Page 5 of Hearts Adrift
“You mean he’s always withSeany,” Chase spits right back, leaning forward on the counter with his phone out, tongue dug into the side of his cheek as he squints at the screen. “Can’t keep him a minute before he’s gone again.”
So much for congratulating him today. “Just wanted to drop off some flyers. Discount tickets. New attraction. My sister wants to do some silly kissing booth thing.”
“Which sister?” asks Chase with his eyes still glued to his phone. “Oh, can I be behind the booth?? I need action. I am starting to think my singleness is a disease I contracted. Oh.” He looks up suddenly, pained. “So sorry.”
I frown back at him, confused. “For what?”
His eyes go blank, like he forgot what he’s sorry for.
This is common for Chase. He’s a gorgeous, freckly-faced guy with tanned skin and sandy waves of perfectly-styled hair who becomes a genius in front of any computer, or when countingmoney and performing quick math at the end of the night, yet is so easily confused and clumsy in the day-to-day things. Also, he’s been single, like, forever, and no one can make sense of it.
I just realized he thinks he hurt my feelings by likening being single with a disease.Fuck me, I’m losing my mind with everyone today. “Anyway, I’ll trust these flyers with you, and I’ll have to catch up with Coop next time.”
Chase’s brain has rebooted. He’s right back to normal. “Have you seen the video?” he lifts his phone up, wiggling it. “This actor totally lost it during a film shoot …”
“I couldnotcare less.” I search for a dry spot on the counter to set down the stack of flyers.
“Punched his director straight in the jaw. Like—bam, bitch!—then stormed off. Video’s everywhere.”
“Sounds like someone just tanked his career and got himself a few lawsuits on the way.” I find the spot and set down the flyers. “One per customer, if you can.”
“Finn, my man, how have younotseen this?”
“I don’t do social media. That was always …” My eyes go sideways. “… Theo’s thing.”
All the photos we’d taken.
The silly things he would write up, all cheery and fun.
The way he wanted us to appear to everyone out there in the cliquey world of the internet’s hottest gay couples, no matter how we actually were in reality.
“Oh, I did it again,” moans Chase, seeing my face sink. “Sorry. Shit, I need to just stop talking. Oh, hey, you had a rebound yet? Best way to get over a guy. Fuck him straight outta your system, dude. You need a rebound, ahotone.”
I snap out of it. “Flyers. One per customer. Thanks.”
“Have sex with a hottie, Finn! It’ll cure all your weird feelings, I promise!”
I’m already walking away. “Tell Coop I stopped by!”
“There are so many of them in this batch!” he calls at me as I leave the bar. By “batch”, he means this weekend’s horde of horny men, just here for a good time, then gone by Sunday and never to be seen again.
I’m not sure that’s what I need—another guy flying out of my life, no matter how hotly he flies into it.
Even if such a hot time is just a volleyball game away.
Or a haircut with Francisco.
Or a married man at the funnel cake stand, apparently.
I’m on the bottom step of the Easy Breezy, about to put the beach behind me, when I spot two guys sprawled out on a big blanket. Totally average dudes in swimsuits, one reading a book, the other on his phone, obviously a couple. The one on the phone shows his boyfriend something, the two bring their heads together to look at the screen, and then there’s sweet laughter. He sets down his book, more invested now, both of them close to each other, watching whatever it is that’s captured them.
And I watch them, captured in my own way.
Is my boyfriend something else I took for granted?
Sorry.Ex-boyfriend. Really need to break that habit.
Theo left town the second I officially ended things, like he couldn’t wait. Allegedly it was some business thing my (insufferably kindhearted) dad hooked him up with, maybe to facilitate the inevitable breakup we all saw coming, but I can’t help feeling like Theo was trapped here.
