Page 52 of Spring Breakup
The tensionin the cabin had been suffocating Tyler for three hours.
And Dean—fuck that guy.
Dean joked with Tyler. He didn’t avoid him. He kept up lighthearted banter that Tyler had no hopes of reciprocating.
Basically, Dean was acting like nothing was wrong wheneverythingwas wrong.
Everything was different.
It was so typical. Another mind game like their first almost-kiss in the sauna. The purpose was to wind Tyler up, to make him feel off-kilter. Dean wanted the upper hand, which was ridiculous because Tyler had been giving him much, much more than the upper hand for four freaking days!
What if Dean’s admission, his pretty speech down at Skipper Lake, all those broken rules, had been a mind game too?
What if Dean was already regretting it? What if Tyler had only been an available body because Rosie and Leo were stuck on the other side of the avalanche?
God, there was no way that was true. Was there?
“You okay?” Dean asked after Tyler tried several times, and failed, to open the dishwasher.
“Yeah. Just…”Freaking out. “Just thinking.”
Overthinking.
“Want to share with the class?”
“No.” Tyler glared at Dean. He was so furious with him. Disproportionately furious. “Do you?”
“I’m not the one thinking so hard I can’t use a kitchen appliance.”
“Are you going to tell Rosie and Leo?”
“Tell them what?” Dean sat down languidly at the kitchen table, his stupidly long legs stretched out.
“About”—Tyler waved his hands—“everything! Why are you acting so weird?”
“Tyler, I say this with all the kindness in my heart, but I’m not the one acting weird. Do you want me to keep our secret affair secret?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know how this usually works with you, Dean,” Tyler snapped. “You’re the one who does stuff like this all the time.”
“Might I remind you I was also in a year-long relationship until two weeks ago,” Dean said placidly. “I do not do stuff like this all the time.”
“Yeah, and you’ve spent the whole trip trying to convince anyone who will listen that that relationship was a big ol’ nothing burger.”
Dean stood up. He was so tall, but it was the first time he’d used his height to make a point. “Itwasnothing. Why are you so bothered?”
“I’m not bothered.” Tyler finally got the dishwasher open, only to realize the dishes inside hadn’t been washed. He slammed it shut and jabbed the start button. He was too angry to turn around.
“Tyler,” Dean said, his voice too gentle.
“No. Stop. Whatever you’re about to say inthat voice, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Why not?”
“Because it hurts, okay. I hate feeling like this, and—”
The cabin door creaking open stopped Tyler in his tracks. Playtime was over. Fight time was over.
Rosie and Leo rushed in, happy and light and giggly. A sunbeam to the thunder of Tyler’s emotions.
