to know about them. First kisses and warm cuddles on the couch.

I miss companionship.

Now that Jason has moved out, I’m truly on my own. I’m just Brad, twenty-five-year-old single dude, game designer, gym-goer, and coffee aficionado-slash-addict. Yeah, Jason and I will always be friends. We’ll always be Birdie and Bee.

But he has Cat-man now. Andholy shit. The cat who caught the canary. I never noticed that before.

I chuckle to myself as I unlock my door. What else goes with Bee? A flower? That sounds…mildly creepy when I think about the implications.

No. I’m just Brad. For maybe the first time ever.

And I’m okay with that. I am.

But I think it’s time to figure out what I want my life to look like beyond my super-sweet job and my brolationship with Jason. I don’t want to be alone forever. I want to find my eventualMrs. The flower I’ll stick my…yeah, nope. Still creepy.

The whole romance part might take time, but at least I accomplished something today. Something pretty damn big on this journey to self-discovery.

Step one in Brad’s Guide to Finding Himself and Falling in Love:

Make a new friend.

Nailed it.

Chapter 2

Joey

“Joey, need that drill?”

I pass it over to my cousin. “All yours.”

“Thanks,” he says, getting the wall anchors put in for the cabinets we’re installing. “What’re you doing, anyway?”

I puff out a breath, eyes returning to my phone. “Trying to work up the courage to text that guy I was telling you about.”

“From the gym?”

---