Page 27 of Hits Different

We find my car right where I left it, haphazardly stowed in a layby. “Your concept of parking hasn’t improved”, he observes.

“It’s strategic”, I explain. “If I’m late and need to park in a hurry, I purposefully park badly to give the impression that some kind of emergency has taken place. You’d be amazed at how many tickets I’ve avoided”.

“That’s insane”.

“And yet, no ticket”. I grab my bags. Parker runs his finger across the side panel, stopping when he gets to the engine. “Pop the hood”, he instructs.

“I’ll call a mechanic”.

He ignores me, head disappearing under the bonnet. “You’ll get oil over your uniform”, I protest. Parker pauses, then lifts his shirt over his head and tucks it into his belt.

Sweet Jesus.

His toned back and broad shoulders are directly in my eyeline. Every part of me, and I mean every part, can’t help but notice the muscle tensed beneath his smooth skin. He rummages around, his face tight with concentration.

This is killing me. In the very best way.Against my will, clips from our friendship scroll through my head like a newsreel. Who we were. What we were.He turns, stern and serious, and my breath catches in my throat.

Chest hair. Huh. That’s an upgrade. It’s so hot. I can’t even focus.

“You don’t get to be pissed at me”, I say before he can open his mouth. “This isn’t the first time I’ve come out to you. I don’t know what words you want me to use that’ll make you feel okay about it”.

His face twists in confusion. “Are you talking about that night?”

“What other night could I possibly be talking about?”

“You seriously expect me to believe that you told me you were gay at the Grand Ole Carter Gala? I’m sorry, that whole night may be a clusterfuck that I barely remember, but I’d rememberthat”. He looks so indignant, it’s hard not to believe him.

But then that means… “Whatdoyou remember?”

“Not much. I woke up with a black eye and the worst hangover of my life. My best friend wouldn’t talk to me. Millie was being weird. She dumped me a few weeks later. I mean”, he lowers his voice, “I vaguely recall thatstuff happened, but was it really worth throwing our friendship away over?”

Millie St Clare. A name I haven’t heard in years. Not that I don’t cyber stalk her sometimes. I wonder if Parker does too. If he replays his time with her, the same way I replay that night with him.

The thought scorches me from the inside out.

“But”, My fingers twist together. “The next morning…” I trail off.

“What about it?” Parker shrugs. “Look. You fooled around with my girlfriend. Things happen when you’re drunk. I wasn’t pissed. It’s college, right?”

“We were in high school”.

“We’d graduated”, he counters. “Or, we were between graduating and being graduates. There’s a word for it”.

“How the fuck should I know?”

“C’mon Honour Roll, don’t get shy on me now”.

“I’m asoccerplayer, not a librarian”.

“Look—” Parker opens his mouth but the sound of two voices coming from the other side of the fence cuts him off.

“…Sheryl, I was very clear…”

Simon, I realise. I don’t recognise the other voice. Parker holds a finger to his lips. The two voices are coming from behind the hedge.

“Just keep him busy with basic admin that even a college dropout couldn’t fuck up. Chances are he’ll quit within the week anyway…”.

“Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on him…”

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